Green Mountain
Chapter 367 - 303. Killing without seeing blood

Chapter 367: 303. Killing without seeing blood

The Six Ministries offices are closely adjacent to the Imperial City, just outside the Chengtian Gate.

The Imperial Clan Court, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, Observatory, Imperial Academy, Honglu Temple, Imperial Hospital, all clustered together.

In front of each government office, there were coachmen and sedan chair carriers dressed in grey cloth clothes, gathered together. They were chatting, joking, gambling, each waiting for their own master.

When Chen Ji came out of the Ministry of Personnel, the sun was already high in the sky.

An official from the Ministry of Personnel, dressed in a blue robe, personally saw him out of the office and patiently advised, "The Yulin Army Commander’s Mansion is right across, when you cross this street, the place with the plaque hanging that reads ’Yulin Army Commander’s Mansion’ is it. Also, let me tell you about the situation with the Yulin Army so you know how to conduct yourself."

Chen Ji cupped his hands, "Please enlighten me, Lord."

The official from the Ministry of Personnel benevolently said, "We are all our own people, no need to be formal. In its early years, the Yulin Army was organized into five garrisons, with one governor in charge, below which were five commanders, amounting to 5,600 men. But later, the Yulin Army was only responsible for the Imperial Guard, used during the ceremonies of offering sacrifices to heaven and ancestors, and when meeting barbarian envoys, so it was slowly reduced to two garrisons, only with two Secondary Fourth-rank commanders, and even the position of governor is vacant, a single commander oversees 500 men, totaling 1,000."

The official continued, "Now there’s a shortage under Commander Li Xuan; the Ministry of War plans to recruit nearby in the Imperial Capital, but it definitely can’t be done immediately. The other commander is your old acquaintance. I needn’t introduce him. Once you enter the Yulin Army, just follow his lead, and there will be no mishap."

Old acquaintance?

Chen Ji’s heart skipped a beat.

The first problem he faced upon returning to the Imperial Capital was not enemies but acquaintances.

The place where he was appointed was coincidentally the dissolute Yulin Army.

Chen Ji’s thoughts turned quickly; he had once been a nameless bastard of the Chen family, naturally couldn’t have a well-known acquaintance, so there could only be one possibility: this commander is part of the Chen family, so outsiders would assume they are familiar.

Who could it be?

The head of the first house, ’Chen Lizun,’ had no children, so it’s not from the first house.

The head of the second house, ’Chen Lizhi,’ had two sons, the legitimate eldest son ’Chen Wende,’ who reached the position of Minister of Rites; wouldn’t serve in the Yulin Army; the legitimate second son ’Chen Wenren’ once served as a common household officer in the Longevity Army...it must be him.

And who knows if there are other acquaintances in this dissolute Yulin Army?

At this moment, the official from the Ministry of Personnel smiled and said, "Spring will bring the six-yearly ’Capital Inspection,’ Lord Zhang is extremely busy, often away from the office. I, Zhou Xingwen, am the fifth-rank doctor of the Civil Selection Department in the Ministry of Personnel. If you have anything to do with the Ministry of Personnel and Lord Zhang is not present, feel free to come directly to me."

The fifth-rank doctor of the Civil Selection Department, responsible for official appointments and job distribution, is truly the "Number One Doctor Under Heaven," holding great power. But this Number One Doctor Under Heaven seemed more amicable than expected.

Chen Ji cupped his hands again, "I am obliged."

After he left, Zhou Xingwen let out a long sigh and turned back to the Ministry of Personnel’s rooms.

Inside the office, someone without raising their head said, "Old Zhou, normally we don’t see you this industrious; how come you’d personally see off a small flag officer of the Yulin Army? Whose son is he?"

Zhou Xingwen chuckled but did not reply.

Instead, an officer behind another desk quipped, "No wonder your promotion speed isn’t as fast as Old Zhou’s. Though you and he are scholars of the same year, he has risen to the fifth-rank while you’re still a sixth-rank chief officer."

The officer who asked the question earlier raised his head in surprise, "How do you say that? You praise him but disparage me, for what reason!"

The teasing officer laughed, "That youngster just now is not just a simple small flag officer; he is a hero freshly returned from Guyuan, with over a hundred Jing Dynasty traitors’ lives in his hands. But this isn’t the crux; the crux is that the palace’s eunuch relayed the message that when this small flag officer saw the emperor, our Lord Zhang requested an official post for him twice."

"Then why is he still just a small flag officer? With his merit and Lord Zhang’s support, it shouldn’t be difficult to secure a post as a common household officer or for thousands of households."

Zhou Xingwen, sitting behind the official correspondences, sipped his hot tea and spoke slowly, "His Majesty said to first place him in the Yulin Army to temper his character. How many have there been over the years who could earn such a comment from His Majesty? One was Zhang Zhuo; another was Wang Daosheng."

"But Wang Daosheng hasn’t even been reinstated yet; even if His Majesty said this, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything."

Another person, sitting behind the official correspondences, chuckled, "Why doesn’t His Majesty say to temper you? Does His Majesty even know who you are?"

The ridiculed bookish official’s face sank, "You can’t do your job properly and spend your days pondering about such things."

Zhou Xingwen shook his head; it was useless to argue.

Yet the other official didn’t let the bookish one off: "Old Zhou’s ability is something you have to admit. When Lord Zhang’s promotion dispatch came, you all declined, saying Luocheng was too far to deliver it, but Old Zhou volunteered. And look at him now, he’s Lord Zhang’s favorite, the Number One Doctor."

The bookish official muttered, "Nothing but luck."

Another person slanted him a glance, "This six-year Capital Inspection includes all officials below the fourth rank in the Capital and Jinling. The last Capital Inspection dismissed 197 officials and demoted 67. Now when there’s mention of the Capital Inspection, every official in the two capitals grows pale. Doesn’t it?"

The bookish official queried, "Indeed, what about it?"

The other continued, "The timing of Lord Zhang’s promotion to Left Assistant Minister of Personnel is so coincidental, just on the eve of the Capital Inspection...clearly, it’s His Majesty’s intention for him to return to Beijing to preside over the Capital Inspection. Think again, who used to oversee the Capital Inspection? Minister of Personnel, Imperial Censor!"

Even before Zhang Zhuo returned to Beijing, his appointment to the cabinet was already assured.

The bookish official was still arguing, "Lord Zhang has boundless prospects; what does it have to do with that small flag officer?"

Zhou Xingwen put down his teacup, gazing out the window, and only a few noticed that Zhang Zhuo’s legitimate son and daughter returned from Guyuan with the small flag officer.

...

...

Under the scorching sun, Chen Ji weaved through the long street, avoiding carriages and horses.

Upon reaching the gate of the Yulin Army Commander’s Mansion, he found the gate wide open.

On the drill ground, more than thirty Yulin Army members who returned from Guyuan together were training with long spears.

In the distance, there were some Yulin Army soldiers sitting in groups under the shade of the trees, chatting idly. It was unclear what topic they stumbled upon, but it prompted boisterous laughter from them all.

Chen Ji pondered for a moment, then stepped forward and walked inside.

The Yulin Army soldiers under the stable stood up, dusted off their clothes, and swaggered over. Someone shouted from afar, "Hey, that kid from the Chen family, do you remember me? Hahaha, Jianing 26th Year, the Literary Meeting at Little Yingtai, does that ring a bell?"

Chen Ji frowned; this person had obviously met him before.

But who the other person was, he had no clue.

Just when he was at a loss, he saw Qi Zhenzhuo rushing out from the second-floor covered building at the edge of the school ground, waving enthusiastically, "Master, Master!"

Chen Ji paused, turned his head to look.

Qi Zhenzhuo jogged over and dragged him toward the covered building.

Chen Ji instinctively wanted to break free, but upon seeing those "acquaintances" nearby, he let Qi Zhenzhuo lead him away.

Qi Zhenzhuo spoke excitedly while walking, "Master, I was waiting for you at the gate since early morning, and just as I sat down for a cup of tea, you arrived, making it seem like I was tricking you. My brother-in-law is here too, he can vouch for me. I really just went inside for a cup of tea."

Yet, before the two could walk far, those Yulin Army soldiers from before called out, "Qi Zhenzhuo, this is our man, what are you pulling him for?"

Qi Zhenzhuo stopped in his tracks, "Your man? Zhao Zhuofan, we shared life and death in Guyuan, how has my master become your man?"

Zhao Zhuofan sneered, "He’s from the Chen family, and our commanding officer here is Chen Wenren. If he’s not one of ours, whose can he be? Let him say for himself, whose man is he?"

All eyes turned to Chen Ji, eyes burning with anticipation.

Chen Ji thought for a moment, then turned to Qi Zhenzhuo and said, "Where is Lord Li? Take me to him."

Qi Zhenzhuo’s eyes lit up, "Let’s go, let’s go, my brother-in-law is in the Governor Mansion."

Zhao Zhuofan’s face darkened, "If you follow Li Xuan today, I fear there will be no place for you in the Chen family."

Chen Ji ignored this, quietly asking Qi Zhenzhuo, "What do the Yulin Army normally do, and why are there so few people in the Governor Mansion?"

Qi Zhenzhuo grinned, "Oh, most days there’s nothing urgent. Like me, a dandy... Master, I’m not a dandy anymore. We used to just get a name on the roll in the Yulin Army, clock in, and then wander off. Either go to the Eight Great Hutongs or for tea and chess."

Chen Ji wondered, "What if His Majesty needs the Yulin Army?"

Qi Zhenzhuo explained, "Things like sacrificial rites and ancestral worship have fixed times. His Majesty lives quietly in Renshou Palace, not needing a guard presence, and the Empress also never leaves the Forbidden Palace. Even if they need to leave the palace, the Imperial Clan Court, Honglu Temple, and Ministry of Rites will start preparing ten days in advance, so we have time to gather. Rarely are there urgent matters needing the Yulin Army. See, Chen Wenren is not here today, I heard he went to a Literary Meeting."

Qi Zhenzhuo mocked quietly, "With his little skills, he’s clearly just there to flirt with girls from small families, but acts all refined."

Chen Ji was curious, "Everyone’s gone, who handles the daily tasks?"

Qi Zhenzhuo laughed, "There’s always those humble families to do it. We don’t miss these duties, but they fear losing the Yulin Army’s royal rations, so they naturally work diligently."

Chen Ji looked towards the stables, where over ten Yulin Army soldiers were silently feeding the horses, not fitting in with the others.

Qi Zhenzhuo continued, "I wanted to tell you yesterday, being a small flag officer truly wrongs you. But don’t worry, once you’re in the Yulin Army, consider yourself a deputy commander; I’ll let you take my place."

Chen Ji turned to scrutinize Qi Zhenzhuo, wondering if in Guyuan he had once died and been possessed by some major figure from the Forty-nine Heavens?

Just then, a person suddenly rushed into the gate, shouting, "Where is the Yulin Army?"

Chen Ji and Qi Zhenzhuo turned to look, It was a little eunuch in a green robe running along, holding a russet-yellow handwritten order, shouting, "Delivering the Prime Minister’s order, His Majesty and the Empress will meet the Korean Crown Prince at evening, opening Jianji Hall. Yulin Army to line up in welcome!"

Qi Zhenzhuo was startled and exclaimed, "Why so suddenly?"

He had just been boasting to Chen Ji that not being on duty wouldn’t matter, and retribution came swiftly!

Chen Ji whispered, "How many people are needed to welcome the barbarian envoys?"

Qi Zhenzhuo murmured, "Korea is a small country, three hundred and sixty men would do... but the Governor Mansion doesn’t even have two hundred people now."

Chen Ji thought for a moment, "Send a fast rider to find Chen Wenren, where is the Literary Meeting he’s attending?"

Qi Zhenzhuo panicked, "Only an hour left, it’s too late."

But then he thought again and gleefully said, "No, the Prime Minister must know, our garrison now has only thirty-seven men, all here, and we’ve just returned to the capital, supposed to be on rest. If it weren’t for you, Master, we wouldn’t have come for duty at the Governor Mansion at all. Therefore, any blame won’t fall on us; it’ll land on Chen Wenren and them... Strange, why so sudden this time?"

At this moment, Li Xuan came out of the covered building wearing silver armor and softly said, "The Prime Minister’s knife is still as sharp, killing without seeing blood."

Qi Zhenzhuo blinked, "What do you mean?"

Li Xuan glanced at him, "The Prime Minister bears grudges, yesterday the Ritual Supervision lost a Top Three Zodiac Binghu, someone must accompany him in burial."

On the school ground, Zhao Zhuofan could be seen shouting all around, "Assemble, armor up!"

The Yulin Army scattered in the Governor Mansion quickly gathered, but it was only over a hundred and sixty men, far short of three hundred and sixty.

Just as Zhao Zhuofan was helpless, another little eunuch in a green robe rushed over with the Prime Minister’s handwritten order, urging, "Where is the Yulin Army, hurry to the Imperial Palace Gate to await orders... why are there so few of you? Where are the people!"

Qi Zhenzhuo asked Li Xuan, "Brother-in-law, should we go? Or should we just go home and rest, let Chen Wenren and Zhao Zhuofan meet their doom."

Li Xuan shook his head, "Duty calls, armor up, and organize the troops! I don’t care about others, but we must not let the barbarian envoys mock us!"

Chen Ji suddenly said, "Get me a set of armor too, I’ll make up the numbers."