Green Mountain
Chapter 370 - 305, Assassination_2

Chapter 370: 305, Assassination_2

Jianji Hall suddenly fell into silence, and the courtiers all turned their eyes toward the Korean Crown Prince.

After a moment, Official Hu gave a light cough, and a blue-robed official stepped out, holding a ritual baton huban: "Your Majesty, it must not be done. If firearms are gifted to Korea, who is to say they won’t fall into the hands of the Jing Dynasty’s traitors? Moreover, firearms are a double-edged sword, harmful if mishandled. Even the Divine Machine Camp requires years of training. Even if they are given these firearms, they won’t be able to use them."

Outside the hall, Chen Ji had been listening, marveling at how throughout the court meeting, Emperor Ning hadn’t needed to speak, as there was always someone to respond on his behalf.

Jianji Hall fell silent once more.

At this moment, Wu Yun suddenly meowed: "Be careful, I heard the Empress say that the Korean Crown Prince’s letter of credentials had long been sent to the palace. The last request in his letter is for an alliance marriage. The Empress also said that his request for firearms might just be an excuse, perhaps with the actual purpose of getting the Emperor to agree to the alliance marriage request."

Chen Ji felt a chill in his heart; Emperor Ning simply had no daughters.

More crucially, in the quiet Jianji Hall, Wu Yun’s voice was indeed abrupt, causing even the Korean Crown Prince and the courtiers to raise their heads in surprise.

Everyone looked toward the Empress, who calmly stroked Wu Yun’s head without saying anything.

Emperor Ning slightly turned his head and actually asked with a smile, "Where did this cat come from? It’s as black as ink."

The courtiers exchanged glances. As the Korean Crown Prince was about to bring up the firearms again, the Empress softly chuckled: "I don’t know where this little stray cat wandered in from, but I found it adorable, so I decided to keep it in Kunning Palace."

Emperor Ning laughed heartily: "What’s its name?"

The Empress replied: "I haven’t named it yet. Why not let Your Majesty give it a name?"

After thinking for a moment, Emperor Ning said: "It looks so stout and strong, how about we call it Mountain Lord?"

"Mountain Lord? That’s a good name," the Empress said curiously: "But Your Majesty gave your own Shuang Mei a grand title like ’True Monarch of Loyalty and Filial Piety’. How come when it’s my cat, it only gets a nickname?"

Emperor Ning laughed and said: "How about we grant it the title ’Mouse-catching General’, and give it a set of armor and a seal?"

The Empress playfully complained: "Why give it armor and a seal, Your Majesty? It wouldn’t be able to use them. It would be wasted."

Emperor Ning smiled and looked at the Korean Crown Prince: "Since it can’t use them, then let’s not give them."

The Korean Crown Prince was frozen in place.

Before he could speak, Emperor Ning had already given the order: "Award the Prince with a five-Chapter crown, a jade belt, a golden seal; two hundred pieces of silk, two hundred pieces of Yun Jin, two thousand taels of silver, two hundred pieces of porcelain, twenty sets of armor."

The Korean Crown Prince was still lost in thought, while an official from Honglu Temple reminded: "Express your gratitude!"

The Crown Prince immediately came to his senses and could only bow: "Thank Your Majesty for your benevolence."

Wu Xiu glanced at the Honglu Temple official, who understood immediately, stepped out, and exclaimed: "The session is over!"

Only then did Wu Xiu announce loudly: "Court dismissed if there is no other business!"

The courtiers kowtowed and exited in single file, not giving the Korean Crown Prince a chance to speak again.

Outside the hall, Chen Ji couldn’t help but peek as Emperor Ning and the Empress walked towards the back of the hall, with Wu Yun being carried along.

Before disappearing, the noble-looking Wu Yun meowed: "You don’t have to worry about me, I will find a way to find the Commandery Princess!"

Chen Ji: "..."

In the back hall, Emperor Ning glanced at Wu Yun in the Empress’s arms: "This cat is quite gentle and affectionate. My previous Shuang Mei wouldn’t let anyone hold it... How about raising it in Renshou Palace?"

The Empress looked at him: "Since Your Majesty has spoken, I naturally must comply."

Emperor Ning reached out to hold Wu Yun, but Wu Yun suddenly climbed onto the Empress’s shoulder, clinging tightly to her neck.

The Empress’s gaze immediately softened.

She cradled Wu Yun in her arms and gently said: "Your Majesty, look, it cannot bear to be apart from me. Whenever you want to play with it, do come to Kunning Palace yourself."

...

...

The Korean Crown Prince entered the hall filled with anticipation but left with exhaustion in his eyes.

The Yulin Army escorted him to the gate of the Imperial Palace, where Bai Long, who had been waiting early, instructed: "The matters regarding aid still need to be discussed with the officials, so the Prince should return to Huitong Hall to await news."

The Crown Prince sighed heavily: "It seems that’s the only option."

Bai Long waved his hand, and the Korean envoy brought two sedan chairs, concealing the Crown Prince and his substitute, making it impossible to discern which chair the Crown Prince actually boarded.

Bai Long looked at Li Xuan: "I trouble Commander Li to have two groups escort the Prince back to Huitong Hall."

Li Xuan clasped his fist: "Yes."

The two groups departed Chengtian Gate, heading separately towards East and West Chang’an Street.

The carriages flowed incessantly along Chang’an Street as the Yulin Army cleared the way. Idle pedestrians automatically moved under the gray-tiled eaves to wait for the convoy to pass.

Chen Ji followed along with the crowd, and Qi Zhenzhuo quietly said: "Did you see the Empress’s cat? It looks so much like the one you took to Guyuan earlier."

Chen Ji casually replied: "Yes, there’s some resemblance."

At this time, while vigilantly scanning his surroundings, Li Xuan said to Chen Ji: "After Ritual Supervision had Chen Wenren whipped and handed over to the Ministry of War, what a fierce move. Yesterday, the Chen family, Qi family, and Xu family joined forces against the Hu Family, and today someone from the Chen family fell into the Hu Family’s hands."

Chen Ji asked curiously: "Will he be dismissed?"

Li Xuan thought about it: "It’s hard to say. It depends on how much the Chen family is willing to sacrifice. Officials never act out of pure emotions; as long as there are enough benefits, today’s grievances can be forgotten tomorrow. Chen Wenren, after all, is the legitimate second son of the second branch, and the main branch has no heirs, so they might act to protect him."

Chen Ji hummed in acknowledgement.

Li Xuan suddenly said: "If the Chen family doesn’t protect him, that would actually be better. I would then be in charge of the Yulin Army, and everyone would be more at ease. Rest assured, if anything arises, I will discuss it with you."

Chen Ji smiled: "Lord Li, I’m just a small flag officer."

Li Xuan shook his head: "There’s no need for empty formalities among us. If it wasn’t for you back then, I would have died in Guyuan. Your abilities are well-known among the brothers who came back with us from Guyuan. Even my brother-in-law seems closer to you than to me sometimes."

Qi Zhenzhuo laughed heartily: "My brother-in-law, I am wise enough to recognize good timing."

As they spoke, the two processions arrived at Huitong Hall, and Li Xuan said in a deep voice: "Prince, please disembark."

The Korean envoy went to lift the sedan curtain, the person on the right side got off, but the person on the left side did not move, as if asleep inside the sedan.

Li Xuan frowned, stepped forward, and patted the person inside: "Wake up?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the person inside slumped over and tumbled out of the sedan chair.

Li Xuan’s expression changed, and he suddenly lifted the veil. Under the veil, the person’s face was ashen, already dead!

Chen Ji said: "That is not the Crown Prince, it is a substitute."

Li Xuan looked up at the other side, where the Korean Crown Prince removed his veil in fright and asked: "Esteemed officials of the Ning Dynasty, what is happening? Why is he dead within the sedan?"

More than thirty Yulin Army soldiers instinctively looked at Chen Ji, but Chen Ji also frowned and remained silent.

All along the way, no one had approached the sedan chair.

Absolutely no one.

Li Xuan asked quietly: "What should we do? The person was under our escort, murdered right under our eyes. We might not escape blame!"

Qi Zhenzhuo cursed: "Damn it, how did we get a load of trouble as soon as we returned to the Imperial Capital... Could the Poison Minister have orchestrated this to frame my Qi family?"

Chen Ji said gravely: "First, escort the Crown Prince into the Huitong Hall, guard the front entrance, backyard; do not let anyone touch the body. Immediately seal off East Rongmi Lane, as the murderer might still be among the Korean envoys or the Yulin Army. Until the murderer is found, no one is allowed to leave!"

Li Xuan drew his sword: "Yulin Army, heed my command, seal off East Rongmi Lane, let no one escape! Anyone who disobeys shall be killed without mercy!"