Chapter 505: Arriving One After Another |
Chen Ji stood by the window, quietly watching Chen Wende on the long street.
The other party had changed into a true red robe with a slanted collar and large lapel, wearing a black square pacification hat on his head. He was spotlessly clean and meticulous in every detail. He looked like an official about to head to Meridian Gate carrying a coffin to present a remonstration of death, leaving his most presentable appearance in the minds of others.
Li Xuan arrived beside Chen Ji and said softly: "Careful. He doesn't want to live anymore. He wants to drag the Chen Family along to be buried with him."
Qi Zhenzhuo was shocked: "So ruthless?"
Li Xuan ignored Qi Zhenzhuo and continued saying to Chen Ji: "His Majesty has long suffered from the aristocratic families. To deal with the Liu Family, he painstakingly managed for over a decade. Right now, if someone hands the knife to kill the Chen Family into His Majesty's hands, no one knows whether His Majesty will take it."
Qi Zhenzhuo looked at Chen Ji and gritted his teeth: "Master is finally about to be adopted into the first branch with great difficulty. How can we fail at the last step because of him? I'll go kill him right now!"
Li Xuan shot him a sidelong glance: "With so many garrison soldiers and commoners watching, can you kill them all? If you make a move to kill him, it can be determined as suppressing a rebellion, or it can be determined as Murder to Silence. It all lies within a single thought of His Majesty."
As soon as these words came out, the Feather Forest Army Looking at One Another in dismay. Someone carefully sized up Chen Ji's complexion.
Li Xuan spoke very clearly. Wading into these muddy waters might just be a great crime leading to Property Confiscation and family extermination. The Feather Forest Army were all children of officials and nobles; who would be willing to discard their status and brave such a risk?
Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "Don't kill him. We can't implicate everyone into entering the Imperial Prison again over this matter..."
He hadn't even finished speaking, yet he saw Li Xuan carrying the Flying White Sword and walking to the corners of the wall, slitting the throats of the dead soldiers lingering on their last breaths one by one.
Chen Ji looked over in bewilderment: "What are you doing?"
Li Xuan used the tip of his foot to pick up a Long-Handled Broadsword and gripped it in his hand. Earnestly, he said: "Only Chen Wende remains. Later, you guys escort him toward the outside of the city. I will remove my armor, cover my face, and intercept him halfway. I will butcher Chen Wende before you exit the Changping County city walls, letting the commoners in the city see clearly that it was the deed of an assassin."
Qi Zhenzhuo sighed with emotion: "So brother-in-law, you are actually the most reckless one."
Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "You cannot. You are the Commander-in-Chief of the Feather Forest Army. If you are not in the honor guard, you will definitely be discovered by those who care."
Li Xuan answered: "Not many people have seen my appearance. Later, Qi Zhenzhuo will wear my helmet. They will mistake Qi Zhenzhuo for me."
Chen Ji asked in return: "What if someone has seen you?"
Li Xuan remained silent.
This place was merely a day's journey from Capital City. Who could say for sure that someone hadn't truly seen him.
Chen Ji looked out the window.
On the long street, Chen Wende was still standing there all alone. The garrison soldiers and commoners were far away; no one dared to approach.
He took a deep breath. Carrying the Whale Blade, he turned and went downstairs: "No need to think too much about it. Escort Chen Wende back to the capital."
The Feather Forest Army followed behind Chen Ji down the stairs, their silver armor and White Pheasant Tail Feathers awe-inspiring.
Chen Ji walked into the long street and arrived before Chen Wende: "Since you already left, why bother coming back?"
Chen Wende sized him up and down. Smiling, he answered a different question: "Worthy younger brother Chen Ji's Fate Pattern is truly tough. In the Fragrant Hills, several dozen dead soldiers couldn't kill you; even utilizing forbidden arts like the Five Rampant Spectral Soldiers wouldn't do. Today, I colluded with the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division and even had Path-Seeking Stage Practitioners make a move. Yet even like this, you couldn't be killed. This elder brother is truly convinced; losing is not unjust."
Qi Zhenzhuo said behind Chen Ji: "My Master is the destination of Providence. He is not someone you despicable people can kill."
Chen Wende smiled and shook his head. Describing Chen Ji earnestly: "It is not the destination of Providence. Once could be luck; twice could be luck. But if every time someone helps you, then that is true strength. Worthy younger brother, it is truly that my Chen Family's second branch chose the wrong opponent, misjudging you."
Chen Wende truly wanted to kill Chen Ji. Previously, when the dead soldiers made their move, thirty percent of them focused fire on Chen Ji. Chen Guang even hid on the roof, waiting for the opportunity to strike—all just to kill Chen Ji alone. Everyone else were merely idle hands.
But he still failed... However, it didn't matter.
Chen Ji sized up Chen Wende, only seeing him holding his head high and chest out, Grand and Imposing. There was no sorrow or resentment of imminent death, only the magnanimity of being willing to accept defeat when betting.
"Elder brother is magnanimous," Chen Ji asked again, impassive: "It's just that you had clearly already left; why did you still come back? Second Master left you so much manpower, and presumably quite a bit of family wealth as well. Wherever you go, you could forge out a new piece of heaven and earth. Did you not plan to leave a thread of Incense for the second branch?"
Chen Wende tucked his hands into the large sleeves of his robe. With a straight figure, he looked up at the sky: "Worthy younger brother Chen Ji, Kind Father And Filial Son, and Friendly Elder Brother And Respectful Younger Brother are merely shams in your third branch, but in my second branch, they are true. My father knew he was destined to die, so he arranged both Path-Seeking Stage Practitioners by my side to take me far away to another land. He knew that if he didn't die, Elder Chen wouldn't let me off. Therefore, he stayed behind alone to face death. Tell me, could he be considered to have guts?"
Chen Ji thought for a moment: "He could."
Chen Wende smiled and asked again: "My second branch's dead soldiers all knew today meant certain death, yet they still accompanied me here to kill you. Can this be considered to have guts?"
Chen Ji answered: "It can."
Chen Wende spoke again: "I originally could have just walked away and washed my hands of it. Whether going to Nanyang or the Jing Dynasty, I could have enjoyed glory, splendor, wealth, and rank for a lifetime. But I still came back to avenge my father's murder, dragging the entire Chen Family to be buried with me. Can this be considered to have guts?"
Chen Ji thought for a moment again: "It can."
Looking up at the sky, Chen Wende sighed with emotion: "Ah, Chen Ji. That Elder Chen everyday talks about literary guts, literary guts. But these guts, it isn't only you people who have them; my second branch has them too."
Li Xuan asked in a deep voice: "Just to vie for this breath of pride, you want to throw in so many human lives?"
Chen Wende shook his head gently: "I just couldn't bear to see Chen Luchi, that thief of the family, occupy the magpie's nest like a turtledove without paying the price, that's all."
Speaking up to here, he looked at Chen Ji again with a smile: "Has worthy younger brother made a decision? Will you escort me back to Capital City, or directly kill me here? I wonder if you are willing to watch the things you so painstakingly fought to obtain be washed down the drain?"
Chen Ji looked at the garrison soldiers and commoners behind Chen Wende: "Presumably elder brother has left backup plans; no matter what I choose, the outcome is the same. Let us return to the capital. His Majesty will have his ruling."
Chen Wende nodded: "A smart person... Did my father say anything before he left?"
Chen Ji recalled: "Before Second Master left, he asked for a cup of good tea: Longjing tea just picked before the Qingming Festival, one bud and one leaf. After finishing the tea, he said that winners become kings and losers become rebels; there was nothing to complain about, it was his skills that were inferior. He only begged the Family Head to leave you a path of survival, allowing you to set out to sea."
Chen Wende remained silent for a long time. A moment later, he said softly: "That's right. Winners become kings and losers become rebels; there is nothing to complain about. Let's go."
Chen Ji looked back at the Feather Forest Army behind him: "Where is the Crown Prince?"
Qi Zhenzhuo and the others paused, immediately looking left and right. Only then did they find the Crown Prince in the shadows beneath the gray-tiled Eaves. A feathered arrow ran through the Crown Prince's thigh, his entire body already soaked with sweat, yet his expression remained as usual.
Chen Wende roared with laughter: "There are those with a more miserable outcome than my second branch."
Chen Ji came before the Crown Prince to examine his injuries. This arrow had actually snapped the Crown Prince's leg bone; the Crown Prince was eighty percent likely to go lame.
In the Ning Dynasty, an heir apparent going lame was absolutely no small matter.
The Emperor called himself the Son of Heaven. His body was seen as the Heavenly Mandate. Any disability would be viewed by the civil officials as a defect in Heavenly Dao, their virtue not matching their position. Once he went lame, the Crown Prince would be completely cut off from taking the throne.
Therefore, Chen Wende said there were those with a more miserable outcome than the Chen Family's second branch.
With his possibility of ascending the throne gone, the Crown Prince no longer bothered to conceal himself. Instead, he looked up at Chen Ji, his voice no longer gentle, like an icy freezing wind: "Lord Chen, are you satisfied now?"
Chen Ji said calmly: "Somewhat of a pity."
The Crown Prince remained expressionless: "A pity that We didn't die? Lord Chen, seeing as We did not die today, will you still be able to sleep at night?"
Right at this time, the sound of horse hooves came from afar. The iron-shod hooves were exceptionally crisp.
Li Xuan's expression changed: "The comer bears ill intent."
The next moment, a group of twelve Trouble-Resolving Guards clad in coir raincoats arrived. The person leading in front was impressively the Commander of the Trouble-Resolving Guard, Lin Chaoqing!
Qi Zhenzhuo lowered his voice: "Why did the Trouble-Resolving Guard suddenly come? If..."
Chen Wende smiled: "Naturally, it was my people who took the initiative to deliver the news, saying someone here was plotting rebellion... I suppose the Trouble-Resolving Guard would be very interested in my Chen Family's estates. What they excel at most is precisely Property Confiscation."
Qi Zhenzhuo looked at Chen Ji: "What do we do? If he falls into the hands of the Trouble-Resolving Guard..."
The Trouble-Resolving Guard arrived close by. Sitting on his horse, Lin Chaoqing cupped his hands toward Chen Ji: "Baron of Wuxiang County, we meet again so soon. Someone reported the Chen Family's Chen Wende to this seat for privately hoarding Crossbows and harboring dead soldiers. Where my duties lie, this seat must bring this person back to the Imperial Prison for interrogation."
The Feather Forest Army blocked in front of Chen Wende, their swords drawn and bows bent.
The Trouble-Resolving Guards were clad in coir raincoats, their hands pressing upon their waist-swords, seemingly prepared to act and snatch the person at any moment.
Lin Chaoqing looked at Chen Ji: "Could it be that the Feather Forest Army are co-conspirators of this Chen Wende, and also want to rebel? The Baron of Wuxiang County must consider this clearly. Don't implicate over a hundred Feather Forest Army soldiers to suffer involvement alongside you."
The Crown Prince, who was slumped on the ground beside them, looked at Chen Ji and laughed out loud: "Lord Chen, with this incident regarding Chen Wende happening, your Chen Family won't be able to care about sleeping either. We are very happy. We will personally watch you be thrown into the Imperial Prison, and then your whole family exiled to Lingnan. On that day from Zhongcui Palace, We will toast three cups from afar to Lord Chen to send Lord Chen off."
Chen Ji paid no heed to the Crown Prince and opened his mouth to say: "Hand Chen Wende over to the Trouble-Resolving Guard."
The Feather Forest Army soldiers shared a glance, then slowly made way.
Lin Chaoqing spurred his horse forward, saying with a smile: "The Baron of Wuxiang County is actually much more steady and heavy now."
Chen Ji also paid no heed to Lin Chaoqing. Turning his head, he instructed Duo Bao: "Find a carriage to escort the Crown Prince back to the capital."
Duo Bao went to the Changping Relay Station to fetch a carriage. Together with Li Cen, they carried the Crown Prince into the carriage.
Lin Chaoqing faintly cupped his hands to Chen Ji: "Farewell."
Qi Zhenzhuo asked with worry: "Master, what do we do?"
Chen Ji said calmly: "Take one step and gaze at the next..."
Before his words fell, however, the sound of horse hooves again came from afar. Lin Chaoqing abruptly turned his head, only to see a person in a white robe leading six men galloping over the long street, heading straight for himself.
This procession of men and horses stopped before Lin Chaoqing. Lin Chaoqing hesitated for a long while, but looking at Xuan She, Bao Hou, Jiao Tu, Yun Yang, Jin Zhu, and Tian Ma behind Bai Long, he eventually still lowered his head and cupped his fists: "Lord Bai Long. This lowly official thought you were still in Tanggu. Presuming that you rushed here before dawn, right after sending away the Jing Dynasty envoy... You must have ridden several horses to death to run here."
Bai Long ignored him, and instead turned his head with a Calm and Composed manner to examine the crowd: "What has happened here?"
(End of this chapter)