Chapter 508: Heirloom Seal of the Realm |
The Feather Forest Army guarded the graves for a night. It wasn't until the early morning of the next day that they spurred their horses to return to the capital.
But they didn't directly enter the city. Instead, they waited silently on the official road five miles away, waiting until Qi Zhenzhuo entered the capital to scout for news before making further plans.
Li Xuan looked at Chen Ji: "The news of the Crown Prince being injured and physically disabled has likely already spread back to Capital City. As the Emperor's personal Imperial Guards, we ought to have protected him completely. Now that his noble body has suffered damage, we can be considered to have failed our duties... Receiving punishment is definitely unavoidable. You might be stripped of your noble title."
Chen Ji casually said: "A Baron for a Crown Prince is not a loss. This noble title doesn't give much stipend anyway. Instead, it is Lord Li who has been dragged down this time. You might just be dismissed from your post."
Li Xuan gazed distantly at the outline of Capital City on the horizon: "No matter. If I'm truly dismissed from office, I will go to Guyuan alone to seek out Hu Junxian and ask for a future."
Chen Ji remained impassive: "Have you told your family?"
Li Xuan gave a soft sigh but didn't follow up on those words.
When the chen hour arrived, Qi Zhenzhuo came galloping over.
Li Xuan asked in a loud voice: "Regarding the matter of Chen Wende, has the court reached a conclusion?"
The Feather Forest Army were all shocked: "Committed suicide?"
Qi Zhenzhuo explained: "I sought out a childhood friend to inquire. His current official post is a Bureau Director in the Ministry of Justice. After Chen Wende died, the Ministry of Justice's coroner also went. The news should be true."
Chen Ji frowned: "Who gave the poison? How was it determined to be suicide?"
Qi Zhenzhuo recalled: "They said he died from biting the poison sac inside his mouth. That Chen Wende had his back molar extracted early on, hiding a poison sac made of white wax in the position of the molar. Now the court is keeping this matter strictly secret, concluding that the incident in Changping was an assassination of the Jing Dynasty envoy by Jing Dynasty spies, having nothing to do with the Chen Family."
The Feather Forest Army cast their gazes onto Chen Ji, knowing in their hearts that this hurdle could be considered muddily passed, though they didn't know how it was passed.
Only Chen Ji vaguely understood: it must have been Bai Long who used a method to make Chen Wende commit suicide. But... how did Bai Long make Chen Wende willingly commit suicide?
Li Xuan looked at Chen Ji: "Now only the matter of the Crown Prince remains. What are you planning to do?"
Chen Ji said calmly: "We'll take one step and gaze at the next."
Li Xuan turned his head to instruct the Feather Forest Army: "No matter who asks, regarding Chen Wende, you know absolutely nothing."
The Feather Forest Army responded in unison: "Yes."
Taking the lead on his horse, Chen Ji galloped toward the south: "Return to the capital."
This time, they still passed through Anding Gate, but no one blocked them anymore. The Five Wards Military and Police Department only routinely checked the Ministry of War's fire warrant before politely letting them pass.
The Feather Forest Army, their bodies stained with blood, slowly passed through the city gate tunnel. They held their heads high and chests out, not looking sideways.
The pedestrians inside the city were momentarily intimidated by their Aura, actually silently yielding to the side of the road.
Looking back at the Five Wards Military and Police Department beneath the city gate, Qi Zhenzhuo clicked his tongue in wonder: "How come they aren't blocking us this time?"
Chen Ji said calmly: "Just like wild beasts, territories are fought for, not given up by others."
When they reached Meridian Gate, they saw from afar that Jin Zhu was standing outside the gate waiting, as if specially waiting for them.
Chen Ji vaulted off his horse. Jin Zhu said to the officers and soldiers of the Feather Forest Army with a smile: "Everyone doesn't need to enter the palace. Passing on His Majesty's oral decree: although you all have achieved meritorious service this time, causing the heir apparent to be injured makes the merits and demerits hard to cancel out. For now, three years of salary are confiscated. You shall remain in your original posts, to earn merits to atone for your crimes."
Qi Zhenzhuo widened his eyes. He didn't expect the big stick to be raised high and lowered gently; it was merely as simple as confiscating three years' salary.
Jin Zhu waved his hand: "His Majesty took into consideration that everyone had been rushing about for dozens of days and still hadn't rested, and specially permitted three days of rest. After three days, go to the Feathered Forest Army Commander's Mansion on your own to report for duty. You may all disperse. Go back early to rest... Baron of Wuxiang County, stay behind."
Li Xuan looked at Chen Ji. Chen Ji nodded silently, and the Feather Forest Army finally dispersed.
Looking at the receding figures of the Feather Forest Army, Jin Zhu sighed with emotion: "It hasn't been long since you left the capital, yet coming back feels like something from a past life. You've become the Baron of Wuxiang County, are being adopted into the Chen Family's first branch, and are even going to intermarry with a daughter of the Qi Family. Looking back half a year ago, you were still just a minor apprentice at the Taiping Medical Clinic."
Chen Ji said softly: "I would actually rather myself still be in the Taiping Medical Clinic."
Jin Zhu continuously consoled him: "Kid, people have to move forward. Otherwise, in the end, only you alone will be left behind in the past."
Chen Ji started to smile: "Is Lord Jin Zhu talking about himself?"
Jin Zhu was momentarily stunned.
Chen Ji walked toward Checkerboard Street, changing the subject: "Let's eat a bowl of noodles together. Want to chat about the matter of you guys capturing Yuan Cheng alive? I've always been curious about how you caught him."
The two arrived at Checkerboard Street. Pondering for two breaths, Chen Ji led Jin Zhu into Bianyi Workshop: "Waiter, two bowls of sizzling mutton noodles, each with an extra three ounces of mutton."
Jin Zhu added: "Add another two ounces of sheep offal to mine."
The waiter, beaming with joy, used the white towel on his shoulder to help the two wipe the Eight Immortals table: "Alrighty! Just wait a moment, two guests."
Once the mutton noodles were served, Jin Zhu pulled out a pair of chopsticks and rubbed them together: "Actually, I don't know how we muddily captured Yuan Cheng either."
Chen Ji was bewildered: "Hmm?"
Jin Zhu recounted: "After the Pacify the East Army went out to sea, they hoisted two sails and headed toward Goryeo. Originally, it was said we were going to disembark from the 'Fupingpu' port."
Chen Ji knew that Fupingpu was precisely the 'Incheon' he knew of, an important port for communication between the Ning Dynasty and Goryeo, and the gateway to Hanseong.
Jin Zhu continued: "On the fourth night, Feng Wenzheng suddenly appeared beside Wang Daosheng to offer strategies and plans. The Pacify the East Army then changed its course and headed straight for Lüshun, arriving in two days. We secretly approached Lüshun on the sixth night. What was strange was that the entire port was completely pitch-dark without any lights; Mister Feng seemingly already knew it would be like this. After we donned our armor and disembarked, that old boy surnamed Feng actually led us straight for Yuan Cheng's ancestral home. He said it was his old mother's eightieth birthday, and Yuan Cheng had specially returned from Upper Capital to offer birthday greetings."
Jin Zhu said ruefully: "That day, we slaughtered until the sky grew dark and the earth was dim, fighting all the way until sunrise. The Yuan family's ancestral home was built like a city—easy to defend and hard to attack. The Pacify the East Army had many people die that day. Layers upon layers of corpses were stacked exceptionally high; Tian Ma and I ultimately climbed the city wall by stepping on corpses. I still remember when I just climbed the city wall, my mind was buzzing loudly. My eyes were red from killing, and I only snapped out of it when I climbed the city wall and saw the sunrise."
"Tian Ma stood on the city wall. The Arrow Rain of shooting stars pressed the Yuan family's personal retinue so hard they couldn't lift their heads. I originally thought the overall situation had been decided. As a result, the Yuan family's personal retinue retreated into the city to engage us in street fighting, actually forcefully dragging it out for two earthly branches of time. At that moment everyone was very anxious, because according to the time, the Left Jinwu Guard from the Jing Dynasty's central Imperial Guards was near Lüshun. They were Yuan Cheng's direct line of descent. If they were allowed to rush over to provide reinforcement, none of us could think about returning home."
"I searched all over for Feng Wenzheng, wanting to ask for countermeasures, but as a result, that old boy had vanished without a trace. When I saw him again, he was already carrying Yuan Cheng and standing on the city gate tower. Utterly saw a ghost. This old boy appeared and disappeared unpredictably; I don't know how Yuan Cheng was captured alive by him either."
Chen Ji silently ate a mouthful of noodles.
Master Feng could also be so flawless in his calculations even when he reached the Jing Dynasty? Was he in collusion with Lu Jin, or had he laid down an opening move early on?
He put down his chopsticks and asked: "Where is Mister Feng? Where did he go afterwards?"
Jin Zhu shook his head: "No idea. After handing Yuan Cheng over to the Pacify the East Army, he separated from us. Whereabouts unknown, but I'm guessing..."
Chen Ji's expression stirred: "Guessing what?"
Jin Zhu said softly: "I'm guessing he went to seek the Heirloom Seal of the Realm."
Chen Ji was stunned: "Heirloom Seal of the Realm?"
Jin Zhu nodded, saying mysteriously: "You didn't know, right? Before the two dynasties divided to rule the North and South, there was the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. It's said that it has been passed down all the way from High Antiquity, engraved with the eight bird-and-insect seal characters for 'Having Received the Mandate from Heaven, May (the Emperor) Lead a Long and Prosperous Life.' A person holding the jade seal can suppress Practitioners within a two-mile radius, causing their Cultivation Base to be completely lost, and ordinary foot soldiers and armored soldiers to completely lose their blood courage. Earlier on, Xu Shu received orders to take a trip to the Northern Region, also to seek this item. But he didn't find it; he only sought out a dragon-breed warhorse in return... That is Second Miss Zhang's Zaozao."
Chen Ji suddenly understood. He had indeed heard Zhang Xia mention this matter, but she hadn't said what Xu Shu went to the Northern Region to seek.
After pondering for a moment, he asked in bewilderment: "How was the jade seal lost?"
Jin Zhu shook his head: "No idea. The Trouble-Resolving Tower only records that on that day, the Founding Emperor led troops to fight his way into the palace city and capture Old Tuoba alive. But that Old Tuoba only claimed the jade seal had been stolen. Even he didn't know who stole the jade seal; otherwise, he wouldn't have lost so miserably. From then on, the Heirloom Seal of the Realm became a mystery. It's only occasionally heard that when a Practitioner was passing by a certain place, their Cultivation Base suddenly disappeared entirely. Everyone has also been searching according to these clues, but it's never been found."
Chen Ji sank into contemplation. Such an important item was actually stolen?
He said curiously: "Then is there no jade seal in the palace now?"
Jin Zhu gave a heh heh smile: "It's merely an imitation made by later generations. After all, it can't be that an Imperial Edict doesn't even have a single seal."
Chen Ji asked again: "Then how do you know Mister Feng went to look for the jade seal?"
Jin Zhu finished eating his noodles and wiped his mouth: "I truly cannot think of any other plaything that would be worth having that kind of character personally make a trip out for."
Through his words, although Jin Zhu harbor quite a bit of criticism toward Mister Feng, he still admired him from the bottom of his heart.
Wait.
Chen Ji suddenly started thinking. Could it be that his Master traveling far away to the Jing Dynasty was originally to seek the Heirloom Seal of the Realm as well?
At this time, Jin Zhu suddenly shifted the topic: "Have you had any fortuitous encounters in your cultivation recently?"
Chen Ji remained impassive: "Why does Your Lordship ask this?"
Jin Zhu muttered vaguely: "Uh... I felt that your temperament has changed, as if you broke through a major realm overnight."
Chen Ji's heart stirred. This was Jin Zhu's probing.
These days, his cultivation advancement was only the hundred or so Furnace Fires obtained from the Five Rampant Spectral Soldiers. It couldn't be counted as any major realm. Only swallowing that sword at the peak of Incense Burner Peak could be considered true Rapid Advancement.
So, Sword Seed cultivation could also provide feedback to Jin Zhu.
Chen Ji also answered vaguely: "One certain day, I observed the celestial phenomena at night and obtained some comprehension."
Jin Zhu signed with emotion: "Exceptional innate talent. You can even cultivate by observing celestial phenomena at night... Then how far are you from the Path-Seeking Realm?"
Chen Ji laughed and said: "Still early."
Jin Zhu took out two boxes from his sleeve and shoved them to Chen Ji: "These are jadeite that I nabbed from the Yuan family's ancestral home. Take them to use for your cultivation."
Chen Ji openly stowed the two boxes into the breast of his robes, smiling as he bantered: "Lord Jin Zhu actually cares more about my Practitioner realm than I do."
Jin Zhu got up and patted his butt: "I already said it. We're friends... Let's go!"
(End of this chapter)