Green Mountain-Chapter 641 - 498: Laying a False Trail

The procession left the Desheng Gate and traveled all the way to Changping County, departing in the morning and arriving by dusk, making it the most suitable place to stop.

The long rammed earth official road stretched northward, with no mountains on either side, offering an unobstructed view.

Chen Ji rode at the forefront, the Whale Blade and hard bow resting across the saddle, the arrow quiver at his waist swaying up and down with the horse's motion.

Behind him, the Yulin Army firmly guarded the carriage, with Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo keeping pace on either side, showing no intention of attending to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince tried several times to merge into the Yulin Army ranks, but was tightly blocked, like an outsider to the procession.

He scrutinized the chiseled jaws of the Yulin Army and noticed a newfound resolve and forbearance on even Qi Zhenzhuo's face.

The Crown Prince, glancing around, realized he couldn't join the Yulin Army ranks and finally stopped struggling.

As dusk approached, he saw the outline of Changping County on the horizon and finally rode forward to sigh softly next to Chen Ji, "Mr. Chen, you're impressive. I'm ashamed of my inadequacy."

Chen Ji replied nonchalantly, "Where does this come from, Your Highness?"

Riding alongside Chen Ji, the Crown Prince said, "The first time the Yulin Army was deployed, I led them to Guyuan, and I know what they were like. In just a few months, you've transformed them impressively; it's beyond ordinary capability."

Chen Ji calmly responded, "Your Highness misunderstands. They have the ambition themselves, which has little to do with me."

The Crown Prince chuckled, "They say a single brave soldier versus a den of cowards — soldiers mirror their leader. It's always been so in military history, and there's no need for modesty, Mr. Chen."

Chen Ji suddenly remarked, "Sometimes I think, Your Highness is truly capable. Capable of remaining unperturbed in any situation, even if we were to fall out, you'd manage to reconcile with me."

The Crown Prince responded softly, "What of it? As the Crown Prince, I've had to endure from a young age. Too exceptional, and Father feels threatened. Not exceptional enough, and Father is disappointed. I've had to suppress my affection for my parents because their hearts were elsewhere. Suppress my disdain for others because they still served a purpose. I've had to pretend not to know about spies planted in Zhongcui Palace — that's how I've adapted through my life of endurance."

Chen Ji, expressionless, asked, "Why are you telling me this, Your Highness?"

The Crown Prince shifted the subject, "Mr. Chen, I know there's no turning back between us, but how about we talk about interests today instead of past relationships?"

Chen Ji smiled and asked, "What can Your Highness offer me?"

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment, "If you and the Chen family could support me, I could promise the Chen family a hereditary duke title that last without interruption. Our Ning Dynasty hasn't had a non-clan duke for a hundred years."

Chen Ji laughed heartily, openly replying, "A duke title is tempting, but it's not what I want. With Your Highness's conniving nature, the day you ascend would be the day of my reckoning. Moreover, Your Highness still doesn't understand one principle."

The Crown Prince queried, "What principle?"

Chen Ji earnestly stated, "Your Highness thinks I've secretly instructed the Yulin Army to isolate you? Not so. I've said nothing, this is simply the result of your own actions. Your Highness, the Yulin Army lost dozens of brothers outside the Chongli Pass, Zhou Chong and Zhou Li protected you in Guyuan, yet they died outside Chongli Pass. When their bodies returned to the Imperial Capital, did you ever visit them? They are to be buried tomorrow — do you even know where their resting place is?"

The Crown Prince softly replied, "I've been confined to Zhongcui Palace and unable to pay respects."

Chen Ji continued, "When the Yulin Army returned to the capital, no one spoke for them. Everyone denounced them as traitorous scoundrels, even forbidding them to enter through Anding Gate. If there were another way, I'd avoid letting them retrace past steps, because they'd only face denunciation again. But due to your selfish desires, they can't even see their comrade's burial, and now must head out again without rest."

The Crown Prince was left speechless.

At this moment, the gates of Changping County stood before them, with the clamor of curses and discussions echoing inside. It seemed someone had spread news of the procession's passing, causing Changping's citizens to gather at the gate, ready to vent their anger.

Chen Ji turned to the Crown Prince, smiling, "Your Highness, I have a thick skin; I hope you do too."

...

...

Before the procession entered Changping County, Chen Ji rode over to Li Xuan and quietly instructed, "Someone is deliberately creating chaos, possibly with ulterior motives—be careful once we enter Changping County."

Li Xuan nodded, "Understood."

Chen Ji rode ahead into Changping County, with the townspeople casting glances their way.

He noticed a few people in the crowd looking at them and then quickly averting their gaze, leaving hastily. Others kept their eyes on them, filled with hatred.

Chen Ji couldn't tell if these people were assassins targeting the Jing Dynasty envoys or were misled by tales from teahouses believing them to be traitorous villains, but to him, everyone looked like an assassin.

Townspeople followed the procession, shouting, "Traitorous scoundrels, selling out the country!"

Gradually, people noticed the Yulin Army didn't retaliate to insults. Some even dared to throw eggs at the carriage, which Li Xuan deftly caught, staring complicatedly at the egg. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Chen Ji pointed at the Crown Prince and loudly rebuked the civilians: "The Crown Prince is here, do not be disrespectful!"

The civilians looked in the direction of his finger and instantly redirected their anger.

Almost all of the remaining Yulin Army soldiers were Innate Officials, not likely to be hit by eggs. Only the Crown Prince was not an official, so when the eggs were thrown, he couldn't dodge them at all and could only allow the eggs to hit him, looking utterly disheveled.

No one shielded him.

Some of the Yulin Army wanted to argue with the civilians, but Li Xuan only ordered solemnly: "Be careful and stay vigilant, do not linger."

The procession marched straight to Changping Post Station, with Chen Ji keeping his hand on the handle of the Whale Blade, yet until they stopped at the station's gate, he did not see anyone make a move.

Li Xuan handed the reins to Qi Zhenzhuo: "Take the horses to the stable and make sure to guard them well, don't let anyone poison them and kill the warhorses."

Qi Zhenzhuo agreed: "Tonight, I'll bring people to sleep in the stable."

Li Xuan nodded: "Go ahead."

After the Yulin Army sealed off the surroundings of Changping Post Station, Chen Ji lifted the curtain of the carriage and said to Princess Liyang: "Get off, take a short rest in the main hall, and wait until we've searched the post station before arranging a room."

Princess Liyang wore a white silk scarf hat that obscured her face behind the veil, as she assisted Yuan Cheng, who wore a black cloth bag on his head, slowly out of the carriage.

The Crown Prince was surprised; he had not expected that after a whole day, Yuan Cheng's head would still be covered, considering that Yuan Cheng was no longer a prisoner and had no need for his head to be hidden.

Chen Ji glanced over the crowd outside, leading Princess Liyang into the main hall and finding a table to sit at.

The officials of Changping Post Station approached respectfully: "Sir, we have prepared food and hot water in the station, dishes like egg tofu and lamb chops..."

Chen Ji shook his head: "No need, we brought our own."

After saying that, the Crown Prince saw the Yulin Army take off the bags from their shoulders, forsaking the station's lamb chops, and instead distributing sheets of already cold scallion pancakes, which the Yulin Army silently tore into pieces and chewed on silently.

Some Yulin Army soldiers took out water bags, passing them around to drink, even Princess Liyang did the same, taking a drink from the water bag, a bite of the pancake, without any fuss.

The Crown Prince, with egg whites on his body, was about to take the pancake, but when Duobao, who was handing them out, reached him, he turned away.

Seeing this, the Posthouse Governor quickly came to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, may I serve you some food?"

The Crown Prince took a deep breath: "No need, I am not hungry yet."

No one dared to eat the food from the road, as all unknown sources of food could be poisoned.

On the journey to Chongli Pass, even in a carriage, it would take over ten days. Without food, without clean water, and facing the turbulent undercurrent of assassination attempts, the Crown Prince didn't know how he would endure until Chongli Pass.

He suddenly pointed at Yuan Cheng and said: "This person isn't Yuan Cheng, right or wrong?"

Chen Ji glanced at him: "What nonsense is Your Highness speaking, if this person isn't Yuan Cheng, who else could he be?"

The Crown Prince said solemnly: "Mr. Chen, you are too reckless with your own life, trying to divert the assassination towards you so the real Yuan Cheng can leave. Otherwise, why wouldn't he take off the head covering?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "Because this person is the Council Chief Executive Officer of the Jing Dynasty, and we cannot let him see the official roads and terrains of our dynasty, in case he returns to the Jing Dynasty to map them. Not only that, but even his ears must be blocked."

The Crown Prince didn't believe: "Now that we are inside the post station, there's no need to prevent him from exploring our landforms, he can take off the head covering to eat something."

The Yulin Army and the post station officials all looked at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji sat still, holding the pancake, staring at the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, safely sending Yuan Cheng back is our duty, don't worry about how it's done, just getting him back is enough. Is Your Highness worried about being implicated by Yuan Cheng and dying on the road, so you want to expose this matter? That's a bit selfish."

The Crown Prince knew that only if the assassins realized that this wasn't truly Yuan Cheng, they'd refocus on the Imperial Capital, giving him a chance to return alive.

Chen Ji calmly said: "Duobao, detain all post station officials in the main hall, no one leaves Changping Post Station tonight, and after we depart tomorrow, you will stay to guard the station until we return from Chongli Pass."

Duobao clasped his fists: "Understood."

The Crown Prince said solemnly: "The way Yuan Cheng looked with the head covering when he got off the carriage just now was seen by the civilians watching, if I could recognize it, others surely could too, Mr. Chen is simply being clever. For Yuan Cheng, how can we risk the life of a nation's Crown Prince?"

Chen Ji looked up at the Crown Prince: "Your Highness shouldn't rack your brains on preserving your life, we are sharing life and death on this journey, it is unavoidable. Making it back to the Imperial Capital alive will be your good fortune, if you die on the road, don't blame others... your life may not be worth as much as Yuan Cheng's."