Green Mountain-Chapter 590 - 447: Life-catcher General

Chen Ji sat on the ground weaving straw sandals.

By the second time, he became much more skillful, no longer making the laughable mistake of revealing half a sole.

The evening drum at Chongli Pass sounded, accompanied by the clanging of metal.

On the towering and majestic gate tower, infantrymen struck the long narrow chime, emitting a clear and deadly hum that echoed several miles away.

North of the gate tower was the semi-circular parapet city, and the North Gate closed along with the Peace Gate; Mr. Hong, who went out to find Zhang Baishi, had not yet returned, but Chongli Pass would not wait.

At this moment, Zhang Tonggou stopped his jesting, growing increasingly solemn.

Chen Ji looked around; others were doing the same.

He curiously asked, "What’s wrong?"

Zhang Tonggou explained in a deep voice, "The General Banner people were dispatched before dawn to repair the section of outer wall between Hai Shui Gate and Xu Wei Gate. They should have been back before evening, in theory."

Chongli Pass is not an isolated stronghold.

Along the Great Horse Mountains, twelve smaller castles are connected by segments of the Great Wall, forming a massive barrier of mutual protection.

This is the Twelve Connected Cities of Chongli Pass.

Chen Ji speculated, "Could it be the wall wasn’t finished?"

Zhang Tonggou shook his head, "Impossible, if the wall isn’t finished, they’d go back tomorrow to complete it. Not returning on time means military punishment."

Something has happened.

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment, "I saw Mr. Hong and Ah Sheng returning to Chongli Pass on my way here. Mr. Hong mentioned running into the Life-catcher General in the mountains..."

Zhang Tonggou and others were startled, "What else did he say?"

Chen Ji recalled, "Later, he asked if Uncle Baisi and Star had returned. Someone replied that the Highland people of the Longevity Army saw them at Willow Ally when they returned, and Mr. Hong then changed horses to look for them again."

Zhang Tonggou murmured, "That’s bad. Normally, the Life-catcher General wouldn’t enter the Great Horse Mountains; the mountains not only have our Chongli Pass Night Patrol but also the Night Patrol of the Imperial Three Camps, at least a hundred people set up an ambush. How many troops must they bring to dare risk entering the mountains—could it be another battle brewing?"

Li Ahu thought deeply, "Wasn’t it rumored not long ago that Pingdong General Wang Daosheng had captured the Council Chief Executive Officer Yuan Cheng of the Jing Dynasty alive? Could these Life-catcher Generals be seeking revenge?"

Zhang Tonggou cursed, "It must be. These mad dogs never allow us even a slight advantage! Now that the Council Chief Executive Officer was captured by us, they are crazy with killing rage."

He stood up to leave, "I’ll go investigate what’s going on."

Li Ahu seized him with a low growl, "Are you mad too? The curfew is about to start!"

Zhang Tonggou hesitated, then sat back down dejectedly, "I’m afraid they’ve really been trapped outside."

The evening drum silent.

Those who went out hadn’t returned, leaving the military quarters empty and silent, with no one speaking for a long time.

In this silence, Chen Ji spoke, "Before leaving the Imperial Capital, I heard rumors that the Jing Dynasty wanted to negotiate peace, exchanging Yuan Cheng back."

Zhang Tonggou erupted in anger, "Exchanging his mother! Hard earned capture, why exchange him back? Whoever wants Yuan Cheng returned is a Jing Dynasty spy; we should grab them all and behead them!"

Chen Ji remained expressionless, "What if exchanging him back is more beneficial for our Ning Dynasty?"

Zhang Tonggou sneered, "Releasing a tiger back to the mountain benefits our Ning Dynasty more? What nonsense! Six years ago, it was Yuan Cheng who led three armies south; just in that battle, the Imperial Three Camps suffered thirty percent casualties, and Chongli Pass infantrymen lost more than half. You came late, otherwise, you might have died in that battle too."

Chen Ji explained, "I merely relayed what I heard."

Zhang Tonggou’s tone softened, "At any rate, our hatred with Jing Dynasty is to the death; no talk of negotiation, anyone talking peace is a traitor. Besides, without war, where would we find Silver? No war, no military pay; I owe Old Li at the military market three taels of silver, and haven’t paid him back—it’s piling up to five taels now."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "They lend credit at the military market?"

Li Ahu explained, "At the military market, there are people specifically offering high-interest loans to us; ordinary infantrymen can borrow three taels, a small flag ten taels, and a General Banner twenty taels."

Chen Ji wondered, "What about the Common Households and thousand households?"

Zhang Tonggou snorted, "Common Households and thousand households don’t need such loans; what they get from our rations and pay is enough."

Chen Ji mulled over it, "Aren’t they afraid of losing money if soldiers die in battle?"

Zhang Tonggou shook his head, "Do you think they would make a losing deal? If you die, the court provides compensation, but before your wife and old mother touch it, they’ve already intercepted it; they have connections everywhere."

Chen Ji brought the topic back, continuing to inquire, "Even if the court seeks peace and wants to exchange Yuan Cheng, the Imperial Three Camps likely wouldn’t agree, right?"

Li Ahu thought for a moment, "The Longevity Army and Divine Machine Camp surely wouldn’t agree; Five Armies Camp is harder to say. It’s said the governor of Five Armies Camp is a scholar general, doesn’t like fighting."

Zhang Tonggou scoffed, "Scholar general my ass, just gutless!"

Chen Ji further probed, "How many Night Patrols from the Longevity Army and Divine Machine Camp are outside Chongli Pass?"

Zhang Tonggou thought for a moment, "About a hundred."

Chen Ji pondered. This time, with the Jing Dynasty envoy passing through Chongli Pass, the difficulties are many.

Frontline soldiers have long-standing hatred fought over years with the Jing Dynasty, and Yuan Cheng carries deep-seated enmity; the frontline soldiers will never allow him to return alive to the Jing Dynasty.

If those Night Patrols resolutely decide to assassinate the envoy, he alone couldn’t stop them.

And this time, Emperor Ning assigned him the role of Capital Camp Flagbearer; should he successfully escort the Jing Dynasty envoy, it would surely anger many.

Chen Ji finally understood why Emperor Ning gave him this assignment, intending to make him a lonely minister.

No, not only Ning Dynasty people want Yuan Cheng dead, his own uncle likely desires it too.

The Jing Dynasty Life-catcher Generals suddenly entered the Great Horse Mountains, causing trouble at Chongli Pass isn’t just for "venting" so simply.

Chen Ji furrowed his brow, thinking that accomplishing this task was as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

At this moment, the General Banner and those forty colleagues still hadn’t returned.

"Sleep, sleep," Zhang Tonggou patted his butt and walked into the house.

Li Ahu asked, "Aren’t you going to wait a bit longer?"

"Wait for what? There’s no point in waiting. Everyone go to sleep early. Tomorrow we’ll go outside the pass to collect their bodies," Zhang Tonggou muttered softly, "Li Guanggu still owes me seventy coins. Damn it, I’m sure I won’t get them back now."

...

...

Chen Ji lay down on the shared bed.

Beside him, there wasn’t the sound of rising and falling snores as Ah Sheng had mentioned, only the constant sounds of his colleagues tossing and turning.

Until 5 to 7 AM, the bell on the tower of Chongli Pass rang out, echoing from afar.

Outside the military quarters, someone shouted, "All twenty-one banners of the Front Mansion Thousand Households, come out."

Zhang Tonggou rolled off his bed, put on his shoes, and ran outside: "Hundred Households Officer, is there news from Li Guanggu and the others?"

A middle-aged man stood at the door: "No, where’s your Flag Officer?"

Chen Ji stepped out: "Here."

The middle-aged Hundred Households Officer glanced at him, but instructed Zhang Tonggou, "Take them outside to collect bodies. Remember, don’t go through the Big Forked Gully, take a detour around the Yellow Earth Mouth."

"Sure," Zhang Tonggou asked, "Should we get equipped with weapons?"

The Hundred Households Officer cursed, "The Life-catcher General is out there. What’s the use of you getting equipped? You’re just waiting to die."

Zhang Tonggou shrunk his neck, "True."

The Hundred Households Officer waved his hand, "Go early and come back early. If you delay until the signal to retreat, no one will wait for you."

Zhang Tonggou responded with an ’aye’, beckoning to his comrades, and pulled along two carts heading north of the city.

At the city gate, it hadn’t opened yet, and many infantrymen were waiting inside.

As they waited for the gate to open, Zhang Tonggou introduced to Chen Ji: "This gate is called the Peace Gate, hoping for safe entry and exit. Beyond this gate is the Urn City. Six years ago, the Jing Dynasty army broke into the Urn City, and I crushed quite a few with rolling logs. I should have been promoted to Small Flag, but those damn Merit Officers wouldn’t acknowledge it, saying I couldn’t prove those people were killed by me."

At this moment, the sound of horse hooves was heard behind them.

Amidst the infantry, Chen Ji turned back to see Ah Sheng riding a warhorse approaching, carrying a hard bow and a short knife at his waist.

The young man’s cuffs were tightly fastened, leggings tied on his pants, and he bore an air of heroism between his brows.

Someone greeted Ah Sheng, "Ah Sheng, you just came back yesterday. Why are you going out again today?"

Ah Sheng replied solemnly, "I don’t know if Mr. Hong found Uncle Baisi. I’m going to Liutiao Gully to provide support."

The Peace Gate rumbled open, and Ah Sheng charged out on his horse.

Outside the Peace Gate was the Urn City. Walking inside felt like being in an abyss, surrounded by gray and towering city walls. Chen Ji looked back, seeing a person in Golden Armor standing behind the parapet on the tower, gazing into the distance.

Zhang Tonggou reminded him, "That’s General Zhang Lanjin."

Exiting the North Gate of Chongli Pass, outside were towering mountains, and a tamped dirt road stretched between the hills. Ten people took turns pulling two carts, slowly moving, with a few straw mats on the carts.

The mountain road was rough, and as soon as Chen Ji pulled for a while, Zhang Tonggou would voluntarily replace him, cursing as he did: "You noble kids from the Imperial Capital can’t bear such hardships. Now the brothers are helping you, but don’t forget us when you get promoted to Hundred Households or Thousand Households."

Chen Ji didn’t pretend, just nodded and agreed, "I won’t."

However, after walking merely five miles, the sound of horse hooves came from ahead.

Zhang Tonggou and the others were as if facing a formidable enemy, "Run!"

The ten of them abandoned the carts and ran back, but how could people run faster than horses? They hadn’t run far when the sound of horse hooves drew near.

Chen Ji looked back to see Ah Sheng returning on the horse, with Hong Zuer lying across the horse back, covered in blood. Hong Zuer’s hair was disheveled, and an arrow was lodged in the back of his thigh.

Behind Ah Sheng, the sounds of more horse hooves were approaching.

Ah Sheng cried out anxiously, "Run, the Life-catcher General is pursuing us!"

Zhang Tonggou was scared out of his wits: "Oh, mother!"

Several infantrymen lost their straw sandals while running, dashing barefoot towards Chongli Pass heedless of everything else.

Ah Sheng caught up and, seeing they couldn’t run fast, became anxious, "Run faster!"

On the horse’s back, Hong Zuer weakly said, "Block the Life-catcher General, don’t let others be harmed."

Ah Sheng gritted his teeth, immediately tightened the reins, and turned the horse’s head.

But just then, Chen Ji grabbed the reins, stopping Ah Sheng, "How many people are chasing behind us?"

Ah Sheng was startled, "One."

Chen Ji asked again, "What realm is he?"

Ah Sheng answered, "Innate Realm, skilled in archery, can shoot a leaf from a hundred steps away."

Chen Ji slapped the horse’s rear, startling the warhorse under Ah Sheng into a frenzy. As he looked back, Ah Sheng asked, "What are you doing?"

Chen Ji ran into the forest, "You go first, I’ll stop him."