Green Mountain-Chapter 595 - 452: To Baidadan City

The solitary bell of Chongli Pass reverberated, accentuating the silence of heaven and earth.

Zhang Baishi leisurely stood up and walked south: "Let’s go, after all, we must return to Chongli Pass. I’ll go ahead, so you can feel at ease."

Chen Ji watched Zhang Baishi’s back and felt as if the frankness of being captured alive by the Life-catcher General had suddenly aged him a few years.

When Star stepped forward to assist him, he no longer refused.

Ah Sheng couldn’t help but call out loudly from behind, "Uncle Baisi, you know this, a Night Patrol who has been captured alive can’t stay at Chongli Pass. Even if I and Mr. Hong believe you, what about the others?"

Zhang Baishi smiled, "Of course I know. A Night Patrol who has been captured is no longer a person, but a ghost."

Without turning his head, he said, "Ah Sheng, did Mr. Hong ever tell you why a Night Patrol must leave the pass in pairs?"

Ah Sheng answered, "Mr. Hong said the world outside the mountain is too vast, and if one person stays too long, they’ll go mad. With two people, even if one dies, the other can at least help bury him."

Zhang Baishi slowly asked, "Anything else?"

Ah Sheng continued, "People always need to sleep, so someone must stand guard to prevent the enemy from sneaking in during the night and cutting off their head."

Zhang Baishi smiled slightly, "In the past, he and I traveled together for over ten years. Later, he partnered with you, and I partnered with Star. In the future, when Mr. Hong and I are too old to walk, it’ll be you and Star going out... You’re more clever than he is, remember to watch over him."

Ah Sheng stood there, stunned.

He turned to Chen Ji and said, "Please, Young Master, don’t spread today’s events, Mr. Hong will handle it. Don’t worry about the military merits from those two Life-catcher Generals, I’ll help you retrieve them."

Chen Ji nodded, "Alright."

When they reached the foot of the pass, the Peace Gate had just opened a crack. The towering door opened slowly with a rumbling sound.

Ah Sheng saw Hong Zuer standing wearily in the doorway, looking anxious, with a warhorse in hand.

But as the Peace Gate opened and he saw Zhang Baishi at the forefront, he glanced up and down for a moment, his gaze gradually deepening.

Someone inside the door shouted, "Uncle Baisi is back, and Ah Sheng is back too!"

Everyone squeezed through the doorway, gathering around Zhang Baishi, "Uncle Baisi, did you encounter the Jing Dynasty Life-catcher General? Why took so long to return?"

Before Zhang Baishi could respond, Hong Zuer led the horse, limping away, "Disperse, Baisi doesn’t have time to chit-chat with you all. Go home, this isn’t the place to talk."

Halfway through, Hong Zuer suddenly remembered something and whispered to Ah Sheng, "Can we trust that unfamiliar face? Where was the Life-catcher General when you found him?"

Ah Sheng hesitated for a moment, "When I found him, he had already slain the Life-catcher Generals, two of them."

Hong Zuer’s hand holding the horse suddenly paused, "Two?"

Night Patrols are Innate Officials, as are the Life-catcher Generals. They’ve dealt with Life-catcher Generals for so long; they know well how maliciously cunning they are.

Hong Zuer thought for a moment and surprisingly turned to Chen Ji, "Young man, please come along."

Chen Ji responded, "Alright."

...

...

Hong Zuer’s home with Ah Sheng wasn’t far, just next to the blacksmith’s shop in the northern part of the city.

Hong Zuer tied the reins to the Horse Tie post at the entrance and pushed open the door to enter the courtyard.

They all filed in, but as Ah Sheng was closing the courtyard gate, Hong Zuer drew the waist knife from his belt and slashed at Zhang Baishi.

Zhang Baishi seemed to have expected this and closed his eyes.

Hong Zuer’s knife abruptly halted at his neck, just an inch away from taking his life.

Star urged anxiously, "Mr. Hong!"

Mr. Hong glanced at him, "Shut up, it’s not a young one’s place to speak here."

Zhang Baishi opened his eyes, "If you don’t plan to kill me right now, you might as well listen to what I have to say."

Mr. Hong sneered, "Say what? I can tell at a glance that you were interrogated by the Life-catcher General. If I’m wrong, I’m not fit to be a Night Patrol! Your brother was once captured and besieged by the Life-catcher General, who carved seventy-two cuts into his body, yet he remained silent. Your brother is tougher than you!"

Zhang Baishi sighed, "I was indeed captured by the Life-catcher General, but I didn’t reveal anything about Chongli Pass."

Mr. Hong said in a deep voice, "You said nothing, yet they let you return?"

Zhang Baishi didn’t answer.

The courtyard fell silent, with only the sound of clanging ironwork from next door.

Star was about to speak when Mr. Hong raised his hand to stop him, then turned to Chen Ji, "Young man, I can’t trust them now, you should speak."

Chen Ji leaned against the wall, maintaining his distance from everyone, "It’s none of my business."

Zhang Baishi sighed, "Don’t trouble them, let me speak."

He pushed the blade away from his neck, "Star and I went to check on the Jing Dynasty’s grain transport. On the way back the horse became useless, and we stayed overnight at Willow Gully. We didn’t expect to be surrounded by over twenty Life-catcher Generals. They captured both Star and me, interrogating me all night long, but I truly said nothing. They didn’t kill me because they have plans for something bigger."

Mr. Hong showed no emotion, "What plans?"

Zhang Baishi calmly replied, "Though the Jing Dynasty’s nobles are of the three major families, over the years, the Jiang and Lu families have been in decline. It’s always been the Yuan family divided into two factions fighting internally. One faction is led by the Privy Council under Yuan Cheng, controlling military power, while the other looks up to the Minister of the Secretariat, Yuan Xiang, taking overall lead of the ministers."

Mr. Hong remained expressionless, "Tell me something I don’t know."

Zhang Baishi said earnestly, "Yuan Xiang, being the Minister of the Secretariat, stands above all but one. Yuan Cheng was originally used by the old Emperor of the Jing Dynasty to balance Yuan Xiang, but now he has been captured back by Mr. Wang. Lu Jin, the current Vice Minister in the Jing Dynasty Army, is at the peak of his career, and the young faction serves him loyally. After Yuan Cheng was captured alive by Mr. Wang, Lu Jin became the only choice for the Council Chief Executive Officer... but he is also one of Yuan Xiang’s people."

Mr. Hong’s expression changed, "The dog Emperor of the Jing Dynasty doesn’t want Lu Jin to become Council Chief Executive Officer, consolidating Yuan Xiang’s power alone?"

Zhang Baishi nodded, "Not only does that dog Emperor disagree, but even the Jiang Family is against it. But in Yuan Cheng’s absence, no one in the Yuan Family can rival Lu Jin; others neither have his reputation nor his abilities, so some thought of exchanging Yuan Cheng back to the Jing Dynasty."

He continued, "The Jing Dynasty intends for the old Emperor’s young daughter to marry into Your Majesty’s family, promising a century of peace along the borders, and offering Baidadan City in exchange for returning Yuan Cheng to Shangjing. The envoy has already set out and next month will pass through Baidadan City, through my Chongli Pass, to the Imperial Capital."

Mr. Hong furrowed his brows, his weatherbeaten face lined with wrinkles. He instinctively said, "No way, Baidadan City is an isolated outpost beyond the Pass. If our Ning Dynasty stationed troops there, when the Jing Dynasty turns hostile, everyone in it would perish. It’s a trap."

Zhang Baishi agreed, "That’s right, but I fear the court officials won’t see it this way; there are those eager to maintain peace with the Jing Dynasty, opening trade routes in the process!"

Mr. Hong speculated, "The Life-catcher General sent you back, hoping we’ll find a way to kill him when the envoy arrives at Chongli Pass?"

Zhang Baishi replied firmly, "Correct."

Mr. Hong was silent for a moment, "It’s too late."

Zhang Baishi was taken aback, "Too late for what?"

With a clang, Mr. Hong decisively sheathes his knife, "Yesterday evening, the Yulin Army arrived at Chongli Pass and lodged in the military quarters of the household at the northern Xuan Zuo Mansion. I wondered why they suddenly came to Chongli Pass. I went to ask the Assistant General, but he didn’t say, only emphasizing confidentiality. It turns out, they’re here to escort the Jing Dynasty envoy."

Chen Ji remained expressionless upon hearing this.

The Yulin Army has finally arrived.

He had taken his time coming to Chongli Pass because he knew the Yulin Army’s mobilization would need time; hence he deliberately delayed to wait.

With two hundred Yulin Army soldiers present, he finally felt confident enough to act.

At this moment, Ah Sheng spoke up from the side, "According to the protocol for receiving the envoy, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry of the Jing Dynasty will escort the envoy team from Baidadan City for a hundred and twenty li, then our Ning Dynasty’s guards will welcome them a hundred and twenty li from Chongli Pass... there’s no opportunity on the way."

Mr. Hong sat on a stone bench in the courtyard and looked up at Zhang Baishi, "With the Yulin Army protecting him, attempting assassination is treason. Not only will you be executed by slicing, but Star, Ah Sheng, and all of Chongli Pass’s Night Patrol will also be implicated, and General Zhang will be immediately stripped of rank and interrogated."

However, Zhang Baishi, looking distraught, said, "What do we do then, we can’t let Yuan Cheng return alive... Hong Er, have you forgotten the deep-seated hatred?"

Mr. Hong sneered, "Look at you, all defeated."

Zhang Baishi’s eyes lit up, "What do you mean?"

Mr. Hong sat on the stone bench, gently caressing the knife’s handle resting on his lap.

In the next moment, he drew the knife out by two inches and stared into his eyes reflected in the shiny blade, "If we can’t kill on the road, we’ll go into Baidadan City. The Yulin Army, extending from Chongli Pass, won’t be able to reach the Jing Dynasty’s territory to protect the envoy. Entering Baidadan City, with the Life-catcher General’s cooperation, success is certain."

Chen Ji’s heart tightened.

Mr. Hong sighed deeply, "After a lifetime of rivalry with the Life-catcher Generals, I never imagined needing to team up with them in the end, it’s disgraceful."

Chen Ji leaned against the wall and suddenly spoke, "Killing in Baidadan City, once the deed is done, you’re doomed. If you live, others will know it was a conspiracy between the Life-catcher Generals and the Night Patrol; if you die, their secret remains safe, becoming a great achievement... regardless, the Life-catcher Generals won’t let you leave."

Mr. Hong sneered, "I’m not afraid of death; I only fear nobody will avenge the blood debt of Chongli Pass."

Chen Ji sighed again in his heart.

He initially intended to persuade them that Yuan Cheng’s return could benefit the Ning Dynasty since Lu Jin is the one Emperor Ning and Zhang Zhuo are most wary of, and also the most ambitious.

But on second thought, the Night Patrol of Chongli Pass harbors deep resentment toward Yuan Cheng; reasoning doesn’t come into play.

Are the Night Patrol wrong? They’re not.

Zhang Baishi hesitantly said, "But your leg injury hasn’t healed yet."

Mr. Hong shook his head, "The envoy won’t reach Baidadan City for at least a month, by then it should be fine."

Zhang Baishi added, "How many people should we take? Wang Biao and the others left the pass five days ago and haven’t returned; they might not make it back in time."

Mr. Hong pondered briefly, "Just a few of us; more people might attract attention entering Baidadan City. Ah Sheng, when you get the chance, go to the Military Market to see if the trade caravan from Changping has arrived; we’ll need to slip in with them."

Zhang Baishi asked, "What about me?"

Mr. Hong spoke solemnly, "You stay by my side; until the envoy is killed, you won’t leave my sight, not even to the toilet. Why do you think I didn’t want to bring others? I’m wary that you might double-cross and make a deal with the Life-catcher Generals to present the other Night Patrols as a token of loyalty!"

Zhang Baishi’s expression darkened.

Mr. Hong sneered, "No need for pretense. You tell me, am I right to be cautious?"

Zhang Baishi sighed in defeat, slumping against the wall, "You are."

Mr. Hong looked up at Chen Ji, sincerely saying, "Young brother, you were able to kill two Life-catcher Generals; your extraordinary skills are something we must rely on. We hope you can come with us to Baidadan City."

Chen Ji chuckled, "Mr. Hong didn’t avoid discussing plans in front of me, so you didn’t intend for me to leave, did you?"

Mr. Hong, having his thoughts exposed, showed no embarrassment, "That’s correct, I humbly ask you to join us."

Chen Ji quickly weighed the pros and cons: for him, keeping the Night Patrol confined to Chongli Pass was the most urgent matter, but how to stop them? How to truly block them?

If the Night Patrol made no move, would the Life-catcher Generals recklessly act for Lu Jin?

It seemed he was inevitably heading to Baidadan City.

Seeing his prolonged silence, Mr. Hong softened his tone, "Young brother, once the deed is done, we promise to ensure you, Ah Sheng, and Star leave Baidadan City unscathed... I’ve also saved up some military merits, two Life-catcher Generals might not reach the rank of a thousand households, but eight definitely could, I’ll leave it all to you."

Chen Ji remained silent for a long time, "Alright."