Chapter 167: Lucky General

“Miss Zhang, I dare not promise you about saving Lord Zhang.”

“Hmm?”

Zhang Xia was stunned. She had exchanged her own safety for Chen Ji to infiltrate the Hu Jia Tie Qi so that he would have an opportunity to save her father. But now Chen Ji was saying he couldn't promise her.

Under the night sky, Chen Ji held Zhang Xia's hands behind his back and said in a low voice, “The Liu family rebels number in the tens of thousands, and I am alone. I cannot turn the tide of things. I cannot easily promise what cannot be done.”

Zhang Xia lowered her eyelids silently for a long time. “Alright, you are much more capable than me after all. If I go to save father myself, there is even less hope. Chen Ji, what I'm about to say is very important, it might help you: The person you killed just now, I've seen him. He is a tenant of my family's manor named Zhang Yuan, always hardworking. I guess these private soldiers of the Liu family usually hide in the marketplace, so they only need to wear face armor to avoid being recognized...”

Before she finished speaking, the armored soldier who had questioned Chen Ji earlier approached and sized up Zhang Xia. “Who is this woman?”

Another armored soldier hurried over and said in a low voice, “Sir, this woman is Zhang Zhuo's legitimate daughter, Zhang Xia.”

Chen Ji looked up and saw that the face armor of this person called 'Sir' was different from the others. The others all had expressionless 'human faces' on their face armor, while this one had an angry, wide-eyed 'tiger face'.

The tiger-faced armored soldier looked at Zhang Xia, then suspiciously at Chen Ji.

After pondering for a moment, he waved his hand at the armored soldier beside him. “Zhang family's main mother hasn't been found yet, continue searching. I will escort Zhang Xia out with him.”

The tiger-faced armored soldier said to Chen Ji, “Go.”

Chen Ji wore heavy armor, held his long spear upside down, and pushed Zhang Xia towards the outside of the mansion. The tiger-faced armored soldier followed behind, tightly gripping his long spear in his hand, vigilantly watching him.

Chen Ji continued walking forward without any change in expression. The other party was likely suspicious of him, but hadn't yet made a move... was it because the other party was unsure of his identity and strength, so they didn't dare to rashly expose his own identity?

Along the way, the Zhang mansion, which had been brightly lit, was now a mess. When Zhang Xia passed by the corpses of the mansion's maids and manservants, she slightly turned her face away, unable to look anymore.

Stepping out of the Zhang mansion's vermilion-lacquered main gate, Cuiyun Alley outside was already filled with Chen mansion's panicked family retainers squatting around. Only Chen Wenzong stood upright in the crowd.

This noble young master of the Chen family had dirty and dishevelled clothes, and the pin on his hair bun was also lost somewhere.

The tiger-faced armored soldier behind Chen Ji tightly gripped the long spear in his right hand, and secretly beckoned to more than ten armored soldiers inside Cuiyun Alley with his left hand.

More than ten armored soldiers silently approached, seemingly intending to form an encirclement to kill Chen Ji.

Chen Ji's thoughts raced. His gaze swept over the crowd.

The next moment, he walked into the crowd holding his long spear upside down, lifted Chen Wenxiao by the collar, and pulled the other party out.

Chen Wenxiao had changed into a manservant's clothing. He struggled and said fearfully, “What are you doing? I'm just a servant of the Chen mansion, why are you grabbing me?”

Chen Ji said coldly, “You might not be a servant of the Chen mansion.”

Chen Wenxiao's face turned pale, and his body shook like a sieve, barely standing because Chen Ji was lifting him.

Chen Wenzong glared at him and angrily rebuked, “Stand up straight for me! You and I are Jing Kui scholars of Jianing 31st year, how can you be scared by petty thieves? The Chen family's face, the court's face, you've all thrown them away!”

Chen Ji turned back to the tiger-faced armored soldier and said, “Sir, I recognize this person, he is the legitimate second son of the Chen mansion, Chen Wenxiao.”

The tiger-faced armored soldier's figure paused, and he slowly relaxed his grip on the long spear. “Very good, I'll record a merit for you. Right, you...”

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of clattering horse hooves suddenly came from outside the alley.

The black-armored warriors looked over at the sound and saw that at the end of the small alley, someone wearing a green cloak coat was riding a horse towards them, as if a poet had arrived on snow with inspiration.

When the black-armored warriors saw him, they all clasped their fists in salute. “Mister Feng!”

Chen Ji's heart tensed.

Mister Feng held a small hand-warming copper furnace in his hand and smiled. “The Hu Jia Tie Qi have been silent for a long time, and finally it is time to make a stunning appearance. Who is in charge now, is it still General Zhou?”

The tiger-faced armored soldier clasped his fists and said in a muffled voice, “Reporting to Mister Feng, it is now General Qian. General Zhou has other official duties.”

Mister Feng laughed. “Hard work. The old master has now appointed you all as personal guards, you must be more attentive than in the past.”

The tiger-faced armored soldier hurriedly said, “Please rest assured, Mister Feng.”

Mister Feng's gaze swept over the crowd and he asked lightly, “Have the relatives of the Zhang mansion and Chen mansion all been captured?”

The tiger-faced armored soldier reported, “There are only two relatives of the Chen mansion. Chen Liqin's wife happened to go to the suburban manor to check accounts and is not in the Chen mansion.”

Mister Feng nodded. “No harm, having these two legitimate sons is enough.”

The tiger-faced armored soldier continued to report, “Zhang Zhuo and his legitimate son are surrounded in the government office. Only Miss Zhang the second was captured in the mansion.”

Mister Feng asked curiously, “What about Zhang Zhuo's wife?”

The tiger-faced armored soldier replied, “According to the manservants in the mansion, she went to Doro Temple south of the city today to burn incense and worship Buddha, and hasn't returned yet.”

Mister Feng smiled. “No harm, having Miss Zhang the second and that legitimate son is also enough.”

At this moment, Chen Wenzong raised his head and looked directly at Mister Feng. “You are privately arresting the relatives of court-appointed officials, this crime is the same as rebellion. If you repent now, although the death penalty is hard to escape, you can still preserve the lives of your families!”

The black-armored warriors were unmoved. One after another, their black-lacquered face armor showed no joy, anger, or sorrow, like cold sculptures.

Mister Feng said unhurriedly, “Young Master Chen, save your energy. These Hu Jia Tie Qi no longer have families. If you want to live, you should help me advise Lord Chen well later. As long as he is willing to follow me and others to the north to clear the court of the ruler's side, execute the eunuch faction, and rectify the court, I guarantee that the Chen family will live without worry.”

Chen Wenzong sneered. “Rebellious ministers and thieves, you are no different from the eunuch faction, just birds of a feather.”

A tiger-faced armored soldier slapped him. “Sharp-tongued!”

Chen Wenzong was slapped and turned his face away, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. Yet, he turned back to glare indignantly, neither avoiding nor yielding.

Mister Feng raised his eyebrows. “Do not injure people, I still need to bring him to Lord Chen completely! If Lord Chen is willing to abandon darkness and turn to light, then we will be one family afterwards. How can such a small matter cause Lord Chen to resent us?”

The black-armored warriors hurriedly clasped their fists. “Yes, humble officer was rash. After this matter is over, I will go to General Qian to receive twenty military sticks.”

Mister Feng looked at Chen Wenxiao and teased, “Young Master Chen, why are you dressed like this?”

When Chen Wenxiao saw Mister Feng looking at him, his whole body trembled non-stop.

Mister Feng smiled gently. “People say a dragon has nine sons, each different. The Chen family is also interesting. The legitimate eldest son is principled but pedantic, the legitimate second son is timid as a mouse... yet timid as a mouse. That illegitimate son Chen Ji makes me look at him with new eyes. Right, who was it that found the second young master of the Chen family?”

The tiger-faced armored soldier pointed at Chen Ji. “Reporting to Mister Feng, it was him.”

Mister Feng looked at Chen Ji. “Record a merit, go to the affairs hall to receive a reward on the rest day... Also, who captured Miss Zhang the second?”

The tiger-faced armored soldier was startled, then pointed at Chen Ji again. “Reporting to Mister Feng, it was also him.”

“Oh?” Mister Feng carefully sized up Chen Ji.

After a moment, he smiled slightly. “You are quite a lucky general.”

Saying that, he turned to the tiger-faced armored soldier. “Mount your horses, escort the family relatives of the Zhang mansion and Chen mansion to Jing Wang Mansion.”

With the rustling sound of armor rubbing, the black-armored warriors neatly mounted their horses.

Mister Feng pulled the reins and turned his horse's head towards the outside of Cuiyun Alley. Chen Ji also placed Zhang Xia horizontally on the saddle and rode his horse following at the end.

Suddenly, Mister Feng turned back and asked him with a smile, “What is your name?”

The crowd fell silent. The tiger-faced armored soldier who had questioned Chen Ji earlier also looked over with a burning gaze.

Chen Ji tightly gripped the reins and answered without any change in expression, “Reporting to Mister Feng, this humble one is named Zhang Yuan.”

The tiger-faced armored soldier's gaze turned back.

Mister Feng smiled and beckoned. “Come forward, you will work for me from now on.”

Jing Wang Mansion was brightly lit. Four high braziers burned brightly in front of the vermilion-lacquered main gate.

The Xiang Jia Ying were dragging away the corpses of the Wang mansion guards one by one. The bloodstains on Anxi Street had seeped into the gaps of the green stone slabs, and the congealing blood was sticky like paste.

Jing Wang Mansion was already under the control of the Liu family.

Mister Feng dismounted at the door. The attendants inside the door hurried out to welcome him.

He casually threw the copper furnace in his hand to one person, then unclasped his large cloak, revealing a set of blue robes inside. “Is the old master here?”

The black-clothed attendant said in a low voice, “He is playing chess with Wang Ye in Jing An Hall.”

Mister Feng's footsteps paused. “What about Lord Chen and Lord Zhang?”

The black-clothed attendant reported, “They were just escorted from the government office. They are now detained in Fei Yun Garden with several people from Taiping Medical Hall.”

Mister Feng was surprised. “Madame Yun Concubine, how can you rashly occupy someone's garden? That is too rude.”

The black-clothed attendant said in a low voice, “Yun Concubine left the Wang mansion after Jing Wang fell ill and hasn't returned since.”

Mister Feng lowered his head and thought for a moment. “Do not disturb the old master's elegant interest, we will go to Fei Yun Garden first.”

Saying that, he turned back and pointed at Chen Ji and another armored soldier. “You two escort Young Master Chen and Miss Zhang the second over. The rest can rest for a bit first.”

Inside the Wang mansion, rows of armored soldiers stood solemnly holding torches.

A group of people hurried through the murderous Wang mansion. Chen Ji looked over from a distance. The eight large doors of Jing An Hall were open. Jing Wang and Liu Ge Lao were sitting facing each other, concentrating on playing chess and talking.

Bai Li and the heir stood at the side watching the chess game, as if today's fighting and killing had not happened at all.

Mister Feng stopped and turned back, looking at him with a half-smile. “Do you also want to go play chess?”

Chen Ji's heart jumped. He had only turned his head slightly, and the other party had already noticed him. “Reporting to Mister Feng, this humble officer is entering Jing Wang Mansion for the first time and is a little curious.”

Mister Feng smiled. “Only this once. Next time, if you look at something you shouldn't, your head will fall to the ground.”

Chen Ji hurriedly lowered his head. “This humble officer understands.”

Arriving at the entrance of Fei Yun Garden, Mister Feng laughed heartily and walked into the courtyard. “Lord Zhang, Lord Chen, it has been a labor waiting for me here, I have been negligent. However, look, who have I brought to you?”