Chapter 232: Missing

“Hu Junxian!”

“Hu Junxian, if you’re a man, then come out and speak clearly! Don’t hide on the city wall!”

The Yu Lin Army clamored in front of the city pass, but Hu Junxian was like a deaf man, neither paying attention nor ignoring them.

One by one, command arrows were transmitted from inside the city gate tower, and one by one, border army soldiers took the command arrows to transmit orders, treating the Crown Prince and the Yu Lin Army as if they weren’t there.

Qi Jianzhe said angrily, “Your Highness, this Hu Junxian doesn’t put you in his eyes at all!”

The Crown Prince, wrapped in a pure white fox fur coat, said indifferently, “Qi Jianzhe, don’t get angry and lose your composure here. Where is the Yu Lin Army’s demeanor if it’s lowered to this extent?”

Qi Jianzhe’s mouth opened wide, but he finally clasped his fists and retreated.

At this time, footsteps sounded. Zhou You, leading a team of border army infantry, passed by the Yu Lin Army.

Zhou You said coldly, “I, the Commander of the Gu Yuan Commandery Governor Office, am at least a high-ranking official of the court at the second rank. I cannot tolerate you bunch of playboys shouting loudly. Please show some respect. We are garrisoned border soldiers, not cats and dogs tied to the imperial city root.”

After speaking, he led the infantry to the front of the city pass and ascended the city tower along the stairs without looking back.

Li Xuan frowned and pondered for a moment. He turned his head and said to the Crown Prince, “Your Highness, this Hu Junxian actually spread a huge lie to keep you here. What should we do now?”

The Crown Prince was silent for a moment, then sighed, “It would be good if Master Qi were here. Unfortunately, he was transferred to the palace for use by the Emperor, so he couldn’t come to Gu Yuan this time.”

Li Xuan looked ashamed. He and others were by the Crown Prince’s side, yet the Crown Prince regretted that Master Qi had not come. This clearly meant that he felt they were not useful.

The Crown Prince looked at Chen Liqin, who was wearing a bright red official robe. “Lord Chen, I heard that you had quite a few achievements in Luo City earlier, and the Emperor also once praised you… Do you have any views?”

Chen Liqin thought for a moment and said, “Your Highness, wait a moment. Allow me to go and negotiate with Commander Hu. I will definitely make him open the city gate and let us leave the city.”

The Crown Prince neither affirmed nor denied.

Chen Liqin dismounted and walked towards the city pass, but before he could approach, he was blocked by two border army soldiers with long halberds. They blocked the way firmly. “This is an important military area. Idle people, please avoid!”

Chen Liqin frowned and said, “This place is not the Bai Hu Festival Hall, nor is it the Commandery Governor Office meeting hall. According to the military law of my Ning Dynasty, it is not an important military area. The Crown Prince is here, and I am a Junior Hanlin of the Hanlin Academy, a fourth-rank official. In wartime, I have the right to inquire about military affairs. If you don’t understand the law, then don’t talk nonsense!”

One border army soldier listened to Chen Liqin’s words, hesitated for a moment, and turned his head to look at his comrade. “What is a Junior Hanlin of the Hanlin Academy?”

Another border army soldier shook his head. “It sounds like a big official, but it shouldn’t be bigger than our general’s official rank.”

“Oh, since it’s not bigger than our Commander’s official rank, then we listen to the general.”

Chen Liqin’s face turned green for a while, then purple, as he was ridiculed. They didn’t even care about military law!

He patiently negotiated with the border army soldiers for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, but he couldn’t even get up to the city tower. He could only return dejected.

The Crown Prince comforted him warmly, saying, “Lord Chen, there is no need to be disheartened. The border army is crude and unreasonable. It is not your fault.”

Chen Liqin wanted to speak but stopped, and finally remained silent.

Just like he said to the Liang family in Luo City, he was a capable official who could govern a place, but he lacked the quick wit to handle danger. He originally didn’t think about the position of Junior Hanlin, but he didn’t know why the court arranged for him to assist the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince looked at the swaying firelight on the city tower in the distance, caught in a dilemma for a time.

Qi Jianzhe approached and said softly, “Crown Prince, I have a way to leave the city.”

The Crown Prince said calmly, “Please speak.”

Qi Jianzhe thought for a moment, “After this general came to Gu Yuan, I heard that Gu Yuan has two secret tunnels to enter and exit the city. Merchants can use these two secret paths to avoid the city pass and transport some forbidden goods… Perhaps Your Highness can also use a secret path to leave.”

The Crown Prince glanced at him. “A country heir borrowing a tunnel to leave in disarray? Where is the dignity of the heavenly family? My Da Ning Dynasty has never produced such a cowardly heir. Do not mention it again.”

Li Xuan said from the side, “Your Highness, in urgent matters, extraordinary measures should be taken. If you have any mishap…”

Before he finished speaking, he heard a sound from not far away. “Cannot leave the city.”

The Crown Prince and Li Xuan turned their heads simultaneously and saw Chen Ji riding forward. “Your Highness, you cannot leave the city at this time.”

Chen Liqin frowned and said, “What are you joining in the fun for? Retreat!”

Chen Ji clasped his hands to the Crown Prince and said, “Your Highness, look at how busy the border army is. This is not something prepared temporarily for a performance.”

The Crown Prince was somewhat thoughtful. “How do you say?”

Chen Ji pointed at the border army soldiers and said, “The border army’s military supplies are lacking, and ordinary soldiers can only wear rattan armor with damaged weapons. If according to the market price, drawing a hard bow of one *dan* requires eight taels of silver. This kind of bow in the border army is definitely cherished by the soldiers…”

Qi Jianzhe interrupted, “What exactly do you want to say? Get to the point!”

Zhang Zheng let out a “hey” sound, and then wanted to spur his horse forward and argue with him.

Chen Ji raised his hand to stop Zhang Zheng’s action and continued, “Hard bows are easy to crack, and ox tendon strings are easy to become brittle, so they are not strung during non-war times. When we entered the city in the afternoon, the border army soldiers’ bows were all inserted into the arrow quivers on their backs and were not strung. And now, the border army soldiers wearing hard bows have all strung their ox tendon strings without exception. If it were just a performance, the border army would be unwilling to do so.”

Li Xuan shook his head. “This cannot explain anything. The ones performing the play are Hu Junxian and Zhou You. These two will only tell the soldiers below that there are enemies coming. How will they tell the soldiers the rebellious thoughts so that the border army soldiers really think that the Jing Dynasty’s Tian Ce Army is coming?”

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then turned and said, “Doesn’t everyone feel that the firelight on the city wall is too bright?”

The Crown Prince said puzzledly, “What do you mean?”

Chen Ji explained, “If it were just torches, it definitely wouldn’t burn out such firelight. Now the city wall is as bright as day. This is because there is a big fire burning outside the city… The border army set fire and burned the mountain outside the city to prevent the Jing Dynasty army from coming here to cut down trees to make siege weapons. If it weren’t for a real big enemy, why would Commander Hu go to this extent?”

Without waiting for others to speak, Chen Liqin said angrily, “You are unlearned and yet here you are talking about soldiers on paper, as if you personally saw the border army set fire and burn the mountain. I already told you to retreat. Is the place before Your Highness also a place where you can talk nonsense?”

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, pulled his horse, and retreated.

Chen Liqin again clasped his hands to the Crown Prince and said, “Your Highness, your humble servant has no way to teach his son. I have made you laugh.”

The Crown Prince hurriedly said, “Lord Chen, what is necessary about this? Chen Ji just wants to offer plans, that’s all. There is no need to blame him.”

Chen Liqin replied, “Your Highness, the urgent matter is still to be careful of the border army jumping over the wall in desperation. If they hold a country heir, it will probably put His Majesty in a dilemma as well.”

The Crown Prince lowered his head and did not speak.

Li Xuan softly asked, “Does the Crown Prince also feel that Jing Dynasty spies have really infiltrated into the hinterland of my Ning Dynasty outside the city?”

The Crown Prince sat on his horse, raised his head, and looked at the majestic city wall in the distance. “What Chen Ji said is not entirely without reason. This bastard son of the Chen family is observant, and he is not as bad as Lord Chen says. When the Liu family rebelled, the Jing Dynasty soldiers were at Chong Li Pass. If I remember correctly, the Tian Ce Army was not among them. At that time, the court officials were still puzzled as to where the Tian Ce Army had gone. Now that I think about it, it is very possible that they really came to Gu Yuan for a surprise attack.”

Li Xuan thought for a moment. “If the Tian Ce Army really comes, then Your Highness should leave Gu Yuan even more. You are a body of a thousand gold. If Gu Yuan city is broken, I fear you will…”

The Crown Prince casually asked, “But if I leave at this time, what if I encounter Jing Dynasty spies outside the city?”

Li Xuan consoled him, “Zi Wu Ridge is strange and dangerous. Cavalry absolutely cannot pass, and grain and fodder cannot be transported in. Even if the Tian Ce Army sent spies to infiltrate, it must only be a small group coming to intercept grain and scout for intelligence. The Yu Lin Army’s five hundred cavalry formation can chop them under the horse even against Jing Dynasty spies. Your Highness, let’s go!”

The Crown Prince was silent for a long time, but finally shook his head. “General Li, your good intentions are appreciated. But I am a country heir. If the Jing Dynasty’s Tian Ce Army is really surrounding the city, I should also coexist and perish with Gu Yuan. I absolutely cannot flee before the battle. My Ning Dynasty moved its capital from Jin Ling to the capital city, which means the Emperor guards the country’s gate. One who is afraid of war does not deserve the good rivers and mountains of this Ning Dynasty.”

When Li Xuan heard these words, he immediately clasped his fists in excitement and bowed. “Your Highness has taught correctly. Your Highness’s breadth and courage make this general ashamed of his inferiority. You will definitely become a generation of wise rulers in the future…”

“Do not talk nonsense about uncertain matters,” the Crown Prince warmly interrupted. “Commander Li, there is no need to blame yourself. I understand that you are thinking about my safety… Go, return to the Commandery Governor Office. Other matters will be planned for in the long term.”

After speaking, he tightened the fox fur coat on his shoulders, then took another deep look at the city tower before pulling his horse and turning back.

The Yu Lin Army guarded the Crown Prince and galloped all the way, returning to the Commandery Governor Office under the cover of night.

Upon arriving at the gate of the Commandery Governor Office, the Crown Prince dismounted and handed the reins to Li Xuan. “You must settle Lord Chen and his family well…”

As he spoke, he turned back and scanned behind him. “Eh, where is Miss Zhang?”

Li Xuan was slightly startled and turned back to look. Where were the figures of Zhang Xia and Zhang Zheng behind the Yu Lin Army?

He hesitated. “I think we in the Yu Lin Army walked too quickly, causing them to fall behind. Your Highness, please enter the mansion to rest first. This general will go and search for them now!”

Qi Jianzhe said from the side, “Your Highness, this general just personally saw them take another small road on Shu Le Street. They actively walked away and did not fall behind. I guess they are afraid of being plotted against by the border army if they follow us, so they secretly escaped. Not only Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia left, but also that young man named Chen Ji and his personal maid.”

The Crown Prince was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, “Since that is the case, then let them go.”