Aoyama

Chapter 231 Yulin Army

In the chaotic post station, the Yulin Army and the border soldiers rushed into the house together.

The frontier soldiers rushed into the bunk bed in the herringbone room, but before they started searching, the Yulin soldiers also squeezed in, crowding the herringbone room. They secretly bumped their shoulders against each other, causing their armor to rattle.

When a Yulin soldier passed by the border army, the soldier carelessly stepped out and tripped the soldier.

The Yulin soldiers looked back angrily and drew their swords with a clang.

In an instant, the sound of weapons being drawn was heard in the gabled room. More than a dozen Yulin Army and Border Army soldiers were fighting in the narrow room, as if a dozen gunpowder barrels were colliding with each other and would explode at the slightest touch.

A soldier from the border army sneered and said, "How dare you, a dandy boy who lives in the imperial city and has never killed a single thief from the Jing Dynasty, draw your sword against our border army? Have you ever killed anyone with this precious sword?"

The young Yulin soldier raised his shining sword and looked around calmly: "Don't say it's useless. I've been holding back a lot of anger lately. If the Crown Prince didn't forbid it, I would have used you to practice my skills long ago!"

"What are you doing, trying to kill each other?!"

General Zhou heard the noise, walked a few steps to the door, and stared at everyone coldly: "My border army's swords are used to kill Jingchao thieves, put them away!"

Upon hearing this, the border soldiers put their swords back into their sheaths without hesitation. But one of the Yulin soldiers did not give up. He stepped forward and kicked the soldier who had just tripped him: "Your foot is cheap!"

"You're looking for death!" The border soldiers glared at him angrily.

At this time, the prince who was about to go to the Dusi Mansion turned back and stood at the door and said angrily: "Qi Chenzhuo, apologize!"

The Yulin soldier named Qi Chenzhuo defended himself, "Your Highness, he was the one who tripped me first!"

The prince frowned: "Apologize!"

After Qi hesitated for a moment, he said reluctantly: "Sorry!"

In the yard, Chen Ji led Zao Zao out of the stable. He listened to the noise in the house from a distance and asked Zhang Xia in a low voice: "The prince is the crown prince after all. Aren't you afraid of being imprisoned for contradicting the prince like this?"

Zhang Xia replied, "The border army has been controlled by the Hu family for many years, and it has long been difficult to get rid of it. However, Lord Hu has always been impartial in the court, so no one wants to provoke the Hu family. Whoever provokes the Hu family will push the Hu family to the opposite side. The Hu family seems to be surviving in the cracks, but it is the safest one."

Zhang Xia stroked Zaozao's cheek and continued, "The court needs the border troops to be as stable as Mount Tai, so that they can sleep peacefully in the prosperous land. Father said that no one sitting in Hu Gelao's position would be able to do better."

Chen Ji thought to himself that the Hu family was a non-confrontational family, and the prince was good at smoothing things over, but why did the Emperor Wanshou, who lived deep in the Renshou Palace in the Western Garden, want to bring them together?
……

……

After two incense sticks of time, the soldiers searched the post station from top to bottom but found no useful clues.

The Yulin Army and the border troops walked out of the house and lined up in the courtyard to listen to orders.

Seeing that there was no trace to be found, the prince could only say to Chen Liqin gently, "Master Chen, I'm afraid we can't find the murderer right now. You are tired from the journey, so please follow me back to the Dusi Mansion and settle down."

Chen Liqin cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

The prince led the Yulin Army through the main hall of the post station. The Yulin Army's white cloaks fluttered in the wind, looking extremely majestic.

Just as Chen Ji was leading Zao Zao past the frontier soldiers, General Zhou suddenly asked, "Excuse me, who is Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji's hand holding the reins suddenly tightened, and then he politely clasped his fists and responded: "General Zhou, I am Chen Ji."

Suddenly, the prince stopped in the main hall of the post station and turned his head slightly. All the Yulin soldiers turned their heads and looked back and forth between General Zhou and Chen Ji.

General Zhou looked at Chen Ji, his weathered face softened, and he asked with a smile, "How is your health, sir?"

Chen Ji said politely, "Thank you General Zhou for your concern. I hope you are in good health."

General Zhou patted the sword on his waist and said, "This sword was given to me by Mr. Wang in my early years. I have been carrying it with me. He was kind to me back then, but now his disciple has come to Guyuan and almost lost his life. I am really ashamed. If you encounter any difficulties in Guyuan in the future, you must come to me. It will definitely be better than looking for anyone else."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment before he replied, "General Zhou, you are worrying too much. With the prince's Yulin Army guarding around, I don't think there will be any danger."

General Zhou was startled, turned his head and glanced at the prince, then whispered: "Sorry, you go back and settle down, and we will talk again another day. I am usually at the Dusifu Yamen, you can come to see me anytime."

Chen Ji breathed a sigh of relief and immediately took Zaozao and left quickly.

When he arrived outside the post station, he saw the prince had already climbed onto his horse.

When the prince saw him coming out, he sat on his horse and asked softly, "Are Third Master Chen and Deputy General Zhou old acquaintances?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Your Highness, my teacher Wang Daosheng and General Zhou are old acquaintances, but I have never met General Zhou before."

The prince gathered his fox fur and smiled warmly, "I see... Lord Chen, the Chen family has three outstanding members. Brother Wen Zong and Brother Wen Xiao were both awarded first and second place in the imperial examinations. There is also a disciple taught by Mr. Wang."

Chen Liqin hurriedly said, "Your Highness, you are too kind. I am a useless person and cannot be called a great man." The prince said sincerely, "Master Chen, don't be too modest. There are many talented people in the Chen Mansion..."

Chen Wenzong suddenly straightened up and interrupted the prince: "Your Highness, I'm afraid now is not the time to chat and laugh. I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it or not."

Chen Liqin frowned and said, "Wen Zong, you can't be rude to His Highness..."

The prince raised his hand to stop Chen Liqin, looked at Chen Wenzong and said, "Brother Wenzong, please feel free to speak."

Chen Wenzong bowed to the prince and said, "Thirty-four members of my Chen family were murdered by villains. This matter cannot be left unresolved. Although they were just servants who sold themselves to my Chen family, they are also thirty-four living lives. We cannot let them die in vain."

The prince said earnestly, "Brother Wenzong, don't worry. I will definitely give the Chen family an explanation for this matter. Before coming to the post station, I have already instructed a Yulin soldier to leave the city on a fast horse. When he arrives in Tianshui County, he will rush the memorial to the capital via the post station over a distance of 600 miles. By then, my father will certainly dispatch the Jiefan Guard and the Secret Service to come and investigate this matter thoroughly."

Chen Wenzong breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Your Highness!"

……

……

There are no vendors setting up stalls in Guyuan at night, and the streets are much wider than during the day.

The Yulin Army guarded the prince and the Chen family in front, while Chen Ji and others followed slowly behind.

Xiaoman rode up to you on his pony and complained, "Sir, General Zhou is so ignorant. He came up to you and greeted you at this time. Isn't he trying to hurt you?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "He may be straightforward and didn't pay attention to this matter... After all, I am of humble status, and it is meaningless for him to harm me."

He judged that General Zhou's mistake was indeed unintentional, but he had no way of finding out what the other party was thinking at this time. He just hoped that he would not be remembered by the prince because of this.

As they were talking, a Yulin soldier in front pulled the reins and rode back, smiling and walking side by side with Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia: "Brother Zhang, Xia, it's been a long time since we parted in the capital."

Zhang Xia rode away without even looking at him, and responded coldly: "Qi Zhuozhuo, you can't call me 'Axia', you have to call me sir."

Qi Chenzhuo laughed: "Now you are no longer a teacher at the Imperial College, and I am no longer a student, so why do we have to be so distant? How come after so many years, your temper is still so cold?"

Zhang Zheng said angrily: "My sister doesn't want to bother with you, get out of here!"

Qi Chenzhuo frowned and said, "Zhang Zheng, please be polite. I am not afraid of you now!"

Zhang Zheng said with a wry smile: "You joined the Yulin Army with the help of your ancestors, and you really think you are a big shot? Sure, when we get back to Beijing, you gather the troops, I'll call Yangyang and the others, and we'll practice on Ping'an Street in Xicheng. Whoever loses will swim a lap in Shichahai. If he doesn't swim, he's a grandson!"

Qi Chenzhuo's face darkened. "What's the big deal about calling on the Shenji Camp? Yangyang and the others are powerful, what does it have to do with you?"

Zhang Zheng said cheerfully, "Who I can shake off is my ability. If you don't get out of here, I will bring people to watch over you during your days off when I return to Beijing. If you have the ability, you should never come home again!"

Qi Zhuozhuo's expression changed several times, and finally he said in a cold voice: "I originally thought that we are acquainted, so I came to remind you not to get too close to the border troops to avoid being implicated. But I didn't expect that you two brothers and sisters would not know what's good for you. I am asking for trouble now."

After saying this, he squeezed his legs against the horse's belly and chased after the Yulin Army without looking back.

After he left, Chen Ji looked at Zhang Zheng with interest and said jokingly, "I feel like Brother Zhang is a little strange today."

Zhang Zheng said shyly, "In my early years in the capital, I often got into trouble, so my mother insisted on bringing me along and tying me up in Luocheng. Now I have changed my ways, and I was just trying to scare him."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Why haven't I heard Brother Zhang mention it?"

Zhang Zheng said with emotion: "I used to be complacent about those things in the past, but later I thought that those shitty things were nothing compared to you, so I was embarrassed to mention them, not intentionally hiding them."

Chen Ji changed the subject: "The Yulin Army doesn't look that powerful?"

Zhang Xia explained, "The Yulin Army is usually used for royal ceremonials, and they are filled with the sons of nobles. The most powerful army is the Wansui Army, the Five Army Camp, and the Shenji Camp, which are collectively known as the Three Imperial Camps, with a total of 170,000 people."

Zhang Zheng added: "Look at the general Li Xuan who looks like a good-looking man beside the prince. He is actually a son-in-law of the Qi family. He just talked to our spitting Qi Chenzhuo. He is a branch of the Qi family. His father also served in the Yulin Army."

Chen Ji suddenly realized: "No wonder these Yulin soldiers are all dressed so brightly and beautifully, they are the guard of honor."

However, at this moment, the sound of a lone horse's hoof could be heard on the dirt road behind them.

Everyone turned around and saw a yellow-brown horse running towards them.

The next moment, Li Xuan of the Imperial Guards' expression changed. He looked at the Crown Prince and said hurriedly, "Your Highness, this is Wang Guang's horse!"

According to the time, Wang Guang should be on his way to Tianshui County.

But now the horse suddenly came back, but the man was nowhere to be seen.

(End of this chapter)