Aoyama

Chapter 287 Boss
Quwu Mountain is the eastern extension of the Qilian Mountains and has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times.

Standing on the main peak 'Nangou Dating', you can overlook the city of Guyuan.

Right on the top of this mountain, there is a small nameless grave. In front of the grave stands a tombstone, but there are no words on it.

Under the bright starlight, a woman in black was wearing a veiled hat, with the veil hanging from the brim covering her face.

She held a piece of cloth, bent down to wipe the tombstone, and whispered: "For so many years, I have never dared to return to Guyuan. It's not that I'm afraid of seeing you, but I'm afraid that after I come back, I'll find that everything has changed. So it's better to let Guyuan forget both you and me."

The woman in black said softly, "But did you see that? The sky of Guyuan that you and I looked up at 20 years ago is exactly the same as the one we see now. People haven't changed either. I will come to see you often in the future. When I finish the last thing, I will come here to accompany you."

At this time, footsteps were heard from the bottom of the mountain. Mr. Hu San carried a head up the mountain overnight and gently placed the head in front of the tomb. He stepped back two steps and bowed deeply: "General, I have brought Yuan Zhen to you."

Not far away, Xiaowu was waiting anxiously with a food box in his hand.

Mr. Hu turned around and glared at him: "What are you standing there for?"

"Hey!" Xiao Wu took a few steps forward nervously, first saluted to the woman in black, called out "Boss", and then placed the roast chicken, steamed buns, oranges, and liquor in the food box in front of the grave one by one.

The woman in black wiped the tombstone and asked softly, "Is the second one gone?"

Xiao Wu's nose felt sore: "Yeah."

The woman in black stopped wiping the tombstone for a moment and asked, "Did he say anything?"

Xiao Wu whispered, "He said that loyalty cannot be expressed with words, but must be paid for with one's life."

The woman in black asked, "No more?"

Xiao Wu hummed: "No more."

The woman in black stared at the tombstone without words, and then said calmly: "From now on, you will be the owner of Longmen Inn. Do your job well and remember to send the money and goods of those fat sheep to Hu Junxian. He needs money now. But tell him that the camel caravan with lights cannot be stopped in the future. I have never done a business that loses money in my life."

Xiao Wu whispered, "Boss, Hu Junxian has never liked us, so he may not want our money."

The woman in black said slowly, "The Guyuan border troops have suffered heavy losses. After the imperial court's relief money has been extorted from him, how much will be left in his hands? Tell him, Hu Junxian, that this money is not for him, but for relief for the border troops."

Xiao Wu responded: "I understand."

The woman in black casually said, "Go ahead."

Xiaowu turned and left.

When there were only two people left on the top of the mountain.

The woman in black straightened up, stared at the tombstone and asked, "Old Third, you asked someone to bring a message saying that you saw 'him'?"

Mr. Hu Sanye hummed, "We happened to meet on the road, so I followed him to live in Longmen Inn. Now Chen Liqin has been promoted to the East Palace Office, and he came with the Chen family."

The woman in black hesitated for a long time, but finally couldn't help but asked: "How is he?"

Uncle Hu recalled: "He was about the same height as me, tall and thin, with delicate features and heroic spirit, very much like you. When he put the dagger against my neck, I almost mistook him for someone else."

The woman in black pondered these words carefully, as if to remember them in her heart: "What else?"

Mr. Hu San said seriously: "He is very good, brave and resourceful, and he is careful and cautious in his work. He is also very skilled, and he has already reached the third level of Xiantian."

The woman in black asked in a serious tone, "Where did he get his official position?"

Mr. Hu San replied, "As far as I know, the Chen family sent him to the Imperial Medical Clinic of Prince Jing's Mansion as an apprentice, and he was taught the art by the imperial physician of the Imperial Medical Clinic. It can be considered a blessing in disguise."

The woman in black said calmly, "The Chen family actually sent him to the clinic as an apprentice? It seems that Liang didn't know I was still alive, otherwise she wouldn't dare to do it even if she had the courage. Who is the imperial physician?"

Mr. Hu Sanye replied, "The seventh-rank imperial physician, Yao Qimen."

The woman in black was stunned for a moment: "It's him? I only know that he is a great doctor and a mean person, but I've never heard that he is also an official... What else did you find out?"

Mr. Hu thought for a moment and said, "The saintly king praised him, saying that he shines without being dazzling, and that quiet waters run deep."

The woman in black nodded: "It's rare to see a saint praising someone, I guess he has good character...anything else?"

Mr. Hu thought for a moment and said, "He is now working for the Crown Prince and is already the Right Guard of the Eastern Palace, a sixth-rank official."

The woman in black asked again, "How did you get involved with the prince? And is he married?"

Mr. Hu shook his head: "No."

The woman in black asked again: "Do you have a woman you like?"

Before she knew it, she had asked many questions.

Mr. Hu was silent for a moment and said, "Boss, if you are worried about him, instead of asking me, you might as well go and see him yourself."

The mountain top became quiet, with only the cold wind blowing.

The woman in black was silent for a long time, and finally sighed: "No, I didn't raise him, so let him think I'm really dead. Don't go to see him again, and don't involve him in our disputes."

Mr. Hu Sanye responded: "Yes."

The woman turned and walked down the mountain. "It is difficult to redress the general, but he lived a heroic life. We cannot sit idly by and watch him bear the stigma of disloyalty and treason, nor can I sit idly by and watch his tombstone be uncarved. The spy who framed him may have been killed, but the mastermind must still be alive. I found a letter in the case library of the Beijing Post Station, which may be related to what happened back then."

Mr. Hu followed her and said, "Okay, I'll go check it out."

……

……

Guyuan City under the night is as quiet as an empty city.

Large pots of fire were burning, and all the border troops gathered together. Some of them kept their eyes open and waited silently for dawn, while others simply lay down with the corpses and fell into a deep sleep.

Chen Ji, Zhang Xia, Zhang Zheng, Xiao Man, and Li Xuan sat against a clean wall, watching the frontier soldiers boil water, slaughter the horses with injured legs, and cook them into pots of horse meat. The white soup was bubbling in the pot, and the aroma slowly drifted into their noses.

A shadow came over, blocking out the moonlight and the firelight.

Chen Ji looked up and saw Hu Junxian and Zhou You riding past on horseback.

Hu Junxian pulled the reins, sat on his horse and looked at them, and finally his eyes fell on Li Xuan: "Would you like to serve in my border army?"

Li Xuan was stunned: "General Hu is talking to me?"

Hu Junxian said in a rough voice: "Come to the Border Army, I guarantee that you will be promoted to deputy general within seven years. At that time, it is up to you whether you stay in Guyuan or use the power of the Qi family to transfer you to become a frontier official."

Hu Junxian extended an olive branch, but Zhou You grinned and said, "Lord Li, coming to Guyuan is a road of no return. It is thousands of miles away from home and it is difficult to send a letter. There is no prosperity like the capital here. There is only endless sand and endless loess. Lord Li, you have to think it over before answering."

The two of them, one positive and one negative, make it hard to figure out whether they want Li Xuan to join the border army.

Li Xuan raised his head and looked at the unusually burly Hu Junxian, and finally clasped his fists and said, "Thank you both for your kindness, but my family and wife are all in the capital, so I really can't get away."

The son-in-law of the Qi family had no control over his fate since the day of marriage. His wife would not allow him to come to Guyuan, and the Qi family would not allow him to come to Guyuan either.

Seeing that he refused, Hu Junxian did not force him, and just said casually: "Then I wish Lord Li a bright future."

Zhou You smiled and bowed to Li Xuan: "I apologize for offending you earlier. See you later!"

He turned his gaze to Chen Ji again: "Master Chen, are you willing to..."

Before he finished speaking, Hu Junxian raised his hand to interrupt: "He doesn't have to come to Guyuan."

Zhou You smiled awkwardly, quickly apologized to Chen Ji, and rode his horse to catch up with Hu Junxian.

Xiaoman widened his eyes: "Wait a moment!"

Hu Junxian and Zhou You reined in their horses and turned back, looking at Xiaoman in surprise.

Zhang Xia thought something was wrong and reached out to pull Xiaoman, but Xiaoman pushed her hand away and said angrily, "Why don't you recruit my son? What do you mean he doesn't have to come to Guyuan?"

Hu Junxian looked Xiaoman up and down, and then actually answered a little maid's question: "It's not that I don't want to recruit him, but I know he won't stay, so there's no need to waste time."

Xiaoman was indignant: "If he doesn't want to stay, then he doesn't want to stay. You guys should at least ask!"

Hu Junxian said indifferently: "Li Xuan is not good at protecting himself and adapting. It is difficult for him to display his skills in a place like the capital. Instead of being a canary, it is better to come to Guyuan and be an eagle. But your son is different. He is like a fish in water in a place like the capital. If one day he can gain a foothold in the capital, the Guyuan border army will still need him and his teacher to look after it in the capital. Do you understand what I mean?"

Xiaoman was stunned: "Ah...then please explain it nicely!"

Hu Junxian ignored him and rode away.

Xiaoman turned around and looked at Chen Ji innocently: "Master, have I gotten into trouble?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "No, what kind of trouble can you cause by speaking up for me?"

Zhang Zheng laughed cheerfully and said, "Only Hu Junxian has such a broad mind and vision. When you get to the capital, you should be careful. The officials in the capital are all narrow-minded."

Xiaoman muttered quietly: "The capital city is so great, it's all about two eyes and one mouth!"

At this moment, a voice called out from a distance: "Master, save me!"

Chen Ji ignored it.

Seeing that Chen Ji ignored him, the person who was shouting shouted again: "Brother-in-law, save me!"

Everyone turned around and saw Qi Zhuozhuo and the others were still tied to their horses. After the battle, everyone was exhausted and almost forgot about them.

It was only at this time that Chen Ji realized that the "Master" Qi Chenzhuo had just called was actually himself.

Li Xuan held up a sword and untied everyone. Xiao Man looked at Chen Wenxiao, Chen Liqin, Liang Shi, and Wang Gui who had survived the disaster, and complained in a low voice: "Why are they as hard to kill as Yuan Zhen? If I had known earlier, I would have done it myself..."

Chen Ji: "..."

The next moment, Chen Liqin just broke free from the hemp rope, and immediately picked up a machete scattered on the ground and chopped at Chen Wenxiao: "Rebellious son, how dare you insult my family!"

Chen Wenxiao cried and dodged: "Mother, please save me. I was just making a temporary solution before!"

Chen Liqin circled around and swung his knife. Liang protected Chen Wenxiao behind her like an eagle protecting its chicks: "Master, you can't do that. He is your own flesh and blood!"

Chen Liqin was furious: "I will just pretend that I never gave birth to him. Get out of the way. Even if I don't kill him, the laws of Daning will not spare him!"

Zhang Zheng sneered: "He's just pretending again. I don't believe the knife in his hand can really cut down. I'm afraid he will be fooled again after playing such a trick."

At this time, Hu Junxian and Zhou You watched this farce from afar. When the Chen family and the prince were captured, there were only the Tiance Army around. Now that the Tiance Army was dead, they didn't know what happened and could only watch silently.

Xiaoman rolled her eyes, ran forward a few steps and grabbed Hu Junxian's reins.

Hu Junxian frowned: "What else do you want to do, little girl?"

Xiaoman whispered, "General Hu, my son helped Lord Li kill a general before. Does that count as a meritorious official?"

Hu Junxian said indifferently: "Of course it counts."

Xiaoman asked again: "Will the Guyuan border troops accept this?"

Zhou You grinned and said, "Thank you, thank you. What do you want to say, little girl? Don't beat around the bush!"

Xiaoman hurriedly said, "When Chen Wenxiao was captured alive by the Tiance Army, he wanted to betray my son... Is betraying a meritorious official considered treason?"

Hu Junxian turned to look at Chen Wenxiao, and after thinking for a few breaths, he waved to the border troops and said, "Capture him! My border troops will escort him to the capital and submit him to the Ministry of Justice for trial!"

(End of this chapter)