Aoyama

Chapter 388 Death Soldier
The spring hunt banquet was a time of feasting and revelry, with toasts and songs filling the air.

But beneath the surface, the guests kept glancing furtively at the Crown Prince and Prince Fu, and no one could truly relax and drink. In previous years, the guests would have proactively offered the Crown Prince a toast and said some nice things.

But not this year; only the Crown Prince remained, sitting behind the table, pouring himself a drink.

Chen Ji glanced sideways at the other person, who always maintained a gentle and refined demeanor, never showing any anger even after the Prince of Fu had usurped his position. Could such a person truly be so ruthless?
meeting.

Chen Ji only believed in his own deductions.

As he was pondering, Prince Fu suddenly stood up, picked up a pot of wine, and left his seat. Dressed in a black imperial robe, he stood in front of the Crown Prince's desk, blocking a large area of ​​light and shadow.

The guests around the Crown Prince stood up one after another, pretending to go and offer toasts to others, leaving a large open space between the two.

Prince Fu poured a full cup of wine for the Crown Prince, saying, "Your Highness, please."

The crown prince did not look up at him, but instead picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Before he could even put down his wine cup, Prince Fu poured him another full cup, letting the wine spill from between his fingers: "Please."

The prince looked at his hands, which were wet with wine, and then drank the wine cup in one gulp.

When Prince Fu filled the Crown Prince's cup for the third time, the Crown Prince looked up at the tall Prince Fu in front of him and asked, "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"

Prince Fu chuckled and said, "This is to teach you not to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."

The Crown Prince looked at his outspoken elder brother without changing his expression: "Brother, you have done so many presumptuous things today. Aren't you afraid of being punished by Father when we return to the capital?"

Prince Fu didn't care at all: "You still don't understand one thing. As long as I don't want to sit on that throne, even if I make a huge mistake, I'm still his son. A son makes a mistake, so a beating is enough. If one isn't enough, two, if two aren't enough, three. Anyway, I can take a beating. But you're different. You dream of sitting on that throne. Now, you're not his son anymore. You're his enemy."

The Crown Prince asked casually, "Brother, you really don't want to compete?"

Prince Fu placed the wine pot on the table, pressed his palm on the lid and sneered: "I am different from you. You clearly want many things, but you dare not say it. When I say I don't want to fight, I really don't want to fight."

The Crown Prince smiled and said, "The Hu family and Her Majesty the Empress do not think so."

Prince Fu leaned down and stared intently at the Crown Prince: "It's alright. I may not be very wise, but I am absolutely first-rate when it comes to disgusting people. You will see for yourself."

The Crown Prince smiled and said, "Brother, just wait and see."

The air seemed to freeze between the two, and the guests fell silent.

At this tense moment, musicians from the music troupe, carrying their instruments, filed in through the archway and sat down on the red carpet.

The crisp sound of the musician plucking the pipa to test its sound instantly melted away the tense atmosphere between the Crown Prince and Prince Fu.

The Crown Prince said gently, "Brother, let's listen to the opera."

Prince Fu smiled nonchalantly and returned to his seat.

The sound of the pipa begins, and the singer sings sweetly.

Chen Ji only realized while listening to the opera that the so-called "immortal pointing the way" scene was actually about Emperor Taizu of Ning Dynasty being defeated in Ganzhou during his conquest of the country. When he fled for his life, he got separated from his subordinates and wandered into a mountain forest.

Miasma filled the mountains and forests, obscuring all directions. A giant white python, 32 feet long, snaked out and led Emperor Taizu out of the miasma.

After leaving the miasma, the Great Ancestor thanked the white python, which spoke in human language: "The Jade Purity Primordial Heavenly Venerable of the Eastern Kunlun sent me to guide you. You may take the divine sword from my belly and act on behalf of Heaven. The ruler of the world shall be the virtuous one."

Emperor Taizu then brandished his sword and beheaded the white python. The white python transformed into white clouds and vanished, leaving behind a divine sword that could cut through iron like mud.

Today, this national treasure sword hangs behind the plaque of the Jianji Hall.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ji couldn't help but ponder deeply. If he hadn't known about the Forty-Nine Heavens, it wouldn't have mattered, but now that he did, hearing this story felt eerie... The Ning Dynasty was founded with the help of the Forty-Nine Heavens.
However, before the opera had finished, a series of rapid footsteps and the rustling of raincoats could be heard coming from outside the Red Leaf Villa.

The next moment, Jie Fanwei, wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats, filed in through the archway, their raincoats carrying the scent of wind and frost.

The guards, their hands on their waist knives, kept their eyes hidden in the shadows of their straw hats.

The banquet lights shone on them, but not through their raincoats and straw hats; everyone could only see the lower half of their faces, unable to discern their expressions.

The guests were all astonished; no one had expected Jie Fanwei to arrive so quickly. The musicians, in a panic, grabbed their instruments and rose to their feet, retreating to a corner of the banquet hall.

When the guards from the Jiefan Guards met the Crown Prince and the Prince of Fu, they neither bowed nor greeted them. One of the guards, showing his badge, went straight to the point and asked, "Where is the body?"

The prince pointed north: "Over there in my bedroom."

Jie Fanwei calmly said, "Lead us there. From this moment on, Jie Fanwei will take over the defense of Hongye Villa, and no one may leave without permission."

The crown prince whispered to his attendants, "Take them there."

Without further ado, five Jiefan Guards followed their attendants to examine the body, while the remaining Jiefan Guards unfastened their crossbows and climbed the fortress of the Red Leaf Villa.

This Red Leaf Villa is a royal residence, with five towers offering panoramic views of the entire villa and locking all entrances and exits.

Chen Ji frowned in thought. Logically speaking, even if he rode at full speed back to the capital from the Red Leaf Villa, he would not be able to return until dawn.

How could Jie Fanwei arrive so quickly?
At this moment, the crown prince asked the messenger, "Why did you return so quickly?"

The attendant explained, "I hadn't even reached Fengtai Post Station when I happened to run into this group of Jiefan Guards who said they were on official business in Datong. So I came to Hongye Villa first."

The Crown Prince nodded: "That's quite a coincidence."

Someone asked in a low voice, "What do we do now? Should we just wait here for Xie Fanwei to investigate the case?"

Prince Fu said lazily, "When will that be? Let's rest early; you all have a spring hunt tomorrow." Someone was taken aback: "After something like this, you still have a spring hunt?"

Prince Fu glanced at him sideways, a playful look on his face: "The Spring Hunt is a grand ceremony of the court. How can it be canceled because of a trivial matter? Even if the sky were to fall, we would still have to go through the motions. Alright, everyone go back and rest. The Jie Fan Guard will summon you if they need anything."

The prince turned to Mr. Liao and instructed him, "Mr. Liao, arrange accommodations for the guests."

Mr. Liao bowed his head and agreed.

He beckoned to the clerks at the Red Leaf Villa, and dozens of clerks came with lanterns, leading the guests to their respective residences.

Chen Ji and Zhang Xia walked side by side, but two minor officials in front of them turned left and right at a fork in the alley, trying to separate Chen Ji, Qi Zhenzhuo, Zhang Zheng, and Zhang Xia.

Zhang Xia stopped at the fork in the road and asked, "Which courtyard do I live in?"

The clerk hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Miss Zhang, you and your brother are staying at Chunlu Courtyard."

Zhang Xia then asked, "Which courtyard will Chen Ji and Qi Zhenzhu stay in?"

Another minor official replied, "I must lead Lord Qi and Lord Chen to the Winter Snow Courtyard."

Zhang Xia closed her eyes and recalled: "One was at the far east and the other at the far west. Who arranged this?"

The minor official bowed his head and said, "I don't know."

Zhang Xia frowned and asked, "Who was the Immortal Abode next to the Winter Snow Courtyard allocated to?"

The clerk was taken aback; he hadn't expected Zhang Xia to know so much about the Red Leaf Villa: "It's where the noble lady of the Qi family lives."

Zhang Xia then asked, "Who lives in Juxian, next to my Chunlu Courtyard?"

The clerk lowered his head even further: "This humble servant does not know."

Zhang Xia smiled and said, "We won't go to Chunlu Courtyard. My brother and I can stay in the east and west wing rooms of Dongxue Courtyard."

The clerk said in a panic, "How can this be? I dare not lead the way at will; we must follow the arrangements on the list."

Zhang Xia didn't wait for him to lead the way and walked straight towards the Winter Snow Courtyard: "Then you don't need to lead the way, I know where it is."

Behind them, Qi Zhaoning suddenly stopped them, saying, "Wait, how can you live together?"

Zhang Xia turned around and glanced sideways: "Living in different rooms, how can that be considered living together? My brother is here, what is there to hide?"

Qi Zhaoning frowned and said, "But that's the same courtyard. Haven't you studied the Precepts for Women? How can you act so recklessly?"

Zhang Xia replied matter-of-factly, "I haven't learned it, so what?"

Qi Zhaoning was taken aback.

By the time she tried to refute him, Zhang Xia had already walked away.

Upon entering the Winter Snow Courtyard, Chen Ji turned around to close the gate, but saw Zhang Xia looking at Qi Zhenhe and saying, "Go and live next door with your sister."

Qi hesitated, wanting to speak but ultimately gave in to Zhang Xia's gaze and turned to go to the Immortal Abode.

Zhang Xia closed the courtyard gate, immediately turned around and leaned against the wooden door, whispering, "Be careful, those people aren't Jie Fanwei."

Zhang Zheng and Chen Ji's pupils suddenly contracted.

No wonder Zhang Xia insisted on moving into the Winter Snow Courtyard, no wonder Zhang Xia wanted to send Qi Zhenzhuo away as well. With such a major incident, no outsider could be left by her side.

Chen Ji glanced around, then pulled the two into the main room and casually lit the candles.

He pressed himself against the door, peering through the crack: "You can speak now."

Zhang Zheng asked in confusion, "A-Xia, how do you know they aren't Jie Fanwei?"

Zhang Xia sat down at the octagonal table and said in a low voice, "The crossbows they carry are slightly different from those of the Jie Fan Guard. Although they are both made from the sinew of cattle spines, the Jie Fan Guard's bowstrings are mixed with silk, while these people's bowstrings are obviously not mixed with silk, so the luster is different."

Chen Ji pondered, "If it is used for a long time, even if it is mixed with silk reeling, the bowstring will lose its luster."

Zhang Xia suddenly fell silent. Chen Ji's words made sense, but she seemed to have something else to hide.

She paused for a moment, then said, “I have my reasons for being so certain. You don’t need to worry about how I know. The important thing is, who would dare to impersonate the Jie Fan Guard under the Emperor’s nose? What are they planning to do?”

Zhang Zheng lowered his head and pondered: "The Crown Prince? The Prince of Fu?"

Possessing crossbows is a major taboo in the Ning Dynasty, and impersonating a Jie Fan Guard is an even greater taboo. Those who dared to do this had no intention of letting these fake Jie Fan Guards live.

These people posing as the Protectors of the Narrow Escape must have known all too well that they would not survive after their mission was accomplished.

These are true suicide squad members.

Zhang Zheng pondered, "Could it be Prince Fu? He came here today specifically for the Crown Prince. Does he want to seize the throne?"

Chen Ji closed his eyes: "It's not Prince Fu. Although this man is lazy and reckless, he is very sensible. He has made too many mistakes over the years, and the reason he can still enjoy wealth and honor in the capital is because he knows what he can and cannot do. As long as he doesn't lose his sense of propriety, even if he really takes the opportunity to beat up the Crown Prince, he won't die. But the crimes of impersonating the Jie Fan Guard and secretly possessing bows and crossbows are too serious. This is treason."

Zhang Zheng frowned: "That's the Crown Prince? But would the Crown Prince do something so stupid? Even if he wanted to die, he didn't need to go to such lengths. He could just find a three-foot-long white silk ribbon and hang himself from the roof beam, wouldn't that be enough?"

Zhang Xia looked at Chen Ji and said solemnly, "The spring hunt is imperative and cannot be canceled halfway. No matter who is impersonating the Jie Fan Guard, you must stay away from the Crown Prince and Prince Fu tomorrow to avoid being dragged into it."

(End of this chapter)