Aoyama

Chapter 461 Hostages
Kill them all.

These four words are used to describe something lightly.

In the morning mist, the armored soldiers swung their long halberds, about to behead Chen Ji.

The crescent blade of the halberd drew ever closer, while startled magpies fluttered their wings and flew away from the branches, buzzing and circling in the sky above the mountains and forests.

Zhang Xia lay prone on the ground, suddenly clutching the fallen leaves, preparing to cover up the traces and help attract attention.

The ancient bronze sword material emerged from the mottled patterns and lay dormant in his sleeve. His only target was the middle-aged man; if he could ambush and kill him, he would have a chance to survive.

This was a plan the two had devised along the way; should they encounter danger, they would immediately coordinate a decapitation strike.

On the other side, Zhang Baishi was preparing to feign an escape to attract attention, while Hong Zuer locked his energy onto the old man and Princess Liyang, preparing to exchange lives.

This is also a testament to the tacit understanding that the two have developed over many years of working together.

At the critical moment.

"Wait!"

As the words fell, the crescent blade of the halberd stopped an inch from Chen Ji's neck, transitioning from extreme motion to extreme stillness.

The armored soldier turned to look: "Your Highness?"

Princess Liyang walked over, lifting her skirt, and said unhurriedly, "Lord Jiang, I will keep these people here because I have a use for them."

The old man lowered his eyes, his tone still indifferent: "Kill."

Princess Liyang raised her eyebrows: "Lord Jiang doesn't even ask me what use they are to me?"

The old man smiled and said distantly, "Your Highness, you should refrain from interfering. Now that you've been driven out of Jing Dynasty, it's time for you to keep quiet."

Chen Ji's heart stirred.

The envoy and the princess, the two leaders of the mission, seem to be at odds? Even their words are laced with barbs.

However, the story of Princess Liyang, the most beloved princess of the Jing Dynasty, who came to the Ning Dynasty for a marriage alliance by imperial decree, seems to be more complicated than it appears.

At this moment, Princess Liyang was not angry after being ridiculed. Instead, she smiled and said, "Lord Jiang, even Yuancheng has been captured and taken to Ningchao. It is not shameful for me to be driven out of Jingchao. It can only be said that everyone underestimated Yuan Xiang and Lu Jin."

The old man surnamed Jiang shook his head slightly: "I have never underestimated Yuan Xiang and Lu Jin. Three years ago, I said that I would let you marry Lu Jin to sow discord between the two of them. If you had listened to my advice back then, none of this would have happened."

Princess Liyang smiled enigmatically: "Lord Jiang, it turns out that your men's empire ultimately depends on women's bodies to maintain it. But you still underestimate Lu Jin. If Lu Jin could be sown apart by women, he wouldn't be Lu Jin. The fact that he has been able to eat simple meals for more than ten years shows that his mind is not on wealth and women, but on the world."

Chen Ji was taken aback.

Princess Liyang almost became her own aunt?

The old man surnamed Jiang sneered, "What's the use of Your Highness saying all this now? The winner takes all, the loser is nothing. You can rest assured and marry into the Ning Dynasty and live a life of wealth and honor. I only need to bring back the Privy Councilor and not cause any more trouble."

Princess Liyang's expression turned solemn: "What you should do now is not to hand me over to the Ning Dynasty's emperor who is obsessed with cultivating Taoism, but to stand behind Lu Jin and support him. Once Lu Jin has gained confidence, he will show his fangs sooner or later. At that time, Yuan Xiang will naturally be wary of him, and Father's goal will be achieved."

The old man surnamed Jiang remained unmoved: "Your Highness, no matter what you say, I will not send you back to the capital. His Majesty also does not want you to return to the capital and cause trouble."

At this moment, Princess Liyang solemnly said, "I've caused trouble? If you had listened to me earlier and killed Lu Jin with me, none of this would have happened today. If you weren't so indecisive, how could I have failed so many times? If it weren't for Jiang Liuxian from your Jiang family staying by his side after entering the Dao Seeking Realm, I wouldn't have failed either!"

Chen Ji was even more astonished.

He had previously heard Si Cao Gui mention that Lu Jin had survived more than ten assassination attempts over the years. At the time, he had wondered how assassinations could be so rampant in the Jing Dynasty court. It turned out that it was all the work of Princess Li Yang.

Princess Liyang said solemnly, "Lord Jiang, do you still remember that my younger brother is the only one who can inherit the throne, and I have been by his side all these years? If you had listened to me earlier and put aside your past grievances, and summoned Jiang Xianzong back to the capital, how could this have happened today? You are no match for Yuan Xiang and Lu Jin! Yuan Cheng's capture alive has already tarnished his prestige. Even if he returns, what difference will it make!"

The old man surnamed Jiang smiled and said, "Your Highness is eloquent, but I will not argue with you."

After saying that, he looked at the middle-aged man and said, "Kill him."

"Wait!"

Princess Liyang stopped him again, staring at the old man surnamed Jiang: "I told you not to kill him, not because I am a woman's soft-hearted, but because how do you know that Jiang Xianzong is definitely loyal to your Jiang family? You have kept him in the border town all these years, how do you know that he does not harbor hatred? As the military governor of Xijing Road, he is stationed in Baidadan City, yet he watches us being assassinated without sending anyone to welcome us. Is he not just going to watch us die on the road?"

The elderly man surnamed Jiang said slowly and deliberately, "He is, after all, a member of the Jiang family." Princess Liyang smiled and said, "Isn't Jiang Liuxian, who is beside Lu Jin, also a member of your Jiang family?"

The old man surnamed Jiang's face darkened: "Your Highness, there's no need to sow discord. The troops in Baidadan City cannot be moved rashly, otherwise he will be handing Lu Jin a handle against us. If he truly betrayed the Jiang family, the Zhuosheng Generals would probably have already surrounded us. Your Highness's words are nothing more than an attempt to seize every opportunity to create a change and regain your freedom. I've watched you grow up, how could I not understand you?"

Princess Liyang shook her head: "There have been so many assassination attempts along the way. Who can tell who is whose man? Since Lord Jiang is entrusted with the important task of peace talks, he should naturally be more careful. What if Jiang Xianzong also wants you dead? Rather than trusting him, it would be better to use these people to test Jiang Xianzong first."

The old man surnamed Jiang fell into deep thought, not knowing what he had experienced along the way, but in the end he was persuaded by Princess Liyang.

Chen Ji silently observed the old man surnamed Jiang. He noticed that the man's robes were covered in dust and his hair was disheveled, making him look like a frightened bird.

Princess Liyang's clothes were covered in mud, and her brocade shoes were frayed, but she remained calm.

The elderly man surnamed Jiang had sallow skin, a long beard that reached his chest and abdomen, and wore a black turban on his head, giving him a dignified and respected appearance.

Princess Liyang had a thin face but a noble and refined appearance. A red mole was placed between her eyebrows, which complemented her elegant hairstyle. However, the journey had worn off the red mole, and a few strands of her hairstyle had come undone.

The elderly man surnamed Jiang remained silent for a long time before asking, "How do we test it?"

Princess Liyang's gaze swept over Hong Zu'er, Zhang Baishi, Asheng, Chen Ji, Zhang Xia, Xiaoman, and the little monk, and finally pointed at Zhang Xia and Chen Ji, saying, "Bring out your travel permits."

Zhang Xia and Chen Ji took out their travel permits from their sleeves. Princess Li Yang held them in her hand and looked at them casually, saying, "Anlefang Changliu Alley? What a coincidence, I went there specifically to eat steamed buns before. What was the name of that steamed bun shop again? Li Ji, right?"

Zhang Xia humbly replied, "Your Highness, it is Lin's Steamed Bun Shop."

Princess Liyang smiled and asked, "What kind of filling do you two like to eat the most?"

Zhang Xia replied, "Your Highness, I like pickled cabbage, and my husband likes mutton, but mutton is expensive, costing twelve coins a piece, so he can't bear to eat too much."

“No problem, they seem to be genuine commoners.” Princess Liyang suddenly changed the subject: “How many children does the shopkeeper have?”

Zhang Xia calmly replied, "Two. The eldest is already seventeen years old and serves in the Right Valiant Guard; the shopkeeper talks about him all the time."

Princess Liyang nodded and said to the old man surnamed Jiang, "These people are fine. This couple will leave the wife as a hostage, and I will impersonate this woman and enter the city, as we are about the same age."

After saying that, she pointed to Hong Zu'er and said, "Jiang Que is about the same age as him. Let Jiang Que pretend to be this man and come with me to sneak into Baidadan City."

She then pointed to Ah Sheng: "At that time, we will send their people to inform Jiang Xianzong, and Jiang Que and I will observe in secret. If Jiang Xianzong intends to support us, he will openly mobilize troops with the military tally. If Jiang Xianzong has the intention to rebel against the Jiang family, he will definitely act in secret. At that time, I will observe Jiang Xianzong's attitude in secret before making a decision."

Chen Ji felt a chill run down his spine. This Princess Li Yang was actually using them as a test to see if Jiang Xianzong was still loyal to the Jiang family.

If Jiang Xianzong betrays the Jiang family, the messenger who goes to deliver the message will likely meet with bad luck.

Moreover, this would separate him from Zhang Xia, making it difficult to save her.

Absolutely not.

Chen Ji suddenly knelt down and said in a panic, "Your Highness, how can you risk your life? If someone holds General Jiang Que back, what if... what if someone captures you? How will we explain this to Lord Jiang?"

Princess Liyang suddenly widened her almond-shaped eyes and stared at Chen Ji.

She felt that Chen Ji shouldn't have said those words given his status. He was saying he was worried about her being captured, but he was also subtly reminding Jiang Xiansheng that Jiang Que alone might not be able to keep an eye on her.

Princess Liyang carefully examined the traces, trying to discern their true purpose.

Before she could figure it out, the old man surnamed Jiang, Jiang Xiansheng, laughed: "Your Highness is quite the schemer, but you're just trying to take this opportunity to escape again. You'd better stay by my side. If you run away, not only will they lose their heads, but I won't be able to pay for it either."

Jiang Xiansheng pointed at Hong Zuer and Zhang Baishi and said, "These two are clearly the backbone of the grain team. They will stay behind as hostages, and Jiang Que and Jiang Yun will impersonate them and infiltrate Baidadan City to observe from the shadows. With Jiang Que and Jiang Yun's skills, these people can't cause any trouble around them."

Princess Liyang remained calm, showing no displeasure at having her thoughts exposed. She simply said slowly and sarcastically, "Then let's do as Lord Jiang arranges. Just make sure I don't die in a muddle."

She then turned to Chen Ji and Zhang Xia, and said veiledly, "He's quite clever and caring, but he's worried about his wife being a hostage, so he's willing to risk his life to say something. Even ordinary people know to protect their women, but these self-proclaimed learned bigwigs in the court don't know how to protect women. Instead, they use women to exchange for men."

Chen Ji bowed his head and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your Highness has misunderstood."

Princess Liyang said with a half-smile, "But I have been wandering and I can't stand seeing others have a happy ending. Since you are unwilling to leave your wife as a hostage, then you can stay as a hostage and let your wife go to Baidadan City... I'm sure with you there, your wife will be willing to fight to the death."

(End of this chapter)