Dragon Gate Inn?

Earlier, Chief Escort Liang had mentioned an inn in Guyuan known for its remarkable capabilities, run by General Wentao’s former subordinates, which could arrange passage to the Jing Dynasty.

I wonder if this is the one Chief Escort Liang was referring to?

Chen Ji looked out the window. Thief Old Hu San was leading several young children away. Inside the room, only he remained, along with dozens of corpses and the silvery moonlight pouring in from outside.

He heard the increasingly close sound of hooves, which eventually stopped outside the inn’s entrance. The dense clatter of armor plates rubbing against each other filled the air, as hundreds of people dismounted in front of the door.

Someone shouted, “Surround the inn!”

Amidst the shouts, Zhang Xia rushed into the main room, looking at Chen Ji who stood in the moonlight: “Chen Ji, people have arrived outside the inn. They must be the Crown Prince’s men!”

She glanced at Chen Ji, then headed straight to pull the bedsheets from the communal bunk. As she reached the bed, she saw the corpses with blood-streaked tears and hesitated, pausing her movements.

However, after only a two-breath hesitation, Zhang Xia steeled herself and tore off a bedsheet.

Chen Ji was slightly taken aback, not understanding what she was about to do.

Zhang Xia approached him, lowered her head, and rewrapped the Whale Blade with the bedsheet. “I’m guessing you don’t want to attract attention. This blade is too striking; it’s better if I help you cover it.”

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then smiled. “Miss Zhang, you are admirable for your composure in times of crisis and your meticulous attention to detail. Let’s go, let’s see what’s happening outside.”

The two walked into the courtyard and saw Chen Liqin rushing in, holding up the hem of his official robe. “Wife, Wenxiao?”

Madam Liang stumbled a few steps and threw herself into his arms, sobbing plaintively, “My lord, you’ve returned! If you had been any later, I’m afraid you wouldn’t have seen us again.”

Chen Liqin coughed. “The Crown Prince is also here; don’t be disrespectful.”

Madam Liang looked up in surprise, her gaze sweeping past Chen Liqin’s shoulder towards the area beyond the inn’s main gate.

She saw a noble young man approaching, draped in a white fox-fur coat. Over twenty armored guards, wearing silver armor and white capes, followed closely behind him, their hands on the long swords at their waists.

The noble young man had his hair secured with a white jade hairpin, and his lips were red, his teeth white, as if he had stepped out of a painting.

“Your Royal Highness?” Madam Liang quickly disentangled herself from Chen Liqin’s embrace, wiped her tears, and performed a deep curtsy. “May Your Royal Highness be safe and well.”

The Crown Prince returned the bow and said gently, “Please, Madam Chen, there’s no need to be so formal. Today’s incident is entirely my fault for being negligent. I knew Guyuan wasn’t peaceful, but I failed to arrange guards to protect you all beforehand. I’m relieved that you are all unharmed; otherwise, I would never be able to absolve myself of responsibility, even with a thousand deaths.”

Madam Liang was somewhat overwhelmed to see the Crown Prince return her bow. “Your Royal Highness must not speak like that.”

Chen Liqin bowed respectfully from the side. “Your Royal Highness need not blame yourself. Who could have imagined that the villains in Guyuan would be so audacious as to harm the family of an imperial official? Your personal presence here fills this humble servant with immense gratitude.”

Chen Wenxiao cried, “Father, this matter must be thoroughly investigated!”

Chen Liqin’s face darkened. “What kind of behavior is this, crying and wailing in front of the Crown Prince? Learn from your elder brother; look at how he conducts himself.”

The Crown Prince praised, “Brother Wenzong is truly an extraordinary man. To dare to come alone to the Governor’s Office to report the incident after such a calamity truly demonstrates his courage and spirit.”

Chen Ji, Zhang Xia, and the others stood in a corner of the courtyard. Zhang Zheng muttered softly, “They’ve been here for a while, but no one has checked on the maids and servants. They all died for nothing.”

Zhang Xia glared at him. “Brother, speak less.”

Zhang Zheng said nonchalantly, “Our Zhang family and Xu family aren’t afraid of him!”

Zhang Xia lowered her voice. “You don’t plan to become an official, but don’t implicate others!”

Zhang Zheng glanced at Chen Ji and then fell silent.

At this moment, Chen Ji remained silent.

The instant the Crown Prince appeared, the molten current within him surged wildly, like a fierce tiger.

His heart pounded rapidly, and the gurgling pulse of blood flowing through the veins in his forehead sounded like the roar of the molten current.

It took over ten breaths for the molten current to gradually subside into silence.

This was the first time the molten current had reacted so violently… Could it be because he was in the presence of the nation’s heir apparent?

As he pondered, the Crown Prince looked towards the courtyard. His gaze swept over Chen Ji’s face, paused briefly when he saw Zhang Xia, and then moved to Zhang Zheng and Xiaoman. “These individuals are…”

Chen Wenzong stepped forward from behind. “To Your Royal Highness, on the left is my younger brother Chen Ji and his personal maid, and on the right are Master Zhang Zhuo’s son and daughter. They accompanied us to Guyuan intending to sightsee, but unexpectedly found themselves in danger.”

The Crown Prince nodded slightly and cupped his hands to Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia. “I came to Guyuan by imperial decree to thoroughly investigate the case of killing innocent civilians for false merits, and I have unfortunately implicated the two of you…”

Before he finished speaking, lights appeared outside the inn.

Everyone turned around to see a troop of armored soldiers approaching with torches, their movements swift and vigilant. The soldiers wore rattan armor, which still bore marks from axes and blades.

They were border army soldiers.

Behind the Crown Prince, over twenty silver-armored personal guards drew their swords. The border army soldiers, clad in worn rattan armor, did not draw their waist-swords but continued to advance steadily.

A fierce, formidable aura, forged from countless battles and bloodshed, surged forth, forcing the personal guards to instinctively retreat two steps.

The border army stood on the inn’s steps, while the Crown Prince’s personal guards stood below the courtyard steps. Tensions were high between them, and the torch flames flickered wildly, rustling loudly in the wind.

Just then, Chen Ji suddenly felt his arm being gripped, the strength increasing.

He glanced sideways and saw Zhang Xia staring in the direction of the border army.

Zhang Xia’s lips parted slightly, and she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, “The man behind the border army commander came to the inn this afternoon. He wasn’t wearing rattan armor then, but he has a scar on his right cheek. I couldn’t be mistaken.”

Chen Ji’s pupils constricted sharply. He looked over, and the scarred man’s gaze swept past the others, surveying the courtyard as if searching for something.

Something isn’t right.

According to the innkeeper, this inn has been mostly vacant for years, and even firewood is usually in short supply.

For a border army soldier to secretly come to the inn in plain clothes is already illogical.

If this person is indeed the murderer, they are far too brazen. To kill thirty-four members of the Chen family and then casually return here?

What kind of backing does this border army have, to dare defy the nation’s heir apparent so boldly?

Zhang Xia asked in a low voice, “Should we expose him?”

“No,” Chen Ji replied calmly. “This is the border army’s territory. If we push them too far, no one will survive. Besides, we only saw him come here; we can’t prove he came to administer poison. Don’t be nervous, and don’t let them detect anything amiss.”

Zhang Xia nodded, her expression gradually calming. “Understood.”

During the tense standoff, the Crown Prince looked up at the border army on the steps. “Gentlemen, what brings you here?”

The leading border army commander cupped his hands and replied, “To Your Royal Highness, this humble general was informed by the Governor’s Office guards of a homicide at the inn, and I have brought men to apprehend the culprits.”

Li Xuan stepped forward and stopped the border army. “Gentlemen, there’s no need to enter. My Imperial Guard is sufficient here.”

The border army commander paused at these words, then immediately placed his hand on his waist-saber and stated gravely, “Master Li, my Guyuan Governor’s Office oversees thirty-six garrisons and governs this city. Apprehending spies and criminals falls within the duties of my Governor’s Office. I hope Your Royal Highness and Master Li will not overstep your bounds.”

Li Xuan’s hand rested on his sword hilt as he retorted sharply, “How do I know this wasn’t done by your Guyuan border army? If this case is handed over to you, it would simply give you an opportunity to destroy evidence!”

The border army commander’s expression changed, and his eyes glinted fiercely. “What do you mean by that, Master Li? My border army defends the frontier, shedding blood and sacrificing lives. We will not tolerate such slander!”

Li Xuan sneered, “Whether it’s slander or not, you know perfectly well in your heart.”

The border army commander angrily said, “When our border army kills, we always engage in bloody close combat with the Jing Dynasty bandits. When have we ever resorted to such despicable methods as poisoning?”

Li Xuan was about to speak further, but the Crown Prince placed a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to look at the Crown Prince. “Your Royal Highness…”

The Crown Prince said slowly, “It’s fine, I’ll speak with General Zhou.”

Li Xuan hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside.

The Crown Prince looked up at the border army commander on the steps. “General Zhou, it is truly appalling that Master Chen suffered such misfortune immediately upon his arrival. Upon my return, I will certainly draft a memorial overnight and send it via expedited six-hundred-li urgent dispatch to the capital to inform my imperial father and ensure a thorough investigation. Given that the border army is currently under suspicion, it would be best to avoid any appearance of impropriety.”

General Zhou’s expression was grim. “Your Royal Highness, it is not our intention to offend imperial authority, but we are also concerned that someone might frame us for this incident. In recent years, the border army has faced much criticism, and we truly cannot bear this additional stigma. Your Royal Highness originally came to investigate the case of killing innocent civilians for false merits, which is unrelated to this matter. Why interfere?”

The Crown Prince gently shook his head. “Not so. Master Chen is now a Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Household; he has entered my Eastern Palace’s administration. His affairs are naturally the affairs of my Eastern Palace. General Zhou, are you bringing your men to surround my Imperial Guard, implying rebellion?”

General Zhou stared directly at the Crown Prince. “Your Royal Highness need not try to intimidate me. I, Zhou, have crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. I stand tall and have a clear conscience. I am not afraid even if it comes to an imperial hearing. If Your Royal Highness insists on preventing us from investigating this matter, then we will have no choice but to offend.”

The Crown Prince looked at the fierce-looking border army soldiers, pondered for a moment, and then said, “How about this: the border army and the Imperial Guard investigate this matter together? If the border army is truly innocent, the Imperial Guard can also serve as a witness for you all.”

General Zhou’s eyes flickered, and after a few breaths, he made his decision. “Very well!”

The Crown Prince turned to Chen Liqin. “Master Chen, this inn is no longer suitable for residence. Please come with me back to the Governor’s Office; there are several empty courtyards there.”

Chen Liqin cupped his hands and said, “It shall be as Your Royal Highness commands.”

The Crown Prince then looked at Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia. “What are your thoughts, esteemed guests?”

Zhang Xia replied, “To Your Royal Highness, we will go with the Chen family.”

The Crown Prince led the way up the steps, and the border army soldiers parted to clear a path.

Zhang Zheng asked in a low voice from behind, “Why don’t we just run? The Governor’s Office is the border army’s stronghold; wouldn’t we be walking into a trap by staying there? We’d be constantly on edge, not even daring to eat.”

Zhang Xia countered, “If we run, it will certainly arouse their suspicion and tip them off.”

Chen Ji said calmly, “If it truly was the border army’s doing, they would never allow anyone to die within the Governor’s Office. Let’s go. At this moment, going to the border army’s territory might actually be the safest option.”