Chen Ji sat on the ground, weaving straw sandals.

By the second one, he was much more skilled, no longer making the mistake of leaving half a foot exposed.

The evening drum of Chongli Guan sounded, accompanied by the clang of gongs.

On the towering, majestic gate tower, foot soldiers struck narrow *zheng* bells, sending crisp,肅殺 hums several *li* away.

North of the gate tower was a semicircular *wengcheng*, whose north gate closed simultaneously with the Ping’an Gate. Hong Ye, who had gone out to search for Zhang Baishi, had not returned, but Chongli Guan would not wait.

At this moment, Zhang Tonggou was no longer joking around; his expression grew increasingly grim.

Chen Ji looked around; everyone else was the same.

He asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Zhang Tonggou explained in a low voice, “The general standard-bearer and his men were dispatched before dawn to repair the outer wall between Haihui Guan and Xuwei Guan. By rights, they should have returned before *shenshi*.”

Chongli Guan was not an isolated pass.

Along the Dama Qunshan mountain range, there were twelve smaller fortresses connected by sections of the Great Wall, forming a massive barrier, watching over and aiding each other.

This was the Twelve Liênchéng of Chongli Guan.

Chen Ji speculated, “Could it be that the wall wasn’t finished?”

Zhang Tonggou shook his head. “Impossible. If the wall wasn’t finished, they’d go out to repair it tomorrow. Failing to return on time is punishable by military law.”

Something had happened.

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment. “On my way here just now, I saw Hong Ye and A Sheng return to Chongli Guan. Hong Ye said he encountered *Zhuosheng Jiang* in the mountains…”

Zhang Tonggou and the others were startled. “What else did he say?”

Chen Ji recalled, “Later, he asked if Baizi and Xingxing had returned. Someone answered that when Gao Yuan of the Wansui Army came back, he had seen them in Liutiao Gou, so Hong Ye changed horses and went to look for them again.”

Zhang Tonggou muttered, “This is bad. *Zhuosheng Jiang* usually don’t enter Dama Qunshan. Not only do we have *Yebu Shou* from Chongli Guan in the mountains, but also *Yebu Shou* from the Three Imperial Camps, at least a hundred people set up in ambush. How many troops must they have brought to dare venture into the mountains? Could it be that war is starting again?”

Li Ahu pondered, “Didn’t we hear recently that Pingdong Zongbing Wang Daosheng captured Yuan Cheng, the *Shumi Shi* of the Jing Dynasty? Could these *Zhuosheng Jiang* be here for revenge?”

Zhang Tonggou cursed, “It must be. Those mad dogs never allow us to gain any advantage. Now that their *Shumi Shi* has been captured by us, they’re going crazy, coming in to kill and vent their anger.”

He stood up and started to leave. “I’ll go find out what’s happening.”

Li Ahu grabbed him, muttering, “Are you crazy too? Curfew is almost here!”

Zhang Tonggou started to speak, then slumped back down, defeated. “I’m afraid they really are lost out there.”

The evening drum ceased.

Those who had gone out had not returned, leaving the barracks empty. For a long time, no one spoke.

In the silence, Chen Ji said, “Before I came from the capital, I heard rumors that the Jing Dynasty wanted peace talks to exchange Yuan Cheng.”

Zhang Tonggou exploded in anger, “Exchange his mother! We finally caught him, and they want to exchange him? Anyone who wants to release Yuan Cheng is a Jing Dynasty spy, arrest them all and behead them!”

Chen Ji remained calm. “What if exchanging him would be more beneficial to our Ning Dynasty?”

Zhang Tonggou sneered, “Releasing a tiger back into the mountains would be more beneficial to our Ning Dynasty? What kind of nonsense is that! Six years ago, it was this Yuan Cheng who led three armies south. In that battle alone, the Three Imperial Camps suffered 30% casualties, and more than half of our Chongli Guan foot soldiers died. You arrived late, otherwise you might have died in that battle too.”

Chen Ji explained, “I’m just relaying what I heard.”

Zhang Tonggou softened his tone. “Anyway, we are irreconcilably hostile with the Jing Dynasty. No one should think of peace talks; anyone who does is a traitor. Besides, if there’s no war, where do we get our silver? No war, no military pay. I owe Old Li from the military market three *liang* of silver and haven’t paid it back yet; it’s almost five *liang* now.”

Chen Ji asked curiously, “You can run tabs at the military market?”

Li Ahu explained, “There are people at the military market specifically for lending us money. Ordinary foot soldiers can borrow three *liang*, *Xiaoqi* can borrow ten *liang*, and *Zongqi* twenty *liang*.”

Chen Ji was puzzled. “What about *Báihù* and *Qianhù*?”

Zhang Tonggou scoffed, “*Báihù* and *Qianhù* don’t need borrowed money; our military rations are enough for them.”

Chen Ji mused, “Aren’t they afraid of people dying in battle and not being able to collect their money?”

Zhang Tonggou shook his head. “Do you think they’d make a losing business? If you die, the court provides compensation. Before the compensation money even reaches your wife or old mother, they intercept it. They have powerful connections.”

Chen Ji brought the conversation back, continuing to inquire, “Even if the court wants peace and wants to exchange Yuan Cheng for something, the Three Imperial Camps probably wouldn’t agree, right?”

Li Ahu thought for a moment. “The Wansui Army and Shenji Camp definitely wouldn’t agree. The Wujun Camp, it’s hard to say. It’s said that the *Dudu* of the Wujun Camp is a scholarly general who doesn’t like fighting.”

Zhang Tonggou sneered, “A scholarly general my ass, he’s just spineless!”

Chen Ji probed again, “How many *Yebu Shou* from the Wansui Army and Shenji Camp are outside Chongli Guan?”

Zhang Tonggou thought for a moment. “About a hundred.”

Chen Ji mused inwardly that the Jing Dynasty envoy’s passage through Chongli Guan this time would likely be fraught with difficulty.

The frontline soldiers and the Jing Dynasty had years of accumulated hatred, and Yuan Cheng bore deep blood vengeance. The frontline soldiers would never allow him to return to the Jing Dynasty alive.

If those *Yebu Shou* were determined to assassinate the envoy, he alone couldn’t stop them.

And this time, Emperor Ning had given him the official position of *Jingying Yizhang Shi*. If he succeeded in escorting the Jing Dynasty envoy, it would likely anger many people.

Chen Ji finally understood why Emperor Ning had given him this task—it was to force him to become an isolated official.

No, not only Ning Dynasty people wanted to kill Yuan Cheng; his own maternal uncle probably wanted to kill him too.

The sudden entry of Jing Dynasty *Zhuosheng Jiang* into Dama Qunshan, provoking trouble at Chongli Guan, was not as simple as merely “venting anger.”

Chen Ji frowned, realizing that accomplishing this task would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

At this time, the general standard-bearer and his forty comrades still had not returned.

“Sleep, sleep,” Zhang Tonggou patted his backside and walked into the barracks.

Li Ahu asked, “Aren’t we going to wait longer?”

“Wait for what? There’s no waiting. Everyone get some sleep early. Tomorrow, we’ll go out to collect their bodies,” Zhang Tonggou muttered softly, “That kid Li Guanggu still owes me seventy *wen* of money. Damn, I’m definitely not getting that back now.”

Chen Ji lay on the communal bed.

Beside him, there were no the endless snores A Sheng had described, only the rustling of his comrades tossing and turning.

Until *maoshi*, the sound of a bell rang from Chongli Guan’s gate tower, echoing in the distance.

Someone outside the barracks door shouted, “Twenty-first banner of the Xuanqian Fuqian Hu Suo, all of you get out!”

Zhang Tonggou sprang up, pulled on his shoes, and ran out. “*Baihu* master, is there any news of Li Guanggu and the others?”

A middle-aged man stood at the door. “No. Where’s your banner officer?”

Chen Ji walked out. “Here.”

The middle-aged *Baihu* glanced at him but instructed Zhang Tonggou, “Take them out to collect the bodies. Remember, don’t take Dajiagou; go around from Huangtuzui.”

“Alright,” Zhang Tonggou asked, “Do we get weapons?”

The *Baihu* cursed, “*Zhuosheng Jiang* are outside. What good are weapons for you? You’ll just be waiting to die, won’t you?”

Zhang Tonggou shrank his neck. “True.”

The *Baihu* waved his hand. “Go early, return early. If you’re delayed until the gong sounds, no one will wait for you.”

Zhang Tonggou acknowledged, waved to his comrades, and pulled two carts, heading north towards the city.

At the city gate, the gate was not yet open, and many foot soldiers waited inside.

While waiting for the gate to open, Zhang Tonggou introduced Chen Ji, “This gate is called Ping’an Gate, for the good omen of safe passage. Outside this gate is the *wengcheng*. Six years ago, the Jing Dynasty army broke into the *wengcheng*, and I used rolling logs to smash several of them to death. I should have been promoted to *Xiaoqi*, but those damn merit officials insisted I couldn’t prove I was the one who killed them.”

Just then, the sound of horses’ hooves came from behind them.

Chen Ji, standing among the foot soldiers, turned to look. It was A Sheng riding a warhorse, carrying a hard bow on his back and a short saber at his waist.

The young man’s sleeves were tight, his trousers had puttees, and his eyebrows conveyed a heroic spirit.

Someone greeted A Sheng, “A Sheng just returned yesterday; why are you going out again today?”

A Sheng replied in a deep voice, “I don’t know if Hong Ye found Uncle Baizi. I’m going to Liutiao Gou to rendezvous.”

Ping’an Gate rumbled open, and A Sheng charged out first.

Outside Ping’an Gate was the *wengcheng*. Walking inside the *wengcheng* was like being in a deep abyss, with gray, majestic city walls on all sides. Chen Ji looked back and up, seeing a man in golden armor standing behind the battlements on the gate tower, gazing into the distance.

Zhang Tonggou reminded him, “That’s Zongbing Zhang Lanjin.”

Beyond Chongli Guan’s north gate were towering mountains, and a well-trodden rammed earth path stretched between the ranges. Ten men took turns slowly dragging two flat carts, on which lay several straw mats.

The mountain road was difficult. Each time Chen Ji pulled for only a short while, Zhang Tonggou would proactively replace him, muttering curses, “You noble sons from the capital can’t endure this kind of hardship. Now your brothers are helping you; when you get promoted to *Baihu* or *Qianhu*, don’t forget your brothers.”

Chen Ji was not pretentious; he responded with a nod, “I won’t.”

However, after only five *li*, they heard the sound of horses’ hooves from ahead.

Zhang Tonggou and the others looked as if facing a formidable enemy. “Run!”

The ten men abandoned the carts and ran back, but how could humans outrun horses? Before they had run far, the sound of hooves was already upon them.

Chen Ji looked back. It was A Sheng, who had turned back on horseback, carrying the bloodied Hong Zu’er on his horse’s back. Hong Zu’er’s hair was disheveled, and a feathered arrow was stuck in the back of his thigh.

Behind A Sheng, there seemed to be more hoofbeats approaching.

A Sheng shouted anxiously, “Run! The *Zhuosheng Jiang* are chasing us!”

Zhang Tonggou was scared out of his wits. “Mother of mine!”

Several foot soldiers ran so hard they lost their straw sandals, running barefoot desperately towards Chongli Guan.

A Sheng caught up, and seeing them not running fast enough, he grew anxious. “Run faster!”

Hong Zu’er, weakly from the horse’s back, said, “Stop the *Zhuosheng Jiang*. Don’t let them harm others.”

A Sheng gritted his teeth, immediately reined in his horse, and turned its head.

But just then, Chen Ji grabbed the reins, stopping A Sheng. “How many people are chasing them?”

A Sheng was startled. “One.”

Chen Ji asked again, “What cultivation level?”

A Sheng replied, “*Xiantian* realm, skilled with a bow and arrow, capable of shooting through leaves from a hundred paces.”

Chen Ji slapped the horse’s rump, startling A Sheng’s warhorse into a wild gallop. A Sheng looked back, “What are you doing?”

Chen Ji plunged into the forest. “You go first; I’ll stop him.”