A lone bell chime from Chongliguan echoed, making the world seem desolate.

Zhang Baishi slowly stood up and walked south: “Let’s go, we still have to return to Chongliguan. I’ll go ahead, so you all can be at ease.”

Chen Ji looked at Zhang Baishi’s back, feeling that after honestly admitting to being captured by the Zhuoshengjiang, he suddenly seemed several years older.

Xingxing stepped forward to support him, and he no longer refused.

Asheng couldn’t help but call out loudly from behind, “Uncle Baizi, you know, Chongliguan cannot accommodate a Yebushou who has been captured. Even if Hongye and I trust you, what about everyone else?”

Zhang Baishi smiled: “Of course I know. A captured Yebushou is no longer a human; he’s a ghost.”

Without turning his head, he said, “Asheng, has Hongye ever told you why Yebushou must go out in pairs?”

Asheng replied: “Hongye said that the world outside the pass is too vast, and one person staying there for too long will go mad. With two people, even if one dies, someone can help collect the body.”

Zhang Baishi slowly asked: “And what else?”

Asheng continued to answer: “People always need to sleep; someone needs to stand guard for them to rest peacefully, to prevent enemies from sneaking up and cutting off their heads.”

Zhang Baishi smiled: “Initially, he and I went together for over ten years. Later, you replaced him, and Xingxing replaced me. In the future, when Hongye and I are too old to walk, you and Xingxing will go out together… You’re smarter than him, remember to look after him.”

Asheng stood frozen.

He turned to look at Chen Ji: “Regarding today’s matter, please don’t speak of it yet, Young Master. Hongye has his own plans. And don’t worry about the military merits for those two Zhuoshengjiang; I will help you retrieve them.”

Chen Ji nodded: “Alright.”

When the group arrived at the base of the pass, the Ping’anmen had just opened a crack. The towering gate, several *zhang* high, slowly pulled open with a rumbling sound.

Asheng saw Hong Zu’er, looking haggard and anxious, standing in the gap of the door, holding a warhorse.

But when the Ping’anmen fully opened and he saw Zhang Baishi leading the way, he scrutinized him for a moment, and his gaze gradually darkened.

Someone inside the gate shouted, “Uncle Baizi is back, Asheng is back too!”

Everyone squeezed out of the door and clustered around Zhang Baishi: “Uncle Baizi, did you encounter the Jingchao Zhuoshengjiang? Why did it take so long for you to return?”

Before Zhang Baishi could answer, Hong Zu’er, leading his horse, limped back: “Everyone, disperse. Baizi doesn’t have time to chat with you. Let’s go home, this is not the place to talk.”

Halfway back, Hong Zu’er remembered something and whispered to Asheng: “Can that new face be trusted? Where were the Zhuoshengjiang when you found him?”

Asheng hesitated for two breaths: “When I found him, he had already killed the Zhuoshengjiang, two of them.”

Hong Zu’er, leading his horse, paused: “Two?”

Yebushou were Xiantian Xingguan, and so were Zhuoshengjiang. Having dealt with Zhuoshengjiang for so many years, they naturally knew how sinister and ruthless they were.

Hong Zu’er thought for a moment, then turned to Chen Ji and said: “Little brother, please come along too.”

Chen Ji responded: “Alright.”

Hong Zu’er and Asheng’s home was not far, right next to the blacksmith’s shop in the north of the city.

Hong Zu’er tied the reins to the hitching post in front of the door and pushed open the gate to enter the courtyard.

The group filed in, but the moment Asheng closed the courtyard gate, Hong Zu’er drew the saber from his waist and slashed at Zhang Baishi.

Zhang Baishi seemed to have expected it and closed his eyes.

Hong Zu’er’s saber stopped abruptly at his neck; a fraction further and it would have taken his life.

Xingxing urgently cried: “Hongye!”

Hongye glanced at him: “Shut up, it’s not a junior’s turn to speak here.”

Zhang Baishi opened his eyes: “If you don’t intend to kill me now, why not listen to what I have to say.”

Hongye sneered: “Say what? I could tell at a glance that you were interrogated by the Zhuoshengjiang! If I’m wrong, then I don’t deserve to be a Yebushou! Your younger brother was captured by the Zhuoshengjiang and used to lure reinforcements; they cut him seventy-two times, but he didn’t utter a sound. The younger brother was tougher than the elder!”

Zhang Baishi sighed: “I was indeed captured by the Zhuoshengjiang, but I didn’t say anything about Chongliguan.”

Hongye said in a deep voice: “You said nothing, and they let you come back?”

Zhang Baishi did not answer.

The courtyard fell silent, only the clang of blacksmithing from next door remained.

Xingxing was about to speak when Hongye raised a hand to stop him, looking at Chen Ji: “Little brother, I don’t trust them anymore. You tell us.”

Chen Ji leaned against the wall, maintaining his distance from everyone: “It’s none of my business.”

Zhang Baishi sighed: “Don’t make it difficult for them; I’ll speak.”

He pushed aside the blade from his neck: “Xingxing and I went to check on the Jingchao’s grain and fodder movements. On our way back, our horses couldn’t run anymore, so we stayed overnight in Liutiaogou. Unexpectedly, we were ambushed by over twenty Zhuoshengjiang. They captured Xingxing and me and interrogated me all night, but I truly said nothing. They didn’t kill me because they have a bigger scheme.”

Hongye remained impassive: “What scheme?”

Zhang Baishi calmly said: “Although the Jingchao’s noble families consist of three major surnames, the Jiang clan and Lu clan have been weak these years, and it has always been the Yuan clan divided into two factions fighting internally. One faction is the Privy Council led by Yuan Cheng, which holds military power, and the other faction is led by the Zhongshu Pingzhang Yuan Xiang, who presides over all officials.”

Hongye was expressionless: “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Zhang Baishi earnestly said: “Yuan Xiang, as Zhongshu Pingzhang, is second only to one person and above ten thousand. Yuan Cheng was originally used by the Jingchao’s old emperor to counterbalance Yuan Xiang, but now he has been captured by Mister Wang. The Vice Privy Envoy Lu Jin is currently at the peak of his power in the Jingchao army, with all the young generals following him. After Yuan Cheng was captured alive by Mister Wang, Lu Jin became the sole candidate for Privy Envoy… but he is also Yuan Xiang’s man.”

Hongye’s expression changed: “The Jingchao’s dog emperor doesn’t want Lu Jin to be Privy Envoy, allowing Yuan Xiang’s family to dominate?”

Zhang Baishi nodded: “Not only does that dog emperor not want it, but even the Jiang clan doesn’t want it. However, no one in the Yuan clan behind Yuan Cheng can contend with Lu Jin; others’ prestige and abilities are inferior to his. So, someone wants to exchange Yuan Cheng back to the Jingchao.”

He continued: “The Jingchao wants to marry the old emperor’s youngest daughter to our Emperor, promising no border conflicts for a hundred years, and even giving up Baidadan City in exchange for Yuan Cheng’s return to Shangjing. The envoys have already departed and will pass through Baidadan City next month, coming through our Chongliguan, on their way to the capital.”

Hongye frowned, his weather-beaten face full of wrinkles. He instinctively said: “No, Baidadan City is an isolated city outside the pass. If our Ningchao stations troops there, when the Jingchao turns hostile, however many people are inside will die. This is a trap.”

Zhang Baishi agreed: “Exactly, but I’m worried that the high officials in court won’t see it that way. There are plenty of people willing to maintain peace with the Jingchao, so the trade routes can open!”

Hongye surmised: “The Zhuoshengjiang let you return, hoping that we would find a way to kill the envoy when he arrives at Chongliguan?”

Zhang Baishi affirmed: “That’s right.”

Hongye was silent for a moment: “Too late.”

Zhang Baishi was startled: “Too late for what?”

With a *clang*, Hongye smoothly returned his saber to its sheath: “Yesterday evening, the Yulinjun already arrived at Chongliguan and settled in the barracks of the Xuanzuofu Qianhu suo in the north of the city. I wondered why they suddenly came to Chongliguan. I asked the Canjun, and he wouldn’t say, only that it was confidential. So, it seems they are here to welcome the Jingchao envoy.”

Chen Ji’s expression remained unchanged upon hearing this.

The Yulinjun had finally arrived.

He had deliberately delayed on his way to Chongliguan, knowing that the Yulinjun would need time to mobilize, so he walked slowly to wait for them.

With two hundred Yulinjun present, he had the confidence to act.

At this time, Asheng said from the side: “According to the etiquette for welcoming envoys, the Jingchao’s Hubaoqi will escort the envoy’s party one hundred and twenty *li* out of Baidadan City, and then our Ningchao honor guard will go one hundred and twenty *li* out of Chongliguan to meet them… There will be no opportunity along the way.”

Hongye sat on a stone stool in the courtyard, looked up at Zhang Baishi: “With the Yulinjun protecting him, if you dare to kill him, it’s treason. Not only will you be executed by slow slicing, but Xingxing, Asheng, and all the Yebushou of Chongliguan will suffer, and General Zhang will also have to immediately resign and face charges.”

But Zhang Baishi said dejectedly: “Then what should we do? Yuan Cheng cannot be allowed to return alive… Hong Er, have you forgotten the blood feud?”

Hongye sneered: “Look at your useless demeanor.”

Zhang Baishi’s eyes lit up: “What do you mean?”

Hongye sat on the stone stool, his waist saber across his knees, slowly caressing the hilt.

The next moment, he drew his saber two inches, gazing at his reflection in the gleaming blade: “Since we can’t kill him on the road, we’ll kill him in Baidadan City. The Yulinjun are beyond their reach in Chongliguan; they can’t possibly go into Jingchao territory to protect the envoy. If we go to Baidadan City, we’ll have the Zhuoshengjiang as insiders; there’s no reason it can’t be done.”

Chen Ji’s heart tightened.

Hongye sighed: “I’ve dealt with the Zhuoshengjiang my entire life, and now, to think I have to cooperate with them. How shameful.”

Chen Ji, leaning against the wall, suddenly spoke: “If you kill someone in Baidadan City, you will surely die if you succeed. If you live, people will know this was a conspiracy between Zhuoshengjiang and Yebushou; if you die, their secret will not only be kept but will also be a great accomplishment… No matter what, the Zhuoshengjiang will not let you leave.”

Hongye sneered: “I’m not afraid of death. I’m only afraid that no one will avenge the blood debt of Chongliguan.”

Chen Ji sighed again inwardly.

He had wanted to persuade them that Yuan Cheng’s return might actually benefit the Ningchao, because Lu Jin was the person Ningdi and Zhang Zhuo were most wary of, and also the most ambitious.

But he thought again, the Yebushou of Chongliguan already hated Yuan Cheng to the core; there was no reasoning with them.

Were the Yebushou wrong? No, they weren’t.

Zhang Baishi hesitated: “But your leg injury hasn’t healed yet.”

Hongye shook his head: “The envoy will take at least a month to reach Baidadan City. By then, it should be fine.”

Zhang Baishi then said: “How many people should we bring? Wang Biao and his group went out five days ago and haven’t returned yet; I’m afraid they won’t make it in time.”

Hongye pondered for a moment: “Just a few of us. Too many people going into Baidadan City would be too conspicuous. Asheng, go to the military market later and see if the caravan from Changping has arrived. We’ll have to blend in with a caravan.”

Zhang Baishi asked: “What about me?”

Hongye said in a deep voice: “You’ll stay by my side. As long as the envoy isn’t killed, you won’t leave for a day. Even if you go to the latrine, I’ll have to follow you. Otherwise, why do you think I’m not bringing anyone else? I’m afraid you’ve defected and promised the Zhuoshengjiang to offer other Yebushou as a token of your loyalty!”

Zhang Baishi’s expression darkened.

Hongye sneered: “You don’t need to put on an act here. You tell me, should I be wary of you?”

Zhang Baishi sighed, leaning against the wall dejectedly: “You should.”

Hongye looked up at Chen Ji and said sincerely: “Little brother, being able to kill two Zhuoshengjiang shows extraordinary skill. We must rely on you for this trip; I hope you can come with us to Baidadan City.”

Chen Ji smiled: “Hongye didn’t avoid me when discussing the plan, so I suppose he didn’t intend for me to leave.”

Hongye, having his thoughts exposed, wasn’t embarrassed: “Precisely. Please, come along.”

Chen Ji quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind: For him, stopping the Yebushou at Chongliguan was the most important thing to do now, but how could he stop them? How could he prevent them?

If the Yebushou didn’t act, would the Zhuoshengjiang take risks for Lu Jin?

It seemed he would have to go to Baidadan City regardless.

Seeing his prolonged silence, Hongye softened his tone: “Little brother, after the deed is done, we will definitely ensure you, Asheng, and Xingxing return safely from Baidadan City… I’ve accumulated some military merits here. Two Zhuoshengjiang might not be enough to get you to Qianhu, but eight definitely will, and I’ll give them all to you.”

Chen Ji was silent for a long time: “Alright.”