Chapter 237: Disappearance | Thanh Sơn

Thanh Sơn - Updated on June 26, 2025

“Hu Junxian!”

“Hu Junxian, if you’re truly a man, come out and explain yourself. Don’t cower behind the city wall!”
The Imperial Forest Army clamored before the city gate, but Hu Junxian remained unresponsive, as if deaf. From the gate tower, command arrows were dispatched, and one by one, border guards carried them to deliver orders, completely ignoring the Crown Prince and the Imperial Forest Army.

Qi Zhenzhuo fumed, “Your Highness, this Hu Junxian has no regard for you whatsoever!”
The Crown Prince, bundled in a pristine white fox-fur cloak, calmly replied, “Qi Zhenzhuo, do not lose your composure here. What about the dignity of the Imperial Forest Army? Stand down.”
Qi Zhenzhuo’s mouth opened slightly, but he ultimately clasped his hands and stepped back.

Just then, footsteps approached as Deputy General Zhou led a contingent of border infantry past the Imperial Forest Army.
Zhou You said coldly, “The Commander-in-Chief of Guyuan Dusi Prefecture is, after all, a high-ranking second-grade official of the imperial court. We will not tolerate you pampered youths shouting and yelling. Please show some respect; we are soldiers defending the border, not stray animals tethered beneath the Imperial City walls.”
With that, he led his infantry to the city gate and climbed the tower stairs without a backward glance.

Li Xuan frowned in thought for a moment before turning to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness,” he began, “this Hu Junxian has fabricated an enormous lie just to keep you here. What should we do now?”
The Crown Prince was silent for a moment, then sighed. “If only Master Qi were here. Unfortunately, my Imperial Father transferred him to serve in the palace, so he couldn’t accompany us to Guyuan this time.”

Li Xuan looked crestfallen; with him and others by the Crown Prince’s side, the Crown Prince’s lament for Master Qi’s absence clearly suggested he found them inadequate.
The Crown Prince then turned to Chen Liqin, who was clad in a vibrant crimson official robe. “Minister Chen,” he began, “I heard earlier that you achieved considerable success in Luocheng, and my Imperial Father even praised you for it… What are your thoughts on this situation?”

Chen Liqin pondered for a moment before replying, “Your Highness, please wait a moment. Allow me to go and negotiate with General Hu. I will insist that he open the city gates and permit us to leave.”
The Crown Prince offered no comment.

Chen Liqin dismounted and walked towards the city gate, but before he could get close, two border guards crossed their long halberds, firmly blocking his path. “This is a vital military area,” one declared, “unauthorized personnel must keep clear!”
Chen Liqin frowned. “This is neither the White Tiger Tribunal nor the Dusi Prefecture Council Hall,” he retorted. “According to our Ning Dynasty military law, it is not a critical military strategic zone. With the Crown Prince present, I am a Junior Gentleman of the Zhan Shi Fu, a fourth-rank official. In times of conflict, I inherently possess the right and duty to inquire about military matters. If you don’t understand the law, then cease your foolish talk!”

One border guard, after hearing Chen Liqin’s words, paused, then turned to his comrade. “What exactly is a Junior Gentleman of the Zhan Shi Fu?” he asked.
The other border guard shook his head. “Sounds like a high-ranking official, but surely not as senior as our General.”
“Ah, well, if he’s not as important as our Commander-in-Chief, then we’ll just follow the General’s orders.”

Chen Liqin’s face flushed and paled with exasperation from their mockery; the guards completely ignored military regulations!
He patiently negotiated with the border guards for the duration it takes an incense stick to burn, but failed to even reach the city tower. He was forced to return, crestfallen.

The Crown Prince gently reassured him, “Minister Chen, there’s no need to be disheartened. The border army is unrefined and unreasonable; this is no fault of yours.”
Chen Liqin seemed on the verge of speaking but then held back, finally remaining silent. As he had once told Lady Liang in Luocheng, he was a capable administrator for a region but lacked the quick thinking needed to handle dangerous situations. He had never even coveted the position of Junior Gentleman, yet inexplicably, the court had appointed him to assist the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince gazed at the flickering torchlight on the distant city tower, finding himself caught in a dilemma.
Qi Zhenzhuo drew closer and whispered, “Your Highness, I have a way to exit the city.”
The Crown Prince calmly replied, “Please tell me.”

Qi Zhenzhuo pondered for a moment. “Since arriving in Guyuan,” he began, “I’ve heard there are two secret underground tunnels leading in and out of the city. Merchants reportedly use these routes to bypass the city gates and transport illicit goods… Perhaps Your Highness could also use a secret tunnel to leave?”
The Crown Prince gave him a sharp look. “A nation’s heir apparent shamefully fleeing through an underground tunnel? What dignity would that leave for the imperial family? Our Great Ning Dynasty has never produced such a timid Crown Prince. Do not speak of it again.”

Li Xuan, however, interjected from the side, “Your Highness, in urgent matters, one must adapt. If anything were to befall you…”
Before he could finish, a voice from not far away declared, “Do not leave the city.”
The Crown Prince and Li Xuan simultaneously turned their heads to see Chen Ji riding forward. “Your Highness,” he stated, “you must not leave the city at this time.”

Chen Liqin frowned. “What are you doing here? Stand down!” he ordered.
Chen Ji bowed to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness,” he said, “the activities of the border army indicate that this is not merely a temporary act or a staged performance.”
The Crown Prince looked thoughtful. “Explain,” he prompted.

Chen Ji gestured towards the border guards. “The border army is severely underfunded; common soldiers are limited to rattan armor, and their weaponry is incomplete. At market price, a strong bow requiring a draw weight of one *shi* costs eight taels of silver. Such bows are exceedingly precious to border soldiers…”
Qi Zhenzhuo cut him off. “What exactly are you trying to say? Be concise!”
Zhang Zheng scoffed, ready to ride forward and dispute with him.
Chen Ji raised a hand to halt Zhang Zheng’s movement and continued, “Strong bows are prone to cracking, and ox-tendon strings are brittle, so they are not strung during peacetime. When we entered the city this afternoon, the border soldiers’ bows were all unstrung, tucked away in their quivers. Now, however, every border soldier equipped with a strong bow has strung it with an ox-tendon string, without exception. If this were merely a staged act, the border army would never be so wasteful.”

Li Xuan shook his head. “This proves nothing. Hu Junxian and Zhou You are the ones putting on this show; they would simply tell their soldiers that an enemy is approaching. Why would they reveal their rebellious intentions to everyone? So, the border soldiers genuinely believe the Jing Dynasty’s Heavenly Strategy Army is on its way.”

Chen Ji paused for a moment before shifting the topic. “Don’t you all find the light from the city wall excessively bright?” he inquired.
The Crown Prince, puzzled, asked, “What do you mean?”
Chen Ji explained, “If there were only torches, they certainly wouldn’t produce such intense illumination. The city wall is currently as bright as day because a large fire is burning outside… The border army is setting the mountains outside ablaze to prevent the Jing Dynasty army from felling trees here to construct siege equipment. If a truly formidable enemy wasn’t imminent, why would General Hu resort to such measures?”

Before anyone else could speak, Chen Liqin angrily interjected, “You, an unlearned man, are merely theorizing here as if you personally witnessed the border army setting the mountains ablaze! I told you to stand down. Is this a place where you can spout nonsense freely in front of the Crown Prince?”
Chen Ji remained silent for a moment, then turned his horse and withdrew.

Chen Liqin then bowed to the Crown Prince again. “Your Highness,” he stated, “this humble servant has failed in instructing his son and has made you an object of amusement.”
The Crown Prince quickly replied, “Minister Chen, there’s no need for such self-reproach. Chen Ji was merely attempting to offer a plan; there’s no need to fault him.”

Chen Liqin responded, “Your Highness, the immediate priority is to be cautious that the border army doesn’t become desperate and act recklessly. If they were to take the nation’s heir apparent hostage, it could put His Majesty in an equally difficult predicament.”
The Crown Prince lowered his head, saying nothing.

Li Xuan quietly inquired, “Does Your Highness also suspect that Jing Dynasty officials have genuinely infiltrated our Ning Dynasty’s heartland beyond the city walls?”
The Crown Prince, still mounted, looked up, gazing at the magnificent city wall in the distance. “What Chen Ji said isn’t entirely baseless,” he mused. “This illegitimate son of the Chen family is remarkably observant, not as useless as Minister Chen implied. During the Liu family rebellion, the Jing Dynasty army advanced to Chongli Pass, and if I remember correctly, the Heavenly Strategy Army was indeed not among them. At the time, court officials wondered where the Heavenly Strategy Army had gone. Now, considering this, it’s highly plausible they launched a surprise attack on Guyuan.”

Li Xuan pondered for a moment. “If the Heavenly Strategy Army has truly arrived, then Your Highness should certainly leave Guyuan. You are of immense value; if Guyuan were to fall, you might…”
The Crown Prince nonchalantly interrupted, “But if I were to leave now, what if I encountered Jing Dynasty officials outside the city?”

Li Xuan earnestly advised, “The Ziwu Ridge is exceedingly perilous; cavalry absolutely cannot traverse it, nor can provisions or heavy equipment be transported through. Even if the Heavenly Strategy Army has dispatched officials to infiltrate, it would undoubtedly be a small contingent sent to intercept supplies and gather intelligence. Our Imperial Forest Army, with its formation of five hundred cavalry, can cut down any Jing Dynasty official. Your Highness, let us depart!”

The Crown Prince remained silent for a long time, then finally shook his head. “General Li,” he said, “I appreciate your kind intentions. However, I am the heir apparent of this nation. If the Jing Dynasty’s Heavenly Strategy Army truly lays siege, I must stand and fall with Guyuan; I absolutely cannot flee before battle. Our Ning Dynasty relocated its capital from Jinling to the imperial city precisely to embody the spirit of the Son of Heaven guarding the nation’s gate. A person who shrinks from battle is unworthy of this magnificent land of Ning.”

Upon hearing this, Li Xuan immediately clasped his hands and bowed, visibly moved. “Your Highness’s lesson is entirely correct. Your Highness’s magnanimity and courage make this humble general feel utterly inadequate. You are destined to become an enlightened ruler of your generation…”
“Do not speak carelessly of matters yet undecided,” the Crown Prince gently interrupted. “Commander Li, there’s no need to blame yourself. I understand you are concerned for my safety… Let us return to the Dusi Prefecture; we will deliberate on the remaining matters.”

With that, he adjusted the fox-fur cloak on his shoulders, cast a long gaze at the city tower, and then turned his horse around.
The Imperial Forest Army escorted the Crown Prince, galloping swiftly back to the Dusi Prefecture under the cover of night.

Upon reaching the entrance of the Dusi Prefecture, the Crown Prince dismounted and handed the reins to Li Xuan. “Ensure that Minister Chen and his family are properly settled,” he instructed.
As he spoke, he glanced behind him. “Hmm, where is Miss Zhang Xia?” he mused.
Li Xuan was momentarily taken aback. He turned to look, but behind the Imperial Forest Army, there was no trace of Zhang Xia or Zhang Zheng.

He hesitated. “Perhaps my Imperial Forest Army rode too swiftly, causing them to fall behind?” he posited. “Your Highness, please enter the mansion to rest first. This humble general will immediately lead men to search for them!”
Qi Zhenzhuo, standing nearby, interjected, “Your Highness, I personally witnessed them taking a different, smaller path on Shule Street. They left deliberately, they didn’t just fall behind. I suspect they feared that staying with us would put them at risk from the border army, so they secretly escaped. It wasn’t only Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia who left, but also that young man named Chen Ji and his personal maidservant.”
The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, then broke into a smile. “If that’s the case,” he said, “then let them be.”

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Chapter 237: Disappearance

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