167. Lucky General

"Miss Zhang Er, I dare not promise you to save Master Zhang."

"Um?"

Zhang Xia was stunned. She had risked her own life in exchange for Chen Ji's infiltration into the Tiger Armored Cavalry, just so that Chen Ji could have a chance to save her father, but now Chen Ji said he could not agree to her agreement.

Under the night sky, Chen Ji handcuffed Zhang Xia's hands and whispered, "There are tens of thousands of Liu family rebels, and I'm alone. I can't do anything to turn the tide. I can't easily promise something I can't do."

Zhang Xia lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time. "Never mind. You're much more powerful than me after all. There's no hope for me to save my father on my own. Chen Ji, what I'm about to say is very important and may be helpful to you: I've seen the man you just killed. He was a tenant on my farm named Zhang Yuan, and he's always been diligent in his work. I guess these private soldiers of the Liu family usually hide in the market, so they wear armor to avoid being recognized..."

Before he could finish his words, the soldier who had previously questioned Chen Ji had already arrived nearby. He looked at Zhang Xia and asked, "Who is this woman?"

Another soldier who arrived whispered, "Sir, this woman is Zhang Zhuo's legitimate daughter, Zhang Xia."

Chen Ji looked up and saw that the mask of the man called "Sir" was different from that of the others. The masks of the others had "human faces" that were neither happy nor sad, but this man had a "tiger face" with glaring eyes.

The tiger-faced soldier glanced at Zhang Xia, then looked at Chen Ji suspiciously.

He pondered for a moment, then waved to the soldier beside him and said, "The mistress of the Zhang family has not been found yet. You continue searching. I will escort Zhang Xia out with him."

The tiger-faced warrior said to Chen Ji, "Let's go."

Chen Ji, wearing heavy armor and holding a spear upside down, pushed Zhang Xia out of the mansion. The tiger-faced armored soldier followed behind him, holding the spear tightly in his hand and looking at him vigilantly.

Chen Ji continued to move forward calmly. The other party must have suspected him, but did not rush to take action... Was it because the other party was unsure of his identity and strength, so he did not dare to expose his identity rashly?

Along the way, the Zhang Mansion, which was originally brightly lit, was now in a mess. When Zhang Xia passed by the corpses of maids and servants in the mansion, he turned his face away slightly and could not bear to look any longer.

Walking out of the vermilion lacquered gate of the Zhang Mansion, the outside of Cuiyun Lane was already filled with servants from the Chen Mansion looking around in panic. Only Chen Wenzong stood proudly in the crowd.

The clothes of this noble young man from the Chen family were disheveled, and no one knew where the hairpin that held his hair in place had gone.

The tiger-faced soldier behind Chen Ji held the spear tightly in his right hand and secretly gestured to the dozen or so soldiers in Cuiyun Lane with his left hand.

I saw more than ten armored soldiers approaching silently, as if they were going to surround and kill Chen Ji.

Chen Ji's mind raced as his eyes wandered through the crowd.

The next moment, he walked into the crowd with a spear in hand, grabbed Chen Wenxiao's collar and dragged him out.

Chen Wenxiao, dressed in a servant's clothes, struggled and said in fear, "What are you doing? I'm just a servant in the Chen Mansion. Why are you arresting me?"

Chen Ji said coldly: "You are not a servant of the Chen Mansion."

Chen Wenxiao's face turned pale and his body began to tremble like a sieve. He was able to stand only with the help of Chen Ji.

Chen Wenzong glared at him and shouted angrily, "Stand up straight! You and I are the top scholars in the imperial examination in the 31st year of Jianing. How can we be intimidated by such a scoundrel? You have brought shame upon the Chen family and the imperial court!"

Chen Ji turned around and said to the tiger-faced soldier, "Sir, I recognize this man. He is the second son of the Chen family, Chen Wenxiao."

The tiger-faced warrior paused and slowly

He loosened his grip on the spear and said, "Very good, I'll credit you with this achievement. By the way, you..."

Before he could finish his words, the sound of horse hooves suddenly came from outside the alley.

The black-armored warrior looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man wearing a green cloak riding a horse towards him at the end of the alley, like a poet walking on the snow, arriving in high spirits.

The black-armored warriors saluted him with fists clasped together: "Mr. Feng!"

Chen Ji's heart trembled.

Mr. Feng, holding a small copper hand warmer in his hands, smiled and said, "The Tiger Armored Cavalry has been silent for a long time, and now it's time to make a splash. Who is in charge now? Is it still General Zhou?"

The tiger-faced soldier clasped his fists and said in a muffled voice, "Reporting to Mr. Feng, it is General Qian now, and General Zhou has other official business to attend to."

Mr. Feng smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Now that the master has appointed you as his personal guards, you must pay more attention to it than before."

The tiger-faced soldier hurriedly said, "Please rest assured, Mr. Feng."

Mr. Feng glanced at everyone and asked lightly, "Have all the relatives of the Zhang and Chen families been captured?"

The tiger-faced soldier reported, "There are only two relatives in the Chen residence. Chen Liqin's wife happened to be at the farm in the suburbs to sort out accounts and is not at the Chen residence."

Mr. Feng nodded: "It's okay, with these two legitimate sons here, it's enough."

The tiger-faced soldier continued to report, "Zhang Zhuo and his legitimate son are trapped in the government office. Only Miss Zhang Er has been captured."

Mr. Feng asked curiously, "Where is Zhang Zhuo's first wife?"

The tiger-faced soldier replied, "According to the servants in the palace, she went to the Tuoluo Temple in the south of the city to burn incense and worship Buddha today, and she hasn't returned yet."

Mr. Feng smiled and said, "It's okay. With Miss Zhang Er and the legitimate son here, it's enough."

At this moment, Chen Wenzong looked up at Mr. Feng and said, "You have secretly arrested the relatives of an official appointed by the imperial court. This crime is considered treason. If you repent now, you will certainly be sentenced to death, but you can save the lives of your families!"

The black-armored warriors remained indifferent, their black lacquered masks showing no emotion, like cold sculptures.

Mr. Feng said slowly, "Young Master Chen, please save your energy. These Tiger Armored Cavalrymen have already lost their families. If you want to stay alive, please help me persuade Lord Chen. If he is willing to join us in marching north to purge the court, execute the eunuchs and restore order, I will protect the lives of the Chen family."

Chen Wenzong sneered, "Traitors, you and the eunuchs are nothing but birds of the same feather."

A warrior with a tiger mask slapped him: "You have such a sharp tongue!"

Chen Wenzong was slapped so hard that his face turned sideways, with blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, but he turned back angrily and glared at the attacker, neither avoiding nor giving way.

Mr. Feng raised an eyebrow. "Don't hurt him. I still need to bring him to Master Chen intact! If Master Chen is willing to turn over a new leaf, we'll be family from now on. How can I let such a small matter cause Master Chen to harbor a grudge?"

The black-armored warrior quickly clasped his fists and said, "Yes, I was reckless. When this matter is over, I will go find General Qian to receive twenty military sticks."

Mr. Feng looked at Chen Wenxiao and teased, "Why is the young master of the Chen family dressed like this?"

When Chen Wenxiao saw Mr. Feng coming, he couldn't stop shaking.

Mr. Feng smiled softly. "People say a dragon gives birth to nine sons, each one different. Master Chen's family is quite interesting too. The eldest son is virtuous but pedantic, the second son is timid... but timid. It's that illegitimate son, Chen Ji, who has impressed me. By the way, who was it that the second son of the Chen family found?"

The tiger-faced soldier pointed at Chen Ji and said, "Reporting to Mr. Feng, it's him."

Mr. Feng glanced at Chen Ji and said, "Record it as a merit. Go to the government office on your day off to claim your reward... Who captured Miss Zhang Er?"

The tiger-faced soldier was startled, then pointed at Chen Ji and said, "Reporting to Mr. Feng, it was him as well."

"Oh?" Mr. Feng looked at Chen Ji carefully.

After a moment, he smiled slightly and said, "You are a lucky general."

After saying this, he turned to the tiger-faced armored soldier and said, "Mount your horses and take the families of the Zhang and Chen families to Prince Jing's mansion."

Amid the rustling sound of armor plates rubbing against each other, the black-armored warriors mounted their horses in an orderly manner.

Mr. Feng pulled the reins, turned the horse around, and headed out of Cuiyun Lane. Chen Ji also placed Zhang Xia across the saddle and followed at the end.

Suddenly, Mr. Feng turned around and asked him with a smile: "What's your name?"

Everyone fell silent, and the tiger-faced soldier who had previously questioned Chen Ji also glanced over with a burning gaze.

Chen Ji gripped the reins tightly and replied calmly, "Mr. Feng, my name is Zhang Yuan."

The tiger-masked warrior turned his gaze back.

Mr. Feng smiled and waved his hand: "Come forward, and follow me from now on."

…

…

The lights in Prince Jing's Mansion were on, and four tall braziers were lit in front of the vermilion lacquer gate, with flames burning fiercely.

The Elephant Armor Battalion was dragging away the bodies of the palace guards one by one. The blood on Anxi Street seeped into the cracks of the bluestone pavement, and the coagulated blood became as sticky as paste.

Prince Jing's Mansion is now under the control of the Liu family.

Mr. Feng dismounted in front of the door, and his attendants hurried out to greet him.

He casually tossed the copper furnace in his hand to someone and took off his cloak, revealing a green shirt underneath. "Where's the master?"

The black-clad attendant whispered, "He is playing chess with the prince in Jing'an Hall."

Mr. Feng paused and asked, "Where are Master Chen and Master Zhang?"

The black-clad attendant reported back, "He has just been escorted here from the government office and is being held in Feiyun Garden along with several people from the Taiping Clinic."

Mr. Feng was surprised and asked, "Where is Madam Yunfei? Why did you rashly occupy someone else's yard? It's so rude."

The black-clad attendant whispered, "Concubine Yun left the palace after Prince Jing fell ill and has not returned since."

Mr. Feng lowered his head and thought for a moment: "Let's not disturb the master's leisure, let's go to Feiyun Garden first."

After saying that, he turned around and pointed at Chen Ji and another soldier: "You bring Young Master Chen and Miss Zhang over here. The rest of you can take a break first."

Inside the palace, rows of armored soldiers stood solemnly holding torches.

The group hurriedly passed through the murderous palace. From afar, Chen Ji saw that the eight doors of Jing'an Hall were open. Prince Jing and Lord Liu were sitting opposite each other, concentrating on playing chess.

Bai Li and the prince stood aside and watched the game, as if today's fighting had never happened.

Mr. Feng stopped and turned back, looking at him with a half-smile: "You want to play chess too?"

Chen Ji was startled. He had only turned his head slightly, but the other party noticed. "Reporting to Mr. Feng, this is my first time entering Prince Jing's Mansion. I am a little curious."

Mr. Feng smiled and said, "This is the only time. If you look at something you shouldn't look at next time, you'll be beheaded."

Chen Ji quickly lowered his head: "I understand."

Arriving at the gate of Feiyun Garden, Mr. Feng walked into the courtyard with a hearty laugh. "Master Zhang, Master Chen, thank you for waiting here for me. I apologize for the inconvenience. But look, who did I bring you?"