Chapter 168 Lucky General
"Miss Zhang Er, I dare not promise you to save Master Zhang."

"Ok?"

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 request.

In the night, Chen Ji held Zhang Xia's hands behind his back and whispered, "There are tens of thousands of Liu family rebels, and I am alone. I can't do anything to turn the tide. I can't easily promise something that I can't do."

Zhang Xia lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time: "Forget it, you are much stronger than me after all, and there is no hope for me to save my father by myself. Chen Ji, what I am going to say next is very important, maybe it can help you: I have seen the man you killed just now, he is a tenant in my farm named Zhang Yuan, and he has always worked diligently. I guess these private soldiers of the Liu family usually hide in the market, so they have to wear armor to avoid being recognized..."

Before he finished speaking, the soldier who had questioned Chen Ji earlier had already arrived nearby. He looked at Zhang Xia and asked, "Who is this woman?"

Another soldier who came over whispered, "Sir, this girl is Zhang Zhuo's legitimate daughter, Zhang Xia."

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

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

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

The tiger-faced soldier 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 walk 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 head away slightly, unable to 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 master Chen were dirty and no one knew where the hairpin that held his hair was lost.

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

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

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

The next moment, he walked into the crowd with a spear held upside down, grabbed Chen Wenxiao by the collar, and dragged him out.

Chen Wenxiao changed into a servant's clothes and said in fear while struggling: "What are you doing? I am just a servant in the Chen Mansion. Why did you arrest 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 both top-ranked candidates in the imperial examination in the 31st year of Jianing. How can we be intimidated by such a scoundrel? You have brought shame to the Chen family and the 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 soldier paused, then slowly loosened his grip on the spear. "Very good, I'll credit you for 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.

When the black-armored warriors saw him, they all clasped their fists and saluted: "Mr. Feng!"

Chen Ji's heart sank.

Mr. Feng held a small copper hand warmer in his hand and said with a smile: "The Tiger Armored Cavalry has been silent for a long time, and it is finally time for them 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. The master has appointed you as his personal guards, so 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 Mansion. Chen Liqin's wife happened to go to the farm in the suburbs to settle accounts and is not in the Chen Mansion."

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

The tiger-faced soldier continued to report: "Zhang Zhuo and his legitimate son were besieged in the government office. Only Miss Zhang was captured in the government office."

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 come back yet."

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

At this time, Chen Wenzong looked up at Mr. Feng and said, "You have arrested the relatives of the imperial officials without permission. This crime is considered treason. If you repent now, you will be sentenced to death, but you can save the lives of your family members!"

The black-armored warriors remained indifferent. Their black lacquered masks showed no emotion, and they looked like cold sculptures.

Mr. Feng said slowly, "Young Master Chen, save your energy. These Tiger Armored Cavalrymen have long lost their families. If you want to stay alive, please help me persuade Lord Chen. As long as he is willing to go north with us to clear the court and kill the eunuchs to rectify the government, I will protect the lives of the Chen family."

Chen Wenzong sneered: "Rebellious ministers and traitors, you and the eunuch party are just birds of a feather."

A soldier with a tiger face slapped him: "You are so sharp-tongued!" Chen Wenzong turned his face to the side, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, but he turned back angrily and glared at him, not avoiding or giving way.

Mr. Feng raised his eyebrows and said, "Don't hurt him. I still need to bring him to Master Chen intact! If Master Chen is willing to turn from evil to good, we will be a family in the future. How can I let Master Chen have a grudge over such a small matter?"

The black-armored warrior 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 that a dragon gives birth to nine sons, each of them is different. The Chen family is interesting too. The eldest son has character but is pedantic, the second son is timid as a mouse... but is timid as a mouse. But the illegitimate son Chen Ji makes me look at him with new eyes. By the way, who found him, the second son of the Chen family?"

The tiger-faced soldier pointed at the trace and said, "Mr. Feng, it's him."

Mr. Feng glanced at Chen Ji and said, "Record it as a merit. Go to the government hall 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 and said, "You are a lucky general."

After saying that, he turned to the tiger-faced armored soldier and said, "Get on the horses and take the families of Zhang and Chen 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 scorching gaze.

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

The tiger-faced 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 lacquered 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 in the bluestone pavement, and the blood began to coagulate and 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 inside hurried out to greet him.

He casually threw the copper stove in his hand to someone, and took off his cloak, revealing a green shirt underneath: "Where is the master?"

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

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, "After Prince Jing fell ill, Concubine Yun left the palace 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, they saw that the eight doors of Jing'an Hall were open. Prince Jing and Lord Liu were sitting opposite each other, playing chess with great concentration.

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

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

Chen Ji was startled. He just turned his head slightly, but the other party noticed it. "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 will lose your head."

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

Arriving at the gate of Feiyun Garden, Mr. Feng walked into the courtyard with a loud smile: "Master Zhang, Master Chen, thank you for waiting for me here. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. But look, who did I bring to you?"

(End of this chapter)