Green Mountain

Chapter 533 395: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

The warhorses galloped through the plum trees, the biting wind like a cup of strong liquor, feeling as sharp as a knife when it filled the lungs.

The low branches of the plum trees scraped painfully across his face. Chen Ji crouched low on the horse's back, glanced back, and saw the Five Mad Soldiers in hot pursuit, one Mountain Hunter silently aiming a Bone Bow at him.

He suddenly swerved his horse in another direction, fleeing northeast. A sharp Bone Arrow brushed past his back, slicing off a strand of hair.

Bone Blade without bow and arrow, but with a long knife, hurled a stone towards Chen Ji. Instinctively, Chen Ji blocked with the horn bow in his hand. With a clang, the stone exploded into fragments, shocking his hand that held the bow.

No match!

Who knows how long these Five Mad Soldiers, summoned by flesh and blood, can persist? Bodies will rot, fire will extinguish, eventually they will dissipate... but how long must I endure?

Chen Ji didn't have an answer.

He touched the mane of the warhorse, its sweat permeating through dense fur.

An ordinary warhorse must slow to a trot after galloping for thirty minutes to regain stamina and lower its temperature. Chen Ji's horse couldn't last long, yet the Five Mad Soldiers' horses seemed tireless.

Also, he wondered if the Five Mad Soldiers could sense his presence or needed clues to find him?

Chen Ji suddenly lifted his head to ascertain the direction.

The next moment, he pressed the horse's flanks, accelerating again, charging towards Hibiscus Plain.

There's only one mountain path north of Mei Valley, winding along the ridge up to the mid-mountain Hibiscus Plain, then descending via a northern trail.

In just thirty minutes, Chen Ji saw faint figures ahead on the distant mountain path. Without a word, he urged his horse on.

Ahead, Mr. Liao was in full flight with the Crown Prince. Upon hearing hoofbeats, he turned and saw Chen Ji rushing in, with thundering iron hooves roaring through the forest behind him.

Mr. Liao furiously shouted, "Rascal, do you wish to die?"

Chen Ji calmly replied, "I'm here to protect you, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince turned back to look, puzzled at how Chen Ji broke through the encirclement and why the Five Mad Soldiers were drawn to him.

Where are the others? Are they still alive?

Mr. Liao was infuriated. As the hoofbeats drew nearer, he abruptly turned, changing his face to a red-faced mask with fangs. The mask opened its mouth, exhaling a black haze straight at Chen Ji.

Within the black haze were dozens of hands tearing incessantly, as if trying to rip it apart.

The black haze swirled like black clouds towards Chen Ji, but he didn't intend to entangle with it. He exerted force to thrash the flank of his horse with the horn bow, then leapt off, rolling towards the side of the mountain path, narrowly avoiding the black cloud rolling his way.

Chen Ji landed at the mountain base, halted after rolling twice, holding tight to the horn bow as he hid behind a giant rock.

The frightened warhorse, unburdened, sped even faster along the narrow path towards Mr. Liao. Just as it was about to collide, Mr. Liao, carrying the Crown Prince, swiftly moved aside, avoiding the horse.

He wanted to kill Chen Ji for revenge but heard the hoofbeats of the Five Mad Soldiers nearing the mid-mountain, forcing him to continue fleeing.

Chen Ji crouched behind the giant rock, tightly gripping the horn bow with his right hand and placing a feathered arrow on the string with his left, ready to draw and shoot at any moment.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

Silently listening to the ever-nearing hoofbeats of the Five Mad Soldiers, his grip increasingly tightened until sweat appeared in his palms. As the hoofbeats approached, he suddenly held his breath.

Will they discover me?

The next moment, the Five Mad Soldiers swept past, the thunderous hoofbeats roaring overhead without glancing at Chen Ji's hiding place, continuing along the mountain path.

Once again, Chen Ji listened silently until the hoofbeats faded, then exhaled deeply, jumping and sprinting madly downhill.

Northwards!

Northwards!

He didn't know if Mr. Liao would die, if the Crown Prince would die, nor when the Five Mad Soldiers would pursue again. He could only use every ounce of strength to flee as far as possible before they reacted.

…

…

Bone Blade led the Five Mad Soldiers along the mountain path, ascending the ridge overlooking the mountains like green lotus.

Suddenly, Bone Blade stopped the pursuit, reined in his horse, holding the eight-foot-long knife, quietly gazing at the landscape.

His expression obscured by the white bone mask, he softly spoke, "Take a look, everyone. Such scenery, who knows how long until next we see it again."

Dozens of Five Mad Soldiers truly stopped on the ridge, silently watching Qingshan stretch far, clouds billowing and drifting. The mountain wind sweeping across the ridge lightly stirred their straw coats.

No objects, no ego.

This scene, often seen by those living in the world, but seldom appreciated. Yet, at this ridge at this moment, it is these "people" cherishing the view most.

Bone Blade chuckled softly, "Let's go, finish the task first, the world won't tolerate us."

With his words, he spurred his horse up the mountain faster than before, tirelessly. The remaining Five Mad Soldiers followed, hoisting the White Bone Banner.

After four hours of pursuit, they reached Hibiscus Plain, where the horizon suddenly broadened.

Bone Blade saw from afar Mr. Liao carrying the Crown Prince in flight.

By now, Mr. Liao glanced back, aware of the Five Mad Soldiers' murderous aura. He knew he couldn't outrun them with the Crown Prince on his back, and slowly stopped, setting down the Crown Prince.

Mr. Liao whispered, "Your Highness, continue running along the mountain path. Ten more miles and you'll reach Xishan Snow Pavilion, where our people are ambushed... This old minister will ensure half an hour for you, even if I die holding them back."

The Crown Prince whispered, "Mr. Liao, you shouldn't have let me escape. Better to die with dignity here than without."

Mr. Liao urgently replied, "Your Highness, the fate of the world rests on you alone. Your Majesty is obsessed with Daoism and immortality, Prince Fu indulges in revelry, when will the thousand-year battles cease? How will the people live? Now, the Jing Dynasty faces chaos, a rare opportunity is upon us, Your Highness has endured so long, why not endure a bit longer? You cannot die here!"

The Crown Prince helplessly smiled, "Mr. Liao, you can't hold them off that long, and I can't run that far."

Yet as they spoke, Bone Blade, holding a long knife, asked from afar, "Where's the young lad who came up the mountain on horseback earlier?"

Mr. Liao hesitated, then pointed behind the Five Mad Soldiers, "He abandoned his horse and went downhill at the ridge!"

Bone Blade turned slowly to glance back, ignoring Mr. Liao and the Crown Prince, and rode away: "Mountain Hunters, take orders."

Ten Mountain Hunter Five Mad Soldiers, carrying Bone Bow and Bone Arrows, bowed: "Here."

The result of sealing the knife was calm: "Bring back the head before sunset."

"Yes!" The ten Mountain Hunters of the Five Mad Soldiers immediately dismounted, climbing down the cliffs like geckos, disappearing into the mountainous forest in the blink of an eye, traversing the rugged terrain as if it were flat ground.

The rest of the Five Mad Soldiers also abandoned their horses and descended the mountain, but not as swiftly as the Mountain Hunter Five Mad Soldiers.

In the blink of an eye, the Hibiscus Plain was empty.

The Crown Prince stood at the edge of the cliff on the Hibiscus Plain, facing the wind, and looked down. He could see only the swaying shrubs of the forest, but not the figures of those Five Mad Soldiers.

He felt momentarily dazed, struck by a sense of absurdity.

Mr. Liao reminded him from behind, "Your Highness, don't stand too close to the edge."

The Crown Prince did not turn his head: "At first, I thought they were our troops, but later realized they were not."

Mr. Liao said in a low voice, "Our troops are still at the Sunny Snow Pavilion on the West Mountain. The original plan was to act on the third day of the spring hunt, after he separated from the Second Miss Zhang. Besides, Your Highness instructed to create an accident, the old minister naturally wouldn't act so harshly."

The Crown Prince was puzzled: "Then who could it be?"

Mr. Liao did not answer.

After a long time, the Crown Prince suddenly asked, "Mr. Liao, do you think my royal brother died in martyrdom?"

Mr. Liao said solemnly, "Certainly not. With Zhou Kuang and Yangyang there, even if those ghostly things wanted to kill Prince Fu, they would have a hard time. It must be that young lad Chen Ji who used some means to lure those ghostly things away and relieved the siege for Prince Fu."

The Crown Prince sighed lightly, "It's so unfair."

Mr. Liao was taken aback: "What do you mean, Your Highness?"

The Crown Prince smiled: "The heavens always seem to enjoy playing jokes with me. When I was the Academic Administrator, selecting talents for the court, promoting the humble, I was criticized for cultivating faction. When investigating illegal Copper Coin minting, I negotiated with those family gentry, and Father wanted me to show a firm hand. But if it were so simple, wouldn't he have already beheaded those illegal minters?"

"I've done so many things, yet I still can't compete with my royal brother's indulgent lifestyle. Whatever my brother does is acceptable, yet I can't even choose a Junior Scholar or a Right Guard. I too want to be filial, to be just a dutiful son... The hardest role in this world truly is the Crown Prince."

Mr. Liao earnestly: "Please, Your Highness, endure a little longer, just a little longer!"

"This time, I'll be burdened with the infamy of compromise, yet my royal brother can easily live on with a reputation for loyalty, courage, and righteousness. Just a little bit more, if I had left a half-hour later, perhaps everything would have been different."

Mr. Liao knelt behind him: "This old minister is guilty!"

The Crown Prince shook his head: "It's not your fault. But, Mr. Liao, they cannot return to the capital alive. Their deaths are necessary to preserve my reputation."

Mr. Liao jolted: "I understand, I will handle it!"

...

...

The Mountain Hunter Five Mad Soldiers searched along the mountain ridge, like hounds, their eyes scanning the forest for clues, not missing a single detail.

Searching down the mountain, they reached the place where Chen Ji abandoned his horse. A Mountain Hunter of the Five Mad Soldiers suddenly raised his right hand, clenching it into a fist.

The next moment, the remaining nine soldiers gathered close, looking down at the broken grass stalks on the ground, traces left by Chen Ji as he rolled down the mountain.

They followed the clues with their eyes downwards. One soldier silently jumped onto the boulder where Chen Ji had just hidden and squatted down to look.

With a single glance, he judged: "This person hid behind the boulder... we should have been passing right overhead at that time. Such boldness."

Then, he again dragged his gaze along the trampled stalks down the mountain, his gaze seeming to jump along with Chen Ji's rhythm.

The leader of the Mountain Hunters whispered: "He runs fast, but not faster than us... he's unfamiliar with the wilderness."

A soldier softly reminded: "Before sunset."

The leader nonchalantly: "He can't escape."

Meanwhile, Chen Ji was traversing mountains and ridges, planning to first leave Fragrant Mountain.

At one point, he pondered, hesitated: who dispatched the Death Soldiers? Initially, he and Zhang Xia were certain it was the Crown Prince, but now it no longer seemed likely.

If they were truly the Crown Prince's men, why would he abandon his reputation to flee?

Strange.

Strange.

Strange.

If not the Crown Prince, who could it be?

Chen Ji's mind raced, hurriedly piecing together causes and consequences, sensing he had overlooked something.

Wait.

Chen Ji suddenly awoke in shock, realizing he had missed someone.

Mrs. Liang.

When Chen Liqin was transferred to Jinling to serve as Prefect, she remained at the Chen Mansion under the pretense of caring for Chen Wenzong, but her motives were far from simple.

In Mrs. Liang's mind, there was a deep-seated vendetta against him. Most crucially, Mrs. Liang also knew what he had done in Guyuan.

But Mrs. Liang didn't have the capability to maintain Death Soldiers; she must have relied on someone else's force to kill him, a force that not only could maintain hundreds of Death Soldiers but also bore an profound grudge, determined to kill him at all costs...

The second branch of the Chen family, Chen Lizhi!

If the Death Soldiers were dispatched by Chen Lizhi, everything makes sense. He has the cunning and ability. For the second branch of the Chen family to maintain hundreds of Death Soldiers and Executive Officers isn't difficult.

But there's still one thing that doesn't add up: if Chen Lizhi merely wanted to prevent him from being adopted by the main branch, there would be no need for such a risky move, even risking Death Soldiers impersonating Jiefan Guard. If this were discovered, it would be a crime warranting extermination of the clan.

If it really were Chen Lizhi, why must Chen Lizhi kill him?

Little monk!

Chen Ji suddenly realized, there's only one explanation, the little monk saw a tremendous secret in Chen Lizhi's mind.

What secret did the little monk see in Chen Lizhi's mind that prompted such deadly intent?

Oh no, the little monk is in danger!