Green Mountain

Chapter 536 398: Prey and Hunter

Outside the Ministry of Personnel office, Chen Wende donned a crimson official robe, as a servant politely handed over a visitation card.

Zhang Zhuo was the Left Assistant Minister of Personnel, while Chen Wende was the Left Assistant Minister of Rites; there was no need for him to act so humble, given their positions.

However, all the officials in the Imperial Capital knew Zhang Zhuo was at the height of his influence, an unofficial cabinet minister whose entry into the Cabinet was only a matter of time.

Thirty minutes later, Zhou Xingwen, the Right Assistant Minister of Personnel, came to greet Chen Wende and led him into the office: "Lord Chen, your courtesy is too much, you needn't present a visitation card, you may come directly in."

Chen Wende courteously asked: "Where is Lord Zhang?"

Zhou Xingwen replied with a smile: "Lord Zhang is waiting for you at the residence."

The two passed through the Ministry of Personnel office, and inside the ceremonial gate stood a stone tablet engraved with the calligraphy of Emperor Ning stating "Governance Skills for Years," a guideline for the selection during the assessments conducted against the 'Four Standards' in the Capital.

Chen Wende took a glance, noticing clerks rushing about in the office rooms, storage archives, service halls, and the Ministry hall itself, all hurrying to handle their tasks.

He chuckled, "Lord Zhou, I've long heard the Ministry of Personnel is the busiest among the Six Ministries these days, and seeing it today truly lives up to its reputation."

Zhou Xingwen humbly replied, "It's the season of the examinations, and the six-yearly Capital assessments are also underway, naturally, we're quite busy."

The two arrived at the Ministry residence, and Chen Wende instinctively looked up at the plaque, which was actually meant as a retreat for the Minister of Personnel, but Zhang Zhuo had already moved in ahead of time.

Inside the residence, Xiao Man and the little monk were devouring their food, while Zhang Zhuo sat beside them, cheerfully advising, "Take it easy, take it easy, why do both of you eat like starving ghosts? Is the Chen Family really so stingy? With such a vast fortune, you two should surely not be starving?"

With his mouth full of buns, Xiao Man muffled, "Lord Zhang, apart from our young master, there's no one left in the Chen family."

Neither seemed to notice Chen Wende standing at the doorstep, and Chen Wende listened to their banter without a change in expression, neither pleased nor angry.

Outside the residence, Zhou Xingwen announced loudly, "My lord, Minister Chen has arrived."

Only then did Zhang Zhuo see Chen Wende, hurriedly saying, "Oh dear, I didn't notice Lord Chen had arrived, my apologies... What brings Lord Chen here?"

With this, Zhou Xingwen promptly bowed and departed.

Chen Wende walked in with a level demeanor, without glancing at Xiao Man or the little monk, calmly stating, "Lord Zhang, do you know why the Chen family's main house intends to form an alliance with the Qi family?"

Zhang Zhuo replied leisurely, "I'm all ears."

Standing in the main hall of the residence, Chen Wende replied quietly, "People can't have good fortune for a thousand days, flowers don't bloom for a hundred days. Official Xu has held the position of Cabinet Minister for nineteen years, and some are bound to feel dissatisfied. Nowadays, Official Xu is disoriented, and Lord Zhang lacks experience; rumors of Lord Zhang drafting tickets and memos for the Xu Mansion are widespread in the Capital, naturally prompting some thoughts."

Chen Wende sincerely stated, "Lord Zhang, once the Qi and Chen families form an alliance, those who sway with the wind will naturally lean toward them, because in this Ning Dynasty, there's no force greater than theirs, even His Majesty would show them respect."

Zhang Zhuo replied with a smile, "Lord Chen wishes to inform me that breaking the alliance between Qi and Chen families is what I should be doing presently?"

Chen Wende bowed and said, "Exactly. If Chen Ji is eliminated, my branch of the Chen family has ways to sow discord between the Qi and Chen families. Within three years, the main house's power can be seized. After this incident, Lord Zhang can continue drafting for the Xu family and promoting your new tax. My Chen family will follow Lord Zhang's lead."

Zhang Zhuo sighed lightly, "You were a scholar in the twenty-fourth year of Jianing?"

Chen Wende didn't understand the intent, "Yes."

Zhang Zhuo recalled, "That year during the examinations, the academic administrator posed a question about governance. The question was, the failure of governance, what is its root? Is it the failure of the system, or the erosion of hearts?"

Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Wende, "I remember your essay of five hundred and twelve words; the first sentence was 'The primary ailment of current governance lies in the occupation of families and nobles like towering trees, overshadowing the light of the court, robbing the brilliance of humble scholars.'"

After a moment of silence, Chen Wende bowed, "Lord Zhang indeed has an excellent memory."

Zhang Zhuo sighed, "A pity. Back then you had lofty ambitions. Now you have blended with the crowd, and all that's left in your heart is strategizing."

Chen Wende smiled, "Lord Zhang, those were youthful and naïve days. If I weren't from the Chen family, I'd likely never experience the imperial examinations in this lifetime. I privately believe that as long as strategizing benefits others, it's upright. Lord Zhang, you are so close to that position now, how can you let the Chen family's main house and the Qi family form an alliance? Chen Ji is not your friend but your enemy."

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily, "Lord Chen, I'm not muddled yet; how could this be solely linked to Chen Ji? Even if he were gone, the Qi family remains the Qi family, the Chen family remains the Chen family, you cannot deter them, nor can I. Your branch of the Chen family knows exactly what you wish to do, no need for further empty words."

Chen Wende was about to argue further, but seeing Zhang Zhuo change to a serious tone, he advised sincerely, "Moreover, let me earnestly advise Lord Chen, only those with lofty ambitions and united like-minded people can achieve upright schemes, everything else is conspiracy and minor tactics."

Chen Wende stood silent for a while, then turned to leave, "Lord Zhang, Chen Ji will surely die today because too many people want him dead now."

Zhang Zhuo stood at the threshold, smiling as he asked, "Lord Chen, do you know why I'm not worried?"

"Why?"

Zhang Zhuo calmly replied, "Because I have worked with him, so I'm sure he won't die."

...

...

"Very close to him now."

A Mountain Hunter from the Five Mad Soldiers crouched beside a tallow tree, his gaze piercing through the white bone mask, glancing down at the bent grass stalks on the ground.

The forest was rife with wild grass, impossible to avoid. And after being trodden, the grass stalks slowly return upright in about thirty minutes.

By merely glancing at the bent stalks ahead, the Mountain Hunter of the Five Mad Soldiers could judge their prey had passed half an hour ago.

Crouched down, his gaze traced the bent stalks' path deep into the forest, as if he could clearly see every step Chen Ji took.

Not far off, another Mountain Hunter raised his head toward the sky, noting the distant sunset casting elongated shadows of trees in the forest.

His eyes, beneath the white bone mask, flickered with wildfire, "The sun's about to set."

The crouching Mountain Hunter stood, removing the white bone hard bow from his back, muttering, "Don't worry, we'll claim his head before the sun sets."

"And after we've claimed his head?"

The mountain hunters lowered their hard bone bows and plucked the bowstrings: "Drink. Drink early, after a few hours, this rotten tongue won't taste the wine anymore."

"Drink until dawn?"

"Drink until dawn, then go home and sleep."

Two mountain hunters chatted casually: "How long has it been since we've come to this world?"

"Thirteen thousand five hundred and twenty-two days, I've been counting."

"It's been 372 years."

The mountain hunter plucked a clover blooming with purple flowers from the ground, taking the sprouts to chew on greedily.

He also plucked a few leaves to hand to his colleague, who casually removed his white bone mask and stuffed the sprouts into his mouth. This earthy scented grass sprout was an unattainable taste of the past.

A mountain hunter put on his white bone mask again: "Let's go, the Centurion is still waiting. Be careful not to capsize in the gutter, or you'll have to go back to the Five Muddied Evil World alone, waiting eagerly for someone to tell you what human wine tastes like now."

...

...

The two mountain hunters set off.

One led the way, head down, tracking. Bent grass stems, closed oxalis, every plant was a trace.

The other stayed back, watching all directions, ready to draw the bow and shoot at any time.

They followed the trail for a long time, one of them murmured: "There are footprints in the dirt, the front sole is extremely deep, he is running wildly... the stride has shortened, he is running out of strength."

"Chase."

The two mountain hunters sped up together, leaping and shuttling through the mountain wilderness, tireless.

Just as the two were quickly passing a large tree with one ahead and one behind, suddenly the tree bark shifted. The hunter at the back's ears twitched and he abruptly turned back and drew his bow.

But before he shot his bone arrow, Chen Ji reached out and took it away, reversing it to pierce into his white bone mask's eye socket.

The mountain hunter stared fixedly at Chen Ji, looking at the black mud on his face: "Drinking a glass is so difficult..."

In the next moment, the wildfire in his eyes extinguished, and his body, along with the white bone mask, turned into white ash falling to the ground.

The front mountain hunter turned back to shoot arrows, three shots in succession but all missed.

With three thudding sounds, the bone arrows chased Chen Ji's shadow and consecutively hit the tree trunk.

Chen Ji fired back an arrow, forcing him to sidestep and dodge. When he turned back again, Chen Ji had already disappeared into the forest without a trace.

The mountain hunter struggled to identify Chen Ji's hiding place, yet Chen Ji seemed to have merged again with the forest.

He was startled, and quickly retreated.

Retreating, the mountain hunter pulled another arrow from the quiver, nocked it on the bowstring, and shot it skyward, the signal arrow whistling into the sky, startling a flock of sparrows among the trees.

He retreated to an open space and drew another arrow from the quiver, nocking it on the bowstring, searching all around for Chen Ji's shadow: "Kid, underestimated you, who taught you the stealth technique?"

No one answered.

The mountain hunter added: "Kid, the signal arrow is out, hiding here is useless, soon there will be an army coming to siege, you'd better run."

Still no response.

The mountain hunter's gaze roved around, trying to find Chen Ji's location: "I found you!"

While speaking, he twanged the bowstring empty, attempting to flush out Chen Ji's position, but the woods were filled only with the sound of birds' wings flapping, not even the wind.

As the birds settled, the forest became eerily silent.

Suddenly the mountain hunter realized he was not chasing prey but someone with more patience than himself.

Slowly retreating, at this moment, there was a sound of rotting leaves behind him. Without hesitation, the mountain hunter turned and shot an arrow, diving to the left to evade potential incoming arrows.

But while he was diving in mid-air, the wildfire in his eyes flickered—they were caused not by Chen Ji but by a rabbit.

In terms of patience, ultimately he lost.

The mountain hunter used the bone bow to block in front of his white bone mask; he did not know where Chen Ji was, but as long as he wasn't pierced through the eye by an arrow, there was still a chance.

An arrow whistled from behind his head; hearing the wind, he thought inwardly, it's over.

Couldn't drink the wine after all.

Not only he couldn't drink it, many colleagues couldn't drink it either.

This arrow was so powerful it pierced from the back of his head, extinguishing the wildfire in his eyes. Before he hit the ground, he turned into a heap of white ash in mid-air.

A few moments later, Chen Ji emerged from behind a tree, squatting briefly in front of the white ash to examine silently, then tiptoeing back out of this battlefield.

After thirty minutes, eight mountain hunters cautiously approached.

Two stepped forward to inspect, six remained on guard around, like a net, covering the entire battlefield.

One gently touched the dirt left on the tree bark, then crouched, staring firmly at the tree bark flakes falling from Chen Ji as he moved; the wildfire under his white bone mask flickered: "Be careful, this kid is not prey, he's a hunter."