The Azure Mountain

Chapter 121: Civil Uprising

Inside the brightly lit Yingxian Restaurant, Chen Ji looked at Zhang Zhuo with some surprise.

The Directorate of Ceremonial and the civil officials had been opposed to each other for a long time, incompatible like fire and water.

He had originally thought that without the Imperial Command Plaque in hand, it would take a lot of twists and turns to invite Zhang Zhuo away. Who could have known that Zhang Zhuo, upon hearing that the refugees were in danger, immediately stood up and was willing to go with him.

Why?

Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji with some amusement: "What, I dare to go with you, but you don't dare to take me away?"

The banquet gradually became clamorous. A new Juren scholar stood up and, emboldened by alcohol, said loudly: "Lord, You absolutely cannot leave with the Eunuch Faction. What if they want to take the opportunity to arrest You and take You to the Inner Prison?"

"Lord, You cannot fall for the Eunuch Faction's trick!"

However, Zhang Zhuo suddenly raised his hand, and the voices at the banquet were instantly reined in. He smiled and said to Chen Ji: "Please, proper business is important."

Having said that, this Lord Prefect actually took the lead and walked out of Yingxian Restaurant.

Exiting Yingxian Restaurant, Zhang Zhuo stood on the flagstone road of White Clothe Lane, looking back at Chen Ji behind him, and said freely and easily: "Tell me, what do you need this official to do?"Chen Ji quickly explained: "I must trouble Lord Zhang to immediately open the granary and dispatch a batch of grain to outside the west city gate."

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard: "Open the granary? Youth, Luo City's granary is a vital location of military strategy, and the matter is of grave importance... Why didn't you go find Lord Chen, but insisted on finding me?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "Lord Chen is rigid and pedantic. In Luo City today, only Lord Zhang has the capability and boldness to do this."

Zhang Zhuo scolded with a smile: "Stop pinning high hats on me. If you had said these words in front of Lord Chen's face, I might have felt even more delighted."

Speaking, he restrained his smile: "I need to confirm once more, do you know what you are doing right now, and whether you can bear the consequences?"

Grey-clothed Chen Ji wearing a bamboo hat, and Zhang Zhuo in a grand red Official Robe, the two stood facing each other.

After a long time.

Chen Ji said with absolute certainty: "Lord Zhang, I know what I am doing."

Zhang Zhuo didn't ask further: "As long as you know."

Chen Ji turned around and said loudly to the small alley next to Yingxian Restaurant: "Xi Feng, prepare the carriage. You guys escort Lord Zhang to requisition the grain, the faster the better."

Xi Feng led a carriage out from the small alley. Several secret spies riding warhorses guarded beside the carriage.

Chen Ji said: "Lord Zhang, please get in the carriage."

But Zhang Zhuo didn't get in the carriage. Instead, he nimbly untied the lasso from a horse, flipped over, and mounted the horse.

He laughed heartily: "The carriage is too slow! See you at the west of the city later. If I discover you guys are Deliberately Mystifying, even Xu Wenhe won't be able to protect you!"

Having said that, Zhang Zhuo clamped his legs against the horse's belly. The fast horse raised its hooves, galloping swiftly away.

Watching that red robe turn out of White Clothe Lane and disappear from sight, Chen Ji actually felt that if a precious sword was suspended on that Official Robe's leather belt, maybe it would look even more fitting.

Just as he was pondering, Jin Zhu ran out from Yingxian Restaurant, muttering: "Crazy, crazy..."

Chen Ji asked in confusion: "Lord, what's wrong?"

Jin Zhu complained: "Although my Secret Spy Division is arrogant, domineering, and despotic, and has arrested quite a few civil officials, we have never done something like taking away a fifth-rank court official at a Deer Call Banquet. We've violated a taboo!"

Chen Ji explained: "But we are not trying to arrest Lord Zhang, we want to save him."

Jin Zhu was helpless: "Those civil officials don't think that way! Before you did this, you should have at least discussed it with me!"

Chen Ji asked: "If I asked, would Lord still let me do it?"

Jin Zhu said grumpily: "Then of course I wouldn't agree... Forget it, forget it, do whatever you want! Where are we going now?"

"West of the city!"

...

...

"Chen Ji."

"Hmm?"

Riding on his horse, Jin Zhu looked at the calm-faced medical clinic apprentice beside him and suddenly sighed with emotion: "You are naturally cut out for this line of work. Previously you said you wanted to resign from the post of secret spy, but the Secret Spy Division is truly the most suitable place for you."

"Why does Lord say that?"

Jin Zhu looked at the end of the long street: "You are too fond of Sword Striking From A Slant. Sooner or later, you will suffer a nasty fall."

Chen Ji changed the topic: "Lord, just now Lord Zhang said 'even Xu Wenhe won't be able to protect you'. Who is Xu Wenhe?"

Jin Zhu was amused: "That is the Inner Chancellor's name. It's just that nowadays everyone either calls him Poison Chancellor or Inner Chancellor, they've almost forgotten this name. Zhang Zhuo is quite audacious; a fifth-rank official actually dares to directly call the Inner Chancellor by name!"

Chen Ji said curiously: "I always feel that Lord Zhang is not quite like those civil officials; he's more like a wandering swordsman."

Jin Zhu smilingly said: "You've really hit the nail on the head. After Zhang Zhuo's first wife passed away, he actually went to be a wandering swordsman for a year, mingling with Jianghu figures every day, neglecting proper duties."

"Then why did he later return to marry Elder Xu's niece?"

Jin Zhu ridiculed: "Having learned civil and martial arts, one sells them to the Emperor's household. Don't all civil officials think this way? There is no 'why'. By the way, what's going on with him wanting to betroth his daughter to you? If it really happens, it will save you thirty years of detours... The Inner Chancellor once said, Lord Zhang has the bearing of a Prime Minister!"

Chen Ji didn't answer, and had no way to answer either.

At this time, a secret spy exclaimed: "Lord, there is the light of a fire!"

White Clothe Lane was in the east of the city. By the time Chen Ji and the others whipped their horses and rushed to the west of the city, it was already midnight.

Before even exiting the city, from afar, Jin Zhu and the others saw a tremendous fire soaring to the skies burning outside the city. Sparks danced and scattered in the night sky.

Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji in shock: "You really predicted it? How did you know a major incident would happen in the west of the city!"

Chen Ji's expression was calm as water.

Jin Zhu asked urgently: "What outside the city could burn with such great fire momentum?"

Chen Ji answered: "I'm afraid it's the granary used by the Luo City prefectural office to provide relief to the disaster victims."

Jin Zhu's expression turned solemn. He wasn't stupid either, and instantly understood the crucial connection within: "There are more than ten thousand disaster victims from Western Yuzhou gathered outside the city, suffering from hunger and lacking clothing to cover their bodies. If the granary is burned, and someone then sneaks among the disaster victims to instigate them, I'm afraid the disaster victims will instantly transform into bandits, charging into Luo City to burn, kill, smash, and loot. If a civil uprising occurs, the future prospects of Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin will be completely severed!"

A secret spy asked in confusion: "Lord, Luo City's City Defense Division isn't useless either. If there is a civil uprising, they will immediately close the city gates and wait for the official army to come and suppress it. If they don't close the city gates in time, it's a capital offense of beheading. No matter how much money the Liu family stuffs to them, it won't work."

Jin Zhu said coldly: "I'm guessing, the west city gate has probably already been opened by the Liu family by now."

As soon as he finished speaking, several people spurred their horses around a street corner, and exactly saw the west city gate gaping wide open. The soldiers in front of the city gate had all had their throats slit, their corpses lying all over the ground.

From afar, through the open city gate, Chen Ji could already see the densely packed disaster victims holding torches high, holding iron rakes and wooden clubs in their hands, aggressively rushing towards Luo City.

A secret spy asked urgently: "Lord, what do we do now?"

Intentions of retreating arose in Jin Zhu's heart. Whether Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin lost their official posts or not, what did it have to do with him? These disaster victims charging into Luo City to burn, kill, and loot, what did it have to do with him?

After all, he wasn't the local parent official!

Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji: "You and I have already done our best today. It is them civil officials fighting each other that brewed a grave mistake; it has nothing to do with us! Anyway, that father of yours doesn't favor you; him losing his official post is exactly just helping you vent your anger!"

Chen Ji halted his horse and stood still. The gaze under his bamboo hat silently looked at the firelight outside the city gate. Outside the city gate, it seemed as if an aura of restless anxiety was surging, jumping along with the shadows of the torch flames.

Chen Ji asked: "If the disaster victims charge into the city, how many people will die?"

Looking at the dancing firelight in Chen Ji's eyes, Jin Zhu exclaimed in shock: "Why do you care how many die! These disaster victims won't be able to kill their way to Anxi Street! Chen Ji, tonight just pretend we never came, okay? As long as we don't interfere, this matter has nothing to do with us. Once we interfere, even if it's not our fault, it will be placed on our heads by those civil officials!"

However, right as he finished speaking, Chen Ji was seen lowering his body and spurring his horse straight toward the city gate: "Close the city gate, don't let the disaster victims charge in!"

The secret spies were alarmed in their hearts, turning their heads to look at Jin Zhu.

Looking at Chen Ji's back, Jin Zhu gritted his teeth and said: "Don't bother with him, let him die by himself!"

But after conflicting with himself for several breaths, he actually viciously lashed his horse's backside with his whip, saying ferociously: "Motherfucker, follow me to close the city gate! I've truly had eight lifetimes of bloody bad luck to run into a thing like this!"

The crowd galloped to the city gate. Seeing that the disaster victims were only a hundred steps away, the secret spies pushed the two massive red-lacquered city gates together, slowly closing them.

Only after they propped the wooden beam against the inside of the doors did they let out a slight sigh of relief.

Chen Ji and Jin Zhu walked up to the gate tower, gazing at the disaster victims below the city walls from a distance.

Holding a torch in his hand, Chen Ji shouted loudly: "Who dares to trespass onto the city without authorization?"

From the densely packed torches below the city, someone furiously roared: "The imperial court burned the granary providing porridge, not letting us live! Open the gate quickly, we want to enter the city to beg for a bite to eat!"

Jin Zhu frowned: "How could anyone believe such an outrageous rumor? Why would the imperial court burn your granary!"

Chen Ji shouted: "This matter definitely involves treacherous sycophants inciting you; everyone do not listen to rumors!"

As his voice fell, someone among the disaster victims shouted: "Don't care what these dog officials say. They eat well and drink well in the city, standing and talking without their backs aching; break the gate!"

The next moment, Chen Ji narrowed his eyes, only then discovering that in the dark night there were more than thirty disaster victims, carrying thick hemp ropes on their shoulders, carrying a heavy giant log and charging towards the city gate.

They came prepared!

With a loud crash, Chen Ji and Jin Zhu, standing on the gate tower, only felt the earth shake and mountains sway. The entire city walls shook loose rustling gravel and dust.

Chen Ji asked: "How long can the city gate hold?"

Jin Zhu's Scalp Tingled: "I also don't know! I haven't been to border towns, haven't seen a siege!"

Chen Ji observed for a moment: "This is bad, the city gate has been out of repair for years, I'm afraid it will be cracked open very soon."

Jin Zhu looked back at the densely packed Luo City behind him: "In this civil uprising, I'm afraid tens of thousands of people will suffer disaster."

Having said that, he hesitated for a moment, and actually took out a golden command arrow from his embrace, holding it high above his head: "The Imperial Command Plaque is here, as if His Majesty is personally present! I, Song Qian, am the touring censor personally appointed by His Majesty, patrolling the world, pacifying the army and comforting the people! I am already apprised of the disaster situation in Western Yuzhou, and have dispatched the Luo City Prefect, Lord Zhang, to go open the granary and release grain. The relief grain will arrive momentarily!"

The disaster victims gradually stopped shouting, looking up at that radiantly gleaming golden Imperial Command Plaque, hesitating and uncertain for a moment.

Chen Ji gave Jin Zhu a complex look. In the mouth of this Twelve Zodiac, there truly wasn't a single word of truth.

At this time, someone in the crowd shouted: "It's definitely fake. I've seen the real Imperial Command Plaque, it doesn't look like that at all!"

Jin Zhu angrily hopped around and cursed directly: "You're sprouting your mother's farts! This was personally handed to me by His Majesty, you dare to say it's fake? Who is in the crowd inciting civil uprising?! The grain will arrive momentarily. If it doesn't arrive before dawn, I will open the gates wide and let you guys enter the city to wreak havoc as you please!"

Someone instigated again: "Don't believe him, he is definitely transferring the official army to suppress us! I don't believe the imperial court will truly open the granary to release grain!"

The disaster victims swayed back and forth between the instigation and the Imperial Command Plaque. Jin Zhu was so anxious his head was covered in sweat: "I also motherfucking haven't handled this kind of situation before! What do we do now?"

On the gate tower, the secret spies Looking at One Another with tense expressions. Their fingers tightly gripped the hilts of their sabers, but they didn't know what was best to do.

Just as the disaster victims were about to ram the gate again, Chen Ji suddenly shouted to below the city: "I will go down to wait with you all for Lord Zhang to open the granary and release grain. If you haven't seen grain before exactly 5:00 AM, everyone can kill me with one slash of the blade."

Having said that, he actually found a hemp rope from the gate tower and handed it to Jin Zhu's hand: "Lord, hold this end of the rope, let me out of the city."

Jin Zhu was shocked and terrified: "Have you gone motherfucking crazy? Is it worth risking your life over this? Down there there are inevitably Liu family people inciting civil uprising; what if they incite the disaster victims to kill you?"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "The commoners in my cognition are not that bold. Unless they are about to starve to death, otherwise they will not rebel... Moreover, Lord Tian Ma has arrived."

Jin Zhu abruptly turned his head, and saw white-clothed Tian Ma standing on the eaves corner of the gate tower at an unknown time.

His heart suddenly settled down a lot.

Chen Ji exhorted solemnly: "If someone wants to kill me, it must be the Liu family's spy. Please have Lord Tian Ma shoot them dead."

"Wait, what if the grain doesn't come? Tian Ma won't be able to stop so many disaster victims!"

Chen Ji said calmly: "I bet Lord Zhang can dispatch grain here in time."

Jin Zhu clung to the battlements and looked down, only to see that the disaster victims didn't swarm up and kill Chen Ji; instead they slowly retreated a few steps back.

The shouts to kill came to a sudden halt.

...

...

11:45 PM.

On Guangji Street, more than ten fast horses galloped, trampling the bluestone flag road with clattering sounds, crisp and neat.

On horseback, the oncoming wind blew Zhang Zhuo's hair messy. He gripped the reins tightly with his right hand, lowered his body, turned his head, and looked at Xi Feng beside him: "Hey, who was that youth just now?"

Xi Feng was vigilant: "Lord Zhang, why ask this?"

Zhang Zhuo said casually: "None of you are masked, only he alone covered his face. Can't this official be a little curious?"

Xi Feng explained: "His identity is special, afraid of inviting retaliation from the Jing Dynasty thieves, so he has always kept his true features hidden from people. Lord, please don't ask anymore, this is our confidential military secret."

Zhang Zhuo's eyes glinted, changing the topic: "That youth offended the Jing Dynasty?"

Xi Feng chuckled: "Offended them miserably. Because of him, the Jing Dynasty has lost troops and suffered defeat multiple times."

Zhang Zhuo was deep in thought. A moment later, he asked again: "Is he your superior?"

Xi Feng said with a muffled voice: "Not yet, but he should be soon... Lord, why are You so curious about him."

Zhang Zhuo chuckled, but didn't answer.

An incense stick's time later, the crowd arrived in front of the granary encampment gate, halting their horses and standing still. Soldiers holding long iron halberds came out to welcome them: "Who comes here in the middle of the night?"

Zhang Zhuo jumped off his horse: "This official is the Luo City Prefect, Zhang Zhuo. I need to requisition three hundred shi of grain from the granary for an emergency, step aside quickly!"

However, the soldiers in front of the encampment did not yield. They looked back at the Captain behind them. The other party was expressionless, not nodding, not shaking his head, and even more so not saying a single word.

The soldiers leaned on their halberds and stood still, turning their heads and saying to Zhang Zhuo: "Just because one wears a grand red Official Robe doesn't necessarily mean it is Lord Zhang; it could also be a Jing Dynasty thief in disguise... Do you carry the official seal of the prefectural office?"

Zhang Zhuo frowned. He was going to attend the Deer Call Banquet tonight, how could he possibly carry the official seal of the prefectural office on him?

His gaze bypassed the soldiers, looking at that Captain in the back, and said calmly: "I have seen you, you presumably have also seen me! Step forward and speak!"

With a hand on his waist saber, the Captain's expression was indifferent: "We are under the jurisdiction of the Luo City City Defense Division, and the granary is an important military location. To dispatch us, not only is the Prefect's official seal needed, but also General Liu's Tiger Tally is required."

Zhang Zhuo narrowed his eyes: "What if I don't have it?"

The Captain said calmly: "If you don't have it, then go back."

Zhang Zhuo was silent. Everything the other party said was proper procedure. If it were normal times, he could naturally wait slowly, but not now.

He tilted his head and asked Xi Feng in a low voice: "Is this grain absolutely necessary? Chen... does that youth have any other plans to choose from?"

Xi Feng: "No."

Zhang Zhuo asked again: "Did he ever say what the consequences would be if we couldn't requisition the grain?"

Xi Feng thought for a bit and replied: "He said the Liu family wants to drive You and Lord Chen completely out of Luo City. If we fail to requisition the grain, I'm afraid Your official post won't be preserved."

"Motherfucker, it was not easy for me to climb to this position, and the Liu family actually wants to mess with my official post?" Zhang Zhuo muttered in a low voice: "The Liu family seems to know someone would come to requisition grain tonight; even a tiny Captain dares to disobey the Prefect. But the more this is so, the more it proves that kid's judgment is correct."

The next moment, Zhang Zhuo walked straight toward that Captain, imposing without being angry: "Step aside!"

The Captain raised his eyebrows, but didn't take him seriously, standing unyielding like an iron tower.

Zhang Zhuo's footsteps didn't stop.

When he arrived in front of the Captain, he actually suddenly drew the other party's waist saber, backhand slashing across the Captain's neck with one stroke.

In an instant, fresh blood spurted from the Captain's neck onto Zhang Zhuo's red Official Robe, staining it with purple spots.

Resting on the saber, Zhang Zhuo said ferociously: "I am the Luo City Prefect Zhang Zhuo! Today the matter is urgent, so I acted according to the circumstances to come here to requisition grain. Anyone who disobeys, will be dealt with as committing treason!"

Xi Feng's eyes widened. This was his first time seeing a civil official holding a saber and killing someone.

When he reacted, he immediately roared loudly: "Protect Lord Zhang!"

(End of Chapter)