Chapter 397: Meeting Gift

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

"Hmm?"

Zhang Xia was stunned. She exchanged her own safety to let Chen Ji mix into the Tiger Armor Iron Cavalry, just so that Chen Ji would have a chance to save her father, but now Chen Ji said he couldn't promise her.

Under the night, Chen Ji twisted Zhang Xia's hands behind her back and said in a low voice: "There are tens of thousands of rebels in the Liu family, and I am all alone; I cannot do the work of turning the tide. I cannot easily promise things I cannot do."

Zhang Xia lowered her eyes and was silent for a long time: "Forget it, you are much more capable than me after all; there is no hope for me to save my father myself. Chen Ji, what I want to say next is very important, maybe it can help you: the person you killed just now, I have seen him; he is a tenant farmer in my family's manor named Zhang Yuan, who has always been diligent in his work. I guess these private troops of the Liu family usually hide in the market, which is why they have to wear face masks to avoid being recognized..."

Before she finished speaking, the armored soldier who had questioned Chen Ji before had already arrived nearby. He looked at Zhang Xia: "Who is this woman?"

Another armored soldier who rushed over said in a low voice: "My lord, this woman is Zhang Zhuo's legitimate daughter, Zhang Xia."

Chen Ji looked up and saw that the one called "My lord" had a different face mask from the others; the others had "human faces" that were neither happy nor sad, while this one had a "tiger face" with angry eyes wide open.

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

After thinking for a while, he waved to the armored soldier beside him and said: "Zhang's wife has not been found yet, you continue to search, I will escort Zhang Xia out with him."

The tiger-faced armored soldier said to Chen Ji: "Let's go."

Chen Ji, wearing heavy armor and carrying a long spear, pushed Zhang Xia toward the outside of the mansion, while the tiger-faced armored soldier followed behind, gripping his long spear tightly, looking at him vigilantly.

Chen Ji continued to walk forward calmly; the other party should be suspicious of him, but didn't rush to take action... Is it because the other party is not sure of his identity and strength, so he dare not expose his identity rashly?

Along the way, the Zhang mansion, which was originally brightly lit, was already a mess. When Zhang Xia passed the corpses of the maids and servants in the mansion, she turned her face slightly to the side, unable to bear looking.

Walking out of the vermilion lacquer gate of the Zhang mansion, the outside of Cuiyun Lane was already full of Chen family servants looking around in panic, only Chen Wen-zong stood proudly in the crowd.

This noble son of the Chen family had dirty clothes, and the hairpin on his head was lost somewhere.

The tiger-faced armored soldier behind Chen Ji gripped his long spear with his right hand and secretly beckoned to more than a dozen armored soldiers in Cuiyun Lane with his left hand.

I saw more than a dozen armored soldiers approaching silently, as if to form a siege on Chen Ji.

Chen Ji's mind turned rapidly, his gaze sweeping through the crowd.

The next moment, he walked into the crowd carrying his long spear, grabbed Chen Wen-xiao by the collar, and pulled him out.

Chen Wen-xiao was wearing a servant's clothes, struggling while saying in horror: "What are you doing? I am just a servant of the Chen mansion, why are you grabbing me?"

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

Chen Wen-xiao's face was ashen, his body shaking like a sieve, and he could barely stand by Chen Ji's pulling.

Chen Wen-zong glared at him and scolded angrily: "Stand up straight! You and I are both successful candidates in the 31st year of Jianing, how can you be scared by a villain? You have disgraced the face of the Chen family and the face of the imperial court!"

Chen Ji turned back and said to the tiger-faced armored soldier: "My lord, I recognize this person; he is the legitimate second son of the Chen mansion, Chen Wen-xiao."

The tiger-faced armored soldier paused and slowly relaxed his hand gripping the long spear: "Very good, I will remember your merit. 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 at the sound, only to see someone riding a horse at the end of the small alley, wearing a green cloak, like a poet stepping on snow, coming with excitement.

The black-armored warriors saw him and bowed their fists in salute: "Mr. Feng!"

Chen Ji's heart tightened.

Mr. Feng held a small hand-warming copper stove in his hand and said with a smile: "The Tiger Armor Iron Cavalry has been silent for a long time, and finally the time has come to be amazing. Who is in charge of you now, is it still General Zhou?"

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

Mr. Feng smiled: "Thank you for your hard work. The old master has now appointed you as the personal guard, so you should be more attentive than in the past."

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

Mr. Feng's gaze swept over the crowd and asked lightly: "Have the relatives of the Zhang and Chen mansions been captured?"

The tiger-faced armored soldier reported: "There are only two relatives of the Chen mansion; Chen Li-qin's wife happened to go to the suburban manor to settle accounts and is not in the Chen mansion."

Mr. Feng nodded: "It doesn't matter, with these two legitimate sons, it's enough."

The tiger-faced armored soldier continued to report: "Zhang Zhuo and his legitimate son were besieged in the government office, and only the second daughter of the Zhang family was caught in the mansion."

Mr. Feng asked curiously: "What about Zhang Zhuo's wife?"

The tiger-faced armored soldier responded: "According to the servants in the mansion, she went to the Tuoluo Temple in the south of the city to burn incense and worship Buddha today and has not returned yet."

Mr. Feng smiled: "It doesn't matter, with the second daughter of the Zhang family and that legitimate son, it's enough."

At this time, Chen Wen-zong looked up at Mr. Feng: "You privately arrested the relatives of imperial officials; this crime is equivalent to treason. If you repent now, although you will inevitably face the death penalty, you can save the lives of your families!"

The black-armored warriors were indifferent; the black-lacquered face masks had no joy or anger, like cold statues.

Mr. Feng said slowly: "Young Master Chen, save your strength. These Tiger Armor Iron Cavalry have long since lost their families. If you want to survive, help me persuade Master Chen later. As long as he is willing to go north with us to clear the monarch's side and kill the eunuch party to rectify the imperial court, I guarantee the safety of the Chen family."

Chen Wen-zong sneered: "Rebellious ministers and thieves, you are no different from the eunuch party."

A tiger-faced armored soldier slapped him: "Sharp-tongued!"

Chen Wen-zong was slapped to the side, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, but he turned his head angrily and glared at him, not avoiding or retreating.

Mr. Feng raised his eyebrows: "Don't hurt anyone, I still want to take him intact to Master Chen! In case Master Chen is willing to abandon darkness and turn to light, then we will be one family in the future, how can we let Master Chen feel resentment because of this little thing?"

The black-armored warriors hurriedly bowed their fists: "Yes, the subordinate was reckless, and will go to find General Qian to receive twenty military sticks after this matter is over."

Mr. Feng looked at Chen Wen-xiao and teased: "Why is the young master of the Chen family dressed like this?"

Chen Wen-xiao saw Mr. Feng looking at him, and his whole body couldn't stop shaking.

Mr. Feng smiled lightly: "People say that a dragon has nine sons, each different. Master Chen's family is also interesting; the eldest legitimate son has character but is pedantic, the second legitimate son is timid as a mouse... but timid as a mouse, but that illegitimate son Chen Ji makes me look at him with admiration. By the way, who found the second young master of the Chen family?"

The tiger-faced armored soldier pointed at Chen Ji: "Reporting to Mr. Feng, it was him."

Mr. Feng looked at Chen Ji: "Remember a merit, go to the Political Affairs Hall to receive a reward on your day off... And who caught the second daughter of the Zhang family?"

The tiger-faced armored soldier was startled, then pointed at Chen Ji again: "Reporting to Mr. Feng, it was also him."

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

After a while, he smiled slightly: "You are a lucky general."

After saying that, he turned to the tiger-faced armored soldier and said: "Mount your horses, escort the families of the Zhang and Chen mansions to the Jing Prince's Mansion."

Amidst the sound of armor plates rubbing, the black-armored warriors mounted their horses in unison.

Mr. Feng pulled the reins and turned the horse's head, walking outside Cuiyun Lane, and Chen Ji also carried Zhang Xia across the saddle, riding behind at the end.

Suddenly, Mr. Feng turned his head and asked him with a smile: "What is your name?"

Everyone was quiet, and the tiger-faced armored soldier who questioned Chen Ji before also looked over, his eyes burning.

Chen Ji gripped the reins tightly and answered calmly: "Reporting to Mr. Feng, the little one's name is Zhang Yuan."

The tiger-faced armored soldier's gaze turned back.

Mr. Feng smiled and waved: "Come forward, you will work with me from now on."

The Jing Prince's Mansion was brightly lit, and four high-framed fire basins were lit in front of the vermilion lacquer gate, with flames burning fiercely.

The Elephant Armor Camp was dragging the corpses of the Prince's Mansion guards away one by one, and the blood on Anxi Street seeped into the cracks of the bluestone road, the blood beginning to coagulate and becoming sticky like paste.

The Jing Prince's Mansion was already under the control of the Liu family.

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

He threw the copper stove in his hand to someone, and untied his cloak, revealing a green shirt inside: "Where is the old master?"

The black-clothed attendant said in a low voice: "He is playing chess with the Prince in the Jing'an Hall."

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

The black-clothed attendant reported: "They have just been escorted from the government office and are being held in the Feiyun Garden with a few people from the Taiping Medical Center."

Mr. Feng said unexpectedly: "What about Lady Yunfei, why did she rashly occupy someone else's courtyard? It's too unruly."

The black-clothed attendant said in a low voice: "Lady Yunfei left the Prince's Mansion after the Jing Prince fell ill and has not returned yet."

Mr. Feng thought for a while: "Don't disturb the old master's elegance, let's go to Feiyun Garden first."

After saying that, he turned and pointed to Chen Ji and another armored soldier: "You escort the young master of the Chen family and the second daughter of the Zhang family over, the others take a break first."

Inside the Prince's Mansion, rows of armored soldiers stood solemnly holding torches.

A group of people hurried through the murderous Prince's Mansion. Chen Ji looked from afar, the eight doors of the Jing'an Hall were wide open, and the Jing Prince and Cabinet Minister Liu sat opposite each other, focusing on playing chess.

Bai Li and the Prince's son stood by watching the chess, as if the fighting today had never happened.

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

Chen Ji was startled. He only turned his head slightly, and he was discovered by the other party: "Reporting to Mr. Feng, this is the first time the subordinate has entered the Jing Prince's Mansion, and I am a little curious."

Mr. Feng said with a smile: "Only this once, if you look at things you shouldn't look at next time, your head will fall to the ground."

Chen Ji hurriedly lowered his head: "The subordinate understands."

Arriving in front of the Feiyun Garden gate, Mr. Feng walked into the courtyard with a loud laugh: "Master Zhang, Master Chen, I have troubled you two to wait for me here, I have been negligent. However, look, who have I brought to you?"