Chapter 429

He originally planned to go to the Jiang family barracks, but after exchanging information with Yun chu, he rode away and went straight to the northern battlefield; he has been away for some days and needs to return to hold the fort.

Four days later, Jiang Yunchu arrived at West Wind City.

West Wind City belongs to Great Prince Xi Ge; it was granted to him by the Xijiang King when he came of age, and both its tax revenue and land belong to Xi Ge.

In the inner city of Xijiang, only the garrison soldiers are there, each staring at the people coming and going.

Jiang Yunchu, dressed in men's clothing, entered West Wind City and found a small tavern, handing the keeper a wooden token, a very ordinary one with a jade bamboo carved on it.

"What would you like to drink?" the man said, not taking it, just glancing at it, his expression unchanged.

"Give me half a jin of daughter red." Jiang Yunchu said.

The man smiled, looked at her appearance, and said, "Looking at you, young master, you don't look like someone who drinks; half a jin could knock an ox unconscious."

"Daughter red, tears on the handkerchief, speaking of parting, words of reunion, half a jin is neither too much nor too little, just right."

Jiang Yunchu seemed to be merely sighing over the daughter red, humming a few lines softly; the man poured half a jin of daughter red and brought it to where she was seated.

In the small tavern, there were no proper seats, just stools; some faced the window, some faced the hearth, some faced the scroll.

They can be moved freely; if one prefers quiet, sitting alone in a corner is fine.

Jiang Yunchu chose a corner; when the keeper served the wine, he softly said, "At one quarter past three in the morning, the courtyard behind the tavern."

Without waiting for her reply, the keeper left.

Jiang Yunchu took a gentle sip; this was truly strong, so spicy her eyes almost teared up.

Carrying the wine gourd, she staggered away, found an inn, tossed a tael of silver to the attendant, and was led directly to a room, a square‑sized chamber.

"Sir, this is it."

Jiang Yunchu entered the room; although small and a bit dim, it was enough for her to rest, but this is Xi Ge's territory, so she remained cautious.

"If I need you, I'll call; if I don't call anyone, don't enter my room." She specifically instructed.

"All right." The attendant shouted, then at her door he inserted a wooden token to indicate the room was occupied.

Jiang Yunchu opened the window, looked outside to assess the situation and find an escape route, then went downstairs and walked around a few times before returning to the room.

This broken internal energy—who knows when it will recover; it's already been over ten days, her body isn't weak anymore, but her meridians are completely empty, with nothing at all.

Originally, she planned that upon reaching West Wind Mirror, once her internal energy returned, she would have confidence.

But unfortunately, this broken internal energy does not follow the plan.

She gripped Xi Ge's seal in her hand and slept fully clothed.

Until the third watch, she quietly opened the window, without alerting anyone, climbed from the second floor and leapt down; her internal energy was gone, but her former martial foundation remained.

"Greetings, my lord." Upon arriving, the tavern keeper directly opened the courtyard gate, letting Jiang Yunchu enter; he clasped his hands and performed a Da Ning salute.

"What is the situation in West Wind City? I need to go to West Wind Mirror; what do I require?" Jiang Yunchu got straight to the point; this person's contact method was given by Ning Chengyan.

She trusts Ning Chengyan.

"Because the Great Prince left, West Wind City has begun a full lockdown; recently, the Third Prince's people are not honest, many clans in West Wind City feel insecure and are looking for a way out."

"However, no news has come from the Great Prince's mansion; even the Great Prince himself has gone to the border city of Xi Xiang Cheng."

The owner explained the situation clearly; now is not a good time to scout West Wind City.

"I need to go to West Wind Mirror; what do I need?"

This is her top concern right now; calculating the time, General Jiang is not far from another poisonous collapse; she needs to hurry here, and all her efforts are to preserve this old general's life.

"We need the Great Prince's seal and a special letter."

"Very few people can enter West Wind Mirror these days; indeed, in recent years the Great Prince hasn't even used his seal."

"Wanting to go to West Wind Mirror makes things even harder."

The innkeeper shook his head helplessly; it is said that within five years the Great Prince's seal had not been used at all, and the West Wind Mirror's people, though prepared for a long time, had no way in.

Jiang Yunchu furrowed her brows, "I have the seal, but I don't have the special letter."

Upon hearing her words, the innkeeper's eyes suddenly sharpened, his gaze toward her filled with scrutiny.

"Who exactly are you?"

It is said that the Great Prince's seal is kept on his person; to obtain it, their people have lost over a dozen capable hands in five years, trying every scheme—let alone actually getting the seal, they haven't even seen it.

The person before her said she had the seal?

How could one not be suspicious?

Jiang Yunchu smiled, looking at the wary person, "I am one of the Bamboo Pole."

Bamboo Pole, General, Ning Chengyan!

"One of the Bamboo Pole!" the person repeated; this codename is known only to the Northern Army.

That's right, Bamboo Pole—only the Wang Fu army knows, and there's one other person who knows: the Ning Emperor.

No one else knows; over these years, even if letters were lost, no one ever suspected that Ning Chengyan was still alive.

When Jiang Yunchu uttered the two words "Bamboo Pole," the innkeeper immediately believed her completely.

"Follow me." He gave Jiang Yunchu a deep glance, then softly said those words, afterwards opening the firewood shed's door; moving aside several bundles of firewood and a water vat from the shed's depths, a passage appeared.

"Come with me."

That person looked at her, while she merely nodded, saying nothing.

The innkeeper led the way, Jiang Yunchu closely following; their steps were swift, and after an unknown amount of time, the innkeeper knocked on the wooden door with a rhythmic pattern—long and short beats.

"Old Eight, how did you come here?"

That person furrowed his brows, and upon seeing the person who stepped out behind Old Eight, his already furrowed brows deepened further.

"One of the Bamboo Pole."

Old Eight hesitated not, directly revealing Jiang Yunchu's identity.

That person sized up Jiang Yunchu for a moment, then asked, "How is the Bamboo Pole faring?"

"He returned to the barracks, worried about the situation in the West, sneaked into Xi Xiang Cheng, but has already left," Jiang Yunchu replied calmly.

That man calculated the time, and it matched.

As for their caution, Jiang Yunchu understands; otherwise, how could these people have lived until now, providing Da Ning with so much information?