Chapter 396: Escort the Emperor

Plum Valley on Mount Xiang.

The Crown Prince rode slowly on a gentle slope, with Mr. Liao by his side.

The Crown Prince had stopped hunting and was quietly admiring the yellow flowers of Plum Valley. Not far away, Prince Fu was also not hunting.

He led the Five Army Camp soldiers in driving away game ahead. Wherever the Crown Prince went, Prince Fu would lead his men to scare off the prey in advance, leaving the Crown Prince's attendants unable to even spot a rabbit.

Several attendants of the Crown Prince exchanged silent glances and spurred their horses forward simultaneously.

As the Five Army Camp soldiers drove a sika deer out of the Plum Valley, the attendants flanked them from both sides, drew their bows, and shot arrows, determined to claim the deer.

The arrows whistled through the air after leaving the strings, only to stop abruptly!

Zhou Kuang had, at some unknown point, dismounted and blocked the sika deer, catching all three arrows in his hands!

Zhou Kuang coldly snapped the arrows, saying, "You've only just been transferred from the Five City Garrison to serve the Crown Prince. When did it become your place to overstep?"

The Crown Prince's attendants exchanged bewildered glances!

Prince Fu galloped past the Crown Prince, laughing loudly, "Your Royal Highness, if you can't hunt a single animal during the spring hunt, do you think people will say you're losing favor?"

With that, he galloped away again, like an unbridled wild horse!

One of the Crown Prince's attendants, unable to contain his frustration, rode up to the Crown Prince and said in a low voice, "Your Royal Highness, Prince Fu is going too far. If you let him act so recklessly, you might truly return empty-handed!"

The Crown Prince's expression remained unchanged, while Mr. Liao calmly closed his eyes, resting.

Seeing the Crown Prince did not reply, the attendant assumed it was an unspoken approval: "Don't worry, your humble servant will lead the Crown Prince's attendants to contend with him. We'll fight with all our might to save your reputation!"

With that, he was about to signal the Crown Prince's attendants to confront Prince Fu's group!

But the Crown Prince smiled and gently stopped him, saying, "Brother Xue Zhui, there's no need for that! My imperial brother is just being playful; what harm is there in letting him amuse himself?"

The attendant, named Xue Zhui, frowned and said, "But if you return empty-handed from the spring hunt, I fear you will become a laughingstock throughout the land. How can your humble servant stand by and watch?"

The Crown Prince shook his head: "I'm already a laughingstock; this won't make a difference! While my imperial brother plays, you and I can quietly admire the plum blossoms! After the imperial examination is over, countless scholars will come here together to appreciate the plums and compose poems. By then, they'll make a mess of this Plum Valley, and we won't be able to see such beautiful scenery!"

Xue Zhui was stunned. At a time like this, he still wanted to admire plum blossoms?

Mr. Liao, however, slowly opened his eyes and praised, "Your Royal Highness's composure has truly improved!"

The Crown Prince smiled and asked, "Mr. Liao, judging by the time, the imperial examination candidates should have already entered the Gongyuan, right?"

Mr. Liao glanced at the sky: "To answer Your Royal Highness, the examination has already begun. Today, they are testing on three questions from the Four Books and four questions on classical exegesis!"

The Crown Prince sighed deeply: "Alas, I no longer hold the position of Imperial Educator this year, so I cannot see the candidates' essays early. It is truly regrettable... Mr. Liao, who do you think will win this year?"

According to past practice, after the imperial examination, the successful candidates, numbering over three hundred, are announced as 'Gongshi' (Tribute Scholars).

The Palace Examination does not eliminate candidates; Emperor Ning merely ranks these three hundred-plus individuals. Therefore, once one becomes a Gongshi, they are considered a 'Jinshi' (Presented Scholar), and success is virtually guaranteed unless they commit a crime before the Palace Examination.

During the Palace Examination, Emperor Ning personally selects the top three ranks.

The first rank comprises three individuals: the *Zhuangyuan* (top scholar), *Bangyan* (second place), and *Tanhua* (third place), who are granted the title 'Jinshi Jidi' (Successful Candidate of the Highest Rank). Several individuals in the second rank are granted 'Jinshi Chushen' (Presented Scholar of the Second Class). Over two hundred individuals in the third rank are granted 'Tong Jinshi Chushen' (Presented Scholar of the Third Class).

Mr. Liao whispered, "This old minister believes that in this imperial examination, Chen Wenzong and Yang Yuan both show signs of becoming the top scholar!"

The Crown Prince casually asked, "How so?"

Mr. Liao pondered for a moment: "Yang Yuan is a young talent selected by the Xu family from the south. The imperial treasury is currently empty. If His Majesty intends to continue relying on the Xu family to collect taxes in the south, then Yang Yuan will likely become the top scholar. However, in recent years, Wu Xiu has extended his influence into the south through the Imperial Silk Manufactory and the Transport Commissioner, even managing to collect salt taxes. And now, Grand Secretary Xu is often muddle-headed... If His Majesty wishes to replace him with a more capable person, he might choose Chen Wenzong to hint at something!"

The Crown Prince smiled: "Mr. Liao, you haven't given me an answer; you're still making me guess!"

Mr. Liao's expression subtly changed, and he quickly stated with certainty, "Yang Yuan! Although Grand Secretary Xu is muddle-headed, His Majesty has tacitly allowed Master Zhang Zhuo to review memorials and drafts on his behalf, which sufficiently demonstrates His Majesty's favor for him! With successors in the Xu family, His Majesty will likely grant them some deference!"

The Crown Prince murmured, "Master Zhang, a talent for governing the world! Unfortunately, though I have invited Master Zhang several times, he has always avoided me!"

Mr. Liao reassured him, "After returning to the capital, this old minister will find another way!"

But the next moment, the Crown Prince interrupted, "Mr. Liao, you've guessed wrong. Yang Yuan won't be the top scholar!"

Mr. Liao was puzzled: "How so?"

The Crown Prince smiled slightly: "You've all misunderstood Master Zhang. Master Zhang isn't someone from the Xu family; he is His Imperial Father's man!"

Before he finished speaking, the sound of approaching hoofbeats echoed from afar, fast and urgent, unlike a typical hunting party!

Mr. Liao immediately spurred his horse to block the Crown Prince, saying in a deep voice, "Protect His Royal Highness!"

Over ten attendants of the Crown Prince drew their swords, glaring menacingly towards the end of Plum Valley!

Prince Fu also heard the distant hoofbeats and rode over with Zhou Kuang, smiling, teasingly asking, "What kind of commotion is this, to scare the heir apparent of our Ning Dynasty like this?"

On the eighteen hairpin turns of Mount Xiang Road!

Chen Ji led the way, while Yang Yang brought up the rear. The seven of them held their breath and galloped quickly.

Yang Fang and Yang Xian still had crossbow bolts lodged in their bodies and dared not pull them out. If they did, blood would gush out, and they would lose all strength within the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

These two consistently protected the flanks of the horse team, using their bodies to shield against the hillside. If anyone were to fire arrows from the slope, they would be the first to be hit!

Qi Zhenzhuo looked at them, worriedly asking, "Are you two alright? Do you need your wounds treated?"

Yang Fang glanced at him: "No need!"

Qi Zhenzhuo asked again, "You two don't need to block arrows for us anymore. If you keep blocking, you might die!"

Yang Xian said expressionlessly, "The master's order to us is to block arrows!"

Qi Zhenzhuo suddenly realized that Yang Yang had only given them one command from start to finish: block arrows!

And after that, it seemed that as long as they were still alive, the words 'block arrows' superseded everything else!

Yang Yang, at the back of the group, said teasingly, "Do you know what makes my Myriad-Year Army different from you?"

Qi Zhenzhuo was silent for a moment: "How is this different from throwing yourselves to your deaths? They are all your Yang family members!"

Yang Yang said calmly, "Pulling out arrows requires removing armor. Do we have time to remove armor now? They are already injured. If we encounter the enemy head-on, their current strength is even less than yours, so naturally, they should block arrows for you! On the battlefield, feelings are not important; right and wrong are. Only by always making the correct choice can one win!"

Just as when he discovered Chen Ji's archery was superior to his own, he would not hesitate to give Chen Ji his ancestral horn bow!

He only made the correct choices!

At this point, Chen Ji reached a fork in the road and turned to Zhang Xia beside him: "You remember the way. Which way do we go?"

Zhang Xia led the way, saying, "West!"

The seven turned onto the western fork, and Yang Yang couldn't help but shout loudly, "Hey, kid from the Chen family, where exactly are you taking us? Don't lead us aimlessly like a headless fly!"

Chen Ji ignored him!

At that moment, hoofbeats approached from behind, and there were even more people than before!

Yang Yang's expression changed: "Hurry! The assassins are catching up. Chen family kid, you'd better lead us the right way, or we're in trouble today."

Chen Ji suddenly said, "We're here."

They saw the eighteen hairpin turns of the mountain road reach their end, and suddenly, the view opened up! Before them was no longer a rugged mountain path, but a valley filled with pristine winter sweet plum blossoms!

In the Plum Valley, the Crown Prince and others were already looking in their direction, having heard the hoofbeats!

Chen Ji called out loudly, "Assassins! Protect the imperial family! Protect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, protect His Royal Highness Prince Fu!"

Zhang Zheng was startled: "Huh?"

Yang Yang was dumbfounded: "You..."

"Damn it, Zhou Kuang, quickly come protect the imperial family!" Prince Fu shouted.

Zhou Kuang spurred his horse forward, leading the Five Army Camp to encircle Prince Fu. He himself was rubbing the heavy bow hanging from his saddle. "Your Highness, shall we leave or fight?"

Prince Fu narrowed his eyes slightly: "Let's wait and see!"

At this moment, Chen Ji and his group instantly rushed into the Plum Valley. Behind them, dozens of 'Jiefan Guards' (Trouble-Solving Guards) wearing straw capes and bamboo hats emerged from around the bend of the eighteen hairpin turns!

The 'Jiefan Guards' raised their crossbows and triggered them, and bolts rained down on Chen Ji and his group, embedding themselves one by one into the grass behind them!

Watching Chen Ji and his group getting closer, with the assassins still in hot pursuit behind them!

Once the assassins galloped within sixty paces, Prince Fu said coldly, "Fire arrows!"

Zhou Kuang raised his hand to draw his heavy bow, and the Five Army Camp fired a volley. Arrows flew over Chen Ji and his group's heads, falling like shooting stars into the assassins' formation!

Crossbows, after all, were far inferior to heavy bows. In just one exchange, over ten assassins fell from their horses!

They reined in their horses, turned back the way they came, and fled, showing no desire to fight!

Prince Fu said grimly, "Don't pursue them. Beware of unexpected trouble!"

As he spoke, Chen Ji had already rushed to the front of the Crown Prince and Prince Fu's formation and said urgently, "Your Royal Highnesses, your humble servant is late in protecting you. While hunting, your humble servants discovered people impersonating Jiefan Guards, attempting an assassination..."

Prince Fu grumbled, "What 'protection,' what 'late'? This prince rather thinks you're the one leading the assassins here! Those assassins weren't coming to kill you, were they?"

Chen Ji suddenly retorted, "Your Royal Highness, why would someone go to such great lengths to assassinate your humble servant? It seems these assassins' true targets were not your humble servants, but we merely stumbled upon them!"

Prince Fu's gaze swept over Chen Ji, Yang Yang, Zhang Xia, Zhang Zheng, Qi Zhenzhuo, and the others' faces, deep in thought: "Indeed, why would someone send so many suicidal assassins disguised as Jiefan Guards to kill you? If they weren't here to kill you, then they must have been after this prince and the Crown Prince...!"

Zhou Kuang's heart jolted. He quickly rode back to Prince Fu's side, leading the Five Army Camp to separate Prince Fu from the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince's attendants paused briefly, then suddenly confronted the Five Army Camp as well, protecting the Crown Prince securely behind them!

A clash was imminent.

Prince Fu, from behind the crowd, rubbed his chin and joked, "Where did these assassins come from, Zhou Kuang? Did you arrange this?"

Zhou Kuang's face fell: "Your Highness, please don't joke about your humble servant's entire clan!"

Prince Fu prolonged his 'Oh,' saying, "It wasn't you..."

He turned to look at the Crown Prince and Mr. Liao: "Then it was you two?"

Mr. Liao said unhurriedly, "Prince Fu, there's no need for baseless speculation!"

Prince Fu laughed heartily: "This prince was only joking; don't take it seriously."

The Crown Prince slowly began, "Imperial brother, this is no time for jokes! Under the Emperor's nose, someone impersonated the Jiefan Guards – this is high treason! We need to send someone on a swift horse back to the capital immediately to report this and have the Jiefan Guards and the Secret Intelligence Bureau dispatched to suppress the rebellion! Chen Ji, if it were anyone else, they'd need two fast horses for relays, but Miss Zhang Xia's mount is extraordinary, and you are familiar with it. Why don't you ride it and go?"

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, "Your Royal Highness, the assassins are numerous, and we don't know if they've truly left. With your humble servant's strength, I fear I wouldn't be able to break through. Perhaps Mr. Liao should go instead?"

He looked up at the Crown Prince, who was also looking at him!