Chapter 281: Assassination

Li Xuan looked at the firelight and then at Chen Ji.

Previously, Chen Ji had said that Gu Yuan was a trap set by the Tian Ce Army, and he didn't believe it.

That was because in this Gu Yuan city, half of the common people had been slaughtered, and the border army had also suffered countless deaths and injuries. The person playing this game must have had incredibly ruthless intentions to set such a "decapitation trap."

In the current era, the capital had a million people, Luocheng had two hundred thousand, and this Gu Yuan had at least one hundred thirty to forty thousand. Half the city's common people could represent tens of thousands of lives!

How sinister and vicious!

However, now, Li Xuan looked at the firelight at the city gate rushing and rising to the sky, and the Gu Yuan city, which was as firm as stone, suddenly collapsed, completely sealing the Tian Ce Army's retreat route. He had to believe!

Li Xuan turned his head to look at Chen Ji. Even though he was usually calm, he couldn't help but panic and say, "Who exactly set this trap? What subsequent moves do they have? Which army and unit were the armored infantry I saw earlier? They dared to defy the great injustice of the world and use tens of thousands of common people as bait."

Chen Ji shook his head. "Not only!"

Li Xuan was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Chen Ji said lightly, "The bait not only includes common people, but also granaries, military equipment, well water, and the Crown Prince!"

No wonder the court suddenly sent the Crown Prince with an inexperienced guard army to Gu Yuan; no wonder Bai Long wanted to transfer out and eliminate the Crown Prince's staff; no wonder the Tian Ce Army could initially force their way into the inn's secret passage; no wonder the Crown Prince hiding in the cellar could also be found!

It was only because the Crown Prince was the last piece of the surrender token. Without the Crown Prince, how could the Tian Ce Army walk into the ambush?

Only this way could it make sense!

At this moment, another booming sound rang out, and even the east city gate was destroyed by firearms!

In the firelight and booming sounds, the Tian Ce Army's war horses were startled and scattered everywhere!

Yuan Zhen's war horse seemed about to rear up, almost throwing him off!

The Tian Ce Army's Grand Commander was a proper second-rank official of the Jing Dynasty, while Yuan Zhen was just an ordinary person. How could he control the startled war horse? Fortunately, an armored soldier quickly flashed over, tightly holding the reins and forcibly pulling the war horse back to its original position!

As the words fell, dense shouts of killing came from the north. A group of armored infantry, who had been hidden in the city earlier, held shields in one hand and knives in the other, counterattacking from Xu Wei Lane southward!

An armored soldier urgently said, "It's an ambush! Escort the Grand Commander away."

Yuan Zhen whipped him across the face. "Panic about what? Disturbing my army's morale will result in execution."

He then narrowed his eyes and looked north for a long time, then looked at the Crown Prince and coldly laughed. "What a grand scheme! They actually used half the city's common people and the current state's reserve as bait. I ask you, do you yourself know about this matter?"

The Crown Prince remained silent!

Yuan Zhen laughed heartily. "So you didn't know either. The literati of the Southern Dynasty are indeed ruthless. In the name of family and country's great righteousness, they commit acts of stealing the country, and now they even regard the country's reserve prince as a plaything. If Zhu family's Taizu could sit up from his coffin, he would surely kill these Confucian literati clean."

A confidant rode over and said in a low voice, "Great Commander, should we go or stay?"

Yuan Zhen said in a deep voice, "They blew up the south city gate and the east city gate precisely to force us to escape from the west gate. Presumably, there is still an ambush waiting there! Pass the military order to kill towards the north. The Southern Dynasty's Military Intelligence Department reported that the Ning Dynasty's three great camps are all at Chong Li Pass. I want to see what this Hu Junmei will use to kill my Tian Ce Army."

As the words fell, flag orders were passed down layer by layer. The main force of the Tian Ce Army immediately divided into parts, spreading out to the north like a closed fan suddenly opening!

Li Xuan looked at the Crown Prince and others being taken away by the Tian Ce Army's iron cavalry and immediately said urgently, "I want to go save the Crown Prince. If you are not willing to take the risk, then stay here..."

He turned his head and suddenly discovered that Chen Ji had already moved!

Chen Ji wiped his cheeks with the hem of his clothes while moving towards a Tian Ce Army iron cavalry!

Just as another firearm booming sound rang out, he suddenly leaped up, lightly landing on the back of the other's saddle, covering his mouth and twisting the other's neck!

He threw the Tian Ce Army's corpse towards Li Xuan. Li Xuan caught it in a panic, and even with extreme care, he couldn't completely cover the sound of the corpse's armor rubbing!

Someone heard the sound and immediately looked over with alert, then saw Chen Ji wearing a black pheasant tail helmet and Tian Ce Army armor. Only then did they turn their heads back!

Chen Ji rode his horse and merged into the Tian Ce Army, following the guard camp as they advanced north!

Chen Ji silently observed while blending into the team!

In the Tian Ce Army, rank was determined by the pheasant feathers on the head. Ordinary soldiers had no pheasant tails on their heads. Divine archers, the guard camp, and hundred commanders wore one black pheasant tail. Thousand commanders wore one long pheasant tail and one short pheasant tail. Ten Thousand Households chiefs wore one pheasant tail and two short pheasant tails!

Chen Ji saw Yuan Zhen riding forward unhurriedly, and elite scouts constantly reported military intelligence from all directions, then left with new flag orders!

The Tian Ce Army infantry escorting the Crown Prince and others followed behind Yuan Zhen. Yuan Zhen was firmly guarded by the guard camp. Chen Ji only glanced at them and then looked away, no longer probing to avoid suspicion!

He looked towards a figure beside Yuan Zhen, the shopkeeper of Dragon Gate Inn.

At this time, the other person had already changed into a set of Tian Ce Army armor and wore a thousand commander's pheasant tail on his head. His status was already extremely high!

Just as Chen Ji was secretly sizing him up, the shopkeeper seemed to sense it and slowly turned his head!

In the flickering firelight, Chen Ji saw that the left side of the other's cheek was tattooed with the character "surrender," his eyes were cold, and killing intent surged. He was no longer like the former inn shopkeeper.

He lowered his head just as the other's gaze swept over, silently following the team!

The shopkeeper had doubts in his heart and seemed to want to pull his horse back to check, but he saw several scouts reporting military intelligence together!

"Report! Ku Le Street has elite infantry. They just engaged with the vanguard camp. Number five hundred."

"Report! Qie Mo Street has elite infantry moving west. Number five hundred."

Yuan Zhen sat on his horse and frowned, saying, "How many roads of elite infantry have been discovered now? Eleventh road or twelfth road?"

His confidant beside him said in a low voice, "Great Commander, twelfth road!"

The shouts of killing on the front line became more and more intense, and from time to time, firearm booming sounds rang out, as if the border army was increasing!

Yuan Zhen looked at the dark night, and his face couldn't help but become more solemn. "Where did this Hu Junxian conjure up so many people? Deploy the main force of the middle army at Xu Wei Lane to set a pocket and let them come in."

At this time, another scout rushed back madly, knelt on one knee ten steps away from Yuan Zhen, and said loudly, "Report! Hundred commander Yuan Chong inside Dragon Gate Inn is dead, the entire army wiped out."

Hearing the four words "Dragon Gate Inn," the shopkeeper suddenly turned back and looked over, no longer caring about the previous peeping gaze!

Yuan Zhen lightly waved his hand behind him, and the guard camp immediately cleared a path, allowing the shopkeeper to approach within ten steps to answer!

Yuan Zhen didn't look at the shopkeeper, only looked forward, and calmly asked, "I sent Yuan Chong after receiving your message. Now Yuan Chong is dead. How do you explain this?"

As he spoke, the guard camp beside the shopkeeper suddenly attacked. Five or six people grabbed his arms and forcibly pressed him to kneel down!

The shopkeeper raised his head and said loudly, "Reporting to the Great Commander, this humble officer already reported earlier that there was a Feather Forest Army guard inside the inn, and there was still a Seeking Dao Realm Feather Forest Army commander beside the Crown Prince! Now the Crown Prince is also here, you can confront him face to face!"

Yuan Zhen nodded and again waved his hand behind him without turning his head. The guard camp immediately had people escort the Crown Prince and others forward!

All the way, Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia struggled with all their might, but it was useless!

The crowd stopped ten steps away from Yuan Zhen, and they only heard Yuan Zhen ask, "I ask, you answer. Those who can answer properly can live!"

Chen Wenxiao hurriedly opened his mouth. "Great Commander, I will answer."

Yuan Zhen slightly hooked up the corners of his mouth. "Did you ever encounter my Tian Ce Army vanguard camp in the inn?"

Chen Wenxiao nodded like pounding garlic. "Yes, we encountered them. They killed their way out from the inn's secret passage, killing all the dozens of Feather Forest Army left behind inside the inn! We and others were blocked on the upper floor and almost died!"

Yuan Zhen turned his head. "Since you encountered them, why are your clothes dry and clean, and there isn't even a drop of blood on your body? How did you and others escape to Tao Hua Fang?"

Chen Wenxiao explained, "At that time, it was Chen..."

Halfway through the words, Chen Wenzong struggled like a madman. "Shut up, beast."

Yuan Zhen laughed heartily. "Who is this person?"

Chen Wenxiao lowered his head, avoiding Chen Wenzong's gaze. "This is my direct elder brother commander, Chen Wenzong!"

Yuan Zhen waved his hand. "Block this fellow's mouth. You continue speaking!"

However, at this moment, Xiao Man said loudly, "I'll tell you."

Yuan Zhen asked with a smile, "Oh, and who are you?"

Xiao Man struggled forward two steps. "I am the Chen family's maid. As long as you give us a way to live, I will tell you everything..."

Before the words fell, Xiao Man suddenly broke free from the guard camp beside her and slapped towards Chen Wenxiao's temple!

This palm had the momentum of wind and thunder, but it barely stopped in front of Chen Wenxiao's temple, grasped by a sturdy hand!

A tall black shadow covered Xiao Man in the middle. She raised her head in astonishment and saw that it was a thousand commander beside Yuan Zhen who had come near like a ghost to block her!

The thousand commander laughed sinisterly. "Dare to play this kind of small trick in front of the Great Commander? You're seeking death!"

Yuan Zhen said indifferently, "No harm. Someone is desperately blocking him, so what he says is likely to be true. Moreover, let him continue speaking!"

Chen Wenxiao said, "My Chen family's bastard son Chen Ji blocked the stairs at that time, preventing your vanguard camp from ever reaching the upper floor to capture the Crown Prince. After we and others hid on the inn's roof and waited to descend again, he and this little maid had already killed all of the vanguard camp."

Yuan Zhen couldn't help but be startled. "All killed? The two of them?"

He looked at the shopkeeper coldly. "Why didn't you mention these two people?"

But, Yuan Zhen discovered that the shopkeeper was also stunned in place, just muttering, "I personally saw him go out early in the morning. How could he be in the inn..."

Chen Wenxiao added from the side, "Reporting to the Great Commander, that bastard younger brother of mine did indeed go out in the morning and only came back after the border army opened the city gate!"

Yuan Zhen grunted and said coldly to the shopkeeper, "Even if he went out, you should have reported it one by one. Tell me, why did you know but not report it?"

But the shopkeeper didn't pay attention to him. Instead, he looked at Chen Wenxiao. "Chen Ji? Why isn't he among you?"

Chen Wenxiao said in astonishment, "He left after putting us in the cellar. I don't know where he went!"

The shopkeeper lowered his eyelids. After a moment, he knelt on the ground and crawled forward to Yuan Zhen, saying, "Great Commander, it is this humble officer's fault for not handling matters properly and leaking such key information. I am willing to accept punishment!"

When the shopkeeper was only seven steps away from Yuan Zhen, he suddenly rose violently and pounced towards Yuan Qin!

Yuan Zhen's face did not change. He coldly watched the shopkeeper get closer and closer. The guard camp in front of him layered into a human wall. The thousand commander who had caught Xiao Man also kicked her away and flashed back to defend!

The shopkeeper and the thousand commander clashed like thunder. Wild winds rose around the two of them, blowing people so hard they could barely open their eyes!