Chapter Twenty-Four Arrived at Chen Prefecture, The White Mouse Cat Left the Troop

  "This matter will be set aside for now!" Bao Gong said, looking at Zhan Huai and Bai Yutang, "Zhan Huai, Bai Xiaoxia, what are you doing here?!"

  "Sir!" Gong Sun Ce spoke up first, "Why must you take it to heart, sir? In fact, when we were in the public hall, Zhan Hu Wei said he wanted to follow you to Chen Zhou, but you rejected him. After that, Zhan Hu Wei never mentioned it again. With his temperament, do you think he would give up so easily?"

  "As for Bai Shaoye..." Gong Sun Ce smiled lightly, "The Five Rats of Trap Island are famous throughout the land, everyone knows that. But when the adults needed them, four of them left, isn't this strange? Therefore, Bai Shaoye must be the one who stayed behind to accompany the adults to Chenzhou!"

  Bao Zheng sighed and let out a deep breath!

  "Your Excellency, we are now only a day or two's journey away from Chenzhou. You wouldn't want us to return to Bianliang again, would you? Moreover, that person just now had extremely high martial arts skills and a cold personality. Although he was defeated this time, he will surely come back for revenge. Your Excellency should be careful. If we have our subordinates and Bai brother here, that person would not be worth worrying about!"

  Bao Zheng shook his head, "Alright, since Xing Wuwei and Bai Xiaotian have arrived at this place, then let's go to Chenzhou together with the prefecture!"

  "Thank you, sir!"

  "Smelly cat!" After the crowd departed, Bai Yutang whispered to Zhan Zhao, "I think you're doing well with your internal energy now, but your moves are still unformed. Since that's the case, don't sleep tonight. Every night, take out two hours and practice with me. It's just as well, you can forget all the things you learned before. Tonight, I'll personally instruct you in martial arts!"

  Zhan Zhao's face suddenly turned bitter!

  At night, Zhan Zhao welcomed his first sleepless night. Well, it wasn't just Zhan Zhao, but also Gong Sun Ce, Bao Da Ren and the entourage!

  At night, they finally arrived at an inn. Just as everyone was about to go to sleep, Bai Yutang directly dragged Zhan Zhao out and had a fierce battle on the rooftop, reenacting the scene of Jin Mouse vs. Imperial Cat from the story "The Opening of the Northern Song Dynasty". They chose this location because they were afraid that if they left, someone would assassinate Bao Da.

  The next day, Zhan Zhao's cheeks were slightly swollen, a pair of sunken eyes with dark circles underneath, and his spirit was extremely low!

  This is just the beginning!

  Everyone started rushing on their journey and finally arrived at Chenzhou!

  Chen State is located a hundred miles northwest of Bianjing, near the national border. It has been plagued by drought for many years, and the people are suffering. However, this disaster is only secondary to the real problem in Chen State. Within its borders, there is a powerful man named Pong Yu, who holds the title of Duke Anle, inherited from his father, Pong Ji, the current Grand Preceptor. Pong Yu is also the brother-in-law of the Emperor and has been taking advantage of his position to bully and oppress the people in Chen State. Although the people are extremely resentful towards him, they dare not speak out against him due to his powerful connections. The officials from surrounding states and prefectures fawn over him and follow his orders.

  It was just past noon when Bao Da Ren led the troops into Chen Zhou. In front of the team, fifty pairs of horses galloped forward in four rows, each row consisting of horses of the same color, with similar heights and builds, their coats shiny and bright. The riders on horseback were all young and robust, wearing long feathered hats, dressed in cavalry uniforms, holding eighteen kinds of weapons such as long spears, big knives, axes, and halberds. Due to the crowded streets, the horses did not run very smoothly, but instead moved forward slowly, their hooves pounding out a rhythmic beat, majestic and powerful.

  As the horse team passed by, the following team was indeed Bao Da's team. This team was not like the previous horse team and was not assigned by the imperial envoy. Instead, it was a special team from Kaifeng Prefecture that protected Bao Da. The leaders were Ma Han, the two captains, followed by many swift and strong yamen runners from Kaifeng Prefecture. In the center of the team was Hongbi Shiyeye Gong Sun, a master with a red brush. Behind him was the eight-man sedan chair bestowed by the emperor, with a red lacquer canopy, brocade sedan body, and sedan bearers wearing blue clothes with white sleeves, each strong and robust. After the sedan chair came the "Imperial Pavilion", which housed the sacred edict of the current emperor. Further back were Kaifeng Prefecture's three guillotines: Longtou Guo, Houtou Guo, and Goutu Guo, all covered with yellow silk.

  At the forefront of the team were two people, one in blue and one in white. Both had swords for eyebrows that flew into their temples, a straight nose bridge, thin lips like knife cuts, and starry eyes under their sword-like eyebrows, as black as a deep well or pool, vast as the profound night sky!

  Although there is a hint of dust and exhaustion, it cannot conceal the majestic and upright aura surrounding the two people.

  The young man in blue at the forefront walked while looking around, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, thinking to himself: It's said that Chenzhou is experiencing a severe drought, with countless people starving to death. However, judging from the current scene on the streets, it seems there's nothing out of the ordinary. The streets are lined with shops, vendors walking about, and pedestrians filling the roads. Although it can't compare to the prosperity of Tokyo, it doesn't seem much different from any other ordinary prefecture. But upon closer inspection, although the men, women, elderly, and children on the street appear to be acting normally, their facial expressions are somewhat strange, with a hint of desolation.

  However, there was something that made Zhan Zhao feel a bit strange. He felt like something was missing. Many people had come to welcome him, but he still felt like something was lacking...

  Suddenly, a loud voice came from behind, "Why didn't the Chen Prefecture Magistrate and Anle Marquis come to welcome our lordship? Could it be that they want to rebel?"

  "Sir, this matter seems suspicious, it's better to go to the Chenzhou Prefecture first!" Gong Sun Ce said to Bao Zheng.

  Zhan Zhao's heart moved slightly, and he finally understood what the so-called lack was - it was officials. Although there were civilians welcoming him around, not a single official came to welcome him, which was the problem. Wherever the imperial envoy arrived, it was like the emperor himself had come, and all officials, big and small, had to come out to welcome him. But now, surprisingly, not a single official was present!

  Zhan Zhao snorted inwardly, "You dare to give us a warning shot, you Anle Marquis!"

  At this point, Zhan Zhao suddenly remembered something and walked to the front of Bao Da's horse, saying, "Sir, now that we have entered Chen State's territory, even if An Le Hou wants to harm you, he wouldn't dare do it openly. Moreover, isn't Zhang Qing Song's son-in-law still being held in prison? I'll go and gather some information!"

  Bao Zheng was taken aback and had not yet spoken when Zhan Zhao said, "Your Honor, since no officials from Chen Prefecture have come to greet us, it seems that this is the first move of Anle Marquis against us. If Your Honor enters the prefectural government office, you will definitely need to respond to the Prefect of Chen and Anle Marquis. Moreover, I, Zhan, have a premonition in my heart that Huang Sheng may..."

  Zhang Qing-song's expression changed suddenly inside the sedan chair, and he cried out in a urgent voice, "Director Zhan, what do you mean?"

  Zhan Zhao sneered, "Pang Taishi must have told Pang Yu about the news of his arrival. To prevent him from finding out anything, Huang Sheng might have already been silenced!"

  "My husband!" Zhang Qing Song suddenly stiffened and wailed.

  Bao Zheng and others also changed their expressions, sighed, and said, "This matter is the incompetence of this prefecture..."

  "Your Excellency!" Gong Sun Ce said, "You don't have to blame yourself. Even if we had sent someone immediately after the ceremony, it would have been too late. The speed of a man is no match for that of a pigeon, so Huang Sheng's death... can't be blamed on you, Your Excellency!"

  "Sir, I'll go to the prison first!" Zhan Zhao smiled and turned to Bai Yutang, "Brother Bai, let's take a walk with me for now!"

  Bai Yutang coldly laughed and said, "Leave!"