Chapter 56: The Genius of the Mountain Stronghold

With Chen Mu’s current martial skills, he could easily handle any one of them alone. But as the saying goes, “two fists can’t fight four hands.” Facing five at once was truly a challenge for him. Now, with a sword resting against his neck, Chen Mu remained motionless, waiting to see what his captors would say.

Earlier, the eldest among them had said, “Then let’s have a word with him.” Chen Mu didn’t understand if that was some kind of code. Only now did the Prince’s Guard Captain, Li Biao, and his men arrive. It wasn’t their fault—they’d been delayed by the chaos: crowds running in all directions, others stopping to watch. Unlike their opponents, Li Biao’s men couldn’t leap over the crowd using lightness skills.

It was only when the sword was already at Chen Mu’s throat and some bystanders, fearing for his life, scattered that Li Biao and his men finally found an opening. Seeing the prince being held hostage, Li Biao nearly panicked. He was about to call out to him, but remembered the prince’s orders before leaving the palace: no matter what happened, never reveal his identity.

It made sense—if his identity were exposed, ordinary people would be unable to go about their lives, and Chen Mu himself would lose all freedom to stroll the streets. Especially now, revealing who he was would only complicate matters. If this was just a street quarrel, the captors might let him go. But if they realized he was the crown prince, they might panic, bind him, and use him as leverage.

So Li Biao changed his words. “Young—hey! Release my master at once!”

The eldest captor glanced at Li Biao and his men. “He meddled, letting that corrupt official escape. I’m sparing his life for a brother’s sake. Release him? Why should I?”

Li Biao pressed anxiously, “If you let my master go now, there will be no consequences.”

The man called Brother Wang scanned the area; the corrupt official had already slipped away in the confusion. He approached the eldest and advised, “Brother, we should leave—this isn’t a good place to linger.”

The elder nodded. “Fine.” Then he called to Li Biao, “I’m taking your master with me. If you want him back, bring that corrupt official to exchange!”

Two men flanked Chen Mu, each seizing an arm, preparing to take him away. Chen Mu, curious to see what was really happening—whether there was truly a corrupt official or just wronged commoners—did not resist.

“Li Biao, you all return first. I’ll go with them to see what’s going on.”

“Yes, sir,” Li Biao replied helplessly.

At that moment, Liu Susu and Mei Ling’er hurried over. Liu Susu called, “Husband!”

Chen Mu gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”

As he finished speaking, the two men pulled Chen Mu away in another direction. Liu Susu wanted to follow, but Mei Ling’er stopped her.

“Sister, following now is pointless. Hurry and inform His Majesty so he can send people to rescue him. With your husband’s intelligence and resourcefulness, he’ll be fine.”

Liu Susu bit her lip and nodded. Li Biao then escorted the two ladies back to the prince’s residence, before hastening to the palace to report to Chen Xingtian.

“What? Such audacious criminals!” Chen Xingtian roared.

After a moment’s thought, he commanded, “Send word for Zhang Zhong to take a hundred men and retrieve the prince. As for the bandits, leave them for the army to deal with.”

Li Biao acknowledged the order and departed. Chen Xingtian leapt to his feet, pacing anxiously across the hall.

“Mu’er, you must be safe…”

…

The five captors took Chen Mu out of the city, to a small mountain. This place was nameless, merely an offshoot of a larger nearby peak. The hill was neither tall nor broad; from a distance, one could see a cluster of houses halfway up—clearly the bandits’ stronghold.

Chen Mu asked easily, “Are you mountain bandits?”

The eldest replied gruffly, “According to your officials, yes, we’re bandits. But unlike the authorities, we never bully the common folk. We rob the rich to help the poor.”

Chen Mu smiled. “What crime have the wealthy committed? Is it their fate to be robbed simply because they’re rich?”

The man started to retort, but Brother Wang stopped him.

Brother Wang asked Chen Mu, “You’re the son of some official, aren’t you?”

Chen Mu considered before answering, “Yes, I am indeed the son of an official.”

Brother Wang said, “Rest assured, if your family brings that corrupt official, you’ll be exchanged and sent home.”

He could tell Chen Mu’s family outranked that corrupt official—otherwise the latter would not have been so deferential. But he couldn’t imagine that Chen Mu was the crown prince himself, having seen the prince before, who looked nothing like this. Nor did he believe a prince would wander the streets in disguise, accompanied by women.

Upon reaching the mountain, Chen Mu saw that this was indeed a bandit’s lair, complete with walls, a gate, and sentries.

As the group entered, a man approached. “Brother, who is this?”

Brother Wang replied, “I went after that corrupt official today. This man blocked me.”

The newcomer was startled. “Brother Wang, you really went to kill him? That can’t be!”

Chen Mu sized the man up—he didn’t seem to be skilled in martial arts.

“My friend, did he go after that official for your sake?”

The man cupped his hands in salute. “Brother Wang stood up for me. That corrupt official is greedy and unjust, but justice should come from the authorities. Brother Wang’s actions, however well meant, are still illegal.”

Brother Wang interjected, “The authorities? Haven’t you heard of officials protecting each other? Only if we take matters into our own hands will there be justice!”

Chen Mu smiled faintly. “How do you know the authorities won’t act? Rest assured, today that I, Chen Mu, have encountered your plight, I will see justice done.”

Everyone was stunned.

“Chen Mu? You’re the Crown Prince Chen Mu?”

Chen Mu wiped his face with his sleeve. Seeing his true appearance, the group realized he was indeed the crown prince.

The man immediately knelt and kowtowed. “I did not recognize Your Highness. Please forgive me!”

The others quickly knelt as well.

Chen Mu saw that their impression of him was quite favorable.

“Rise. Tell me—what has that official done?”

The men looked embarrassed. They all knew that in recent times, the prince had campaigned against foreign foes, brought prestige to the nation, provided disaster relief, and distributed winter clothing. He had invented many useful things that made their lives easier.

Especially the man who had spoken—he was deeply grateful to the prince for promoting the imperial examination system.

Alas.

He sighed. “Your Highness, I am Feng Zhong. When you promoted books, I was fortunate to obtain one and studied it daily. Recently, I heard there would be an imperial examination to select talent, and I was overjoyed. I rushed to enroll, but that corrupt official demanded a bribe. I had no money, and though I pleaded, he ignored me and even had me beaten and thrown out.”