The Legend of Zhu San
176: General Teng Ji
After ordering a jar of wine, Zhu San occupied a chair that was one table away from the two of them. It seemed like they had just arrived at the tavern, as two maids had just presented their orders.
“Brother Ji, we've been in this city for two months. Should we go back to report?” asked the Blue-robed man to his partner named Teng Ji.
“Now, I feel like we almost managed to find the figure we were looking for. But it's very hard to prove if those two are the ones we've been looking for these two years.” Teng Ji replied while taking a different side dish from before.
The blue-robed figure, named Weng Dan, was silent. He prefers to finish his lunch.
After the two finished, they talked again. When the two mentioned the names Ju Yan and Bian Chi, Zhu San who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, immediately went to the two.
“Sorry Uncle, may I join you at this table?” Zhu San casually said to them. The two middle-aged men, just smiled as they invited Zhu San to sit down.
“Uncle ... Uncle doesn't seem to be a resident of this city huh? Oh yes, let's toast Uncle.” first Zhu San then poured the wine that was inside their urn, into their respective cups. After that Zhu San brought the two toast.
“Where do you know we're not residents of this city young man?” Teng Ji who looked looked alarmed started.
Zhu San gulped down another cup of wine. “I heard the talk of uncle two, and the girl Uncle spoke of was a person who meant a lot to me. Does Uncle mean to be mean to both of them?”
DEG
The hearts of the two people, instantly thumped at the words of Zhu San who was now staring at Teng Ji with a sharp gaze.
“Young what do you mean? Who are they?” Teng Ji's question was still trying to cover up their identity.
Zhu San smiled faintly, then explained that he saw the two staring and talking about Bian Chi and Ju Yan, as the two walked around accompanying the coffin, this morning.
The faces of the two, instantly paled, Zhu San smiled again. ”Uncle both have nothing to fear. If uncle is well-intentioned, Uncle must tell the truth what uncle meant to talk about my wife earlier.”
Zhu San's words made the two of them look at each other for a moment. The two nodded their heads in a sign of agreement, to tell the truth.
“Young man, if you're really the husband of the girl, I'm sorry if I asked you something personal. Does your wife have a birthmark on her left back?”
Weng Dan's question made Zhu San stop the cup that was already near his mouth. “If it is, why Uncle?” Zhu San did not answer.
Even though his wife's left back actually had a birthmark, Zhu San was still trying to cover it up by asking.
Weng Dan cursed in his heart upon hearing Zhu San's words. Teng Ji finally spoke, feeling that his conjecture was correct.
“If true, there is a possibility He is the person we are looking for. My name is General Teng Ji and this is my Deputy Colonel Weng Dan. We are both from the Qing Empire. And is in a secret task.”
Zhu San smiled faintly at it, but curiosity made him ask them again, upon seeing the jade badge inscribed with General Teng Ji's name.
“General of the Qing Empire? Is my wife and her fellow students fugitives from the Qing Empire that you want to capture?” Zhu San's tone of voice turned intimidating the two of them.
“Not a young man, you misunderstood. We will tell the truth, but there are too many ears to hear it. And it would endanger them. Can we have a chat in our room?”
General Teng Ji said as he saluted Zhu San. Not feeling any ill will towards the two of them, Zhu San was willing to follow him.
Upon arrival at the luxurious inn room on the third or top floor, they continued their conversation.
General Teng Ji then started telling stories. Former Qing Emperor Qiang Hu had an empress named Lian Mei. They both have a daughter named Qiang Ji.
Having not had a Crown Prince, Emperor Qiang Hu remarried at the same time and had two concubines at once.
The first concubine was named Jian Li, with this concubine Emperor Qiang Hu having a son named Qiang Cao.
The second concubine, Meng Niu, had a son named Qiang Hung who married at a young age.
A few years after Qiang Hung married, Qiang Ji married a noble named Shi Hung.
From the wedding, they are blessed with a daughter named Shi Ling (Bian Chi).
Qiang Hung ascended to the throne as Emperor of the Qing in place of his deceased father. This made Jia Li and Qiang Cao unacceptable. A few months later, the two staged a coup.
In the coup, Qiang Hung, his wife and mother were killed. But his son Qiang Yan survived being taken away by one of his personal bodyguards.
Qiang Cao then ascended the throne. This new emperor was afraid of the safety of his Throne. He also sent assassins several times to finish off Shi Hung, Qiang Ji and their daughter Shi Ling.
But the assassins always failed because of the existence of Teacher Qiang Ji named Mi Lin.
Mi Lin became a personal bodyguard as well as Master Qiang Ji for continuing in his teacher's footsteps. The dead swordsman of the Phoenix.
Mi Lin was once a bodyguard of Lian Mei, the empress of Emperor Qiang Hu. Empress Died one month after the death of emperor Qiang Hu. Mi Lin then decided to become a personal bodyguard and teacher for Qiang Ji.
After what happened to their brother Qiang Hung and for the sake of keeping Shi Ling safe, Qiang Ji and Shi Hung asked Mi Lin to take her away to another empire.
Mi Lin takes 2.5-year-old Bian Chi north, on the way she meets the bodyguard Qiang Hung who is fighting with the assassins.
Mi Lin then massacred the entire assassin. Meanwhile, Qiang Hung's bodyguard died of blood loss. Mi Lin also brought 6-year-old Qiang Yan with her.
Mi Lin brought the two to the north, and passed through Shangyu city. It was known based on information from one of Shi Hung's bodyguards, nicknamed The Demon Shadow.
But the existence of the Semu Shadow was known to Mi Lin. And he almost killed her. Mi Lin asked, The Demon Shadow to return to the Qing Empire and report the situation.
From then on there was no news of the three of them, until finally two years ago, they heard the news of a swordsman nicknamed the Phoenix Swordsman named Lin Mi coming from the Jian Empire.
It was Shi Hung who finally put up a fight against Emperor Qiang Cao. He defeated him six years ago and became Emperor of the Qing.
Two years ago, Emperor Shi Hung heard the news of the appearance of the Phoenix Swordsman in the Jian Empire.
They were sent by Emperor Shi Hung to confirm that he was Mi Lin and bring back their Princess Shi Ling, as well as the Emperor's nephew Qiang Yan.
“Young Master what is your name? And is it true your Wife has a birthmark like we mentioned earlier?” General Teng Ji asked to end the story.
“My name is Zhu San Uncle General and regarding the birthmark I did see it, but my wife is named Bian Chi and that young man is named Ju Yan. Is it possible that the two of them are Shi Ling and Qiang Yan?”
The two foreheads looked shriveled, trying to find an answer to Zhu San's question.
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