Chapter 542 - 521 First Update
The pace of the North Border Army’s march remained steady, and the whole column seemed to thrive in a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, especially the rear where laughter, and even occasional singing, could be heard, provoking bouts of hearty laughter among the men.
The Marquis of Zhenbei had not tried to stop them; on the contrary, the relaxation of the troops in the rear caused the men leading the way to overlook the tension ahead and remain extremely courteous as they sporadically responded to the Marquis of Zhenbei’s remarks.
"I’ve heard that in recent years, since Yulin County opened its canals, many traders from the Southern Frontier have come to Yulin County, selling furs to the Southern Frontier and bringing back tea from there, is that true?" The Marquis of Zhenbei asked with a smile, while the laughter from his trusted aides was sparse, their thoughts clearly elsewhere.
However, up till now, they had not discovered any soldiers lying in ambush.
"What the Marquis says is true, there are indeed many traders from the Southern Frontier," the "soldier" named Ku Zhen respectfully replied, his expression unchanged as before, looking toward the pavilion ahead where the setting sun cast its last light on the evening sky, turning the faint red increasingly dim.
Glancing at his trusted aide, the Marquis of Zhenbei saw the discrepancy; trade between Yulin County and the Southern Frontier was through the Eastern Border, not the Southern Frontier. This was common knowledge to anyone who had stayed in Yulin County, and as the Marquis defending the region, how could he not know? The Marquis of Zhenbei was now certain that there was something amiss with the man in front of him.
He had seen the real Ku Zhen once, half a year ago when the commander of Yulin County had come out of the county to welcome him on his journey to the Northern Border, but it had been only a brief glance and the Marquis of Zhenbei could not be sure if this was indeed the real Ku Zhen.
However, according to the message from the Southeastern Army, they had encountered trouble at Heavenly Gorge. Therefore, there was a high chance that something was wrong with this pavilion, but the question was where. The pavilion was empty, except for three or four figures standing aloof at its entrance—a long corridor where travelers said their farewells just outside Yulin County, visible from end to end. It was impossible to hide soldiers there, and those spells also needed people to activate them.
So, if spells were to be cast, it would have to be by these few people present. Therefore, the authenticity of this Ku Zhen became crucial. If this Ku Zhen was the real one, it meant Yulin County might be in danger at this very moment.