Green Mountain-Chapter 553 - 415: Diary

Just at 5 p.m., every household in Changping County shut their doors. The usual crowds gathering for opera performances were nowhere to be seen, fearing they might attract trouble.

Mrs. Lu walked ahead, moving as if she were familiar with the way, just like at the Capital Grain Storage.

Chen Ji stared at Aunt Ping, whom he had just met a day ago, and suddenly felt a peculiar sense: usually when he was with others, he had to be meticulous and worry about everything himself, except for Zhang Xia, who could share his burdens; the others were unreliable.

But following this Aunt Ping, it felt like he didn’t need to think, he could just follow along.

As if in a daze, he seemed to return to the first day he had arrived in this world. That gaunt old man with his hands behind his back, like leading a stray cat, took him to the Taiping Medical Hall.

Without turning her head, Mrs. Lu said, "Hurry up."

Chen Ji snapped out of his thoughts, "Okay."

The two of them weaved through alleys and reached Dao Yi Alley. Chen Ji looked up at the plaque reading ’Lin Mansion’ and was astonished, "You even told the Spy Department your real place of residence? I thought you just randomly mentioned a place."

Mrs. Lu drew out a dagger and unlatched the door from the crack, "Why not? Once the Spy Department finds traces of Liao Zhong, they will report to us. Doesn’t that save trouble?"

Chen Ji was stunned. That’s the reasoning, but do you really think of yourself as Hai Dongqing?

Fearless and audacious.

At this moment, Mrs. Lu pushed open the door and walked in as if it were her own place, "Come in."

Chen Ji entered and latched the door behind them, then looked around the courtyard.

The courtyard was simple and tidy, lacking in flowers or plants. The kitchen had cured meat hanging, and the northeast corner was filled with a water jar of clear water,

while neat stacks of firewood lined under the eaves of the east wall, and a few vats of wine were piled in the wing room.

The patches on the window paper layered like fish scales, evidently mended just before last winter.

On the main room, there was a couplet that read, "May the Qilin child be at peace" and "Long may the Qi son be healthy," with the horizontal inscription "Longevity and Fortune Forever."

The handwriting was delicate yet sharp, seemingly personally written by Aunt Ping.

Looking down, Chen Ji noticed a circle worn smooth on the clean blue-brick ground. It seemed someone had practiced steps here for years, the soles of their shoes polishing the bricks to a mirror-like sheen, faintly forming an Eight Diagrams yin and yang fish pattern.

Could this really be Aunt Ping’s usual residence?

Chen Ji asked doubtfully, "If the Spy Department truly finds this place, won’t you have to abandon this mansion?"

Mrs. Lu continued straight to the kitchen, skillfully starting a fire for cooking, "It’s fine, we were leaving anyway."

Curious, Chen Ji asked, "Where are you going?"

Mrs. Lu replied calmly, "Since I came from Jinling, naturally I’m going back to Jinling."

The firelight under the stove reflected in her eyes, the crow’s feet clearly visible in the corners.

Chen Ji sat by the square table in the courtyard, quietly watching the firelight from the stove, akin to observing the oil lamp on the counter of the Taiping Medical Hall.

From the spring hunt until now, finally there was a moment of respite and pause, and he inadvertently drifted into thought.

No one knew how much time had passed when Mrs. Lu brought two bowls of white rice adorned with cured meat and poached eggs to the courtyard.

As Chen Ji reached out to take it, Mrs. Lu instinctively frowned and scolded him, "Wash your hands before eating!"

Chen Ji froze on the spot, and Mrs. Lu too paused.

After two moments of silence, Chen Ji silently got up, scooped water from the jar to wash his hands, and washed his face with the clear water. Mrs. Lu quietly placed the bowls and chopsticks on the stone table in the courtyard, then returned to the main room to change into black clothes and a black veil hat before coming back out.

They sat opposite each other at the stone table, Mrs. Lu said casually, "Sorry, I have a son about your age. Whenever he plays and comes home, he hates washing his hands; dirty, he wants to use chopsticks."

Chen Ji, smiling, picked up the bowl, "No harm done, it’s been a long time since someone reminded me to wash my hands before meals. Thank you, Aunt Ping... Is Aunt Ping’s son in Jinling?"

The black veil of the hat obscured Mrs. Lu’s expression, "Yes, he’s guarding a few acres of paddy fields in the countryside of Jinling. I’ve been away for years, I can hardly remember his face."

Curious, Chen Ji asked, "Why have you been away so long?"

Mrs. Lu held the bowl, even eating she kept the bowl within the black veil, not showing her face, "I was hunted by enemies and left to avoid dragging him down."

She pondered for a moment before asking subtly, "If your mother couldn’t stay with you for long, would you blame her?"

Chen Ji paused his chopsticks, "No. My mother was a very good person; I wouldn’t blame her. If she really left, it must be for something very important."

Mother.

His mother had left forever, but the memories remained.

After his mother passed, she found his mother’s diary while sorting her possessions, reading the scattered entries she had written.

The diary started with, "I want to travel," "I want to go to the seaside," "I don’t want to work," "The manager is an idiot," "Chen Zhe is okay, hmph."

Chen Zhe was Chen Ji’s father’s name.

Later, the diary included, "Why does having a baby make you lose so much hair!" "I must slim back to 105 pounds after childbirth!" "Chen Zhe, you really should die."

Finally, the diary ended with, "The little one can eat solid food today," "The little one can walk today," "The little one starts kindergarten today, I cried so hard!" "The little one grew taller," "Chen Ji still doesn’t eat well, and he sulks with me, I plan on not wanting him anymore, why did he enter the rebellious phase at seven," "The little one got sick again, Chen Zhe isn’t here, Chen Zhe, you should die again."

A child and a mother seemed like the most tragic relationship in this world.

A child spends a lifetime saying goodbye to his mother, while a mother spends a lifetime telling her child to be careful.

The recent words "wash your hands before meals" nearly drew him back to childhood memories, and he realized only afterwards that the person before him wasn’t his mother.

Chen Ji looked up at Mrs. Lu, who was holding a bowl and chopsticks but hadn’t moved for a long time. He softly said, "Were you actually asking if your son would blame you? But I’m not him, I can’t answer that for him... In my opinion, he probably misses you a lot, even dreams of seeing you."

Mrs. Lu looked down at the food in her bowl, seemingly counting each grain of rice.

She set her bowl and chopsticks aside, got up, and went to the wing room to fetch a vat of wine, "Have you ever drunk?"

Chen Ji quickly finished the food in his bowl, "I have. I still owe someone eighty-two bowls of wine, but at the moment I have important matters, so I can’t drink."

Mrs. Lu said earnestly, "You’re only about ten years old, just a child, why carry so much every day?"

Chen Ji was reluctant to talk much about his family. He immediately put down his empty bowl, smiling to change the subject, "Aunt Ping, without a mother, one is no longer a child. I’ll take a nap, you keep watch for the first half of the night, after the second hour, I’ll relieve you."

Saying that, he walked under the eaves, sat down against the wall with the firewood pile, and slept in his clothes.

Mrs. Lu stood still for a long time, watching Chen Ji’s weary expression, picked up the wine vat, and poured herself a small bowl of wine, sipping it lightly.

...

...

At the gate of Changping County, on duty Hai Dongqing quietly instructed his subordinates: "My wife is about to give birth, and I can’t help but worry while I am away for a few days. I will return to the Imperial Capital for a while and be back on duty before sunset tomorrow. If anyone asks, please cover for me."

The subordinates exchanged glances and hurriedly saluted: "Go ahead, sir."

Hai Dongqing mounted his horse and galloped southward, as Changping to the Imperial Capital was only dozens of miles away, making a round trip in a day possible.

But after leaving the line of sight of his subordinates, he suddenly turned his horse westward and only after an hour saw a camp in the distance.

A bonfire burned in the camp, and next to the bonfire sat Bai Long silently, lost in thought.

This leader of the Twelve Signs was neither in Guyuan nor Datong, nor East Camp, but strangely remained ten miles west of Changping County.

And this road was the must-pass way from Changping County to Datong.

Hai Dongqing was stopped in front of the camp, and someone placed a knife against his neck: "Who goes there?"

Hai Dongqing took out his waist tag and proclaimed loudly: "Spy Department, B-Class, Hai Dongqing ’Cheng Fang’, there’s urgent information to report to Lord Bai Long, concerning a wanted criminal, must report in person!"

The voice startled Treasure Monkey in the camp, upon hearing clues about the wanted criminal. Immediately, a woman’s voice from beneath a monkey mask asked: "Quickly, where is the criminal? Why did you come alone, were your colleagues killed?"

"No signs of battle on him," Bai Long smiled by the bonfire: "Coming alone means he’s afraid someone might claim his credit, so he sneaked here. Cheng Fang, you’ve become Hai Dongqing now, discovering a wanted criminal is a significant merit, what do you seek from me?"

Hai Dongqing’s intentions were exposed, he subconsciously lowered his head: "Master, I heard that there’s a vacancy in Hai Dongqing in Yangzhou, and I wish to fill it."

Bai Long was noncommittal: "Let’s talk business first."

Hai Dongqing bowed and saluted: "At dusk, a man and a woman entered Changping County from the West City Gate. A strange woman held a Hai Dongqing domino, and the other person’s features resembled Chen Ji from the arrest warrant. I did not alert them and came to report."

Treasure Monkey looked sharply at Bai Long.

Bai Long was unhurried: "Anything else overlooked?"

Hai Dongqing recalled carefully: "The woman claimed to be under your command, heading to Changping County to arrest the criminal..."

The other spies all stood up, hand on their waist knives.

But at this moment, Bai Long slowly said: "Indeed under my command."

Hai Dongqing was stunned: "Huh?"

Treasure Monkey was also taken aback: "Master, you..."

Bai Long squinted at him: "What?"

Treasure Monkey shrugged his neck: "Nothing."

Underneath the mask, the woman’s voice whispered: "Weren’t we all together with him today, when did he send Hai Dongqing to Changping?"

A raspy voice followed: "Can’t you see, that must be Chen Ji, Bai Long didn’t intend to catch him! That Chen Ji, is clearly Bai Long’s person!"

A shrill voice said: "Bai Long’s harboring a court criminal, we can go back to Jiefan Building and tell Lord Prime Minister, maybe we’ll be in the Top Three."

Bai Long seemed to hear the faint arguing under the masks and turned to look.

Treasure Monkey saw Bai Long turning, quickly uttered a few words in a low voice: "Shut up, all of you!"

All sounds ceased, complete silence.

Treasure Monkey scratched his ear roots anxiously, afraid to utter a sound, every voice under the mask silent as if struck by cold.

Hai Dongqing, who came seeking credit, shivered like a sifter, realizing something was wrong.

He looked at the hundreds of spies by the bonfire, all close confidants of Bai Long, knowing even if he was silenced here, not a word would leak out.

Bai Long scrutinized him: "Cheng Fang? I recall your wife is about to give birth..."

Cheng Fang’s sweat dripped from his forehead: "Spare me, master!"

Bai Long chuckled: "Go home and accompany your wife, don’t return to Changping County anymore, I’ve approved your vacancy, but you know the consequences of reckless speech."

Cheng Fang immediately knelt: "Thank you, master, thank you, master, I will never reveal half a word."

Bai Long waved: "Withdraw now."

After the spies retreated, only Bai Long and Treasure Monkey remained by the bonfire.

Bai Long pondered for a long time, picked up a dry twig, and stoked the bonfire: "Send someone immediately to summon Xuan Snake back, tell him the fugitive appeared in Changping County."

Treasure Monkey was shocked, his original voice tentative: "Master, why call Xuan Snake back, we are loyal to you, willing to do all the dirty and tiring work, how can we let Xuan Snake come back to steal the merit? He’s unscrupulous for position, already leaned towards Wu Xiu, how can he benefit? We should clean the house for Lord Prime Minister!"

Bai Long casually said: "I have my arrangements. Don’t worry about the merit, this time, neither you nor Xuan Snake will get it, but you can get what you dream of."

Treasure Monkey puzzled: "What I dream of?"

Underneath the mask, mixed voices guessed:

"Woman?"

"Gold?"

"Jade?"

"Top Three?"

"Paper kite?"

"Pah, pah, pah, what’s the paper kite for, we can make it for you, you first shut up."

Bai Long leisurely said: "It’s the face of Liao Zhong. Liao Zhong is the last person you seek for unity."

Treasure Monkey was stunned again, unity?!

In the next moment, he shamelessly fell to the ground, kowtowing repeatedly: "Thank you, master! Thank you, Lord Bai Long!"

Underneath the mask, voices stopped him: "Hey, don’t kowtow to him!"

"Stand up!"

"We’re all about to unite, why fear him!"

Bai Long, impatient, turned away towards the camp exit: "Bring the horse, heading to Changping County."