Green Mountain-Chapter 570 - 430: The Courage-Steadying Sword

Seeking riches involves taking risks, and risks can also lead to losing riches; the chance of gaining is one in ten, while the chance of losing is nine in ten.

The Chen family has stood at the court for hundreds of years, witnessing countless fleeting visitors and gamblers, enduring many born geniuses; their survival is not due to constant victory but rather to consistent non-defeat.

The reason Chen Ji dares to come to Wendan Hall is because he deeply understands that the Chen family stands with the Crown Prince out of necessity. If there is a chance to change allegiance, the Chen family will not miss it.

Chen Lizun rose and respectfully addressed Official Chen: "Father, I will personally visit the Qi family."

Official Chen shook his head: "No need for you to go personally; you can send Chen Huang by your side instead, and make it a grand display."

Chen Lizun was startled and responded softly: "Yes."

After Chen Lizun left, Official Chen turned to Chen Ji: "Do you know why I didn’t let your uncle go himself?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment: "Noble people speak slowly."

Official Chen stroked his beard and pondered for two breaths: "A good interpretation of ’noble people speak slowly’, that is indeed the intention."

As they say, noble people speak slowly, implying thoughtful consideration before they speak.

But there’s another layer of meaning: petty people speak quickly as if pouring beans from a bamboo tube, fearing you won’t believe them. Noble people have the confidence of nobility; they do not need to speak frantically nor persuade you; you may believe or not believe as you wish.

At this time, Chen Ji has been ennobled, and with Prince Fu leading the horses for him, even if the Qi family isn’t willing for a marriage alliance, there are still the Hu family, Xu family, and Yang family. Therefore, sending Chen Lizun would be too ceremonious and might seem like forcing a marriage.

Sending a housekeeper like Chen Huang is just right.

Chen Lizhi did not wish to hear more, rose, and headed out: "Family Head, night is falling. Rest early."

Official Chen said slowly: "Did I give you leave?"

Chen Lizhi turned abruptly and narrowed his eyes slightly: "What else do you want, Family Head?"

Official Chen did not rush to answer; instead, he stood up and stepped to the east side of Wendan Hall.

Dressed in a vibrant official robe, he gingerly took a long sword from the rack: "Everyone knows this sword belonged to my Chen family ancestor during the founding battles alongside the Ning Dynasty’s first emperor. The sword in the Forbidden City is called ’Nation-Suppressor’. Ours is called ’Courage-Suppressor’."

Chen Lizhi gathered his hands inside his official robe, standing straight like a dry pine, as if ready to let go completely: "Old man, these family treasures originally belonged to my house; I am well familiar, no need for your introduction."

Official Chen shook his head and pointed the sword at Chen Lizhi: "You are unaware. This sword broke over two hundred years ago. The one you see now was reforged by then-Family Head Chen Zhongzi, who sought renowned craftsman Zhou Ye to recreate it."

Chen Lizhi was taken aback: "Why didn’t I know?"

Official Chen casually replied: "Among the thirty thousand volumes in Little Yingtai’s Kuizhang Pavilion is an essay by Chen Zhongzi documenting this matter. Young people today are less interested in reading, unfamiliar with family affairs, and even more so with state affairs... Do you know why he recorded this event?"

Chen Lizhi raised his eyebrows and returned to his chair, lifting a tea cup: "Speak if you want to."

Official Chen gently caressed the sword’s blade: "He recorded it to tell the Chen family descendants that even a founding sword can be reforged if broken. In this world, there aren’t insurmountable obstacles; the Chen family has been forging anew time and again."

Chen Lizhi no longer concealed, sneering: "You mean to say, you took over the Chen family’s business as a bastard son, also considered reforging a broken sword?"

Official Chen returned to the hall, but instead of sitting on the chief Taishi Chair, he carried the Courage-Suppressor sword to Chen Lizhi: "Jingshu, you’ve felt for years that I orchestrated the murder of your father and conspired with the third house and clan elders to seize the Chen family’s business; right and wrong."

Chen Lizhi’s countenance changed, his thoughts exposed.

"Why not be open and honest," Official Chen shook his head: "If I were responsible for your father’s demise, could I have kept you until today? Do you think the old man lacks the means to eradicate every trace?"

Chen Lizhi unconsciously gripped the armrest tightly.

Nowadays, the second house has been nearly eradicated, leaving only a few minor backers. If Chen Luchi was determined for total eradication, he indeed wouldn’t survive until today.

Official Chen suddenly placed the Courage-Suppressor sword against Chen Lizhi’s shoulder; Chen Lizhi remained unfazed: "What, are you planning to kill me in Wendan Hall? How would you face the ancestors?"

Official Chen withdrew the Courage-Suppressor sword, held the blade, and offered the hilt to Chen Lizhi: "If you want to avenge your father now, you can take this sword and kill me."

Inside Wendan Hall, cold gleams erupted.

The sword tip faced Official Chen, while the hilt was right in front of Chen Lizhi’s nose.

Official Chen shed his former frail appearance, looking more like a titular hero adept at political maneuvering.

Chen Lizhi hesitated, Chen Xu was not beside him, and Chen Ji might not intervene. Should he take the sword, he might kill his enemy in front.

But his fingers twitched before finally not reaching out for the sword.

Official Chen chuckled, tossing the Courage-Suppressor sword to Chen Ji: "Put it back."

He lifted his robe hem and sat on a chair opposite Chen Lizhi: "Since you’re unwilling to act, why not allow me to recount the events of those days?"

Chen Lizhi coldly responded: "Speak."

Official Chen recalled: "That day was Laba, your father led the Chen family members outside the city to Yuanjue Temple for blessing and porridge distribution, which was customary for the Chen family, no secret. Upon entering Yuanjue Temple and reaching the Great Hall, a young man suddenly rushed over and whispered a few words at his ear; he then left the guards at Yuanjue Temple to watch over the family alone and led four Guest Elders away, as informants were not scarce, with dozens of witnesses present."

```

Chen Lizhi snarled, "If the mastermind can’t be found, then whoever benefits is the mastermind! My father’s head is still displayed in the Jing Dynasty’s Imperial Palace; if I don’t avenge this, I can’t eat or sleep well, and I have no face to meet him in the afterlife! And you, after my father’s death, you devoured our family property and rose to power effortlessly!"

Chen Ji walked towards the east side of the Wendan Hall, holding the Zhendanjian, hiding his expression.

Now he had inferred from various clues that the assassination of the Minister of Revenue back then was orchestrated by his "biological mother," Mrs. Lu, yet he was unaware it was also intertwined with the longstanding resentment of the Chen family.

"I know you were very close to your father, and I admire that," Official Chen looked at him: "But someone examined the scene at the time, and there were only Lu Jin’s footprints, an outsider, in the snow. That day, heavy snow covered the path, without error."

Chen Lizhi said in a deep voice, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Official Chen asked, "What was the cultivation realm of the four Guest Elders beside your father?"

"One Grand Official in the Seeking Dao Realm, three Innate," he replied.

"I also thought it was Lu Jin who executed the assassination," Official Chen asked again, "but have you ever considered, all these years, has anyone ever mentioned Lu Jin being a Grand Official? Has anyone ever seen him display his power? In Jianing 27th Year, there was a secret report from Jing Dynasty that Lu Jin was assassinated. The assassin was just a third-rank Executive Officer in the Innate Realm, yet he managed to stab Lu Jin in the left leg."

But Chen Lizhi sneered, "Are you kidding me? By Jianing 27th Year, Lu Jin was already a Standard Third Rank, his entire cultivation dissipated, naturally no match for someone in the Innate Realm."

Official Chen shook his head, "That’s why I said it was a secret report. The promotion and the assassination happened on the same day, but someone deliberately blurred the facts, making it seem as if he was assassinated post receiving the Imperial Decree. But that wasn’t the case. My men confirmed the assassination occurred at Noon, whereas the decree was received in the evening, at Shenshi... His promotion to Standard Third Rank was after he had been assassinated."

Inside the Wendan Hall, Chen Ji turned his back to the two, placing the Zhendanjian back on the shelf.

He had dealt with Grand Officials in the Seeking Dao Realm; even with Liao Zhong being on his last legs, he dared not claim he could definitely kill Liao Zhong; ultimately, he had relied on Aunt Ping to act.

If Lu Jin was indeed a Grand Official, he wouldn’t have been assassinated by an Executive Officer in the Innate Realm. If not, then the real murderer of the Chen family’s Minister of Revenue is someone else entirely.

Present at the scene that day, the only person capable of assassinating the Chen family’s Minister of Revenue, was the Seeking Dao Realm Guest Elder by his side; it couldn’t have been anyone else.

Chen Lizhi said in a deep voice, "But that Guest Elder also died; how would he die if he was in collusion?"

Official Chen looked at him: "I also borrowed the files from Jiefan Building through the Prime Minister and discovered that the Guest Elder died a few dozen yards outside your father’s sedan chair, pierced from the back to the heart."

Chen Lizhi frowned, "An ambush?"

Official Chen nodded, "Indeed. I suspect this person was in collusion with Lu Jin, but after assassinating your father, was killed from close range by Lu Jin’s ambush... He trusted Lu Jin a lot."

Chen Ji turned his back to both of them, closing his eyes, lost in thought.

After Lu Jin defected, he took the head of the Minister of Revenue and fled all the way to the Jing Dynasty, disappearing for two months before reappearing.

Why would he do that?

At this time, Official Chen continued, "Do you remember that Guest Elder’s identity? Let me tell you, this person was originally a thousand-household officer in the Guyuan Border Army, Zhou Che. He returned to the Imperial Capital after being injured in earlier years and sought a position under the Chen family’s employment."

Without waiting for Chen Lizhi to speak, Official Chen continued, "You are more aware than I am of what your father did to the Guyuan Border Army’s General Qing Wentao. I am not aware of why they would join forces, but this matter certainly has nothing to do with me."

Chen Lizhi’s expression flickered under the candlelight, unable to say anything for a moment.

Official Chen slowly stood up, returning to the main Taishi Chair to sit down, "You hate me for taking the Minister of Revenue’s position, but if I hadn’t taken it at the time, who in the Chen family could? You? You were incapable, inexperienced at that time. Should I have watched as the power was taken away and devoured by others?"

Chen Lizhi gave a cold laugh but didn’t respond.

"Jingshu," Official Chen said hoarsely, "Within the family, fights do not break us apart. This is the reason I have tolerated you all these years. You are, after all, the Chen family’s backbone. Chen Ji can’t hold an official position, nor serve as a cabinet minister, so I will pass the position of Minister of Revenue to your son, Chen Yu, in the future." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Chen Lizhi’s face was shocked, "Are you willing? Why not give it to Chen Lizun?"

"Shao Fu is timid and cowardly, unable to support our vast Chen family," Official Chen wearily waved his hand, "Go, I am tired."

Jingshu was the courtesy name of Chen Lizhi, and Shao Fu was Chen Lizun’s courtesy name. Neither Chen Lizhi nor Chen Ji anticipated that Official Chen intended to return the Chen family’s authority to the second house.

Chen Lizhi rose and cupped his hands, "Over the years, I have misunderstood the Family Head, farewell."

He turned and stepped out of the Wendan Hall, walking towards the Qingzheng Garden.

Housekeeper Wang Duo followed obliquely behind Chen Lizhi, whispering, "Master, do you believe it?"

Chen Lizhi sneered, flicking his robe sleeves, "The old man gave me a way down, do you think I’m that lacking in consideration? We’ll see!"

At this time, Chen Xu strode forward to meet them.

Chen Lizhi glanced sidelong at him, "What’s the rush?"

Chen Xu gave him a look, "The Qi family, the Hu family, and the Yang family have all sent people; Qi Xianshu from the Qi family, Hu Junye from the Hu family, and Yang Zhan from the Yang family."

Chen Lizhi raised an eyebrow, "What are these people doing at my Chen family home in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

Passing by him, Chen Xu replied without turning back, "Naturally, they’re here for Young Master Chen Ji’s marriage proposal."

Chen Lizhi spat on the ground, "Pah, that kid’s quite the attractive catch now?"