Green Mountain-Chapter 584 - 443: Underlying Currents Surge (End of Volume 6)
Chen Ji stood under the enormous shadow outside the Imperial Palace Gate, where the Yanchi Building on the city wall cast a shadow, like an official hat that covered the sky and sun.
Night Patrol.
Inspector General of the Imperial Camp.
Neither of these positions was what he wanted.
He turned his head, wishing to see the distant Jingyang Palace, but it was obscured by the large red palace walls of the Imperial Palace Gate.
By this time, the palace music of the Imperial Academy had already started; even from afar, one could hear the sound of bell and chime. The Qionglin Banquet must be bustling with noise, clinking glasses and shadows of lit pavilions.
But this bustle did not belong to him.
Chen Ji adjusted his collar and walked south.
Chen Xu stood under the moonlight outside Chengtian Gate, hands tucked in his sleeves, nodding slightly: "Young master, you’ve won this round. Master specially instructed me earlier to congratulate you upon your exit from the palace."
Chen Ji faced Chen Xu: "Just one congratulation?"
Chen Xu smiled and took off a string of Buddhist Treasures from his left wrist: "Once your mourning period ends, Master will open the family shrine to adopt you into the main household. Also, here is twelve thousand nine hundred and sixty taels of silver, Master said it’s to make up for the monthly salary you missed as the eldest grandson of the main house all these years."
Having said that, Chen Xu took another string of Buddhist Treasures from his right wrist: "This is not from the Chen family, it’s a gift from the Family Head as a grandfather to his eldest grandson, ten thousand taels of silver, please kindly accept it, young master."
Chen Ji looked down at the Buddhist Treasures on Chen Xu’s wrists, accepting them would mean acknowledging his identity as the eldest grandson of the main house.
He accepted the Buddhist Treasures without any pretense, wearing them on his left wrist: "Thank you."
Chen Xu smiled: "You’re welcome. Your Majesty appointed you to Night Patrol, it is evident from this grace that Your Majesty favors you. When you return to the Imperial Capital, there will certainly be more important responsibilities awaiting, I hereby congratulate you in advance for your triumphant return from Chongli Pass."
Chen Ji suddenly asked: "Did Second Master say anything before he died?"
Chen Xu was silent for a moment, then spoke truthfully: "Before Second Master passed, he asked for a cup of good tea, Longjing freshly picked before the Ming, one bud and one leaf. After drinking the tea, he said there was no room for complaint as victors are king, losers are bandits, he simply lacked the skill. His only request was for the Family Head to spare Chen Wende’s life and send him overseas."
"A good son, also a good father," Chen Ji asked again: "How did Second Master pass?"
Chen Xu said calmly: "Second Master stepped on a chair and hanged himself with white silk."
"Quite dignified," Chen Ji turned and continued south.
...
...
Chen Ji turned right after passing Zhengyang Gate and walked all the way to the back door of Meihua Ferry Crossing. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
The men here were already four new faces and did not recognize Chen Ji.
Seeing him approach, the men immediately hid their hands behind their waists, gripping daggers warily: "Where do you come from, sir?"
Chen Ji responded calmly: "From Kunlun Mountain."
The man asked again: "Did you see a white crane fly by?"
Chen Ji raised a thumb: "Only saw colorful clouds."
The man respectfully clasped his fists: "Ah, it is the Landlord, Brother Pao is waiting for you in Meirui Building."
One person opened the back door, stepping aside to allow Chen Ji through. Chen Ji followed the path to the front of Meirui Building, but found the place entirely dark and deserted.
There was no sound of an abacus, nor any accountant master.
He pushed open the main door, climbing to the tallest floor of Meirui Building, where he saw Brother Pao leaning against the railing, slowly smoking a pipe.
It seemed he was waiting there for someone.
Brother Pao’s fingernails were gone, leaving only bloody nail beds. His black cloth shirt hung loosely on him, chest open, with circles of white bandages wrapped around his chest and abdomen, carrying a strong smell of ointment from afar.
Hearing footsteps, Brother Pao spoke without turning his head: "I had Er Dao distill the wine several times, but couldn’t produce the alcohol I wanted, not sure if it can really disinfect and reduce inflammation... Used to be too focused on making money and suffered from a lack of education, finally had him buy the best wound salve from the pharmacy for me."
Chen Ji stood next to him, looking out from the high floor at the brilliant lights of the Imperial Capital: "I heard you didn’t say anything."
Brother Pao chuckled, took a deep puff: "I’d received beatings back home too, thought I had prepared myself mentally, but almost couldn’t endure it. Thinking about it now, those who can withstand harsh interrogations are truly remarkable."
Chen Ji also chuckled: "Do you blame me?"
Brother Pao sighed: "It would be a lie to say I don’t blame you at all, after all, it was you who purposefully delivered me into the hands of the other side."
The sounds of flutes and bells from the Eight Great Hutongs suddenly stopped, as if leaving a quiet night for the two to speak openly.
That day, Chen Ji knew the Chen family’s second house would desperately seek him but never warned Brother Pao to be cautious, so Brother Pao knew this was indeed a test prepared by Chen Ji for him.
Brother Pao tapped his cigarette ash on the wooden railing, saying offhandedly: "I know you’re a cold person, never easily trusting others, so this hurdle was bound to happen, just destined that I would never be considered one of your own. I also knew you intentionally left flaws for the Chen family’s second house to capture me, and when you informed me of the Zhang family’s Death Soldier’s hideout, you wanted to test if I would reveal that place."
Chen Ji remained silent.
Just as Brother Pao surmised, he intentionally did it this way.
Brother Pao chuckled: "Ordinary people, if calculated by their relatives like you were, would probably act like you too. I’ve been through it, so I understand why you did it. Don’t worry, I won’t hold a grudge, I’m just curious how big your plan is that you need someone who is entirely trustworthy?"
Chen Ji leaned against the railing, exhaled a long breath: "I want to save Princess Bai Li."
Brother Pao relaxed his body: "Finally, I’m one of your own, feels good... So that’s the Princess Bai Li who is under house arrest in Jingyang Palace, I’ve heard your story. Recently, some esteemed guests from the Ministry of Rites visited Meihua Ferry Crossing, giving Liu Xingshou several invitations to the Imperial Music Bureau’s Danbi Grand Music Hall, she invited Er Dao and me to see the Four Dreams of Bianliang, and we cried till we were drenched in tears."
