Green Mountain

In the West Wing, Chen Ji stood under the eaves clutching Wu Yun, quietly listening to the distant chanting, letting the scent of burnt paper money waft over the roof.

The warhorses in the stable glanced at Chen Ji and then lowered their heads to chew on the hay. Only a black warhorse refused to eat, staring intently at Chen Ji, snorting loudly.

This warhorse was tall, comparable to Zaozao, and one might wonder if it was the Dragon Seed Axia mentioned.

At this moment, an elderly strong servant came with a quilt, stuffing it into Chen Ji’s arms: "You wash your clothes and quilts with water from the well; you get two sets of clothes each season. If they are worn out or torn, you mend them yourself. If you need the maid’s help, it costs five cents for each piece."

Chen Ji took the quilt into his arms.

The strong servant looked around: "The Second Steward asked me to remind you of what to be careful with; do not move around in the mansion after 9 to 11 PM, and in the daytime, do not approach places with black lanterns."

Chen Ji remained unfazed: "Black lanterns?"

The strong servant shot him a glance: "Don’t be startled when you’re in the Duke Mansion. You’ll understand when you see for yourself. Also, don’t let the mansion know if you’re associating with any maid, or you both will be drowned in the pig cage in Tai’e Pond, and no one will be able to save you."

Chen Ji responded: "I won’t."

He suddenly tested the waters by saying: "I just heard the Duke has passed away; does the mansion need to wear mourning clothes? Where can I get the burlap mourning clothes?"

The strong servant sneered: "You’ve got lots to worry about; wearing mourning clothes is not your place to show loyalty. By the way, tomorrow is New Year’s Eve; pick up thirty pork and green onion dumplings from the kitchen... Tsk tsk, you managed to come just in time, first day here, and you can have dumplings the next; you don’t get such a chance in Linhuang Prefecture every day."

Chen Ji stood there dazed, and by the time he came to himself, the strong servant had already left the West Wing.

He sighed softly, exhaling a long white breath under the eaves: "New Year’s Eve... I was preparing to buy New Year’s goods when I came out, and in the blink of an eye, I’m thousands of miles away."

Wu Yun crawled out of his arms, perching on his shoulder: "Sister Axia probably has no intention of preparing New Year’s things, right? I eavesdropped on her talking to Xiao Man, and Xiao Man said that this year’s Spring Festival couplets would have Sister Axia write the first line, you write the second line, and Xiao Man will paste them herself. In the evening, playing bridge to keep watch on the night, Xiao Man wants to win all your silver..."

Chen Ji softly asked: "What else did they say?"

Wu Yun recalled: "On the morning of the first, Sister Axia wants to make dumplings herself, saying she wants to make mutton and radish fillings. When the Lantern Festival arrives, we will go together to enjoy the lanterns as Sister Axia is great at guessing lantern riddles."

Chen Ji looked at the sky above the eaves and suddenly said: "It must be something very anticipated, very anticipated, to plan everything so meticulously so far in advance."

Wu Yun meowed: "Yes, even though the day hasn’t come yet, just thinking about those things makes one happy."

Chen Ji pondered: "Tomorrow, I’ll get the dumplings, fifteen for you and fifteen for me."

Wu Yun: "Alright!"

Chen Ji thought for a moment: "Duke Huang probably has not passed away, otherwise, how could the Duke Huang Mansion be in the mood to celebrate New Year’s Eve... but that has nothing to do with us. We should be very close to Princess Liyang now; if we find that woman, we can probably persuade her to help us leave the Jing Dynasty. Not just to leave, but to have Princess Liyang’s soldiers help find Aunt Ping. Who knows where Aunt Ping has gone now or if she’s shaken off the pursuers."

Wu Yun volunteered: "I’ll look for the Li Yang Princess Mansion tonight in the dark; if I find it, then tomorrow find a chance to leave Duke Huang Mansion and seek refuge with her."

Chen Ji nodded: "Alright."

...

...

Chen Ji had not slept properly for ten days, squeezing into a small compartment with the boatmen on the Anlan, with snores in his ears and the smell of foot odor in his nose.

Coming to the Jing Dynasty, he slept on the ground under the open sky; sometimes he made do in the snow for a night. It was Old Ears who told him that sleeping in the snow and covering oneself up can be warmer than being exposed.

Chen Ji slept until dusk when suddenly the sound of porcelain shattering came from the main hall, waking him up abruptly, and Wu Yun nearly rolled off his chest.

Then followed the elder’s loud cry: "Duke Huang, has passed away!"

Chen Ji was confused, wondering why the person shouted again?

There were footsteps coming and going outside; he came to the front door of the West Wing, seeing over twenty servants hastily pass by, each holding two black lanterns, not knowing where to hang them.

These black lanterns were painted completely black, with black tassels hanging underneath. As one servant passed by the door, Chen Ji glanced inside the lantern and saw it was hollow, with no candle inside.

The Second Steward followed behind these servants, glaring at Chen Ji as he passed by: "What are you looking at, this has nothing to do with you, close the door!"

Chen Ji silently retreated to the West Wing and closed the door.

He suspiciously said to Wu Yun: "Could it be there are some mysterious official gateways in this Duke Mansion that can bring people back to life? Don’t they summon young subordinates here to exchange their fate?"

Wu Yun also looked uncertain: "We should find Princess Liyang and leave as soon as possible."

The sky grew darker.

When the last trace of the setting sun vanished, Chen Ji lifted Wu Yun onto the rooftop, turned back, and saw the black warhorse still staring directly at him.

This horse should be what Lu Jin referred to as Zhaolei.

Zhaolei, seeing Chen Ji look over, gestured at the vat soaked with black beans with its mouth, but Chen Ji ignored it and just leaned under the eaves, closing his eyes to rest.

Zhaolei’s nostrils expelled white air like an arrow, and in its anger, it wanted to charge at Chen Ji, but its mouth was pulled by an iron chain, unable to break free, causing the stable to creak.

Chen Ji listened to the sounds from the stable and closed his eyes to rest.

Uncertain of how much time passed, the voice of a night patrol outside the Duke Mansion came: "Human fixed!"

The reporting of night watches in the Jing Dynasty was concise and powerful; the first watch was "Twilight," the second was "Human fixed," the third was "Midnight," the fourth was "Rooster crowing," and the fifth was "Dawn."

Chen Ji hadn’t seen Wu Yun return yet, but instead, he heard someone gently lifting the latch outside the courtyard gate.

With a click, the door opened.

Chen Ji opened his eyes, standing under the eaves with his arms crossed, calmly watching the other person gently push open the courtyard gate and quietly walk towards the stable.

In the moonlight, the visitor appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a coarse white linen top, a thick rope tied around his head, with loose flax strands draping down his back. Another thick rope was tied at his waist, and barefoot in the chilly months, he wore a pair of white straw sandals.

Mourning attire.

Chen Ji squinted his eyes, noticing that the edge of the other person’s linen clothes was sewn neatly with stitches... Could he be a distant relative of Duke Huang?

There are rules for mourning attire: close relatives’ mourning clothes should have unsewn edges with visible raw fibers, known as "cut but not sewn." However, the neat-sewn mourning clothes worn by this youth were usually for distant relatives.

The youth was completely unaware someone was watching him from the shadows as he quietly approached the stable and reached up to stroke Zhaolei’s cheek, "Don’t be afraid, I’ll send you off now."

But Zhaolei wasn’t intimate with him and turned his head to avoid the youth’s hand.

The youth sulked and said, "If you don’t want me to touch you, then fine, but don’t move around later; otherwise, you won’t be able to escape."

With that, he squatted beside Zhaolei, took out some pieces of cotton cloth from his bosom, and wrapped them around the horse’s hooves. The previously restless Zhaolei unexpectedly calmed down and quietly lowered its head to watch.

At this moment, Zhaolei became uneasy again, snorting and stamping its hooves.

The youth squatted on the ground, and slowly a shadow enveloped him from behind. He suddenly turned his head to look at Chen Ji behind him, "Who are you, where is Bai Liu?"

Chen Ji replied calmly, "I’m the new stableman Bai Wu, who are you?"

The youth was stunned for a moment, "I... you don’t recognize me?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "Just arrived, don’t recognize you."

The youth hastily explained, "I belong to the Bai Family, my name is Bai Xingzhen."

Chen Ji acknowledged with a noise.

Bai Xingzhen, feeling guilty, said, "I’m taking Zhaolei out, please don’t tell anyone."

Chen Ji shook his head again, "I’m the stableman of the Duke Mansion; if something happens to Zhaolei, I’ll get into trouble too. Come with me, I need to report this to the Second Steward."

"No, no, no," the youth Bai Xingzhen panicked and stood up quickly, "I won’t take it out, just don’t tell anyone."

Chen Ji replied nonchalantly, "Someone is trying to steal a horse; how can I not report it?"

Bai Xingzhen, irritated, said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Zhaolei is my horse, how is it stealing?"

"Oh?" Chen Ji looked Bai Xingzhen up and down, "Isn’t this Duke Huang’s horse? How did it become yours?"

Bai Xingzhen hesitated but then explained, "The Duke is gravely ill and can’t ride anymore, and he has promised to give Zhaolei to me, so naturally it’s mine."

Chen Ji turned to walk away, "I’ll go ask the Second Steward about this."

Just as he took a step, Bai Xingzhen grabbed his sleeve anxiously, "I’ve told you not to report this, why won’t you listen?"

Chen Ji twisted the youth’s wrist in reverse, pinning his arm behind his back, "Don’t mess around. Guarding the horses is my duty; how can I neglect it?"

Bai Xingzhen grimaced in pain, "Ouch, ouch, let go!"

Zhaolei, seeing Chen Ji restrain Bai Xingzhen, immediately struggled against the chain to rush outside, but Chen Ji merely placed his hand on its forehead and it suddenly calmed down.

Bai Xingzhen, ignoring the pain, stood still in shock, "How did you do that? Teach me!"

Chen Ji, unfazed, said, "Let’s go meet the Second Steward first."

Bai Xingzhen, anxiously, "What do you want? I’ll give you Silver!"

Seeing his goal achieved, Chen Ji released his hold and said slowly, "I can keep this a secret, but I have something to ask you."

Bai Xingzhen stepped back to Zhaolei’s side, rubbing his wrist, "Ask?"

Chen Ji acknowledged, "Do you know about Li..."

Mid-sentence, he changed the question, "Why are they breaking white porcelain, burning paper money, and performing rituals in the main hall?"

Bai Xingzhen suddenly realized, "You mean that... how do you not know about this?"

"Told you, I just arrived."

Bai Xingzhen thought for a moment, "Let me touch Zhaolei, and I’ll tell you."

Chen Ji placed his hand on Zhaolei’s forehead, "Go ahead."

Bai Xingzhen’s eyes shone as he raised his hand to stroke Zhaolei’s cheeks and mane, also leaning in to rub against Zhaolei’s neck, then turned to look at Chen Ji, "The matter with the white porcelain isn’t much of a secret in the Duke Mansion. Lord Duke’s health isn’t well; many Imperial Physicians came and all said he wouldn’t live past eight years old. Then a traveling Taoist came by and said that Lord Duke was actually settled in old debts from a previous life and that he’d have to repay them in this life."

Chen Ji muttered, "Sounds superstitious."

Bai Xingzhen, still rubbing his wrist, continued, "Lord Duke then asked if there was any way, the Taoist said such a method is not lightly shared and required agreement to a request to impart life-saving techniques."

"What request?"

Bai Xingzhen’s eyes drifted, "How would I know? I only know that the Taoist taught a method, to write down Lord Duke’s birthdate on a piece of white porcelain and smash it at noon and evening each day, symbolically dying and repaying debts. Each day of smashing would earn Lord Duke another day of life. Mind you, those ten-plus Imperial Physicians said Lord Duke wouldn’t live past eight, yet this method allowed him to live so many more years."

Chen Ji leaned against the stable’s pillar, lost in thought, "Do you think Duke Huang’s illness might have been caused by this Taoist?"

Bai Xingzhen froze, stroking Zhaolei’s mane, his hand coming to a standstill, "Makes sense!"

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