Green Mountain

Outside the soup kitchen, the voices of the people were clamorous.

Some asked the people in front if there was enough porridge left, if it would be enough for them to get their share; some asked if the porridge was thick enough, not just thin gruel; some watched others receive their porridge and leave with bowls in hand, clicking their tongues in envy.

Amidst this clamor, a voice stood out clearly: "Please take my pulse."

Old Yao, who had been writing a prescription, paused with his hand suspended over the paper. He slowly looked up in the direction of the voice and saw Chen Ji smiling broadly. Even at the age of ninety-three, Old Yao was momentarily stunned.

After a moment, he glanced at the person keeping watch outside the soup kitchen, nonchalantly placing his fingers on Chen Ji’s pulse: "Is your head feeling unwell?"

Chen Ji, half-amused, half-frustrated: "What are you saying? My head is perfectly fine."

Old Yao, with a forced smile: "You’re married, but instead of staying home to have children, you come here. Either there’s something wrong with your body or your head."

Chen Ji exhaled a long breath and remarked, "Before coming, I thought for sure you’d scold me. But if you didn’t, I’d actually feel a bit uneasy."

Old Yao snorted coldly, looking at his apprentice for a long time. A pile of sharp words at the tip of his tongue eventually turned into a soft sigh: "You’ve had a rough year, haven’t you?"

Chen Ji froze in place.

Master Bai Xingzhen hid behind Chen Ji, looking back and forth between Chen Ji and Old Yao, his eyes darting around continuously.

At this moment, the people in line behind urged Chen Ji: "Are you done yet? You’re taking too long. Hurry up and get the prescription before leaving!"

"Exactly!"

Suddenly, Princess Liyang said to Yuan Yun, "Go bring the basket with the benefits."

Reluctantly, Yuan Yun brought a basket full of copper coins wrapped in red paper.

Princess Liyang grabbed some benefits and loudly proclaimed: "On the occasion of the year’s end, after a busy day of livelihood, as the new year approaches, I hope everyone’s business prospers, that you lack neither food nor clothing. Come here to collect your share of the benefits. Everyone gets a part."

Seeing there were benefits to be collected, the people no longer stayed in line for treatment or complained, but instead rushed over to Princess Liyang.

Chen Ji gave Princess Liyang a meaningful look, then glanced at Bai Xingzhen beside him.

Princess Liyang looked at Bai Xingzhen, and upon clearly seeing his face, she was stunned. She then gritted her teeth, signaled her subordinates to come and led Bai Xingzhen aside.

Bai Xingzhen struggled desperately, but was still gagged by the subordinates and dragged under the soup kitchen.

With no worries left, Chen Ji whispered, "Master, I’ve left Taiping Medical Hall to Liu Quxing. She Dengke caused a bit of trouble, but the Spy Department let him return to Luocheng City, where he’s likely attending a performance with his brother."

Old Yao lifted his eyelids and glanced at him: "There’s been a message from the Imperial Capital, I already know. You kept She Dengke because you’re afraid of facing me without explanations, right? Otherwise, with your vengeful nature, he shouldn’t have left the Imperial Capital alive."

Chen Ji chuckled: "How could that be? After all, we’re fellow apprentices, and he was coerced. By the way, I met master Yao An. He’s now with the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department. He killed the Imperial Hospital Director and set Shaojiu Alley ablaze. He also exposed the Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture to the public, forcing the Jiefan Guard of the Ning Dynasty to issue a sea arrest warrant for me. That’s how I faked my death to escape and avoid implicating the Zhang Family."

Old Yao’s fingers suddenly tightened on Chen Ji’s pulse point.

Chen Ji said softly, "The master seems to have taken a deviant path, being able to devour others’ internal organs and turn them into Chang Ghosts. I’ve encountered six such ghosts. I killed his ghosts, so he should be severely injured, hiding somewhere to recover..."

Old Yao’s face grew heavy, saying, "If you encounter him again, never show leniency out of camaraderie, he won’t spare any for you. If there’s a chance to kill him, don’t miss it."

Chen Ji nodded: "I know... Why didn’t you kill him back then?"

Old Yao hesitated for a moment before sighing, "Don’t follow my example."

Chen Ji smiled and changed the topic: "Master, why are you in the Jing Dynasty?"

Old Yao shook his head: "Don’t meddle in matters that don’t concern you."

Chen Ji also shook his head: "Are you going to kill the Mountain Master for me?"

Old Yao snorted: "You’re really overestimating yourself. Just because I’m your master, do you think everything revolves around you? I have my own matters to attend to, so don’t meddle. I’ll have Liyang find a way to get you out of the Jing Dynasty, go back and have kids quickly. If you dawdle any longer, I’m afraid I won’t wait."

Chen Ji nodded, "Even if you can’t wait, I won’t blame you."

Old Yao’s eyes suddenly widened, laughing in anger: "Your tongue has gotten sharper, use this talent to charm your wife, not to annoy me!"

At this point, Old Yao noticed the spies watching them, and immediately lowered his head, pretending to write a prescription.

Chen Ji subtly took a rolled letter from his sleeve and slipped it into the other’s hand: "Mr. Feng asked me to give this to you. He’s now the Chief Steward of Duke Huang Mansion."

Old Yao saw the letter slipped into his sleeve and took off a string of Buddhist Treasure from his wrist to hand to Chen Ji.

Chen Ji asked suspiciously, "Why are you giving me this?"

Old Yao impatiently replied, "It’s not for you, it’s for your wife. I’m grateful she saved you, otherwise you might still be standing at the Qi Family’s door making a fool of yourself. I also should thank her for marrying you, otherwise with your temperament, you might never find a wife in your lifetime."

Chen Ji chuckled, "Alright, I’ll hold onto it for her and give it to her when I return."

Old Yao’s gaze swept over the people spying on them, and as someone suspiciously approached, he immediately handed the prescription he’d written to Chen Ji, "Leave now, we’ll meet again on Lantern Festival Night."

Chen Ji took the prescription.

Old Yao loudly informed the spies, "You have a deficiency in kidney yin, water is overpowering fire, frequent urination, tongue is swollen with a white coating, pulse is deep and slow, make sure to take the medicine according to the prescription, otherwise..."

Chen Ji grumbled, "You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you."

Old Yao whispered, "Get out of here now."

As they spoke, seven or eight spies approached, blocking all of Chen Ji’s pathways.

Princess Liyang, upon seeing the situation, immediately scattered the remaining benefits from her basket into the air, "Out with the old, in with the new, may every family eliminate disasters and difficulties, and enjoy a worry-free year!"

As Princess Liyang threw the benefits, it was like a rain of red falling from the sky. The originally well-ordered line outside the porridge stall was thrown into chaos, as people rushed forward to grab the benefits.

Chen Ji lowered his head and walked away. When passing by Bai Xingzhen, he grabbed the young man’s collar and blended into the crowd. The spies tried to follow him, but were blocked by the crowd scrambling for the benefits, helplessly watching as he disappeared into the sea of people.

...

...

Chen Ji released Bai Xingzhen and unfolded the prescription in his hand, on which was written: Pingkang Square, South Song.

This was the place Old Yao had agreed upon to meet him on Lantern Festival Night.

Bai Xingzhen cautiously tidied his collar, smoothed out his clothes, and came closer. Just as he was about to sneak a peek at the words on the prescription, Chen Ji had already folded it up again and tucked it into his sleeve.

Bai Xingzhen snorted, "Who cares to look... You’re not part of my Bai family’s subordinates, right? I heard from the Chief Steward that your group was just transferred here from Linhuang Prefecture. How do you know Princess Liyang and her companion?"

Chen Ji offhandedly replied, "I was just there to consult on a medical issue, I don’t know them."

Bai Xingzhen gaped, tilting his head to scrutinize Chen Ji, "Do you think I’m a fool? If you didn’t know them, would Princess Liyang go out of her way to protect you twice? I originally thought you were a death soldier she secretly trained, but now it seems more like she’s your death soldier... Who exactly are you, and why are you lurking within my Bai family? Are you planning to assassinate Duke Huang?"

Chen Ji stopped, staring intently at Bai Xingzhen, who involuntarily took a step back, "You’re not going to kill me to silence me, are you? There are plenty of people here, if you kill me, you won’t escape."

Chen Ji suddenly said, "Don’t make a scene, I’ll take you to East Market later to see puppet shows and wrestling."

Bai Xingzhen sneered, "Trying to buy me off like that? Dream on."

Chen Ji continued, "Tomorrow I’ll take you to the West Market to see illusion techniques and rope skills, watch a rope master climb into the clouds. Without me, no one else would dare to take you out of the Duke’s Mansion. Rest assured, I bear no ill will towards Duke Huang, I’m just compelled to be here and will leave soon."

Bai Xingzhen pondered for a while, ultimately showing a hint of struggle, "I want to go see the lanterns on Lantern Festival Night, go to the Hua`e Xianghui Building to watch the grand banquet with music. I’ve heard the lamp wheels and lamp trees are as tall as mountains, twenty zhang high, with fifty thousand lanterns hanging... though that’s probably exaggerated. I also want to go to Kujue Temple, where they say there’s a lamp tower before Yanhui Tower, rarely allowing outsiders to climb up and overlook Shangjing City."

Chen Ji walked on, "Deal."

Bai Xingzhen’s eyes lit up, "You sure are bold, daring to agree to anything."

Chen Ji casually asked, "Kid, how do I get to Pingkang Square, and what is South Song?"

Bai Xingzhen sneered, "Calling me kid? Do subordinates address their master’s family like that? You contemptible wretch, quick to use others and discard them, earlier you even incited them to cover my mouth, you’re doomed!"

Chen Ji glanced at him, "If I die, who’s going to take you to see the lanterns at the Lantern Festival?"

"That’s true," Bai Xingzhen’s eyes darted, "You’ve arranged to meet at Pingkang Square, haven’t you? Tell me what you’re scheming, as long as it’s not treasonous, maybe if you ask nicely, I can help you."

Chen Ji didn’t even look at him, "No need, I can handle it myself."

Bai Xingzhen didn’t get discouraged, his eyes sparkling as he mumbled, "Is that old man an acquaintance of the Mountain Master who helped Your Majesty ascend the throne, did he really come from the Temple of Martial Arts, and did you come from there as well? Between you and Chang Sheng, who’s more skilled? Have you met Aunt Qiu Bai? I heard she’s a Martial Fool, always challenging Chang Sheng. Does the Mountain Master eat and use the restroom like normal, or has he already stopped as the rumors say, living like an Immortal?"

Chen Ji didn’t respond at all.

Bai Xingzhen huffed, "What’s with the attitude!"

As they passed a rouge shop, Bai Xingzhen saw a woman inside using a small piece of red rouge to tint her lips, and he couldn’t help but pause to take a few more glances. In the shop, there was eyebrow ink for painting brows, pearl powder for facial application, a dazzling array.

Noticing Chen Ji was about to walk far off on his own, Bai Xingzhen begrudgingly followed along, grumbling.

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