Green Mountain

Winter, the 32nd year of Jianing, Cabinet Minister Qi Xun passed away.

Spring, the 33rd year of Jianing, the Grand Secretary Xu Gong passed away.

In three months, the Ning Dynasty lost two cabinet ministers, and the people were momentarily uneasy, as if the heavens were foretelling the Daning Dynasty’s doom.

The once lively Xu Family, seeing Xu Shu inherit the family estate, suddenly dispersed. The Xu family members each harbored their thoughts, returning to their hometowns, contemplating how to deal with the main family’s audit.

Xu Chuanxi and Xu Chuanyin were nowhere to be found, and ultimately Mrs. Zhang, along with Xu Biao, Zhang Xia, and Xiao Man, arranged the small and grand funeral rites, greeting and bidding farewell.

But the officials coming to offer condolences did not come to the Xu Family’s mourning hall; the vast Xu household was cold and desolate, with only officials from the Ministry of Personnel coming.

Upon inquiry, Mrs. Zhang discovered that the rest of the mourners had gone to the private residences of Xu Chuanxi and Xu Chuanyin. Those unaware might think that Official Xu’s remains were split in two, laid separately in those two private residences.

Mrs. Zhang asked Xu Shu what he intended to do, but Xu Shu remained kneeling in the mourning hall, silent, lacking his usual carefree demeanor, pondering something.

On the seventh day, the palace sent a red banner of one-and-a-half feet inscribed with "The Coffin of the Grand Scholar of the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Academy, Mr. Xu," escorted by twenty Jiefan Guards, as the legitimate eldest son Xu Shu accompanied the coffin southward.

The funeral procession left the Xu Family, Xu Shu holding the banner, walking along the right side of the coffin, heading towards Chongnan Fang to board the Xu family’s large ship, going south down the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to Jinling.

Next door in Zhang Mansion.

Zhang Xia had already changed into a white arrow outfit, leading Zaozao, looking left and right, quietly sneaking out the side door.

Following her were Zhang Zheng, Xiao Man, and a little monk, each carrying a small bundle over one shoulder containing a few changes of clothes.

The little monk at the back fretted, "Amitabha Buddha, isn’t it inappropriate for you all to leave for Jinling without informing the Lady?"

Zhang Xia explained, "I left a letter for my mother."

The little monk whispered, "Shouldn’t you say it directly?"

Zhang Xia, not turning her head, said, "Saying it directly means I can’t leave."

The little monk wanted to speak but stopped: "But..."

Xiao Man glanced back at the little monk, "You ramble too much, just go back by yourself."

Zhang Zheng turned back to wink at the little monk, "From Jinling’s Jubao Gate to Tongji Gate, there’s the legendary ’Ten-mile Qinhuai,’ where lights reflect on the river like a winding dragon. The oars breaking water shatter the river’s lights. The women on the pleasure boats, in light silk sleeves, are all as beautiful as heavenly immortals, with songs ringing through the beams. Don’t you want to see it?"

The little monk hesitated: "...I do."

Xiao Man glared at him fiercely, "What are you, a monk, looking at them for!"

The little monk immediately changed his tune, "Then I shall not look."

Zhang Zheng laughed heartily, "In that place in Jinling, with ten miles of pearl curtains and noise till dawn, you can’t avoid it even if you tried."

Zhang Xia led Zaozao to the side door, poked her head out to watch for a moment, seeing no one outside, she immediately sneaked out, "Quick, the ship accompanying the coffin southward sets off at noon, it won’t wait."

When they arrived at Chongnan Fang, they found five of the Zhang Family’s accountants waiting there early, each carrying a bundle and with long abacus tucked under their arms.

Zhang Xia joined the accountants, walking and quietly asking the leader, "Mr. Li, my mother doesn’t know you’ve come out, right?"

Mr. Li answered while following behind her, "No, when we left the main hall this morning, the Lady was still at the Xu Family managing the funeral affairs, we didn’t meet her."

"That’s good."

Arriving at Caoyun Pier, Zhang Xia saw a large Xu Family ship from afar.

The imperial red banner was planted at the ship’s bow, and wherever it passed through states, prefectures, or counties, local officials went three miles out of the city to set up roadside offerings, civil servants in mourning clothes, military officers in white, performing three kowtows.

She stepped ahead to the large ship, leading Zaozao aboard at the gangplank.

However, just then, the people below suddenly saw Zhang Xia’s figure freeze on the gangplank, hesitating to step onto the deck or retreat.

Zhang Zheng wondered, "Did she see a ghost? Official Xu couldn’t have risen from the coffin, right?"

The next moment, Mrs. Zhang appeared from the ship’s edge, coldly overlooking Zhang Zheng, "What did you just say you saw?"

Zhang Zheng’s body trembled, "Mother!"

Mrs. Zhang’s gaze swept across the faces of the crowd below, causing Xiao Man, the little monk, and even the five accountants in succession to lower their heads like ostriches, avoiding her sharp gaze.

Zhang Xia stood on the gangplank, nervously saying, "Mother, why are you here?"

Mrs. Zhang sneered: "Why are you here again?"

Zhang Xia thought for a moment: "I came to bid my uncle farewell."

Mrs. Zhang sneered again: "Seeing Xu Shu off, and you even brought a change of clothes? I’ve raised you for nineteen years. If I can’t guess your little schemes, I wouldn’t deserve to be your mother!"

Zhang Xia initially appeared guilty, but slowly became resolute: "Mother, you know Uncle wants to uphold the Money Precepts. The task of consolidating the Xu Family can only be done with our help."

Mrs. Zhang’s face remained expressionless: "Do you think Xu Chuanxi and Xu Chuanyin will just sit back and accept it? Xu Chuanyin returned to Jiangnan three days ago to deal with your uncle. When you arrive, they will deal with you too."

Below the ship, Xiao Man whispered softly: "Don’t worry, Lady, I’m an Executive Officer, and I will protect them. Sister Axia has a high realm now too..."

Mrs. Zhang sneered, looking at Zhang Xia: "Do you really think bringing a few accounting masters will solve everything? Don’t underestimate the depth of Jiangnan gentry; your Executive Officer skills are not enough. Any Seeking Dao Realm can completely handle you all. By then, the Zhang family line would be cut off, and your father and I, with our white hair, would have to bury our black-haired children. Where would we go to cry?"

At this point, Mrs. Zhang looked apologetically at the accounting masters: "It’s not that you are useless."

Mr. Li coughed twice: "I understand, I understand."

Mrs. Zhang changed her tone: "At your age, Mr. Li, you should be more stable. Why are you still joining in with their nonsense?"

Mr. Li gasped and couldn’t speak for a while.

One of the accounting masters wanted to explain a few words, but Mr. Li tugged at his sleeve. There was no use explaining anything at this point, even if Lord Zhang Zhuo came, he would have to take some scolding...

At this moment, Zhang Xia stood silent for a long time, his expression stubborn: "Mother, Father has been overworked and exhausted this past year. He often falls asleep reviewing memorials and drafting documents in the main hall at night. If no one helps him share the burden, he will work himself to death. If his new reforms are abolished this time, enforcing them again next time will be as difficult as climbing to the heavens. He has no one else to rely on; only I can go."

Zhang Xia’s voice grew heavier: "For nearly a month, I’ve led the masters in checking accounts, with each check becoming more alarming. The gentry and wealthy in court have annexed civilian land, leaving the common people without a home, nowhere to live. Even in prosperous Jiangnan, people starve and freeze to death..."

Mrs. Zhang raised an eyebrow: "What’s all the fuss about? Did I say you couldn’t go?"

Zhang Xia was taken aback: "Hmm?"

Mrs. Zhang sneered: "I’m just here to watch over you, to prevent you from causing any major trouble. Come aboard; it’s time to set sail."

Zhang Xia glanced back at the others, quickly taking Zaozao by the hand as he rushed to Mrs. Zhang’s side: "Mother, you’re not tricking me? Are you really not here to take me back?"

Mrs. Zhang sighed: "Do you think I can just sit by and watch your father work himself to death? I know him very well; even his sleep talk at night is about ’bringing labor back to the land, calculating acres to levy silver,’ and he’s absent-minded at meals."

As she spoke, a boatman wearing a bamboo hat stepped forward to take the reins from Zhang Xia. Only then did Zhang Xia realize that all the boatmen on the ship were actually death soldiers of the Zhang family.

Zhang Xia looked at Mrs. Zhang in astonishment: "Mother, you planned to go to Jinling all along?"

Mrs. Zhang turned and walked towards the stern cabin: "When I was debating scripture with people at Yuanjue Temple, you weren’t even born yet."

The large ship set sail, heading south along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, passing through Tianjin Garrison, Cangzhou, Liaocheng, Jining, Xuzhou, Suqian, Yangzhou, and finally reaching Jinling’s Longjiang Pass.

Covering a total length of three thousand three hundred li, it takes twenty days of continuous sailing to reach the destination.

Zhang Xia stood at the bow, with a red silk ceremonial banner fluttering beside her.

Xiao Man came over to Zhang Xia, speaking softly: "Sister Axia, don’t worry. The Lantern community has deep roots in Jinling, with the Eight Generals of a Thousand Gates in place, maybe they can offer some help."

Zhang Xia’s eyes moved slightly: "Eight Generals of a Thousand Gates?"

Xiao Man spoke quietly: "I heard Aunt mention it a long time ago. The Eight Generals of a Thousand Gates aren’t eight people, but sixteen positions within the Lantern organization, similar to the Four Beams and Eight Pillars of the Cao Guild. The complete Eight Generals of a Thousand Gates are only set up in Taiyuan Prefecture and Jinling City. It used to be in the Imperial Capital too, but it was uprooted by that Poison Minister."

Zhang Xia nodded, seemingly unsurprised: "But why do the Eight Generals of a Thousand Gates have sixteen positions? Shouldn’t there be just eight?"

Xiao Man explained: "The Eight Generals of a Thousand Gates are divided into Upper Eight Generals and Lower Eight Generals. The Upper Eight Generals form the overt ’Divine Gate,’ consisting of Zheng, Ti, Fan, Tuo, Feng, Huo, Chu, Yao. They focus on strategic mind games and operate with principles, holding a high status in the Jianghu. The Lower Eight Generals form the covert ’Ghost Gate,’ with Zhuang, Liu, Tian, Feng, Zhong, Ma, Yan, Kun, engaged in unorthodox paths not accepted by mainstream."

Zhang Xia nodded: "This is the first time I’ve heard of Lower Eight Generals."

Xiao Man asked puzzledly: "Sister Axia, you’ve heard of the Upper Eight Generals before?"

Zhang Xia didn’t answer.

Xiao Man sighed: "If only the Young Master were with us on this journey to Jinling. He managed the Qi family; dealing with the Xu family should be no problem. But if he returns to the Imperial Capital and finds we’re not there, he’ll surely pursue us to Jinling, right? I just don’t know when he will return..."

Zhang Xia’s voice turned cold: "Don’t mention him to me."

Xiao Man shrunk his neck and tiptoed into the cabin.

...

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