Green Mountain
Chapter 101 - 78, See you again someday

Chapter 101: 78, See you again someday

Reins gripped in Chen Ji’s hands, the ox cart came to a halt on the road heading south.

In the midnight calm, snow fell quietly, accumulating on the three men, nestling between their strands of hair.

Si Caogui sat at the front of the cart driving when he turned to look back at Chen Ji and asked solemnly, "Are you going back to Taiping Medical Hall? What, don’t you trust me and Wu Hongbiao, unwilling to leave with us?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "I trust you. You could have escaped this evening, yet you risked your lives to save me. If not for you two, I might already be in the inner prison."

Si Caogui asked again with seriousness, "Do you realize that staying here might lead to Lu Guanwu’s people settling scores with you?"

Chen Ji slowly released the reins, "Now, those in the Military Intelligence Department who knew my identity are either dead or gone, and even when the new Division Head, Si Cao, arrives in Luocheng City, they won’t bother me anymore."

Si Caogui fell silent.

Chen Ji spoke earnestly, with righteous indignation, "I’ve finally earned a place in Prince Jing Mansion and infiltrated the Ning Dynasty Secret Spy Department. I cannot leave Luocheng City just because I am afraid."

He added another sentence, "The firearms I used tonight to blow up Jin Zhu and kill Manager Yuan were obtained from that high official in the Prince Mansion. This time I was able to get firearms; next time, I might get formulas, blueprints, troop formation maps... My staying here has a greater impact!"

Wu Hongbiao looked up to him reverently, "Your faith is far stronger than mine!"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment before looking at Gui, "Sir, after you leave, Si Caoxin has vanished as well, who will take over Luocheng City?"

Gui contemplated for a while, "There were rumors earlier that Manager Yuan had fought with ’Ding’ over the control of Luocheng City, so it will likely be Ding taking over."

"What kind of person is he?"

"I don’t know," Gui said calmly, "Si Caos do not meet face to face, and if it weren’t for my old acquaintance with ’Xin,’ we would probably not recognize one another either. No matter who takes over, you should not take the initiative to reach out to them. It’s extremely dangerous."

Chen Ji asked another question, "Who will be the next Division Head?"

Gui answered straightforwardly, "This is the highest secret of the Military Intelligence Department. Not only do I not know, even if I did, I couldn’t tell you."

"Understood."

Gui hesitated again and again, but he still advised, "Although you staying here serves a greater purpose, you would be safer returning to the Jing Dynasty. Staying by your uncle’s side, no one can touch you."

Chen Ji slowly hopped down from the cart, and in the drifting snow, he bid farewell to the two with clasped hands, "I must return to Taiping Medical Hall now. After this parting, we are separated by two dynasties; who knows when we can meet again. Let’s hope for future encounters!"

He looked at Si Caogui on the cart, the man’s face gaunt with sharp edges. Wu Hongbiao still showed some weakness due to his injuries.

Although Chen Ji was not deeply acquainted with the two men, one had risked his life to send him a warning, and the other had given up the chance to flee to come back and save him.

Faced with them, Chen Ji was filled with gratitude but still added in his heart... there would be no further meetings.

At that moment, Wu Hongbiao didn’t bid Chen Ji farewell right away but looked at Si Caogui, "Sir, may I ask you to wait a moment?"

Si Caogui frowned, "Alright."

Then Wu Hongbiao, dragging his injured body, searched around until he found a wine shop that had closed for the night.

He sneaked into the back yard, and after a while, he emerged with a small jar of wine, "This must be chrysanthemum wine left over from the Double Ninth Festival that the shopkeeper couldn’t sell. It smells great. Chen Ji, as we part, we don’t know when we’ll see each other again. Let’s drink this, to commemorate our journey."

Chen Ji was taken aback for a moment. He broke the clay seal on the wine jar, took a large swig of the chrysanthemum wine, and passed it to Wu Hongbiao.

Wu Hongbiao lifted the small jar and took a hearty drink before offering it to Si Caogui.

Si Caogui, after considerable hesitation, eventually took the jar and sipped a small mouthful, "I need to remain clear-headed in order to slip out of the city later. Drinking is unwise."

Under the moonlight, the fine snowflakes drifted into the wine jar. Chen Ji suddenly smiled and took the jar, "I’ll drink your share too."

After saying this, he took another large gulp of wine, placed the jar on the ox cart, and with clasped hands, said, "Let’s hope for future encounters!"

Si Caogui and Wu Hongbiao also clasped hands in response, "Let’s hope for future encounters!"

The ox cart slowly moved forward again, its wooden wheels rattling on the stone-paved road as it gradually receded into the distance.

The snow began to fall heavier, larger, as big as goose feathers.

Chen Ji stood amid the snowstorm.

He thought of the Jianghu personalities who had abandoned the Princely Heir to flee, and then at the two Jing Dynasty spies slowly fading into the distance.

Suddenly, Chen Ji felt, this truly was Jianghu.

...

...

"The rooster crows, rise early and sleep early!"

An old, impoverished night patrol tottered along, lantern in hand, braving the wind and snow, clanging his gong as he slowly walked the long street.

The night patrol would chant different phrases at each two-hour interval.

During the first watch of the night, he chanted, "The air is dry; beware of fire."

In the second period of the night, his call was, "Lock the doors, guard against thieves."

During the third watch of the night, he exclaimed, "May there be no illness, no disaster; may all be safe and sound."

In the fourth watch night, he warned, "It’s cold and icy; be mindful of slippery roads."

And during the fifth night watch, he proclaimed, "The rooster crows, rise early and sleep early."

The residents within the city walls could discern the time of night from the night patrol’s chants.

Once the night patrol had passed, Chen Ji emerged from the narrow alleyway, staggering circuitously back to Taiping Medical Hall.

The courtyard was empty, not even the crows knew where, leaving only the bare apricot tree.

Chen Ji stood in the snow, letting the heavy flakes settle on his head and shoulders. He felt a sudden relief, as if just being back in the Medical Hall allowed him to settle his heart.

Chen Ji didn’t return to his room to sleep but instead, slightly inebriated, went to the water vat and stripped off his clothes.