Green Mountain
Chapter 117 - 88, Moral Ethic

Chapter 117: 88, Moral Ethic

"Deal."

The two words struck the ground with a force.

Outside Taiping Medical Hall, the streets bustled with carriages and horses, a constant flow of people.

Inside Taiping Medical Hall, a skinny, distressed apprentice stood behind the counter, making a deal with a vassal prince wielding real power in the Daning Dynasty.

But before Chen Ji could say anything more, Bai Li suddenly became agitated: "Chen Ji, do you realize how harsh the conditions are when you are exiled to Lingnan? You’d have to walk there shackled in chains, and not even thirty percent of the prisoners survive the journey to Lingnan."

Bai Li continued hurriedly, "We’d be grounded for half a year, but that’s nothing. Don’t be a fool for our sake."

The Princely Heir also quickly added, "That’s right, after half a year you’ll be as good as new!"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Prince Jing gently fondled a black chess piece in his hand and calmly said, "Considering your youth and ignorance, I could give you a chance to repent."

Chen Ji replied sincerely and candidly, "It’s not only for the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess that I am doing this, but also to find a way to make a living."

Prince Jing smiled, "Born into the Chen family, do you really need to find your own way to make money? Your family has been officials for generations; you needn’t worry about making money if you do not defy your father. You will not lack food or clothing."

Chen Ji said with a smile, "Prince, the Chen family’s stature is beyond my reach."

Prince Jing suddenly asked, "Are you in need of money?"

Was Chen Ji in need of money? Of course, he was.

The teachings of the Mountain Lord Sect were as expensive as water; to ignite the hundreds of stoves on his body, he would likely need tens of thousands of taels of silver.

This figure made Chen Ji feel hopeless until the word ’cement’ popped into his mind.

Seeing that he did not answer, Prince Jing smiled and said, "Well, since you are so determined, I must lay down three rules with you."

"Please speak, Prince."

"Do not set foot in Hongyi Lane or Baiyi Lane before the deal is completed."

"Agreed."

"Refrain from drinking alcohol."

"Agreed."

"Do not start any trouble."

"Agreed."

Inside the counter of the Medical Hall was Chen Ji; outside the counter was Prince Jing; the two men faced each other across a chessboard, the young apprentice’s gaze unwavering.

Prince Jing looked intently at Chen Ji, "There are no jokes in the military, and no small matters in military strategy. Remember your promise. If you fail, I will truly send you to Lingnan. Young man, remember not to be too clever for your own good."

Chen Ji paused for a moment: "Rest assured, Prince, I know what I am doing."

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a pale face and wearing brown cloth entered the Medical Hall, speaking softly, "Prince, Liu Gun, Liu Mingxian, and Liu Mingli from the Liu Family have already arrived at the mansion."

Chen Ji looked up at the sound, instinctively turning his gaze towards the source. The middle-aged man was tall and burly but had an exceptionally gentle and delicate voice.

Prince Jing turned and pointed at the Princely Heir and Bai Li: "Feng Daban, have these two hand over all the silver on them. Tell the staff in the Prince Mansion that no one is to give them silver for half a year."

The faces of the Princely Heir and Bai Li darkened. Their father was thorough in his actions, even remembering to confiscate their money.

Now, the two siblings were utterly penniless!

Prince Jing turned and left, leaving the two penniless individuals at the Medical Hall.

The Princely Heir looked at Chen Ji seriously, "Chen Ji, I think being grounded for half a year isn’t too bad. I can go out after half a year, and you won’t have to go to Lingnan..."

Bai Li smoothed her clothing, decisively saying, "More talk is useless. Chen Ji, what are you planning to do now?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and asked, "Is there a kiln factory nearby Luocheng City that produces porcelain?"

Bai Li and the Princely Heir looked at each other. They weren’t aware of any.

Old Yao leisurely said, "If you leave the city and follow the official road south for ten miles down to Longmen Mountain’s Liu Family Village, there are several workshops that make porcelain there. However, the kilns in Luocheng only make crude pottery for the common folk, nothing compared to what’s done in Jingde Town."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "No matter, having a kiln should suffice."

Then, he went to the back courtyard to find Liang Mao’er: "Brother Mao’er, can you help me and come out for half a month? It might be strenuous."

Liang Mao’er smiled naively, "No problem, as long as I can be of use, I’m not afraid of hard work."

Chen Ji turned to Bai Li, "The Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess, please return to the Prince Mansion and wait for my news. I’ll be back in at most half a month."

The Princely Heir raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean? Friends share weal and woe; if Liang Mao’er can endure hardship, can’t we? We’ll go with you!"

Bai Li added, "Yes, we can endure hardships too!"

Chen Ji laughed, "Who voluntarily rushes to endure hardship?"

The Princely Heir slapped his chest, "That’s the spirit of Jianghu!"

She Dengke and Liu Quxing also entered the main hall of the Medical Hall, cautiously looking towards their master: "Master, can we go?"

Old Yao scoffed, "Go ahead, a bunch of penniless folks together, how joyful. You all go, and I, an old man, can have a few peaceful days and save quite a bit on food expenses. Liang Mao’er, you carry your brother over too; otherwise, that lazybones will still rely on me to cook for him."

Liang Mao’er replied sheepishly, "Okay, Doctor Yao, I will definitely carry him."

Seeing that things had come to this, Chen Ji smiled and instructed, "The Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess, go back to the Prince Mansion and change your clothes. What you are wearing now isn’t suitable for work. Also, everyone should bring a change of clothes; we are going out for ten days to half a month. We’ll meet at the entrance of the Medical Hall in an hour."

"Okay!"

...

...

After everyone had left, Chen Ji looked at Old Yao, who was fiddling with the abacus behind the counter, "Master, did you have Liang Mao’er bring Liang Gou’er because you were worried about our safety?"

Old Yao scoffed, "Don’t flatter yourself, I just didn’t want to see him in the Medical Hall."

Chen Ji uttered an "Oh" and fell silent.

In the ensuing quiet, Old Yao gradually stopped his hands with the abacus and calmly said, "You should understand by now, cultivating the Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture lacks two things the most, power and money, which is why you are eager to earn money. But you must know, these two things in this world are the easiest to lose oneself over. I hope you don’t repeat the same mistakes as those before you."

Chen Ji smiled, "Don’t worry, Master."

Suddenly, Old Yao said, "The thing you made last time caused a huge commotion, and now the entire Henan Province’s main roads are under the control of the Longevity Army, allowing entry but no exit. The last incident isn’t over yet, and now what are you planning to make? Don’t bring disaster upon me, an old man!"

After a thought, Chen Ji replied, "You will know once it’s made. Don’t worry, it’s not dangerous this time."

Old Yao observed him for a moment, still uneasy, and pulled six copper coins from his sleeve and threw them onto the counter, muttering as he divined, "Kun Yuan, the auspiciousness of Anzhen, limitless like the earth, bearing the weight of all things..."

After speaking, he suddenly looked up at Chen Ji, "What exactly are you trying to make?"

Chen Ji smiled and answered, "I’ve already told you, something that can replace glutinous rice mortar."

As they were talking, footsteps were heard outside.

He turned and saw Bai Li dressed in a maid’s coarse cloth garment, carrying a cloth bundle. Even in this old coarse cloth garment, her aristocratic demeanor could not be concealed...

Because a golden hairpin was inserted in Bai Li’s hair bun.

Chen Ji surprisedly said, "Your Highness, that outfit and the golden hairpin don’t match."

Bai Li, in a fluster, pulled out the golden hairpin and took a wooden hairpin from her sleeve to tie her hair up, "Shh! My father confiscated all my silver, but my mother wasn’t paying attention so I secretly wore this to exchange it for money. They didn’t notice it!"

"Lady Consort Yun is clever and meticulous, how could she not notice? She just deliberately let you off lightly..."

"Ah, is that so?" Bai Li paused, "Well, it’s already worn out. I thought you needed money for your work, as it’s hard to get by without money these days."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Bai Li smiled, "Let’s go, I’ve called a bullock cart, let’s ride it out of the city!"

"Wait for me a moment," Chen Ji returned to the apprentice quarters, pulled out a loose brick from under the bed, took out all his belongings from the hole, and then set out.

But just as he reached the doorway, he saw a fast horse galloping from the end of Anxi Street, a young man in green clothes with his hair flying back, truly a dashing and elegant sight.

Chen Ji slowly stopped, watching quietly as the other party reined in his horse in front of the Medical Hall.

Chen Wenzong sat on the horse, gasping as he spoke, "Chen Ji, come back with me quickly to the mansion, stop being angry with father!"

Chen Ji stood in the Medical Hall threshold, looking up across the threshold to his legitimate elder brother on the horse, "Brother, you misunderstand, I am not angry with anyone."

Chen Wenzong earnestly advised, "Father has already uncovered the truth. A servant under the steward swallowed your monthly salary. Now mother has had the servant beaten to death to vent your anger, and even the steward received ten strikes."

Chen Ji uttered an "Oh," "How pitiful."

Chen Wenzong puzzled, "Pitiful?"

Chen Ji smiled, "I meant the servant is very pitiful."

Chen Wenzong couldn’t help but urgently say, "Chen Ji, as the saying goes, a harmonious family leads to prosperity in all undertakings. There are no real enmities between family members. Now that you have mended your ways, as your brother, naturally I hope you can return home soon. I will persuade father to send you to Donglin Academy to study. In three years, you can take the imperial examination. It’s not too late to start studying at your age!"

Study?

Me, a science student, studying the classics... that indeed would be terrible suffering.

Nevertheless, Chen Ji looked up at his elder brother, who at the moment sincerely and earnestly resembled a narrative storyteller’s uncarved gem of a gentleman.

But to each his own.

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Brother, we’re about to leave the city now, friends are waiting."

Chen Wenzong dismounted, pleading earnestly and sternly, "Chen Ji, although you are less educated, you should understand the principle of filial piety. There’s no such thing as a father who is completely wrong. How can you remain angry with your own father forever!"

Chen Ji calmly said, "Brother, believe it or not, I really am not angry with anyone. Please go back."

With that, he put his bundle on his back, bypassed Chen Wenzong, and climbed onto the rear of the bullock cart.

Chen Wenzong took a couple of steps forward, his tone intensifying, "Chen Ji! By doing this, where do you place filial piety?!"

Just then, Bai Li suddenly looked up and said, "All you talk about is ethics and morals, but does anyone in the Chen family know that Chen Ji was hurt by a villain before? He had his chest cut open, his thigh stabbed, yet you didn’t send anyone to care for him."

Chen Wenzong was taken aback, "Princess?"

He looked carefully, and on the simple cart not only was there the Princess, but also the Princely Heir!

These two with esteemed statuses, dressing in rough clothes, sitting crammed with their half-brother on a simple, old bullock cart!

Bai Li, sitting cross-legged on the cart, straightened her back and continued, "When Chen Ji was injured, we saw him at the embroidery building in Baiyi Lane, did you greet him that day?"

Chen Wenzong fell completely silent.

Bai Li, unyielding, continued, "All you care about is what you call ethics and morals. You came to the Medical Hall to persuade him only because the academy Master taught you about family harmony leading to success, and the classics taught you about rulers and subjects, fathers and sons, and nothing else."

Chen Ji held Bai Li back and turned to the coachman, "Let’s go, if we delay any further, it might be dark before we reach Liu Family Village."

The bullock cart squeaked and slowly moved forward.

Chen Wenzong stood in place, watching dumbfounded as Chen Ji and the others sat on the open, old bullock cart, laughing and joking.

In this cold season, their novel appearance seemed not like they were going to work, but more like in the spring when the flowers had just bloomed, ready to go enjoy the outdoors.

The Princely Heir’s teasing voice drifted from afar, "Haha, did you see? Bai Li just now was like a little tiger in a rage. Ah, go easy on the pinching!"