Green Mountain
Chapter 124 - 91, Descendants

Chapter 124: 91, Descendants

The rooster crowed at dawn.

Crow pecked gently at Old Yao’s hair by the bedside.

Old Yao slowly opened his eyes, listening to the sound of water flowing gently in the courtyard. He put on his robe and stepped outside, holding Wu Yun.

In the courtyard, he saw Chen Ji rolling up his sleeves, picking up a shoulder pole to head out.

Old Yao chuckled, "It seems you weren’t tired enough yesterday, huh? If you’re really not tired, why don’t you start by making a door in the courtyard wall? It’d save the Princely Heir and Bai Li the trouble of climbing over the wall every day."

Chen Ji explained with a smile, "Last night we used too much water to wash off the dust; so I filled up the water jar early this morning to make sure we have enough for cooking. Did I disturb your rest? I’ll be quieter next time."

"No need," Old Yao sighed. He noticed the apricot tree in the courtyard that looked different and reflected, "Next spring, when the apricot tree bears white flowers, it should be quite a sight. It’s great to be young and do things with friends. Though we might have been covered in dust then, decades later when we recall, those old friends seem to glow..."

Chen Ji was taken aback.

Old Yao looked at him, "Do you have any red cloth left?"

Chen Ji paused, then hurriedly fetched the leftover red cloth strips from last night and went to the main hall to get a brush for his master.

In his mind, Old Yao had always been detached, never sentimental, nor tolerant of sentimentality.

Yet today, the other seemed unusually sentimental.

Old Yao took the brush and gently wrote his wish on the red cloth: "Wish the young rascals would stop bothering the old man."

Chen Ji, expressionless, slowly turned to look at his master, "..."

"No need to hang it on the apricot tree," Old Yao said leisurely, "Hang it on your forehead, then you can help fulfill this wish for me."

Chen Ji, annoyed, responded, "Are you just trying to have fun with me this early in the morning?"

Old Yao wrapped the red cloth strip around the lowest branch of the apricot tree and said indifferently, "Last evening, Jin Zhu came to the Medical Hall looking for you, but you were not there."

"Did he say what it was about?"

Old Yao, with hands behind his back, walked towards the main hall of the Medical Hall, "He didn’t say, and Spy Department matters aren’t just casually discussed with an Imperial Physician. But I know why he was looking for you."

Chen Ji, carrying the shoulder pole, followed his master, "Why?"

"The Spy Department failed to catch the Jing Dynasty traitor using the Firearms, so they plan to move back to investigating the Golden Workshop and the Craftsmanship Supervisor line. Yesterday, they arrested many at the Cao Guild, perhaps they have new leads that need your insight... Were you in Liu Family Village to avoid him? Once part of the Spy Department, there’s no way out. Where do you think you can hide?"

Chen Ji said softly, "I suspect Consort Yun is plotting to thrust the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess into the maelstrom, so I took them away from the trouble. Now that Prince Jing is back, perhaps no one will dare to falsely accuse them anymore, but it’s safe to stay away for another day."

Old Yao raised an eyebrow, "Consort Yun plotting against her own children?"

Chen Ji hesitated but shared his conjecture, "Master, on that day, the Jing Dynasty already had foreknowledge of the Jiefan Guard surrounding Hongyi Lane Gold Workshop, and the person in charge of the workshop fled in advance, yet someone intentionally led the Princely Heir and Commandery Princess there. Apart from Consort Yun, I can’t think of anyone else. I guess she wants her child to succeed Prince Jing’s position."

But Chen Ji was also puzzled, "But I don’t understand. Consort Yun has no sons of her own at her knees, so why would she do this?"

"You’re asking me? I’m not a Spy!"

Chen Ji thought hard, feeling like a crucial piece of information was missing, as if building a pagoda without the most important wooden pin in the mortise-tenon joint.

"Master, has Consort Yun’s children died young in these years?"

"None, she only has Bai Li as her child."

"Has there been any other child deaths young in Prince Jing Mansion?"

"Counting Princess Consort Jing’s child who died some days ago, two, both of them were Princess Consort Jing’s children."

Chen Ji was surprised, "Master, does Consort Yun have any health issues?"

Old Yao spoke blandly, "I have taken her pulse, she is healthy."

Chen Ji was still puzzled: Consort Yun had no offspring to inherit the position of Prince Jing, then why would she harm the Princely Heir and Bai Li? If manipulation had to occur, wouldn’t it have made more sense for it to happen after she had a child?

Could he have misjudged.

"Wait," Chen Ji looked at Old Yao, "How long has it been since Prince Jing stayed overnight at Feiyun Garden? Uncle Crow can communicate with birds; you must know this."

Old Yao scoffed, "Who do you think I am? Do you think I engage in such eavesdropping?"

Chen Ji earnestly said, "Master, this is important."

Old Yao stroked his beard, "In the three years I’ve been in Luocheng City, Prince Jing has never stayed overnight in Feiyun Garden, always living alone in Mingzheng Building."

Chen Ji fell silent; with the last piece in place, it seemed he understood why Consort Yun was doing this. It wasn’t just the Princely Heir and Bai Li she wanted dead, but also Princess Consort Jing.

...

...

While deep in thought, rustling sounds came from outside the wall, prompting Chen Ji and Old Yao to head suspiciously back to the backyard.

In the next moment, however, the Princely Heir’s head popped out from over the eaves, "Chen Ji!"

Chen Ji was surprised, "Princely Heir, you’re here so early? Such enthusiasm for work is unlike you."

The Princely Heir’s expression changed, "What are you saying? Didn’t I work hard yesterday? Chen Ji, you should speak with a conscience!"

"Hardworking, very hardworking!"

The Princely Heir’s expression softened, "I want to discuss something with you. Yesterday, you mentioned needing help to modify the kiln, and I’ve brought a few helpers."

Chen Ji responded with a smile, "It’s good to have helpers."

The Princely Heir hesitated slightly, "This assistant’s identity is a bit special, but you don’t need to feel pressured, he is mainly curious about what we are doing..."

Chen Ji felt increasingly uneasy as he listened.

The next moment, someone set up a ladder across the courtyard wall, and a figure appeared on the eaves.

Chen Ji’s expression changed, "Prince?"

Asking for help, yet they had even invited Prince Jing?!

But he saw Prince Jing, still in his patched clothes, leap into the Medical Hall and said with a smile, "It’s quite thrilling to climb over one’s own wall, no wonder Yunxi and Bai Li didn’t use the main gate."

The Princely Heir lay on the eaves, laughing, "Right?"

Chen Ji quickly gave the Princely Heir a meaningful look and whispered, "The prince is mocking you, can’t you tell?"

The smile on the Princely Heir’s face gradually faded.

Prince Jing slowly walked to the apricot tree, lifted a red ribbon, and silently read the wish written on it, "Did you all write these? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such simple wishes, usually, it’s more about seeking office and wealth."

Chen Ji put down the carrying pole on his shoulder, curiously asking, "Is the prince going to help us out?"

The prince replied with a smile, "I definitely can’t do physical labor with this body of mine, but I’ve called for some other helpers. They’re on the way and should arrive soon."

As his words fell, there came a knocking sound from outside the Medical Hall, and someone shouted through the crack of the door, "Prince, we’ve arrived."

Prince Jing raised his hand and directed Feng Daban, who had just climbed into the yard, "Open the door for them."

While Feng Daban went to open the door, Chen Ji quietly asked the Princely Heir, "Did you say something to the prince?"

Prince Jing is an extremely pragmatic person; he must have heard something interesting from the Princely Heir to come here early in the morning.

The Princely Heir also lowered his voice, "After morning lessons today, father asked me what I did yesterday. I boasted about your words, saying how the earth kilns aren’t good enough for us, local tyrants can modify into half inverted flame kilns, but we don’t care for those, we are going to build a full inverted flame kiln today."

Chen Ji thoughtfully asked, "What did the prince say?"

The Princely Heir shrugged, "He asked me what a full inverted flame kiln is, where the chimney should be placed, how the air intake and fire holes should be arranged, where to position the combustion chamber, how high the firewall should be... I don’t know these things, I told him it’s classified and I couldn’t tell him."

Chen Ji was stunned.

Was the Prince that knowledgeable?

The so-called ascending flame furnace, flat flame kiln, half inverted flame kiln, and full inverted flame kiln differ essentially in how flames move inside the kiln. Most people’s impression of firing kilns was just a "mud mound," with few paying attention to the inner structure of the kiln.

A Vassal Prince, with such deep understanding, even came personally to join the excitement?

At this time, the main gate of Taiping Medical Hall opened, and ten plus burly men entered one by one, their skin dark and muscles bulging, exuding strength.

The leading man saluted Prince Jing by cupping his fists, "Prince, I’ve brought people, they are all skilled at building kilns."

Prince Jing nodded, then looked back at Chen Ji, "Shall we go then? There’s a bullock cart ready at the gate."

Chen Ji hesitated, "Are you also taking the bullock cart?"

Prince Jing laughed heartily, "We are going to work, what else should we take?"

Leaving the gate, Bai Li subconsciously attempted to board the bullock cart Chen Ji and the others were on, but Prince Jing stopped him, "Where are you going? Come and sit here."

"Oh ..." Bai Li murmured softly, gingerly sitting next to Prince Jing.

Three bullock carts slowly started, their wooden wheels creaking as they turned.

With Prince Jing on their cart, everyone on Chen Ji’s cart was incredibly tense.

On the other two carts with Prince Jing, the robust men were all solemn, silently munching on pancakes without a word.

Upon reaching the kiln factory, the men got off the cart and started working, cleaning up the cluttered kiln factory thoroughly.

Chen Ji took a branch and began drawing a construction diagram on the ground: "First, let’s dig out a foundation, leaving a space for combustion chambers on both sides..."

While drawing, Prince Jing suddenly interrupted, "Is the interior supposed to have vertical walls and vertical fire holes? Wouldn’t that make all the flames shoot up to the dome, can the temperature at the bottom increase?"

Chen Ji explained, "The fire holes must have a small cross-section, so that the flame moves fast. As long as the dome is a reasonable arch, the flame will curl downward inside the furnace. Additionally, holes need to be left in the firewall so the temperature is more uniform."

Another man questioned, "Why keep two combustion chambers?"

Chen Ji continued explaining, "Also for the convection of flames, letting the flame change from a half inverted state to a fully inverted flame, the temperature can increase by another 20%."

Prince Jing was astonished, "That much? Do you know what it means to increase the temperature by 20%? So many craftsmen struggle to increase by 10% and still can’t manage, yet you say 20%?"

Chen Ji pondered, "It should be fine."

Prince Jing thought for a moment, then turned to the men he brought, "What do you think, is it feasible?"

The leading man hesitated, "Prince, give us a moment to discuss."

The ten or so men gathered to whisper among themselves, finally one of them said, "Let’s try it and see, as long as the drawings are correct, building such a small kiln would be enough for a day."

Feng Daban fetched a barely usable chair from the kiln factory, cleaned it, and placed a rough cloth for Prince Jing, "Prince, please sit and rest, you shouldn’t stand for too long."

Prince Jing raised his hand to stop him, "It’s alright, let’s see how it goes first."

Chen Ji led the Princely Heir and others to build the kiln, but unexpectedly, the leading man, seeing them working for a while, simply said, "Princely Heir, you step back. Just hand us the bricks and yellow mud, we’ll handle the rest."

The Princely Heir muttered softly, "Rejected."

Liu Quxing whispered, "What do we do, should we prove we’re not worse than them?"

The Princely Heir, watching the efficiency of these men, thought for a moment and said, "No need, I’ll allow them to reject me."