Green Mountain
Chapter 137 - 100, note

Chapter 137: 100, note

The white-clothed Baiyi Lane at night was bustling with people flowing over the bluestone-paved road like a shuttle through a loom.

Today was the Autumn Imperial Examination, and many Qingyin Small Class establishments had hung lanterns painted with green bamboo branches and leaves, which exuded an air of slender elegance.

These lanterns held a secret.

Scholars and literati could pay fifty taels of silver to buy a lantern and write their "bet" on the topics that might be examined under the category of "current affairs". If someone guessed the topic correctly, they could go to the Qingyin Small Class on the day the results were announced and be celebrated as the "top scorer" for the night.

Tonight, Baiyi Lane was as lively as the City God Temple Fair during the Lantern Festival, with brilliant lights illuminating the stone-paved streets.

At that moment, a carriage slowly pulled up outside Baiyi Lane. Jin Zhu, who was driving, climbed into the carriage and removed a black cloth from Chen Ji’s eyes, "We’ve arrived."

Chen Ji stood up to get out but was pushed back down by Jin Zhu.

With a grave expression, Jin Zhu said, "Before we meet Liu Mingxian, you’ve got to tell me why we’re here. After Jiao Tu and Yun Yang revealed Old Master Liu’s coffin, there was an uproar among the civil officials. If we don’t have concrete evidence now, we absolutely cannot touch another member of the Liu Family."

Chen Ji stood up again, smiling, "Lord Jin Zhu, if you trust a person, do not doubt them; if you doubt a person, do not use them. Since you’ve approached me, stop looking so worried."

Finished speaking, he picked up a bamboo hat from inside the carriage, placed it on his head, jumped out, and blended into the crowd.

Jin Zhu pressed down on the brim of his own bamboo hat and muttered to himself, "I’ll trust you this time."

Amid the crowd, Chen Ji stood under the eaves of a building some distance from Yingxian Building, leaning against the wall and resting with his eyes closed like the driver of some noble household, ignoring the passersby.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice and turned his head to see the Princely Heir and Bai Li among others, walking and laughing merrily.

Chen Ji was taken aback.

He heard the Princely Heir laugh and say to the person next to him, "Yingxian Building in Luocheng City has a history of over forty years. It’s a time-honored brand. When the late Emperor toured Jiangnan, he specifically wanted to try their ’Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea’. Young Master Li, coming all the way from Jiangnan, you must give it a taste."

The one next to the Princely Heir was a dashing gentleman with rosy lips and pearly white teeth, wearing a precious sword at his waist, and a jade hairpin holding up his hair bun with elegance.

Two Jianghu figures accompanied Young Master Li, each carrying jugs of high-grade Shaoxing wine wrapped in red cloth.

Behind them were Bai Li, Liu Quxing, the little monk, and others, all murmuring among themselves, cleaned up and dressed decently, talking and laughing.

Among the lamplit crowd, the rowdy group didn’t notice Chen Ji, who was standing under the eaves with his head bowed.

Jin Zhu chuckled and said, "You still take risks to clear their names, yet they’ve already made new friends. Oh Chen Ji, Chen Ji, there are no irreplaceable friends in this world – just leave for a few months and your friends will naturally forget you. They’ll have new friends, and there will be new fine liquors."

"Do you not believe in friendship, Lord Jin Zhu?"

After some thought, Jin Zhu replied, "Leaving aside our zodiac identities, I’m actually a businessman on normal days. The Spy Department’s business, coming from the south and going to the north, is under my management – endless talking, drinking, and befriending. As long as the drink flows, everyone’s a friend. Yet, if I really were in trouble, only one person would come to rescue me."

"Is it Heavenly Horse?" Chen Ji asked. "Are you and Lord Heavenly Horse really close friends?"

Jin Zhu smiled and said, "Heavenly Horse and I aren’t considered friends. Now he’s one of the Top Three Zodiacs, the right-hand man of the Lord Prime Minister. If he can lend me a hand in my hour of need just once, that would be enough."

As they were talking, the Princely Heir and his group passed right by them, with Chen Ji bowing his head.

Yet Liu Quxing, walking past him, continued to complain to Bai Li, "That Chen Ji must have run off because he didn’t want to treat us. Otherwise, what could keep a medical apprentice, who has no home to return to, so busy?"

She Dengke also chimed in, "Before we set off, he was boasting about how he wouldn’t even frown when it was his turn to treat us, yet he ended up running away."

Bai Li was fuming as well, "That’s right, we’ll have to give him a good talking to when we get back, that greedy penny-pincher. He even charged us so much toll before, and now he’s reluctant to treat us to a meal!"

Liu Quxing laughed merrily, "Sect Master Li is the truly generous one, bringing us several jars of high-grade Shaoxing wine upon his arrival in Luoyang. This is a wine I’ve only heard of before but never had the chance to taste!"

Chen Ji lifted his head, standing in the shadow under the eaves of the roof, watching the figures lit by the lantern light slowly walk away, "Who is this Sect Master Li?"

Jin Zhu whispered, "He’s the young sect master of the Qingyi Sect, Li Chezhou, who runs brothels, gambling houses, and the ’human tooth’ business in Jinling. Sect Master Li was injured years ago and passed on the family’s official gateway to him early. It is said that Sect Master Li had reached the Innate Realm before this year, showing quite a talent."

Jin Zhu went on, "You see, the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess have made new friends so quickly... Huh?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Ji had already set off toward the Yingxian Building.

Jin Zhu looked up in surprise, only to see Liu Mingxian emerging from the Yingxian Building, with a group of officials courteously bidding him farewell, while Chen Ji headed directly towards Liu Mingxian!

His expression changed, never expecting Chen Ji to act so recklessly and directly!

In front of the Yingxian Building, one could see Liu Mingxian dressed in a black stand-collar robe, with an intricately embroidered peacock with its tail feathers spread on the back. He was tall and well-proportioned, standing out among a crowd of portly officials like a crane among chickens.

He casually gestured to everyone, "Continue to enjoy your drinks, gentlemen. I have official duties to attend to and must leave."

"Safe travels, sir."

The Liu Family’s servants brought the carriage to the entrance of the Yingxian Building and placed a footstool for him.

Just as the coachman was about to help Liu Mingxian into the carriage, Chen Ji, with his head down, swiftly passed by and bumped into Liu Mingxian.

"Sorry," Chen Ji apologized and walked away.

The coachman was about to chase after him, but he heard Liu Mingxian say, "Never mind him, let’s go back to the government office."

As he said this, he silently climbed into the carriage and sat down. As the carriage slowly started to move, he unfolded a carefully folded note in his palm.

Liu Mingxian opened the note, and under the light from the carriage window, he could see the writing clearly, "To solve the case, indulge in wine, a chess invite to Qiyashan Mountain."

His pupils contracted sharply, the poem seemed to make no sense, but if the first character of each half line was split, it would read: "Dawn, beneath the bridge."

Reverse Cut Technique!

This was clearly a method of conveying information used only by the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department. The person had taken a risk to deliver the note to Baiyi Lane to meet him at dawn under the bridge. Luocheng City had exactly three bridges: Yingzhou Bridge, Mudan Bridge, and West Garden Bridge. Yingzhou Bridge and West Garden Bridge were too remote; it had to be Mudan Bridge.

Liu Mingxian slowly closed his eyes, the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department, daring to bypass intermediaries and contact him directly, what boldness.

To go or not to go?

After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, leaned forward, and speaking in a low voice, instructed the coachman through the lifted curtain, "We won’t be returning to the government office tonight, head to the residence near Mudan Bridge. Send someone back to the Liu Mansion, and ask the three guests who came in from Yanshi to make a trip into the city."

...

I apologize for the limited updates during Qixi festival these past two days; I will make it up in the following days. Wishing everyone a happy Qixi festival, and may all lovers eventually become spouses.