Green Mountain
Chapter 138 - 101, Gambling with Life

Chapter 138: 101, Gambling with Life

At the Midnight East Market’s noodle stall, Chen Ji bowed his head and slurped the steaming beef noodles, saving the only two pieces of beef till the end.

Sitting across the wooden table, Jin Zhu remarked, "You and Heavenly Horse really have completely different personalities. He always eats the beef in his bowl first, not caring whether the plain noodles left have any taste or not. Your kind of personality isn’t suited for Jianghu because you don’t live carefreely enough."

Chen Ji merely grunted, having finished the noodles. He stuffed the last piece of beef into his mouth, then looked at the half bowl of beef noodles still in front of Jin Zhu. "Didn’t Lord Jin Zhu say that he used to love beef noodles when he was young?"

"But I am no longer young," Jin Zhu said with a smile. "After this is over, I’ll also treat you to a meal at Yingxian Building. You can eat whatever you want."

"No need, simple meals are enough for me."

Jin Zhu’s smile faded. "Now that you’ve finished your noodles and warmed up, tell me, what did you write in that note to Liu Mingxian?"

Chen Ji wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "I asked him to meet me at Mudan Bridge at dawn."

Jin Zhu puzzled, "Meet him for what?"

Chen Ji calmly stated, "To ask if he has colluded with the Jing Dynasty spies."

Jin Zhu: "..."

Chen Ji burst into laughter and stood up to leave, "Just kidding, how could I possibly just ask someone directly about their identity? Come on, my Lord, we need to get to Mudan Bridge before dawn."

Outside the noodle stall, an old man carrying a pole walked toward him, with two wooden boxes hanging on either end of the pole, and in them, various thin wooden masks intricately carved with monkeys, pigs, rabbits, and sheep.

A group of children surrounded the pole, tugging at their parents’ hands wanting to buy a mask, but their parents stopped them.

Chen Ji stepped forward and casually picked up two masks, "Old man, how much for the masks?"

The old man, setting down his pole, smiled and replied, "Twenty coins each."

Chen Ji grabbed two masks, one rabbit and one sheep, but Jin Zhu held his wrist.

Jin Zhu swapped them for a cow mask for himself and a tiger mask for Chen Ji, "Wearing rabbits and sheep isn’t auspicious. Wear the tiger for good luck. May you soon rise high up and take over Lord Binghu’s position."

Chen Ji questioned, "Lord Jin Zhu isn’t afraid I might seek revenge after I become one of the Top Three? Just a few hours ago, you had me hanging from the rooftop."

"When you reach that position, you’ll understand that benefits are eternal," Jin Zhu patted Chen Ji’s shoulder jokingly, "When the time comes, please spare my life, Lord Chen. I can be useful to you, let’s go."

Chen Ji turned and glanced at the still radiant Yingxian Building before disappearing into the night.

...

...

At 3 AM, before dawn light.

A lamp was lit inside a mansion near Mudan Bridge, and a manservant with a lantern in hand hurried through the moon gate toward a bedroom, calling out, "Second Young Master, Second Young Master, it is time."

A voice from inside responded, "Understood."

Within the deep residence, two beautiful concubines, wearing silk nightgowns, from either side drew the curtains of the exquisite bed.

Liu Mingxian got out of bed and stretched his arms, allowing the concubines to drape his clothes on him. He calmly asked those outside, "Have the three guests from Yanshi arrived yet?"

"Reporting to the Second Young Master, they have arrived. They are waiting by the carriage outside."

Liu Mingxian, dressed impeccably, walked out unhurriedly.

As he crossed the threshold, he casually said, "Reward."

The manservant pulled out two gold ingots from his pouch and tossed them onto the floor inside the house; the two beautiful concubines quickly knelt at the door, watching Liu Mingxian’s retreating figure.

When Liu Mingxian reached the door, he greeted the three retainers of the Liu family with a clasped hand, "You three had a tough day today. Someone will deliver your reward to your places tomorrow."

A skinny old man chuckled dryly, a Mountain Flower Ghost Money dangling on a red string around his waist, "No need for courtesy, my Lord, it’s our duty. The Official insisted on guaranteeing your safety."

Liu Mingxian smiled and asked, "How has my father been doing lately?"

The old man answered, "The Official has stayed in mourning at the ancestral mausoleum and hasn’t come out."

Since the founding of the Ning Dynasty, court officials must resign and return to their ancestral homes to observe mourning for twenty-seven months if their parents pass away during their tenure.

During this time, they must eat, live, and sleep in front of their parents’ graves, abstaining from alcohol, not bathing, not shaving, and not changing clothes.

Currently, Liu Gun had resigned his position as Minister of Personnel and lived in a hut at the Liu Family Ancestral Tomb.

Liu Mingxian nonchalantly said, "Since you’ve already come to work with me, might as well settle down in the city. Mr. Feng alone is enough to take care of my father."

From the side, a brawny man murmured, "At your command..."

Liu Mingxian sized up the man and smiled, "Xu Can, brother, since your return from the border army, do you miss the scenery of the border town?"

The man named Xu Can clasped his hand, "The border town was rough, with daily hardship and constant vigilance, nothing as comfortable as Luocheng City. We must also thank the Official for his high regard, giving us a livelihood."

Liu Mingxian chuckled, "You will soon understand that following my Liu family only brings benefits, no disadvantages."

The old man hurriedly fawned, "Understood, understood."

Liu Mingxian nodded in satisfaction, "This mansion will belong to the three of you from now on, and the people inside are also awarded to you. Those several dozen thin horses from Yangzhou, all bought for hundreds of taels of silver."

"Thank you, Second Young Master!"

The coachman lifted the curtain of the carriage door, and Liu Mingxian bent to get inside.

The three retainers did not board the carriage; the old man followed beside the carriage with small, shuffling steps like a bound-foot woman, yet managing to keep pace with the carriage.

The two brothers named Xu Can strode ahead, opening the way for the carriage like two towering deities.

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