Green Mountain
Chapter 158 - 116, United in Mind and Purpose

Chapter 158: 116, United in Mind and Purpose

A great fire, with billowing smoke rising into the sky, attracted the people of Luocheng City to Mudan Bridge.

The commoners stopped going to work and hustled to join the crowd, even the peddlers were striding along with their carrying poles.

Chen Ji walked quietly towards Anxi Street, where streams of people were rushing in the opposite direction behind him, only his lean figure moved against the flow.

He wanted to hurry back to the Medical Hall because he had too many questions to ask.

When he returned to the front of Taiping Medical Hall.

The aroma of white porridge and stir-fried oil wafted from the door, and Chen Ji could even hear the noisy arguments between Liu Quxing and She Dengke from the backyard.

He stood outside the gate for a long time before he took a deep breath, stepped over the threshold, and at the moment he crossed, a wave of exhaustion surged into his mind, yet it felt as if a hanging stone in his heart had finally fallen to the ground.

Chen Ji let out a long sigh, expelling all the dissatisfaction from outside the door, "I’m back!"

Old Yao was standing alone behind the counter, fiddling with an abacus while muttering, "You’re back, so what’s with all the shouting?!"

Wu Yun lay beside the abacus with his hands tucked in, only opening his eyes when he saw Chen Ji enter.

Chen Ji stood opposite the counter, gazing at his master in front of him, pondering how to begin.

Old Yao stopped playing with the abacus beads and glanced at him sideways, "Spit it out if you’ve got something to say."

Chen Ji asked, "Master, did you help me out today?"

Old Yao raised his eyebrows, "Help you with what? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Chen Ji frowned, somewhat doubtful, "No?"

Old Yao pointed at Wu Yun, "I’ve been with this little creature all night long, ask it whether I’ve helped you."

Chen Ji looked at Wu Yun, and Wu Yun meowed, "Seems like he really didn’t help."

Old Yao stroked his beard and chuckled with self-satisfaction, "That’s right."

Wu Yun meowed again, "But Master is very concerned about you. He took me to the riverside to watch you chase after Manager Yuan. He only returned to the Medical Hall after making sure you were safe in the early morning."

Old Yao smacked his lips, "Who asked you that?!"

At this point, Liang Mao’er came out carrying a steaming hot bowl of ginger soup and handed it directly to Chen Ji, "Master just told me to make ginger soup to ward off the chill, one bowl each person. It’s just right that you’re back, go ahead and drink it while it’s hot."

Chen Ji held the ginger soup silently for a long time before he drank it all in one go.

He placed the ceramic bowl on the counter and calmly said, "Master, today Jin Zhu asked Meng Ji to interrogate me, but Meng Ji told me in his dream that you had instructed him not to cooperate with Jin Zhu in interrogating me. You don’t have to hide it from me anymore, thank you for helping me through this crisis."

Old Yao scoffed, "Trying to trick an old man? I was tricking others when your father hadn’t even met your mother!"

Chen Ji: "..."

Old Yao looked at him sideways, "Whoever can order the Twelve Signs around must be a high-ranking official in the Ritual Supervision who can reach the heavens. If I had such a status, would I allow you, a Jing Dynasty thief, to jump around in front of me?"

Chen Ji fell into contemplation.

When Meng Ji said that a high-ranking figure favored him, his first reaction was that his own master had intervened on his behalf.

But what the master said also made sense; one of the duties of the Ritual Supervision was to apprehend Jing Dynasty spies. If the master were indeed a high-ranking official of the Ritual Supervision, how could he allow him to live?

Chen Ji then asked, "Master, do you know anything about Jin Zhu?"

Old Yao, "I don’t."

Wu Yun, "I do!"

Old Yao turned his expressionless face slowly to look at Wu Yun.

Chen Ji curiously asked, "Today Jin Zhu made a deal with me. The moment the deal was struck, it felt like something changed, but I can’t pinpoint what it was. Also, after the deal, he seemed to really let his guard down..."

Wu Yun said, "Master said, Jin Zhu has to invest in others to cultivate, which is his cultivation path. He previously invested in Heavenly Horse and leaped into the Seeking Dao Realm. But after consecutive investment failures in two people, he fell back to the Innate Realm. Now, choosing to invest in you is his last chance."

Chen Ji was startled in his heart. There was such an odd cultivation path? Could this cultivation path be called "Betting Dog"?

No wonder Jin Zhu said, even if he had to kneel in front of Jiefan Building, he needed to kneel himself a cultivation path; he wanted to rely on him to cultivate.

Chen Ji hastily asked, "What kind of ties will I have with Jin Zhu? If something happens to him, will it affect me?"

Wu Yun looked at Old Yao, "Master, you didn’t say this part."

Old Yao irritably said, "Of course not. Even if he dies it doesn’t involve you. It just means that whenever your cultivation advances a level, he will benefit from it."

"How much will he benefit?"

"Roughly fifty percent."

Chen Ji frowned deeply, "Doesn’t that mean he can know my cultivation progress? Why didn’t you warn me sooner..."

Old Yao chuckled, "What’s wrong with having an extra zodiac sign as a bodyguard? If you encounter danger now, Jin Zhu will care more than your parents or siblings."

Chen Ji was puzzled, "If I die, he would just fall one realm again, why go to such lengths?"

Old Yao methodically explained, "The Seeking Dao Realm is a major life crisis, stepping into it means a different life. However, there are differences within the Seeking Dao Realm. If one stabilizes in the Seeking Dao Realm before thirty-six, it’s possible to transform completely, extending life and living a hundred years without troubles. But if you enter the Seeking Dao Realm after thirty-six, it’s no different from the natural birth, aging, sickness, and death of ordinary people. Jin Zhu is already thirty-one years old and doesn’t have much time left. His last hope is now pinned on you."

"I see," Chen Ji said, puzzled, "then why is he still so suspicious of me, isn’t he deeply offending me to death?"

"It may be hard for you to believe, but even though he suspects and interrogates you, he hopes more than you do that you are innocent."

The main hall of the Medical Hall quieted down, and Old Yao began to fiddle with the abacus again.

Chen Ji suddenly said, "Master, there’s no need to hide anything. Meng Ji really told me everything."

Old Yao replied irritably, "Go away!"

Having said that, he looked up at Wu Yun on the counter: "Liang Gou’er should be waking up. You go away too!"

Wu Yun slinked out the door to be Heavenly Master Nine Heavens Yingyuan Universal Thunder, while Chen Ji slinked back to his room to change into dry clothes.

...

...

Chen Ji sat on the dim bed in his room, staring blankly.

The people in the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department who knew he was a spy had either died or left. The golden pig Jin Zhu from the Ning Dynasty Secret Spy Department had also let down his guard.

It seemed life had finally settled down, and he could catch his breath.

Chen Ji looked up at the ceiling.

The cobwebs on the beams needed cleaning, and the broken tiles on the roof needed replacing.

Several bricks in the yard were damaged; they would collect water when it rained.

He would have to buy new bricks and tiles, and before the winter set in completely, he would use cement to re-lay the tiles and the blue bricks. That way, there would be no fear of leaks or standing water.

Yes, he would buy them today!

Just then, there was a hearty laugh from outside.

Chen Ji bent down to put on his boots and stepped outside, only to see Zhang Zhuo standing under the apricot tree, looking with great interest at the red cloth strips on it.

Zhang Zhuo was dressed in a red official robe today, which complemented the red cloth strips on the apricot tree.

After scanning the wishes on the red cloth strips, he turned and asked Liu Quxing, "Would it trouble Doctor Liu to see if there are any more red cloth strips inside the Medical Hall? I would like to write one and hang it up too."

Liu Quxing hurriedly ran to the hall: "Please wait a moment. There’s still plenty of red cloth strips left."

When he returned with the cloth strips and handed out the brush, he also stretched out the cloth strip in front of Zhang Zhuo.

Zhang Zhuo wrote four characters: "United in heart and purpose."

Then, he personally tied the red cloth strip to a bare branch.

Liu Quxing looked bewildered: "What’s the meaning behind this, Lord Zhang?"

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily: "Isn’t it good to wish that the three of you brothers are united in heart and purpose?"

Liu Quxing muttered under his breath, "It is good, but usually the words following ’united in heart and purpose’ are ’living together in perfect harmony’..."

At this point, Chen Ji spoke up, "Lord Zhang, what brings you to Taiping Medical Hall today?"

Zhang Zhuo turned to Chen Ji and patiently explained, "Doctor Chen, this morning, I just learned that Xia’er, from I don’t know where, heard some news and caused trouble in the clinic. I came specially to apologize to you. She’s been impulsive since she was little, but she means no harm, so please don’t take offense."

Chen Ji acknowledged, "So, the matter Second Miss Zhang spoke of does not exist?"

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard, "Of course. A melon forced off its vine is not sweet. I, Zhang Zhuo, am an open-minded man and would never force anyone against their will! Doctor Chen, rest assured, I value your character and will look out for your best interest."

This left Chen Ji unsure how to respond.

After a moment of thought, he asked, "Why do you appreciate me, Lord Zhang? We’ve not seen much of each other."

Zhang Zhuo seemed interested: "I judge a person on two things. The first is to see what he does when he suddenly becomes rich; whether he is arrogant and ostentatious or not. The second is to see what he doesn’t do when he is in poverty; whether he keeps to his principles and doesn’t commit crimes..."

As he was talking, footsteps were heard at the door.

Everyone turned to look, and saw Prince Jing walking straight into the backyard, followed by the tall Feng Daban.

Old Yao muttered, "This little Taiping Medical Hall seems livelier than Prince Jing Mansion."

Prince Jing entered the yard and was surprised to see Zhang Zhuo: "Lord Zhang, didn’t you say that you were going to supervise the construction of the refugee shelters? How come you are in Taiping Medical Hall?"

Zhang Zhuo was slightly embarrassed, "Just passing by, passing by."

Prince Jing did not tease him further. He turned to Chen Ji, "This morning, your father... Mr. Chen Liqin came to see me."

Chen Ji calmly asked, "May I know what Mr. Chen sought in Prince Jing?"

Prince Jing smiled, "He wished to study."

"Study?"

Prince Jing explained, "Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao are going to the capital to take their exams at the start of spring. Then, scholars from across the country will gather, and the competition will be much tougher than the Autumn Imperial Examination. By chance, Mr. Wang has returned to Luocheng and is mourning, giving lectures by day in my Prince Mansion to Yunxi, Bai Li, and Lingyun. So, Mr. Chen hopes that Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao can also attend the lectures to avoid wasting time at home, hampering their preparations for next year’s examinations."

Chen Ji was silent.

Prince Jing continued with a smile, "Mr. Chen also paid your tuition fee, hoping you would join the lectures. I’ve given it some thought and agree that at your age, you should listen to more scholars. So, I’ve also paid the tuition fees for Liu Quxing and She Dengke. You can rest assured; Mr. Wang is not like other academy masters. Even His Majesty holds him in high regard; surely, he will benefit you all."

Chen Ji pondered for a moment and responded, "I cannot decide this on my own; it would require my master’s consent."

Then, he turned to look at Old Yao, blinking vigorously a few times.

Old Yao spoke at a leisurely pace, "I have no objections. Let these three scamps attend the lectures. I can enjoy some peace and quiet every day. Sounds good to me."

Chen Ji: "..."

However, at that moment, Zhang Zhuo’s eyes twinkled, and he suddenly said, "I still remember how stunning Wang Daosheng’s ’Twelve Strategies of Pacifying the Japanese’ was at the palace examination, but it’s a pity that his talents are not being put to use now. Prince Jing, could my Zhang Xia also attend his lectures to refine my daughter’s wild ways?"

Prince Jing laughed, "Of course, that’s possible."