Green Mountain
Chapter 234 - 182, Fate

Chapter 234: 182, Fate

Heavy snowfall.

Endless expanses appeared as white as attired hair in the human world.

Chen Ji didn’t know how he had returned to the Medical Hall, nor could he remember whether he had said "I’m back" this time. But the moment he approached the Medical Hall, he finally managed to hold back his numb, smiling face.

Tomorrow at Yingxian Building, he would host a banquet for dozens of colleagues to celebrate his promotion to Hai Dongqing.

According to Jin Zhu, henceforth, even County Magistrates would have to treat him with courtesy, and city Magistrates with no powerful backing dared not disrespect him.

Should he be happy?

Of course, he should be happy; he had finally found a firm foothold in this world.

He should be extremely happy, openly happy!

But what after the happiness?

Old Yao stood behind the counter, looking at the snow piled on Chen Ji’s head and shoulders, "Lost your soul? Go and light the stove in my room."

Chen Ji responded softly and walked inside.

Just then, the sound of a carriage stopping outside was heard, and someone politely asked near the door, "Excuse me, who is Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji slowly turned around, "That’s me, what is it?"

A shopkeeper, leading a shop assistant, walked in with a smile on his face, "I am the shopkeeper of Li Ji’s Clothing Store, do you remember? Previously, the Commandery Princess ordered several garments for you at our shop: two stand-collar jackets, two pairs of winter cotton trousers, two pairs of soap boots, a tile-brimmed official hat, and a fox fur large cloak. According to the Commandery Princess, she mentioned that you dislike ostentation, so the fox fur is sewn inside, while the outside is made of fine cotton fabric..."

Chen Ji stared blankly at the garments carried by the assistant, momentarily unable to respond.

The shopkeeper continued, "Also, the Commandery Princess instructed that six golden melon seeds be sewn into the clothes as garment weights to make the robes look more robust. She said it was for your convenience in case of emergency."

The shop assistant stepped forward and placed the clothes in Chen Ji’s arms.

The shopkeeper chuckled, "The payment has been made by the Commandery Princess, so if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now. If the clothes don’t fit, our store always offers free alterations."

He waited for Chen Ji to reply, but Chen Ji just stared down at the clothes in his arms for a long time.

Suddenly, Old Yao threw a piece of broken silver, "Go back."

The shopkeeper exclaimed and turned to leave.

Old Yao stood watching Chen Ji’s back, and suddenly he sighed deeply, "...Are you coming home to eat tonight?"

"Not eating, Master," Chen Ji, holding the clothes, walked into the bedroom, and when he came out, he seemed slightly stunned while looking at the red ribbon on the apricot tree.

After a long time, Chen Ji fetched a ladder, climbed the tree, and took down the ribbon belonging to Princess Bai Li, slowly unraveling it. Inside, he found a line of graceful small characters, "With you year by year, every year and every year."

He stared at those words, his gaze seemingly piercing through the heavy snow, locking eyes with Princess Bai Li under the apricot tree that day.

The red on the apricot tree blossomed in his mind, like an anchor in his memory, forming rings of years, differentiating old times from new days.

Chen Ji tucked the red ribbon into his chest and mounted his horse, galloping through the snow, both he and the galloping horse as characters from storytellers’ tales, were like non-returning guests of Jianghu.

...

...

In Cuiyun Lane.

The housekeeper of Chen Mansion was directing servants to clear the snow, "Make sure you clean the snow thoroughly, if the master slips when he comes back from the government office, watch your skins."

At that moment, a carriage slowly entered Cuiyun Lane, Chen Liqin lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down. He wore a bright red official robe, but the usual authority in his eyebrows was gone, replaced by a gloomy oppression.

The rebellion plotted by the Liu Family had been quelled, but the proclamation he wrote, along with Mr. Feng, had disappeared.

This matter could be a major issue or a minor one; if someone were to pursue accountability with the proclamation, he and the Liu Family would be considered fellow conspirators.

Chen Liqin didn’t know who to discuss this matter with and couldn’t discuss it, so he had to suppress it in his heart.

Seeing him returning, the housekeeper hurriedly shouted into the mansion, "The master is back!"

Inside Chen Mansion, an elegant and dignified lady came to greet him, standing by the doorstep she spoke softly, "My lord, you’ve been coughing these days, I’ve had someone prepare a stew of tremella and pear soup, please come in and drink it while it’s hot."

Chen Liqin silently nodded.

The lady spoke again softly, "My lord, Wenzong has locked himself in his room, not even letting his maid in, why don’t you talk to him tonight, see if he has any troubles on his mind?"

Chen Liqin responded.

At that moment, the sound of horse hooves came from outside the lane.

Chen Liqin turned, astonished to see Chen Ji on the horse, "Why have you come back?"

The lady on the doorstep, seeing Chen Ji, also asked softly, "Did you come back suddenly because there’s an urgent matter, or do you need some silver?"

Under everyone’s gaze, Chen Ji did not stop his horse’s hooves.

The housekeeper blocked Chen Ji’s way, "The master and the lady are speaking to you, you..."

Chen Ji’s expression remained calm, his right hand pulling on the reins, as his steed abruptly raised its front hooves and fiercely charged toward the Housekeeper!

The Housekeeper, panic-stricken, rolled to the side just in time to dodge the trampling!

Chen Ji coldly said, "Roll."

He brushed past everyone, dismounting in front of the Zhang Mansion.

Chen Ji handed the reins to a servant standing at the door, "Please announce that Chen Ji is visiting."

Yet at the Chen Mansion, Chen Liqin, a lady, the Housekeeper, and servants all watched quietly, unable to wrap their minds around the situation. Wasn’t this their third young master of Chen Mansion? Why was he heading to the Zhang Mansion? Why was he emanating such a murderous aura?

This hardly resembled a Medical Hall apprentice, more like a battle-hardened soldier from the border army!

The lady asked in a gentle voice, "Master, why did Chen Ji pass by our door without entering? Did I do something wrong to upset him again?"

Chen Liqin said with a stern voice, "It has nothing to do with you, do not overthink."

The lady furrowed her brows in confusion, "But what is he doing at the Zhang Mansion? I heard before that he had some dealings with Second Miss Zhang. But now that he, a man, is visiting her suddenly, wouldn’t it be inappropriate and potentially harm Second Miss Zhang’s reputation?"

Just then, a voice was heard hustling within the Zhang Mansion, "Hey, what are you doing here? I was just about to change out of my official robe and come find you at the Medical Hall."

In the midst of speaking, Zhang Zhuo emerged, wearing only a pair of white socks on his feet.

Following closely, Zhang Zheng of the Zhang Mansion rushed out like a gust of wind.

Zhang Zheng grabbed Chen Ji’s arm and started walking inside, "Good brother, I was just telling Axia that we should go find you together. It’s cold outside, quickly come inside and warm up."

However, after taking a glance at Chen Ji, Zhang Zhuo turned to Zhang Zheng and said, "Chen Ji must have come here for important business, you go back first."

Zhang Zheng paused for a moment, then turned and walked away, taking the servant with him so that no one else could hear the conversation between his father and Chen Ji.

Once it was quiet at the door, Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji, "Are you here for Prince Jing?"

"No, I am here for the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess. Lord Zhang, I have saved you once, saved Zhang Xia twice, and now I need you and Zhang Xia to do something for me tomorrow. Could you?"

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard, "No matter what it is, the Zhang Family will accept."

...

...

Thirty minutes later, braving the wind and snow, Chen Ji rode his horse towards East Market.

It wasn’t until evening that he stopped in front of a large house on Tongji Street.

This was a wealthy family’s home, hosting a grand birthday celebration for the elderly matriarch’s seventieth, and suddenly, it began to snow in Luocheng City.

When Chen Ji approached the door, a smiling Housekeeper was greeting guests, "Esteemed guest, do you have an invitation from our household?"

Continuing forward without turning his head, Chen Ji said, "I am here looking for your ’strong man’ who is setting up the stage, I am his friend."

The Housekeeper, upon hearing it was about the ’strong man’, immediately turned cold and stepped in front of Chen Ji, "You come seeking the ’strong man’ all the way to the homeowner’s place? Get out, tonight is the old lady’s grand birthday, and we won’t bother with you."

Chen Ji glanced at him and pulled out a Spy Department waist tag from his sleeve, "In three days, come to the Spy Department office in Huajing Alley to receive ten lashes; if you don’t seek me, I will seek you."

The Housekeeper’s face turned ghostly pale.

Exhaling a white breath in the snow, Chen Ji remarked, "Power really is handy... Anyway, I was just joking with you, lead me to the stage area for the celebration."

The Housekeeper led the way with a bowed back, "Please be careful of the snow on the ground, don’t slip."

Arriving outside the stage, Chen Ji waved the Housekeeper away.

Standing aside, he watched She Dengke and a crew of strong men carrying wood, gradually setting up the stage, until She Dengke saw him and, surprised, ran over, "Chen Ji, what brings you here? Tonight is Madam Tang’s grand birthday; you can hide backstage with me, and later, I’ll sneak you in for a good meal!"

Standing in the snow, Chen Ji silently paused before asking, "Senior Brother She, you like Chunhua, don’t you?"

She Dengke hesitated, "Yes, I like her."

Chen Ji asked, "Why do you like her?"

Recalling, She Dengke said, "The first time I entered the Prince Mansion, I made a fool of myself, and all the other maids laughed at me, only she discreetly reminded me and later secretly taught me the rules, even sneaking snacks to me from the Prince Mansion. During breaks, I took her to my home to help with tent shows, and she never despised me, Chen Ji, she is actually a good person."

Chen Ji looked towards the distant stage, "Previously, you and she conspired against me together, do you still remember? At that time, she paid me back, some in full and some in part, thirty silver taels and thirty-six copper coins."

She Dengke’s mood fell, "I remember, I’m sorry."

Chen Ji turned to look directly at She Dengke and said calmly, "Back then, I said you owed me a life, and when I say it’s time to repay, you must repay."

"I remember."

"Now, it’s time to repay that life."

She Dengke struggled for a long while before responding, "Alright."

Chen Ji patted the snow off She Dengke’s shoulder, smiling, "Senior Brother She, I won’t just take your life for nothing, Chunhua is currently in the inner prison; helping me means helping her. If you survive this, I’ll help you both escape far away."

She Dengke’s heart tightened, "What if I don’t survive?"

"Then that would be fate."