Green Mountain
Chapter 235: Innate 183

Chapter 235: Innate 183

Midnight descended upon Hongyi Lane, now buried under a heavy snowfall, extinguished of its once brilliant lights.

She Dengke hurried along, braving the snow as he arrived.

Standing before the famed "Glazed Palace," he hesitated, rapping gently on the door, only to find no one opening up for him.

He stepped back a few paces and looked up, only to see the much-lauded "Glazed Palace" of Hongyi Lane with doors and windows tightly shut, curtains drawn, and engulfed in darkness.

She Dengke muttered under his breath, "Wasn’t Brother Gou’er said to be inside? How come it looks deserted as if there’s no one there?"

Just then, a bowed servant boy darted out from a side alley, addressing him in a low, fawning tone, "Sir, are you here to enjoy the Glazed Palace?"

She Dengke responded, "I am here to find someone, to find Liang Gou’er."

The servant boy grinned and said, "Oh, you are a distinguished guest of Brother Gou’er. Right this way, please, right this way."

With that, the boy led She Dengke down the alley and to the dim back door of the Glazed Palace.

Upon opening the door, a burst of laughter and the sound of singing met his ears, and as his eyes adjusted, he was greeted by a vibrant kaleidoscope of colors, and the warm, fragrant air hit him like a bustling wave.

She Dengke stood amazed: "I thought there was no one here..."

The servant boy chuckled apologetically, "With the Spy Department’s grim reapers lurking all over the city, we really can’t attract attention."

As She Dengke entered, he was struck by the realization that beneath this edifice of the Glazed Palace, a floor heating system was burning, making it warmer than springtime itself. The parade of bewitching dancers with their snowy complexions nearly made his head spin.

The servant boy led him upstairs and knocked on the door to the "Spring Late" private room.

The voice of Liang Gou’er came through, "Come in!"

At the opening of the door, there sat Liang Gou’er at a round table, draped with two dancers, laughing unrestrainedly. Beside him, Liang Mao’er sat resigned, ceaselessly stuffing food into his mouth.

She Dengke hastened a few steps, moved aside one of the dancers, and took a seat beside Liang Gou’er to whisper a few words.

Liang Gou’er glanced at him sidelong, with one arm around a dancer, and said, "Brother She, you know my rules. Among the three things I don’t help with, the first is..."

She Dengke spoke solemnly, "Brother Gou’er, we have been friends for so long, can’t you make an exception just this once?"

Liang Gou’er sneered, "Friends? I just need silver to spend. Fair-weather friends are just for drinking with, but you’re asking for a fair-weather friend’s life? What kind of reasoning is that..."

She Dengke fell silent for a moment before drawing a letter from his breast, "If you follow the plan, taking this letter afterward, I assure you, you will meet Jiang Liuxian."

Liang Gou’er suddenly sat upright, "Say that again?"

She Dengke stated earnestly, "Jiang, Liuxian."

Liang Gou’er’s face slowly turned cold.

She Dengke continued, "If you do not follow the plan, then you will never get to meet..."

Before he could finish, Liang Gou’er shoved aside the dancer beside him and said sternly, "Everyone out!"

Once the dancers had left the private room, he then took the envelope, drawing a sheet of paper from within to scrutinize it, his expression fluctuating.

Moments later, the drunkenness seemingly vanished from his eyes as he stared intently at She Dengke, "You’re not bold enough to talk to me like this, and you shouldn’t know where to find Jiang Liuxian. Who taught you this?"

She Dengke hesitated, then fixed his gaze upon Liang Gou’er without backing down, "No one taught me."

"Just you dare to utter the name ’Jiang Liuxian’ before me?" Liang Gou’er scoffed. "I’ve already guessed who it might be. Such grave concern from a young man, stopping at nothing to succeed... Doesn’t he fear me settling scores afterward?"

Growing impatient, She Dengke said, "Just give me a clear answer, success or not. I have several more places to go to, and I’m very busy tonight."

Liang Gou’er shut his eyes in contemplation.

When he reopened them, he downed the wine in his glass cup in one gulp, "Tell him, as he desires."

She Dengke hurriedly left.

As he departed, he glanced up at the heavy snow falling from the sky, and then tightened his grip on his collar, bowing his head as he quickly continued on his way.

At 3 AM, the sky remained pitch black.

The sound of horse hooves echoed outside the Luocheng City granary, waking the soldiers in the watchtower, who squinted while holding up lanterns, "Who goes there!?"

In the next moment, they saw Zhang Zhuo, clad in a red official’s robe, approaching on horseback, with scores of government soldiers trailing behind him.

Zhang Zhuo reined in his horse before the fort gate and called out in a chilling voice, "Open Door!"

The gate opened slowly, and a lieutenant came running out, pulling up his trousers in haste, "Lord Zhang, what brings you here in the middle of the night?"

Zhang Zhuo pointed his chin upward, "Summon all the officers and soldiers. The autumn grain and taxes were delayed by civil unrest, and they must be accounted for and transported out by tomorrow."

The lieutenant was startled, "My lord, such short notice? It will take three days just to account for the autumn grain... Besides, we haven’t informed the Cao Guild, and they might not have the large ships ready at the docks to transport the grain."

Zhang Zhuo smirked coldly, "Is it you or I who runs this Luocheng? Just prepare as I have instructed. By evening time, we will transport whatever has been accounted for."

The lieutenant hesitated.

Zhang Zhuo, sitting on his horse, looked down at him, "I’ve already executed one lieutenant here before; don’t fear adding another."

The lieutenant bowed his head hastily, "Understood, I’ll comply."

Then, Zhang Zhuo added, "Oh, and change the route for grain transportation. This time, we’ll pass through Guangji Street before escorting it to the docks, so no thieves get familiar with our route and lay in ambush ahead of time."

The lieutenant was confused, "My lord, the Eunuch Party’s hawks and dogs are everywhere in Luocheng. Even the most formidable bandits from the Jianghu wouldn’t dare to rob official grain with nine lives at stake!"

Zhang Zhuo’s eyes narrowed slightly, "I give the orders, you follow them. Why all these questions?"

The lieutenant was taken aback, "I understand!"

As the rooster crowed, Zhang Zhuo looked up at the first pale light of dawn creeping across the horizon. It was 5 to 7 AM.

In the midst of the government soldiers, hidden among them, Zhang Zheng edged his horse forward slowly, "Father, will there be enough time?"

Zhang Zhuo pondered for a moment, "It should be... This matter is of great importance. I’m wagering the fate of the Zhang Family on this."

Zhang Zheng smiled and said, "It’s okay, my big brother and I aren’t suited for officialdom anyway."

Zhang Zhuo glared at him. "Do you have the nerve to say that?"

Zhang Zheng quickly changed the subject, "Right, Father, where is my little sister?"

Zhang Zhuo looked into the night. "She has her own matters to attend to."

...

...

At 9 to 11 AM, dawn was breaking, and the courtyard of Taiping Medical Hall was covered in thick snow.

The snow on Anxi Street had been swept away by shopkeepers, except for the snow in front of the Medical Hall, which remained untouched.

Old Yao stood behind the counter in the main hall, taking the pulses of patients and dispensing medicine. When patients were absent, he would occasionally stick his head out towards the backyard to see if Chen Ji had gotten up.

Wu Yun tucked his paws underneath him and meowed, "Master, is Chen Ji sick? He never used to oversleep."

Old Yao scoffed. "Sick? With the Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture, even wounds from the outside rapidly heal. How could he become ill so easily?"

"Oh... then why hasn’t he gotten up yet?"

Old Yao stood behind the counter, wrapping his arms in his sleeves.

He looked at the snow in front of the door and casually replied, "Maybe there’s nothing to look forward to anymore."

Winter’s hot pot and evening wine had lost their significance.

At this moment, in the apprentice’s dormitory, Chen Ji lay with his eyes open, gazing at the ceiling beams. He watched dust particles float up and down in the air, lost in thought.

After who knows how long, Chen Ji got up, put on a set of new black winter clothes, and walked outside with a bamboo broom from the courtyard.

He greeted Old Yao and Wu Yun with a smile: "Good morning."

Old Yao glanced at him. "You finally woke up? What, were you planning to wait until I’d swept away the snow? All dressed up fancy, are you going to Hongyi Lane?"

Chen Ji chuckled, "Don’t be angry, Master. I’m off to sweep the snow. And, yes, I am hosting some colleagues tonight, hence the formal attire."

As they spoke, a clear chiming of copper bells echoed from the distant Anxi Street.

The next moment, thirty-two monks in grey robes, bare-chested in the cold winter, carried an enormous Sumeru Base with an image of the Free Guanyin, holy and dignified.

Beside the Sumeru Base, the monks held copper bells in their left hands and incense in their right. Occasionally, their hands would clap together, the incense and bells creating a burst of brilliant sparks and a crisp sound.

Wherever they passed, the common folk prostrated themselves on the ground.

A wealthy Mr. Zhuang from a household had his father’s eightieth birthday, and had donated incense to invite the Buddha and Bodhisattva to patrol and look after the world of mortals.

Chen Ji stood in the doorway with hands clasped together, eyes closed, softly making a wish.

Old Yao looked at his back and laughed, "So you’re praying in advance for tonight’s killing? Didn’t you once debate scripture with the Buddhist Sect? When did you become a devout follower under the Buddha?"

Chen Ji opened his eyes and turned back smiling, "Master, if there are indeed Forty-nine Heavens, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. What if the Bodhisattva really blesses me today?"

Old Yao looked down. "The world is in such chaos. If they had a heart of compassion, they would open their eyes to see."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Master, if Xu Shu and Hu Junyan could descend from the Forty-nine Heavens, there must be a way to ascend too, right?"

Old Yao looked up at him. "What, you want to go have a look?"

Chen Ji leaned on the bamboo broom and smiled, "Just asking."

Old Yao pondered behind the counter for a moment, "It’s said that the Forty-nine Heavens is where the Immortals reside. If one day you can transcend the Divine Realm and ascend through tribulation, then perhaps you can become an Immortal."

Chen Ji’s eyes lit up, "Master, has anyone succeeded in ascending in recent years?"

"Yes."

"Master, do you wish to become an Immortal?"

Old Yao dismissed the idea with disdain, "If not granted endless life, why bother becoming an Immortal of heaven?"

Chen Ji paused, sensing an implication in those words. He pondered as he slowly swept the snow from the front of the door, continuing from noon until evening.

After clearing the last patch of snow, he turned to go inside and brought out the ginseng he had purchased earlier, transforming it all into Crystal Beads in front of Old Yao, which Wu Yun swallowed one by one.

Old Yao watched silently for a while before retrieving ten more ginseng from the main hall and placing them on the counter.

Chen Ji looked up, separated by the counter, and asked, "Master, how much for this ginseng?"

Old Yao pushed the ginseng towards him, "This time, it’s free."

Chen Ji was astonished, "Are you..."

Old Yao said expressionlessly, "Don’t walk ahead of me."

Chen Ji grinned, converted all the Ice Flow within him into Molten Flow, and lit the one hundred and eleven stove fires blazing within, his eyes shining like stars.

Wu Yun suddenly grew larger; once only the size of two palms, it was now as long as a forearm.

It shook its body, shaking off a layer of loose fur, which turned into dust in the air, revealing its new sleek, shiny black fur.

Chen Ji placed Wu Yun on his shoulder and walked outside. Coming to the door, he looked back at Old Yao, who stood quietly watching him from behind the counter.

Old Yao spoke slowly, "One step for each Heaven, a hundred to reach the clouds. Go on, you’re about to become an innate master."

Chen Ji knelt to give Old Yao three kowtows, then stood and strode away.

Taiping Medical Hall returned to tranquility. Old Yao idly flicked through his abacus, unsure of what to calculate.

After a long silence, he took out a handful of Copper Coins and scattered them on the counter, contemplating the divination sign. He gathered the coins and scattered them again.

He did this over ten times before finally sighing.

A crow flew in from somewhere and landed lightly on his shoulder, cawing softly.

Old Yao said nothing, just gathered the coins and, hands behind his back, leisurely left the Medical Hall, walking into the sunset.