Green Mountain
Chapter 256 - 201 Land Deed

Chapter 256: 201 Land Deed

Late at night.

In the depths of Chen Mansion, laughter, music, and the singing of songstresses could still be heard.

Close officials of Chen Liqin didn’t wait for the banquet three days later; they came bearing gifts with servants in tow, trampling over the threshold of Chen Mansion.

However, the liveliness of Chen Mansion had nothing to do with Mingquan Garden.

At this moment, Chen Ji lay on his step bed in Mingquan Garden, staring blankly at the canopy above him. Wu Yun lay beside him, lost in a daze together.

The bed was triple-layered. The bottom layer, a mattress made of woven palm leaves, prevented dampness, the middle comprised freshly fluffed cotton, and the top was a silk sheet.

The bed was soft, far superior to the shared bedding in the apprentice quarters. There were no stinking feet, no snoring sounds, yet Chen Ji just couldn’t fall asleep.

He always felt there were many things to take care of before leaving Luocheng City but couldn’t sort out his thoughts.

Wu Yun stared with round eyes, "Chen Ji, if you really can’t sleep, why not sneak back to the Medical Hall to sleep and return in the morning?"

Chen Ji chuckled, "It’s not that I must stay at the Medical Hall; it’s just that I can’t sleep in a new place."

Also, those who snored, kicked their blankets, and tossed and turned in their sleep were no longer at the Medical Hall.

Chen Ji asked, "Wu Yun, after we rescue the Commandery Princess, shall we go out to sea together? We can take a ship from Qiming all the way to Lushun Port and head to the Jing Dynasty."

Wu Yun rolled over, curiously meowing, "To find your uncle?"

Chen Ji, after a pause, said, "Don’t find him or anyone. Let’s be a hunter in the mountains and build a hut on the hill. In winter, I’ll take you to catch hibernating bears and silly deer; in summer, we’ll dig for toads and catch cicadas. When autumn comes, we’ll pick all the pears and make frozen pears to eat... Then, we go further north to see the auroras and ride sleds."

Caught up in the ideal homeland once described by Wu Hongbiao, even Wu Yun appeared a bit longing.

Chen Ji mused that he was now an Executive Officer of the Innate Realm—crossing the mountains would be a breeze. Dealing with animals was far better than dealing with people.

Wu Yun, curious, "But then the Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture wouldn’t have Ice Flow anymore. You won’t reach the Seeking Dao Realm before 36 and won’t be able to prolong your life."

Chen Ji said lightheartedly, "What’s the use of living so long? Master used to say, ’With longevity comes great shame.’"

Wu Yun fell silent for a moment, "But I see Master happy every day."

Chen Ji puzzled, "Happy? We almost annoy him to death every day in the Medical Hall."

Wu Yun casually said, "He’s just saying that. When Master watches you all playing in the yard from the gap in the main room window, he actually seems quite happy."

"Is that so..."

While they were speaking, a knocking sound came from outside Mingquan Garden.

Chen Ji threw off his blanket and stepped out of bed, wrapping himself in a large cloak as he walked into the courtyard, "Who is it?"

In a mild voice, Chen Liqin responded, "It’s me."

Chen Ji unlatched the door.

Upon opening it, he immediately caught the strong scent of alcohol, seeing Chen Liqin’s dark cheeks flushed with a reddish-purple, the drunkenness evident on his face.

Chen Ji asked puzzled, "Why has Mr. Chen come in the middle of the night?"

Chen Liqin, long accustomed to the address ’Mr. Chen,’ did not frown. "Why lock the yard door while staying at your own house? Rest assured, the Chen family’s servants patrol at night; no villains will enter."

Chen Ji just smiled, not responding.

Chen Liqin suddenly realized that Chen Ji was guarding not against villains from outside the Chen Mansion, but those within.

Taken aback, he then softly asked, "Won’t you invite me in?"

Chen Ji stepped aside, "Please, Mr. Chen."

Chen Liqin entered the courtyard, looking around, "Are you satisfied with this place?"

Chen Ji smiled, "Naturally, I am satisfied."

The two stood in the courtyard, suddenly looking at each other in a strangely quiet, eerie silence.

After a long while, Chen Liqin cleared his throat, "When we get to the Imperial Capital, the house will reserve a separate courtyard for you. Rest assured, it won’t be inferior to Wenzong and Wenxiao’s."

Chen Ji bowed deeply in thanks, "Thank you, Mr. Chen."

After these words, Chen Liqin didn’t know what else to say, and Chen Ji wasn’t in a hurry either, just quietly waiting.

After a long while, Chen Liqin sighed, "Today, in front of outsiders, I can’t directly reveal our family’s scandals. The face of the Chen family doesn’t belong to just me. As members of the Chen family, we must maintain it properly and not bring shame upon our family’s name. Letting outsiders know of our family’s scandal won’t make them genuinely worry; they’ll only mock the Chen family."

Chen Ji made a sound of acknowledgment.

Chen Liqin stood before a wintersweet tree, hands clasped behind his back, "I know you’ve suffered a lot and faced many grievances over the years. Rest assured; you won’t have to suffer such injustices in the future."

Chen Ji bowed in gratitude, "It’s good that Mr. Chen recognizes my innocence."

At this moment, Chen Liqin turned back, pulling out a sheet of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Ji.

Chen Ji, puzzled, "What is this?"

Chen Liqin explained, "Ritual Supervision confiscated Prince Jing Mansion and the Liu family’s properties, some unimportant properties were sold locally. What you have in your hand is the deed to Taiping Medical Hall. Knowing you lived there for two years and hold sentiments for the place, I arranged to buy it back. Even though we are leaving for the Imperial Capital, this can remain a keepsake in Luocheng..."

Chen Ji’s face moved emotionally as he quickly unfolded the deed, which read "Land Distribution Certificate" at the top.

"Administered by thirty-three districts, this office has clearly measured the fields, hills, and ponds, Anxi Street, number twelve..."

Carefully folding the deed, Chen Ji tucked it into his sleeve. Then, with hands clasped, he deeply bowed, "Thank you, Mr. Chen, you are considerate."

Chen Liqin watched Chen Ji with a complex expression. When he brought Chen Ji the cave cucumbers worth a thousand texts, Chen Ji was unmoved; he spoke of arranging for Chen Ji to study at Donglin Academy and smoothing the path to civil service exams, Chen Ji remained unmoved.

Only now did he truly feel Chen Ji’s heartfelt gratitude.

For a moment, Chen Liqin felt awkward as he helped Chen Ji up, "What are you doing? You and I are father and son; it’s only right for me to do this for you..."

Before Chen Liqin could finish, Chen Ji reentered the room to dress, then quickly emerged carrying Wu Yun, striding towards the exit, "Mr. Chen, I’m stepping out for a bit."

"Where are you going..." Chen Liqin looked at Chen Ji’s retreating figure, raised his hand, and eventually slowly put it down.

Liu Family Lane.

In a decrepit household, a man’s harsh bellowing could be heard, "Back then, I told you not to study medicine, not to study medicine, yet you insisted on doing it, saying it would make me money. I spent so much silver to pull strings to get you educated, and the money hasn’t been made yet, and the medical hall is gone. Now, all the silver I spent has gone down the drain. Tell me, how should we settle this account?"

In the room, a faintly burning oil residue lamp illuminated the table.

The blue bricks on the floor were chipped, and the red square table was also peeling.

A man in his thirties sat on a chair panting heavily, his obese body trembling slightly, his breath reeking of alcohol.

Liu Quxing knelt in front of the main hall with his head bowed, his mother kneeling beside him, on the verge of tears, "My lord, it wasn’t his fault the medical hall is gone."

"Wasn’t his fault?" The man sneered, "Just because you say it wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t?"

Liu Quxing murmured, "Then what do you suggest we do?"

Narrowing his eyes, the man asked, "The person you spoke with at the Spy Department government office the other day, wasn’t he a high official? I’ve seen him before; he used to be an apprentice at your medical hall, right?"

Liu Quxing grunted affirmatively.

The man further inquired, "I heard he’s from the Chen family?"

Liu Quxing grunted again.

The man said, "If he was willing to help you, it means you still share some camaraderie. Go find him tomorrow and have him find a job for you. Then, working in the Ritual Supervision, won’t all the high officials and nobles of Luocheng be at your mercy?"

Liu Quxing stubbornly said, "I won’t go, I have no friendship with him."

The man picked up a wine bowl from the table and threw it at him; Liu Quxing dodged, and with a loud crack, the bowl shattered in the backyard.

Liu Quxing’s mother quickly embraced her son, "My lord, if Star doesn’t want to go, let’s not force him. There are plenty of ways to make money. Didn’t you receive the dividends from the Preparation Bureau recently? That silver should last our family for many years."

The man smirked, "Mentioning silver makes me angry. I was doing fine in the gambling house, and you had to jinx me, causing me to lose all the silver. You woman are a curse, ever since I married you, nothing has gone right!"

The woman stayed kneeling, stunned, "All gone? My lord, you lost all 500 taels of silver? We agreed, if Star didn’t become an Imperial Physician, the money would be his to open a medical hall. How could you have gambled it all away?"

The man stood up and kicked the woman in the face, sending her sprawling on the ground, "Who are you to question me?!"

Liu Quxing, who had been enduring silently, suddenly raised his head, his spine straightening, "Don’t hit my mother!"

The man paused, then slapped Liu Quxing across the face, "The nerve! I sent you to study medicine and you grew wings?"

Liu Quxing’s head snapped sideways from the slap, but then he turned back, "Don’t slap my mother!"

The man sneered, "Not sure what nonsense that old man taught you at the medical hall—to disobey your own father!"

Liu Quxing stood up, his expression fierce, "Don’t insult my master!"

The man slapped him again, "Is that how that old fool taught you to behave?"

Liu Quxing turned back, emphasized each word, "I said, don’t hit my mother, don’t curse my master."

Laughing furiously, the man taunted, "What if I curse him?"

Hesitant for a moment, Liu Quxing walked out the door, grabbed a kitchen knife, and, trembling, brandished it, "Try hitting my mother again? Curse my master again and see what happens!"

The man opened his shirt, revealing his belly, "You think you can actually kill me? Come on then, strike your father..."

Before he could finish speaking, he dodged to the side.

With a loud sound, the knife struck the square table behind him.

The man, visibly shaken, realized that had he not dodged, the knife would have disemboweled him. He turned to see Liu Quxing, whose face was filled with a ferocity he had never seen before.

Liu Quxing pulled the knife from the table, menacingly said, "Divorce my mother, write the divorce papers now, or none of us will live!"

The man took a step back, "All these years you and your mother have lived off me..."

Liu Quxing advanced a step, brandishing the knife, "Aren’t the 500 taels of silver enough to repay you? My mother and I owe you nothing! Will you write or should I kill you right now?"

Trembling, the man conceded, "Fine, I’ll write! After divorcing you two, let’s see where you can go to escape the chill. This house is mine, get out of my house tonight!"

With a cold laugh, Liu Quxing watched as the man wrote the divorce papers, "Press your handprint!"

Cursing, the man said, "We don’t have any ink."

Liu Quxing cut open his own palm, spread his hand, and presented it, "Press it with my blood."

The man shuddered, "You must be possessed by something dirty; I don’t think you’ll live long. Tomorrow, I’ll have the City God take your soul."

Seeing the man press his handprint, Liu Quxing tore a strip from his clothing to wrap his hand. Taking the divorce papers, he pulled his mother and headed out.

Opening the door, Liu Quxing stood at the threshold, lost... Where could they go now?

Just then, his mother whispered, "Star, what’s this on the ground?"

Looking down, Liu Quxing saw two silver ingots pressing a white paper on the cobblestone path outside their door.

He bent down to pick up the silver and examined the paper, "This is... this is the deed to Taiping Medical Hall!"

The woman gasped, looked back at the man inside, lowered her voice, "How could the deed to the medical hall be here?"

Liu Quxing didn’t answer; he looked anxiously down both ends of the alley, catching a glimpse of a thin figure just turning into the darkness at the end of the alley, not looking back.

He sprinted after the figure, but once outside the alley, the darkness had swallowed any trace of the figure.

Suddenlng collapsing on the ground, Liu Quxing burst into loud wails, "Don’t go, come back, all of you!"