Green Mountain
Chapter 265 - 209, Taotie

Chapter 265: 209, Taotie

In the night, a small wad of paper was tossed over the high wall of Chen Mansion, falling into the obscure alleyway outside. In the darkness, a pair of hands, calloused with age, caught it stably.

A middle-aged man carrying a shoulder pole, peddling warm bean curd in the streets and alleys, set down his burden and cautiously unfolded the paper wad. The rustling sound of the paper rubbing against the calluses of his hands filled the air as he read its contents, and he promptly placed the shoulder pole on the ground.

Hanging from the pole were two wooden boxes. The front one held a small clay stove, simmering with a low fire to keep the bean curd warm; the rear one was packed with pots, bowls, and other kitchenware—he carried with him all the belongings of a vendor scraping out a living.

The middle-aged man opened the back wooden box and, after digging around for some time, pulled out a grey carrier pigeon.

He tied the small wad of paper to the pigeon’s leg and forcefully released it into the sky. The pigeon, wings flapping, soared over layers of buildings, flying toward the north.

Watching the pigeon disappear into the night sky, the middle-aged man picked up his shoulder pole again and wobbled out of the alley.

In the distance on a rooftop, Wu Yun, dark and furry, got up and stealthily followed behind, its padded paws making no sound on the grey tiles.

The middle-aged man was completely unaware.

However, just as he was about to leave the alley, he suddenly turned around. The simplicity and naivety of a vendor vanished from his eyes, replaced by the sharpness of a hawk: "Who?"

Wu Yun halted, crouching into a compact shape.

It wondered, had it been discovered? Impossible, it was several meters away; how could the man have noticed it? Besides, the man wasn’t looking in its direction.

Wu Yun speculated that maybe the middle-aged man was trying to draw out anyone sneaking after him, searching the void in pretense.

The next moment, the middle-aged man’s shoulders shuddered slightly, and the two wooden boxes on the shoulder pole dropped to the ground with a response.

Yet when he launched the shoulder pole with all his might, the bamboo pole flew into the darkness like a spear. However, once it went into the darkness, it vanished without a trace.

Silence pervaded the alley, as if the shoulder pole had entered the void.

Wu Yun, watching from afar on the building’s ridge, gasped in surprise. It looked to the left, then to the right... Where had the pole gone? Could it be that there really was someone else in the alley?

In an instant, a buzzing sound was heard as the shoulder pole returned with a vengeance, coming back as fast as it had gone.

The middle-aged man’s expression changed, and he grabbed a wooden box next to him to shield himself.

With a loud bang, the front end of the shoulder pole pierced into the wooden box, shattering the clay stove and iron pot inside, while the other end couldn’t withstand the immense force and broke into bamboo strips, twisting into spirals.

Stunned by the impact, the middle-aged man staggered backward five or six steps before regaining his balance.

There really was someone else in the alley!

Wu Yun was perplexed. Chen Ji had just returned to Chen Mansion and was already being tailed, and who was this other person in the alley?

Who was watching Chen Ji? And who else, just like it, wanted to ascertain the identity of the watcher?

Wu Yun was baffled. Where had all these people come from?

At that moment, a tall black shadow emerged step by step from the darkness into the moonlight in the alley below. Wu Yun’s eyes widened in shock; it was not a person that emerged, but a peculiar black spirit monster.

With the body of a sheep and a human face, the face positioned on the chest and abdomen area, a gaping maw stretching from the left to the right armpit, and black fur curling up at the hooves like four black auspicious clouds.

The monster was shrouded in black mist, as if it had come from the underworld.

The middle-aged man’s face twitched: "Secret Sect Mandala Seal?"

With that, he turned and ran.

The black spirit monster gracefully leapt onto a roof, closely pursuing him.

In the deep of night, the man weaved through the alleys, unable to shake off the black spirit monster on the rooftops following him as nimbly as a gazelle traversing undulating roofs.

Furiously!

Wu Yun dared not get too close, merely following from a distance.

The man, having run for quite a while, was now gasping for breath. He pulled a short knife from his sleeve and, panting heavily, turned around to face the monster head-on.

The pitch-black monster stood on the roof’s edge, contemplating the man below, pondering how best to dispose of him.

After a brief pause, the monster pounced down suddenly, its gaping maw wide open, swallowing the middle-aged man whole, along with the short knife.

...

...

In Mingquan Garden, Xiao Man, nestled on a little stool, burped heartily.

The robust belch startled her awake from her slumber.

Xiao Man opened her drowsy eyes and looked regretfully at the honey three knives on the table, muttering resentfully, "I can’t eat any more... The young master said it would cause indigestion."

Though she said so, she still stealthily rose to her feet, pinching three honey three knives from the table and stuffing them into her mouth.

Xiao Man’s eyes spun around, cheeks puffed as she looked toward the soundly sleeping Chen Ji on the bed. On tiptoe, she approached the bedside, swaying her palm back and forth across Chen Ji’s face.

Seeing no reaction from Chen Ji, the corners of her mouth slightly curved up. She carefully moved to the clothes rack and began to search through Chen Ji’s garments, casting wary glances backward as she did.

On the bed, Chen Ji’s eyes opened to watch Xiao Man’s retreating figure. As Xiao Man turned her head back to look, he closed his eyes again.

Moments later, Xiao Man pulled two strings of Buddhist Treasure from Chen Ji’s clothes: one containing Prince Jing’s gift of 2,500 taels and the other from Chen Wenzong, the remaining 1,100 taels after Chen Ji had purchased the ginseng.

She gently ran her fingers over the micro-engraved patterns on the Buddhist Treasure, kissing it near her lips. Then, with a conflicted look in her eyes, she stuffed the Buddhist Treasure back where she found it.

Deflated, Xiao Man returned to her stool, propping her face with her hands as she watched the flickering charcoal fire and muttered quietly, "I hope they won’t be swindled away again..."

During her muttering, the window moved, and Wu Yun slid in through the crack like a liquid shadow.

Xiao Man put her finger to her lips and shushed, "Quiet down, the young master is still sleeping."

Wu Yun glanced at Xiao Man, elegantly leaped down from the window, and hopped onto Chen Ji’s bed, meowing softly.

Xiao Man glared at it, "Didn’t I say not to disturb the young master’s sleep? You’re not being cute by doing this!"

Just then, a rooster crowed outside, soon followed by firecrackers in Cuiyun Lane, their snapping and crackling tearing through the veil of night.

Chen Ji sat up, puzzled, "Who is setting off firecrackers so early in the morning?"

Xiao Man explained, "Did the young master forget? Today there is a promotion banquet at Zhang Mansion and Chen Mansion. According to custom, we celebrate joyous events by setting off a string of firecrackers at 5 to 7 AM, another at Noon, and one more at midnight. It holds the same meaning as setting off firecrackers on New Year’s Day, a way to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, for assuming new official positions."

Chen Ji gave a prolonged "Oh."

At this point, Xiao Man’s eyes spun again as she feigned ignorance, "Young master, I heard you collected 2,500 taels of silver from the Preparation Bureau, is that true?"

Chen Ji looked at Xiao Man with an amused gaze, "It’s true, so what?"

Xiao Man suddenly looked up at Chen Ji with anticipation, "Why don’t you let me manage that money for you?"

Chen Ji startled, he had not expected such a direct request from Xiao Man, "What would you do with so much silver?"

Xiao Man looked down at her toes, "I’m really afraid that your silver will be scammed away again, and when the time comes, you won’t be able to offer a dowry to marry another family’s legitimate daughter. Nanny Li once said, Aunt could have married into a lesser family as a main wife, but to give you a better lineage and support, she humbled herself to marry into the Chen family as a concubine."

Chen Ji fell silent, knowing all too well that Mrs. Lu’s marrying into the Chen family was not so straightforward. After all, there had been the death of a Minister of Revenue in the Chen family.

Xiao Man counted on her fingers, detailing, "If you want to marry a legitimate daughter from a prominent family, not to mention the bridal procession, starting with the betrothal gifts of 6,400 taels, welcoming silver of eighty taels, door-knocking silver of forty taels, additional gifts of sixty taels, scribe’s gift of ten taels, welcoming of the book silver of eight taels. Then there are eight gold objects, two wild geese, four chickens, four ducks, two cows, two sheep, twelve rolls of silk... The Lord and Lady won’t prepare so much for you; you’ll have to save some wealth on your own."

Chen Ji was agog, "Hold on, why does it require so much?"

Xiao Man inspected him with curiosity, "These are the customs of the prominent families in the Imperial Capital, it’s all about maintaining face. But don’t worry, the bride’s dowry won’t be any less than your betrothal gift."

Chen Ji waved his hand dismissively, "Enough, I have no plans to marry, especially not a prominent family’s legitimate daughter."

Xiao Man thought for a moment, "Then it’s okay not to marry a prominent family’s daughter. Marry a gem from a lesser household. When the time comes, I’ll help you manage your silver to invest in good farmland and shops, and you could live comfortably as a wealthy man for life... Will you let me take care of the silver for you? Not too much, you just give me 500 taels when we reach the Imperial Capital, and if I can make money for you, then you can let me manage the rest."

Chen Ji refused coldly, "No, forget about it. I can manage on my own. Besides, I might become a high-ranking official one day and then reclaim Aunt’s properties."

Xiao Man was filled with hope, "Really? I’ve been fretting over those properties, feeling anxious."

Chen Ji hummed in response.

Xiao Man’s eyes rolled again, "Then, when you do get back those properties, can I help you manage them?"

Chen Ji exclaimed, "Why this obsession?"

Xiao Man murmured, "I’ve been through tough times; not having silver on hand is nerve-racking... Never mind, I’ll go boil some water for you to wash your face and comb your hair. Many important people will be coming today. I heard that yesterday Zhang Mansion even got several cartloads of seafood from East Market, including giant shrimp and crabs. You’ll take me along, right?"

Chen Ji chuckled, "Alright, I’ll take you with me."

Humming a tune, Xiao Man bounced out of the room while Chen Ji watched her leave and quietly asked Wu Yun, "Sheep’s body, human face?"

Wu Yun meowed affirmatively, "Absolutely true."

Chen Ji pondered for a moment, "Taotie?"

The Classic of Mountains and Seas records: the Taotie has a form like a sheep with a human face, its facial features under its armpits, tiger teeth, human claws, and the sound like that of a baby. This unknown spirit monster that emerged seemed to fit the description of the Taotie extremely well.

But who summoned this Taotie? And for what purpose?

Having no living kin in this world, who discovered someone was spying on him at the first instance and wanted to ascertain the mastermind behind it?

While he contemplated, the sound of Xiao Man’s singing drifted in from the east wing.

Chen Ji mused thoughtfully.