Green Mountain
Chapter 295 - 236, News of the Jing Dynasty_2

Chapter 295: 236, News of the Jing Dynasty_2

But those who harbor deep secrets and come to this treasure land, it’d truly be a pity not to make some money...

Chen Ji beckoned to the attendant, who was wiping tables. The attendant draped his rag over his arm and came over with a smile, "Guest, congratulations on your fortune, what can I do for you?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and asked, "What information is most valuable right now?"

The attendant answered with a smile, "Guest, any news related to the Crown Prince or the Governor’s Mansion is valuable."

Chen Ji pondered for a while, having made his calculations. He pointed at the Fire Saber on the table, "Can you please exchange this for grape wine."

The attendant, puzzled, said, "Guest, you’ve just started, won’t you sell any more information?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "I still have information I want to buy, planning to take care of official business first."

The attendant responded, "Alright then, please wait, I’ll get you the wine."

As he was about to leave with the wine jug, Zhang Zheng suddenly asked, "Hey, attendant, since we’ve bought this wine, can’t we keep it for ourselves to drink?"

The attendant paused, "Guest, there are rules for setting up a jug, and rules for opening it. If you have some great news, come then to open this jug. By that time, the scent of the wine will waft for miles, and it’ll be a big business."

The attendant went behind the hall to exchange for a jug of grape wine and brought back the previously ordered buns and fine noodles.

Besides this, there were also two dishes of sunflower seeds, two dishes of peanuts, plus one plate of preserved fruits, and one plate of raisins, filling the table.

Xiao Man said when she saw this, "We didn’t order these, we are not paying for them later."

The attendant laughed, "Guest, you jest, everyone who starts something in our inn, not only do we offer desserts and candied fruits, but today’s room fee is also waived."

Xiao Man’s eyes brightened, "This is really good? Your shopkeeper really knows how to do business!"

Zhang Xia pulled her to sit side by side at the table, "Eat up."

Xiao Man obediently said, "Second Miss Zhang is both beautiful and kind-hearted!"

...

...

As soon as the wine jug was placed on the table, someone immediately came over, "Gentleman, I have some information to sell."

Chen Ji casually asked, "What kind of information?"

"From the Jing Dynasty."

Chen Ji’s heart stirred slightly, "How much?"

"Five taels."

Chen Ji was silent for two breaths, "Let’s hear it."

The man sat down opposite, "This autumn, the Shangjing Road in the Jing Dynasty was hit by a locust plague, and every household had less harvested grains. If there’s a way to send grains there, it could earn a huge profit..."

Chen Ji lost interest immediately.

In Guyuan, many businesses rely on frontier trade, hence most of the information is actually "buying business."

Chen Ji took out a five-tael silver ingot and pushed it forward, "Understood."

Xiao Man, while cracking melon seeds, said with distress, "Master, just for that bit of information, you gave him five taels of silver? You don’t need it either, who has the ability to transport so many carts of grain to Jing Dynasty, it’s risking execution... Isn’t that a scam?"

Chen Ji calmly said, "A thousand gold for a horse’s bones, it’s not a problem. Afterwards, I have my own ways to earn the silver back."

At this point, one person got up, and immediately another person took his seat, "Gentlemen, I also have information worth one tael of silver."

"Let’s hear it."

"I came from Min Province, there’s a ship laden with spices docked at the port that was seized by the court, if someone can manage one or two things..."

From morning to afternoon, Chen Ji spent the silver he bought for information in the morning like flowing water, and hadn’t encountered any suitable information.

Xiao Man was so distressed that her face contorted, she couldn’t help wanting to snatch the silver back.

Xiao Man, while cracking melon seeds, muttered under her breath, "The young master is too wasteful, just too wasteful!"

Upon arriving at the network hub, an old man stealthily approached, "Sir, I have information about Jing Dynasty, are you interested?"

Chen Ji grabbed a peanut and pinched it between two fingers, crushing the crispy shell, "Be more specific."

The old man considered carefully, "It’s related to the former Military Strategist Envoy of Jing Dynasty, Lu Jin."

Chen Ji’s peanut-peeling hands paused slightly, then he asked nonchalantly, "What do you do to be able to know such high-profile information about someone like Lu Jin?"

The old man gave an awkward smile, "This humble old man only heard it through indirect inquiries; as to whether it’s true or false, the guest must decide."

Chen Ji was noncommittal, "How much silver?"

The old man looked around, "Ten taels of silver will suffice."

Chen Ji nodded slightly, while Zhang Xia pushed a silver ingot towards the old man, "Speak."

The old man recalled, "This humble old man mingles in the tea merchant teams of Third Elder to trade silk, the business isn’t big, just enough to get by..."

Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Where do you usually sell your silk in Jing Dynasty?"

The old man answered, "This humble old man dares not venture deep into Jing Dynasty, only transporting the silk to Western Capital Road of Fengsheng State, selling to the merchants there, who then transport it to Shangjing Road, Zhongjing Road for resale. It was during this trip to Fengsheng State that a merchant who regularly cooperates with this humble old man mentioned, hoping that next time I could bring eighty bolts of fine Shu brocade there. A big shot specifically requested Shu brocade as a birthday gift for Lu Jin."

Chen Ji, sitting beside the square table, had a thought; he put the peanut into his mouth, "Since ancient times, there are many who kick a man when he’s down in the official circles, and few who send charcoal in snowy weather; there’s no reason to celebrate the birthday of a dismissed official. Moreover, Lu Jin is only forty-six this year, what birthday gift could he possibly be receiving..."

The old man praised, "This sir has a quick mind, I thought the same: it must be that someone has learned early of Lu Jin’s imminent reinstatement, thus wanting to curry favor during his birthday. That’s all I know; I hope this information is useful to you."

The old man took the silver ingot and left, but Chen Ji’s mood slightly sank.

He always hoped deep down that his uncle would never be reinstated, so he could live in peace in the Ning Dynasty. However, he reconsidered, this might not necessarily be bad news.

At this moment, a middle-aged man pushed open the cotton curtain and entered, scanning the various tables before casually picking one to sit down, "I have information to sell."

The buyer opposite him covered his nose, "What is that smell on you?"

The man replied, "This humble one is a Feet Tilting from the east of the city, naturally there would be some smell."

The buyer pinched his nose and waved his hand, "A night soil collector stirring up excitement, go on, get lost."

The man awkwardly stood up, his gaze sweeping around again, but other buyers also avoided eye contact, turning their faces away.

Chen Ji spoke up, "You want to sell information?"

The man’s eyes lit up, walking over to sit at Chen Ji’s table, "This sir, my information is cheap, it’s just something peculiar I noticed, felt it might be useful."

Zhang Zheng, smelling the stench, leaned backward.

Chen Ji asked, "How much are you thinking?"

The man hesitated for a moment, "Two hundred cents will suffice."

Chen Ji nodded, "Speak."

The man thought for a moment and said, "This humble one was preparing to collect night soil to sell for money today, but was told by the usual dung cart drivers that they weren’t going out of the city today, not to collect today. Having no choice, I was preparing to dump the collected night soil back into the privy, but on the way, someone stopped me, saying they would take the night soil to fertilize their own small courtyard garden."

Xiao Man puzzledly said, "What’s so strange about that?"

The man explained, "Of course, it’s strange. That household hired several do-nothing Feet Tilting today, bought a lot of night soil and stored it in several large pots, the whole courtyard reeking horribly. What proper person would buy so much night soil? Those dozen or so large pots are enough to fertilize dozens of acres."

Xiao Man was about to say something else when Chen Ji exclaimed, "Not good," abruptly standing up, "Big brother, where is that courtyard?"

The man answered, "The east of the city, Taohuai Square on Shache Street, the household with an elm tree in front of the door is the place."

Chen Ji quickly headed towards the backyard, "Second Miss Zhang, pay him. You all stay in the inn, I need to go to the Governor’s Mansion!"

As his voice dropped, he shouted loudly, "Zaozao! Quick!"

Then, Zaozao bit open the reins tied to the Horse Tie, rushed out of the stable, and as it charged to Chen Ji’s side without stopping, Chen Ji grabbed the post on the saddle, leapt onto it, and bent low, galloping away.