Green Mountain
Chapter 402 - 322. Come when you want, leave when you want

Chapter 402: 322. Come when you want, leave when you want

At the hour of the pig, the streets were devoid of pedestrians.

The Zhang family’s carriage swayed as it exited Zhengyang Gate, with Zhang Zheng inside the carriage looking at Chen Ji, utterly puzzled as to when Chen Ji had started a grudge with Heji: "Chen Ji, why are you going after Heji?"

Chen Ji was leaning against the carriage wall, resting with his eyes closed. Hearing this, he opened his eyes: "Military training."

Zhang Xia glanced at Chen Ji: "Military training, really?"

Chen Ji firmly insisted, "It’s indeed military training. We’ve developed a new array that needs real combat to test it. We can’t go all out when practicing with colleagues, and we’ll never learn anything real that way. Once we master this formation..."

Xiao Man leaned in and whispered to Zhang Xia, "Second Sister, is the young master really going for military training?"

"It’s fake," Zhang Xia said blandly, "Have you ever seen him explain so much to others? The more he explains, the more insecure he is, and the more fake the reason."

Xiao Man let out an ’oh’.

In another carriage, the Yulin Army members looked at their masked colleagues, exchanging glances, unable to suppress their laughter.

Someone pointed at Duobao, "You’ve got small eyes to begin with; with that mask, you look like a thief about to steal a dog."

Duobao retorted impatiently, "And you’re any better?"

Brother Pao sat inside the carriage, probing, "Who might you all be?"

Duobao was about to answer, "We are..."

Li Xuan coughed, "Aren’t you ashamed? Have you forgotten how you were instructed before we left? No matter what, don’t reveal your identities. If outsiders find out who we are, we’ll be the laughing stock of the entire Imperial Capital."

The dignified Imperial Guard battling with ruffians is disgraceful, no matter the outcome.

Brother Pao and Er Dao were baffled, unable to determine the identities of these masked people for the moment... What did fighting Heji’s ruffians have to do with disgrace?

At that moment, the carriage turned east after passing Zhengyang Gate and slowly stopped in a secluded alley.

The Yulin Army members grabbed their weapons and jumped off the carriage. When only Brother Pao and Er Dao were left, Er Dao whispered, "Brother, with so few people, how will they establish themselves?"

Brother Pao was more optimistic than yesterday, "We’ve come this far, there’s no turning back. Maybe there’s a few Executive Officers among them! With so many people here, what’s there to fear? I, Brother Pao, am determined to drink the wine from the Eight Great Hutongs."

On the other side, Chen Ji was about to get off the carriage, but Zhang Xia stopped him with a hard bow: "This isn’t Guyuan. Using crossbows near the Imperial City is a treasonous crime. Remember, don’t wear armor, don’t use crossbows. Also, try not to cause too many deaths. If too many people die, it won’t be possible to cover it up."

Chen Ji put down the crossbow, "How many at most?"

Zhang Xia thought for a moment, "Fewer than five can be covered up, more than five can’t. Also, don’t reveal too many Executive Officers’ identities. If too many appear, it will escalate."

Chen Ji replied, "Understood."

Once everyone was off the carriage, Zhang Xia pulled him back seriously, "The Zhang family wants fifty percent of the business here."

Chen Ji was slightly stunned, "You guessed what I’m going to do?"

Zhang Xia speculated, "You made quite a bit of silver dealing in information in Guyuan, but it was almost gone by the time you returned, yet your cultivation realm greatly improved. If I had to guess, your cultivation path is extremely costly, so you have to find ways to make money. And in this outer city, there aren’t many ways to make quick money; there are only one or two related to Heji."

Chen Ji smiled, "Let’s go."

Zhang Xia sat inside the carriage, watching Chen Ji jump off the carriage, suddenly asked, "My Zhang family is taking half just with a few carriages, don’t you want to ask why?"

Chen Ji waved his hand without turning back, "I’m sure you have your reasons, no need to ask much."

Zhang Xia sat in the carriage thinking for a moment, then jumped down and ascended the tallest nearby tavern, overlooking the Eight Great Hutongs.

...

...

In the depths of the Eight Great Hutongs, Stone Alley.

The middle-aged man who searched for Brother Pao yesterday sat upright on a long bench, hands tucked into his sleeves, seemingly resting his eyes. Upon closer inspection, he’s not actually sitting, his rear end is suspended, not touching the bench.

Behind him, a troupe was performing Dingxi Mountain, right at the part where the ’General returns home victorious after a hundred battles,’ the middle-aged man’s head swayed slightly, as if enjoying the show.

The troupe’s warrior recited lines, outside the troupe walls, the middle-aged man, eyes closed, moved his lips in sync: "Twenty years, loyal bones buried beneath Dingxi Mountain. Now that success has been achieved, I hesitate to retire. When I left home young, with a silver spear and white horse, laughing in the spring breeze. Now I return to bow at the steps, knocking with tarnished armor, no one old to meet."

The middle-aged man didn’t know how many times he had listened, reciting without error.

A ruffian hurriedly walked under a red lantern to the middle-aged man, "Master Qian, we still haven’t found Brother Pao, it’s like he vanished into thin air."

Master Qian opened his eyes, "Did the Cao Guild take the silver?"

The ruffian replied, "They did. But the Cao Guild said no one borrowed the water route to escape yesterday, instead, members of the Three Mountains Association came in. The Cao Guild warned us that recently, a big shot from the Three Mountains Association has returned to the capital, so we should be careful."

Master Qian remained calm, "Cao Guild often stirs trouble, the Three Mountains Association has uncovered many of their shady dealings, so they’re resentful, trying to provoke us against the Three Mountains at every turn. Those military men of the Three Mountains aren’t interested in business; they have their own affairs to handle. We shouldn’t get involved or provoke them."

The ruffian acknowledged, "Rest assured, we’re very courteous to Qigong."

Just then, another ruffian rushed over, "Master Qian!"

Master Qian turned his head, "Found them?"

Breathless, the ruffian exclaimed, "Found them, found them!"