The morning sun was shining brightly.
Chen Ji asked Liang Mao'er and She Dengke to carry him and his bamboo chair to the main hall of the clinic.
Old Yao was diagnosing patients, while She Dengke and Liang Mao'er were preparing medicine.
Chen Ji sat nearby, quietly observing, as if trying to imprint the sunlight streaming through the door and the bustling atmosphere of Anxi Street into his memory.
Once he left for Jing Dynasty, it would be difficult to return before he reached the Seeking Dao Realm in his Sword Seed and Mountain Lord paths.
Liu Quxing returned to the clinic, carrying pork, lamb, fish, a basket of vegetables, and a jar of osmanthus rice wine from Xue's Old Tavern, looking quite pleased with himself.
Old Yao, sitting behind the counter and taking someone's pulse, raised an eyebrow at the sight.
"Did you sell your brain? Since when did you have so much money?"
Liu Quxing replied, "Master, what are you talking about? Chen Ji gave me the money to buy these. He said he wants to cook a meal for everyone at noon."
Old Yao was taken aback and turned to look at Chen Ji in confusion.
Liu Quxing brought the items over to Chen Ji and rattled off the prices like pouring beans from a bamboo tube: "Pork is forty-one coins per pound today, lamb is thirty-four coins per pound, and the fish is fifty-two coins each..."
He then pulled out a string of copper coins from his sleeve.
"Here's the change. I didn't pocket a single coin."
Chen Ji smiled and took the coins.
"Thank you, Senior Brother, for helping me with the shopping."
Liu Quxing chuckled.
"I'll take these to the kitchen and start prepping the vegetables."
She Dengke, curious, asked, "Chen Ji, why the sudden urge to treat everyone to a meal? Did something good happen?"
"Nothing special," Chen Ji replied with a smile.
"You've all taken such good care of me while I was injured. Senior Brother Liu and you helped change my bandages, Brother Liang carried me around, and Master treated me and prescribed medicine. It's only right that I treat everyone to a meal."
In truth, if circumstances allowed, Chen Ji would have liked to buy Liu Quxing a Li's corrugated hat, She Dengke a silk robe, Liang Mao'er a box of Zhengxin Zhai pastries, and Old Yao a new bamboo chair.
But he was leaving for the distant Jing Dynasty tomorrow evening, and there was no time.
Chen Ji suddenly added, "By the way, some of the tiles on the clinic's roof have been pushed aside by grass. It seems bird droppings with undigested seeds have sprouted willow saplings. If we don't remove them soon, the roof might start leaking."
"The clinic's windows also need new paper to keep out the winter cold. And the cotton quilts of the two senior brothers should be fluffed up, or they won't be warm enough."
Old Yao eyed him suspiciously.
"Why do you sound like you're preparing for your own funeral? Don't worry, your little injury won't kill you."
Chen Ji smiled and said no more, fearing that further words might reveal too much.
At that moment, Old Yao picked up a prescription.
"Who's going to Guangle Street to deliver these two doses of medicine to Squire Wang?"
She Dengke raised his hand.
"Master, I'll go. Guangle Street is a bit far, but I'm quick on my feet."
"Alright, you go."
Chen Ji slowly got up from his bamboo chair, rolled up his sleeves, and made his way to the kitchen to help Liu Quxing with the vegetables.
Liu Quxing chuckled.
"It's only natural for fellow disciples to help each other. You didn't have to spend so much. By the way, where did you get the money? From your family?"
"The Princess gave it to me."
Liu Quxing clicked his tongue.
"The Princess is so kind, unlike most nobles."
"What are nobles supposed to be like?" Chen Ji asked.
"High and mighty, looking down on you like you're an ant," Liu Quxing sighed.
"Back when my parents and I attended Old Master Liu's birthday banquet, it was packed with dignitaries, some even coming from the capital, Jinling, and Shanghai. You should've seen it—the line of carriages outside the Liu estate stretched for miles."
Liu Quxing continued, "My father was just a minor official in Mengjin County, respected there, but at the Liu estate, no one even glanced at him. They seated us at the servants' table. And even the servants of the nobles looked down on us. It's only in places like that you realize how stratified society really is."
"Have you ever thought about taking the imperial exams? You study medicine so diligently; there's no reason you couldn't master the classics."
Liu Quxing laughed.
"The imperial exams aren't for people like us. The tutors at the academies play favorites. If you only pay tuition, you only get the most basic lessons. But if you regularly give them gifts of rice and grain, they'll invite you to their homes for private lessons and teach you the real stuff!"
Chen Ji fell silent.
Liu Quxing shook his head with a smile.
"I'd rather stick close to Master and become a royal physician. If I ever run into those tutors again, I'll make sure to give them a few extra acupuncture needles!"
Chen Ji chuckled.
Perhaps it was people like Liu Quxing, with their mix of street smarts and charm, that made Chen Ji reluctant to leave.
Chen Ji looked at Liu Quxing, who was busy with the vegetables, and said, "Senior Brother Liu, you'll definitely become a great royal physician and live a prosperous life."
"Thanks for the kind words," Liu Quxing replied.
"So, what are you planning to cook for lunch?"
"Pork stew with vermicelli, steamed perch, braised lamb with scallions, and braised eggplant, served with a pot of white rice. How does that sound?"
Liu Quxing licked his lips.
"Sounds delicious!"
...
...
At that moment, She Dengke rushed back into the clinic, shouting, "Master, Master, help me! I was cut by a thief on the street!"
Everyone turned to see She Dengke's sleeve torn open from wrist to elbow, blood streaming down his arm.
Old Yao pulled open the torn fabric and saw the deep, gaping wound.
His face darkened.
"What kind of thief is so ruthless? Stealing is one thing, but why hurt someone like this?"
Just then, a carriage stopped at the door, and Manager Yuan stepped out, carrying two bags of pastries and smiling as he entered the clinic.
Dressed in a bright red satin robe and wearing a golden crown, Manager Yuan exuded wealth and power.
He placed the pastries on the counter and clasped his hands in greeting.
"Physician Yao, I've come to visit Chen Ji again. How is he today?"
Old Yao gave him a cold glance and replied indifferently, "Chen Ji's in the courtyard. Go see for yourself."
Manager Yuan walked straight to the backyard and sat down on a stool opposite Chen Ji.
Chen Ji, peeling the outer layers of a scallion, asked calmly, "Did you do this to She Dengke?"
Manager Yuan smiled.
"I told you to contact the person at the Prince's residence, but you didn't leave the house yesterday, nor did you send me any messages. I gave you one day, and since you chose to test my patience, I had to show you the consequences."
Chen Ji tossed the scallion aside and met Manager Yuan's gaze.
"What if I still refuse to help you?"
Manager Yuan picked up the discarded scallion, peeled it layer by layer until only the core remained, and then snapped it in two.
"Starting today, for every day you delay, one person from this clinic will die. If they're all dead and you still haven't contacted them, you'll die too."
Chen Ji said nothing.
Now that Liang Gou'er refused to oppose the Secret Intelligence Bureau, and Liang Mao'er, despite his immense strength, couldn't guard against the spies' schemes, Manager Yuan's threat was no idle one.
Moreover, if Manager Yuan suspected Chen Ji of betraying him to the Secret Intelligence Bureau, the three agents monitoring the clinic would immediately silence everyone.
Chen Ji said gravely, "I told you I'm severely injured and can barely move. How am I supposed to contact the person at the Prince's residence?"
Manager Yuan leaned in and whispered seriously, "Do you know how many of our border troops have died at the hands of Ning Dynasty's firearms? How many of our spies have sacrificed their lives to obtain those blueprints and formulas? We're so close to the finish line. How can we let one person delay everything?"
Chen Ji suddenly understood.
That rainy night when Manager Yuan visited the clinic and was interrupted by Jin Zhu, he could have killed Chen Ji then and there.
The only reason he didn't was that Chen Ji's death would have delayed the second delivery of goods.
Once the goods were fully delivered, Manager Yuan would undoubtedly kill him!
Manager Yuan stared at Chen Ji and tossed the broken scallion to the ground.
"I've said all I need to say. The sooner we get those goods, the sooner Jing Dynasty can develop Ning Dynasty's firearms. Our border troops die heroically at the front, and we in Ning Dynasty must be equally willing to sacrifice ourselves."
Chen Ji remained silent for a moment before replying, "Understood. I'll contact the person at the Prince's residence as soon as possible and get the time and location for the second delivery by midnight tomorrow."
Manager Yuan smiled with satisfaction.
He stood up and patted Chen Ji's shoulder.
"That's more like it. Oh, and I brought you some Zhengxin Zhai pastries. They're on the counter. Don't forget to eat them. Once this is done, I'll promote you to Pigeon Rank. Our dynasty rewards those who contribute."
With that, he swaggered out of the clinic, leaving Chen Ji alone in the courtyard, lost in endless silence.
It was no longer just a matter of when and where to deliver the goods.
Once Chen Ji left, Manager Yuan would surely not spare the people around him.
Manager Yuan wouldn't spare them, and neither would Jin Zhu.
The intelligence agencies of the two dynasties had been locked in a deadly struggle for years, their hearts as hard as iron, indifferent to the lives of common folk.
In their eyes, human life was as cheap as weeds.
So, should he stay or go?
If he stayed, they would all die together.
Chen Ji stood up and methodically prepared the meal.
When the dishes were served, everyone praised the food, and even the injured She Dengke, with his bandaged arm, managed to eat three bowls of rice.
Amid the laughter and chatter, only Chen Ji remained silent.
This meal shouldn't have been eaten like this.
As they ate, Chen Ji tentatively asked, "Master, She Dengke was cut by a thief. Are we just going to let it go?"
Old Yao glanced at him.
"Those street thieves are organized. If you retaliate against one, a whole gang will come after you. Do you want to live or not?"
"I see."
Old Yao added meaningfully, "Go where you need to go, do what you need to do. Don't let others affect your path."
Chen Ji was taken aback.
Did his master suspect something? Was he telling him to leave quickly?
She Dengke chimed in cheerfully, "Chen Ji, don't worry about it. Don't get yourself hurt over this."
After the meal, Chen Ji lay back on his bamboo chair.
He closed his eyes and returned to the ancient battlefield, gripping the long blade named 'Whale.'
...
...
That night, Chen Ji slowly opened his eyes and went to the courtyard.
Liang Gou'er still hadn't returned, and neither the Prince's son, the Princess, nor the little monk had come to say goodbye.
Following Crow Uncle's guidance, Chen Ji climbed into the backyard of the fabric shop.
There, he saw Wu Hongbiao, who had somehow found a broom and a bucket, washing and sweeping the courtyard.
Curious, Chen Ji asked, "With all your injuries, why are you sweeping in the middle of the night?"
Wu Hongbiao smiled.
"There are some rat bones and bloodstains in the yard. If someone comes to inspect the shop and gets scared, it might cause trouble for the owner."
"You seem to be in a good mood?" Chen Ji asked.
Wu Hongbiao grinned.
"I have good news. I met with the Secretary today, and it turns out he doesn't want to kill us. He's arranged for someone else to take us back to Jing Dynasty. We can leave tomorrow evening!"
Chen Ji nodded.
"Is it reliable? Could it be a trap to lure us out and kill us?"
Wu Hongbiao leaned on the broom, thinking for a moment.
"It should be reliable. When he pulled me into the alley today, I was ready to die, but he didn't do anything... If he wanted to kill us, he wouldn't have gone through all this trouble."
Chen Ji leaned against the doorframe and sat down on the threshold, speaking softly.
"Do you miss your hometown?"
Wu Hongbiao stood in the yard, gazing at the moon, his voice filled with longing.
"I do. I was taken to the cold camp for training when I was twelve and never had the chance to return home or see my parents. This time, I might finally get to go back."
"When I was a kid in the village, during autumn, we'd pick pears from the trees. The good ones were sold in the city, and the bad ones were kept to make frozen pears. The variety we used was so sour and astringent that my grandmother called them 'choke-a-dog' pears. But once they were frozen outside, they became delicious... Isn't that strange?"
"In winter, the adults would take their bows and four or five hunting dogs to hunt bears in the mountains. We'd wait at home, hoping they'd bring back a bear. My grandmother would render the bear fat and fry it into cracklings for us. Some people found it too gamey, but I thought it was delicious."
"When we get back to Jing Dynasty, I'll take you to my hometown. I'll treat you to frozen pears and cracklings, and we can even go bear hunting."
Chen Ji listened quietly.
Perhaps Wu Hongbiao had endured too much hardship recently, making him more sentimental.
Or maybe, after being in Ning Dynasty for so long, he had been longing for his northern homeland, and now that he was finally returning, he had so much to say.
Chen Ji had overheard some merchants talking and knew that Jing Dynasty had ten provinces, and Wu Hongbiao's hometown was in the northeasternmost one, "Shangjing Province."
Sitting on the threshold, Chen Ji gazed at the moon with Wu Hongbiao.
"Brother Biao, when you were badly injured, why did you come to warn me? What if I had betrayed you?"
Wu Hongbiao smiled.
"I was a bit scared on the way here, wondering if you might actually betray me. But... if I hadn't come, I would have regretted it."
"I see."
After that, the two fell silent, one sitting and the other standing.
Though their circumstances were different, both longed to leave this place of danger, to no longer live in constant fear.
But now that the time had come, their emotions were mixed.
Chen Ji suddenly said, "Brother Biao, you go back. I'm not leaving."
"What?" Wu Hongbiao was stunned.
"You're not leaving? You'll die if you stay in Luocheng!"
Chen Ji smiled.
"Have you forgotten? My father is the Vice Magistrate of Luocheng. I have ways to protect myself."
"Then I'll stay too!" Wu Hongbiao said firmly.
Chen Ji met his gaze.
"What about your sister?"
Wu Hongbiao was speechless.
For a moment, Chen Ji had genuinely wanted Wu Hongbiao to stay and help him kill Manager Yuan, but he couldn't do that.
He smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'll move back to the Chen residence in Luocheng tomorrow. I doubt Manager Yuan would dare to infiltrate the Vice Magistrate's home to kill me. Do you think he would?"
Wu Hongbiao scratched his head.
"True. If he dared to assassinate someone in the Vice Magistrate's home, not only would Luocheng not tolerate him, but the entire Ning Dynasty wouldn't either... So you're really staying?"
"Yes, I'll stay and continue serving Jing Dynasty!"
"... Alright."
Chen Ji stood up and brushed the dust off his pants.
"I might not be able to see you off tomorrow. Once you're back in Jing Dynasty, live a good life and don't return to Ning Dynasty."
Wu Hongbiao laughed.
"I don't want to come back to this life of constant fear either. I'll wait for you in Jing Dynasty."
With that, he opened his arms.
Chen Ji hesitated for a moment, then also opened his arms, embracing Wu Hongbiao before climbing over the wall and leaving the fabric shop.
As he climbed out, Wu Yun was crouching on the neighboring wall, asking curiously, "We're really not leaving?"
Chen Ji smiled.
"No, I'm afraid I'll regret it. Go beat up Bai Bore for me. I have something to say to its master."
(End of Chapter)