"Deal."
The two words were spoken with firmness.
Outside the Taiping Medical Hall, the streets were bustling with carriages and people.
Inside the hall, a thin and impoverished apprentice stood behind the counter, making a deal with a powerful prince of the Great Ning Dynasty.
Before Chen Ji could say anything more, Bai Li anxiously interjected, "Chen Ji, do you know how harsh it is to be exiled to Lingnan? You’ll have to walk there in shackles, and less than thirty percent of prisoners survive the journey."
Bai Li continued urgently, "Being confined for half a year is nothing for us. Don’t do something foolish for our sake."
The prince’s son also chimed in, "Exactly! After half a year, you’ll still be a hero!"
Chen Ji remained silent.
Prince Jing, rubbing a black chess piece in his hand, calmly looked at him and said, "Considering your youth and ignorance, I’ll give you a chance to reconsider."
Chen Ji replied earnestly, "I’m not just doing this for the prince’s son and the princess. I also want to find a way to make money for myself."
Prince Jing chuckled, "Born into the Chen family, do you really need to find ways to make money? Your family has been wealthy for generations. As long as you don’t defy your father, you’ll never lack food or clothing."
Chen Ji smiled, "Your Highness, I can’t rely on the Chen family’s status."
Prince Jing suddenly asked, "Are you really that short on money?"
Was Chen Ji short on money? Of course, he was.
The path of the Mountain Lord required a fortune.
To ignite the hundreds of furnaces in his body, he would need tens of thousands of taels of silver.
This amount was enough to make Chen Ji despair, until the word "cement" popped into his mind.
Seeing that Chen Ji didn’t respond, Prince Jing smiled and said, "Fine, since you’re so determined, I’ll set three rules for you."
"Please go ahead, Your Highness."
"Until the deal is complete, you are not to set foot in Red Clothes Lane or White Clothes Lane."
"Agreed."
"No drinking."
"Agreed."
"No causing trouble."
"Agreed."
Inside the medical hall, Chen Ji stood behind the counter, while Prince Jing stood outside.
The two faced each other across a chessboard, the young apprentice’s gaze unwavering.
Prince Jing stared at Chen Ji, "In the military, words are not taken lightly, and strategies are no small matter. Remember your promise. If you fail, I will truly exile you to Lingnan. Young man, don’t try to be clever."
Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, rest assured. I know what I’m doing."
At that moment, a middle-aged man with a pale face and no beard, dressed in brown cloth, entered the hall and said softly, "Your Highness, Lord Liu Gun, Liu Mingxian, and Liu Mingli have arrived at the mansion."
Chen Ji looked up at the sound and instinctively turned toward the source.
The man was tall and burly, but his voice was unusually gentle.
Prince Jing turned and pointed at the prince’s son and Bai Li, "Eunuch Feng, make sure these two hand over all their money. Inform the mansion that no one is to give them any silver for the next six months."
The prince’s son and Bai Li’s faces darkened.
Their father was thorough, even remembering to confiscate their money.
Now, the two siblings were penniless!
Prince Jing left, leaving the two broke siblings in the medical hall.
The prince’s son looked at Chen Ji and said seriously, "Chen Ji, I think being confined for half a year isn’t so bad. After half a year, I can go out and play, and you won’t have to go to Lingnan…"
Bai Li, on the other hand, smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes and said bluntly, "No point in talking more. Chen Ji, what’s your plan now?"
Chen Ji thought for a moment and asked, "Are there any kilns near Luocheng that produce porcelain?"
Bai Li and the prince’s son exchanged glances.
They had no idea.
Old Man Yao, who was nearby, slowly said, "If you go ten miles south along the official road outside the city, you’ll reach Liujiatun at the foot of Longmen Mountain. There are a few kilns there. However, the kilns in Luocheng only produce simple pottery for commoners, nothing compared to the porcelain from Jingdezhen."
Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "That’s fine. As long as there are kilns, it should work."
With that, he went to the backyard to find Liang Mao’er, "Brother Mao’er, can you do me a favor and come with me for half a month? It might be tough."
Liang Mao’er smiled honestly, "No problem. As long as I can help, I don’t mind the hardship."
Chen Ji turned to Bai Li, "Prince’s son and princess, please return to the mansion and wait for my news. I’ll be back in half a month at the latest."
The prince’s son raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? Friends share both fortune and hardship. If Brother Mao’er can endure it, so can we! We’ll go with you!"
Bai Li also said, "Yes, we can endure it too!"
Chen Ji laughed, "Who would willingly seek hardship?"
The prince’s son patted his chest, "That’s the spirit of brotherhood!"
She Dengke and Liu Quxing also came to the main hall of the medical hall and cautiously asked their master, "Master, can we go too?"
Old Man Yao sneered, "Go ahead. A bunch of penniless people together will be fun. You all go. I’ll have some peace and quiet for a few days, and save on food expenses. Liang Mao’er, take your brother with you. Otherwise, that lazy bum will stay in the medical hall and expect me to cook for him."
Liang Mao’er said sheepishly, "Yes, Master Yao. I’ll make sure to take him."
Seeing that things were settled, Chen Ji smiled and instructed, "Prince’s son and princess, go back to the mansion and change into work clothes. What you’re wearing now isn’t suitable for labor. Also, everyone, bring two sets of spare clothes. We’ll be out for ten to fifteen days. Let’s meet at the medical hall entrance in half an hour."
"Alright!"
……
……After everyone left, Chen Ji looked at Old Man Yao, who was fiddling with an abacus behind the counter, "Master, did you ask Liang Mao’er to bring Liang Gou’er because you’re worried about our safety?"
Old Man Yao scoffed, "Don’t flatter yourself. I just don’t want to see him around the medical hall."
Chen Ji nodded and didn’t say more.
In the silence, Old Man Yao gradually stopped fiddling with the abacus and said calmly, "You should understand by now that the path of the Mountain Lord requires two things: power and money. That’s why you’re in such a hurry to make money. But you must know that these two things are the easiest to lead people astray. I hope you don’t repeat the mistakes of those before you."
Chen Ji smiled, "Don’t worry, Master."
Old Man Yao suddenly said, "The last thing you made caused a huge uproar. Now, the entire Yuzhou’s major roads are controlled by the Emperor’s army, allowing no one to leave. The last incident isn’t over yet, and now you’re planning to make something else? Don’t cause another disaster that drags me into it!"
Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied, "You’ll know when it’s done. Don’t worry, this time it’s not dangerous."
Old Man Yao scrutinized him for a while, then took out six copper coins from his sleeve and tossed them onto the counter.
As he interpreted the hexagram, he muttered, "Kun Yuan, the auspiciousness of peace, boundless as the earth, carrying all things…"
Then, he suddenly looked up at Chen Ji, "What exactly are you planning to make?"
Chen Ji smiled, "I’ve already told you. It’s something that can replace glutinous rice mortar."
As he spoke, footsteps were heard outside the door.
He turned around and saw Bai Li, who had changed into a coarse servant’s outfit, carrying a cloth bundle.
Even in the old, rough clothes, Bai Li’s noble aura couldn’t be hidden…
Because she had a golden hairpin in her bun.
Chen Ji was surprised, "Princess, that outfit doesn’t match the golden hairpin."
Bai Li quickly pulled out the golden hairpin and replaced it with a wooden one from her sleeve, "Shh! My father confiscated all my money. I took this golden hairpin from my mother without her noticing. They didn’t see it!"
"Lady Yunfei is smart and attentive. She must have noticed but let you take it…"
"Really?" Bai Li was stunned, "Well, I’ve already taken it. I thought you’d need money for whatever you’re planning. In this world, without money, you can’t get far."
Chen Ji was silent.
Bai Li smiled, "Let’s go. I’ve hired an ox cart. We’ll take it out of the city!"
"Wait for me," Chen Ji went back to his apprentice’s room, pulled out a loose brick under his bed, and took out all his savings, tucking them into his clothes before leaving.
But as soon as he reached the door, he saw a fast horse galloping from the end of Anxi Street.
On the tall horse was a young man in a green robe, his hair flying in the wind, looking dashing and heroic.
Chen Ji slowly stopped and watched as the young man reined in his horse at the medical hall’s entrance.
It was Chen Wenzong, who sat on the horse, panting, "Chen Ji, come back to the mansion with me. Don’t keep arguing with Father!"
Chen Ji stood inside the medical hall, looking up at his elder brother on the horse, "Brother, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not arguing with anyone."
Chen Wenzong tried to persuade him, "Father has found out the truth. It was a servant under the steward who embezzled your monthly allowance. Mother has already had the servant beaten to death to avenge you, and the steward was also given ten lashes."
Chen Ji nodded, "Poor thing."
Chen Wenzong was puzzled, "Poor thing?"
Chen Ji smiled, "I mean the servant is pitiful."
Chen Wenzong couldn’t help but say urgently, "Chen Ji, as the saying goes, a harmonious family leads to prosperity. There’s no deep hatred within a family. Now that you’ve turned over a new leaf, I naturally hope you can return home soon. I’ll convince Father to send you to Donglin Academy to study. In three years, you can take the imperial exams. At your age, it’s not too late to start studying!"
Study?
A science student like him studying the classics and eight-legged essays? That would be torture.
But Chen Ji looked up at his elder brother, who at this moment seemed sincere, like a gentleman from a storyteller’s tale.
But everyone has their own path.
Chen Ji smiled, "Brother, we’re about to leave the city. My friends are waiting."
Chen Wenzong dismounted and said earnestly, "Chen Ji, even though you haven’t studied much, you should understand the principles of filial piety. There’s no such thing as a wrong parent. How can you keep arguing with your father?"
Chen Ji said calmly, "Brother, whether you believe it or not, I’m really not arguing with anyone. Please go back."
With that, he walked past Chen Wenzong with his bundle and sat at the back of the ox cart.
Chen Wenzong took two steps forward, his tone heavier, "Chen Ji! What about the principles of filial piety?!"
At that moment, Bai Li suddenly looked up and said, "You keep talking about ethics and morality, but did anyone in the Chen family know that Chen Ji was injured by bandits? He was cut on the chest and stabbed in the thigh, yet no one came to check on him."
Chen Wenzong was stunned, "Princess?"
He looked closely and saw that not only was the princess on the cart, but so was the prince’s son!
These two noble figures were dressed in coarse clothes, squeezed onto a shabby ox cart with his younger brother!
Bai Li sat cross-legged on the cart, straightening her back and continuing, "When Chen Ji was injured, we saw him at the White Clothes Lane embroidery tower. Did you ask how he was that day?"
Chen Wenzong was completely silent.
Bai Li pressed on, "All you care about is the ethics and morality you keep talking about. You came to the medical hall to persuade him only because your academy teachers taught you that a harmonious family leads to prosperity, and the classics taught you about the relationships between ruler and subject, father and son. That’s all."
Chen Ji stopped Bai Li and turned to the cart driver, "Let’s go. If we delay any longer, we might not reach Liujiatun before dark."
The ox cart creaked as it slowly moved forward.
Chen Wenzong stood still, watching as Chen Ji and the others sat on the open, shabby ox cart, laughing and joking.
In this freezing season, their excitement didn’t seem like they were going to work, but more like they were heading out for a spring outing when the flowers were just blooming.
The prince’s son’s teasing voice drifted from afar, "Haha, did you see that? Bai Li just now looked like an angry little tiger. Ouch, don’t pinch so hard!"
(End of Chapter)