Green Mountain

Chapter 797 644: New Year's Gift from the Military Intelligence Department

Chen Ji followed Xiao Man towards the main hall, seeing from a distance that it was brightly lit.

As they walked, Xiao Man instructed, "Young Master, please don't talk back to the Lady. She's quite angry right now. Just let her scold you a bit."

Chen Ji acknowledged with a hum.

Upon reaching the entrance of the main hall, the maids in the courtyard saluted, "Son-in-law."

The voice of Mrs. Zhang came sharply through the curtain from within the room: "Nuanchun, take this piece of Kesi silk to the storehouse. I originally misunderstood, thinking that once someone entered the Zhang family, they were part of the family. But now it seems that someone who has been a Viscount and received an imperial punishment is not interested in a few yards of fabric from the Zhang family. I'm afraid even if I invite them personally, they won't be moved."

Xiao Man muttered, "Oh no... Young Master, you'd better go in by yourself. I'm not going in."

Chen Ji paused for a moment, then continued to walk inside.

He lifted the curtain and sidled in, putting on a smiling face as he entered: "Mother, I'm back."

Once inside, Chen Ji quickly surveyed the room. Mrs. Zhang sat on the Taishi chair with a stern face, while Zhang Xia stood beside her, gloating.

Nuanchun stood silently nearby, her eyes focused on her nose, her nose on her heart.

On the right side, two tailors, an old one and a young one, from the tailoring shop sat, looking up at the beams.

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Mother, I went to..."

Mrs. Zhang interrupted coldly, "No need to bother making up lies to fool me. I have no right to discipline you; where you go and what you do are your own matters."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "Mother, last night Zhang Zheng went carousing with Uncle Xu Shu in the Eight Great Hutongs."

Zhang Xia and Nuanchun both looked at Chen Ji in disbelief.

Mrs. Zhang said in a tense voice, "Is that true?"

Chen Ji asserted, "Uncle himself said so. They're both in their rooms catching up on sleep right now, and the whole place smells of alcohol."

Mrs. Zhang stood up and walked out: "This is outrageous. Not a single one in this family listens, treating my words like wind past their ears, isn't that right!"

Zhang Xia nudged Nuanchun with his elbow, and Nuanchun came to her senses, grabbed a fox fur cloak from the coat rack, and rushed out: "Madam, please slow down, careful of catching a cold."

Once the room quieted down, Zhang Xia glared at Chen Ji: "My brother is going to suffer because of you!"

Chen Ji chuckled: "We can't worry about that right now; it's enough to save myself. Besides, going to the Eight Great Hutongs is wrong in itself. Brother-in-law should change this bad habit."

After speaking, he turned to the tailors: "Please, Masters, take my measurements quickly. I can't really let my mother take the Kesi silk back to the storeroom."

The old tailor replied with a 'hey,' stood up holding a roll of wax-dyed cotton string: "Please stand up straight, spread your arms... Have you had dinner?"

Chen Ji spread his arms: "Had a bowl of noodles, why?"

The old tailor chuckled and said, "Taking measurements is an art. As they say, better loose than tight, hard to alter tightness, easier to adjust when loose. Waist measurements are different before and after meals, and the clothes made will differ too, so it's important to ask."

Carefully taking Chen Ji's measurements, he occasionally marked with a charcoal pencil and continued to ask, "Do you want a straight front or a crossed collar?"

"Crossed collar."

"Do you usually ride a horse or take a carriage?"

"Ride a horse."

"Do you typically use weapons like guns or swords?"

"Yes."

The old tailor asked about everything in detail, and once Chen Ji answered, the young apprentice quietly noted it down.

Chen Ji joked with a smile, "The Master asks so meticulously?"

The old tailor calmly replied, "You might not know, Guest, tailoring clothes isn't just about measuring the body, but also the temperament. As the saying goes, when a young person passes the exam, they puff out their chest and belly, the front longer than the back. An older passer bends forward; the front is shorter than the back. A fat person's waist is broader, a skinny person has a narrower body. The impatient have shorter clothes for quick movement, the patient have longer ones..."

Just as he spoke, the sound of Zhang Zheng's wailing came from the East Garden, startling the old tailor into a small tremble.

Only Zhang Zheng's cries could be heard: "Mother, stop hitting me, stop, it was Uncle dragging me to go!"

Xu Shu's angry voice could be heard distantly: "What nonsense are you spouting, it was you who said you had an old flame in the Eight Great Hutongs whom you hadn't seen for long and missed greatly! Sis, let me explain... Ow, why are you hitting me too! I'm telling you, I've come down from the Forty-nine Heavens, I'm not afraid of you, stop hitting, stop..."

In the main hall.

Zhang Xia sat on a chair, resting his chin on his hand, looked at Chen Ji: "My brother's monthly salary is probably going to be cut again, all because you diverted the trouble eastward."

Chen Ji smiled casually and probed, "I'll mention to Mother later, how about confining Brother-in-law in the mansion for a few days?"

Zhang Xia gave him a look, smiled brightly: "Great, saves him from causing trouble outside."

Chen Ji then asked, "Do you have any appointments lately?"

Zhang Xia gave him another glance: "I have to substitute for Uncle at the Imperial Academy."

At this moment, the old tailor finished measuring: "Guest can put your arms down now."

Chen Ji turned to Zhang Xia: "By the way, I heard from Xiao Man that you didn't go to play polo today, but you came back very late. Where did you go for fun?"

Zhang Xia smirked: "So many questions, are you interrogating me like a Jing Dynasty spy? Have you forgotten our three rules?"

Chen Ji laughed heartily: "Just asking casually."

Zhang Xia looked at the old tailor and suddenly asked: "Master, what is something good to press on the hem of clothes to make them crisp and straight?"

The old tailor thought for a moment: "Ordinary families wearing linen clothes usually don't press anything. Big families might press a few Copper Coins, while the more particular officials and nobles might go to Panjia Garden to look for some auspicious Tongbao."

Zhang Xia changed the subject: "Are there any sewn with golden melon seeds?"

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows.

The old tailor laughed and said: "It's rare to sew with golden melon seeds; you must give it to someone extremely precious to do so... Is the young lady going to sew a few golden melon seeds for this gentleman?"

Zhang Xia made an 'oh' sound: "No need, I'm just asking, wanting to see if anyone has ever done it."

After speaking, she pulled out six gleaming Tongbao from her sleeve and handed them to the old tailor: "Sew these six Tongbao inside."

The old tailor took the Tongbao in his palm, squinting at them carefully: "Taiping Tongbao... Ah, are these the Taiping Coins gilded in the Grand Ancestor's era?"

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Taiping Coin?"

Zhang Xia casually explained: "At the founding, the Grand Ancestor minted six thousand gold coins, thirty-six pure gold coins with 'National Guardian' inscribed, bestowed upon the founding heroes and those with merit at the Dragon's Head. Three hundred sixty gold coins inscribed 'Kaijiang,' given to the Six Ministries' great builders and those who governed and secured the nation. Also, over five thousand gilded copper coins inscribed 'Taiping,' awarded to those first to climb, storm the fort, behead generals, and seize flags."

The old tailor weighed the gilded coins in his hand and smiled: "This isn't easy to find, the young lady must have browsed all over Panjia Garden, right?"

Zhang Xia replied indifferently: "Didn't put much effort, just happened upon them."

The old tailor sighed: "It can't be just a coincidence. These Taiping Coins have been passed down for a thousand years; there aren't many left. The stores in Panjia Garden, if they get even one, treat it as a treasure. It's said that inside these Taiping Coins lies the Grand Ancestor's national fate, able to soothe the spirit and ward off evil."

Zhang Xia shook her head: "Taiping Tongbao doesn't have that ability; it's just for good luck. To ward off evil, you'd need the National Guardian Tongbao."

The old tailor glanced at Chen Ji and smiled: "Either way, the young lady is thoughtful."

Chen Ji, belatedly realizing, looked at Zhang Xia: "You didn't actually have a polo meeting today, just made an excuse to go out to find these Taiping Coins before making clothes?"

So she went straight to the Outer City because Panjia Garden is in the southeast corner of the Outer City?

Zhang Xia got up and started walking out: "Just happened upon them, believe it if you want."

Chen Ji followed out the door, just entering the courtyard, he saw Mrs. Zhang leading Zhang Zheng and Xu Shu, both pointed at Chen Ji behind Mrs. Zhang, mouthing silent curses.

Chen Ji pointed at the two and said: "Mother, they are cursing me."

Mrs. Zhang turned sternly, Zhang Zheng and Xu Shu hurriedly restrained their expressions and lowered their heads.

Chen Ji bowed to Mrs. Zhang: "Mother, we're going back to rest."

Mrs. Zhang glanced at him sideways and made a sound from her throat.

However, just then, a servant came over with a wooden box, loudly saying: "Sir, there is something here for you to look at."

Chen Ji puzzled: "What is it?"

Zhang Xia also stopped and turned back.

The servant came up to Chen Ji and explained: "Many people came to congratulate you today, many left things and left. As per Madam's instructions, we took the New Year's gifts to the backyard, only just discovered this box during inventory registration, no idea what's inside."

"Let me take a look," Chen Ji opened a slit in the wooden box and his pupils suddenly contracted, quickly closing the box.

Inside the wooden box was a layer of black particles, smooth and slightly shiny, evidently the batch of gunpowder stolen from the Divine Machine Camp.

Chen Ji asked the servant: "Who delivered it? How old were they? What did they look like?"

The servant took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Chen Ji: "Too many came to congratulate you, can't remember... Oh, this box came with a letter."

Chen Ji didn't look at the letter until returning to the main room in West Garden, then he opened the letter.

By candlelight, he saw the sparse and elegant strokes, with hidden strength within:

"Heavenly Branch, Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department, salutes the Marquis Wu Xiang."

"Heard of your recent marriage, my humble gift cannot express my respect. Seventy pounds of gunpowder, took one pound as a tribute, excellent quality, specially given as a celebration."

"I also advise, your talent is not recognized by Ning Dynasty. Now dwelling in Zhang Mansion as a son-in-law, subjected daily to your mother-in-law's cold gaze, court officials view you as remnants of the Eunuch Party, commoners call you a traitor. Such enduring humiliation, what is your purpose? Would be better to come north, to join us and endeavor in great enterprise."

"New Year's Day approaches, your candle is lit on the desk, my location beyond the walls is snowy and windy. This New Year greeting, wishing you a hundred years of harmony and prosperity."

"Zhang Qian."

"The eleventh day of the twelfth lunar month of the 32nd year of Jia Ning."

At this moment, Zhang Xia walked to the table: "What does the letter say?"

Chen Ji gathered himself, his hand suddenly clenched, holding the letter tightly in his palm: "Nothing, just some auspicious New Year's greetings."