Green Mountain

Chapter 804 651: Path Rivalry

Chen Ji drove the horse carriage, leisurely heading towards Eastern Hua Gate.

The snow from the previous few days had melted completely, and the shops lining the main street had already removed their boards early, steaming buns. The shop assistants lifted the steamers, and clouds of white steam billowed up.

Chen Ji leaned against the carriage, breathing in the icy cold air, and as he exhaled, it turned into white mist. He suddenly remembered, he hadn't thought about getting up early to fetch water in a long time.

Upon reaching outside the Eastern Hua Gate, Zhang Zhuo bent over and emerged from the carriage, just as Chen Ji was about to lead the horse carriage to the riverfront house, Zhang Zhuo called out to him: "Chen Ji."

Chen Ji turned around: "Hmm?"

Zhang Zhuo, holding a stack of memorials under his arm, said: "No need to wait for me outside the gate today; I'll be at Wenhua Palace until midnight. You can come at midnight. Glass Factory and Tianqiao should already be lively, selling year-end goods, so you can pick up Axia and Xiao Man, and the little monk, and buy some year-end goods."

Chen Ji inquired doubtfully: "What's missing in the mansion for year-end goods?"

Zhang Zhuo laughed: "Oranges, cured meat, ham from the south, pine nuts, sugar roasted chestnuts from the north, buy whatever you want. Even if you don't buy year-end goods, it's good to stroll around; otherwise, Axia will know that you've been waiting outside the Eastern Hua Gate all day for me, and she'll complain when we get home."

Before Chen Ji could respond, Zhang Zhuo's figure had already disappeared into the Eastern Hua Gate.

Chen Ji rubbed his cheeks.

Treasure Monkey peered out from the gap in the curtains, Yu Yuan asked puzzledly: "What is Lord Binghu doing?"

Chen Ji smiled: "Nothing, feels like a dream... you go about your own business, just meet me back at Eastern Hua Gate at midnight."

Changsheng spoke in a high-pitched voice: "No, Lord Bai Long said we should follow you. Wherever you go, we'll go."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Follow me? Aren't you supposed to protect Lord Zhang?"

Yu Yuan spoke kindly: "Lord Bai Long didn't say that. His exact words were, protect Lord Zhang, and you too; neither of you can have anything happen."

Chen Ji contemplated: "I'm going to wait for my wife to finish class outside the Imperial Academy, then go have a meal at Donglaishun, and then stroll around Glass Factory's year-end goods stalls, you guys want to come?"

Qi Xiao boomed: "Yes."

Changsheng: "Yes."

Yu Yuan: "Yes."

The calm voice of the middle-aged man beneath Treasure Monkey's mask said: "We can't go; Glass Factory is full of all sorts of people, there might be spies from the Military Intelligence Department mixed in."

Yu Yuan grumbled: "Why be so stiff-faced just before the New Year, Nannan has wanted sugar roasted chestnuts for a long time, go buy some for her."

Treasure Monkey spoke in a deep voice: "You just want to buy velvet flowers and rouge for yourself, don't drag Nannan into this."

Yu Yuan became upset: "Don't I get a share of the salary? I contributed too; why can't I use my salary to buy something I like?"

Qi Xiao murmured: "You don't wear them, why buy those things?"

Changsheng suddenly said: "Let her buy whatever she wants; why control her? Since none of you are spending silver, let her spend it."

Yu Yuan giggled: "Changsheng is sensible; when I get some time, I'll sing a song for you."

Changsheng: "Alright."

Chen Ji steered the horse carriage onto Chang'an Street, originally thinking Treasure Monkey was the most enigmatic of the Spy Department's Twelve Signs; the voice beneath the mask was elusive.

Now it just felt like a cacophony inside the carriage, as if neighbors were gossiping together.

Chen Ji returned to Zhang Mansion, picked up Xiao Man and the little monk, and only then slowly turned the direction towards Imperial Academy at Chongjiao Square.

The street had already become lively, more than ten times busier than usual.

The stalls selling New Year prints lined up across the street, door god images fluttering in the wind on the ropes, Lucky Baby sitting on red paper, cheeks shining under the sun.

Several old scholars set up cases on the roadside, red paper spread on tables for writing Spring Festival couplets for people. The hawkers with carrying poles shouted aloud, the iron pots selling sugar roasted chestnuts clattered, someone opened a window on the second floor of the teahouse to look down, and sunflower seed shells drifted down from the windowsill.

Sunflower seed shells fell on passengers' heads, they flicked their hair, looked up and cursed: "You bastard…"

The little monk lifted the curtain, resting half an arm on the window, Xiao Man stuck his head out from the carriage: "The inner city is so lively, Glass Factory and Tianqiao must be even livelier, right?"

Chen Ji's glance swept over the crowd, smiling as he spoke: "Certainly livelier than here…"

But just then, his voice stopped abruptly.

Chen Ji's chest suddenly felt a strong pang, as if his heartbeat skipped a beat.

This feeling was familiar; after cultivating the Mountain Lord Sect's Scripture, the first time he locked eyes with Old Yao had been like this.

Someone else with knowledge of the same scripture was mingling in the crowd!

Xiao Man noticed Chen Ji's anomaly, showing concern: "What's wrong, sir?"

Treasure Monkey asked solemnly: "A spy?"

Chen Ji didn't respond, instinctively gripping the reins tightly, searching the crowd for the person he'd just locked eyes with, but the street was too crowded, even he couldn't be sure who it was he had been staring at.

The next moment, he saw a person in a bamboo hat lowering their head, seemingly avoiding his gaze, turning to blend into the crowd heading east.

Chen Ji stood up from the carriage to overlook the crowd, the other person glanced sideways, and seeing Chen Ji's gaze fixed on them, immediately darted into a narrow alley.

Treasure Monkey had already climbed out the window and onto the carriage roof: "Sir, should we pursue?"

Chen Ji withdrew his gaze: "Don't pursue, it could be a trap."

Treasure Monkey asked in confusion: "Who is this person?"

Chen Ji ignored everything.

The street noises, hawking calls, and curses were all pushed out of his mind.

Who was this person? Was it Lu Yang, the Mountain Master?

No, it was the third person who trained with the Mountain Lord Sect, the one who stole seventy pounds of gunpowder, 'Zhang Qian'. It was the Military Intelligence Department Chief who sent him the cloth tiger. It was the little beggar adopted by Old Yao, the young Imperial Physician who recklessly poisoned and harmed court officials to collect Ice Flow, the ruthless being who killed Old Yao's first crow, almost taking Old Yao's life.

In Old Yao's stories, this person should be dead.

Old Yao lied.

Only this answer could explain everything Chen Ji had encountered in the past few days, linking all the bewildering clues together:

Because the other party was the first disciple of Old Yao, after knowing Chen Ji was Old Yao's disciple, he immediately confirmed Chen Ji was also a successor of the Mountain Lord Sect's Scripture, thus deducing his birthdate as the twelfth of the twelfth lunar month.

Because the other party is as well.

All Mountain Lords are.

So the other party sent a worn cloth tiger, implicitly referring to the Mountain Lord Sect's Scripture.

So the person would feel competitive upon seeing another disciple of Old Yao.

Chen Ji suddenly remembered when he asked Old Yao how this person died, Old Yao never answered. Not only did this person not die, but they became the Chief of the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department.

This person should have been watching him for a while now, specially choosing a crowded location today, hiding in the crowd to exchange glances, so when Chen Ji sees him again, he can't identify him.

There's only death in the Path's competition.

At this moment, Xiao Man saw Chen Ji silent, anxiously scratching his head, "What's wrong, young master, say something."

Chen Ji smiled, "It's nothing, I just saw an old acquaintance."

He hesitated for a moment, then turned to lift the carriage curtain and looked at the little monk, "Did you see anything strange in the crowd earlier?"

The little monk looked at Chen Ji, "I saw someone as strange as you, master."

Chen Ji was taken aback, "As strange as me?"

The little monk nodded, "I saw someone with greed only in their heart, without anger or ignorance, but they quickly avoided my gaze, didn't have time to see anything else."

Chen Ji was astonished.

...

...

Chen Ji, lost in thought, drove the carriage to the Imperial Academy's entrance, where Zhang Xia concluded his class at noon. He tied the carriage to the side of the road and led the three into a teahouse.

Upon entering, a waiter with a cloth on his shoulder greeted them, "Please come inside, dear guests. Today, a storytelling master happens to be 'testing the waters' here; you mustn't miss it."

'Testing the waters' meant a storytelling master arriving anew, telling stories for free for three days to see if the owner believes they can keep patrons from north to south — to check if they have mastership, understand the jargon, and know the rules.

During the testing period, storytellers usually showcase their best stories.

Chen Ji ordered a pot of premium tea, four plates of snacks, found a corner by the window, and sat down, contemplating:

Why did this person return to the Imperial Capital? Ah, the Mountain Lord Sect cannot leave the power center to cultivate; this is the only place for Ice Flow.

Was this person innate or Seeking Dao? Chen Ji couldn't be certain.

What does this person intend to do? Kill him?

When did this person enter the Military Intelligence Department?

Old Yao is surrounded by crows, I have Wu Yun, what surrounds them?

Chen Ji's mind was a jumble; he couldn't sort it out.

Xiao Man sat across from him, peeling peanuts. He put half of the peeled peanuts in front of Chen Ji and the other half in front of the little monk.

Wu Yun jumped off Chen Ji's shoulder, found the warmest spot on the bench, curled up, and closed its eyes to rest.

The teahouse gradually filled with people; first came a few elderly men with birdcages, with cheery sparrows, white-eyed pheasants, and yellow finches chirping away.

Then groups of young students from the Imperial Academy in teal robes entered.

The sound of voices mixed with the bubbling of boiling water, the crisp sound of teacups hitting the table corner, and the shouts of the staff announcing tea names; it got increasingly lively.

The storytelling master took the stage, set up the attention board, folded fan, and handkerchief, tested his voice, and prepared his words.

With a snap.

The attention board pulled Chen Ji's thoughts back to the teahouse.

The storytelling master began reciting a poem, instantly suppressing the noise, "The wealth and honor on paper don't last, joy and sadness roam the world. A hundred years pass in an eye's blink, listen to the idle folk tell old sorrows!"

He gazed around the room, smiling, "Today this 'hat book' tells a fresh story; do you know Marquis Wu Xiang Chen Ji? Everyone says he's fierce, but no one knows where his fierceness lies; everyone says he fought over a hundred Heavenly Strategy Army, but no one can clarify his Official Gateway."

With just this sentence, the teahouse fell silent.

Xiao Man and the little monk both looked at Chen Ji, not getting the chance to speak before the storytelling master declared, "This Official Gateway is named Mountain Lord!"

Chen Ji squinted his eyes.