The Azure Mountain

Chapter 138: Teaching Master

"Shh, keep your voice down, keep your voice down!"

Prince Jing glared as he placed his index finger to his lips, warning Chen Ji and Bai Li.

He turned his head to scan his surroundings behind him. After confirming no one was paying attention to them, he looked back at Chen Ji and Bai Li. "It took a lot of effort for me to sneak out in disguise. What are you two yelling about?!"

Bai Li asked in confusion, "Dad, you lecture me and my brother every day about not climbing over the walls, but you're climbing over them yourself?"

Prince Jing smiled. "What kind of nonsense is that? Your dad walked right out the front gate."

Bai Li also smiled. "General Wang is on duty at the front gate right now. I'll go ask him."

Prince Jing hastily grabbed Bai Li's arm. "I climbed over. I climbed over from the medical clinic's side."

Chen Ji asked, puzzled, "Your Highness, if you go out on a secret inspection tour like this, what will happen if something unfortunate occurs? We can't bear that responsibility."

Prince Jing laughed. "I'm just a coachman right now. As long as you don't say anything, who would make things difficult for a coachman?"

Chen Ji thought about it, but still continued to dissuade him. "You should still bring some guards. Or let Eunuch Feng accompany you to take care of your daily needs?""No."

Prince Jing raised his voice. "If I let them follow me, they'll be advising me every day that I can't eat this, can't drink that, can't do this, and can't go there. What's the point of a secret inspection tour then? Besides, this literary gathering is going to be very lively. If I go as Prince Jing, everyone will inevitably feel constrained."

Chen Ji sighed. "Before, I was wondering why the Prince Heir had such a personality. It turns out he takes after you."

Prince Jing raised an eyebrow. "Why do I feel like you're insulting someone? In what way is he like me? When I was his age, I already had those civil officials dancing in the palm of my hand."

Chen Ji said seriously, "Your Highness, everyone recognizes you. Before the morning is over, everyone will figure out your identity."

Prince Jing waved his hand. "It doesn't matter. By then, I'll have already left Luo City, with the sky high and the sea wide."

Chen Ji interrupted, "Your Highness, setting aside your secret inspection tour for a moment, you've seen it for yourself. I'm truly not suited for studying the classics, nor do I have any intention of setting foot in the political arena. It would be better to just let me withdraw from the academy. As for the matter of the border army's military funds, how can it be changed because of me alone? How can matters of national importance be treated like child's play?"

Prince Jing fell silent for a moment before saying meaningfully, "I won't use righteous national principles to guilt you either. How about this: you only need to study until next spring, and I will owe you a favor. In the future, if you have a request, as long as it doesn't endanger the Ning Dynasty's state, I can help you once. How about it?"

Chen Ji did not answer.

He was but a mere medical clinic apprentice, yet now the Luo City Prefect and a powerful regional prince both owed him a favor. It might sound nice to say, but how would these favors be cashed in?

After giving it some thought, Chen Ji said, "Then I have a request right now. Your Highness, going on a secret inspection tour is truly too dangerous. It would be better if you went back..."

Before he could finish speaking, Prince Jing's expression changed, and he interrupted, "Stop. Young man, you are still young, and you don't even know what you want the most. How can you use this favor so lightly?"

At this moment, Chen Wenxiao shouted from the flatbed cart, "Coachman, coachman, let's go."

Prince Jing hastily replied in a muffled voice, "Coming."

He pulled the brim of his straw hat lower, walked to the very front of the flatbed cart, and sat down with his back to everyone. With a casual crack of his whip, the old yellow ox began to pull the cart forward slowly.

Bai Li smiled as she stuffed a wrapped cloth bundle into Chen Ji's arms. "Everyone in the world knows my dad's promise is worth ten pieces of gold. You'd better think about how to make good use of this favor first. Don't forget to eat the traditional snacks."

With that said, she chased after them for a few steps and lightly hopped up, sitting at the back of the flatbed cart. Her two legs hung off the edge, swaying up and down with the bumps of the cart.

Bai Li patted the Prince Heir beside her. "Brother, since we're going out this time, you have to remember what Dad instructed you. No drinking alcohol for a month."

The Prince Heir sneered. "Heh... I'm already out of Luo City, how can he still manage me?"

Bai Li's eyes brightened. "Brother, that's not good, is it? What if Dad finds out?"

The Prince Heir waved his hand dismissively. "So what if he knows? I'm already past the age of capping. Do I still need to look at someone else's face just to drink wine?"

Bai Li let out a long "Oh..."

"You're really impressive!"

Seeing Prince Jing sitting at the very front, the action of cracking the whip paused for a moment. Then, the whip fell heavily, striking the old ox until it mooed and quickened its pace.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians. An ox cart, a fine horse, and a walking young man followed along. It was a rare, clear, and refreshing winter day. Chen Ji suddenly felt that going out on a study tour wasn't so bad either; he could briefly escape from all the right and wrong, the hustle and bustle.

He followed unhurriedly behind the ox cart and untied the cloth bundle in his arms.

The bundle contained traditional snacks from Zhengxin Studio—honey three-cuts, golden sesame crisps, peach crisps, laughing balls...

As he was eating, the clip-clop of horse hooves sounded. Zhang Xia rode her horse to his side, looked down at the snacks in his hands, and asked casually, "You have a very good relationship with the Prince Heir and the Commandery Princess. The Commandery Princess actually prepared snacks especially for you."

Chen Ji turned his head to glance at her. "The Prince Heir, the Commandery Princess, and I are friends!"

Zhang Xia was puzzled. "Friends?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Don't you have friends?"

Zhang Xia said straightforwardly, "No. Since coming to Luo City, the people who want to be my friends either want to ask for some silver or want to ask my dad for a favor. There's no point in making such friends."

Chen Ji said casually, "Well, given the prestige of the Xu Family, it's not easy for people to become friends with the Second Miss Zhang."

Zhang Xia suddenly said, "My name is Zhang Xia. There's no need to call me 'Second Miss Zhang' this and 'Second Miss Zhang' that."

Chen Ji casually agreed, "Alright, Zhang Xia!"

Right at that moment, Bai Li, seeing Chen Ji walking behind, turned her head and said to Wang Daosheng, "Sir, Chen Ji has already walked for several miles. Should we let him get on the cart?"

Master Wang put down the book in his hand and looked at Chen Ji wordlessly.

Seeing a chance, Bai Li hurriedly added, "You see, he's already received his punishment. He definitely won't be late again next time. It's still over forty miles to Yichuan County Town. If he walks the whole way, his shoes will be worn through."

Master Wang said to Prince Jing, "Please stop for a moment."

Prince Jing reined in the ox without looking back, and the cart slowly ground to a halt.

Just as Bai Li was about to wave Chen Ji over to get on the cart, she saw Master Wang jump down from it.

He said to Prince Jing, "Continue the journey."

Everyone was startled. "Sir, what are you doing?"

Master Wang patted the dust off his body and smoothed out the wrinkles. "It's a good thing the Commandery Princess reminded me. Since I accepted the tuition fee, I am Chen Ji's teaching master. If he makes a mistake, I also bear responsibility, and we should be punished together. You all stay seated on the cart, and I will walk with him to Yichuan County Town."

Chen Ji spoke up, "Sir, there's no need for you to do this."

Master Wang, however, shook his head. "This has nothing to do with you. I am simply acting in accordance with my original heart."

Chen Ji felt somewhat ashamed. "I'm sorry. Your student won't be late again in the future."

Master Wang used his book roll to brush away the floating dust on Chen Ji's shoulder. "No, if there is ever something more important than studying the classics, you must still go do it!"

"Huh?"

Master Wang said calmly, "What Zhixing Academy can teach you is merely the principles of being a proper person, and these principles are exactly about acting according to one's heart. The feeling of compassion that makes you want to help when you see an old horse fall to the ground is 'heart.' The sense of justice that makes you draw your sword to help when seeing an injustice on the road is also 'heart.' When your heart leads you there, you should do it—there is no wrong in that!"

Chen Ji was somewhat puzzled.

The usually stern Master Wang gave a rare smile. "If you merely miss one of my classes, I can just teach it to you again. But if you miss some things, you miss them forever."

Chen Ji took a deep breath. "Your student understands."

He suddenly felt that this Master Wang seemed different from all the literati he had ever seen.

"I'll walk too!"

Bai Li pushed against the flatbed cart with both hands, nimbly jumped off down, and walked side-by-side with Chen Ji. The red jade carp pendant on her collar button was like a single plum blossom in winter.

The Prince Heir hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly jumped off the cart as well, but his mouth kept complaining, "Why not sit on a perfectly good ox cart and instead insist on walking? You all are crazy..."

Chen Wenzong was also about to get up, but was held down by Chen Wenxiao. "Brother, what are you doing? He made a mistake, so he should bear the consequences himself. On what basis must we be punished together? Walking all the way to Yichuan County Town will cause our feet to be covered in blisters."

Chen Wenzong let out a sigh, but ultimately sat back down.

Zhang Xia looked at the walking people, suddenly jumped off her horse, and led it by the reins to walk alongside Bai Li.

Bai Li glared at her. "What did you get down for?"

Zhang Xia said carelessly, "We are all classmates. We share in blessings and in misfortunes."

The Prince Heir gave a thumbs up. "Children of the Jianghu."

The ox cart slowly exited the southern city gate. Outside the city, a multitude of refugees were gathered, living in hastily erected lean-tos. They relied on the government office distributing congee daily to survive.

The Prince Heir asked, "Did you all hear that the night before last, a riot nearly broke out outside the western city gate? In the end, it was Lord Zhang Zhuo who delivered the food provisions in time, and also arrested Westerner spies hidden among the refugees who were plotting to incite a rebellion. That finally quelled the incident."

Sitting at the back of the ox cart, Chen Wenzong looked at the Prince Heir and replied, "I heard my father mention it. He said that day the situation was incredibly perilous. The refugees nearly charged into Luo City to pillage, kill, and burn."

The Prince Heir said, "It is said that that night, a masked man wearing a bamboo hat went outside the city to serve as a hostage, promising that the food provisions would definitely arrive by the Hour of Mao. That was how he suppressed the refugees, delaying for over two entire double-hours. These past two days, the storytellers in all the teahouses have gone outside the city, seeking out the refugees to inquire about what happened that night. They are planning to turn the deeds of this masked man into a story."

Holding her reins, Zhang Xia said admiringly, "My dad said that person was a young hero, unflappable and fearless in the face of danger. He has the makings of a supreme general. Not only did he suppress the refugees and buy time, but he also dug out the dead warriors the Liu Family had planted among the refugees. It was truly impressive."

Bai Li subconsciously glanced at Chen Ji.

The night before last... wasn't that precisely the day Chen Ji was late?

She didn't know why she thought of Chen Ji either, and had not a shred of evidence to prove that the person was Chen Ji.

But the Chen Ji in her deepest impressions was also masked, unflappable, and fearless in the face of danger.

Chen Wenxiao suddenly snorted disdainfully. "What young hero? That was a member of the Eunuch Faction."

Zhang Xia widened her eyes. "What's wrong with the Eunuch Faction? The Eunuch Faction practically saved people, didn't they?"

Chen Wenxiao retorted, "How can we call the Eunuch Faction heroes just because they occasionally did a good deed? Are they worthy? My dad said that if anyone from the Chen Family associates with the Eunuch Faction, their legs will be broken."

Bai Li suddenly felt that the person outside the city was probably not Chen Ji. After all, on the night Chen Ji rescued her, didn't he kill six Secret Spy Division agents from the Directorate of Ceremonial?

How could someone who killed the Eunuch Faction be a member of the Eunuch Faction?

Master Wang beside them ignored their argument. He merely walked to a congee shed and said to the Luo City government clerks, "Go and create a registry today. Among the refugees, households with children may receive an extra half portion of congee. In the future, if a child goes missing from any household, no one in that household will be allowed to receive any more congee!"

The government clerk replied impatiently, "Who do you think you are? Roll to the side. Since when is it your turn to boss us around? We masters will distribute congee however we please."

Master Wang was not angered, and just said politely, "Just tell Zhang Zhuo that this was said by Wang Daosheng. He will understand."

Zhang Xia asked curiously, "Why is an entire household forbidden from getting food just because a child goes missing?"

Chen Ji explained casually, "Perhaps it's to prevent people from exchanging children to eat them!"

Zhang Xia was horrified. "Exchanging children to eat them? How could parents do such a thing?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "In years of great famine, there are only the strong and the weak!"