The Azure Mountain

Chapter 67: The Two Department Officials

The beginning of every story is impossibly gentle; the ending of every story is impossibly cruel.

The more fun you had, the harder the beating that followed.

Early morning. In the main hall of Taiping Medical Clinic, She Dengke and Liu Quxing stood in a row before the counter.

Old Yao went to the back courtyard and returned with two bamboo switches, then thrashed the pair until they were howling like ghosts: "So you've learned to stay out all night drinking, have you? Your parents are paying tuition to send you here, and this is what you do — drink? You can't even take a pulse properly! When am I ever going to trust you to actually examine a patient?"

Liu Quxing wailed: "Master, I can take a pulse properly! The one who can't is She Dengke!"

She Dengke was crying so hard he blew a snot bubble: "Liu Quxing, you bastard!"

At that moment, Old Yao whipped around with a vicious glare, fixing his gaze on Chen Ji, who sat in his bamboo chair watching the show: "And you!"

Chen Ji rolled his eyes upward: "Master, my wound hurts so much."

With that, he pretended to faint.

But Old Yao didn't care one bit. A barrage of bamboo switch strikes rained down, jolting Chen Ji awake and howling: "Master, I'm injured! I'm injured!""Oh, now you remember you're injured? Funny how you forgot all about it while you were out having fun!" Old Yao took turns thrashing each apprentice, and when one switch snapped, he simply grabbed the other. Only then did everyone understand why he'd brought out two switches in the first place...

After finishing with the apprentices, Old Yao turned to the Prince Heir: "The Prince Heir spent three years studying at Donglin Academy, and now that he's back, he spends every day lingering in the pleasure districts. It seems those professors at Donglin aren't much to write home about."

The Prince Heir instinctively agreed: "They really aren't..."

Then he suddenly realized he'd said the wrong thing and hurried to correct himself with a sheepish grin: "No, don't misunderstand — it's just that yesterday was genuinely wonderful, we really hit it off..."

Old Yao slowly raised his hand, and the Prince Heir immediately cowered behind Baili, muttering under his breath: "Surely you were this reckless in your youth too..."

Baili stepped forward and took Old Yao's arm: "Please don't be angry. Don't stoop to their level."

Old Yao raised an eyebrow: "Were you not there last night? Get back in line."

Baili slunk back into the row with her head hanging.

Old Yao then turned to Liang Gou'er: "You're living here at my Taiping Medical Clinic, eating and drinking for free, and this is how you repay me — by corrupting my apprentices?"

Liang Gou'er also hung his head: "Rest assured, I definitely won't keep them out all night next time."

Old Yao glared so hard his whiskers bristled: "Next time?"

This white-haired old man was like an elder to all of them, evenly scolding every last person — except Liang Mao'er — and even the Prince Heir, Baili, and Liang Gou'er stood with bowed heads and offered no protest...

And yet, strangely, Old Yao was technically just a physician attached to Prince Jing's Estate. But when he scolded the Prince Heir and the Commandery Princess, everyone — including the Prince Heir himself — found it perfectly natural and right.

Physician Yao said coldly: "All of you, stand right here and reflect on what you've done!"

With that, he turned and went back to the rear courtyard. Everyone let out a long breath of relief.

Liu Quxing sniffled: "Master really went too hard."

Liang Gou'er leaned lazily against the counter, propping himself up on one elbow: "Count your blessings. These days, having someone who still bothers to discipline you is a luxury. If someone had given me a good thrashing back in the day, maybe I wouldn't be drinking every night..."

Liang Gou'er looked at the Prince Heir: "You and the princess don't have to stand here for punishment. The old man can't actually control you — why stay and get lectured?"

The Prince Heir grinned: "What kind of talk is that? Good friends share the good times and the bad!"

......

......

Just then, a knock came from the front door: "Is Physician Yao in?"

Everyone inside the clinic exhaled with relief — a visitor meant salvation!

Physician Yao ambled back to the main hall and shot a glance at She Dengke: "Go open the door!"

She Dengke scrambled outside, and before long, he led the guest into the rear courtyard.

Chen Ji looked up and saw Shopkeeper Yuan of Hundred Deer Pavilion, smiling as he carried two bags of goods — fruits, pastries, and even a fresh leg of lamb.

In that instant, all those dreams, all those songstresses, all that sweet wine — everything evaporated the moment Shopkeeper Yuan appeared at the door. The previous night suddenly felt like nothing more than a beautiful dream.

Since his injury, Chen Ji had seemed to drift away from all conflict. He spent his time studying combat techniques on the Green Mountain in his dreams, and being dragged around by the Prince Heir and his antics.

The days had been full and grounded, as though the shadows of the past had receded for good, never to return.

But he knew — what was coming would always come.

Old Yao remarked: "My Taiping Medical Clinic just restocked its medicines a few days ago. Why has Shopkeeper Yuan come in person again? Aren't you busy with business?"

Shopkeeper Yuan replied with a cheerful grin: "One of our fellows at Hundred Deer Pavilion mentioned seeing Chen Ji being carried through the street yesterday — looked like he was injured. So I figured I'd come check on him."

Chen Ji understood: his conspicuous outing with the Prince Heir and the Commandery Princess must have drawn the attention of the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division.

He had known the other side might come, but he hadn't expected them to come this fast.

Old Yao glanced at Shopkeeper Yuan with cool indifference: "Such a busy man as Shopkeeper Yuan, and yet you visit my humble Taiping Medical Clinic just to see a lowly apprentice?"

Shopkeeper Yuan was unbothered by Old Yao's sharpness: "Young Doctor Chen used to come to my Hundred Deer Pavilion for supplies all the time. We hit it off right away, so I brought a few things to check in on him. Please, carry on — let me have a word with my friend Little Chen."

Old Yao nodded: "Fine, you two chat. She Dengke, go fetch water! Liu Quxing, go mop the floor! Liang Mao'er, go cook! Liang Gou'er... go take a nap."

Liang Gou'er said sheepishly: "I'm freeloading at Taiping Medical Clinic — you can tell me to get lost too, really. No need to be polite."

"Fine then, go chop the firewood!"

"Yes sir!"

The Prince Heir hurried to speak up with an ingratiating smile: "We'll stay and help out too before we go. Baili, grab a rag and wipe down the counters in the main hall..."

Baili smiled: "Sure!"

Shopkeeper Yuan waited until everyone was busy, then asked in a low voice: "Did you find that rogue spy the night before last?"

Chen Ji shook his head, speaking earnestly: "I was severely wounded and lost consciousness that night. I don't know anything about what happened afterward. But since the Secret Spy Division hasn't come to arrest me, I'd assume they didn't catch the spy either."

Shopkeeper Yuan paced the main hall with his hands clasped behind his back, deep in thought. The atmosphere in the room froze solid as ice.

The front door of Taiping Medical Clinic was still shut. Outside, the morning light filtered through the white paper on the windows, casting pale beams into the dim room.

Chen Ji observed the man's expression in silence, saying nothing.

After a moment, Shopkeeper Yuan asked: "Has anyone from the Military Intelligence Division come to see you these past two days?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "No."

Shopkeeper Yuan stared at him: "Truly no one?"

Chen Ji returned the gaze without flinching: "Truly no one."

Shopkeeper Yuan dropped the subject and changed course: "The last shipment has already been sent north. You have one day. Find a way to notify that important figure inside Prince Jing's Estate — it's time to deliver the next batch. Once this shipment is in place, the Department Head will immediately set out for the south."

Chen Ji protested: "But Si Cao, look at the state I'm in. How am I supposed to contact that person? Can't it wait until I've healed?"

Shopkeeper Yuan's expression darkened. He bent down and pressed his hand onto the wound on Chen Ji's thigh.

Chen Ji felt as though he'd been struck by lightning. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead, and in just a few breaths, the shirt on his back was soaked through — yet he didn't dare make a sound.

Liang Gou'er was right there in the rear courtyard. One shout from Chen Ji and the man would hear — but then what? Let everyone discover he was a spy for the Military Intelligence Division?

No. His cover could not be blown.

Shopkeeper Yuan murmured: "I don't like people bargaining with me. How you make contact is your responsibility, not mine. I spared your life — you should be grateful. Don't interfere with my plans."

At that moment, Baili came back from the rear courtyard wringing out a rag. She was in good spirits, humming a little tune under her breath.

Shopkeeper Yuan glanced up at her, then said quietly to Chen Ji: "I don't care how you do it. You have one day."

"Understood."

Shopkeeper Yuan turned to leave. He pushed open the door but stopped just inside the threshold, as though someone was blocking his way.

Chen Ji's gaze reached past him to the figure beyond the door — a man in a bamboo hat, wearing patched clothing and straw sandals, holding a short blade, standing with head lowered in the morning mist, his face impossible to make out.

The two of them faced each other across the doorway in silence, saying nothing, yet the air between them seethed with killing intent.

'Wait — this is the other Si Cao of the Military Intelligence Division!'

It clicked in Chen Ji's mind: just as the Secret Spy Division had its Twelve Zodiacs, the Military Intelligence Division had more than one Si Cao. Luo City alone had two — one was the fat man who posed as Shopkeeper Yuan, and the other was a thin man who wore a green-faced, fanged mask and favored a short blade.

Sensing danger, Chen Ji turned to Baili, who was wiping down the table: "Princess, could you pour me a cup of water?"

Baili knew nothing of what was happening. She simply smiled and replied: "Of course, I'll go get it right now."

Once Baili had left, Shopkeeper Yuan spoke calmly to the other Si Cao: "What are you doing here?"

The other Si Cao sneered: "And what are you doing here?"

"Luo City is my jurisdiction now. Know your place," Shopkeeper Yuan said, then climbed into his carriage and departed in haste.

The Si Cao in the bamboo hat stood there, silently watching Chen Ji for a long time, before finally turning and leaving.

Chen Ji was bewildered. Why had both Si Cao converged at the doorstep of Taiping Medical Clinic?

Just then, Baili returned with a cup of warm water: "Here you go, nice and warm..."

Chen Ji didn't take the water. Instead, he looked up and studied the Commandery Princess: "Princess, can I trust you?"

Baili smiled: "Of course you can. I'm very dependable."

Chen Ji suddenly rose from his bamboo chair and hobbled toward the door, struggling with each step. At the threshold, he glanced back at Commandery Princess Baili: "After I leave, lock the door. And keep this a secret for me. Thank you."

......

......

While the streets were still mostly empty, Chen Ji hurried to the wall behind the fabric shop's rear courtyard.

But the moment he turned into the alley, he froze. There sat Wu Yun atop the white wall under gray tiles, a dozen tabby cats lined up behind her, heads bowed in obedience.

Facing Wu Yun from across the way, a tabby cat with one blind eye sat on the tiles, backed by its own retinue of a dozen cats — chunky orange tabbies and black-and-white tuxedos among them.

A great battle was about to erupt.

Chen Ji had no time to puzzle over what was going on. He immediately waved to Wu Yun: "Wu Yun!"

Wu Yun meowed: "Stand back. I don't want blood splashing on you."

Chen Ji: "..."

There was genuine killing intent in the air.

He said: "Don't fight yet. I need a very important favor from you."

At these words, Wu Yun instantly sheathed her murderous aura and looked at Chen Ji: "What is it?"

Chen Ji explained: "A man wearing a bamboo hat just left Taiping Medical Clinic, heading south. He's wearing patched clothes and straw sandals — if you go now, you can definitely catch up. I need you to follow him in secret. I want to know his true identity!"

Wu Yun meowed once, abandoning the standoff with the rival cat gang. She turned and led her dozen tabby cats as they fanned out into various alleys, heading south in pursuit.

Meanwhile, a carriage slowly pulled up in front of the clinic.

Jin Zhu lifted the curtain and hopped down, then walked up to Taiping Medical Clinic's door with a cheery smile and knocked.

Baili approached the door cautiously: "Who is it?"

Jin Zhu was startled to hear the princess's voice: "Hello, I'm a friend of Chen Ji's. I heard he was hurt and came to see him."