The Azure Mountain

Chapter 89: Principles and Ethics

"Deal."

The two words fell resoundingly and forcefully.

Outside the Taiping Medical Clinic, carriages and horses bustled, and a tide of people flowed past.

Inside the Taiping Medical Clinic, the thin and impoverished clinic apprentice stood behind the counter, making a deal with a powerful regional prince of the Great Ning Dynasty.

However, before Chen Ji could continue speaking, Bai Li became anxious instead: "Chen Ji, do you know how miserable it is to be exiled to Lingnan? When the time comes, you'll have to wear a cangue and shackles and walk to Lingnan. Less than thirty percent of prisoners can make it to Lingnan alive."

Bai Li continued speaking rapidly: "It's nothing for us to be grounded for half a year; don't do something foolish for our sakes."

The Prince Heir also hurriedly persuaded: "That's right, after half a year, we'll be formidable heroes once again!"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Prince Jing rubbed the black Go piece in his hand, looking at him calmly and saying: "Considering you are young and ignorant, I can give you a chance to repent."

Chen Ji said earnestly and frankly: "I'm not doing this just for the Prince Heir and the Commandery Princess. Doing so is also to find a way to earn a living for myself."Prince Jing smiled: "Born into the Chen family, do you still need to find a way to earn a living yourself? Your Chen family has been high officials for generations; when would they ever need their younger generation to earn money? As long as you don't defy your father, you will never lack food or clothing."

Chen Ji smiled and said: "Your Highness, the Chen family's status is something I cannot climb up to."

Prince Jing suddenly asked: "Are you very short of money?"

Was Chen Ji short of money? Of course he was.

The Mountain Lord Cultivation Path burned through money like flowing water. To ignite the hundreds of furnace fires all over his body, he would probably need tens of thousands of taels of silver.

This sum made Chen Ji feel despair, right until the word 'cement' appeared in his mind.

At this moment, seeing that he didn't answer, Prince Jing smiled and said: "Very well, since you are determined to do this, then I need to set three rules with you."

"Your Highness, please speak."

"Before the transaction is completed, none of you are allowed to set foot in Red Clothe Lane or White Clothe Lane."

"Alright."

"No drinking."

"Alright."

"No picking quarrels and provoking trouble."

"Alright."

Inside the clinic counter was Chen Ji; outside the clinic counter was Prince Jing. The two looked at each other across a Go board. The young clinic apprentice's gaze didn't avoid or retreat back a single inch.

Prince Jing stared at Chen Ji: "There are no jokes in the military, and military strategy is no trivial matter. Remember your promise; if you cannot accomplish it, I truly will exile you to Lingnan. You youngsters must absolutely remember not to play petty tricks."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "Rest assured, Your Highness, I know what I am doing."

Just then, a middle-aged man with a pale, beardless face wearing coarse brown clothes walked into the clinic, his voice fine and soft: "Your Highness, Lord Liu Gun, Lord Liu Mingxian, and Lord Liu Mingli from the Liu family have already arrived at the estate."

Hearing the voice, Chen Ji looked up, subconsciously gazing towards the source of the sound. The middle-aged man had a tall and burly stature, yet his voice was exceptionally mild and delicate.

Prince Jing turned and pointed at the Prince Heir and Bai Li: "Eunuch Feng, have these two hand over all the silver and copper on them. Instruct the Prince's Estate that no one is allowed to give them any silver for half a year."

The Prince Heir and Bai Li's faces darkened. Their father really did everything flawlessly, actually remembering to search and confiscate all their money.

Great, now both siblings were penniless paupers!

Prince Jing turned and left, leaving the two penniless paupers in the clinic.

The Prince Heir looked at Chen Ji and said earnestly: "Chen Ji, I think being grounded for half a year is pretty good too. I can go out to play after half a year, and you won't have to go to Lingnan..."

Bai Li, on the other hand, cleanly and efficiently smoothed out the wrinkles on her clothes: "Saying more is useless. Chen Ji, what do you plan to do now?"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment and asked: "Are there any kiln factories that fire porcelain and ceramics near Luo City?"

Bai Li and the Prince Heir exchanged a glance; how would they know something like that.

To the side, Old Yao said unhurriedly: "Go out of the city and head south along the official road for ten li, and you'll arrive at Liu Family Village at the foot of Mount Longmen. There are several workshops there that fire porcelain. However, the kiln factories in Luo City only fire superficial ceramics sold to commoners; they can't compare to the ones in Jingdezhen."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said: "No matter, having a kiln furnace should be enough."

After saying that, he went to the backyard to find Liang Mao'er: "Big Brother Mao'er, could you do me a favor and go out with me for half a month? It might be very grueling."

Liang Mao'er smiled simply and honestly: "It's fine, as long as I can exert strength, it's enough. I'm not afraid of enduring hardships."

Chen Ji turned his head to look at Bai Li: "The Prince Heir and Commandery Princess should return to the Prince's Estate and wait for my news; I'll be back in half a month at the latest."

The Prince Heir raised his eyebrows: "What do you mean? Between friends, naturally we must share blessings and endure hardships together! Big Brother Liang Mao'er can endure hardships, but we can't? We will go with you!"

Bai Li also said: "That's right, we can endure hardships too!"

Chen Ji was amused: "Who actively seeks to endure hardships."

The Prince Heir patted his chest: "This is jianghu loyalty!"

She Dengke and Liu Quxing also arrived in the clinic's main hall, looking carefully at their master: "Master, can we go?"

Old Yao sneered mockingly: "Go ahead, a bunch of penniless paupers gathering together to have a great time. If all of you go, this old man will happen to have a few days of peace and quiet, and save quite a bit of money on food. Liang Mao'er, carry your brother over there as well; otherwise, if this lazy bum stays in the clinic, he will still rely on this old man to cook for him."

Liang Mao'er said ashamedly: "Alright, Physician Yao, I will definitely carry him there."

Seeing that things had reached this point, Chen Ji smiled and instructed: "The Prince Heir and Commandery Princess should return to the Prince's Estate to change your clothes. The clothes you are wearing now aren't suitable for working. Additionally, everyone remember to bring two sets of clothes to change into, we'll be out for ten days to half a month. Let's meet at the clinic's entrance in half a shichen."

"Alright!"

...

...

Once everyone had left, Chen Ji looked at Old Yao who was clicking his abacus behind the counter: "Master, you having Liang Mao'er bring Liang Gou'er along, is it because you are worried we won't be safe?"

Old Yao嗤 laughed disdainfully: "Don't flatter yourself; I just didn't want to see him in the clinic."

Chen Ji let out an "oh" and stopped talking.

In their mutual silence, Old Yao gradually stopped his hands from clicking the abacus, saying calmly: "You should have also understood by now that practicing the Mountain Lord Pathway lacks two things the most: one is power, the other is money, which is why you are in such a hurry to earn money. But you must know that in this world, these two things are extremely liable to cause someone to lose themselves. I hope you will not repeat the disastrous mistakes of those before you."

Chen Ji smiled: "Rest assured, Master."

Old Yao suddenly said: "The thing you made last time caused a heaven-shaking commotion. Right now, the entire transportation hub of Yuzhou is locked down by the troops of the Ten-Thousand-Year Army, allowing entry but no exit. The matter from last time still hasn't ended; what are you planning to make this time? Do not stir up another huge disaster to implicate this old man!"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and answered: "You will know once it is made. Rest assured, it is not dangerous this time."

Old Yao sized him up for a moment, still feeling uneasy as he took out six copper coins from his sleeve and threw them onto the counter, muttering while interpreting the hexagram: "Primal Kun, the auspiciousness of peaceful perseverance, responding to the earth limitlessly, its immense capacity supporting all things..."

After saying that, he suddenly looked up at Chen Ji: "Just what exactly are you trying to make?"

Chen Ji smiled and answered: "I already told you earlier; it's something that can replace glutinous rice mortar."

As he was speaking, he heard the sound of footsteps outside the door.

He turned his head around right in time to see Bai Li had changed into coarse cloth clothes worn by servant girls when working, carrying a cloth bundle on her back. Yet even these old coarse cloth clothes couldn't conceal Bai Li's wealthy aura...

Because stuck in Bai Li's hair bun was a golden hairpin.

Chen Ji said in astonishment: "Commandery Princess, this outfit of yours doesn't match the golden hairpin."

Bai Li hurriedly pulled out the golden hairpin, then pulled out a wooden hairpin from her sleeve and pinned her hair up: "Shh! My silver was all confiscated by my father. I secretly wore this out without my mother noticing to exchange for money. They didn't even notice!"

"Madam Consort Yun is smart and meticulous, how could she not notice? She merely deliberately turned a blind eye to it for you..."

"Ah, is that so?" Bai Li froze for a moment: "Well I already wore it out anyway. I thought that if you were going to do things, you would definitely need money. In this world, you can't move a single inch without money."

Chen Ji fell silent.

Bai Li smiled: "Let's go, I've already called for an oxcart; we'll take the oxcart out of the city!"

"Wait for me for a bit." Chen Ji went back to the apprentice dormitory, pulled out the loose brick under the bed, and fished out all his belongings from the hole, stuffing them into his chest before finally exiting.

But just as he reached the doorway, he saw a fast horse rushing over clippity-clop from the end of Anxi Street. Upon the tall and mighty horse was a person dressed in a blue shirt, his hair fluttering backward. He truly was a romantic youth, heroic and handsome.

Chen Ji slowly stopped his steps, quietly watching the other party rein in the horse and stop in front of the clinic.

He saw Chen Wenzong sitting on the horse, saying between pants: "Chen Ji, hurry and return to the estate with me, do not be angry with Father anymore!"

Chen Ji stood within the threshold of the clinic, looking up at his older brother born of the main wife over the threshold: "Brother has misunderstood, I am not angry with anyone."

Chen Wenzong persuaded: "Father has already investigated the truth. It was a young servant under the butler who embezzled your monthly allowance. Now Mother has already had the young servant beaten to death with a cane to vent your anger, and even the butler received ten planks."

Chen Ji let out an "oh": "Pitiful."

Chen Wenzong was puzzled: "Pitiful?"

Chen Ji smiled: "I'm saying that young servant was very pitiful."

Chen Wenzong couldn't help but say urgently: "Chen Ji, as the saying goes, harmony in the family leads to prosperity in all endeavors, what deep-seated hatred is there within a family? Now that you have mended your ways, as your brother, naturally, I hope you can return home and reunite soon. I will persuade Father to send you to study at Donglin Academy. In three years, you can also participate in the imperial examinations. At your age, it's not considered too late to start studying now!"

Study?

For a science student like him to go study the classics and the eight-legged essays, that would truly be suffering greatly.

It was just that... Chen Ji looked up and stared intently at this older brother born of the main wife. The other party's genuine sincerity at this moment was just like the unpolished jade-like modest gentleman from the storyteller's tales.

But everyone had their own aspirations.

Chen Ji smiled and said: "Brother, we are heading out of the city right now, our friends are still waiting."

Chen Wenzong jumped down from his horse, saying sincerely and solemnly: "Chen Ji, although you haven't read many books, you should also understand the principles and ethics between father and son. There are no parents in the world who are at fault. How can you constantly stay angry at your own father!"

Chen Ji said calmly: "Brother, believe it or not, I'm truly not angry with anyone. Please return."

After saying that, he carried his bundle and walked past Chen Wenzong to sit at the end of the ox cart.

Chen Wenzong chased after two steps, his tone heavier: "Chen Ji! By doing this, where are you placing the father-and-son principles and ethics?!"

Right at this moment, Bai Li suddenly lifted her head and said: "Principles and ethics this, principles and ethics that, but does anyone in your Chen Estate even know about the time Chen Ji was injured by evildoers previously? His chest was slashed open and his thigh was pierced through by evildoers, yet we didn't see you guys sending anyone to show concern."

Chen Wenzong was dumbfounded: "Commandery Princess?"

He looked carefully. Not only was the Commandery Princess on this crude cart, but the Prince Heir was there too!

These two people with noble statuses were actually wearing coarse cloth clothes and squeezing onto the wooden boards of a crude and shabby ox cart with his brother born of a concubine!

Bai Li sat cross-legged on the handcart, straightened her back, and continued to speak: "When Chen Ji was injured, we saw each other at the Embroidery Building on White Clothe Lane. Did you express your regards to him on that day?"

Chen Wenzong fell completely silent.

Bai Li was unrelenting: "What you care about is merely the principles and ethics from your mouth. You coming to the clinic to persuade him is only because the teachers at the academy taught you that 'harmony in the family leads to prosperity in all endeavors', and the classics taught you 'the ruler acts as a ruler, the minister acts as a minister, the father acts as a father, and the son acts as a son', and that is all."

Chen Ji stopped Bai Li, turning his head to say to the cart driver: "Let's go. If we delay any longer, I'm afraid it will be dark by the time we arrive at Liu Family Village."

The ox cart made a creaking sound as it slowly moved forward.

Chen Wenzong stood rooted to the spot, blankly watching Chen Ji and the others sitting on the dilapidated open-air ox cart, giggling, laughing, and playfully fighting.

In this freezing cold season, their novelty-filled expressions didn't look like they were going to work, but more like the time in spring when the flowers had just bloomed, and they were heading out for a spring outing.

The Prince Heir's teasing voice drifted over from afar: "Haha, did you guys see? Bai Li just now looked like an angry little tiger. Ah, pinch a bit lighter!"