The Azure Mountain

Chapter 94: Family Affairs and National Affairs

Taking advantage of the time Chen Ji was resting and drinking water, Bai Li quietly leaned over and whispered: "I just saw them secretly writing down what you said, you better be careful, absolutely do not let them steal your skills."

While drinking water from the cowhide water pouch, Chen Ji scanned around. Wherever his gaze reached, quite a few sturdy men with thick eyebrows and big eyes successively avoided his gaze.

He was puzzled: "Commandery Princess, your father found these people, aren't you going to side with your own father?"

Bai Li said angrily: "One thing is one thing, and another thing is another. Stealing things is just wrong!"

Chen Ji smiled and said to Bai Li: "It's fine, Commandery Princess. You see these artisan older brothers are all experts at stacking kilns. Since they came to help do such tiring work, it's alright for them to learn a bit of something, we can't be so stingy."

Bai Li felt bitter disappointment (hating iron for not becoming steel): "Although I don't know whether this craftsmanship of yours is valuable or not, if it can make my father rush over to learn it in secret, it's definitely not bad. I also don't know if you're feigning ignorance while fully aware or truly ignorant, but don't you understand the principle of 'teaching a disciple starves the master'? Although my father is friendly and close to the commoners, when it comes to doing serious business, he has an extreme number of methods. If he didn't have any methods, would the Jiangnan gentry obediently give him provisions and fodder?"

"Wow, you talk about your own father like this."

Bai Li rolled her eyes: "Forget it, I can't explain it clearly to you, I'll go talk to him!"

Chen Ji watched the back of her departing angrily and suddenly laughed.

At this time, Eunuch Feng ordered people to find tables and chairs from the village, covered them with coarse cloth, and set up a Go board: "This kiln modification probably won't be completed in a short while. Your Highness shouldn't just stand; this subject will accompany Your Highness in playing a few games of Go to stave off boredom."Prince Jing smiled: "Come, yesterday playing against that kid almost shattered my dao heart. Playing against you today is exactly what I need to find some confidence."

Eunuch Feng said in a fine and soft voice: "Your Highness's words truly leave no face for others."

"Come, let's guess first."

Just as Prince Jing grabbed a handful of Go pieces and held them in his palm, unexpectedly a slender and white hand reached over from the side, scooped the Go pieces out of his palm, and tossed them back into the Go bowl.

Prince Jing slowly turned his head.

Bai Li was standing to the side angrily: "Dad, what exactly are you here for?"

Prince Jing explained sincerely: "Dad came to help, but Dad's body has been getting worse year by year these past three years, and truly can't do heavy manual labor anymore. Otherwise, Dad would definitely be moving bricks and plastering mud together right now."

Bai Li furrowed her slender eyebrows: "Don't feign ignorance while being fully aware. How are you here to help? You're clearly here to steal skills!"

Prince Jing hurriedly stood up, grabbed Bai Li's wrist, and walked towards the outside of the kiln factory: "How could I, a dignified Prince Jing, do something like stealing skills? Let's go, let's go, let's go, Dad will take you out for a stroll. Right, it's your birthday in a few months, is there any gift you want?"

Bai Li struggled as she was dragged out: "Dad, bribing me is useless, let go of me..."

Just as they reached the entrance, they saw a carriage slowly stop in front of the door, trailed by a few young servant guards riding tall and mighty horses.

The cart driver took down the footstool and placed it in the mud, supporting Chen Liqin as he slowly got off the carriage.

"Your Highness? Why are you here!" Chen Liqin froze.

He had come to look for Chen Ji.

When he heard Chen Ji had come to the kiln factory to fool around, he was furious. A youth's time flies like an arrow, they should seize every minute and second to study. How could he come to this kiln factory to waste his time?

But he didn't expect to see Prince Jing and Commandery Princess Bai Li right after getting off the carriage!

Seeing Chen Liqin, Prince Jing also froze: "Why is Lord Chen here?"

Chen Liqin cupped his hands and said: "This subject just went to the clinic to make up for my dog-son's tuition gift, and also negotiated with Physician Yao. From now on, my dog-son will no longer be a clinic apprentice. This subject plans to send him to Donglin Academy next spring, and after he completes his studies and returns like his brother, this subject will send him to participate in the imperial examinations to serve our Ning Dynasty."

Bai Li let out an "ah": "Chen Ji is no longer at the Taiping Medical Clinic from now on? He's going to Donglin Academy for three years?"

Prince Jing pulled back Bai Li and said earnestly: "Previously I was also puzzled why such an intelligent child like Chen Ji was placed in the Taiping Medical Clinic. In the future, if he can participate in the imperial examinations and serve the imperial court, it can be considered having a better future."

"Your Highness is wise."

"Chen Ji is right inside, I will take you to look for him."

Bai Li whispered: "Dad, Chen Ji doesn't want to return to the Chen Estate."

Prince Jing smiled: "Little fool, that is his family affair, can you make decisions for him?"

...

...

At this time, Chen Ji was pushing the massive stone roller with Liang Mao'er, preparing all the raw materials early on so that once the kiln modification was completed, they could immediately start firing cement.

Seeing this dirt-covered appearance of his from afar, Chen Liqin immediately frowned: "Chen Ji!"

Chen Ji looked up in astonishment, subconsciously asking: "Why did Lord Chen come here?"

Hearing the address 'Lord Chen', Chen Liqin was immediately displeased: "I have already discussed it with Physician Yao. From now on, you don't have to go to the Taiping Medical Clinic anymore, come home with me."

Chen Ji fell silent.

Discussed it with his Master?

No longer an apprentice at the Taiping Medical Clinic from now on?

Inside the kiln factory, everyone stopped their work and looked at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji suddenly said with certainty: "Impossible."

Chen Liqin furrowed his brows: "What is impossible?"

Chen Ji said earnestly: "Master couldn't possibly have agreed to you."

Chen Liqin froze. He originally wanted to directly trick Chen Ji into returning, but didn't expect the other party to expose his lie. What level of trust was this to be so certain?

He softened his tone and said: "Chen Ji, I know you are still acting out of spite, but the young servant in the estate who secretly deducted your monthly allowance has already been beaten to death with a cane, and even the butler was implicated and received ten planks. No matter how much anger you have, it should have dissipated. Now that you are no longer young, you should understand how to choose between the two paths. If you stay in the Taiping Medical Clinic, you will at most be a seventh-rank imperial physician when you grow old. But if you participate in the imperial examinations, you will govern a region in the future, and everyone you interact with will be romantic figures; the world you see will be completely different."

Chen Ji suddenly asked: "Lord Chen, at what hour will the summer cicadas after the rain crawl out of their holes?"

"Why ask this? At a young age, do not waste time on these meaningless things!"

Chen Ji smiled and said: "Lord Chen, please return. I think being a clinic apprentice is quite good. Perhaps being an official is very good, but I am unwilling."

Being an official is very good, but I am unwilling.

Resounding and forceful.

Bai Li stared blankly at the figure of the young apprentice, magnanimous, neither haughty nor humble.

Chen Liqin's face finally darkened completely: "Chen Ji, such a major matter is not for you to decide. Right now, you are young and ignorant, thinking you are right, but parents will absolutely not harm you. Men, tie him onto the carriage and return to the estate!"

The next moment, Chen Ji looked innocently at Prince Jing: "Your Highness, are you guys still going to learn the kiln modification technology or not?"

Prince Jing froze: "So you kid discovered it a long time ago, why did you feign ignorance?"

Chen Ji smiled: "Your Highness works wholeheartedly for the commoners; it's fine even if it's learned away."

Prince Jing raised his eyebrows and teased: "But we have already learned about enough now. You should just return to the estate with Lord Chen. In the future, participate in the imperial examinations; stepping out as a general and stepping in as a prime minister can be expected."

Chen Ji's smile deepened: "Your Highness wouldn't happen to think this small downdraft kiln can truly be used to smelt iron, would you? Where does the molten iron flow out from, where does the iron powder enter? After the molten iron flows out, how immediately stir-fry it into wrought iron? And how does iron absorb carbon to become steel? Could it be that Your Highness has learned these too?"

The series of questions stumped Prince Jing. He subconsciously looked towards those military artisans he brought along, only to see the military artisans far away, as anxious as ants on a hot pan, baring fangs and brandishing claws making hand gestures at him, insisting that this kid must be left behind!

Prince Jing was amused: "You used the kiln modification technique to bait me, yet hid so many things? Eunuch Feng, today I said I would teach this inexperienced young man a lesson, but in the end, he was the one who taught me a lesson. Alright, I've been completely outplayed by him."

Eunuch Feng smiled and said: "Little Doctor Chen is indeed exceptionally intelligent."

Prince Jing waved at the military artisans: "Do not let Lord Chen take Chen Ji away, he must stay."

Bai Li whispered to the side: "Dad, you just said this is Chen Ji's family affair."

Prince Jing lowered his voice and said with stern righteousness: "It is no longer a family affair now, it is a national affair."

At this time, a group of military artisans blocked Chen Ji's front, shoving the Chen Estate's young servant guards back.

Chen Liqin looked at Prince Jing, puzzled: "Your Highness, this is my family affair, why are you interfering?"

Prince Jing patiently explained: "Chen Ji is currently needed here to do some important things. Lord Chen, please return, he cannot go back with you."

"What is he doing here?"

"This is a military strategic secret, I cannot inform you yet."

Chen Liqin breathed heavily, his beard trembling. He didn't expect that twice in a row he wanted to take Chen Ji back to the estate, yet neither succeeded.

He looked at Chen Ji, then at Prince Jing: "This lowly official still has to host the Entering the Curtain Banquet, so I will take my leave today. It's just that Your Highness should not excessively interfere with this lowly official's family affairs; I will definitely come disturb you again in the future."

Prince Jing waved his hand: "Go on, go on."

Seeing Chen Liqin leave with wide strides, he only then looked at Chen Ji with bright eyes: "What is absorbing carbon to become steel?"

Chen Ji turned his head and looked at the downdraft kiln behind him: "Your Highness, things have to be done one by one."

Prince Jing laughed out of anger, pointing at him from afar in the air: "Good, good, good, then we will do them one by one! Wang Kezhi, take your people back and expedite the work. Tomorrow morning, I want to see a completely intact kiln!"

The leading military artisan Wang Kezhi cupped his fists: "Yes!"

After the military artisans left, Liu Quxing looked at Chen Ji bitterly: "Chen Ji, you should have returned to the Chen Estate with your father. What he said was not wrong, the imperial examinations are a path to heaven, soaring straight into the clear blue sky and rising ten thousand li. Being an imperial physician means you can only associate with patients in Luo City. If your luck is bad, you might not even be able to become an imperial physician."

Chen Ji rolled up his sleeves again and chuckled happily: "If I go to Donglin Academy for three years, wouldn't you guys forget about me? How would we drink wine together then!"

To the side, Liang Gou'er, who was leaning against the base of the wall slacking off, suddenly came back to life. He lifted the straw hat shielding the light on his face, a dried yellow grass stalk dangling in his mouth, and said unhurriedly: "Young people act without considering the consequences. You will understand later that becoming an official in this world is the best way out. You will regret it. However, when you regret it, I'm afraid it will be too late!"

Chen Ji smiled: "Then at that time, the two of us will drink wine together and cry while hugging each other's heads. You regret your marriage, and I regret my future!"

Liang Gou'er cursed while covering his face with the straw hat again: "Your kid's cursing is a bit dirty..."

(End of Chapter)