CHAPTER 39: 37. AGREED TIME

Double Ninth Festival, the whole city celebrates together.

The crowd swarms around the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess as they make their way to the Prince Mansion, with commoners bringing eggs and vegetables as gifts, and young ladies tossing flowers at the Princely Heir from the roadside.

Not only is the Princely Heir popular, but even the two young masters of the Chen family are covered in petals, as if flowers paved the way and magpies built bridges.

Chen Ji also noticed a little monk about thirteen or fourteen years old amid the crowd, wearing a moon-white monk’s robe, with reddish lips and white teeth, a handsome appearance, probably the Bodhisattva Wu Yun had mentioned before, from the Yunzhou Gening Sect.

When this Bodhisattva rode by, he unexpectedly turned his head to look at Chen Ji, who was initially taken aback but then smiled back at him.

In the procession, a girl riding a white horse curiously asked, "Little monk, whom were you just looking at?"

She looked along the little monk’s gaze, but the figure under the eaves had already disappeared.

The little monk smiled and said, "Princess Bai Li, I saw a young man, his heart heavy with sorrow, yet he has already cut down two villains, leaving only the character ’fool’ in his heart."

"Ah?" Zhu Baili asked, puzzled, "Stop speaking in such a mystified way, what does ’two villains’ mean?"

"I was just saying."

Chen Ji followed the crowd back to the Medical Hall, where Old Yao was standing at the threshold, looking at the flamboyantly dressed youths on the street and slowly said, "Aren’t those your two legitimate elder brothers, why didn’t you greet them?"

Chen Ji said with a smile, "Master, you already know the answer, they didn’t recognize me."

Liu Quxing leaned in, surprised, "Master, are you talking about Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao next to the Princely Heir? They are sons of the Luocheng Deputy Magistrate. I saw them at Old Master Liu’s birthday party... Are you saying they are Chen Ji’s legitimate elder brothers?"

Old Yao indifferently grunted in response.

The people in the Medical Hall looked over and saw the two distinguished sons of the Chen family clad in carefully tailored white clothes, even the jade pendants on their collars were invaluable, their heads adorned not with wooden or silver hairpins but with white jade hairpins, truly elegant and eye-catching youths.

Liu Quxing glanced at these two, then at Chen Ji, who had changed into a mended grey cloth long shirt, strapped with a coarse cloth belt and wearing a pair of old cloth shoes...

"Chen Ji, are they really your family?" Liu Quxing exclaimed, shocked.

Chen Ji also grunted indifferently.

He had thought Liu Quxing, this most morally lax fellow, would take the opportunity to mock him, but unexpectedly, he suddenly spoke indignantly on his behalf, "Your stepmother is too biased. Nowadays, although bastards can’t inherit family properties, there’s still a need for brotherly respect and filial piety. Isn’t she afraid of people criticizing her?"

Chen Ji looked at Liu Quxing, somewhat surprised.

And Liu Quxing continued angrily, "You’ve never mentioned your family background, and I thought your family were mere tenants. Do you know, just that jade pendant on their collars could cover your tuition fees for ten years."

Chen Ji chuckled, patting Liu Quxing’s shoulder, "Brother, don’t be angry, don’t be angry. I didn’t expect you to speak up for me."

Liu Quxing was not pleased, "What’s that supposed to mean? After all, you and I are the real brothers here, they are outsiders."

Saying this, Liu Quxing glanced at the group’s backs, "Pah, a bunch of people swarming around like ants moving house!"

Chen Ji couldn’t help but laugh and cry, "Brother, your tongue is really inheriting Master’s five percent power."

Liu Quxing turned to look at Old Yao, "Master, he implicated you too."

Old Yao smacked him on the back of his head, "Just like you to stir trouble! Don’t look anymore, that’s a different world that has nothing to do with you."

Everyone returned inside the Medical Hall, and Chen Ji said with a smile, "I just passed by a roast chicken shop and bought two roast chickens. Master, both brothers, come eat together."

"Wow," Liu Quxing only then noticed the lotus leaf wrap in Chen Ji’s hand, he took it over to the counter to open it, "Chen Ji, did you strike it rich?"

"I found a piece of broken silver," Chen Ji explained.

"Picked up silver?" Old Yao casually threw six copper coins on the counter, while casually divining and jokingly said, "You didn’t pick up any silver, instead, you got two unfortunate guys clinked into prison... tsk tsk, big spender!"

Chen Ji quickly looked around, seeing Liu Quxing and She Dengke focused on eating the chicken, he then relaxed.

He asked in a low, suspicious voice, "Did you divine this, or did the crow tell you?"

"Never mind that," Old Yao said sternly, "I ask you, was it really you who sent the message to the Liu Family?"

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then finally said, "It was me."

Old Yao lightly snorted, "How come you dare to tell me the truth now?"

"Because I think you mean me no harm, and from now on I consider the Medical Hall as my home, you are my only elder."

"Don’t try to ingratiate yourself," Old Yao said, not indulging this notion, "Did anyone find out it was you who sent the message?"

"No."

"That’s settled then," Old Yao stroked his beard, "Do whatever you want since I can’t control your legs, but make sure not to drag me down!"

"Okay!"

Old Yao glanced at him and finally added, "If you want to live longer, try to keep a low profile. Those people outside in their fine clothes might look impressive, but only those who make a fortune silently will have the last laugh. In time, you’ll find that as long as you live long enough, you’ll see your enemies pass away one by one."

Chen Ji earnestly said, "Master, I understand the principle you’re teaching. I’ll try to keep it low-key, but I can’t wait that long for my revenge..."

Liu Quxing continued to eat his chicken, his greasy mouth advising, "Chen Ji, you really don’t know how to live. You picked up a bit of broken silver and rushed to buy roast chickens, didn’t even think to save it."

She Dengke cussed, "Then don’t eat, criticizing while eating someone else’s food!"

"I’m just kindly reminding him."

Chen Ji looked at Liu Quxing, this brother was indeed an interesting person; calling him good was a stretch—morally lax, garrulous, and petty.

"You say he’s a bad man," yet there’s still a line in his heart, much stronger than a bad man.

However, in this world, most people are like this, not simply labeled as good or bad.

Chen Ji tore off a chicken leg and handed it over to his chest, where Wu Yun emerged from his embrace, grabbing the chicken leg with both claws and gnawing on it. Chen Ji then tore off another chicken leg for Old Yao.

Old Yao pursed his lips, maintaining his dignity, "I’m old, I can’t eat such greasy stuff."

Chen Ji shoved the chicken leg directly into his hands, "You were jumping around smacking us with bamboo strips, not old at all. Just eat it."

Old Yao blew his beard and stared, "What an impertinent way to talk about your master!"

Outside the Medical Hall was a noisy crowd, and inside, the master and disciples shared a roasted chicken. Chen Ji sometimes thought, if only it could always be this peaceful.

But he knew, what was meant to come would eventually come.

...

...

At that moment, Miss Xibing, with her orchid fingers pinching her skirt, hopped and jumped to the front of the Medical Hall. This lady was graceful and lovely in the Prince Mansion, but outside, she let loose, swaying with each step.

She leaned on the doorway peering into the hall, waving to Chen Ji, "Chen Ji, Chen Ji!"

Wu Yun hid behind the counter chair, while Chen Ji wiped his mouth and stepped out to greet her, "Miss Xibing, what’s wrong?"

Miss Xibing said, "My lady’s Bai Bore was injured again, she sent me to call you over to have a look."

Chen Ji instinctively turned his head towards Wu Yun behind the counter, a mind full of question marks: Did you do it?

Wu Yun’s eyes were clear yet puzzled: Not me!

A mismatch between man and cat!

In that instant, Chen Ji realized clearly that Consort Yun wanted to talk to him!

He had been speculating earlier: who was the high-ranking official connected to the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department.

Princess Consort Jing, as a member of the Liu Family, was the most likely candidate, yet all clues pointed towards Consort Yun.

Thinking of the tasks assigned by the Si Cao of the Military Intelligence Department, Chen Ji looked at Old Yao, "Master, I’ll go with Miss Xibing."

Old Yao pondered for a moment, hinting, "Do you need to bring some ginseng just in case?"

Chen Ji: "...I shouldn’t need it this time."

Giving ginseng to the cat again, he feared he’d be executed by Consort Yun.

Old Yao somewhat reluctantly said, "Go ahead."

Chen Ji followed Xibing towards the Prince Mansion, passing the "Clearly Justifiable" plaque, he couldn’t help but take another look.

Xibing showed the waist tag to the guard, "My lady has summoned the doctor from the Taiping Medical Hall."

The guard lowered his halberd and let them pass.

Inside the mansion, servants hustled about, presumably preparing for the evening banquet for the return of the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess.

Chen Ji curiously asked, "Miss Xibing, who injured the Bai Bore?"

"I don’t know," Xibing said with a smile, "I haven’t seen it today. The lady sent me to find you, so I came. Be quick with the examination later, there’s a literary gathering at Feibai Pond tonight, and I want to go see. I heard the Princely Heir invited many scholars."

The two hurried through the archway leading to the inner courtyard, stopping at the entrance to Feiyun Garden.

Xibing called out loudly, "Lady, I’ve brought Chen Ji from the Taiping Medical Hall."

Nanny Xitang came over, glanced at Chen Ji, "Come with me."

Chen Ji lowered his head and followed, glancing with peripheral vision at Feiyun Garden’s courtyard, more plain than the Late Star Garden, with just one persimmon tree hanging with bright persimmons.

The persimmons were ripe, yet many remained on the tree, unharvested.

Chen Ji suddenly remembered a tale, the elderly often said not to pick all the persimmons, to leave some for the birds over winter. He wondered if Consort Yun left these persimmons for that reason.

They arrived outside the covered building of Feiyun Garden. This building didn’t seem like a place for a woman; it lacked ornate algae wells and mother-of-pearl inlays, looking more like a man’s study, slightly plain and somber.

At that moment, Consort Yun was smiling as she listened to a girl tell stories about Donglin Academy.

Seeing Chen Ji arrive, she surprisingly said to the girl, "Princess Bai Li, take a break. I have some discomfort and have called for the doctor from the Taiping Medical Hall. We’ll continue after your stories about the academy."

Zhu Bai Li paused, "Mother, what’s wrong with you?"

Consort Yun smiled gently, "It’s nothing serious, just some sweat from weakness. Go change your clothes, there’s a banquet tonight."

Zhu Bai Li exited the covered building, brushing past Chen Ji. She turned back to look at him, puzzled, feeling this young doctor seemed familiar and wondering... so young and already treating patients?

Consort Yun sat upright on the Taishi Chair, wearing a brown robe with a straight collar, vividly embroidered with an Over the Shoulder Python, stepping on green waves.

Speaking of Python, yet in the Ning Dynasty, what’s called a Python resembles more of a dragon.

Consort Yun dismissed Xibing, and once the room was empty, she asked in a heavy tone, "Today is the agreed delivery date, why hasn’t the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department shown up?"

Chen Ji: "..."