CHAPTER 453: 349, SALT

Chen family business?

Chen Ji seemed deep in thought. The Chen family suddenly wanted to let two bastards manage a portion of the family business? These were things that should have been firmly in the hands of the first and second branches, but now they wanted to share them.

He roughly guessed what the Chen family wanted to do but didn’t know what part of the family business would be handed over.

Chen Yu looked at the servant, "Have the masters discussed the outcome? What are they planning to give us, the grain shop? The salt estate? The Yingkou Port fleet? The porcelain kiln? The tea field?"

The servant replied sullenly, "I don’t know, little person just heard a bit of it when summoned, didn’t dare to listen further."

Chen Yu’s eyes widened, "You didn’t listen to the most crucial thing? Give me back the silver."

With that, he actually reached out to grab the broken silver from the servant’s hand.

The servant quickly stepped back two steps, "No, no, no, the little person still has another piece of news, the Lady from the second branch has already been fasting for several days, it’s said she might not last through tonight."

Chen Yu paused for a moment, then waved his hand, "This is a predictable outcome, lead the way honestly."

The servant led the way in front, while Chen Yu and Chen Ji followed behind, leisurely walking through the expansive grounds of the Chen Mansion.

The servant walked a bit slowly, so Chen Yu kicked him in the butt, "Walk faster! So close to us, do you want to eavesdrop on our conversation and then sell it for silver?"

"Don’t dare, don’t dare," the servant quickly increased his pace to open up the distance.

Chen Ji was helpless, even in this deep and vast Chen Mansion, servants and maids lived like spies.

Chen Yu strolled amidst the scenery and gardens of Little Yingtai, casually saying to Chen Ji beside him, "I won’t hide it from you, if not for your merit in Guyuan this time, the inheritance would have fallen on my shoulders long ago. Later, you made such a commotion in the Eight Great Hutongs that forced Prince Fu to abandon his chariot to save the commander, overshadowing my diligence for years."

Chen Ji chuckled, "You just returned to the capital today, but you haven’t missed a thing, you know everything."

Chen Yu laughed heartily, breaking off a twig from a willow tree as he passed, holding it in his hand, "If you want to compete for things, you naturally need to be attentive and perceptive. But I do admire you, making such a huge stir as soon as you returned to the capital; yesterday Prince Fu was still in Yujing Garden of Baishun Alley bragging about dealing with you."

Chen Ji frowned, was this the case?

He turned his head to scrutinize Chen Yu; this person seemed like a Hai Dongqing, could he also be a Hai Dongqing?

Chen Yu waved the willow twig casually, "The Family Head now entrusting the family affairs to you and me implies wanting to see if we have the ability to preserve the Chen family’s legacy. After all, this is about passing on the ancestral line; he should still want to wait and observe."

Chen Ji hummed in agreement; he had already guessed this.

Chen Yu smiled, "This kind of competition is somewhat unfair to you, after all, you just returned to the Imperial Capital without connections, still a military general with an executive officer’s realm useless in the capital; whereas I’ve been in the capital for years, also a civil servant, everything is more convenient. We’ve been good friends for years, shouldn’t take this advantage over you, just that Chen Ji, I have too many things to do, and without the Chen family’s assistance, I can’t achieve them, so this time I definitely won’t let you win."

Chen Yu turned back to glance at Chen Ji, "I hope it won’t harm our friendship when the time comes."

Chen Ji smiled, "You’re speaking as if I’ve already lost."

Chen Yu fearlessly patted him on the shoulder, "Rest assured, even if you win, I won’t blame you. By the way, do you still remember the agreement between us?"

Chen Ji: "..."

Seeing him not answer, Chen Yu smiled self-deprecatingly, "Sorry, sorry, shouldn’t always bring up past matters."

The two left Little Yingtai, seeing maids and servants outside Wendan Hall with their heads down, shoulders hunched, quiet as cicadas.

The guide servant stopped, lowered his voice to speak to Chen Ji and Chen Yu, "Two gentlemen, please wait, let things settle inside a bit before I go in to report..."

Inside Wendan Hall, Chen Liqin spoke loudly, "Chen Yu was proficient in classics and doctrines at twelve, achieved the scholar title at eighteen, and now at twenty-two has been promoted to Chief of the Thirteen Qing Officials Division, a pillar talent of our Chen family. Family Head, I believe it’s fitting for Chen Yu to take on more family affairs, but Chen Ji is inherently unruly, indulged in gambling habits in his youth, genuinely incapable of taking on such a major responsibility."

Outside Wendan Hall, Chen Yu hearing these words instinctively glanced at Chen Ji, but Chen Ji remained expressionless as if the conversation wasn’t about him.

Standing outside the courtyard looking in, Chen Ji saw the five red gates of Wendan Hall fully open, with Official Chen dressed in a red robe sitting at the head, resting with eyes closed.

Chen Lizun, Chen Lizhi, and Chen Liqin sat on either side, and Chen Wende stood silently behind Chen Lizhi.

Chen Lizun countered, "Third brother, such words are incorrect. According to my understanding, the rumors about Chen Ji being a compulsive gambler were due to your second son, Chen Wenxiao’s false accusations, which have long been clarified. Why is this still being mentioned? As a father, one should stand up for their son, there’s no reason to slander one’s own child, wouldn’t hearing such things chill Chen Ji’s heart?"

Chen Liqin froze, the matter between Chen Wenxiao and Chen Ji was a scandal in the third branch, since Yun Yang and Jiao Tu visited, he had strictly ordered the household staff not to spread it.

It seemed the first branch had long planted spies in the third branch courtyard.

Chen Liqin changed his tone, "He is a military general, with martial skills useless in the capital. To maintain the business, relying solely on official doors won’t work, intelligence is required. Chen Ji hasn’t studied classics or understood reasoning over the years, how can he manage the legacy our ancestors accumulated?"

Chen Lizun calmly replied, "Third brother, such words are incorrect, if Chen Ji had courage without strategy, he wouldn’t have been able to escape unscathed before the Imperial Court a few days ago. You might not yet know, although he’s just a Hundred Households of the Yulin Army, the Right Brave Guard of the Yulin Army waits for him at our Chen family’s side entrance every morning, and I sent people to investigate, Commanders Qi Zhenzhuo truly looks up to him, this isn’t something achievable by mere martial prowess."