Green Mountain

Yongding Gate in the Imperial Capital was bustling with activity. A young Taoist sat cross-legged on the back of a large Qing Niu, his head lowered and engrossed in a book, indifferent to his surroundings.

As the large Qing Niu slowly exited the city, the guards at the gate merely glanced once to recognize Zhang Li, the first disciple of Huangshan Dao Court, and let him pass without questioning.

The Wordless Heavenly Scripture in Zhang Li’s hands was still being written. Seeing new words appearing, he slowly breathed a sigh of relief, "It’s good that I’m not dead, it’s good that I’m not dead..."

But suddenly, the Wordless Heavenly Scripture shifted its focus, writing about Chen Ji and Mrs. Lu, about Mrs. Lu hesitating on the aft tower, about Chen Ji’s decision in the cabin.

At that moment, the large Qing Niu gradually came to a stop.

Zhang Li looked up to see a young, handsome Taoist standing on the official road outside the capital, who seemed to blend in regardless of who he stood beside, be it a herdsman or a scholar. The youth stood simply with hands at his sides, yet seemed to embody the elegance of nature and harmony with the Dao.

Zhang Li inserted the brush back into his hairbun and tucked the Wordless Heavenly Scripture into his robe, "Yan Chi, why are you in the Imperial Capital?"

From over twenty steps away, Yan Chi clasped his hands in respect towards Zhang Li, "Senior Brother, Master sent me to the Imperial Capital to call you back to Huangshan Dao Court."

Zhang Li feigned confusion, "The Great Heaven Offering isn’t for several months. What’s the rush to call me back?"

Yan Chi remained courteous, "Master has clarified the leak regarding Ten Thousand Gods’ Residence and requests your return for confrontation."

Zhang Li was astonished, "You can’t think it was me who leaked it, can you? I practice the Ten Thousand Gods’ Residence myself. What good would it do me?"

Yan Chi calmly asked, "Senior Brother, when appointing the Star Lord for Ten Thousand Gods’ Residence, which deity did you choose?"

Zhang Li scratched his head, "Ah, I forgot to choose. Look, what a mess. Should I choose now?"

Yan Chi remained silent.

Zhang Li suddenly looked behind Yan Chi, his expression changing, "Master, why have you come?"

Yan Chi’s expression didn’t change, maintaining an intense stare.

Zhang Li sighed, "Junior Brother, give your Senior Brother some face, after all, I’ve raised you like one would their own, and Master is always talking about the Forty-nine Heavens. When has he ever cared for you?"

Yan Chi hesitated for a long time, then finally sighed, feigning surprise as he turned, "Master?"

When he looked back, there was only a crowd of townspeople heading to the market. Shifting his gaze, he saw the large Qing Niu galloping eastward with all its might, Zhang Li urging it on from behind, "Faster, faster, the two of us can’t take him!"

Yan Chi hesitated to speak, "Senior Brother you..."

Zhang Li waved without looking back, "No need to see me off, Junior Brother. Go back and tell Master that Ten Thousand Gods’ Residence has done no small harm to our Dao Court, and this line should end here. No need to seek out your Senior Brother, for he is very busy."

Yan Chi stood quietly in place, watching as Zhang Li and the large Qing Niu disappeared into the distance, then under the eyes of all, ascended the sky as if climbing steps, each step like a hundred, and swiftly made his way into the clouds, heading to the south.

The townspeople at the gate knelt in succession, "An Immortal has manifested, an Immortal has manifested!"

Once Yan Chi’s figure vanished beyond the horizon, Zhang Li finally patted the large Qing Niu, "All right, all right, you can rest now. Luckily it’s our Junior Brother who came, it might not have been such an easy talk with anyone else. I wonder how Master found out, we belong to a family we can’t return to..."

The large Qing Niu stubbornly mooed.

Zhang Li reprimanded sharply, "How can it be unrelated to you? We did it together, you’re an accomplice."

The large Qing Niu lowered its head and mooed again.

Zhang Li paid it no further mind, taking out the Wordless Heavenly Scripture from his robe once more. It wrote, "Chen Ji had secretly set his mind, as blood ties were yet to be acknowledged, favor and justice had already formed, Jianghu’s night rain, and an unspeaking presence opposite. A son calls aunt, a mother hides her name. Twelve years, each bearing their own. It is said twelve years of Jianghu’s night rain, across a veiled cap of black silk, life forbids recognition, acknowledgement forbids intimacy."

"Jianghu, oh Jianghu," Zhang Li remained dazed for a long time, closing the Wordless Heavenly Scripture with little interest, "I wonder, when the Wordless Heavenly Scripture writes about this humble Taoist, what judgment will it give? Living to see the judgment, is it a blessing or a curse."

...

...

The sound of waves rolling.

Inside the cabin, came the creaking sound of boards being pressed, and outside, the faint notes of the ship workers heaving together could be heard.

A large pot was set on deck, cooking the entrails of pigs and sheep, on the aft tower, there were two small stoves, where Mrs. Lu was personally stir-frying the vinegar-flavored cabbage, while the other small stove simmered white porridge, with pieces of crab and slices of ginger, the crabs were scylla serrata just caught the day before.

She hummed a tune through her nose and, seeing that the porridge was almost ready, waved to Old Li, "Go call Jiu Jin over, tell him the meal is ready."

Old Li acknowledged with an "Eh" and hurried towards the cabin.

But when he returned, he looked troubled and said to Mrs. Lu, "Landlord, he said he can eat and live with the ship workers..."

Mrs. Lu paused midway while serving the porridge, then poured it back into the pot, "Let it be, serve the porridge to everyone."

Not daring to ask more questions, Old Li carried the porridge and left.

The Anlan had been sailing on the sea for several days, and Chen Ji still lived and worked alongside the ship workers, scrubbing the deck when needed and climbing the mast to tie the sails when required, but he hadn’t gone to the stern deck.

On the contrary, Wu Yun no longer needed to hide; it could run around the ship often leaving Chen Ji behind to sneak into the stern deck and mingle with Mrs. Lu to eat and drink.

Wu Yun had no intention of enduring any hardship.

On the seventh day, before dawn, Old Ears’ shouting could be heard from the deck, "Get up, prepare to dock!"

Immediately afterward, the sound of the copper gong echoed on the deck, followed by Old Li shouting, "Get up, get up."

The ship workers rose one after another and ran towards the deck.

When Chen Ji arrived on the deck, he saw Old Ears in his gray cloth clothes, crouching like a big monkey on the mast lookout, holding a compass and gazing into the distance.

Following his gaze, Chen Ji saw a black coastline appearing within sight against the gray sky, with a watchtower on it, where a great fire burned, illuminating the sea’s thin mist with its light.

Old Ears pointed at the fire and shouted, "Next time, remember this fire, it’s the beacon of Mirror City Port; smoke rises during the day and fire burns at night. When you see this beacon, you’re at Mirror City Port. Quick, hang the lanterns, left two, right three."

He slid down the mast, and Mrs. Lu was already waiting by the mast: "Elder, what’s the significance of hanging the lanterns left two and right three?"

Old Ears patted the moisture off his body, "Left two, right three are for Ning Dynasty ships; left three, right two are for Jing Dynasty ships; only hanging left three are Japanese ships; only hanging right three are Red-haired Barbarian and Folangji ships. Different entrance ports to avoid conflict during business. If you don’t hang lanterns, everyone knows it’s your first time here; you’ll be their business."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "There are Red-haired Barbarians and Folangji here too?"

Old Ears mocked, "Surprised? This Mirror City Port is one of Korea’s six towns, a place where fish and dragons mingle, with goods from all over gathered here. But don’t mind them, everyone comes here to do business; as long as there’s money to be made, no one cares where you’re from."

At this point, he suddenly added, "No matter what happens, no matter how great the grudge, Ning Dynasty people and Jing Dynasty people must always help each other if they have conflicts with foreign nations. They’re from the same roots and sources. If Jing Dynasty people get into fights with Japanese or Red-haired Barbarians, you must go help; don’t ask the reasons. If you fight the Japanese, Jing Dynasty people will help you too. Abroad, you rely on your kin, not just in Mirror City Port, but when doing business in Japan and Southern Ocean too. This way, you’ll not be bullied and will earn respect."

Mrs. Lu nodded, "I remember... Elder, after docking, who should we contact?"

Old Ears grinned insincerely, "Forgot the rule again? Such a big business making tens of thousands of taels requires a significant secret in exchange."

Mrs. Lu’s veil hid her expression, and after dismissing the others, she said, "Official Chen and Chen Lizun were secretly poisoned by the second branch of Chen family for years, unable to have children."

Old Ears’ eyes lit up, and Chen Ji instinctively looked at Mrs. Lu.

Without waiting for others to speak, Mrs. Lu continued, "Initially, Official Chen thought it was Liu, the wife of Chen Lizun, who couldn’t bear children, and wanted Chen Lizun to take a concubine, which Chen Lizun refused. Later, when Official Chen’s wife was still alive, the old lady felt Liu had lost virtue, often punishing Liu to chant sutras and pray, but after years, still no movement. After the old lady’s death, Official Chen called Liu to study at Wendan Hall, actually using force, performing marital duties, borrowing Liu for his son Chen Lizun."

Old Ears was stunned, "Didn’t work either? You’re not making this up, are you? I’ve traveled south to north for many years and rarely heard such a dramatic story."

Mrs. Lu calmly said, "This was caught multiple times, even Chen Lizhi and Chen Yu caught them, definitely not fabricated."

Chen Ji stood there in shock, recalling various clues: no wonder Chen Lizhi always called Chen Lizun weak, and when choosing heirs, Chen family preferred to wait for Chen Ji to return to the Imperial Capital in three years, rather than choosing Chen Yu, because Official Chen and Chen Lizun found it difficult to face Chen Yu.

After Chen family chose Chen Ji, they immediately sent Chen Yu to Jinling until Chen Ji leaned towards the Eunuch Party. They had no choice but to summon Chen Yu back.

There was truly no other choice.

Old Ears laughed to the extreme of speechlessness, "What happened to ’no greater unfilial act’? It’s treating people like animals, demanding three obedience and four virtues, with no path for women and children. Common people only think drama scripts are exaggerated; who knew the world is more exaggerated than drama."

Mrs. Lu remained indifferent, focused solely on business, "Please guide us, Elder."

This time, Old Ears seemed troubled, "Originally, I only planned to introduce you to a reliable broker, but the Landlord shared such a big secret, I can’t be stingy. Bring some paper and pen."

Mrs. Lu returned to the stern deck to retrieve paper and pen and handed them to him; he squatted on the ground and wrote down a "阝" character.

Old Ears lifted the paper and blew it, "Take this paper to the governor of Mirror City Port; he’s Korea’s highest official in Mirror City, and will provide you convenience upon seeing it. If there’s a language barrier, find a translator at the port; some specialize in this but be careful not to be deceived, keep your own caution."

...

The next update will be late tonight; read it in the morning.