Green Mountain

In the fifth period of night, the sky was still shrouded in darkness.

The night patrol walked cautiously through the streets, bowing his head to avoid the patrolling Five Cities Military Department and Jiefan Guard. Even the sound of his gong and reporting was much quieter: "The morning rooster crows, early to bed and early to rise..."

Suddenly, he heard footsteps in the alley, and quickly shrank back, turning his head to the other side, closing his eyes tightly: "I saw nothing, I saw nothing!"

He trembled all over for a long time until he could no longer hear any noise, and only then did he squint his eyes, feeling his way along the wall as he left.

In the dim alley, Chen Ji and Treasure Monkey hurried forward one after the other.

Chen Ji said nothing about their destination, and Treasure Monkey didn’t ask more. Only Changsheng mumbled from behind: "We haven’t eaten all night, Lord, shouldn’t we find an inn’s kitchen to steal some food? There might be leftover buns, corn cakes, pancakes..."

Qi Xiao chimed in, "I’m hungry too."

Yu Yuan replied irritably, "Isn’t that obvious? We’re all starving together here."

"Here we are," Chen Ji arrived at a household in Nianzi Alley, a copper lock hanging on the door.

Chen Ji led Treasure Monkey over the wall into the courtyard, which belonged to Third Master Hu.

Third Master Hu had taken a caravan to Guyuan to lay low since the eighth of the twelfth lunar month. In the corner of the yard were piles of chopped firewood, and the saddle and lance that were originally on the ground had been taken away too.

Chen Ji glanced into the kitchen, noticing cured meat and salted vegetables hanging from the beams, with plenty of rice and flour in the porcelain jars. He turned back to Treasure Monkey and said, "Wait here a bit, I’ll make some food."

He sat silently by the stove, lighting a fire to cook.

Within the stove, the burning straw and kindling made a soft crackling sound, like a gentle breeze, gradually relaxing his furrowed brow.

Ever since using the sword seed outside Chongli Pass, the shadow of the path’s contention had loomed over his mind, and at the other end of this shadow was an insurmountable mountain—Mountain Master Lu Yang.

A world-renowned figure.

Chen Ji knew the other party would come looking for him, but he didn’t expect it to be so soon.

Then again, the person he locked eyes with yesterday might not have been Lu Yang. If it were Mountain Master Lu Yang, he could have easily killed him with a single strike and then left the Ning Dynasty openly...

Unless Lu Yang also coincidentally ran into him, like him, unsure of who the other person was.

There’s also the possibility that the other person was the Sword Seed Inheritor that the Jing Dynasty was searching for, unsure of his power and therefore hesitant to act.

However, to seek out the Sword Seed Inheritor in Ning Dynasty, one must at least be above the Seeking Dao Realm—otherwise, how would they dare to come looking for trouble?

Chen Ji exhaled a long, deep breath, thinking that overthinking was useless; even without the Sword Seed Official’s threat, his uncle Lu Jin was still there.

His senior brother Yao An pressured the entire Jiefan Guard to hunt him down, leaving him homeless.

And if his uncle Lu Jin exposed their relationship, it wouldn’t just be him in trouble; the entire Zhang Family would be implicated.

Chen Ji rubbed his cheeks, muttering to himself, "Hell mode... Let’s deal with Senior Brother first."

He rubbed his cheeks until they were red, murmuring, "Senior Brother, what is the Military Intelligence Department planning this time?"

Yao An targeted him out of personal grudges, but the Military Intelligence Department must have a bigger goal. While it seemed like Yao An expended all the gunpowder in Shaojiu Alley, Chen Ji doubted it, thinking thirty pounds of gunpowder should suffice to raze a small house.

Chen Ji pulled half a piece of charcoal from the stove, writing many names on the ground: Emperor Ning, Prime Minister, Official Hu, Official Chen, Zhang Zhuo, Crown Prince, Prince Fu—these could all potentially be targets for assassination by the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department.

Chen Ji then wrote three more names, all suspected of colluding with the Jing Dynasty. After a moment of hesitation, he added another name at the end.

Qi Zhenzhu.

At that moment, Treasure Monkey stood outside the kitchen as Yu Yuan softly reminded, "Lord, it’s time to add more wood."

Chen Ji snapped back to reality, rubbing out the writings on the ground with his foot, then added a few thick sticks into the stove. Treasure Monkey fetched a bucket of water from the side room to pour into the pot and proceeded to wash rice on their own.

...

...

Suddenly, the sound of a lock being opened came from outside the small courtyard.

Chen Ji stood up abruptly, Treasure Monkey also alertly looked toward the main door.

The next moment, the brown small door was pushed open, and Aunt Ping, dressed in black and wearing a black veiled hat, silently surveyed the courtyard.

Treasure Monkey was like an enemy upon seeing Aunt Ping, but Chen Ji relaxed at her sight: "Why are you here, Aunt Ping?"

Aunt Ping casually explained, "Old Three went to Guyuan, and I smelled burning wood from his house, so naturally, I came to see if there were thieves."

Chen Ji felt a bit guilty, "I was just looking for a temporary place to stay, didn’t expect to disturb you."

Aunt Ping glanced at Chen Ji, then at the kitchen, and straightforwardly rolled up her sleeves, "Let me cook for you guys."

Chen Ji hurriedly refused, "No, no need..."

Before he could finish speaking, Aunt Ping had already pushed him aside and walked straight into the kitchen.

Aunt Ping added wood to the stove as she asked, "You just got married a few days ago, why are you here? Did the Zhang Family wrong you? Isn’t that Mrs. Zhang hard to deal with? She even returned all the bride price I sent with the lamps."

Chen Ji hurriedly explained, "No, Mother is very nice, she just has a sharp tongue but a soft heart."

Aunt Ping paused her hands, "Mother?"

Chen Ji leaned against the door frame and said softly, "I haven’t seen my own mother for a long time. Finally having a home is not bad either. Mother isn’t as harsh as the rumors say. On my birthday, she even got up early to make me longevity noodles."

Aunt Ping was silent for a moment, scooped a few spoonfuls of flour from the flour jar, mixed it with water, and started kneading the dough, "I’m good at making northwest-style noodle pieces. Since you like noodles, don’t drink porridge, I’ll cook a bowl of noodles for you both."

Chen Ji smiled, "Okay."

As Aunt Ping kneaded the dough, she asked, "You haven’t answered me yet, why are you here?"

Chen Ji explained, "There are dozens of Jiefan Guards guarding the Zhang Family’s gate, I can’t go back."

Aunt Ping sighed, "So, the ones the Five Cities Military Department and the Jiefan Guards outside are looking for is you? I just got back from Changping, and I don’t know what happened."

Chen Ji leaned against the door frame and murmured, "It’s nothing major, I’ve been framed and can’t explain it away for now."

Aunt Ping asked again, "What do you plan to do? Let me see if I can help you."

Chen Ji shook his head, "This matter is too involved, I can’t drag Aunt Ping into this."

Aunt Ping said solemnly, "It’s not just my business anymore. You helped Lamp Fire capture Si Caoding, and Lamp Fire owes you a favor. Tell me, what do you need me to do?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Aunt Ping, seeing him procrastinate, got a little angry, "Speak!"

Chen Ji glanced at the Treasure Monkey and whispered, "In a few days, I need to leave the Imperial Capital to do something. Aunt Ping, if you have the means, just get me out of the city."

Aunt Ping seemed thoughtful, "Leaving in a few days? I just returned from Changping this morning, and each gate is heavily guarded by the Five Cities Military Department, carefully inspecting everyone. It’s probably not easy to leave the capital now."

Chen Ji curiously asked, "Aunt Ping doesn’t have a way either? Never mind, I’ll think of something myself."

Aunt Ping was silent for a moment, "I do. Go wash your hands and wait for the noodles, I’ll think of a way."

Chen Ji sat down at the stone table, while the Treasure Monkey came over and whispered, "Master, Lord Bai Long said this woman is very dangerous, don’t get too involved with her."

Yu Yuan whispered, "I think there’s no need to be overly wary, this woman doesn’t seem to have any hostility towards you, she’s even making you noodles."

Changsheng’s voice was sharp, "You can know a person, but not their heart. Our Spy Department couldn’t even trace this woman’s origins, who knows where she came from."

Qi Xiao mumbled, "I also..."

Chen Ji listened to the noise in his ears and suddenly sighed, turning to the wooden monkey mask and said, "Vermillion, should I continue telling you the little monkey’s story?"

Changsheng exclaimed, "That’s ruined!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the chaotic noise abruptly stopped, Vermillion removed the wooden monkey mask to reveal a porcelain doll-like face, and eagerly asked, "Really, last time you told me about it reaching Fangcun Mountain, the Three Star Cave."

Chen Ji chuckled, "Then I’ll continue the story."

As he spoke about the little monkey being driven down the mountain by Master Puti for showing off its skills, Aunt Ping came out with two steaming bowls of noodle pieces. She was startled at first glance at Vermillion, but Vermillion held the sea bowl larger than her face and obediently said, "Thank you, auntie."

Aunt Ping sat down beside the stone table and curiously asked, "Is this the Treasure Monkey?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "I haven’t quite figured out what’s going on either."

While they spoke, there was a sound from the roof tiles. Chen Ji looked up to see Wu Yun, who had left and returned, meowed on the roof.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ji suddenly turned to Aunt Ping in shock, "Aunt Ping, if a First-Grade Official were to pass away in court, how would the funeral be handled?"

"You mean Mr. Qi?" Aunt Ping thought aloud, "On the first day after the initial passing, they must first bathe him, comb his hair, change into close-fitting burial clothes, and the body is placed at rest, while the family informs the court and relatives. If a First-Grade Official passes away, the court has a day of mourning without beating drums or sounding bells."

"The second day is for the small interment, wrapping the body in imperial-bestowed cloths, setting up a spirit bed in the memorial hall, where the family offers morning and night blessings."

"The third day is for the main interment, and at dawn, the East Garden Craftsmen use a hearse to transport the imperial-bestowed Eastern Garden Secret Artifact casket to the Qi family, where the body is encoffined and nailed shut."

"The fourth day is when outsiders pay their respects, with relatives in mourning attire holding staffs, waiting for mourners to cry before the casket..."

Chen Ji interrupted, "Who from the court will attend?"

Aunt Ping thought for a moment, "If it’s Mr. Qi, all the officials in court would go. His Majesty probably won’t attend himself, but will instead send the Crown Prince and Prince Fu to pay respects."