Green Mountain

When Chen Ji emerged from the aft cabin, the deckhands were already gathered on the deck playing dice. However, they weren’t gambling with money, but rather for the chance to disembark at Mirror City Port; the winner would meet the landlord, while the loser would stay aboard and endure tough days.

Old Ears was not gambling. He stood alone by the ship’s railing, arms resting on the balustrade, silently gazing at the sea. The peach wood branch on his head gathered his graying hair.

Chen Ji walked over to him: "Do you like watching the sea?"

Old Ears continued staring at the sea: "If you can’t talk, don’t force it. If you have something to say, just spit it out."

Chen Ji coughed lightly: "I want to exchange a secret with you for some information."

Old Ears turned his head with interest: "Whose secret?"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "The Xu Family from the Imperial Capital."

Old Ears turned away again: "I’m not really interested in the Xu Family. Whatever you know, I already know. In the future, if you want to trade for information, use your own affairs."

Chen Ji frowned: "My own?"

"Talk about you and your master, or perhaps about you and the Second Miss Zhang, or even something about you and that Brother Pao..." Old Ears nodded towards the aft cabin: "Why not start by saying how you got involved with that landlord of the lamp business?"

Chen Ji remained expressionless: "Why are you interested in that?"

Old Ears gazed at the sea and spoke slowly: "While odd stories are novel, those with affection and loyalty have enduring appeal."

"Why?"

Old Ears replied matter-of-factly: "Because hearing those tales of loyalty and affection makes one imagine such things could also happen to oneself. Fantasizing about someone going through fire and brimstone for you, envisioning someone dedicating their life at your last request. And occasionally, one might wonder if they could be the person carrying out such deeds; it seems quite fulfilling, even if it’s just for a single act in a lifetime."

Before Chen Ji could respond, Old Ears chuckled and looked at him: "But most people tend to forget about chivalry and loyalty when it comes down to it. Anyway, tell me about your dealings with that landlord of the lamp business."

Chen Ji chose to share what was publicly known: "After being falsely accused by the Crown Prince, I escaped to Changping, where I coincidentally met Aunt Ping, who helped me out of righteousness, leading to our acquaintance."

Old Ears replied impatiently: "You can’t fool me with these tales. This Anlan was never hers; it was the lamp owner who, a few days ago, bought this ship from Xu Chuanyin at a high price, and only temporarily replaced it with her people and goods. Do you know how much extra she paid for the ship? Thirty percent. Everyone in Jianghu knows that the lamp business owner is skilled in trade, that she can extract even the thinnest profit from anywhere, so why would she irrationally spend thirty percent more to buy a ship?"

Chen Ji instinctively glanced at the aft cabin and then turned back to explain to Old Ears: "I helped the lamp business expose Si Caoding of the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department to repay a debt of gratitude from Changping..."

Old Ears waved his hand: "Stop, just stop. If I believed your nonsense, I’d be laughed at in Jianghu. This lamp business owner has always been elusive, but ever since you came to the Imperial Capital, she’s been overseeing Bianyifang’s business... what’s there to guard in that lousy business?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Old Ears’s gaze shifted on Chen Ji: "It’s okay if you don’t want to speak. I’ll just follow you and see what unfolds; perhaps I’ll catch something soon. But if you wish to get information from me, you’ll need to trade it for your own secrets."

Chen Ji thought for a moment: "I wet the bed once when I was seven."

Old Ears laughed in frustration: "What use do I have for that kind of secret? Talk about something from when you were older."

Chen Ji thought again: "When I was ten, I accidentally picked up and ate some rat poison mixed with arsenic. I didn’t dare tell my family and secretly hid under the covers, vomiting white foam all night. Somehow, I survived."

Old Ears widened his eyes: "You’ve got quite a life... What difference does it make sharing things from when you were seven or ten?"

Chen Ji looked out to the distant sea, and after a long moment of thought, said: "Does wanting to kill the Crown Prince count?"

Lu Yang stroked his beard: "It doesn’t count. Everyone in the Imperial Capital knows you’re at odds with the Crown Prince. It’s no secret that you were the one responsible for his leg injury; it’s not just you who wants him dead, he wants you dead too."

Chen Ji replied softly: "I am Binghu, one of the Top Three of the Spy Department."

Lu Yang’s hand paused slightly as he stroked his beard: "Now this secret is somewhat interesting... Despite Poison Minister’s narrow-mindedness, he has an astute understanding of human nature, often taking unconventional paths and using people astutely. The fact he dared to appoint you, an Innate Realm Executive Officer, as Binghu is quite bold. So, what do you want to ask?"

Chen Ji turned to look at Old Ears: "Does Korea have sword cultivators?"

Old Ears asked with meaning: "What do you need sword cultivators for?"

Chen Ji deflected: "No reason, just asking. I’ve already given you my secret, just answer the question."

Old Ears stared at the sea, lost in thought, and after a while suddenly said: "Korea shares the same lineage with our Han Family, and the sword is considered the gentleman of weapons, so naturally, many practice it. Have you heard of Korea’s Heartless Sword Dao? It’s quite well-known."

Chen Ji wondered, "Heartless Sword Dao?"

"Haven’t heard of it?" Old Ears said with a smile, "Let me tell you about it then."

Chen Ji sincerely said, "I would love to hear the details."

Old Ears walked over to the mast, leaned against it and sat down, "In Korea, there’s a Heartless Sword Dao, reputed to be one with the sword, this body is heartless, the sword is my heart. This Heartless Sword Dao has been around for hundreds of years, during which five Great Sword Cultivators of the Divine Realm have emerged. It is the National Guardian sect of Korea, and the swords of these five Divine Realm Great Sword Cultivators are enshrined in the sect, known as the Legendary Five Ancestors of Sword Dao, who are worshipped by the King of Korea upon his coronation."

Chen Ji’s expression shifted, and he pursued to sit beside Old Ears, "Are the five Great Sword Cultivators of the Divine Realm still around?"

Old Ears again pulled a handful of peanuts from his sleeve, leisurely shelling and eating them, "Long dead. There hasn’t been a Divine Realm in Heartless Sword Dao for two hundred years, only because each time they reach Divine Realm, the Mountain Master of the Temple of Martial Arts would come asking for a sword duel, scaring them from ever daring to reach Divine Realm again."

"Just how many peanuts do you have in your sleeve?" Chen Ji asked curiously, "And then what happened?"

Old Ears tossed a roasted peanut into his mouth, "Later, there was a genius in Heartless Sword Dao named Cao Xizong. This person self-realized the ’Unmoving Heart Sword Way’ at sixteen years old under the sea, claiming that his sword could calm ocean waves and reverse mountains. Thereafter, Cao Xizong found a mountain in the North of Korea, established a mountain gate, and renamed the mountain Martial Extreme Mountain."

Chen Ji wondered, "Is this Cao Xizong very powerful?"

Old Ears mocked, "Powerful my foot. Wu Kezhi from the Temple of Martial Arts reached the Seeking Dao Realm, went to Martial Extreme Mountain for a test, a single slash put Cao Xizong into closure for twenty-eight years, never to set foot off Martial Extreme Mountain again. The five swords were thrown by Wu Kezhi into the lake at the top of Martial Extreme Mountain, preventing Heartless Sword Dao from claiming the title of Sword Dao Five Ancestors, and he renamed Martial Extreme Mountain as Child Mountain."

Chen Ji curiously asked again, "Were those five swords just thrown into the lake? Wouldn’t the people from Heartless Sword Dao dare to secretly retrieve them?"

Old Ears sneered, "Wu Kezhi is the Temple’s Executive Officer, and while Mountain Master Lu Yang isn’t around, his word carries weight. The swords he personally threw, Heartless Sword Dao wouldn’t dare retrieve them even with ten guts. Dare to secretly take them back, Temple disciples will descend and sweep away Martial Extreme Mountain, leaving not even chickens or dogs, even chicken eggs would be shaken till yellow."

Wu Yun climbed out of Chen Ji’s embrace and meowed, "Fierce!"

Chen Ji asked nonchalantly, "Do you know where this Child Mountain is, is it far from Mirror City Port?"

Old Ears stated matter-of-factly, "Certainly, it’s just a day’s journey from Mirror City Port, over several mountains, setting off in the morning, you’d arrive by night. Moreover, I know a side path to bypass the mountain gate of Heartless Sword Dao, and sneak to the lakeside."

Old Ears’ eyes shifted, "But my legs and feet aren’t convenient, I can’t take you there."

Chen Ji resolutely said, "I’ll carry you up the mountain."

Old Ears put on airs, "Forgot the rules again? If you want me to show you the way, speak about your affair with that Lamp Landlord."

Chen Ji got up and walked away.

Old Ears became anxious instead, "A different question will do."

Chen Ji stopped in his tracks.

Old Ears pondered for a moment, "I’m curious, since you entered the Zhang Family, have you been sleeping on the ground all the time?"

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows, silently ducking into the cabin, behind him Old Ears’ wanton laugh echoed, "Seems true, hahaha, so embarrassing! Hey, don’t go, I promised to show you the way, come back for a chat!"

Chen Ji returned to the cabin, lying quietly on the narrow bed looking at the ceiling boards. Someone had carved the word ’home’ with their fingernail into the same spot, wondering which sailor had done it.

Wu Yun slipped out of his arms and meowed, "Aunt Ping really treats you well, even specially bought this boat for you."

Chen Ji said softly, "I know... When we reach Mirror City Port, we’ll slip away after disembarking."

Wu Yun was puzzled, "Aren’t we going to eat ginseng?"

Chen Ji was silent for a long time, "I don’t want to owe so many favors."

Wu Yun was somewhat at odds, "But you know she wants to make it up to you."

Chen Ji looked at the ceiling boards, how could he not know.

The bracelet from Xiao Man, the betrothal gift from Lamp, Third Master Hu’s attitude, the past in Guyuan, all of these reveal Aunt Ping’s identity, he was no fool.

Chen Ji patted Wu Yun’s head, "But the person she wants to make amends to isn’t me, I don’t want it to end like Xu Shu and Official Xu, she’d be very upset."