Chapter 236: News from the Jing Dynasty

Inside the main hall of the Dragon Gate Inn, everyone harbored hidden motives.

When their gazes swept towards Chen Ji, their expressions were a mix of slyness, scrutiny, and covetousness, making it difficult to tell if they were people or ghosts.

Chen Ji looked at the wine jar on the table and suddenly understood: placing burning knife on the Eight Immortals table was to sell news, placing grape brew was to buy news. As long as you placed the correct wine jar upon entering, others would immediately know your purpose.

Originally, this Dragon Gate Inn was the largest news distribution center in Guyuan City, and the five hundred *wen* per jar of wine was the inn's commission.

But Chen Ji had come to buy news, yet by a twist of fate, he had become the person selling news...

At this moment, the man opposite him tapped the table with his knuckles: "Young man, what news exactly do you want to sell? Speak up!"

Xiao Man stood behind Chen Ji, glaring at the man opposite: "What are you in such a hurry for? Isn't my young master thinking?"

The man sneered: "Little girl has quite a temper. I see you're new faces and probably don't know the rules of the Dragon Gate Inn, right? You placed a jar, but if you can't produce useful news,

you probably won't be able to stay in this inn."

Chen Ji lowered his head, contemplating what news to sell.

Just as the man across the table was about to tap the table again with his knuckles, he raised his hand, but before his knuckles fell, Chen Ji opened his mouth and said: "I know what happened at Guyuan Station."

The man's hand, poised to tap the table, froze in mid-air. Suddenly, his eyes lit up: "You actually know about this! How much silver do you want?"

Chen Ji raised a hand to his chest, extending two fingers.

The man lowered his head to ponder for a few breaths. When he raised his head again, he had already slapped two gold melon seeds onto the table.

Chen Ji looked at the two gold melon seeds. His original intention was to sell for two hundred taels of silver, but the other side had only produced twenty taels... A earth-shattering event had occurred at Guyuan Station, how could it only be worth twenty taels?

The man saw that Chen Ji still wasn't speaking and said suspiciously: "Do you really know what happened at Guyuan Station?"

Chen Ji pondered for a long time, finally deciding to quickly sell the news and then exchange the burning knife for grape brew.

He simply lowered his voice and said: "At Guyuan Station, someone poisoned to death the maids and servants of the Zhan Shi Fu Shao Zhan Shi's family, a total of thirty-four people. The murderer is unknown. The border army and the Yulin Army have investigated but haven't found the truth."

The man mumbled: "No wonder the rumors in the streets say Guyuan Station is full of dead people. Alright, this news is worth twenty taels."

Having said that, he pushed the two gold melon seeds in front of him towards Chen Ji, then hurriedly got up and left.

The man lifted the inn's thick cotton cloth curtain and disappeared into the cold wind.

Just as Chen Ji was about to call the waiter to change the wine jar, the inn's door curtain was lifted again.

The man from before returned, still carrying a thin, monkey-like young man in his hand. He said to the shopkeeper: "Second Master, this fellow broke your rules. Recently, Guyuan has many new faces, and they don't even know the rules, daring to come and take a bite."

The shopkeeper finally lifted his head and looked towards Chen Ji: "Guest, how do you say we should handle it?"

Chen Ji looked at the young man being carried but didn't know what connection this person had to him... Perhaps this inn still had some rules he didn't know?

He could only follow suit and say: "Handle it according to the inn's rules."

The shopkeeper said indifferently to the man at the door: "Privately inquiring about news, break one finger. And before the finger heals, he's not allowed to enter the inn again."

The man grinned wickedly: "Understood."

Having said that, he reached out and forcibly broke the young man's index finger, then carried him and went out again.

The shopkeeper said unhurriedly: "Recently, the Crown Prince has come to our Guyuan, and there are also many new faces in Guyuan. We need to tell everyone, no matter who you are, if you want news, buy it yourself with money. Don't break the rules."

The inn's main hall fell silent because of this. As the shopkeeper lowered his head again, picked up his pen to record accounts, it slowly became noisy again.

Chen Ji put the two gold melon seeds into his sleeve. Before he could call the waiter to change the wine, another person sat down opposite him, took out two silver ingots, placed them on the table, and lowered his voice: "Buy the news from just now."

Chen Ji was slightly startled and repeated: "At Guyuan Station, someone poisoned to death the Zhan Shi Fu..."

The man opposite listened to the news, and without a word, turned and left.

Chen Ji stared intently at the silver ingots on the table. He originally thought that after selling the news to one person, the secret would no longer be a secret, and it could only be a one-time deal.

But now... No wonder the previous man only produced two gold melon seeds. People were buying "non-exclusive."

Watching buyers come to the door one after another, the silver in front of Chen Ji piled up more and more. In just the time it took to burn one stick of incense, he earned two hundred and twenty taels of silver.

Xiao Man stared straight at the silver, her eyes unable to move away: "Young... Young Master, how about we just stay in Guyuan? This money comes too easily."

Chen Ji laughed and cried: "We don't have that much news to sell either."

Xiao Man hesitated: "How about we... How about you go find some heinous *Jiangyang* bandits and kill their whole family, first rob their money, then come and sell the news of their death? Kill two birds with one stone."

Chen Ji couldn't help but turn back to look at Xiao Man behind him. What kind of person was his aunt, raising a living King of Hell beside him?

He absently replied: "I don't have that ability."

Xiao Man pouted and said nothing, quite tempted.

Not to mention Xiao Man, even Chen Ji himself was a bit reluctant to stop. The massive ice flow still lingered in his dantian, and he needed a lot of silver.

But what other news could be sold? That the Jing Dynasty Tian Ce Army was coming to besiege the city?

No, since the border army decided to block the news, there must be a reason. If he spread the news, it would likely disrupt the border army's formation.

But for someone who hid secrets to come to this treasure trove and not make some money before leaving would really be a pity...

Chen Ji waved to the waiter. The waiter who was wiping the table put the cloth on his arm, smiled, and came over: "Guest, congratulations on making a fortune. What instructions do you have?"

Chen Ji thought and asked: "Right now, what news is the most valuable?"

The waiter smiled and answered: "Guest, as long as it's news related to the Crown Prince or the Commandery Office, it's valuable."

Chen Ji thought for a moment, a plan forming in his heart. He pointed to the burning knife on the table: "Please help me change this to grape brew."

The waiter was puzzled: "Guest, you just started business. Aren't you selling more news?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "I still have news I want to buy. I plan to handle proper business first."

The waiter responded: "Understood. You wait, I'll change the wine for you."

He hugged the wine jar and was about to leave when Zhang Zheng beside him suddenly asked: "Hey, waiter, we also bought this wine. Can't we just drink it?"

The waiter was stunned for a moment: "Guest, placing a jar has its rules, and opening a jar has its rules. If you have world-shaking news, come again to open this jar of wine. At that time, the wine aroma will drift ten *li*, it's for big business."

The waiter went to the back of the main hall and changed to a jar of grape brew, as well as the previously ordered buns and fine noodles.

Besides that, there were unexpectedly two dishes of melon seeds, two dishes of peanuts, plus one plate of preserved fruit, and one plate of raisins, filling the whole table.

Xiao Man saw this and said: "We didn't order these. We won't pay for them later, okay?"

The waiter laughed heartily: "Guest, you're joking. As long as masters open for business in our inn, our inn not only offers snacks and preserved fruit, but we'll even waive your room fee today."

Xiao Man's eyes lit up: "There's such a good thing? Your shopkeeper really knows how to do business!"

Zhang Xia pulled her to sit side by side at the table: "Eat."

Xiao Man obediently said: "Zhang Second Miss is beautiful and kind-hearted!"

As soon as the wine jar was placed on the table, someone immediately came forward: "Several masters, I have news to sell."

Chen Ji casually said: "What kind of news?"

"From the Jing Dynasty."

Chen Ji's heart slightly moved: "How much silver?"

"Five taels."

Chen Ji was silent for two breaths: "Speak and let me see."

The man sat opposite: "This autumn, the Jing Dynasty's Shangjing Road suffered a locust plague. Every household's grain harvest failed. If there's a way to transport grain over, you can definitely make a big profit..."

Chen Ji suddenly lost interest.

Guyuan had many merchants. Six or seven out of ten here were merchants who relied on the border for business, so most news was actually "buying business."

Chen Ji took a five-tael silver ingot and pushed it out: "Understood."

Xiao Man, while cracking melon seeds, said heartbrokenly: "Young Master, you're giving him five taels of silver for such a small piece of news? You don't need it! Who has the ability to transport that much grain to the Jing Dynasty? It's punishable by death... Isn't this a swindler?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "A thousand gold to buy a horse's bones, it doesn't matter. Afterwards, I have my own way to earn the silver back."

At this time, one person lifted his butt and stood up, and immediately another person sat down: "Several masters, I also have a piece of news worth one or two taels of silver here."

"Speak and let me see."

"I came from Min State. There's a ship at the port over there fully loaded with spices that have been sealed by the court. If someone can grease the wheels a bit..."

From morning to afternoon, Chen Ji spent the silver he earned from buying news like flowing water, but he still didn't encounter any news suitable for him.

Xiao Man's face was fierce with heartbreak, wishing she could go and rob the silver back.

Xiao Man, while cracking melon seeds, softly complained: "Young Master is too wasteful, too wasteful!"

By evening, an old man sneakily came over: "Masters, I have news from the Jing Dynasty. Are you interested?"

Chen Ji grabbed a peanut, pinched it with two fingers, and cracked open the crispy shell: "Speak more specifically."

The old man considered: "It's related to the Jing Dynasty's former Military Strategy Commissioner, Lu Jin."

Chen Ji's hand peeling the peanut paused slightly, then as if nothing was amiss, he asked: "What do you do, to actually know news about such a big figure as Lu Jin?"

The old man smiled awkwardly: "This little old man also just indirectly got the news. As for whether it's true or false, it depends on you, the guest, to judge."

Chen Ji neither affirmed nor denied: "How much silver?"

The old man looked around: "Ten taels of silver is enough."

Chen Ji slightly nodded. Beside him, Zhang Xia pushed a silver ingot towards the old man: "Speak."

The old man recalled: "This little old man is mixed in with the Third Master's tea merchant team doing silk business. The business isn't big, can only be considered self-sufficient..."

Chen Ji suddenly asked: "Where in the Jing Dynasty do you generally sell your silk?"

The old man answered: "This little old man doesn't dare to go deep into the Jing Dynasty's inland. I can only transport the silk to Xijing Road's Feng Sheng Prefecture and sell it to the merchants there, then let them transport it to Shangjing Road and Zhongjing Road for resale. It was precisely this time going to Feng Sheng Prefecture that the merchant who always cooperates with this little old man said, he hopes this little old man can bring eighty bolts of top-quality Shu brocade next time. There's a big figure specifically wanting Shu brocade, saying it's for Lord Lu Jin as a birthday gift."

Chen Ji sat by the Eight Immortals table, his heart stirring. He put the peanut into his mouth: "From ancient times, official circles are more about kicking someone when they're down and less about sending charcoal in the snow. There's no reason to give birthday gifts to someone who has retired. Moreover, Lu Jin is only forty-six years old this year. What's the occasion for receiving birthday gifts..."

The old man praised: "This master is quick-witted. This little one also thinks the same: someone must have gotten the news of Lu Jin's imminent restoration in advance, that's why they want to take advantage of Lu Jin's birthday to flatter him a bit.

I only know this much. I hope this news is useful to you."

The old man took the silver ingot and left. Chen Ji's mood was slightly down.

In his heart, he always hoped that his uncle would never be restored, that way he could peacefully live in the Ning Dynasty. But he thought again, this might not be bad news either.

At this time, a middle-aged man outside the door lifted the cotton cloth door curtain and entered. His gaze swept over each table and immediately casually picked a table to sit at: "I have news to sell."

The buyer opposite him covered his nose: "What's that smell on you?"

That man answered: "This little one is the head of the night soil carriers in the east of the city. Naturally, there will be some smell on my body."

The buyer pinched his nose and waved: "A night soil carrier joining the fun? Go, go, go, go to one side."

The man awkwardly stood up, his gaze circling around again, but other buyers also avoided his gaze, turning their faces away.

Chen Ji opened his mouth: "You want to sell news?"

The man's eyes lit up. He walked to Chen Ji's table and sat down: "This master, this little one's news isn't expensive. I just discovered something suspicious and always feel it will be useful."

Zhang Zheng smelled the foul odor, her body leaning back a bit.

Chen Ji asked: "How much money do you want to sell it for?"

The man hesitated for a moment: "Two hundred *wen* is enough."

Chen Ji nodded: "Speak."

The man thought and said: "This little one prepared to carry night soil to sell for money early this morning. The result was that the person who usually drives the night soil cart said he couldn't go out of the city, and wouldn't be collecting today. This little one had no choice but to prepare to pour the carried night soil back into the latrine. But walking halfway, someone stopped me,

saying he would buy the night soil to water his own small courtyard's vegetable garden."

Xiao Man doubted: "What's so strange about that?"

The man explained: "Of course it's strange. That household hired several idle night soil carriers today, bought a lot of night soil, and put it in large jars. The whole courtyard stinks to high heaven. What proper person would buy so much night soil? Those over ten large jars are enough to fertilize dozens of *mu* of land."

Xiao Man was about to say something more, but she saw Chen Ji say "This is not good," and suddenly stand up: "This big brother, where is that courtyard?"

The man answered: "East of the city, Taohua Fang, Shache Street, the household with an elm tree in front of the door."

Chen Ji strode quickly towards the back courtyard: "Zhang Second Miss, give him the money. You all stay in the inn, I'll go to the Commandery Office!"

As the words fell, he shouted: "Zaozao! Quickly!"

He saw Zaozao bite open the reins tied to the hitching post and rush out of the stable. It rushed to Chen Ji's side, its hooves not stopping. Chen Ji grabbed the stake on the saddle and flipped up, leaned low, and galloped away.