Chapter 245: The Chen Family's Three Sons

In the Dragon Gate Inn, guests leaned in, whispering secrets and discussing whether to buy news. Waiters, carrying trays, weaved back and forth among the Eight Immortals tables, like little bees among flower clusters.

Chen Ji had consecutively sold seven pieces of news, netting three thousand five hundred taels of silver, far exceeding his expectations. He had originally planned to sell each piece of news for two hundred taels, thinking it would be good to earn more than a thousand taels of silver.

Unexpectedly, out of nowhere, "Third Master" suddenly raised the price, forcing him to earn a full and overflowing amount.

The guests who bought the news had tightly furrowed brows and led their respective troops out in a hurry.

The man surnamed Zhang, previously pointed out by the old procuress, stood fixed by the door, the more he thought, the more it felt wrong: "Although this news is important, five hundred taels of silver is too expensive. When was the last time news was sold this expensively?"

The attendant beside him answered: "Master, the last time was eight years ago. The boss of Dragon Gate Inn, on behalf of their boss behind the scenes, sold news and the price was six hundred taels."

The man surnamed Zhang asked: "What news was sold?"

The attendant whispered: "At that time, our business was still small, we didn't bear to buy..."

The man surnamed Zhang doubted: "Why do I feel like Third Master is an imposter? I ask all of you, when have you ever seen Third Master so startled like that? Ordinarily, he doesn't make a sound even with a knife across his front, but today he heard a piece of news and just whooshed up, walked away in a hurry, it's a bit too exaggerated."

The attendant hesitated for a long time: "Master, who can invite Third Master as an imposter? You go forward and invite him as an imposter, can you invite him or not?"

The man surnamed Zhang thought for a moment: "He probably will slap me with a big ear."

The attendant waved his hands: "Then it's not settled."

The man surnamed Zhang rubbed his face: "Go, take advantage of the time before the Jing Dynasty surrounds the city to make some preparations."

Saying this, several people tightened their collars, against the wind, and left quickly with their heads down.

In the inn, the people beside Chen Ji's table finally dispersed. Zhang Xia took advantage of the empty space to remind: "The Feather Forest Army people have left."

Zhang Zheng raised his eyebrows: "The Feather Forest Army people also came?"

Zhang Xia nodded: "En, they were wearing bamboo hats and hiding in the corner, and also secretly sent an unfamiliar face to buy news. But Li Xuan and Qi Jianzhe's figures are very recognizable, I can recognize them without even looking at their faces."

Zhang Zheng looked at Chen Ji worriedly: "What if they tell the Crown Prince the news that we sold news? Those in power are most taboo of people around them leaking secrets. You sold news related to him for money, he will necessarily harbor resentment... Don't you want to approach him?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Xiao Man, standing behind him, suddenly said: "Young master, silence them. They just left not far, we can still make it."

Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia slowly turned their heads and stared directly at Xiao Man. For a long time, they didn't say a word.

Chen Ji comforted them with a smile: "It doesn't matter. The Crown Prince's situation is awkward now. With the Jing Dynasty army attacking, investigating the case of killing for false merit is already inappropriate. If the border army guard down Gu Yuan, he will be even less able to investigate meritorious officials. He will have to wait a few days to investigate, otherwise, he will lose the hearts of the people."

Zhang Xia followed up: "But he cannot return to the capital empty-handed. If he cannot investigate the case of killing for false merit, then he has to establish other great merits, otherwise, there's no way to report to His Majesty."

Chen Ji nodded: "If I can help him establish merits, what does selling some news count?"

While speaking, the old procuress of Red Sleeves Pavilion returned, bringing a wave of fragrant wind, and sat down. She asked with a smile: "Young man, can I borrow a bowl of wine to drink?"

Before Chen Ji could speak, Xiao Man had already tightly hugged the wine jar in her arms: "We spent three hundred cash for one jar, not giving it to you to drink."

The old procuress rolled her eyes: "An old hen protecting eggs isn't as protective as you. Can't I just ask your young master a few questions?"

Xiao Man glared at her: "If you're asking questions, just ask properly. What are you throwing charming eyes for? You sit properly!"

The old procuress no longer paid attention to her, turned to look at Chen Ji and asked: "Young man, this five hundred taels here cannot be spent unclearly, I must first ask clearly, is your news a thousand times true and ten thousand times accurate?"

Chen Ji nodded: "A thousand times true and ten thousand times accurate."

The old procuress wanted to lean closer to ask, but looked up at Xiao Man behind Chen Ji and stopped: "According to what I know, last night Sha Che Street only had border army and the Crown Prince's troops. The whole street was sealed. How did you know what happened inside? Were you in Sha Che Street at that time?"

Chen Ji responded without changing his expression: "According to the inn rules, the news revealed must be personally experienced by the person. You don't need to worry."

The old procuress asked again: "How did the Crown Prince know that Sha Che Street had Jing Dynasty spies? I heard yesterday someone was led to find a tipster and bought news, exactly related to the matter of Sha Che Street yesterday. That person wouldn't be you, young master, would he? Are you the Crown Prince's person?"

Zhang Xia suddenly spoke, sternly asking: "What are you asking these for? Are you looking for the person who gave the Crown Prince a tip-off yesterday, to take revenge for the Jing Dynasty spies?"

The old procuress's face changed: "I was just asking casually. After all, I have to ensure the news is reliable. I may have no connection with the Jing Dynasty."

Chen Ji scrutinized the old procuress in front of him: "Ordinary people may not ask these things."

The old procuress held his gaze for a long time, then smiled charmingly, stood up, and walked out: "It seems I talked too much."

She walked to the door and lifted the cotton cloth curtain. Just at this moment, a loud bell sound suddenly came from outside. The bell sound was urgent, one sound following another, emanating from Gu Yuan city, ringing twelve times in total!

In the Dragon Gate Inn, everyone's faces changed: "Not good, the border army's long ringing bell, the Jing Dynasty has come!"

The bell sound echoed, and black clouds suddenly pressed down in the sky. The sky darkened, the sun and moon losing light.

It was as if the Jing Dynasty Heaven Strategy Army had killed their way down from the sky, making people suffocate.

The Jing Dynasty, really came!

The old procuress was still frozen in the posture of lifting the door curtain, as if fixed in place by the bell sound. The next moment, she quickened her steps to leave. The guests inside the inn also hurriedly stood up and rushed out of the inn in great haste.

"Quick go, stock up on grain!"

"Hurry and sell off the goods in hand!"

In an instant, the lively inn became cold and quiet, only leaving the tables, bowls and dishes, and scattered melon seed shells on the ground, a mess.

In the shop, only the boss, Xiao Wu, Chen Ji, Zhang Zheng, Zhang Xia, and Xiao Man remained, as if the noise just now was all an illusion.

Xiao Wu, holding a broom and dustpan, was cleaning the room. He asked Chen Ji: "Guest, I'm afraid we have to close early today. Do you want to eat some staple food? If you do, I'll ask the kitchen to make you a bowl of minced meat noodles."

Chen Ji suddenly asked: "Let me ask you something, is Third Master very famous in Gu Yuan?"

Xiao Wu was slightly startled and subconsciously turned his head to look at the boss. The boss was standing behind the counter, not even lifting his eyelids, holding a brush and recording today's accounts.

Xiao Wu looked at Chen Ji, smiling shyly: "Guest, in a place like our Dragon Gate Inn, news is not given for free."

Zhang Xia took out a ten tael silver ingot and pushed it to the edge of the table: "Speak."

Xiao Wu shook his head: "News related to Third Master needs fifty taels."

Zhang Xia thought for a moment, then took out four more silver ingots and placed them on the table.

Xiao Wu's eyebrows widened and he laughed as he put the silver ingots into his bosom: "Guest is generous, no wonder you can do big business and make big money!"

Zhang Zheng, cracking melon seeds, said: "Don't delay, hurry up and say it."

Xiao Wu leaned on the broom and recalled: "Third Master was originally a big figure in the border army, serving as a military advisor under General Wen Tao... Everyone, do you know what official position a military advisor is?"

Zhang Xia said calmly: "In the border army, the commander-in-chief is the big boss, the deputy commander-in-chief is the second boss, and the military advisor is the third boss. Third Master was once the number three figure in the border army. I remember the previous border army military advisor was called Hu Junyuan, who is the younger brother of the current commander-in-chief Hu Junxian. Is it him?"

Xiao Wu's mouth was wide open: "Girl, what's your background? You're not from our Gu Yuan, are you? You even know this?"

"My sister is powerful, eh," Zhang Zheng laughed happily: "You continue."

Xiao Wu continued: "In the early years, when he was still in the border army, all the rules in Gu Yuan were set by him. Whatever could be done, whatever could not be done, he said it counted. The young people inside Gu Yuan city all dreamed of one day becoming a figure like him. At first, everyone called him Hu Third Brother, later it slowly became Hu Third Master, but he suddenly left the Gu Yuan border army eight years ago, and no one knows where he went. Some say he followed a big figure, and some say he is planning to avenge General Wen Tao. After he left, Gu Yuan gradually became somewhat without rules."

Zhang Xia suddenly asked: "What is his relationship with your boss?"

Xiao Wu played dumb: "No relationship."

Zhang Xia gathered the silver ingots on the table back in front of her: "Your words are not real. We won't buy this news from you."

Xiao Wu looked at the silver anxiously: "Third Master and our boss were previously..."

"Cough!"

Xiao Wu turned his head and saw the boss behind the counter looking at him coldly: "If you want to live long, get out of the way!"

Xiao Wu shrank his neck, quickly picked up the broom, and limped away.

Chen Ji laughed heartily and cupped his fists to the boss: "I had no intention of inquiring about the boss's private matters. I have offended you greatly, please forgive me."

The boss's smile didn't reach his eyes: "No harm, no harm."

Chen Ji got up and went upstairs, but couldn't help but feel doubts in his heart. Looking at this Hu Third Master's resume, it seemed like he shouldn't have any connection with himself.

Strange.

After Chen Ji and the others went upstairs, the boss was still lowering his head settling accounts, but then he saw someone lift the cotton cloth curtain and come in. He looked up and it was unexpectedly the old procuress of Red Sleeves Pavilion who had returned.

The boss asked casually: "What have you come for? I advise you not to cause trouble in my inn, otherwise Gu Yuan cannot tolerate you."

The old procuress covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief and laughed charmingly: "Second Master, don't say that. What trouble can I cause? I have an appointment with that young man to have a talk in his room tonight, but he didn't say which room. I wonder if the boss can inform me?"

The boss's face was playful: "Heaven character first class room."

The old procuress thought for a moment, then turned to go upstairs.

"Sister Hong," the boss behind the counter called out to her: "You should think clearly. Matters committed in my Dragon Gate Inn must be repaid with life."

The old procuress was silent for a moment, then smiled: "I know."

After the old procuress went upstairs, Xiao Wu came over and asked: "Boss, you previously said that everyone in Red Sleeves Pavilion are Jing Dynasty spies. You just let her go up like that? She's probably going to kill people."

The boss laughed coldly: "She kills people, I take money, isn't that reasonable?"

Xiao Wu advised: "But if she kills people in the inn, I'm afraid it will damage our inn's reputation."

The boss said calmly: "Afterward, strip her skin and pull out her tendons, and hang her on the archway. Xiao Wu, we run a black market shop, don't pretend to have the heart of a Bodhisattva."

"Oh..." Xiao Wu disheartenedly continued to sweep the ground.

At this moment, the door curtain was lifted again.

The newcomer took off his bamboo hat and raincoat, patting the dust off his body: "Boss, I'm back."

The boss frowned, looking at the present Xiao Liu: "I asked you to inquire about an identity, and you inquired for a day and a night. Don't tell me you were fooling around with some woman!"

Xiao Liu said bitterly: "How could I? Boss, you don't know, the border army is all preparing for war at this time. It's difficult to find a person. I waited below the city gate tower for a whole day, only then did I see my childhood friend."

"Believe you and there are ghosts," the boss laughed coldly: "Last night someone said they saw you in Qing Chun Workshop."

Xiao Liu said angrily: "Whose mother has such a loose mouth!"

The boss also said angrily: "Quickly say, did you inquire clearly about the identity of that boy I asked you to inquire about?"

Xiao Liu hurriedly leaned in flatteringly: "Inquired clearly, inquired clearly. That young man came to Gu Yuan following the newly appointed Imperial Academy junior scholar Chen Liqin. He is Chen Liqin's third son, named Chen Ji."

The boss was stunned in place: "Say it again!"

Xiao Liu was puzzled: "Chen Liqin's third son from the Chen family, named Chen Ji... Did I say something wrong?"

The boss looked out the window and murmured: "No wonder old three came back..."

Xiao Liu hung his bamboo hat and raincoat on the wall and asked with a smile: "Boss, I just saw from afar that old procuress from Red Sleeves Pavilion come in. Where is she?"

The boss came back to his senses and exclaimed: "Not good!"

Saying this, he leaped out from behind the counter like a big owl and flew towards the stairs, pouncing.