Chapter 37: Agreed Time

On the day of the Double Ninth Festival, the entire city was abuzz with celebration.

Crowds gathered, trailing the heir and the county master as they made their way towards the Prince's Manor. Common folk arrived with offerings of eggs and vegetables, while young women along the roadside tossed fresh flowers at the heir.

Not only did the heir receive such fervent adoration, but even the two young masters from the Chen family found their clothes adorned with flower petals, as if a fragrant path had been laid out for them, or a bridge built of blooming blossoms.

Amidst the throng, Chen Ji happened to spot a little monk of thirteen or fourteen years. He wore a moon-white monastic robe, with ruby-red lips and teeth as white as jade, and a handsome countenance. This must be the Buddha Child Wu Yun had mentioned, from the Ge Ning sect in Yun State.

As the Buddha Child rode past on his horse, he actually turned his head and looked towards Chen Ji. Initially startled, a smile then bloomed upon his face, directed at Chen Ji.

Within the retinue, a girl riding a white horse asked curiously, "Little monk, who were you just looking at?"

Following the direction of the little monk's gaze, she found only empty space beneath the eaves.

The little monk chuckled, "White Carp County Master, I saw a young man whose heart is filled with bitterness, yet he has already severed two thorns. Within his heart, only a foolish character remains."

"Ah?" Zhu White Carp was puzzled. "Why do you always speak in riddles? What are these 'two thorns' you speak of?"

"I was just speaking idly," he replied.

Chen Ji followed the crowd all the way back to the medical hall. Old Man Yao was standing just inside the doorway at this time, watching the young men in their fine clothes and spirited horses on the street. He slowly remarked, "Aren't those your two full-blooded elder brothers? Why didn't you go and greet them?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Master, you ask the obvious, don't you? They wouldn't recognize me anyway."

Liu Qu Xing's head popped out, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Master, are you talking about Chen Wen Zong and Chen Wen Xiao beside the heir? Those are the well-known young masters of Luo City! I saw them at Old Grandfather Liu's birthday banquet... Are you saying they are Chen Ji's full-blooded elder brothers?"

Old Man Yao grunted noncommittally.

The people inside the medical hall looked over and saw the two noble young masters of the Chen family, one dressed exquisitely in white robes. Even the jade pendants adorning their collars were of considerable value. Instead of wooden or silver hairpins, their hair was secured with white jade hairpins, truly the picture of romantic young gentlemen, dazzling to behold.

Liu Qu Xing observed these two, then looked at Chen Ji, who had changed into his freshly mended grey cloth robe, cinched with a coarse cloth belt, and wearing a pair of old cloth shoes…

"Chen Ji, are you from the same family as them?" Liu Qu Xing asked in astonishment.

Chen Ji also grunted noncommittally.

He had initially expected Liu Qu Xing, with his lack of moral grounding, to seize the opportunity to ridicule him. To his surprise, the other man suddenly expressed indignation on his behalf: "That birth mother of yours is too biased! Even though illegitimate sons cannot inherit the family business these days, there should still be brotherly affection and respect, and a mother's kindness towards her sons. Doesn't she fear being criticized behind her back?!"

Chen Ji looked at Liu Qu Xing with some surprise.

He heard Liu Qu Xing continue in a voice filled with anger, "You never mentioned your family background all these years. I thought your family were just tenant farmers. Do you know, just that jade pendant on their collar is enough to cover ten years of your study expenses!"

Chen Ji smiled and patted Liu Qu Xing's shoulder. "Senior Brother, don't be angry, don't be angry. I didn't expect you to speak up for me."

Liu Qu Xing was unhappy. "What kind of talk is that? For better or worse, you and I are senior brothers. They are outsiders."

Saying this, Liu Qu Xing glanced at the receding figures of the group. "Bah! A bunch of people swarming together like ants moving house!"

Chen Ji couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. "Senior Brother, that mouth of yours truly has half of Master's skill."

Liu Qu Xing turned his head to look at Old Man Yao. "Master, he's insulting you too."

Old Man Yao slapped him on the back of the head. "You just love stirring up trouble! Don't look. That's another world, and it has nothing to do with any of you."

The crowd returned inside the medical hall. Chen Ji smiled and said, "I passed by a roast chicken shop and bought two roast chickens. Master, two Senior Brothers, let's eat together."

"Wow," Liu Qu Xing only now noticed the lotus leaf wrapped bundle in Chen Ji's hand. He took it and opened it on the counter. "Chen Ji, are you rich?"

"I picked up a piece of broken silver," Chen Ji explained.

"Picked up silver?" Old Man Yao casually tossed six copper coins onto the counter, and while interpreting a divination, he teased, "Perhaps you didn't pick up silver. You went out this trip and conned two unlucky fellows into prison… Tsk tsk, what a bold move!"

Chen Ji quickly looked around and saw that Liu Qu Xing and She Deng Ke were focused on eating the chicken, which put his mind at ease.

He whispered suspiciously, "Did you figure that out, or did Wu Ya see it?"

"Don't worry about that," Old Man Yao said in a low voice. "I ask you, was it really you who sent the message to the Liu family?"

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then finally said, "It was me."

Old Man Yao let out a soft 'heh'. "Now you dare to tell me the truth?"

"Because I feel you have no ill will towards me, and after this, I only see the medical hall as my home. You are the only elder I have left."

"Stop trying to get close to me," Old Man Yao didn't respond to this. "Did no one discover you sent the message?"

"No."

"Then that's fine," Old Man Yao stroked his beard. "Do whatever you please. Your legs are your own, I can't control you, but you must not implicate me!"

"Understood!"

Old Man Yao looked at him, and finally added one sentence. "If you want to live a long time, then don't be ostentatious in your actions. Look at those people outside in their fine clothes and spirited horses, they may be proud, but only those who keep a low profile and make a fortune in silence can laugh until the end. You will realize later that as long as you live long enough, you can watch your enemies die one by one."

Chen Ji said seriously, "Master, I understand the principle you are speaking of, and I will try my best to be low-key, but I cannot wait that long for revenge…"

At this moment, Liu Qu Xing, while gnawing on a piece of chicken, used his greasy mouth to advise, "Chen Ji, you really don't know how to live. You pick up a little broken silver and immediately rush to buy roast chicken. You don't even know how to save."

She Deng Ke spat out, "Then don't eat it! You're eating other people's food and still talking so much!"

"I'm reminding you out of good intentions!"

Chen Ji looked at Liu Qu Xing. This senior brother was indeed an interesting person. If you say he is a good person, well, his moral standards are not high, his mouth is sharp, and he is petty.

If you say he is a bad person, well, he still has a bottom line, much better than outright bad people.

However, most people in this world are like this, unable to be evaluated simply as good or bad.

Chen Ji raised his hand and tore off a chicken leg, offering it to his chest. Wu Yun钻 out from his bosom, hugging the chicken leg with both paws and immediately started gnawing. Chen Ji then tore off another chicken leg and handed it to Old Man Yao.

Old Man Yao curled his lips and said reservedly, "I'm old, I can't eat such greasy things."

Chen Ji directly stuffed the chicken leg into the other man's hand. "You jump around lively when hitting us with bamboo strips, not old at all. Just hurry up and eat."

Old Man Yao blew out his beard and glared. "How dare you describe your master like that! No respect for your elders!"

Outside the medical hall, the crowd was noisy. Inside the medical hall, the master and his three disciples shared one roast chicken. Chen Ji sometimes thought that if this peaceful existence could continue, it would be good.

But he knew that what was coming would eventually arrive, sooner or later.

…

…

At this moment, the Joy Cake girl, using her orchid fingers to pinch the hem of her skirt, hopped towards the medical hall doorway. This girl, who was dignified and lovely inside the Prince's Manor, seemed to let herself go once outside, her steps swaying back and forth.

She leaned against the doorway, looking inside the medical hall, and waved to Chen Ji. "Chen Ji, Chen Ji!"

Wu Yun hid behind the counter chair. Chen Ji wiped his mouth and came out. "Joy Cake girl, what is it?"

Joy Cake said, "That white Prajna of my Madam's is injured again. Madam sent me to call you over to take a look."

Chen Ji subconsciously turned his head to look at Wu Yun behind the counter, a head full of questions: *Did you do it?*

Wu Yun's eyes were clear and bewildered: *No!*

The accounts of one person and one cat didn't match!

In that instant, Chen Ji's mind became clear: Concubine Cloud wants to talk to me!

He had always speculated about the identity of the significant figure connected to the Jing Dynasty military intelligence department.

Clearly, Quiet Concubine, as a member of the Liu family, was the most likely candidate, yet all clues pointed to Concubine Cloud.

Thinking back to the confession of that military intelligence department official, Si Cao, Chen Ji looked at Old Man Yao. "Master, I'll go with Joy Cake girl on a trip."

Old Man Yao thought for a moment, hinting, "Don't you need to bring a ginseng with you, just in case?"

Chen Ji: "…This time, I probably won't need it."

If he gave the cat another branch of ginseng, he was afraid Concubine Cloud would beat him to death with a cane.

Old Man Yao said with some regret, "Go then."

Chen Ji followed Joy Cake towards the Prince's Manor. As they passed by the plaque that read "Bright and Upright," he couldn't help but look at it again.

Joy Cake showed her waist token to the guards. "My Madam has summoned the doctor from Peace Medical Hall."

The guards lowered their halberds and let them pass.

Inside the Prince's Manor, sturdy servants and maids were bustling about. It seemed the evening banquet was being prepared due to the return of the heir and the county master.

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Joy Cake girl, who injured the white Prajna?"

"I don't know," Joy Cake said with a smile. "I haven't even seen it today. Madam just told me to come find you, so I came. Make sure you diagnose the illness quickly. Tonight, there's a gathering of Luo City scholars at Flying White Pool, and I still want to go and see. I heard the heir has invited many literary talents."

The two hurried through the arched doorway leading to the back residence and stopped at the entrance of Flying Cloud Garden.

Joy Cake called out in a clear voice, "Madam, I have brought Chen Ji from Peace Medical Hall."

Joy Tang, the wet nurse, walked over and looked at Chen Ji. "Follow me in."

Chen Ji lowered his head and followed, while using his peripheral vision to examine the courtyard of Flying Cloud Garden. It was indeed plainer than Evening Star Garden, with only a single persimmon tree in the center, laden with bright red persimmons.

The persimmons were already ripe, yet many were left hanging on the tree, unpicked.

Chen Ji suddenly remembered a story: old people often say not to pick all the persimmons, but to leave some for the winter birds to eat. He wondered if Concubine Cloud's decision to leave these persimmons had the same meaning.

They arrived at the entrance of the covered walkway in Flying Cloud Garden. This covered walkway didn't look like a place where a woman lived. There were no beautifully patterned ceilings or inlaid decorations, but rather it resembled a man's study, slightly simple and austere.

At this moment, Concubine Cloud was listening with a smile on her face as a young girl recounted stories from East Forest Academy.

Seeing Chen Ji arrive, she actually said to the girl, "White Carp, rest for a while first. Mother is feeling a little unwell and has asked the medical hall doctor to come and diagnose. I will listen to you talk about the academy later."

Zhu White Carp was slightly startled. "Mother, where are you feeling unwell?"

Concubine Cloud smiled gently. "It's nothing, just prone to night sweats. Hurry and change your clothes. There's still a banquet tonight."

Zhu White Carp came out from the covered walkway, brushing past Chen Ji. She turned back to look at Chen Ji, a little doubtful. She felt that this young medical hall doctor was somewhat familiar, and… could he really diagnose illness at such a young age?

Concubine Cloud sat upright in a grand master chair, wearing a brown, collared robe with a large front opening. The robe was embroidered with a bright python draped over her shoulder, stepping on green waves.

Though referred to as a python, the python in the Ning Dynasty system was more akin to a dragon.

Concubine Cloud dismissed Joy Cake. Once the room was empty, she asked in a low voice, "Today was the agreed time for delivery, why didn't your Jing Dynasty military intelligence department show up?"

Chen Ji: "…"