Aoyama

Chapter 183 Fate

Heavy snowfall.

The vast expanse of white mourning is like the white hair on earth.

Chen Ji didn't know how he got back to the clinic, and he also forgot whether he said "I'm back" this time. But the moment he approached the clinic, he finally put away his numb smile.

Tomorrow, dozens of colleagues will be invited to a banquet at Yingxian Tower to celebrate his promotion to Haidongqing.

According to Jin Zhu, from now on, even a county magistrate would have to be polite when meeting him, and a prefect of a small town without a powerful background would not dare to act rashly.

Should I be happy?

Of course he should be happy, he has finally gained a foothold in this world.

He should be extremely happy, openly happy!
But what happens after being happy?

Old man Yao stood behind the counter, looking at the snow falling on his head and shoulders: "Have you lost your soul? Go light the fire in my room."

Chen Ji hummed softly and walked inside.

At this moment, the sound of a carriage stopping was heard outside the door, and someone came to the door and asked politely: "Excuse me, who is Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji turned around slowly: "I am, what's wrong?"

A shopkeeper led a young man into the room, smiling and saying, "I am the shopkeeper of Li's Clothing Shop. Do you remember that the princess ordered a few sets of clothes for you from us: two stand-up collars, two pairs of winter cotton trousers, two pairs of black boots, a corrugated black gauze hat, and a fox fur coat. According to the princess' instructions, she said you don't like to show off, so the fox fur is sewn inside, and the outer part is made of fine cotton cloth..."

Chen Ji stared blankly at the clothes in the boy's arms and didn't react for a moment.

The shopkeeper continued to talk to himself, "By the way, the princess also asked me to sew six gold melon seeds into the clothes as pendants to make the robe look more upright and spacious. She said it would be convenient for you to use in case of emergency."

The young man came forward and put the clothes in Chen Ji's arms.

The shopkeeper said with a smile: "The money has been paid by the princess. If you have nothing else to do, I will take my leave. If the clothes don't fit, our shop will always make alterations for free."

He waited for Chen Ji to reply, but Chen Ji just lowered his head and stared at the clothes in his arms for a long time without saying a word.

Until Old Man Yao threw a piece of silver and said, "Go back."

The shopkeeper quickly said "oh" and turned to leave.

Old man Yao stood there looking at Chen Ji's back, and suddenly sighed: "...Are you still going to have dinner at home tonight?"

"I won't eat anymore, Master," Chen Ji walked into the dormitory holding his clothes. When he came out, he looked at the red cloth strip on the apricot tree in surprise.

After a long time, Chen Ji brought a ladder, climbed up the tree, took off the cloth that belonged to Bai Li, and slowly untied it. He saw a line of elegant small characters written inside: "With you year after year, year after year."

As he looked at the line of small words, his eyes seemed to pass through the heavy snow and meet Princess Baili's gaze under the apricot tree that day.

The red color of the apricot tree blooms in my mind, like an anchor in my memory, turning into annual rings in my mind, and the old and the new are no longer the same.

Chen Ji put the red cloth strip into his arms, went out and mounted his horse. The horse and the young man galloping in the heavy snow were like the characters in the storyteller's stories, all of whom were strangers who would never return.

……

……

In Cuiyun Lane.

The housekeeper of the Chen residence was directing the servants to sweep the snow: "Sweep the heavy snow more cleanly. If the master slips when he comes back from the government office, be careful of your skin."

At this time, a carriage slowly drove into Cuiyun Lane, and Chen Liqin opened the carriage door and got off. He was wearing a bright red official robe, but his expression was no longer as majestic as before, but rather gloomy and depressing.

The Liu family's rebellion had been put down, but the anti-rebel manifesto he wrote disappeared along with Mr. Feng.

This matter can be considered a big deal or a small matter. If someone really uses the anti-rebel manifesto to investigate, he and the Liu family would be accomplices in the rebellion.

Chen Liqin didn't know who to discuss this matter with, nor could he discuss it, so he could only keep it in his heart.

When the housekeeper saw him coming back, he hurriedly shouted to the mansion, "The master is back!"

Inside the Chen residence, a dignified and elegant woman came to greet them. She stood at the threshold and said in a gentle voice, "Master has had a cough recently. I have ordered someone to cook white fungus and pear soup. Please come in and drink it while it's hot."

Chen Liqin nodded silently.

The woman said gently, "Master, Wen Zong has locked himself in the house and won't even let his maids in. Please talk to him tonight to see if there is anything wrong with him."

Chen Liqin responded.

The next moment, the sound of horse hooves was heard outside the alley.

Chen Liqin turned around and looked at Chen Ji in astonishment: "Why are you back?"

The woman at the threshold saw Chen Ji and asked softly, "Are you in a hurry to come back? Are you short of money?"

Under everyone's gaze, Chen Ji's horse's hooves did not stop.

The housekeeper blocked Chen Ji's way and said, "Master and Madam are talking to you, you..."

Chen Ji's face was calm. He pulled the reins with his right hand, and the warhorse suddenly raised its front hooves and stomped towards the butler fiercely! The butler rolled to the side in panic, barely avoiding the step!
Chen Ji said coldly: "Get lost."

He brushed past the crowd and jumped off his horse in front of Zhang's mansion.

Chen Ji handed the reins to the servant at the door and said, "Please inform me that Chen Ji is here to visit."

But at the Chen Mansion, Chen Liqin, his wife, the housekeeper, and the servant were all watching quietly. They were confused for a moment. Wasn't this the third young master of the Chen Mansion? Why did he go to the Zhang Mansion? Why was he so murderous?

He doesn't look like an apprentice in a clinic at all, he clearly looks like a killer among the border troops!
The woman asked in a gentle voice: "Master, why did Chen Ji pass by the house without entering? Did I do something wrong and offend him again..."

Chen Liqin said in a serious tone: "It has nothing to do with you, don't think too much about it."

The woman frowned in confusion, "But why did he go to the Zhang residence? I seem to have heard before that he had some friendship with the Second Miss Zhang. But now that he is a man, would it be against etiquette and tarnish the Second Miss Zhang's reputation?"

At this moment, Zhang Zhuo's voice came from inside Zhang's house: "Hey, why are you here? I said I would go to the clinic to look for you after I changed my official robes."

As he was speaking, Zhang Zhuo ran out wearing only a pair of white socks.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Zheng, the eldest son of the Zhang family, also ran out like a gust of wind.

Zhang Zheng pulled Chen Ji's arm and walked inside: "Good brother, I just told Axia that I want to go look for you together. It's cold outside, come in and warm up."

But Zhang Zhuo glanced at Chen Ji, then turned to Zhang Zheng and said, "Chen Ji must have something important to do here, you go back first."

Zhang Zheng was stunned for a moment, then turned around and left, taking the doorman away with him to prevent others from hearing the conversation between his father and Chen Ji.

When the crowd at the door calmed down, Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji and asked, "Are you here for Prince Jing?"

"No, I'm here for the prince and the princess. Lord Zhang, I saved you once and Zhang Xia twice. Now I need you and Zhang Xia to do something for me tomorrow, is that okay?"

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard and said, "Whatever it is, my Zhang family will take it."

……

……

After an incense stick of time, Chen Ji once again braved the wind and snow and rode towards the East Market.

It was not until evening that he stopped in front of a large house on Tongji Street.

This is a wealthy family. They were planning to hold a party tonight to celebrate the old lady's 70th birthday, but it suddenly started snowing in Los Angeles.

When Chen Ji arrived at the door, the butler was smiling and welcoming him: "Sir, do you have an invitation from my family?"

Chen Ji walked in without turning his head: "I'm here to look for the force baton for your party. I'm his friend."

When the housekeeper heard that he was looking for a power stick, his face suddenly turned cold. He stretched out his hand to block Chen Ji's way and said, "You came to the master's house looking for a power stick? Get lost. Tonight is the old lady's 70th birthday. I don't have time to deal with you."

Chen Ji glanced at him and took out the Secret Service Department badge from his sleeve: "Three days later, go to the Secret Service Department Yamen in Huanjing Hutong to receive ten sticks. If you don't come to find me, I will go to find you."

The housekeeper's face suddenly turned pale.

Chen Ji exhaled a breath of white air in the heavy snow, and said with emotion: "Power is really useful... Forget it, I'm just kidding you, take me to the stage for the party."

The butler led the way humbly, saying, "Be careful not to slip on the snow."

When they arrived outside the stage, Chen Ji waved his hand to drive the butler away.

He watched from the sidelines as She Dengke and a group of strongmen carried wood and built the stage bit by bit, until She Dengke saw him and ran over in surprise: "Chen Ji, why are you here? Tonight is the birthday party for the old lady of the Tang family. You can hide backstage with me for a while, and I will take you to have a good meal later!"

Chen Ji stood in the snow and was silent for a moment before he said, "Brother She, you like Chunhua, right?"

She Dengke hesitated and said, "Yes, I like it."

Chen Ji asked: "Why do you like her?"

She Dengke recalled, "I made a lot of foolish mistakes when I first entered the palace. The other maids laughed at me, but she was the only one who carefully reminded me. Later, she secretly taught me the rules and brought me snacks from the palace. During the day off, I took her to my house to join in the party, and she didn't despise me. Chen Ji, she is actually a good person."

Chen Ji looked at the stage in the distance and said, "You and her framed me before. Do you remember? She compensated me with money, both in small and large amounts, thirty taels of silver and thirty-six copper coins."

She Dengke became depressed: "Remember, I'm sorry."

Chen Ji turned his head and looked directly at She Dengke, and said calmly: "At that time I said you owed me a life, and I said when to pay it back, and that's when you have to pay it back."

"I remember."

"Now, this life should be repaid."

She Dengke struggled for a long time and said, "Okay."

Chen Ji smiled and patted the snow on She Dengke's shoulder: "Brother She, I won't take your life in vain. Chunhua is in the inner prison right now. Helping me is the same as helping her. If you can survive this time, I will send you away."

She Dengke's heart tightened: "What if I can't survive?"

"That's fate."

(End of this chapter)