Aoyama

Chapter 196 Chen Mansion
The heavy vermilion lacquered door of the Chen Mansion was slowly opened a crack from the inside.

A servant looked through the crack in the door and saw that it was an old trace, so he immediately closed the door again.

Chen Ji did not urge him, but just waited quietly in front of the door.

He heard the servant shouting behind the door: "Butler, butler! The Third Young Master is back, what should we do?"

There were footsteps inside the door, and the housekeeper frowned: "How many times have I told you that there are only two young masters in the Chen Mansion, where did the third young master come from?"

After a while, the red lacquered door opened a gap as wide as a person's width. The butler stood in the gap and looked Chen Ji up and down.

Finally, his eyes fell on the blue bag on Chen Ji's shoulder: "You... why are you back?"

Chen Ji asked calmly, "Prince Jing's Mansion is gone, and Taiping Medical Clinic is gone too, so we have no choice but to come back."

The housekeeper rolled his eyes and twitched his mustache: "Chen Ji, it was the master who asked you to be an apprentice in the clinic. Now that you want to come back, you should at least ask the master, right?"

Chen Ji stretched out his hand and pressed on the animal heads on the red door, then pushed it open with a slight push.

The housekeeper tried to block the door but was almost pushed down.

Chen Ji walked straight inside. The housekeeper staggered and stood up, trying to grab his arm: "How can you barge in? The master is not at home. You have to ask the master before you can return to the Chen Mansion!"

However, at this moment, a voice came from the front hall: "What are you doing so early in the morning? This is the residence of the Luocheng Tongzhi, not a street theater."

Chen Ji looked up and saw a middle-aged woman wearing a purple stand-up collar and a large lapel. She wore a pure gold crown on her head, a heart-shaped ornament inlaid with bright green jade was inserted in the middle of the crown, and a glass-type blue and white hairpin was inserted on the top of her bun. Even Concubine Jing rarely dressed so formally on weekdays.

Such a detailed and exquisite headdress has only been seen on Concubine Yun.

Chen Liqin’s first wife was Liang.

Chen Ji turned around and bowed: "Madam."

Liang stood on the steps of the main hall, looking at him with a smile: "You are finally back, but you have been away for two years. You used to call me mother, but now you just call me Madam. If this gets out, people will really think that we are mother and son, and they will also laugh at us for having no rules in the Chen Mansion."

In the Ning Dynasty, there was a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. A illegitimate son could only call his biological mother "aunt" or "little mother", but he had to call his legitimate mother "mother".

It was just that Chen Ji could not say these two words no matter what. He could tolerate other things, but not this one.

He bowed again and changed the subject: "Madam, now that Prince Jing's mansion and the clinic have been sealed, I plan to return home and study the classics with my brother, waiting for the next imperial examination."

Seeing that he refused to change his words, Liang did not get angry.

She raised her arm, and a maid immediately reached out to support it: "I heard from Wenxiao that you have reformed yourself now, which is of course good, but you have been learning medicine for two years. Wouldn't it be a pity if you gave up halfway? It just so happens that I heard that Master Qiao from the Imperial Hospital is about to accept a disciple, why not..."

As they were talking, a carriage slowly stopped outside the door, and the wooden wheels made a hard collision sound as they pressed on the bluestone road.

Chen Ji turned around and saw Chen Liqin, dressed in a red official robe, lifting the door curtain and being helped down by the coachman.

Officials of the Ning Dynasty had to go to the yamen at Mao time before dawn, and by Si time, it was time to finish their official business and go home for lunch.

As soon as Chen Liqin stepped into the door, he looked up and saw Chen Ji and the bag on his shoulders. His eyes lit up: "When did you come back? Where have you been these days when Los Angeles is in chaos? I was worried for a while."

Chen Ji smiled and bowed: "I'm at Taiping Medical Clinic, I haven't been anywhere else."

Chen Liqin was stunned for a moment: "Really? Then what are you doing now..."

Chen Ji explained: "Prince Jing's Mansion and Taiping Medical Clinic are going to be sealed, and I plan to return home to prepare for the next imperial examination."

"Okay, okay," Chen Liqin said yes three times, pulled Chen Ji's arm and walked inside: "You are right to think so. Studying medicine is a minor path after all. Being able to read the classics and guard a place in the future is what a real man should do. In a year, I will send a letter to Donglin Academy and talk to the dean about your admission."

Liang said gently, "Master, we can take a long time to think about this. Chen Ji has just returned home, so don't talk about his studies for now. He is watching the Liu family's mutiny coming and going at the edge of the palace. He must be eating and sleeping poorly. I will arrange a place for him to stay so that he can have a good rest."

Chen Liqin suddenly realized and quickly explained to the housekeeper: "I remember that when Liang's brother-in-law came a while ago, Mingquan Garden had just been cleaned up. Now that he is gone, it is just the right place for Chen Ji to live. Wang Gui, take Chen Ji to Mingquan Garden to settle down."

Liang scolded, "Master, you are confused. Mingquan Garden is a temporary residence for guests and is too far from the main house. We should arrange Chen Ji to live next to Wen Zong and Wen Xiao so that the three brothers can get close to each other. If he has any academic questions, Wen Zong and Wen Xiao can help him solve them."

Chen Liqin stroked his beard and said thoughtfully: "That makes sense."

Liang instructed the housekeeper, "Wang Gui, take Chen Ji to Tingquan Garden to settle him down."

Chen Liqin sighed: "Madam is really thoughtful. Our family is grateful to you."

Liang smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Master."

……

……

Chen Ji followed the butler, walked through the Chen Mansion's five-in-five-out mansion, passed through the hanging flower gate, walked past the screen wall, and hurriedly walked along the rain corridor with blue bricks, gray tiles and red pillars.

The Chen Mansion was so big that it didn't seem like the residence of a prefect. In his impression, the palaces of some small princes of the Ning Dynasty only had five entrances and five exits.

Each courtyard has an independent main house, east and west ear rooms, east and west wing rooms, and back houses. The entire Chen Mansion is like a maze.

When they arrived at the gate of Tingquan Garden, the housekeeper removed the copper padlock on the door with a smile on his face and pushed open the rotten door.

The small courtyard was filled with miscellaneous items, including tiles and blue bricks used to repair the house stacked in two rows, and more than ten barrels of tung oil used to preserve the wood of the house.

The housekeeper raised his lips slightly and turned back to observe Chen Ji's reaction: "Third Young Master, you will live here from now on."

Chen Ji didn't care. He walked across the yard and pushed open the door of the main house.

The room was filled with discarded tables, chairs and benches, and the bare bed board was piled high with documents from the Luocheng government.

He ran his hand across the table, picking up the thick dust.

The housekeeper said earnestly, "Third Young Master, if you are not satisfied with this residence, you can go and talk to the Madam. I cannot make the decision on this matter."

Chen Ji said casually: "It's nice here."

"Hmm?" The housekeeper was stunned for a moment: "What did you say?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "I think this place is nice and quiet, but a little dirty." The housekeeper hurriedly said, "There was a war in Luocheng a few days ago. The servants have been busy cleaning up the mess in the mansion these days, so I can't assign anyone to you."

Chen Ji looked at him deeply and said, "It's okay. I will clean it myself."

The butler was a little nervous, not knowing what Chen Ji was up to. He took a few steps outside doubtfully: "You said it yourself. If the master asks about it, don't blame me."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Don't worry, it's good to have a place to live. I can't thank you enough."

The butler became even more nervous, and lowered his head to wonder if Chen Ji had any other tricks up his sleeve waiting for him.

However, he thought of how cowardly and helpless Chen Ji once was, and he breathed a sigh of relief: What kind of trouble could a bastard who had been cowardly for more than ten years cause?
While he was thinking, a servant ran to the gate of Tingquan Garden and shouted, "Godfather, the master sent me to ask if the accommodation for the third young master has been arranged. If it has been arranged, take him to Wenyun Hall. The master said that he has something to ask him before lunch."

The butler answered loudly: "It's arranged, I'll be there right away!"

……

……

There is a plaque hanging in the Wenyun Hall of the Chen Mansion with three large gold-painted characters reading "Teacher's Honor".

The couplet on the left reads: "Although poverty is deep-rooted, there is still a way to live. It is better to study than to starve to death."

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Couplet on the right: "If you are not satisfied with your studies, you must hone your skills in various ways. A good literary talent will lead to a good fortune."

Chen Ji looked up, lifted his clothes and stepped over the high threshold.

In the hall, Chen Liqin and Liang sat on the armchairs, one on the left and one on the right, while Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao sat at the bottom.

When Chen Wenzong saw Chen Ji, he stood up in delight and said, "Third brother, you finally came back? No wonder father said something important happened at home and called us here in a hurry. I just asked him what it was, but he kept it a secret and refused to tell me."

Chen Wenxiao sat crookedly on the chair and pouted: "Earlier, you said you would never come back."

Chen Wenzong frowned and shouted to Chen Wenxiao: "Shut up!"

Chen Wenxiao shrank his neck and said nothing more.

"Ahem," Chen Liqin cleared his throat, "I called you here today to remind you three brothers to work together in the future and not to have any more estrangements. As the saying goes, brothers fight together to fight tigers, and fathers and sons fight together in battle. After I am gone for a hundred years, you three brothers will still be the ones helping each other in the court. No one else can be considered sincere."

Chen Wenzong bowed quickly and said, "Father is right. I will definitely keep it in mind."

Chen Ji smiled and responded: "I will definitely learn from my elder brother and take him as a role model."

Chen Liqin looked at Chen Wenxiao and asked in a deep voice, "What about you?"

Chen Wenxiao sat on the chair and said reluctantly: "Me too."

Chen Liqin said angrily: "Sit up straight. You don't know how to stand or sit properly. I think you are worse than Chen Ji now!"

Chen Wenxiao's face changed: "I am Yuzhou Yayuan, what is he? How can he compare with me!"

Chen Liqin said coldly: "Your Ya Yuan... let's not talk about it!"

At this time, Liang placed the teacup in her hand on the table and said, "By the way, Chen Ji, I heard rumors in the market that you, the prince, the princess and others have made cement, and you can get dividends from the newly established Construction Engineering Preparation Bureau every year. Is this true?"

Chen Ji remained calm: "Where did you hear that, Madam?"

Chen Wenxiao sneered: "Liu Quxing from your Taiping Clinic has told his family about this happy event. His father even specially prepared a banquet to entertain relatives and friends to show off. Why, you still don't want to admit it?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "There is no need to admit it or not. This is true. I can indeed receive 2,500 taels of silver from the Construction Engineering Bureau every year."

"How much?" Chen Wenxiao stood up quickly. "Liu Quxing can only get a few hundred taels, why can you get so much?"

Chen Ji kept silent.

Liang smiled gently, turned to Chen Liqin and said, "I suddenly thought of this today, and I am worried. Young people like to play, and Chen Ji had a gambling incident before. Now he has finally come to his senses. I am worried that he has too much money in his hands, and he will make a big mistake in a muddle."

Before Chen Liqin could speak, Liang continued, "Master, it is not easy for Chen Ji to turn back from his old ways. It is time for him to study hard. We must not let him fall into bad habits. This is what I think. Chen Ji will deposit this money in the Chen Mansion. I will not touch it. When Chen Ji needs money, he can come to report and withdraw it. When he passes the imperial examination, I will give him all the money."

Chen Liqin thought thoughtfully that young people with too much money were prone to bad habits. As a parent, the biggest worry was that their children would go astray. He was heartbroken when Chen Ji was addicted to gambling, and he would never let Chen Ji make the same mistake again.

But when he glanced at Chen Ji, he didn't know how to start.

His youngest son had just returned home. If he suddenly asked the other party to take out so much silver, he might leave in anger again.

But Chen Ji knew very well that his stepmother was not trying to take his money.

Although 2,500 taels was a lot, it was not too tempting for the Tongzhi of Luocheng. Moreover, Chen Liqin was not an ordinary Tongzhi. The Chen family was well-established, so how could they be short of money?

Liang said these words in order to anger him and leave him again.

In the strange and solemn atmosphere, Chen Wenxiao suddenly said, "Father, I think mother is right. If Chen Ji had not had such bad deeds in the past, it would be fine. But now that we have learned from the past, we must not leave the silver in his hands. This is also for his own good."

Chen Liqin thought about it again and again, then looked up at Chen Ji: "What do you think?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Madam, you have thought it through carefully. Nothing is wrong."

As soon as he finished speaking, a servant came running in, almost tripping over a crack in the bricks in the yard. "Master, this is bad!"

Chen Liqin's face darkened: "Why are you so flustered? The sky hasn't fallen yet!"

The servant stood outside the door, his face pale as he reported: "Master, there are eunuchs outside the door, claiming to be Jiaotu and Yunyang from the Secret Service!"

Chen Liqin stood up suddenly: "What? Who's here?"

"Jiaotu and Yunyang!"

Chen Liqin's body swayed.

He had always had a problem in his heart: the anti-traitor manifesto he had written to Mr. Feng was still missing. If the anti-traitor manifesto was obtained by the eunuch party, he would be guilty of the same crime as the Liu family!

(End of this chapter)