Aoyama

Chapter 246 The Third Son of the Chen Family
In the Longmen Inn, the guests were whispering to each other, discussing whether to buy news; the waiters were carrying trays and moving between the eight-immortal tables, like little bees in a bush of flowers.

Chen Ji sold seven pieces of news in a row and made a net profit of 3,500 taels of silver, which was far beyond his expectations. He originally planned to sell one piece of news for 200 taels, and it would be great if he could make more than 1,000 taels of silver.

But the "Third Master" who suddenly appeared out of nowhere raised the price, making him earn a fortune.

The guests who bought the news frowned and hurried out with their men.

The man named Zhang, who was previously called by the madam, stood outside the door. The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. "Although this news is important, five hundred taels of silver is too expensive, right? What was the last piece of news that sold for such a high price?"

The attendant beside him replied, "Sir, the last time was eight years ago. The owner of the Longmen Inn sold information on behalf of their boss and offered six hundred taels."

The man named Zhang asked, "What is the news you are selling?"

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

The man surnamed Zhang asked in confusion, "Why do I feel like Third Master is a shill? Let me ask you, when have you ever seen Third Master so startled? Normally he wouldn't say a word when a knife was placed in front of him, but today he stood up and left in a hurry after hearing the news? That's too much."

The attendant hesitated for a long time: "Master, who can ask the Third Master to be your helper? Can you ask him to be your helper?"

Zhang thought for a moment and said, "He might slap me in the face."

The attendant spread his hands and said, "That's it."

The man named Zhang rubbed his face and said, "Let's go and make some preparations before Jingchao besieges the city."

After saying that, several people tightened their collars, walked away in a hurry with their heads down, against the wind.

Inside the inn, the people at Chen Ji's table finally dispersed. Zhang Xia took the opportunity to remind them, "The Yulin Army has left."

Zhang Zheng raised his eyebrows: "The Yulin Army is here too?"

Zhang Xia nodded: "Yes, they hid in the corner wearing bamboo hats, and secretly sent a stranger to buy information, but Li Xuan and Qi Zhuozhuo's figures are easy to recognize. I can recognize them without seeing their faces."

Zhang Zheng looked at Chen Ji worriedly: "What if they tell the prince about our selling of information? The most taboo for the superiors is that someone around them leaks secrets. You are selling information related to him for money, he must be resentful... Don't you want to get close to him?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Xiao Man behind him suddenly said, "Sir, let's kill them. They just left a short distance. We can still make it in time."

Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia slowly turned their heads and stared at Xiaoman, not saying a word for a long time.

Chen Ji smiled and comforted him, "It's okay. The prince is in an awkward situation now: the Jing Dynasty's army is coming, and it's inappropriate to investigate the murder of an innocent person and the false credit. If the border troops defend Guyuan, he can't investigate the meritorious officials. If he wants to investigate, it will take some time, otherwise he will lose the support of the people."

Zhang Xia continued, "But he can't return to the capital empty-handed. He can't investigate the case of killing Liang and claiming credit. He must make other great achievements, otherwise he won't be able to explain to His Majesty."

Chen Ji nodded: "If I can help him gain merit, selling some information is nothing."

As she was talking, the madam of Hongxiuzhao came back with a fragrant breeze and asked with a smile, "Young man, can I borrow a bowl of wine?"

Before Chen Ji could say anything, Xiao Man had already hugged the jar tightly in his arms: "We spent 300 coins to buy it, we won't give it to you."

The madam rolled her eyes and said, "Even an old hen doesn't protect her eggs as well as you do. Can't I just ask your young master a few questions?"

Xiaoman glared at her: "Just ask nicely, why are you winking at me? Sit up straight!"

The madam ignored her and turned to Chen Ji and asked, "Young man, I can't spend these five hundred taels without knowing why. I have to ask you first. Is your information true?"

Chen Ji nodded: "Absolutely true."

The madam wanted to move closer to ask more questions, but she looked up at Xiaoman behind Chen Ji and stopped, "As far as I know, there were only border troops and the prince's troops on Shache Street last night. The entire street was blocked. How did you know what happened inside? Were you in Shache Street at the time?"

Chen Ji responded calmly: "According to the rules of the inn, the news of the opening of the altar must be witnessed in person, so you don't have to worry."

The madam asked again, "How did the prince know that there were spies from the Jing Dynasty in Shache Street? I heard that someone took the lead in finding Qingjiaotou yesterday to buy a piece of information that happened to be related to what happened in Shache Street yesterday. Could that person be you, young master? Are you the prince's man?"

Zhang Xia suddenly spoke up and asked sternly, "Why are you asking these questions? Are you looking for the person who tipped off the Crown Prince yesterday to avenge the Jing Dynasty spy?"

The madam's face changed: "I was just asking casually. After all, I have to ensure that the information is reliable. I have nothing to do with Jing Chao."

Chen Ji looked at the madam in front of him and said, "Ordinary people wouldn't ask these questions."

The madam stared at him for a long time, smiled, stood up and walked out: "It's my fault for talking too much."

She walked to the door and lifted the cotton curtain. At that moment, a loud bell rang suddenly from outside the door. The bell rang quickly, one after another, coming from Guyuan City, and it rang twelve times in total!

Inside the Longmen Inn, everyone's faces changed: "Oh no, the border army's long bell is ringing, Jing Chao is coming!"

As the bell rang, dark clouds suddenly descended upon the sky, the sky darkened, and the sun and moon lost their radiance.

It was as if the Tiance Army of Jing Dynasty was coming from the sky, making people feel suffocated.

Jing Chao is really here!
The madam was still in the position of lifting the door curtain, as if she was frozen in place by the sound of the bell. The next moment, she quickened her pace and left. The guests in the inn also stood up and rushed out of the inn in a hurry.

"Hurry up and stock up on food!"

"Hurry up and sell the goods in your hands!"

In the blink of an eye, the bustling inn became deserted, with only dishes on the table and melon seed shells on the floor, a mess.

There were only six people left in the store: the shopkeeper, Xiao Wu, Chen Ji, Zhang Zheng, Zhang Xia and Xiao Man, as if the noise just now was all an illusion.

Xiao Wu was sweeping the house with a broom and dustpan. He asked Chen Ji, "Sir, I'm afraid we'll have to close early today. Would you like to have some staple food? If so, I'll ask the kitchen to make you a bowl of臊子面."

Chen Ji suddenly asked, "I want to ask you something. Is the Third Master famous in Guyuan?"

Xiao Wu was slightly startled, and subconsciously turned back to look at the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper stood behind the counter, holding a brush and recording today's accounts without even raising his eyelids.

Xiao Wu looked at Chen Ji and smiled shyly, "Sir, the information about our Longmen Inn is not given away for free."

Zhang Xia took out a ten-liang silver ingot and pushed it to the edge of the table: "Tell me about it."

Xiao Wu shook his head: "For information related to the Third Master, you will get fifty taels." Zhang Xia thought for a moment, then took out four silver ingots and placed them on the table.

Xiao Wu smiled and put the silver ingot into his arms: "Sir, you are so open-minded. No wonder you can do big business and make a fortune!"

Zhang Zheng said while eating melon seeds: "Stop wasting time and just speak."

Xiao Wu leaned on the broom and recalled: "The Third Master was originally a big shot in the border army, serving as a military officer beside General Wen Tao... Everyone, do you know what a military officer is?"

Zhang Xia said calmly, "Among the border troops, the general is the boss, the deputy general is the second, and the military officer is the third. The third master was once the third person in the border troops? I remember that the last military officer was named Hu Junyuan, who was the cousin of the current general Hu Junxian. Is he him?"

Xiao Wu opened his mouth wide: "Who are you, girl? You are not from Guyuan, right? How can you even know this?"

"My sister is amazing," Zhang Zheng said with a cheerful smile, "Go on."

Xiao Wu continued, "In the early years when he was in the border army, he set the rules of Guyuan. He had the final say on what could be done and what could not be done. The young people in Guyuan City all dreamed of becoming a figure like him one day. At first, everyone called him Brother Hu San, and then slowly it became Master Hu San. However, he suddenly left the Guyuan Border Army eight years ago and no one knew where he went. Some said he followed a big shot, and some said he was planning to avenge General Wen Tao. After he left, Guyuan gradually became a little unruly."

Zhang Xia suddenly asked, "What is the relationship between him and your shopkeeper?"

Xiao Wu played dumb: "It doesn't matter."

Zhang Xia took the silver ingot on the table and said, "You are not telling the truth. We will not buy this news from you."

Xiao Wu looked at the silver and got anxious: "The Third Master and our shopkeeper used to be..."

"cough!"

Xiao Wu turned around and saw the shopkeeper looking at him coldly from behind the counter: "Do you think your life is too long? Get out of the way!"

Xiaowu shrank his neck, then limped away with the broom in his hand.

Chen Ji laughed and clasped his fists towards the shopkeeper, saying, "I didn't mean to pry into your private affairs. I apologize for any offense."

The shopkeeper smiled wryly: "No problem, no problem."

Chen Ji got up and went upstairs, but he couldn't help but feel doubtful. Judging from the resume of this Mr. Hu Sanye, he should have nothing to do with him.

Weird.

……

……

After Chen Ji and others went upstairs, the shopkeeper was checking the accounts with his head down when he saw someone lifting the cotton curtain and coming in.

He looked up and saw that it was the madam Hongxiuzhao who had returned.

The shopkeeper asked casually, "Why are you here? I advise you not to cause trouble in my inn, otherwise Guyuan will not tolerate you."

The madam covered her mouth with a silk scarf and laughed sweetly, "Second Master, don't say that. What trouble can I cause? I have an appointment with that young man to chat in his room tonight, but he didn't say which room he would stay in. I wonder if the shopkeeper could tell me?"

The shopkeeper said with a playful expression: "Room No. 1, Tianzi."

The madam thought for a moment, then turned and walked upstairs.

"Hong Jie'er," the shopkeeper called to her from behind the counter, "You have to understand that if you commit a crime in my Longmen Inn, you must pay with your life."

The madam was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "I know."

After the madam went upstairs, Xiao Wu came over and asked, "Boss, you said before that all the people in Hong Xiu Zhao were spies of the Jing Dynasty. Are you letting her go up like this? I'm afraid she's going to kill someone."

The shopkeeper sneered: "She killed someone, and I took the money. Isn't that unreasonable?"

Xiao Wu advised: "But if she kills someone in the inn, I'm afraid it will tarnish the reputation of our inn."

The shopkeeper said calmly, "Afterwards, we will skin her alive and hang her on the memorial archway. Xiaowu, we are a shady shop to begin with, don't pretend to be kind."

"Oh..." Xiaowu continued to sweep the floor angrily.

At this time, the door curtain was lifted again.

The visitor took off his bamboo hat and raincoat, brushed off the dust on his body and said, "Boss, I'm back."

The shopkeeper frowned and looked at Xiaoliu in front of him: "I asked you to find out his identity, and you spent a whole day and night to find out? Don't tell me he went to fool around with some woman!"

Xiao Liu complained bitterly: "How can that be possible? Shopkeeper, you don't know that the border troops are preparing for war at this time, and it is difficult to find anyone. I waited for a whole day under the city gate before I saw my childhood friend."

"I'd be foolish to believe you," the shopkeeper sneered, "someone said they saw you in Qingchunfang last night."

Xiao Liu said angrily: "Who the hell is so talkative!"

The shopkeeper also said angrily: "Hurry up and tell me, I asked you to find out the identity of that boy, have you found it out clearly?"

Xiao Liu hurriedly came closer and said with a smile, "I have found out clearly, that young man came to Guyuan with the newly appointed Junior Scholar of the Scholars' House, Chen Liqin. He is Chen Liqin's third son, named Chen Ji."

The shopkeeper was stunned: "Say it again?!"

Xiao Liu wondered, "The third son of Chen Liqin of the Chen family is named Chen Ji... Did I say something wrong?"

The shopkeeper looked out the window and murmured, "No wonder the third brother is back..."

Xiao Liu hung his bamboo hat and raincoat on the wall and asked with a smile, "Shopkeeper, I just saw Hong Xiuying calling the madam to come in from afar. Where is she?"

The shopkeeper came to his senses and exclaimed, "Not good!"

After saying that, he jumped over the counter like a tycoon and flew towards the stairs.

(End of this chapter)