Aoyama

Chapter 310 Concubine
The Yulin soldiers in the cell had disheveled hair and were covered in dust and dirt. Even their armor had been stripped off by the jailers, leaving only their sleeveless vests.

He looked up at Chen Ji, not sure if he had heard correctly, and did not dare to speak rashly for a moment.

The golden pig rolled his eyes, put his hands behind his back, and glanced at Chen Ji: "Chen family kid, you want to be a hero? Do you know where this is? This is my inner court prison! Saving you is not easy, and the agreement did not say to save these people, don't make it difficult for me."

Chen Ji bowed and said, "Please show mercy, Master Jinzhu. I will definitely reward you handsomely."

The Golden Pig looked around the prison cells, pointed at the poor soldiers inside and sneered, "In my Secret Service Prison, if they have the ability, they would have gotten out long ago, and there is no need for you to save them; those who can't get out are not very capable, so what's the point of you saving them?"

After that, he looked at the Yulin Army in the cell in front of him and asked: "What's your name and what do you do?"

The Yulin Army stood up nervously and said, "I am Lin Yanchu. My father is a tenant farmer in Fengtai County. My ancestors once served in the Wansui Army and served as a sergeant."

The Golden Pig sneered, "Son of a tenant farmer, no wonder you can't get out."

He looked at another cell and asked, "What's your name? What do you do?"

The jailer had all ten of his fingernails peeled off. He whispered, "I am Li Guang. My father is a dyer at Wangji Silk Shop in Dongcheng. My ancestors once served in the Fifth Army Camp and were centurions."

The Golden Pig said disdainfully, "A poor man."

Li Guang lowered his head.

Jin Zhu glanced at Chen Ji and asked, "Do you still want to save him?"

Chen Ji bowed again and said, "Your Excellency also knows that they are wronged. It is an honor for the poor children to join the Yulin Army. I hope that Your Excellency Jinzhu will show mercy and give them a chance to live, considering that their ancestors once served the court."

"Who hasn't served the court?" Jin Zhu sneered twice: "But since you asked, I will put this account on your head, and you will pay it for them."

Chen Ji agreed: "Okay."

The Yulin soldiers in the cell woke up as if from a dream. They came to the iron bars and said excitedly, "Thank you, Master Jinzhu!"

The Golden Pig waved his hand impatiently: "Why thank me? What's the point of me needing the gratitude of you poor people?"

The Yulin soldiers changed their tone: "Thank you, Lord Chen!"

Jin Zhu called the jailer and said with disgust: "Return the armor to them. Remember to send them out of Taiye Lake and don't let them wander around in Taiye Lake."

Chen Ji watched as the Yulin soldiers picked up their armor and left in a hurry, fearing that Jin Zhu would go back on his word.

Seeing that everyone had left, Jin Zhu smiled and patted Chen Ji on the shoulder: "I was worried that you were too straightforward and unwilling to cooperate with me in pretending to act and win people's hearts. That's good, you have made progress."

Chen Ji stood in the long, dark corridor, looked into the darkness and whispered, "The road I have to go is too long. I'm afraid I can't go far alone."

Jin Zhu also suddenly sighed: "Who said it wasn't true... Come here, bring the files of the twenty-four Yulin soldiers just now."

The spy went to the Pipa Hall to get an account book. He took it and flipped through the pages, smiling and saying, "Take it. There are many ungrateful people in this world nowadays. You can't just show kindness without using power. Only by combining kindness and power can you keep them firmly in your hands. Anyone who dares to pretend to obey you but actually disobeys you will be killed by the things in this book."

Chen Ji looked down at the account book in Jin Zhu's hand and remained silent.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Jin Zhu asked casually, "Why, do you think this is too despicable?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "No, but once I take out these things, others will know that I am secretly colluding with the Imperial Household Department, which will be counterproductive."

The Golden Pig sighed softly: "It's up to you..."

He pulled out an exquisite sandalwood box from his sleeve, pondered over it again and again, felt pain in his heart again and again, and finally put it into Chen Ji's hand mysteriously: "You must practice well! In this capital, sometimes even the Seeking Dao Realm can't exert any strength. No matter how powerful the Great Governor is, he can't withstand a volley of fire from the Divine Machine Camp. The crossbow machine and crossbow bed can also shoot the Governor to pieces."

Jin Zhu changed the subject: "But with your talent, if you can really reach the divine realm one day, even if you go to His Majesty and the Minister of Internal Affairs to ask for the princess, what can they do? At that time, the whole world will give you 90% face."

Chen Ji was curious: "Why is it nine points? What about the other one point?"

The Golden Pig smiled and said, "We have to give them some shame."

Chen Ji lowered his head and opened the sandalwood box, only to see a small sun-green ring lying inside.

Jin Zhu quickly closed the box and said, "Don't look at it here. I copied this from the doctor of the Ministry of Works a few days ago. I managed to avoid the search of the Jiefan Guards. Damn it, Lin Chaoqing is the most difficult guy among the Jiefan Guards. Why did Wu Xiu transfer him back to the capital?"

Chen Ji held the box in his hand. He had only heard that Yang Green Jade seemed to help with cultivation, but he had never used it himself: "Sir, why don't you give this jade to Tianma?"

The Golden Pig grumbled, "He has reached a bottleneck now. If he can understand it, he can cross the chasm. If he can't understand it, the jade will be useless."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "What is the difference between Yang Green Jade and Ginseng?"

The Golden Pig smiled and said, "A small Yang Green Jadeite ring can be used as the equivalent of twenty old ginsengs, but the price is the same as a hundred old ginsengs. Do you know why?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "I don't know."

The Golden Pig said with a smile, "If an official wants to absorb the old ginseng, he must first slice it and boil it for more than ten days to make water to drink. This is too slow. The Yang Green Jade is not restricted by this and can be transformed into a state in an instant. It is precisely because of this that officials from aristocratic families can cultivate faster than others. If Li Xuan of the Yulin Army had not been funded by the Qi Family Jade, how could he have entered the Dao Seeking Realm at the age of thirty?"

"I see," Chen Ji put the sandalwood box into his arms, but he didn't plan to use it himself. It would be more valuable to exchange it for ginseng.

Jin Zhu reminded: "After you go out, you must be careful of the second branch of the Chen family."

Chen Ji looked up: "How is Chen Wenren?"

Jin Zhu rolled up the account book and stuffed it into his wide robe sleeves: "Chen Lizhi, the second branch of the Chen family, went to see Wu Xiu, and Wu Xiu came forward to protect Chen Wenren."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "How can we protect him if he is proven guilty of dereliction of duty?"

Jin Zhu chuckled, "The Chen family handed over a Taihang Mountain bandit who had been wanted by the imperial court for a long time to confess and behead him. They explained that Chen Wenren accidentally discovered the trace of the Taihang Mountain bandit that afternoon, and wasted time trying to catch him. Now Chen Wenren is not only innocent, but has become a hero in suppressing bandits. Boy, this is an aristocratic family. To fight them, you must have a plan to kill them with one blow, otherwise they will always revive."

Chen Ji nodded: "I see, it seems that Chen Wenren will be reinstated."

Jin Zhu lowered his voice and said, "Li Xuan killed Zhao Zhuofan, a relative of the second branch. Since they can't do anything to Li Xuan, they naturally want to take it out on you. Chen Lizhi, the head of the second branch, is a vicious and cruel man, and his two sons Chen Wende and Chen Wenren are not easy to deal with. Now the first branch of the Chen family has no heirs, and the second branch may take over the Chen family one day. When that happens, your life will be difficult."

The current head of the Chen family, Chen Luchi, is from the eldest branch of the family. He has only one son, Chen Lizun, but Chen Lizun has no children.

Chen Luming was from the second branch of the family. He once served as the Minister of Revenue but was assassinated by Lu Jin of the Jing Dynasty. His son Chen Lizhi took over the family business. He had two legitimate sons, one legitimate daughter, and a illegitimate son, Chen Yu.

Chen Lumin was from the third branch of the family. He died of illness in his early years, leaving behind the Chen Liqin branch.

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "Thank you for your reminder, sir. I will be careful."

Jin Zhu waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. There are people waiting for you outside the Taiye Lake. They have been waiting outside for a long time."

……

……

It was evening when Chen Ji was released from prison.

The setting sun, wrapped in warm breeze, blew on his face. He subconsciously raised his hand to block the soft light coming from afar, and his eyes felt sore.

Chen Ji rubbed his cheek, crossed the White Jade Bridge and headed south.

Outside the Taiye Lake, Xiaoman and Zhang Zheng were seen squatting together, whispering about something.

Zhang Xia stood in the shadow of the red wall and gray tiles, resting with her eyes closed. What was strange was that she had changed her fiery red dress and put on a white arrow-shaped coat embroidered with lotus flowers, with the cuffs tied tightly with white cloth strips. She wore loose white breeches, which were tightened below the knees.

Less rouge-like and more heroic.

Zhang Xia did not chat with anyone. His mouth moved slightly, as if he was muttering something.

Hearing the footsteps, Xiaoman quickly raised his head and said in surprise: "Master, you finally came out!"

Zhang Zheng rushed forward, pulled Chen Ji up and looked him up and down: "Are you injured? They didn't torture you, did they? Aren't you from the Secret Service? Why did they keep you locked up until the end?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Something delayed me... How will the court deal with the Korean envoys?"

Xiaoman whispered, "Young Master, why are you still thinking about the Korean envoys? They made you stay in a hellhole like the Imperial Prison for a whole day and night... You have to ask Second Sister about the affairs of the court."

Chen Ji looked at Zhang Xia, but saw that she was still mumbling something. Zhang Zheng laughed and said, "Ever since you gave her the way to practice, she has been practicing day and night, and she doesn't want to say a word. Earlier, she could recite twice in one stick of incense, but now she is so proficient that she can recite four times in one stick of incense."

Chen Ji thought to himself that he could only recite once during one stick of incense, and he would make mistakes in three out of ten recitations. If he made a mistake in one word, all his efforts would be wasted.

He calculated Zhang Xia's cultivation speed: "If Second Sister recites silently at this speed for four hours a day, she will be able to recite 10,000 times in more than 70 days... I wonder if 10,000 times is the threshold for innateness?"

Zhang Zheng laughed and said, "She recites for more than four hours every day. Apart from eating and sleeping, she probably recites for eight hours at least, and she doesn't find it annoying."

At this time, Xiaoman saw that Zhang Xia had not finished reading, and shouted: "Young Master, don't worry about my second sister for now, come quickly, jump over the fire basin."

Chen Ji turned around and saw a copper basin not far away, which was filled with straw.

Xiaoman took out a fire stick and squatted beside the copper basin to blow the straw. When the fire was at its strongest, Chen Ji was pulled over the brazier by Zhang Zheng.

In the setting sun, Xiaoman clapped her hands and laughed, "May the City God bless me and drive away evil spirits and misfortunes, and may bad luck go away!"

Chen Ji laughed: "Why did you bring a brazier?"

Xiaoman's eyes widened. "Sir, what are you talking about? Only the lowest class of people have no one to pick them up when they are released from prison. But you have a family and brothers and sisters, so of course there should be a brazier to pick you up."

Chen Ji was stunned.

Zhang Zheng pulled him to Qipan Street: "Come on, come on, after crossing the fire basin, we need to welcome the guests. Let's go to Li Ji on Qipan Street and have a bowl of hot pork trotter noodles. This is called 'washing feet and going ashore'."

Xiaoman glared at him and said, "Do you know how to speak? My son was wrongly accused. Why should he wash his feet or go ashore? He should eat pearl cabbage and tofu soup, which is innocent!"

Zhang Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Then let's go to Bian Yi Fang!"

At this time, a sudden voice sounded nearby: "Jiaotu led people to search Huitong Hall, and found an ink ingot made of strychnine in the bag of the Goryeo prince. There are both witnesses and evidence. Now the court has ordered the Goryeo delegation not to leave Huitong Hall. The elders are discussing how to deal with them. They dared to plot against the Celestial Empire with their own death, and they must be severely punished... But the issue of reinforcements to Goryeo seems to be on the agenda. After all, our dynasty needs Goryeo to contain the Jing Dynasty, and we can't really sit back and watch them lose their country."

Chen Ji, Xiao Man, and Zhang Zheng turned around and saw that Zhang Xia had already finished reading and answered Chen Ji's original question.

Zhang Zheng laughed: "Don't worry about the Korean envoys at this time. They deserve it. Let's go to Bian Yi Fang to eat pearl cabbage and tofu soup."

Zhang Xia suddenly said, "Let's not go to Bian Yi Fang, let's go to Chen's to eat."

Zhang Zheng was puzzled: "Why go to Chen's house?"

Zhang Xia said firmly: "Let's go to Chen's house."

……

……

Under the cover of night, the four men crossed Fuyou Street and knocked on the side door of the Chen residence, but they waited for a long time and no one responded.

Zhang Xia raised his hand and pointed at the crack in the door. An invisible sword energy passed through and actually cut off the bolt from the crack.

Xiaoman widened her eyes and asked, "Second sister, how many days have you been practicing?"

Zhang Xia casually explained: "The sword energy is recovering a little slowly now, and can only be used once a day. Maybe it will be better when you reach the Xiantian realm."

She pushed open the door, only to see a servant sitting on a chair beside the door, looking at Chen Ji and the others at a loss: "How...how could you force your way in?"

Zhang Xia walked straight into the Qinzheng Garden and said murderously, "The Chen family returned to their house, but the servants were guarding the door but refused to open it. Xiaoman, slap him."

Xiaoman sighed.

She strode forward, grabbed the boy's collar with her left hand, and slapped him left and right with her right hand, making him dizzy.

Zhang Xia walked along the gravel road and asked without turning his head: "Xiao Man, which yard do you live in?"

Xiaoman let go of the servant and skipped to lead the way for Zhang Xia.

Chen Ji and Zhang Zheng looked at Zhang Xia's murderous look and looked at each other... How could this person be here to eat?

Arriving at Ginkgo Garden where Chen Ji lived, Zhang Xia sat on a stone chair facing the gate.

Chen Ji was puzzled: "You are..."

Zhang Xia said calmly: "Wait for someone."

Half an incense stick later, I heard noisy footsteps outside the door.

With a bang, someone kicked the gate open and shouted angrily, "Get out now..."

The one who kicked the door was a maid in gray cloth. She looked up and saw Zhang Xia in the yard. She suddenly stopped talking and asked, "Who are you?"

Zhang Xia sat on a stone chair and said coldly, "Who are you? As a servant of the Chen family, how dare you kick the master's door?"

The nanny subconsciously looked behind her and saw a calm and composed woman behind her.

The woman was wearing an apricot-yellow silk shirt with a front opening, and a hood woven of gold and silver threads covering her wig, with a emerald green jade hairpin inserted in the wig.

She walked slowly into the courtyard. Two servants carried an embroidered cushion and placed it in the courtyard. She then sat down leisurely and said, "Second Miss Zhang, I met you at the birthday party of Lord Xu. I wonder if you have a visiting card for your visit to my Chen Mansion today?"

Chen Ji bowed and said, "I invited them here, no visiting card is needed."

The woman smiled and said with a haughty look, "When did the bastard of the Chen family become qualified to invite outsiders to our home? Why don't I remember this rule?"

Zhang Xia said slowly, "Madam, in the 21st year of Xuande, Qi Yan, the chief minister of the cabinet, was born out of wedlock. His Majesty the Emperor Xuande praised him for his diligence in government affairs, saying, 'Laws are nothing but human feelings. If the legitimate son is unworthy, but the illegitimate son is virtuous, the family business should be handed over to the illegitimate son to preserve the family line.'"

The 'Second Madam' Wang also quoted from the classics: "Emperor Shenzong of Ning wanted to make the illegitimate son of his favorite concubine, Consort Zheng, the crown prince, but was advised by the Prime Minister Qi Yan that 'the family rules of our ancestors stipulate that the eldest son should be the heir. The eldest son of the emperor should be the heir, and although the concubine is virtuous, the order should not be disturbed.' This was said by Qi Yan himself, so I think he also knew the difference between legitimate and illegitimate sons."

Zhang Zheng and Xiaoman looked stern and tough.

Zhang Xia's expression remained unchanged: "Our Daning Law states that the family property and lands shall be divided equally among legitimate and illegitimate sons and daughters, regardless of whether they are born to wives, concubines or maids."

Wang laughed again and said, "The Household Law of the Daning Law also says, 'If a concubine's son steals a title, he shall be beaten with eighty sticks and have his title taken away. If the wife is over fifty and has no children, then the concubine's eldest son can be made the heir."

One said he inherited the family property, and the other said he inherited the title.

Both of them are experts who are familiar with the rules, and neither of them can gain the upper hand in their debate. If they continue to debate, I am afraid there will be no conclusion by tomorrow morning.

Wang said gently, "Second Miss Zhang, why do you have to wade into this muddy water?"

Zhang Xia said calmly, "Second Madam, the late emperor was born out of wedlock to a prince."

Wang's face changed.

She took up her handkerchief and wiped the corner of her mouth. "I've heard that Miss Zhang is very smart. Today I see that she is indeed extraordinary. But, please judge for me. My son Chen Wenren wasted time to catch the bandits, but he was whipped 100 times without asking any questions. How can this be justified? Chen Ji, as a bastard of the Chen family, did not help his own brother, but helped an outsider of the Qi family. How can this be justified? The so-called brotherly love is natural. Isn't Chen Ji's behavior against human nature?"

Zhang Xia said seriously, "Chen Feng, the bandit from Taihang Mountain, once gathered 500 bandits and controlled the official roads, burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of evil. He was later surrounded and suppressed by the Wansui Army. He changed his name and quietly entered Beijing in the 27th year of Jianing, hiding in Nianzi Hutong. Second Madam, may I ask who gave him the 1,300 taels of silver to buy the mansion? In addition, who registered him after he entered Beijing?"

Wang subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand, but said nonchalantly, "How would I know that?"

Zhang Xia continued, "In the winter of the 29th year of Jianing, Chen Feng secretly met with a man named Wang outside the City God Temple. That night, he sneaked into the home of Mr. Zhou in Dongcheng and killed 14 members of the Zhou family. Madam, do you want to know who he was secretly meeting with?"

Wang's expression changed again, and she stood up and left: "Miss Zhang has the Xu family behind her, how amazing."

The servants and maids looked at each other in bewilderment. They came in with great momentum, but left in such a hasty manner.

Xiaoman was stunned and asked, "Just leaving like that?"

Zhang Xia explained: "She was in a hurry to send someone to kill and silence the witnesses."

Zhang Zheng watched them leave, then turned to look at Zhang Xia: "So you knew that the second branch of the Chen family would embarrass Chen Ji, so you had to come to the Chen family for dinner?"

"Xiaoman, cook. I'm hungry," Zhang Xia closed his eyes, then moved his lips and recited scriptures silently.

(End of this chapter)