Aoyama

Chapter 340 Lucky
The Analects, only half-understood;
The golden mean, half understanding.

All of them are only half-understood.

Qi Zhenwu sat in the high seat and advised: "Brother Chen, don't be too modest. Today we are just joining together for fun. There is no need to compete with each other. Otherwise, we will allow you to borrow the neighboring rhymes, even if they are not neat. If you really lose, you will be fined three cups of wine, and you don't have to recite the Prosody Enlightenment."

It was Elder Qi who invited Chen Ji to come here today, and there was another reason for that. Qi Zhenwu really didn't want Chen Ji to lose face here, so he lowered his requirements.

But he never thought that Chen Ji couldn't even understand what Wuweiyun meant.

Even if he could write, Chen Ji couldn't write anymore. In fact, he could also write a famous poem that shocked the world and stunned everyone, and then say "My poems are as heavy as a thousand pounds, I can't play such childish games", as long as the one he recited was good enough, then he would be right.

But he once said publicly in Luocheng that Po Zhen Zi was written by Prince Jing, and he could not write poetry.

Chen Ji bowed to Qi Zhenwu and said, "Thank you for your concern, Master Qi. When I was an apprentice, I got up early in the morning to fetch water and sweep the floor, and cut and weighed medicine during the day. At night, my fellow apprentices snored loudly, and our master was stingy and sometimes even didn't want us to light the oil lamp... When I was in the clinic, I really didn't have the leisure to recite the scriptures."

Chen Ji showed no shame when he said this, and he didn't seem to think it was shameful to be an apprentice in a clinic, and he did not try to hide it.

The girl playing the pipa suddenly looked up, looked at him carefully again, then lowered her head again and played a song to break the formation.

Seeing that Chen Ji was determined, everyone didn't know what to say.

Qi Zhaoning said in boredom, "It's boring. I waited for an hour in vain. I might as well go to the Jiaofangsi and watch the Four Dreams of Bianliang again."

At this time, Shen Ye said in a gentle voice: "I heard that the young master of the Chen family gave up literature and took up military service. I think he has the ambition to expand the territory. Whether he takes up literature or military service, he is serving the court. There is no difference. Since he is unwilling to participate, we don't have to force him... Or we should stop writing poems."

As he spoke, Shen Ye smiled and looked at Chen Ji, nodding slightly and politely.

Lin Chaojing was not willing to give in. "Brother Shen, today is a literary gathering. Even you, the leader of the Huqiu Poetry Society, are here. How can we not write some poetry? Since Chen Ji doesn't want to write, how about I write one?"

He was seen holding his right sleeve with his left hand, picking up a pen and writing on the table: "The night snow blocked the mountain, the hunters were fat, the fire in the lonely village was out, and the dogs were silent. The morning report at the gate captured the chieftain, and the young man was tied up and returned with blood."

This time, the whole room was silent and no one dared to applaud.

Before Chen Ji could react, Qi Zhuozhuo flew into a rage and slammed the table, "What the hell do you mean, Qi Duo, give me my sword!"

Qi Zhenwu also said angrily: "Qi Zhenzhuo, what are you doing?"

Qi Zhuo put his two fingers together to form a sword and pointed at Lin Chaojing angrily: "Brother, this kid is mocking the border soldiers for killing innocent people and claiming credit!"

The poem "The Lonely Village Is Burnt Out and the Old Man Is Tied Up" describes how the border troops massacred the people in an isolated village and pretended to have made military achievements by using an old man with white hair. Every sentence directly points out that the border troops in Guyuan killed innocent people and pretended to have made military achievements.

Lin Chaojing put down his brush slowly and said, "Brother Qi, why are you so angry? Let me ask you, you followed the prince to Guyuan to investigate the murder of Liang and the case of false credit. Have you found out?"

Qi Chenzhuo's face turned pale and he remained silent.

Lin Chaojing asked again: "Let me ask you another question. Rumor has it that Chen Ji alone beheaded more than a hundred Tiance Army soldiers. Even a great official in the Xundao realm might not be able to do this. How did he do it? Doesn't this mean that he fabricated his military exploits?"

Qi Chenzhuo angrily asked, "What are you talking about?"

Lin Chaojing said calmly: "Then tell me how he killed him?"

Qi Chenzhuo's face froze. At that time, he was hiding on the roof and trembling. How could he know how Chen Ji killed so many Tiance soldiers?
In the eyes of everyone, his pause just confirmed Lin Chaojing's ridicule.

Qi Zhuozhu stopped arguing with him and turned to angrily scold him: "You are taking over the host's place. Didn't your eunuch brother teach you how to be a guest at someone else's house? Or are all eunuchs so unscrupulous and ignorant of the law?"

Lin Chaojing's expression changed: "Qi Chenzhuo, I have long since severed ties with Lin Chaoqing's eunuch party and have nothing to do with them anymore. Everyone in the literary world knows this!"

Qi Chenzhuo raised his eyebrows and said, "Your Lin family was originally just a family of clerks. If you really severed your ties with the eunuch party, how could you still live a luxurious life like today?"

Everyone looked at Lin Chaojing, and saw that he was wearing a white slanting collar with a large lapel. The edge of the collar was embroidered with a swastika pattern in gold thread, and he wore a gold-threaded amber three-beam crown on his head, looking extremely noble.

Lin Chaojing was usually quite generous, which was why he was able to gather many scholars around him.

Before everyone could think deeply, Qi Zhenwu, who was sitting in the main seat, slammed the table and stood up: "Qi Zhenzhuo, how many times have I warned you not to judge people by their family background! Quick, apologize to our dear brother from the Lin family!"

Qi Chenzhuo turned his face away: "He slandered me first."

Lin Chaojing smiled, turned around and bowed to Qi Zhenwu, saying, "Master Qi, don't mind that Qi Zhenzhuo and I were just joking."

Qi Zhenwu said slowly, "Okay, young people are full of energy, and it's common for them to quarrel over a disagreement. Which close friend has never quarreled? However, you are all new Jinshi after the imperial examination. With such a temper, how can you become the pillars of our Ning Dynasty in the future? Let's continue writing poems. Bring the poetry bell. If you haven't written a poem when the poetry bell rings, you will be fined... Brother Chen Ji, you don't have to participate."

Chen Ji turned around and asked Qi Chenzhuo in a low voice: "Where are the brothers from the Yulin Army?"

Qi Chenzhuo explained: "My brother-in-law is taking them to the East Courtyard for a drink. We will go over after we finish dealing with them here. Ha, it's really awkward to be with these literati!"

Chen Ji hummed, "Where is the salt merchant's son named Huang Que sitting?"

Qi Chenzhuo pointed: "It's on your right."

Chen Ji turned around and looked at the southern scholar next to him. He looked to be about 28 or 29 years old, with some gray hair on his temples. He didn't look at anyone else, but kept his eyes on Qi Zhaoyun, who was also looking at him.

Chen Ji interrupted the affectionate conversation between the two and asked politely, "Brother Huang Que?"

Huang Que came back to his senses and asked curiously, "Brother, how do you know my name?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "I have heard of Brother Huang Que's talent. By the way, I heard that Brother Huang Que's family is in the salt business. Can I ask you something?"

Huang Que looked a little unnatural: "Merchants are just opportunists, there is nothing to say."

Chen Ji said sternly: "Brother Huang Que, what you said is wrong. Merchants transport grain to places where grain is in short supply, and transport cloth to places where cloth is in short supply. This is for the benefit of the country and the people. How can it be said to be inferior?"

Huang Que was stunned.

At this time, the maid served wine and food. Chen Ji did not move his chopsticks. He handed the dish to Xiaoman behind him and continued to ask, "Brother Huang Que, how is the salt business?"

Huang Que sighed: "The world is difficult."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Brother Huang Que, you are joking. It is said that one third of the world's wealth is in the hands of salt merchants. There are more than 200 gardens owned by salt merchants in Suzhou and Yangzhou, which are more luxurious than those owned by officials in the capital. How come it has become a difficult world in your place?"

"My dear brother, you are talking about the big salt merchants, while small families like me can only survive," Huang Que explained, "Let me first talk about the first difficulty. In our dynasty, salt merchants are hereditary, and only the 46 big salt merchants on the list can buy salt permits from the Ministry of Revenue. Small families like me can only buy high-priced salt permits from the big salt merchants and rely on them. They only need four coins per permit to buy salt permits from the Ministry of Revenue, and then they sell them to us for four taels of silver per permit, which is ten times more."

Chen Ji nodded. This salt permit meant business license. Big salt merchants bought salt permits from the imperial court, and then used the salt permits to "exchange salt" at the government-run salt fields. One salt permit was three hundred kilograms.

The big salt merchants allowed by the court had a system of forty-six of them, and they had a natural monopoly. Even if they did not sell salt, they could make huge profits just by selling salt permits.

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Is there any way to become a registered salt merchant?"

Huang Que continued, "This is the second difficulty. If you want to become a registered salt merchant, you need to spend 500,000 taels of silver to buy a 'salt permit' from the Ministry of Revenue. Moreover, if you want to buy salt permits from the court, the minimum is '10,000 permits'. Such a huge amount of silver is daunting."

Chen Ji nodded again. The threshold was too high, keeping all small households out.

He casually handed Xiaoman the snacks that the maid of the Qi Mansion had just brought to her, and then asked, "Can a small family open a business with a salt permit?"

Huang Que shook his head: "The third difficulty is that the annual output of our official salt fields is about 1.2 million salt permits, but the court issues 2.4 million salt permits every year. If you don't have connections, you can't get salt even if you take the salt permit to the salt field. Small households who want to get salt have to wait in line for fifteen years." Chen Ji asked in confusion: "Since the salt fields can't get salt, why do salt merchants still go to the court to buy salt permits?"

Huang Que suddenly sat up straight and kept silent. When Chen Ji asked him again, he declined, saying that he was going to change his clothes and hurried out of Mingse Tower.

Chen Ji looked at Huang Que's back, his eyes sparkling.

He guessed that what Huang Que dared not say were the four words "private salt operated by the government". Both large and small salt merchants were mixing private salt with official salt and selling it.

It doesn’t matter if the official salt fields cannot sell salt. With salt permits, small salt merchants can get private salt and then sell it as official salt.

Xiao Man said worriedly, "Sir, don't try to smuggle salt. If you are caught, you will be beheaded."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Don't worry, I don't do that kind of illegal business."

Xiaoman was puzzled: "What kind of business does the young master plan to do?"

Chen Ji said softly: "Of course, I will do whatever business the court wants me to do. Xiaoman, some businesses can be exchanged for money, but some businesses can be exchanged for power. Exchanging money is the worst option, and exchanging power is the best option, because power can make money."

Xiaoman didn't understand: "Hurry up and eat something, the food in Qi's house is quite delicious."

Chen Ji laughed and lowered his head to pick up some food.

A literary gathering.

On other people's desks, sheets of rice paper were replaced one after another, and on his desk, dishes were replaced one after another. No one paid attention to him anymore, as if the light from the Mingse Building was shining down on him, but there was a missing corner.

Qi Zhaoning, who was sitting opposite him, was concentrating on reading the poem, but gradually he noticed Chen Ji's inappropriate behavior.

When she saw Chen Ji openly stuffing snacks to Xiaoman, she immediately frowned and said to Qi Zhaoyun beside her: "Who would secretly stuff food into a maidservant's mouth during a banquet? It's so rude."

Qi Zhaoyun smiled and said, "He was a bastard of the Chen family and was banished by his stepmother to be an apprentice in a clinic. It is human nature that he does not follow the rules. People always change. After he has been in the capital for a long time, he will naturally understand the rules."

The more Qi Zhaoning looked at him, the angrier he became. "Grandpa even discussed with father and wanted me to marry him. How is that possible? When Grandpa comes back from the palace later, I will go to him and explain the matter to him. I will let Qi Zhenzhu marry Chen Ji. It's perfect for a concubine's daughter to marry a concubine's son."

Qi Zhaoyun consoled him, "He is a military commander. Military commanders are indeed a bit vulgar, but they also have their advantages. They can handle things."

Qi Zhaoning was upset, his hands pulling at his handkerchief under the table: "I heard that he had beheaded more than a hundred enemy generals, and I really admired him. I saw him on the day they entered the capital, and I felt that he still had some heroic spirit, so I even skipped the opera today and came back to attend the literary gathering. But you just heard what Lin Chaojing said, that military exploit was clearly false, and it must have been the Chen family who falsified it for him, how despicable."

Qi Zhaoyun covered his mouth and laughed: "What if it's true?"

Qi Zhaoning threw his handkerchief on the ground: "Anyway, I don't like him. If I were to marry, I'd marry a heroic man like Li Changge in the Four Dreams of Bianliang, who is an expert in poetry, literature and martial arts, has the ambition to serve the country, and is a pillar of society!"

Qi Zhaoyun sighed: "Zhaoning, everything in the play is fake."

Qi Zhaoning ignored Qi Zhaoyun and waved his hand to the maid, saying, "Tell them not to serve any more snacks or dishes to Chen Ji. How can he and his maid be so greedy? Are they here to get something from my Qi Mansion?"

Qi Zhaoyun was anxious: "No, he is a guest invited by grandpa himself."

Qi Zhaoning glared at the maid: "Go, what are you standing there for?"

However, at this moment, a servant walked into the main hall of Mingse Tower and announced in a loud voice: "Young Master, the Buddhist disciple Wuzhai has arrived. He also brought the reincarnated Buddhist disciple from Yunzhou, Luozhui Sakya."

Qi Zhenwu stood up suddenly: "Hurry up and be kind, I will still be a Buddhist and not come here."

Shen Ye asked in a low voice: "Luo Zhui Sakya... is he the Buddhist disciple from Yunzhou who has the ability of telepathy?"

Lin Chaojing smiled and replied, "It's him. He is currently practicing in Yuanjue Temple."

All the guests stood up and looked outside the hall.

Chen Ji sat behind the desk with no intention of getting up. He turned around and stuffed the snacks on the desk to Xiaoman.

He suspected that the practice of Mandala Secret Seal Taotie was to eat. Xiaoman was like a bottomless pit. No matter how many snacks he stuffed into his stomach, he could never be full... But the current conditions at home did not allow Xiaoman to eat as much as he wanted.

The next moment, the Buddhist disciple Wuzhai, wearing a moon-white cassock, walked into Mingse Tower as if bringing a beam of moonlight, and even the candlelight in the main hall became a little brighter.

“The candlelight is a little brighter” is not an exaggeration; it really is a little brighter.

There seemed to be a circle of hazy Buddha light behind the Buddhist disciple Wuzhai's head, even the large pond outside the house was illuminated, and koi could be seen swimming at the bottom of the lake from afar.

All the fat koi swam towards Mingse Tower and gathered on the shore, like thousands of koi making a pilgrimage.

This miraculous scene amazed the guests.

Buddhist disciple Wuzhai stepped into the hall, clasped his hands together, and said in a gentle voice: "Please forgive me, my humble servant, for being late."

Qi Zhenwu laughed and walked around the table to greet him.

He walked to the hall door and held Wuzhai's arm with his arms outstretched. "No problem, no problem. It's good that Buddhist disciple Wuzhai can come. It will bring honor to our Qi family's Mingse Tower. And Buddhist disciple Yunzhou, I have heard of your miraculous 'telepathy'. Can you let us see it today?"

But Wu Zhai didn't say anything. His eyes suddenly passed over Qi Zhenwu's shoulder and looked at Chen Ji, who was holding half a piece of dessert behind the table. He remained silent for a long time.

Everyone followed Wu Zhai's gaze, but they didn't know why Wu Zhai was staring at Chen Ji like that.

Qi Chengzhu poked Chen Ji with his arm and said, "Master, stop eating."

Qi Zhenwu asked in confusion: "What happened to the Buddha?"

Wu Zhai smiled, put his hands together and bowed slightly to Chen Ji: "Donor Chen Ji, how are you?"

Everyone was startled.

Chen Ji looked up, but he didn't look at Wu Zhai, but at the little monk behind Wu Zhai, who was waving at him happily. But when he looked at the little monk, the little monk suddenly stopped smiling and showed a kind expression that was not in line with his age.

At this time, Wu Zhai was ignored but did not get angry. He still smiled and said, "Donor Chen Ji, you left in a hurry last time, so this time you must have plenty of time to reminisce about the past."

Qi Zhenwu looked at Chen Ji, then at Wu Zhai: "Do you recognize the Buddhist brother and the Chen family brother?"

Wu Zhai said frankly, "Of course I recognize him. Last winter at the Luhun Mountain Villa Literary Meeting, it was this donor Chen Ji who defeated me in a debate on the topic of no self and existence of self."

Qi Zhaoning was surprised and asked, "Literary gathering? Literary gathering at Luhun Mountain Villa?"

Qi Zhaoyun explained, "Before, storytellers in the capital would tell the story of the debate several times a day. The debate between Li Changge and the Buddhist monk in the Four Dreams of Bianliang was based on that debate. Even the scene where Li Changge held the reins for the princess and walked through the narrow gap was inspired by that story."

Qi Zhaoning subconsciously exclaimed, and suddenly turned to look at Chen Ji.

Qi Zhenwu asked Chen Ji in doubt, "It was you who defeated Wuzhai Buddhist in the debate at Luhun Villa?"

Seeing everyone's gazes, Chen Ji grinned and said, "Lucky, lucky."

(End of this chapter)