Aoyama

Chapter 358 Business is coming
Early in the morning, Chen Ji heard noise outside the door.

He threw back the quilt and walked out the door wearing only a white undershirt.

Under the gray sky, Xiaoman was carrying a basket of white ash, spreading it from outside the yard to inside the yard, and all the way to the side room. The little black cat followed her closely, like a puppy.

On February 2, the dragon raises its head and leads the dragon back.

The white ash to attract the dragon back should first be sprinkled around the well, and then sprinkled into the stove at home, praying for good luck and wealth.

Chen Ji said, "It's rare to see you wake up so early."

Xiaoman looked up when she heard that: "My lord, are you awake? I'll boil some water for you after I finish spreading the white ash. Today is the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar, so you should go out later. I'll have to make you some pancakes to celebrate the festival."

The so-called eating according to festival means eating food corresponding to the festival.

There are many things to eat on the second day of the second lunar month. Eating dumplings is called eating dragon ears, eating pancakes is called eating dragon scales, eating fine noodles is called eating dragon whiskers, eating fried cakes is called eating dragon gall, and eating wontons is called eating longan.

It means to ward off disasters and pray for blessings, and be free from all diseases.

Chen Ji leaned against the door frame and said, "How can a handful of white ash really attract a dragon to your home to get promoted and make fortune? Eating dragon food may not really make you immune to all diseases. Why don't you sleep a little longer?"

Xiaoman refuted seriously: "No. Auntie once said that although you can't get rich by bringing the dragon back, if the family doesn't even celebrate a festival, it won't feel like home anymore."

"Even the poorest families would cut some meat to make dumplings on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Day, no matter how rich or poor a person is, everyone would buy gold foil paper, cut it into butterflies and wear it on their heads."

"On the 15th day of the first lunar month, we enjoy flower lanterns; on the Qingming Festival in March, we worship our ancestors; on the Dragon Boat Festival in May, we bring moxa leaves; on the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, we eat mooncakes. In September, we eat date cakes; in October, we send winter clothes; on the 8th day of the 12th month, we cook Laba porridge; at the end of the month, we make sugar cakes to send to the Kitchen God. My aunt said that life is too hard, and every festival is something we look forward to."

Chen Ji listened attentively.

He suddenly remembered that in previous Spring Festivals, his parents also insisted on taking him to post couplets. It was winter vacation and he was supposed to sleep in every day, but he was still forced to write and post couplets by hand, which was very annoying.

But now when I think back, all those things that I once resisted have become anchors in my memory.

Chen Ji turned around and went back to the house to put on his clothes: "Next time you need anything for the holidays, call me to come along, don't do it secretly by yourself."

"Okay," Xiaoman smiled, revealing her little tiger teeth, and then showed a worried look: "Sir, the servants in the mansion are saying that the salt shop owners have cut off your income. They say that you will be humiliated by the salt shop owners this time when you take over."

Chen Ji put on his clothes and walked out the door: "Where did you find out all this?"

Xiao Man explained, "The Chen Mansion is already very complicated. Yesterday afternoon, the chief manager of the salt shop came to the mansion, and the news about the salt shop spread. The people in the second house in Qinzheng Garden are wary of me, but I can go to Zhuozheng Garden to inquire. I can find out a lot of things for a few coins."

Chen Ji laughed and said, "You are still willing to spend money on me?"

Xiaoman raised his eyebrows: "Young Master said that all the business will be handed over to me in the future. Young Master's business is my business."

Chen Ji suddenly asked curiously: "Xiao Man, if you want to ease the relationship between someone, what would you do?"

Xiaoman said as a matter of course: "Invite him to eat."

Chen Ji thought for a moment: "What if the other person has no appetite?"

"Who doesn't like to eat?" Xiao Man was surprised. "I don't know about others, but if someone makes me angry and treats me to something delicious, I will be very happy. Sister Li Qiu used to coax me with food... Sir, are you going to treat me to something?"

"No," Chen Ji shook his head: "When you make pancakes later, make two more."

"Oh."

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

Chen Ji looked up and saw that the door was not closed. The thin Chen Lizun was standing by the door like a green pine tree, followed by several servants carrying two boxes.

Chen Ji bowed and said, "Uncle."

Chen Lizun said in a gentle voice: "Don't be polite. Your aunt made you some thin shirts. You can change into them when spring comes."

The servant behind him carried the box into the yard and opened it, revealing a box of black boots and a box of clothes.

Chen Ji did not refuse: "Thank you, uncle."

Chen Lizun waved to the servants, and the servants bowed and left the yard.

Chen Lizun looked at Xiaoman silently again.

Xiaoman reacted and said quickly, "Ah... I'll go make pancakes for you, young master."

Chen Lizun waited for Xiaoman to leave, then found a stone bench and sat down: "I heard that you took away all the salt permits of the salt ship?"

Chen Ji hummed: "Uncle, yes."

Chen Lizun pointed to the stone bench beside him and said, "Sit down and talk. Last night, Chen Yue, the chief manager of the salt shop, came to the mansion. He went to your second uncle to talk about this matter. I think he wants to do something. It's a pity that the salt shop has been in the hands of your second uncle for many years, and I have no chance to get the handle of those managers, otherwise I can help you."

Chen Ji asked sincerely, "Why did Uncle help me?"

His subtext is, isn't Chen Yu good enough?
Chen Yu was a newly-appointed Jinshi three years ago, and he was a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue at the age of twenty-something. He had good character, talent, and appearance. Although Chen Yu was from the second wife, as long as Chen Yu was adopted by the first wife, his heart would naturally be with the first wife.

Why not choose Chen Yu?
It has been three years since the third wife went to Luocheng, and Chen Lizun has been waiting for three years.

Chen Lizun was silent for a moment, and finally changed the subject: "What use do you have for those salt permits? If there is no use, just keep the account book and check it slowly, and return the salt permits. Otherwise, if the second house closes the salt shop and blames you, you won't be able to explain yourself. Don't be afraid of losing face, it's nothing."

Chen Ji said seriously: "My nephew has a use for these salt permits, so I can't return them for the time being."

Chen Lizun was a little surprised: "Oh?"

Chen Ji lowered his head and thought for a moment: "Uncle, please forgive me for not telling you what I want to do, but I want to do a business with you first. Even if you didn't come to see me today, I would have gone to see you."

Chen Lizun became interested: "Tell me about it."

Chen Ji talked with Chen Lizun for a long time before going out. Holding a pancake wrapped in palm leaves in his hand, he walked out of the side door along the path, only to see Si Caogui wearing a bamboo hat and leaning against the carriage with his eyes closed.

Hearing the footsteps, the other party opened his eyes with a gleam of light.

As soon as he opened his eyes, it was like a long sword being unsheathed.

"Young Master," Si Caogui bowed and bent down to place a footstool for Chen Ji.

Chen Ji casually handed the palm leaf bag to the other party: "Xiao Man's pancakes taste good."

Before Si Caogui could refuse, Chen Ji had already stuffed the pancake wrapped in palm leaves into his hand, then bent down and got into the carriage.

Si Caogui looked down at the pancake in his hand and threw it on the ground.

He sat sideways in the car, and the car drove slowly.

Chen Ji sat in the car and asked in a low voice: "Why doesn't Lord Si Cao eat?"

Si Caogui's expression was dull under his bamboo hat: "Do less useless things and think more about how to run the salt shop well. For me, as long as what you do is beneficial to my Jing Dynasty, then you are my own. Whoever wants to kill you, I will kill him; if it is useless, I will not be lenient and kind to you just because your uncle is kind to you."

He suddenly changed the subject and said, "Chen Ji, do you know why I came to the Southern Dynasty?"

Chen Ji didn't say anything.

The carriage passed through the bluestone pavement of Fuyou Street, and the wooden wheels of the carriage made a clattering sound as they pressed on the stone slabs.

Si Caogui leaned against the carriage and said slowly, "Back then, I was a foot soldier in the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. At that time, I didn't know your uncle. I was just an unknown soldier in the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry."

He continued to recall: "In the 27th year of Emperor Lizong's reign, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry marched south to Chongli Pass and won a great victory, resulting in 8,000 casualties and 37,000 Southern Dynasty Datong border troops being killed in battle. Everyone returned to the court happily, but the rewards were delayed, and even the pensions for the soldiers who died in the battle were unknown."

"An old father of a fellow soldier learned that his son had died in Chongli Pass. He was so heartbroken that he was bedridden and passed away within a few days. His family didn't even have the money to prepare for his funeral, so more than ten of us pooled our money together to buy him a coffin. Later, I found out that the military strategist Jiang Xu had embezzled the reward money and pension to build a Beihai Palace for Your Majesty."

"On the Lantern Festival of the following year, twenty-seven of us sneaked into Jiang Xu's mansion, intending to kill that official. However, we were discovered by the officials around Jiang Xu before we could kill him. We escaped with nineteen lives lost, and fled southwards, but we ran out of options before we could escape Liaoyang Prefecture. It was your uncle who hid us for a year. He fed us, gave us official positions, and then secretly sent us to the Southern Dynasty Military Intelligence Department to change our names."

"Before he left, your uncle said that he would be able to overthrow Jiang Xu within five years, and he did it. Your uncle also said that if the two dynasties were not unified, he would only wear cloth clothes and eat only a bowl of simple tea and rice every day. If he becomes a person like Jiang Xu one day, we can return to Jing Dynasty and kill him at any time."

"Chen Ji, your uncle no longer lives for himself, and the day I left Jingchao, I had already put life and death aside. Let alone your two pancakes, even if you give me a lifetime of wealth and glory, it is not what I ask for. You do your job well, and I do mine well, that's all."

Chen Ji said no more. Si Caogui was a pure knife, and only a pure knife could be sharp enough.

The carriage stopped outside the Governor's Mansion. Chen Ji entered the gate, while Si Caogui led the carriage into the alley next to the six ministries.

There is a relatively wide alley between the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel. Going further in, there is a spacious area between the Imperial Pharmacy and the Jieshen Warehouse, where the carriages and sedan chairs of the ministers are gathered.

The coachmen and sedan chair bearers gathered together, either chatting or gambling.

Si Caogui did not try to squeeze in. He just sat in the carriage, pulled down his hat, took out the still warm palm leaf bag from his arms, peeled it off layer by layer, and the aroma of scallion oil wafted into his nose.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally took a bite and chewed it slowly.

At this time, a young man in gray cloth came up to Si Caogui with a sly look on his face. He leaned over to Si Caogui and whispered, "Are you Chen Chenji's driver? Follow me."

The young man turned and walked deeper into the alley.

Si Caogui glanced at him and followed him while eating pancakes. As soon as he entered the alley, he smelled a strong smell of urine. The drivers could not go to the government office to use the toilet on weekdays, so they could only solve urgent matters here.

Si Caogui frowned and put the palm leaf bag back into his arms, then called to the young man leading the way, "What do you want to call me for?"

The young man smiled and said, "I am Chen Ertong from Chen's Salt Company."

As he spoke, Chen Ertong threw a piece of silver across the air.

Si Caogui took it in his hand and asked: "What do you want to buy?"

Chen Ertong walked closer and whispered, "The Salt Company used to be the property of the Second Master. You know that, right?"

Si Caogui hummed: "I know, what's wrong?"

Chen Ertong came closer and said, "In the future, you must report Chen Ji's whereabouts to me. Where he went, who he met, and what he said, you must tell me everything. Not only will you get silver, but you can also be promoted to a first-class driver after the task is completed."

Si Caogui looked down at the silver in his hand and asked, "What does the Second Master want to do with Chen Ji?"

Chen Ertong smiled and said, "Of course, he must be driven out of the capital... The Second Master wants to control a bastard, and you know where you should stand."

Si Caogui looked at Chen Ertong, then looked at the deserted alley, and gently stroked the uneven silver coins with his fingers.

He was silent for a moment: "I will report his whereabouts to you every day. How can I find you?"

Chen Ertong walked out of the alley: "I will wait for you at the side door of Chen's house at 3:00 pm every day."

Si Caogui narrowed his eyes behind him: "If I can't find you, who should I look for?"

Chen Ertong said without even turning his head: "Looking for the salt shop's chief manager, Chen Yue."

Si Caogui pressed down the brim of his hat and said, "Got it."

……

……

At 3 p.m., the class is dismissed.

Chen Ji got into the carriage, and the carriage drove onto West Chang'an Avenue.

Before they had walked far, Si Caogui suddenly said, "There are people following you, probably from the Chen Family Salt Company. They came to bribe me today and want me to record your whereabouts. The people from the Chen Family Salt Company are like flies that can't be driven away. When do you plan to get rid of them?"

Chen Ji sat in the car and said calmly: "Master Si Cao, I also want to get rid of them, but we have to follow the rules of the capital and cannot kill people."

Si Caogui said nonchalantly: "Don't worry, I know the rules of the capital."

As he spoke, he pulled the reins and drove the carriage into Shuangmazhuan Hutong, and then turned from Shuangmazhuan Hutong into the main street of the city.

But a carriage is not like a horse. No matter how fast it accelerates in the inner city, it cannot be as fast as running, and it is impossible to get rid of it.

Si Caogui asked in a low voice: "Are you still going to Meihua Ferry?"

Chen Ji lowered his head and thought for a moment: "Continue to Meihua Ferry."

After the carriage arrived, Chen Ji went into Meihua Ferry on his own.

Si Caogui led the carriage deeper into the alley, and Chen Ertong, the salt shop clerk who was following him, followed him with a sly look on his face: "Brother, what is Chen Ji doing here?"

Si Caogui stretched out his hand.

Chen Ertong cursed, "I just gave you money this morning, why are you asking for it again now?"

Under the bamboo hat, Si Caogui had a blank expression on his face: "I will pay you for each question you ask."

Chen Ertong took out a bunch of copper coins from his sleeve and threw them to Si Caogui: "Speak."

Si Caogui lowered his head and counted the copper coins in his hand one by one: "Meihuadu is his property. He moved all the salt company's account books and salt permits here to check the accounts, hoping to find evidence that the salt company's owner was smuggling salt."

Chen Ertong's expression changed: "Smuggling salt? That's what he said?"

Si Caogui whispered, "Yes, he told me about the private salt business. In addition, he also made an appointment with a small salt merchant to sell the salt permit to him."

"Which small salt merchant?"

"A southern scholar named Huang Que."

Chen Ertong turned and left.

At this moment, in front of the Chen Family Salt Merchants' headquarters, the head manager Chen Yue stood with his hands behind his back inside the threshold.

He looked back at the empty salt pan and the deserted courtyard beside him, then at the bustling Mule and Horse Market Street outside the door, and he always felt that something was not right.

The new owner has already snatched the salt permits for several days, so he should have taken action long ago.

But when Chen Yue asked other salt shops, no one had seen Chen Ji selling salt permits.

Chen Yue muttered to himself, "Strange, why is he holding on to these salt permits and not selling them? What is he keeping them for?"

Chen Bin asked quietly, "Could it be that some salt company secretly bought the salt permits at a low price and lied that they didn't have any?"

Chen Yue sneered: "It doesn't matter. No matter who accepts it, it is impossible to accept it at the price of four taels of silver. That kid will lose money on the account anyway."

As he was talking, Chen Ertong came running over from a distance: "Boss, something bad has happened."

Chen Yue was stunned for a moment: "What did you find out?"

Chen Ertong panted and said, "I have completely bribed the driver of Chen Ji. He told me that Chen Ji is investigating our salt company for selling illegal salt."

Chen Yue's expression darkened instantly.

In recent years, the salt shop owners seem to be clean on the surface, but in fact, all their treasury is from private salt. If this is found out, it will be a matter of life and death.

Chen Ji investigated the smuggling of salt and wanted them dead.

Chen Yue hesitated and asked, "What else did you find out?"

Chen Ertong recalled: "The driver also said that Chen Ji wanted to sell the salt permit to a scholar named Huang Que."

Chen Yue was puzzled: "Huang Que? Isn't this the son of the famous salt merchant? How did he get involved with Chen Ji?"

He turned around and looked at Chen Bin: "Did Huang Que buy salt permits from our Chen family?"

Chen Bin nodded and said, "Yes, the Huang family is a famous private salt dealer. They travel through Caozhou, Taihang, Huai'an, Xuzhou, and Jinling. It is said that they have their own private salt field hidden on an island by the sea, and have won over many escaped salt farmers. There are also some small salt merchants gathered around the Huang family. There is one called Lao Fu who is very close to us and is in the capital recently."

Chen Yue narrowed his eyes and said, "Take Ertong to find this old master and find out what Chen Ji is up to."

(End of this chapter)