Aoyama

Chapter 364 The Little Monk

early morning.

Chen Ji opened his eyes from the bed, got up, dressed, and fetched water.

Life seems to have more to look forward to than before, and I feel lighter and more agile.

When Chen Ji returned to Ginkgo Garden carrying a shoulder pole, Xiao Man came out holding the little black cat, rubbing her eyes and asking, "What would you like to eat today, young master?"

Chen Ji stood under the ginkgo tree, but answered irrelevantly: "Xiaoman, what's the next festival? The royal family will participate too."

Xiaoman asked in confusion, "Why did you suddenly ask this, young master?"

Chen Ji urged, "Just answer."

Xiaoman thought for a moment: "It should be the spring and autumn sacrifices. In mid-spring and mid-autumn, His Majesty will send officials to offer sacrifices to the Sage Confucius. At this time, His Majesty will also personally go to the Altar of Agriculture to cultivate the land and perform the 'cultivation ceremony.' That will be very troublesome. The Jiefan Guard, the Yulin Army, and the Five City Garrison will clear the way and clean up the main street of Zhengyang in the outer city. The people will not be able to go out on the street."

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "If not this, what other festivals are there?"

“What do you mean, ‘not this’ and ‘not that’? What exactly does the young master want to ask?” Xiaoman tried hard to recall: “Then, at the beginning of March, the Empress will lead all the female relatives of officials of the sixth rank and above to the Altar of the Silkworm Goddess outside Anding Gate in the north to worship the Wanyu woman and hold a mulberry picking ceremony to encourage sericulture. At that time, all the female relatives of officials in the capital will be there, and it will be very lively and beautiful.”

Yes.

This is it.

Chen Ji paid 600,000 taels of silver to buy the little monk's freedom, and Bai Long also personally promised last night that he would give Chen Ji and Bai Li a chance to meet.

However, this opportunity must be within the bounds of the rules. Since Chen Ji cannot enter the palace, the only option is to find an opportunity to let Bai Li leave the palace.

The sacrifice to the Silkworm Goddess Altar is held in early March. Only during this solar term can one be associated with the Taoist temple and the female Taoist priests of Jingyang Palace.

Chen Ji silently calculated the time... there were still more than twenty days left.

At this moment, Xiaoman muttered to herself, "Young master, I heard that the second master smashed a lot of things when he returned to Qinzheng Garden yesterday. The head manager of the grain store was beaten to death on the spot, and although that fat bastard from the salt store was beaten fifty times, it was the second branch of the family who beat him. He could still get up and walk after fifty blows... I should have been the one to beat him. Ten blows would have killed him."

Chen Ji laughed and said, "The killing intent is quite strong."

"Who told him to cause trouble for the young master?" Xiaoman continued, "I heard from Sister Duanwu that the fatso's eyes were full of resentment when he left."

Chen Ji carried a shoulder pole into the side room: "That fatso has a clean record now, and I don't know what to do with him. But since they hate him, they will definitely make a move again, and when they do, there will be flaws."

He poured the water from the bucket into the vat: "By the way, if I were to give a girl a gift, what would be appropriate?"

Xiaoman peeked over, her eyes sparkling: "Young master, are you going to give me something?"

Chen Ji casually explained, "No."

Xiaoman's face fell immediately: "Could it be that it's for Miss Qi San? Then give her a hairpin. No girl would complain about having too many hairpins."

Chen Ji nodded and said, "Then I'll give you a hairpin."

Just then, a shout came from outside the door: "Chen Ji!"

Chen Ji turned his head and saw a servant leading a young monk to the door: "Oh, they're out so soon?"

Bai Long is extremely efficient.

It seems that no matter who is behind the white dragon mask, they will definitely keep their promises.

The young monk, dressed in a moon-white kasaya and carrying a small bundle, was beaming with joy: "You said a while ago that you would find a way to rescue me from Yuanjue Temple. I didn't have any hope, but I didn't expect you to be so capable that you could actually rescue me."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Tell me about the process."

The young monk explained, "This morning at four o'clock, we were having our morning prayers when that Lord White Dragon arrived with over a hundred spies. He called the abbot out and said something, and then the abbot called me out and told me to follow White Dragon."

Chen Ji asked doubtfully, "It's that simple?"

The young monk shook his head: "It's not simple. The abbot's face looks very grim."

The young monk possessed the ability to read minds, so he must have known what the abbot of Yuanjue Temple had said to the white dragon, and what the abbot was thinking. However, he could not say it outright, and could only use "the abbot's face was ugly" as a veiled reference.

It must have taken the White Dragon some effort to get the little monk out.

Strange, I didn't expect Bailong to be able to get the little monk out today, but he did it overnight?
Just as I was pondering this, someone else passed by outside the door.

Chen Lizhi, dressed in a brocade robe, stood outside the door: "Oh, it's quite lively here. Why did you bring a monk back out of nowhere, my dear nephew?"

Chen Ji turned around and cupped his hands: "Second Uncle, this is my friend from Luocheng, the Buddhist disciple Luozhui Sajia from Yunzhou."

Chen Lizhi's expression froze: "It's him? He can't stay in my Chen family."

Chen Ji countered, "Second Uncle, is there something wrong with this?"

Chen Lizhi couldn't think of a reason for a moment, so he could only avoid the little monk's eyes and leave in a hurry: "It's alright, let them stay. It's just a matter of adding a pair of chopsticks. I have other things to do, so I won't chat with you anymore."

Chen Ji turned to look at the little monk, only to see that the other's expression was slightly somber, as if he had seen something in Chen Lizhi's heart.

Xiaoman rolled her eyes as she watched the servants escort Chen Lizhi away.

She turned to look at the little monk again and found that he was also looking at her.

The young monk sighed softly, "Female benefactor, the curses you're harboring in your heart are truly filthy." Xiao Man exclaimed, "...My goodness! Young master, this young monk seems to know what I'm thinking!"

……

……

Chen Family Salt Shop.

Seven shopkeepers knelt in a row in the backyard, including Chen Yue, who had just been flogged.

Each of the shopkeepers had an empty bowl on their head, and they dared not move.

Around him stood more than twenty men, their skin dark and their faces resolute, hands on their waist knives. Beside them was a small stove, on which sat a silver kettle, boiling water.

Chen Lizhi sat in the rattan chair opposite him, holding a teacup in his hand and said slowly, "Recite the 'Rules of Call,' from left to right, one sentence per person."

Chen Wende and Chen Yu stood behind Chen Lizhi, their hands clasped together, remaining silent.

Chen Yue said tremblingly, "The first rule of the Chen Family Salt Shop is that the manager must not take concubines, frequent prostitutes, or keep private slaves."

On Tuesday, the shopkeeper said hoarsely, "The second rule is that anyone who smuggles salt will have their right hand cut off and be expelled from the business, never to be allowed to trade again. Anyone who smuggles more than three shi (a unit of dry measure) of salt will be drowned."

A second manager surnamed Li said nervously, "The third rule is: the salt lake's output is not to be discussed, violators will have their tongues cut out; the salt inspector's itinerary is not to be discussed, violators will have their eyes gouged out... Each department... each department..."

Chen Lizhi casually waved his hand, and a man carrying a silver kettle poured boiling water into the empty bowl above Li Er's head until the boiling water overflowed, scalding the man so much that he trembled all over, but was afraid of spilling the bowl.

Boiling water flowed down his scalp, scalding his skin and cheeks until they turned red and painful.

Chen Lizhi then pointed to the next person: "You."

The second-in-command, who was being pointed at, hurriedly said, "The fourth commandment, the Ten Commandments for Escorting..."

After all the managers had finished reciting the "Regulations of the Salt Company", Chen Lizhi put down his teacup and said: "I don't care if you frequent prostitutes and gamble, or if you secretly sell salt. Even if the salt company is squeezed out of salt by the eight major merchants, I will still give you leniency. After all, the eight major merchants are backed by the Hu family, the Xu family, and the Yang family, which are no less powerful than our Chen family."

Chen Lizhi leaned forward, his dead fish eyes sweeping over the seven managers: "Now you've been easily overthrown by a greenhorn, forcing me to get rid of Ye Yumin and clean up your mess. How about you give me your annual salary, and I'll do all the work for you?"

Chen Yue raised his hand to support the bowl on his head, ignoring the pain in his body, and crawled on his knees to Chen Lizhi: "Second Master, I have not been negligent. I not only bribed Chen Ji's coachman, but also sent people to keep watch at the front and back gates of Plum Blossom Ferry day and night, just waiting to find a handle to share the burden for you, Second Master."

Chen Lizhi kicked him in the face: "If you're going to talk, just talk. Why are you getting so close?"

Chen Yue leaned back, then quickly got up again: "I hope Second Master will give me a chance to make amends."

Chen Lizhi sneered: "I want him to be utterly disgraced and kicked out of the capital in disgrace. Can you do that?"

Chen Yue hesitated.

Chen Lizhi turned his gaze to the other managers: "Can you do it? Whoever can do it can replace Chen Yue as the head manager of this salt shop."

The other shopkeepers' eyes darted around, and Chen Yue gritted his teeth and said, "Second Master, I know what that kid has been up to lately. He set up some kind of exchange at Plum Blossom Ferry, and through scholars Shen Ye and Huang Que, he recruited small salt merchants from all over the country, broke down the salt permits and sold them to them. He also allowed these small salt merchants to consign their surplus salt permits at Plum Blossom Ferry, and then collected commissions from both buyers and sellers, taking one per thousand."

Chen Lizhi stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming: "How much money can you make by taking one out of every thousand? Does this kid even know how to do business? No, this kid is very cunning. We can't underestimate him. We have to ruin this business."

Chen Yue quickly smiled obsequiously and said, "Second Master is right. His business only brings in a few thousand taels of silver a year. I don't know what he's after. But I've found a loophole that I can use to ruin his reputation."

"Oh?" Chen Lizhi sat up. "What method?"

But then Chen Yu, who was behind him, suddenly said, "Father."

Chen Lizhi frowned and turned around: "What's wrong?"

Chen Yu bowed and cupped his hands: "Father, I am very close to Chen Ji. If I were to hear about Manager Chen's schemes and tricks, I would be tempted to tell Chen Ji about them. However, doing so would be disobeying you, Father. So I will simply not listen. I take my leave."

After saying this, without waiting for Chen Lizhi to speak, Chen Yu strode away from the salt shop, leaving the seven managers looking at each other in bewilderment.

Chen Lizhi snorted coldly: "An ungrateful wolf cub."

Chen Yue hesitated and said, "Second Master, should we still...?"

Chen Lizhi slowly stood up: "Why be polite to those treacherous villains from the eldest son's family? Just do it."

Chen Yue said awkwardly, "Second Master, I have no money left. That brat has also taken the salt shop's public account. Please give me some money so that I can finish this business."

Chen Lizhi glanced at him sideways: "How much do you need?"

After silently calculating in his mind, Chen Yue looked up and gritted his teeth, saying, "Fifty thousand taels."

Chen Lizhi raised an eyebrow: "What do you need so much silver for?"

Chen Yue explained in a low voice for a moment, and Chen Lizhi looked at him meaningfully: "You had better be able to succeed this time. If I lose this 150,000 taels of silver again, you won't be able to be the manager of the salt shop anymore. I'll reserve a good position for you in the pond next to the Altar of Mountains and Rivers."

Only after Chen Lizhi left did Chen Yue dare to get up.

However, his legs went numb from kneeling, and he fell down halfway up. If it weren't for his two trusted confidants, Chen Bin and Chen Ertong, helping him up, he would have fallen flat on his face.

After regaining his balance, Chen Yue rubbed his knees and whispered to Chen Ertong, "Go find those border households who rely on the Chen family for their livelihood and collect the salt permits from them."

He then whispered to Chen Bin, "Find some clever salt shop assistants; I have something to tell them to do."

(End of this chapter)