Aoyama

Chapter 430: Literary Advisor
Chen Ji turned around and watched Zhang Zhuo's figure disappear into the city gate. When he looked up, he saw dark clouds obscuring the moon.

Lu Jin.

The uncle he had never met was like a huge shadow, untouchable and unfathomable. This was why Chen Ji preferred to go overseas rather than go to Jingchao.

He watched as the other party stepped down and then rose again, eventually becoming the Vice Privy Councilor at the highest point of the Jing Dynasty. Now that Privy Councilor Yuan Cheng has been captured alive in Lushun Port, was the other party involved?

The traces of the past are unknown.

Xiaoman raised her hand and waved it in front of his eyes: "Young Master?"

Chen Ji snapped out of his daze, turned around, and strode towards Fuyou Street.

Xiaoman, holding the little black cat, trotted after him, asking, "Where are you going, young master?"

Chen Ji said in a deep voice, "Return to the Chen family."

Xiaoman followed him across Chang'an Street, looking worried. "Young Master, should we go back to the Chen family? The second branch of the Chen family wants to kill you, and you've already disobeyed the head of the family again. You've offended both the first and second branches. If we go back today, those people will hold some ridiculous 'joint trial by three courts' in the Wendan Hall. It's better not to go back."

Chen Ji didn't speak, he just strode away.

Xiaoman continued, "I've looked at houses these past few days. There's a small house not far from the Zhang family's that's up for sale at a real estate agency. It's only 1,400 taels of silver. It's a two-courtyard house with new bricks and tiles, and the beams are all made of good quality materials..."

Chen Ji glanced at her: "We only have 1,400 taels of silver, so a two-courtyard house on Xuanwumen Street only costs 1,400 taels of silver? Who's so kind? Lord Zhang Zhuo or your sister Xia?"

Xiaoman was taken aback: "Lord Zhang..."

Chen Ji looked at the little black cat Xiao Man was holding and suddenly asked, "Are you sure this little black cat was given to you by Zhang Xia herself?"

Xiaoman asked in confusion, "Yes, Sister Xia gave it to me personally that night. Why are you asking about this, young master?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Zhang Zhuo and Zhang Xia, one of them must be lying.

Who is lying? And why are they lying?
Xiaoman asked, "Does the young master really intend to return to the Chen family?"

Chen Ji calmly replied, "Go back, there are still things to do."

The court was now calm and peaceful, and even the mastermind who had impersonated the Jie Fan Wei was no longer being pursued, as if nothing had ever happened.

However, Chen Ji cannot pretend that nothing happened. As long as the second branch of the Chen family is not firmly established, the other party will eventually make a comeback, and the two sides are already locked in a life-or-death struggle.

Now, there are people in Qinzhengyuan who can serve as witnesses to nail down the second wife.

The Chen family's struggle for succession may not necessarily be a failure.

……

……

Fuyou Street.

Chen Ji walked faster and faster, and when he arrived at the Chen Family's Qinzheng Garden, he climbed over the white walls and gray tiles and headed straight for Qingzhu Garden.

Xiaoman followed Chen Ji into Qinzheng Garden, but when she turned around, she heard the little monk calling from outside the wall: "Don't leave me behind!"

She rolled her eyes, went around to the side door, and complained as she unlatched it, "So stupid! You never practice your cultivation properly, you're nothing!"

The two chased after Chen Ji, but they could see him stopping outside Hanmei Garden from afar.

Qingzhu Garden was the residence of Chen Liqin and Liang Shi, while Hanmei Garden was the residence of Chen Wenzong.

Chen Ji was on his way to find Liang Shi, but when he arrived, he saw maids and servants going in and out, carrying boxes onto the carriage, but Chen Wenzong was nowhere to be seen.

Today is the day the examination gates open, so the other party should have returned to the Chen family long ago.

Chen Ji asked, "What's going on? Are you asking Brother Zong?"

Chen Wenzong's maidservant hurriedly explained, "Reporting to the Third Young Master, the mistress has passed away, and Young Master Wenzong is exhausted. He is going to the Chen family ancestral graves to observe three years of mourning. He left early on horseback at dusk, and we are here to pack his things."

Chen Ji's heart sank.

The mistress has passed away?

Is Lady Liang dead?

He asked in a deep voice, "How did she leave?"

The maidservant said in a panic, "The mistress has hanged herself."

Xiaoman's eyes darted around: "Wait a minute, according to the rules, the coffin should have been kept at home for three days after the lady's passing, at least until Young Master Wenzong came out of the examination hall. Why was the coffin sent to the ancestral graves in Luzhou ahead of time? Who made the decision?"

The maidservant stammered, "I...I don't know."

Xiaoman pressed the dagger against the maid's chin: "Speak!"

The maid explained with a sob in her voice, "It was the Second Master who made the decision. We servants don't know what happened, and it's not our place to interfere in such matters."

Xiaoman put away the dagger.

Chen Ji frowned.

He had previously speculated that the reason why the second branch of the Chen family mobilized the Five Witches Army was because Liang had colluded with them and informed Chen Lizhi about the events in Guyuan, so Liang was also an accomplice.

This was originally a clue to pinpoint the second branch of the Chen family, but Liang was silenced by the second branch.

At this moment, Chen Ji looked at the maid and asked, "Is Brother Zong not participating in the imperial examination?"

The maid shook her head: "With the passing of his stepmother, the young master must observe three years of mourning and is not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations. Even you, the third young master, must observe a year of mourning."

Yes.

When the principal wife dies, the legitimate son wears mourning clothes for three years, while the illegitimate son wears mourning clothes for one year. They are forbidden from holding office or getting married. Even the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet is not exempt.

Unless the emperor issues an edict to "strip them of their mourning," they can remain in office.

Chen Ji looked at the messy Hanmei Garden, with papers scattered all over the floor. He bent down to pick them up and could still see Chen Wenzong's neat annotations on the papers, including current affairs strategies and classic texts.

Unfortunately, Chen Wenzong's three promising years have been wasted. Who knows what the court will look like three years from now? Of the three branches of the Chen family, some are dead, some have left, leaving only him.

and many more.

Chen Ji looked at the maid: "Where is Wang Gui?"

The maid looked bewildered: "Huh? Wang Gui has disappeared. I haven't seen him for days."

Chen Ji seemed to be deep in thought: "Let's go."

He walked along the stone path toward Ginkgo Garden, only to find Chen Xu, who was beside Grand Secretary Chen, already waiting at the door.

The other person was dressed in a black Taoist robe with cloud patterns embroidered on it, and had a wooden hairpin in his hair.

Chen Xu was not a Taoist practitioner, but rather a scholar. Regardless of age, people liked to wear Taoist robes as everyday clothing, and even Emperor Ning did the same. Therefore, various Taoist robes could often be seen in the inner city.

Compared to the Taoist robes of Taoist priests, the robes of scholars had many more patterns and were a fashion trend in the capital.

Upon seeing Chen Ji approach, Chen Xu politely cupped his hands and said, "Young Master, the Patriarch is holding a meeting in the Wendan Hall. Please follow me."

Xiaoman whispered from the side, "Young Master, don't go. It's definitely not a good thing."

Chen Xu tucked his hands into his sleeves: "The patriarch instructed that you, young master, have never benefited from the Chen family's influence in the past. You have earned all of this with your own life, so the Chen family cannot blame you. However, as a member of the Chen family, there are some things that need to be made clear to you. From today onwards, whether you stay or leave, whether you are an enemy or a friend, is entirely up to you."

Chen Ji calmly said, "Does not going make us enemies?"

Chen Xu smiled modestly and answered irrelevantly, "The patriarch is still waiting."

“Then let’s wait a little longer,” Chen Ji brushed past him. “Let me wash off the blood and change my clothes first.”

Chen Xu hesitated for a moment, but ultimately allowed Chen Ji to enter.

"Xiaoman, you guys wait outside for a bit too," Chen Ji said, closing the gate and taking off his blood-stained clothes alone in the courtyard.

Cold spring nights.

He let Chen Xu wait outside the door, scooping out ladle after ladle of icy water from the water vat with a wooden ladle and pouring it over Chen Xu's head.

The ice water washed away the dust and bloodstains from his hair and skin, until his skin turned red.

Only now, after washing away the dust and blood, did he feel alive again, returning to the prosperity of Daning.

He went back into his room to change into the clothes that Chen Lizun had sent him earlier, and then found some new strips of cloth to wrap around his forearm before going out.

Chen Ji brushed past Chen Xu again, but instead of letting Chen Xu lead the way, he walked ahead himself: "Let's go to Wendan Hall."

Chen Xu watched Chen Ji's retreating figure without getting angry. Instead, he praised him, "Young Master, you have quite the air of a young master of the Chen family on your return to the capital. Power and influence have indeed influenced you."

……

……

The Wendan Hall, with its eight vermilion doors wide open.

Without waiting for a servant to announce his arrival, Chen Ji stepped across the threshold and stood inside the Wendan Hall.

Grand Secretary Chen sat in a grand chair with his eyes closed, resting. Chen Lizun and Chen Lizhi sat on his left and right, respectively, while Chen Wende stood behind Chen Lizhi.

Chen Ji stood below the hall, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Patriarch."

After saying that, he actually chose a seat on the left-hand side and sat down instead of standing.

Chen Lizun hesitated, then ultimately said nothing.

Chen Lizhi raised an eyebrow, his goatee twitching on his skeletal face: "No manners."

Chen Ji calmly asked, "Second Uncle, what are the rules of the Chen family? Is it that elders plot against juniors?"

Chen Lizhi sneered, "What makes you say that? You're just a greenhorn, don't make baseless accusations."

"Alright," Grand Secretary Chen said slowly with his eyes closed, "He already has a title, so he can sit down. He certainly deserves a place in the Wendan Hall."

Before anyone could speak, Elder Chen continued, "Back then, I asked Chen Yu and Chen Ji how they viewed the rise and fall of the Chen family. Chen Yu replied that the rise and fall of a family depends on its people. Chen Ji replied that borrowing power is temporary; one must create power oneself. Now it seems that Chen Ji wasn't exaggerating; he truly lived up to his words."

Chen Lizun and Chen Lizhi had different expressions, each lost in thought.

Grand Secretary Chen smiled and opened his eyes: "It is not the fault of the lone wolf that the great Chen family has raised. It is the fault of Chen Liqin and the Liang family. The Chen family owes Chen Ji a lot, which is why he has become the person he is today."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Grand Secretary Chen said calmly, “But Chen Ji, there’s an old saying: if you want to go fast, it’s best to travel alone; if you want to go far, you have to support each other. My Chen family has weathered a thousand years of storms this way. If everyone is a lone wolf, my Chen family will not rise to power, nor can it withstand the ups and downs… Do you understand this principle?”

"clear."

Grand Secretary Chen turned his head and stared intently at Chen Ji on his seat: "Since you understand, then speak. I have already ordered Chen Xu to guard you at the city gate, why do you still refuse to listen to advice? In His Majesty's eyes, my Chen family is a faction of the Crown Prince, and so is the case in the eyes of the people of the world."

Grand Secretary Chen said firmly, "Chen Ji, do you understand that you are also a member of the Chen family's large ship? Or perhaps you don't want to rely on the Chen family and plan to set up your own business? Then you have betrayed the Chen family this time, and you will become their enemy."

Chen Ji turned to look at Grand Secretary Chen: "Master is wrong."

Grand Secretary Chen was taken aback, as were the others; no one had expected Chen Ji to say such a thing.

Grand Secretary Chen stroked his beard: "Where did I go wrong?"

Chen Ji said confidently, "Noble families do not seek to win forever, but only to avoid defeat. In the past, the Chen family only bet on the Crown Prince, putting all their eggs in one basket. Now that I have helped the Chen family bet on the Prince of Fu, they are already invincible... The Chen family should thank me."

Grand Secretary Chen remained silent for a long time, then suddenly burst into loud laughter that lingered in the Wendan Hall: "Where did you get the audacity to bet on Prince Fu for the Chen family?"

Chen Ji calmly said, "You shouldn't have power and money first, you should have courage first."

Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary Chen carefully examined Chen Ji and said with approval, "Very good, very good. My Chen family has served as the Crown Prince for more than twenty years, but there are not many courageous successors. Chen Ji, you are more important than the Crown Prince."

He turned to look at Chen Lizun, raised his hand and pointed at Chen Ji: "Go ask the Qi family. Ask them if they still want the marriage. If they regret it, speak up as soon as possible. I want to choose another virtuous and dignified woman. Qi Zhaoning is not good enough for him."

(End of this chapter)