Aoyama

Chapter 437 Certificate of Surrender

At dawn, the rooster crows.

Children carrying burlap sacks on one shoulder walked along the bluestone-paved streets, shouting: "The strategies of Lin Chaojing, the young master of the Imperial Academy, on the long-standing problems of the salt administration!"

"Young Master Chen Wenzong's new commentary on the Book of Rites in the Classics Examination has been hailed as brilliant by the provincial education commissioner!"

"Shen Yeshi, the leader of the Tiger Hill Poetry Society, made a startling statement during the ceremonies of the salt administration. He argued that the problem lay not in private sales, but in the long-standing abuses of the law. He proposed reforming the policy, investigating corrupt officials, and addressing the issue by changing the system from paying grain to paying silver!"

On Fuyou Street, the vermilion gate of the Chen family was opened a crack, and someone beckoned to the children: "Kid, come here, I want one of each."

The child beamed, "Alright, sir, that'll be thirty coins in total."

The servants of the Chen family stared wide-eyed: "So expensive?"

The child quickly said, "You don't know this, but this is a unique business of Wen Yuan Bookstore. If I sell you ten copies, I will only earn one copper coin."

The servant of the Chen family counted out thirty copper coins from his sleeve and waved him away impatiently: "Go away, don't linger in front of the door."

He closed the vermilion gate, held the thin few pages of the article, and respectfully handed them to Chen Xu outside the Wendan Hall.

Chen Xu glanced at them a few times, then turned and walked into the Wendan Hall: "Master, it seems His Majesty is spreading rumors. Half of these articles that have been secretly released are aimed at the salt administration... Would you like to take a look?"

"I'm not going to look anymore," Grand Secretary Chen said, blowing away the foam in his teacup. "The salt administration has been a thorn in His Majesty's side for thirty-two years. Now that we are in disarray, he will naturally take the opportunity to remove it. However, removing this thorn will not be easy."

Chen Xu nodded: "Yes."

Grand Secretary Chen put down his teacup: "Still no trace of the past?"

"did not find."

Where is Wang Gui?

Chen Xu said in a deep voice, "We didn't find them either. Chen Ji's subordinate, Chen Chong, that brother of the Gelaohui, appeared out of nowhere. He's quite a figure. In just one month, he's managed to gather the gangs of Heji and Furuixiang under his control, and even devised a set of secret codes and hand gestures, making Plum Blossom Ferry impenetrable..."

Just then, a servant's voice came from outside the hall: "Second Master, please allow me to announce your arrival..."

Chen Lizhi flew into a rage: "What do you mean, 'explain'? Get out of here!"

He lifted the hem of his official robe and strode into the Wendan Hall, standing below and angrily saying, "Master, what is that brat Chen Ji trying to do? The matter has already been settled, why is he still clinging to it? If he insists on doing so, don't blame me for being ruthless as his uncle."

Grand Secretary Chen looked him up and down and said slowly, "What does Wang Gui know that makes you so flustered? You don't even know the rules of the Wendan Hall."

Chen Lizhi was speechless.

He thought it over and over, and concluded that he shouldn't have any leverage over Wang Gui. Yet Chen Ji had gone to such great lengths to hide Wang Gui, and when Meng Ji arrived in the capital, it seemed as if he could put him to death.

Now that things had come to this, Chen Lizhi also had a slight doubt...

But he remained confident and said, "Master, that Wang Gui is just a steward of the third branch of the family. What leverage could he possibly have against me?"

Grand Secretary Chen casually said, "Since that's the case, then we don't need to worry about it."

Chen Lizhi suppressed his anger: "Patriarch, Chen Ji disregards family etiquette and acts recklessly without informing you beforehand. How can you tolerate his misbehavior?"

Grand Secretary Chen picked up his teacup again: "When you wanted to kill him, you didn't even inform me."

Chen Lizhi was speechless again.

Grand Secretary Chen took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "He narrowly escaped death during this spring hunt, so it's understandable that he's angry. Why don't you compensate him with something to calm him down?"

He then changed the subject: "Or, you could find Wang Gui and kill him before Mengji enters the capital, and that would be the end of it."

Chen Lizhi remained silent for a moment, then turned and strode away, saying, "I understand, nephew."

Standing inside the Wendan Hall, Chen Xu looked at Chen Lizhi's back and said softly, "Master, the Second Master and Chen Ji's minds are not on the Chen family; their minds are only on themselves."

Grand Secretary Chen smoothed out the wrinkles on his official robe and stared blankly at the dim sky outside the Wendan Hall: "Chen Xu, in this vast Chen family, how many people truly care about the Chen family? This great ship of the Chen family has weathered a thousand years of storms and tribulations, and it has always been like this."

Chen Xu cupped his hands and said, "Master, I was born a member of the Chen family, and I will die a member of the Chen family."

Grand Secretary Chen smiled and said, "There's no need to pledge loyalty. Of all the members of the Chen family, you are the only one I trust. And don't worry about Chen Ji. Just make him understand that home is better than outside, and his heart will naturally return. I wonder if you've seen the book published by Wen Yuan Bookstore about the debate between Chen Ji and Wu Zhai of Yuanjue Temple at Luhun Mountain Villa?"

Chen Xu was taken aback, then lowered his head: "Reporting to Master, I did not see it."

Grand Secretary Chen sighed, "It was only then that I began to value Chen Ji. He raised an interesting question at Luhun Manor: if every plank of a large ship were replaced, would the ship still be the same ship? How similar this is to my Chen family! Chen Xu, you answer this: is my Chen family still the same Chen family it once was?"

Chen Xu pondered for a long time: "I am a foolish and dull person."

"I can't learn their sophistry and verbal sparring," Grand Secretary Chen laughed heartily. "If you ask me, it's not important whether this ship still belongs to the Chen family or not. What's important is whether this ship can still carry the Chen family across the ocean. If there are any rotten rafters or planks on this ship, they should be replaced. Otherwise, if it leaks, none of the Chen family members on board will be able to escape."

Chen Xu cautiously probed, "What does Master mean..."

Grand Secretary Chen slowly suppressed his smile: "The second son is already panicking. The things he's carrying are probably bigger than I suspected. These are things he can't bear, and neither can my Chen family. I suspect Chen Ji doesn't actually have any leverage over Wang Gui, otherwise he wouldn't have made this matter public. He wants to use this to see the second son's reaction, and then use me as a weapon to kill whoever he wants to kill... In recent years, it's rare to see someone use me as a weapon." Chen Xu respectfully replied, "Your Excellency has keen insight and can see through my son's schemes."

Grand Secretary Chen stroked the armrest, then suddenly asked, "What is a conspiracy?"

Before Chen Xu could answer, he continued, "A carefully planned scheme to lure you into a trap is a conspiracy. What is an open conspiracy? An open conspiracy is one where you know about it, but you have no choice."

Chen Xu dared not reply.

Grand Secretary Chen was silent for a moment: "The second son cannot be kept alive."

Chen Xu was startled: "Master, you just said that yesterday..."

Grand Secretary Chen stood up and slowly walked out: "Do you know what wisdom is?"

Chen Xu bowed and followed behind him: "I hope you can enlighten me, sir."

Grand Secretary Chen stepped across the threshold of the Wendan Hall: "A person's true wisdom lies in knowing when to do what. When it's time to study, study hard; when it's time to accept defeat, accept defeat; when it's time to kill, don't hesitate. Those who don't understand this principle cannot be considered wise."

Chen Xu hurriedly replied, "I'll take care of it right away."

Grand Secretary Chen suddenly stopped: "No rush. Let the second son reveal his last remaining assets first, and also to curb Chen Ji's arrogance."

……

……

One by one, the servants of the second branch of the Chen family walked out of Fuyou Street. Some went to Chongnan Ward in the outer city, while others went to unknown alleys, leading groups of people through the streets and alleys in search of Wang Gui and Chen Ji's whereabouts.

The capital city was bustling with activity during the day due to the imperial examinations, but underneath, undercurrents were swirling.

The Chen family searched for three whole days, looking everywhere – teahouses, alleys, taverns, inns, and even suspicious people – but they couldn't find any trace of Wang Gui and Chen Ji.

On the third night, the members of the secret society were sitting in Mei Rui Lou, tallying accounts. The candlelight illuminated the nameplates on the wall, showing the capital, Nanjing, Taiyuan, and other cities. Because they had been handled so many times, the bamboo nameplates were worn smooth and moist, as if they were coated with a thick layer of sizing.

Just then, footsteps were heard coming from Plum Blossom Ferry.

Erdao, who was dozing off with his arms crossed in Meirui Tower, suddenly opened his eyes: "Brother, someone's here."

The gang leader remained calm: "It seems they haven't found any trace of the past."

Erdao stood up: "What should we do?"

The man put down his brush, picked up his pipe from the table, took a few deep drags over the candlelight, and then laughed, “The better the smoke, the better. I can’t even imagine how comfortable it would be to have a puff before I die.”

Erdao rubbed his smooth head: "What's the logic behind this?"

The man laughed and said, "You don't need to know. Don't do anything foolish later. Chen Ji is a deep and cunning man who never easily trusts others, not even those from our hometown. We both have to get past this hurdle, otherwise we'll never be true friends."

Erdao scratched his head again: "What's the reason for this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of Mei Rui Lou was pushed open, and six masked assassins rushed in.

The gangster stood up, put on his black jacket, took another puff of his pipe before handing it to Erdao, and said to the masked assassins, "The person you're looking for is me. Let's go."

The assassins were slightly taken aback. Judging from this person's demeanor, they didn't seem to be there to capture him, but rather to pick him up.

The Gelaohui swaggered through them. There wasn't a single stick outside Meirui Tower; the Gelaohui had sent them away long ago, as if he knew from the beginning that assassins would come to take him away.

They filed out through the back door and boarded a carriage.

The carriage wound its way around for two hours before finally stopping in a small alley. The members of the secret society sat in the middle, eyes closed, resting, and only got out and walked inside after the carriage had come to a complete stop.

In the courtyard, four people sat around a campfire, with a pot of boiling oil placed on top of it.

The second branch manager of the Mountain Spirit Cultivator, who was standing next to Chen Lizhi, stood up and looked at the gangsters with surprise. They didn't even have a rope on them: "Did he come here by himself?"

The assassin replied, "I came on my own."

The person in charge frowned: "Is someone following us?"

The assassin cautiously replied, "I'm sure, no one is following us."

This left the second branch leader somewhat bewildered. He looked at the member of the secret society and asked, "Who the hell are you? Could you be an official from the Seeking Dao Realm?"

The man frankly replied, "I haven't had time to cultivate yet; I estimate I'll have to get through this tribulation first."

The person in charge raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure you can get through this? Where is Wang Gui? Where is Chen Ji?"

The gangster swaggered into the house, pulled up a grand chair, dragged it to the courtyard, and sat down: "I won't say anything, just torture me."

(End of this chapter)