Chapter 182: Life

Heavy snow falls.

Ten thousand *li* of white plain, like the white hair of the human world. Chen Ji doesn't know how he got back to the medical hall, nor does he remember if he announced his return this time. Only the moment he approached the medical hall, did he finally suppress the numb smile on his face.

Tomorrow, at the Yingxian Building, he is hosting a banquet for dozens of colleagues to celebrate his promotion to *Hai Dong Qing*. According to Jin Zhu, from now on, even a county magistrate must treat him with courtesy, and city prefects without strong backing would not dare to act recklessly.

Should he be happy? Of course he should be happy; he has finally found a foothold in this world. He should be especially happy, greatly and openly happy! But after being happy?

Old Man Yao stands behind the counter, looking at him, his head and shoulders covered in accumulated snow: "Lost your soul? Go into my room and warm up by the fire."

Chen Ji softly grunted in acknowledgment and headed inside.

Just then, the sound of a carriage stopping came from outside the door. Someone approached the entrance and politely asked: "Excuse me, who is Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji slowly turned around: "I am, what is it?"

He saw a shopkeeper leading a young assistant enter the room, their faces beaming with smiles. The shopkeeper said: "I am the shopkeeper of Li Ji Clothing Shop, do you still remember? Earlier, the County Princess ordered several sets of clothes for you from us: two upright collar large front robes, two pairs of winter cotton trousers, two pairs of black boots, one tile-ridge black gauze hat, and also a large fox fur cloak. According to the County Princess's instructions, she said you don't like being flashy, so the fox fur is sewn inside, and the outside is made of good quality cotton cloth..."

Chen Ji stared blankly at the clothes the young assistant was holding, taking a moment to register.

The shopkeeper continued talking as if to himself: "Oh, right, the County Princess also explained to sew six gold melon seeds inside the clothes as pendants to make the robe look more upright and wide. She said it would be convenient for you in an emergency."

The young assistant stepped forward and placed the clothes in Chen Ji's arms.

The shopkeeper smiled and said: "The money has already been paid by the County Princess. If you have no further instructions, I will take my leave. If the clothes do not fit, our small shop will modify them free of charge forever."

He waited for Chen Ji's reply, but Chen Ji only lowered his head and stared at the clothes in his arms for a long time without speaking.

It wasn't until Old Man Yao threw over a piece of broken silver: "Go back." The shopkeeper quickly said "Yes" and turned to leave.

Old Man Yao stood looking at Chen Ji's retreating figure, then suddenly let out a long sigh: "...Are you eating at home tonight, boy?"

"No, Master," Chen Ji hugged the clothes and walked into his bedroom. When he came out, he looked at the red cloth strips on the apricot tree, somewhat stunned.

After a long time, Chen Ji moved a ladder, climbed onto the tree, and took down the cloth strip belonging to Bai Yu, slowly untying it. Inside, he saw a line of elegant small characters: "With you year after year, year after year."

He looked at this line of small characters, his gaze seemingly passing through the heavy snow, meeting that of the County Princess Bai Yu under the apricot tree that day.

The red color on the apricot tree bloomed in his mind, like an anchor point in memory, becoming an annual ring in his mind, from now on distinguishing the old times from the new.

Chen Ji placed the red cloth strip in his arms, went out, mounted his horse, and galloped through the heavy snow like a young man on a swift steed, just like the characters in a storyteller's tales, all unreturning guests in the Jianghu.

Inside 48848 Cuiyun Lane.

The housekeeper of the Chen family was instructing the young servants to sweep the snow: "Sweep the heavy snow clean so that Master doesn't slip and fall when he comes back from the yamen. Be careful or I'll skin you."

At this moment, a carriage slowly drove into Cuiyun Lane. Chen Li Qin lifted the curtain and stepped down. He was wearing a bright red official robe, but there was no longer the majesty of past days between his brows, only gloom and suppression.

The Liu family rebellion had been quelled, but the proclamation to suppress the bandits that he had written had disappeared along with that Mr. Feng.

This matter could be big or small. If someone were to genuinely pursue the matter of the proclamation to suppress the bandits, he and the Liu family would be considered part of the same rebellious group.

Chen Li Qin didn't know who to discuss this matter with, nor could he discuss it. He could only keep this matter pressed in his heart.

The housekeeper saw him return and quickly shouted into the mansion: "Master is back!"

Inside the Chen family home, a dignified and elegant woman welcomed him. The woman stood within the door frame and said warmly: "Master has been having some cough lately. Your concubine has already ordered people to stew white fungus and pear soup. Please quickly enter the room and have a hot drink."

Chen Li Qin nodded silently. The woman then gently said: "Master, I heard that Zong is currently locking himself in his room and won't even let his maid in. Tonight, please have a chat with him and see if he has any worries."

Chen Li Qin said "Yes."

The next moment, the sound of horse hooves came from outside the lane.

Chen Li Qin turned his head and stared at Chen Ji on the horse, stunned: "How did you come back?"

The woman inside the door frame saw Chen Ji and also asked softly: "Is there something urgent that you've suddenly returned? Are you short of money?"

In the gaze of the crowd, Chen Ji's horse hooves did not stop.

The housekeeper blocked Chen Ji's path: "Master, Madam is talking to you, you..."

Chen Ji's face turned cold and quiet. He pulled the reins with his right hand, and the war horse suddenly raised its front hooves, fiercely stepping towards the housekeeper!

The housekeeper panicked, lost his composure, and rolled to the side, barely dodging the step! Chen Ji said coldly: "Get out of the way."

He brushed past the crowd and dismounted in front of the Zhang family's door.

Chen Ji handed the reins to the young servant at the door: "Please announce that Chen Ji is visiting."

On the Chen family side, Chen Li Qin, the woman, the housekeeper, and the young servants all watched in silence. For a moment, their minds couldn't process it. Wasn't this their third young master of the Chen family? Why did he run to the Zhang family? Why was his killing intent so heavy?

This was not like a medical hall apprentice; he was clearly like a killer from the border army!

The woman asked warmly: "Master, why did Chen Ji not enter the door of his own home? Is it that I did something wrong again and provoked him..."

Chen Li Qin said in a deep voice: "It has nothing to do with you, no need to think too much."

The woman frowned doubtfully: "But what is he going to the Zhang family for? Your concubine seems to have heard earlier that he has some friendship with the second miss of the Zhang family. But now he is visiting the second miss of the Zhang family rashly alone. Will it not be improper etiquette and harm the reputation of the second miss of the Zhang family?"

Just at this moment, Zhang Zhuo's shouting came from inside the Zhang family: "Oh dear, why did you come here? I was just thinking of changing out of my official robe and going to the medical hall to find you."

As he spoke, Zhang Zhuo ran out with only a pair of white socks on his feet. Immediately after, he saw Zhang Zheng, the son of the head of the Zhang family, also run out like a gust of wind.

He saw Zhang Zheng pull Chen Ji's arm and walk inside: "Good brother, I was just telling A Xia that I wanted to go find you together. It's cold outside, quickly come in and warm up."

But Zhang Zhuo glanced at Chen Ji, then turned his head and said to Zhang Zheng: "Chen Ji must have something important. You go back first."

Zhang Zheng was a little startled, turned around and walked away, conveniently taking the young servant at the door with him, so that others couldn't hear his father talking to Chen Ji.

After the front of the door quieted down, Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji: "Did you come for the Prince Jing?"

"No, I came for the Son of Heaven and the County Princess. Master Zhang, I saved you once and saved Zhang Xia twice. Now I need you and Zhang Xia to do one thing for me tomorrow, can you?"

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard: "No matter what it is, my Zhang family accepts."

...

An incense stick time later, Chen Ji once again braved the wind and snow, urging his horse towards the east market. It wasn't until evening that he finally stopped in front of a large residence on Tongji Street.

This was a wealthy family. Tonight was the family's old lady's seventy-year-old birthday, and they were just about to hold a celebration, but heavy snow had suddenly fallen in Luocheng.

Chen Ji arrived at the door, where a housekeeper with smiling eyes was welcoming guests: "This guest official, may I see your family's invitation?"

Chen Ji walked inside without turning his head: "I came to see the strong man from your family who builds stages. I am his friend."

As soon as the housekeeper heard that he was looking for the strong man, his face suddenly turned cold. He reached out to block Chen Ji's path: "Looking for the strong man, and you come to the master's house? Get lost. Tonight is the old lady's seventy-year-old birthday, I don't have time to pay attention to you."

Chen Ji glanced at him and took out the secret spy office waist token from his sleeve: "Three days from now, go to the office door of the secret spy office in Huanjing Lane yourself and receive ten strokes. If you don't come to find me, I will come to find you myself."

The housekeeper's face suddenly turned pale.

Chen Ji exhaled a breath of white gas in the heavy snow and sighed: "Power and influence are indeed useful... Forget it, I was just joking with you. Lead me to the stage building area."

The housekeeper bowed humbly and led the way in front, bending his knees: "Please be careful of the accumulated snow on the ground, do not slip and fall."

Chen Ji waved his hand to dismiss the housekeeper when he reached the area outside the stage.

He stood to one side and watched She Deng Ke and a group of strong men carry wood, building the stage bit by bit. It wasn't until She Deng Ke saw him that he ran over in surprise: "Chen Ji, how did you come here? Tonight is the Tang family old lady's big birthday. Wait a while and hide behind the stage with me. Later, I'll take you to grab a good meal!"

Chen Ji stood in the snow, silent for a moment, then said: "Senior Brother Yu, you like Chun Hua, right?"

She Deng Ke hesitated: "Right, I like her."

Chen Ji asked: "Why do you like her?"

She Deng Ke recalled: "The first time I entered the Prince's Mansion, I made a lot of embarrassing mistakes. All the other maids laughed at me, only she carefully reminded me. Later, she even secretly taught me the rules and gave me pastries from the Prince's Mansion. On a rest day, I took her home with me to build a stage, and she didn't dislike it either. Chen Ji, she is truly a good person."

Chen Ji looked at the stage in the distance: "Earlier, you and she framed me together, do you still remember? At that time, she compensated me with money, both whole and broken pieces, thirty-two silver *liang*, and thirty-six copper coins."

Yu Deng Ke's emotions became low: "I remember, I'm sorry."

Chen Ji turned his head and looked directly at Yu Deng Ke, saying calmly: "At that time, I said you owed me a life. I said that whenever I wanted it back, you must return it."

"I remember."

"Now, this life should be returned." She Deng Ke struggled for a long time: "Okay."

Chen Ji smiled and patted the snow off Yu Deng Ke's shoulder: "Senior Brother She, I'm not taking this life of yours for nothing. Chun Hua is currently in the inner prison. Helping me is equal to helping her. If you can survive this time, I will send the two of you far away to fly high."

She Deng Ke's heart tightened: "What if I don't survive?"

"That is fate then."