Chapter 217: Returning to the Capital

At the hour of Yin, Su Zhou lay on the couch, drowsily falling asleep.

Xiao Man gently touched her forehead and whispered, "Young master, her forehead is a bit feverish. Is there any good method?"

Chen Ji replied, "There's no good method, just use a wet cloth to help cool her down."

Xiao Man took the white cloth, wet it again, and placed it on Su Zhou's forehead. Without a sound, she reached into Su Zhou's hair, feeling around, but still didn't touch the copper coin of the Remaining Lamp Fire.

She sat back on the small stool beside the charcoal basin, feeling disappointed, and stared blankly at the firelight inside the basin, which flickered between bright and dark.

Xiao Man had originally wanted to take advantage of Su Zhou's sleep to get a little revenge for being held captive, but then she thought about how the other party was completely unaware and felt there was no meaning.

Revenge, after all, should let the enemy know so that one can vent their anger.

Chen Ji sat on the small stool next to her. Wu Yun was curled up in a ball on his lap, having fallen asleep early.

Tonight, they had first dealt with the assassination of General Wang, and then faced the search and arrest by the secret service. This moment was a rare period of peace.

Xiao Man picked up the iron tongs and poked at the charcoal basin. She opened her mouth and asked, "Young master, I'll make a bed on the floor for you, you should also rest for a while."

Chen Ji, holding Wu Yun, calmly said, "No need, I'm worried that someone will come to search the Chen residence again tonight. I won't be able to sleep."

Xiao Man made a sound of understanding. Her eyes darted around. "Young master, I heard the brother from the military office say earlier that the person who assassinated General Wang tonight is from the official line."

Chen Ji acknowledged with a sound.

Xiao Man secretly sized him up. "Do you want to become an official line cultivator?"

Chen Ji's gaze shifted slightly, and he said indifferently, "I heard the official line is all very mysterious and powerful, but I don't have the opportunity to become one."

Xiao Man lowered her voice, "There is an opportunity."

Chen Ji turned his head to look at her. "Oh?"

Xiao Man gestured with her mouth towards Su Zhou on the couch. "Young master, isn't the assassin right here? She's definitely from the official line. We can tie her up and force her to hand over the cultivation method."

Chen Ji was dumbfounded.

This Xiao Man wasn't very old, but she truly had a thick skin and a dark heart, showing no martial virtue!

Thinking about it, she had been sold to human traffickers since she was young, and had to fight for every meal there.

When she came to the Chen residence, although she stayed with the aunt for a while, the aunt soon left, and she became rootless again. Life as a third-class maid must have been very difficult. Without anyone to teach her right from wrong, she could only figure out her own philosophy of survival.

Wild grass growing on a cliff face can only constantly push its roots into the stone cracks, seizing the limited nutrients, in order to survive.

However, Xiao Man continued to tempt him, "I heard that after cultivating the official line, as long as you're not injured, you can be immune to a hundred diseases and prolong your life, with many benefits. Not only that, once you become an official line cultivator, you'll be able to stand tall, and no one in this Chen residence will dare to bully you again."

Chen Ji shook his head. "She is Jing Wang's friend, and I am also Jing Wang's friend. Although her actions are a bit extreme, I cannot take advantage of her misfortune at this time."

Xiao Man hung her head. "Alright... then I'll think of other ways to get an official line method for you later."

Chen Ji asked calmly, "You seem to know a lot about the official line."

Xiao Man panicked for a moment. "Ah, no, no, I just happened to hear the storyteller at the teahouse talking about it, they mentioned it."

Chen Ji had roughly two guesses in his heart. The first guess was: After his birth mother, Lu Shi, bought Xiao Man, seeing her pitiful life, she took pity on her, and because Xiao Man was clever, Lu Shi passed on the Jing Dynasty branch's Mandala secret seal to her, wanting to cultivate her as a trusted servant.

However, not long after Lu Shi passed on the official line method to Xiao Man, she either died or fled for some reason, and didn't teach her many other things. Thus, Xiao Man, except for having an official line method, was like an outsider in everything else.

The second guess was: Xiao Man was originally a member of the Jing Dynasty's military intelligence office, and the official line method was also passed down from the military intelligence office. She was a person placed beside him by his uncle. The naivety she showed now was all an act.

Chen Ji pondered repeatedly. He thought the first guess was more likely, and the second guess was less likely.

However, he didn't need the official line method. With the Mountain Lord, Sword Seed, and the 'Covering Cloud' bestowed by the Inner Minister, Chen Ji already had three cultivation methods.

Just as he was thinking, Chen Ji was pulled back to reality by a burst of noise outside the courtyard. He picked up Wu Yun from his lap and opened the door to check, only to see Winter Solstice, a first-class maid from Liang Shi's side, waking up all the maids in Qunfang Garden.

Chen Ji looked at the color of the sky. It was still not bright, and the chickens hadn't crowed yet.

Holding Wu Yun, he stood at the entrance of Mingquan Garden and curiously asked, "Winter Solstice girl, what are you doing?"

Winter Solstice bowed. "Replying to Third Young Master, the old master and madam have temporarily instructed us to quickly pack up the household valuables. We will leave Luo City as soon as it gets light."

Chen Ji asked, "Are we entering the capital with the Zhang family?"

Winter Solstice explained with a smile, "Replying to Third Young Master, our Chen family is going alone, not with anyone else. Oh, you should also pack your things. The carriages are already parked outside the residence. The old master and madam are in the first carriage, the eldest young master is in the second, the second young master is in the third, and you and Xiao Man will sit in the fourth."

Having finished speaking, she no longer paid attention to Chen Ji, turned around, and shouted in a loud voice, "Everyone get up! Li Qiu, you take people to boil water and make food. The rest follow me to Wen Yun Hall to pack things. Everyone must work carefully today. If anything in Wen Yun Hall is broken, even if you are all sold, you won't be able to compensate!" At the hour of Mao, the chickens crowed.

Maids as numerous as orioles and swallows in the Chen residence hurried back and forth, registering and cataloging the items to be taken away one by one, and moving them to the carriages and ox carts outside Cuiyun Lane.

The door of the Zhang residence was tightly closed, quietly giving the impression that they were not in a hurry to leave Luo City.

In the thin fog of the early morning, Chen Ji and Xiao Man together carried a large wooden box through the Chen residence and put it into the carriage. When a young servant came to help, he politely refused.

Winter Solstice saw this scene and quickly stopped them. "Third Young Master, this box is better placed on the ox cart behind. There's no need to put it inside the carriage and take up space. The ox carts are all covered with oilcloth sheds, so there's no need to worry about snow or rain."

Chen Ji climbed out of the carriage, patted the dust off his palms, and explained with a smile, "It's our hard-earned family possessions, it's more reassuring to have them nearby."

Winter Solstice returned to the residence, put away her smile, and softly muttered, "Heh, he's never seen the world before. One would think there are many treasures inside."

After breakfast, the Chen family members got into the carriages one after another and set off in a hurry, as if fleeing a disaster. They didn't linger any longer. Chen Li Qin and Liang Shi didn't even look at the Chen residence again, while the maids cried in a group.

Some of the Chen residence's maids wanted to return to the capital together, while others were left to guard the family business in Luo City, thus separating. For the people of this era, the distance between Luo City and the capital was a lifetime.

In front of Chen Ji's carriage, Li Qiu wiped away tears with a cloth while instructing Xiao Man, "When you get back to the Chen family's main residence, don't foolishly argue with people again. Restrain your bad temper a bit. Sometimes, you just have to endure."

Xiao Man's eyes were also red. "Okay, I know, Sister Li Qiu, but I can't help it."

Li Qiu was so angry she laughed, and poked her forehead with a finger. "Little stubborn always doesn't listen to me. There will always be a time when you suffer a loss. When that happens, people will demote you back to a third-class maid, and without me, let's see what you'll do."

Xiao Man squatted in the coachman's seat, her tears falling pathetically. "Sister Li Qiu, you also have to be well in Luo City. Next year, when you're of age, find a good family to marry early. After you get married, you must write me a letter..."

Li Qiu cried and asked, "What, you still want to add some dowry for me?" Xiao Man shook her head, wiping away her tears as she said, "No, I'm just offering congratulations."

Li Qiu cried and laughed, "I worried about you for nothing!"

From the first carriage, Chen Li Qin's calm voice was heard, "What are you still crying about? Set off."

The young servant beside him quickly waved his arms. "Set off, set off."

The coachman sat sideways on the carriage, raised his whip, and the carriage slowly began to move.

Li Qiu chased forward two steps and stuffed the cloth bundle on her shoulder into Xiao Man's embrace. "When you get to the capital, don't think about the people and things in Luo City anymore. Live well!"

"I know!"

The carriage swayed, and Xiao Man clung to the window, looking back. She watched as the Chen residence's plaque became more and more distant, and the maids standing in their original positions. Her tears flowed uncontrollably.

After a long time, she climbed back inside and sat down blankly. "Young master, we're just leaving like this."

Chen Ji and the wooden box were squeezed together. He held Wu Yun in his arms. "Li Qiu is very good to you."

The bright light from outside the window shone through the gap in the curtain, gently sprinkling on Xiao Man's face. "How can this count as good in this deep residence and large courtyard? If young master means the kind of 'good' like saving a life, then definitely not. It's just that sometimes, when Wang Gui makes things difficult for me, it's clearly time for a meal, but he suddenly tells me to fetch water or sweep the floor. By the time I finish working and go back, there's only unchewable rice crust left in the pot. At times like these, Sister Li Qiu would secretly leave a bowl of rice for me. This is what counts as very, very good."

Chen Ji made a sound of understanding. "Let's see what things she sent you."

Xiao Man opened the bundle and saw that it was stuffed with bath beans made by Liu Ji from the East Market, rouge paste from Nan Sheng Ji, stone dye pens from the old brand of East Zhi...

Chen Ji subconsciously covered Wu Yun's ears. The next moment, Xiao Man wailed and cried in the carriage like an immature child.

At this moment, a burst of noise interrupted the sound of crying.

A maid rushed out of the Chen residence, crying and shouting, chasing after the carriage, following step by step beside Chen Wen Xiao's carriage. "Second Young Master, aren't you taking me? You said before that you wanted to take me to the capital with you. I'm carrying your flesh and blood!"

Chen Wen Xiao panicked and instructed the young servant, "What are you still gawking at? Pull her away!"

The young servant pulled the maid away, and she gradually disappeared into the cold, thin fog behind.

The Chen family's convoy consisted of a total of eight carriages and twenty-two ox carts carrying valuables and soft goods. They took eighteen maids, over forty young servants and house guards. Wang Gui just sat on the very last ox cart without a word. Now that he had lost his steward's identity, he couldn't even sit in a carriage.

After walking for about half a shichen, the team arrived in front of the North City Gate.

Then they heard someone suddenly shout loudly outside the carriage, "Master Chen! Hahaha, Master Chen, why didn't you say hello before you left? Let me wait here properly!"

When Chen Li Qin heard the familiar voice, he suddenly felt a sense of dread in his heart.

He lifted the curtain and looked out, only to see Zhang Zhuo, Zhang Zhuo's wife Xu Shi, Zhang Xia, and Zhang Zheng sitting inside a teahouse in front of the city gate, eating doufuna and golden fried dough sticks.

Below the city gate, the Zhang family's convoy of over a hundred vehicles formed a long line, which was extremely spectacular. Not only were there groups of maids and young servants, but they had even hired people from the Luo City Liang Shi escort agency to escort them.

Zhang Zhuo wiped his mouth and walked out of the teahouse, laughing happily. "Master Chen, Zhang has been waiting here for a long time. Let's return to the capital together!"