Chapter 236: The News from Jing Dynasty

In the inn's main hall, a place where people from all walks of life mingled, everyone harbored their own hidden agendas. When their gazes fell upon Chen Ji, their faces displayed cunning, scrutiny, and avarice, making it impossible at times to tell if they were truly human or something else.

Chen Ji looked at the wine jar on the table and suddenly understood. Placing a jar of *shaodao* wine on the Eight Immortals table was for selling news, while placing *putao* brew was for buying news. By simply placing the appropriate wine jar upon entering, others would instantly know one's purpose. This *Longmen* Inn was, in fact, the largest news hub in *Gu Yuan* City, and the five hundred *wen* per jar was the inn's commission. Originally, Chen Ji had come to buy news, but by a strange turn of events, he had become someone selling it.

At this moment, the man opposite him tapped the table with his knuckles. "Young man, what news exactly do you want to sell? Speak up!"

Xiao Man stood behind Chen Ji, glaring at the man. "What are you rushing for? Isn't my young master thinking?"

The man sneered. "Such a temper for a little girl. I see you're new faces and probably don't know the rules of *Longmen* Inn. If you place a jar but can't produce any useful news, you probably won't be able to stay in this inn."

Chen Ji lowered his head, pondering what news to sell. Just as the man opposite was about to tap the table again, he raised his hand, but before his knuckles fell, Chen Ji spoke. "I know what happened at *Gu Yuan* Station."

The man's hand hung in mid-air, and his eyes suddenly lit up. "You actually know about that! How much silver do you want?"

Chen Ji raised his hand to his chest and extended two fingers.

The man lowered his head and pondered for a few breaths. When he looked up again, he had already slapped two gold melon seeds onto the table.

Chen Ji looked at the two gold melon seeds. His original intention was to sell for two hundred *taels* of silver, but the other side had only offered twenty *taels*. Something so earth-shattering had happened at *Gu Yuan* Station; how could it only be worth twenty *taels*?

Seeing Chen Ji still silent, the man said suspiciously, "Do you really know what happened at *Gu Yuan* Station?"

Chen Ji thought for a long time, finally deciding to quickly sell the news and then exchange the *shaodao* wine for *putao* brew. He simply said in a low voice, "At *Gu Yuan* Station, someone poisoned and killed the maidservants and attendants of the *Zhan Shi Fu*'s *Shao Zhan Shi*'s family, a total of thirty-four people. The killer is unknown. The border army and the Feather Forest Army have investigated but haven't found the truth."

The man muttered, "No wonder the rumors say *Gu Yuan* Station is full of dead people. Alright, this news is worth twenty *taels*." With that, he pushed the two gold melon seeds towards Chen Ji, quickly got up, and left. He lifted the inn's thick cotton cloth curtain and disappeared into the cold wind.

Just as Chen Ji was about to call the waiter to change the wine, the inn's door curtain was lifted again. The earlier man returned, holding a scrawny, monkey-like young man, and said to the shopkeeper, "Second Master, this fellow broke your rules. Recently, *Gu Yuan* has many new faces, one by one not knowing the rules and daring to come for a bite."

The shopkeeper finally lifted his head and looked towards Chen Ji. "Guest, what do you say we do?"

Chen Ji looked at the young man being held but didn't know what connection this person had to him. Perhaps the inn had some rules he was unaware of. He could only follow suit and say, "Handle it according to the inn's rules."

The shopkeeper said indifferently to the man at the door, "Privately inquiring about news, break one finger, and before the finger heals, not allowed to enter the inn again."

The man grinned maliciously. "Got it." With that, he reached out and forcibly broke the young man's index finger, then lifted him and went outside again.

The shopkeeper slowly said, "Recently, the Crown Prince has come to our *Gu Yuan*, so there are many new faces in *Gu Yuan*. We need to tell everyone, no matter who you are, if you want news, buy it yourself with money. Don't break the rules."

The inn's main hall fell quiet for a moment as the shopkeeper lowered his head again to write accounts, then slowly became noisy again.

Chen Ji stuffed the two gold melon seeds into his sleeve. Before he could call the waiter to change the wine, another person sat opposite him, took out two silver ingots, placed them on the table, and said in a low voice, "Buy that news from just now."

Chen Ji was slightly startled and repeated, "At *Gu Yuan* Station, someone poisoned and killed the *Zhan Shi Fu*..."

The man opposite listened to the news, and without a word, turned and left.

Chen Ji stared intently at the silver ingots on the table. He had originally thought that after selling the news to one person, the secret would no longer be a secret, making it a one-time deal. But now... No wonder the earlier man had only taken out two gold melon seeds. People were buying "non-exclusive" news.

Seeing buyers come to the door one after another, the silver in front of Chen Ji piled up. In just the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, he had earned two hundred and twenty *taels* of silver.

Xiao Man stared wide-eyed at the silver, her gaze fixed. "Young... Young Master, how about we just stay in *Gu Yuan*? This money comes too easily."

Chen Ji said with a wry smile, "We don't have that much news to sell."

Xiao Man hesitated. "How about we... how about you go find some wicked and criminal *Jiang Yang* bandits, kill their whole family, first rob their money, then come sell the news of their deaths? Kill two birds with one stone."

Chen Ji couldn't help but turn back to look at Xiao Man behind him. What kind of person was his aunt, to actually raise a living Yama by his side? He absent-mindedly responded, "I don't have that ability."

Xiao Man pursed her lips and said nothing, clearly tempted.

Not to mention Xiao Man, even Chen Ji himself was a bit reluctant to stop. The massive ice flow still lingered in his *dantian*, and he needed a lot of silver. But what other news could be sold? The *Jing* Dynasty's *Tian Ce* Army was coming to surround the city? No, since the border army decided to block the news, there must be a reason. If he spread the news, it might disrupt the border army's formation. But for someone with such deep secrets to come to this treasure land and not make some money before leaving would truly be a pity.

Chen Ji waved to the waiter. The waiter wiping a table put the cloth on his arm, smiled, and came over. "Guest, congratulations on your wealth. What instructions do you have?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and asked, "Right now, what news is the most valuable?"

The waiter smiled and answered, "Guest, as long as it's news related to the Crown Prince or the *Du Si Fu*, it's valuable."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and had a plan in mind. He pointed to the *shaodao* wine on the table. "Trouble you to help me change it to *putao* brew."

The waiter was puzzled. "Guest, you just started your business. Aren't you selling more news?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "I still have news I want to buy. I plan to handle proper business first."

The waiter responded, "Got it. You wait, I'll change the wine for you." He hugged the wine jar and was about to leave when Zhang Zheng beside him suddenly asked, "Hey, waiter, we also bought this wine. Can't we leave it for us to drink?"

The waiter was stunned. "Guest, placing a jar has the rules of placing a jar, and opening a jar has the rules of opening a jar. If you have world-shaking news, come open this jar of wine again. At that time, the wine aroma will drift ten *li*. That's for big business."

The waiter went to the back of the main hall and brought back a jar of *putao* brew, along with the earlier ordered buns and fine noodles. Besides that, there were actually two dishes of melon seeds, two dishes of peanuts, plus one plate of preserved fruit and one plate of raisins, filling the whole table.

Seeing this, Xiao Man said, "We didn't order these. Later, we won't pay you, okay?"

The waiter laughed. "Guest, you're joking. Whoever opens a business in our inn, we not only offer snacks and preserved fruit, but also waive today's room charge for you."

Xiao Man's eyes lit up. "There's such a good thing! Your shopkeeper is really good at business!"

Zhang Xia pulled her to sit side by side at the table. "Eat."

Xiao Man said obediently, "Zhang Second Miss is beautiful and kind-hearted!"

As soon as the wine jar was placed on the table, someone immediately came forward. "Several masters, I have news to sell."

Chen Ji casually said, "What kind of news?"

"From *Jing* Dynasty."

Chen Ji's heart stirred slightly. "How much silver?"

"Five *taels*."

Chen Ji was silent for two breaths. "Speak and let's see."

The man sat opposite. "This autumn, *Jing* Dynasty's *Shangjing* Road had a locust plague. Every household's grain harvest failed. If there's a way to transport grain over, you can definitely make a big profit..."

Chen Ji suddenly lost interest. *Gu Yuan* had many merchants, and six or seven out of ten here were merchants who relied on the border for business. So, most of the news was actually "buying business."

Chen Ji took a five-*tael* silver ingot and pushed it out. "Understood."

Xiao Man, while cracking melon seeds, said with distress, "Young Master, for such a little bit of news you give him five *taels* of silver? You don't need to..."

Chen Ji said calmly, "Buying horse bones with a thousand gold is not a problem. Afterwards, I have my own way to earn the silver back."

At this time, as soon as one person got up, another sat down. "Several masters, I have one *tael* of silver's worth of news here."

"Speak and let's see."

"I am from *Min* State. Over there, the port has a ship fully loaded with spices that was sealed by the court. If someone can arrange it a bit..."

From morning to afternoon, Chen Ji spent the silver he earned in the morning buying news like flowing water, and he didn't encounter any news suitable for him. Xiao Man was so distressed her face was contorted, wishing she could go rob the silver back. While cracking melon seeds, Xiao Man quietly complained, "Young Master is too wasteful, too wasteful!"

By evening, an old man sneaked over. "Masters, I have news from *Jing* Dynasty. Are you interested?"

Chen Ji grabbed a peanut, pinched it with two fingers, and opened the crisp shell. "Speak more specifically."

The old man considered. "Related to *Jing* Dynasty's former Military Strategy Envoy, Lu Jin."

Chen Ji's hand peeling the peanut paused slightly, then he asked as if nothing had happened, "What do you do, to actually know news of such a big figure as Lu Jin?"

The old man smiled awkwardly. "This old man also just got the news through indirect inquiries. As for whether it's true or false, it depends on you, the guest, to judge."

Chen Ji didn't comment. "How much silver?"

The old man looked around. "Ten *taels* of silver will do."

Chen Ji nodded slightly. Beside him, Zhang Xia pushed a silver ingot to the old man. "Speak."

The old man recalled, "This old man is mixing in the Third Master's tea merchant team to do silk business. The business is not big, can only be considered for a living..."

Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Your silk, generally sold to where in *Jing* Dynasty?"

The old man answered, "This old man doesn't dare to go deep into *Jing* Dynasty's interior. I can only transport the silk to *Xijing* Road's *Fengsheng* State, sell to the merchants there, and then they transport it to *Shangjing* Road and *Zhongjing* Road for resale. Just this time going to *Fengsheng* State, the merchant who always cooperates with this old man said he hopes this old man can bring eighty bolts of top-quality *Shu Jin* next time. He said there's a big figure who specifically wants *Shu Jin* to be given as a birthday gift to Lord Lu Jin."

Chen Ji sat by the Eight Immortals table, and his heart stirred. He put the peanut into his mouth. "From ancient times, official circles are more of those who kick people when they're down, less of those who send charcoal in the snow. There's no reason to give birthday gifts to someone who has retired. Moreover, Lu Jin is only forty-six years old this year. What kind of birthday gift does he receive..."

The old man praised, "This master is quick-witted. This old man also thinks the same: it must be someone who got the news in advance that Lu Jin is about to be restored, so they want to take advantage of Lu Jin's birthday to curry favor. I know only this much. I hope this news is useful to you."

The old man took the silver ingot and left. Chen Ji's mood was slightly down. In his heart, he always hoped that his uncle would never be restored again, so he could live peacefully in *Ning* Dynasty. But he thought again, this might not be bad news.

At this time, outside the door, a middle-aged man lifted the cotton cloth curtain and came in. His gaze swept over each table and immediately casually picked a table to sit down. "I have news to sell."

The buyer opposite covered his nose. "What smell is on you?"

The man answered, "I am the head of the night soil carriers in the east of the city. Naturally, there will be some smell on my body."

The buyer pinched his nose and waved. "A night soil carrier joining the fun? Go, go, go, go to one side."

The man awkwardly got up, his gaze circled around again, but other buyers also avoided their gazes and turned their faces away.

Chen Ji opened his mouth. "You want to sell news?"

The man's eyes lit up. He walked to Chen Ji's table and sat down. "This master, my news isn't expensive. I just discovered some suspicious things and always feel it will be useful."

Zhang Zheng smelled the foul odor, and her body leaned back a bit.

Chen Ji asked, "How much money do you want to sell it for?"

The man hesitated for a moment. "Two hundred *wen* will do."

Chen Ji nodded. "Speak."

The man thought and said, "I prepared to carry night soil to sell money early this morning, but the one who usually drives the night soil cart said he can't go out of the city today and won't collect first. I had no choice, so I prepared to pour the carried night soil back into the latrine. But halfway, someone stopped me, saying he wants to buy the night soil to water the vegetable garden in his own small courtyard."

Xiao Man was puzzled. "What's so strange about that?"

The man explained, "Of course it's strange. That household hired several idle night soil carriers today, bought a lot of night soil, and put it in large jars. The whole courtyard is full of stench. What normal person would buy so much night soil? Those ten-plus large jars are enough to fertilize dozens of *mu* of land."

Xiao Man was about to say something more, but she saw Chen Ji say "not good" and suddenly get up. "This big brother, where is that courtyard?"

The man answered, "East of the city, Peach Locust Alley, *Shache* Street, the household with an elm tree in front."

Chen Ji strode quickly towards the back courtyard. "Zhang Second Miss, pay him the money. You all stay in the inn. I'll go to the *Du Si Fu*!" As he spoke, he shouted loudly, "*Zaozao*! Quick!"

He saw *Zaozao* bite open the reins tied to the hitching post and rush out of the stable. When it rushed to Chen Ji's side, its hooves didn't stop. Chen Ji grabbed the stake on the saddle and flipped up, bent low, and galloped away.