Chapter 354: Salt Number

The Chen family's assets?

Chen Yu looked at the servant. "Have the masters come to a decision? What do they plan to give us? The grain business? The salt business? The Yingkou port fleet? The porcelain kilns? The tea plantations?"

The servant replied sullenly, "How would I know? I just overheard a bit when I was summoned; I didn't dare listen too closely."

Chen Yu's eyes widened. "You didn't listen to the most crucial part? Give me back my money." As he spoke, he reached out to snatch the piece of silver from the servant's hand.

The servant quickly stepped back two paces. "No, no, no! I have another piece of news. The lady of the Second Household has been on a hunger strike for several days. I heard she won't make it through the night."

Chen Yu paused, then waved his hand. "That's to be expected. Just lead the way honestly."

The servant led the way, with Chen Yu and Chen Ji following slowly through the vast Chen family mansion. When the servant walked a bit too slowly, Chen Yu kicked him in the rear. "Walk faster! You're so close to us, are you trying to eavesdrop and then sell the information for money?"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare," the servant hurriedly took a few quick steps to create distance.

Chen Ji sighed helplessly. In the sprawling Chen family estate, even the servants and maids acted like secret agents.

Walking through the gardens of Xiaoyingzhou, Chen Yu casually remarked to Chen Ji beside him, "I won't hide it from you. If it weren't for your meritorious service in Guyuan this time, the adoption matter would have fallen to me long ago. And then you stirred up so much trouble in the Eight Great Hutongs, forcing Prince Fu to sacrifice a pawn to save the king. You've certainly outshone my years of diligent effort."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "You only just returned to the capital today, yet you know all the happenings here, not missing a single one."

Chen Yu laughed loudly. As he passed a willow tree, he casually broke off a twig and held it. "To contend for anything, one must naturally be well-informed and discerning. But I truly admire you; you've caused such a stir right after returning to the capital. Yesterday, Prince Fu was still vowing to deal with you at the Yujingyuan in Baishun Hutong."

Chen Ji frowned. *That happened too?* He turned to examine Chen Yu. This person was like he had clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities. Could he also be an imperial spy?

Chen Yu casually waved the willow branch. "The Master giving family affairs to us to manage means he wants to see if we have the ability to preserve the Chen family's foundation. After all, it's a major matter of lineage continuation, so he probably wants to wait and see a bit longer."

Chen Ji hummed in agreement.

Chen Yu smiled. "This kind of competition is a bit unfair to you. After all, you've just returned to the capital with no connections, and you're a military official; your martial arts expertise is useless in this city. As for me, I've been in the capital for many years and am a civil official, so things are more convenient. We've been friends for years, and I shouldn't take advantage of you. But Chen Ji, I have too much I need to accomplish, and I can't do it without the Chen family's support. So, this time, I absolutely won't yield to you."

Chen Yu looked back at Chen Ji. "I hope our friendship won't be harmed then."

Chen Ji smiled. "Why do you talk as if I've already lost?"

Chen Yu patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't blame you even if you win. Oh, by the way, do you remember the agreement between us?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Seeing his lack of response, Chen Yu gave a self-deprecating laugh. "My apologies, my apologies. I shouldn't keep bringing up old matters."

The two left Xiaoyingzhou, and from a distance, they saw maids and servants outside Wendan Hall, heads bowed and shoulders hunched, silent as cicadas in winter.

The leading servant stopped and whispered to Chen Ji and Chen Yu, "Young Masters, please wait a moment. When things calm down inside, I'll go in and announce you..."

Inside Wendan Hall, Chen Liqin said loudly, "Chen Yu read the classics thoroughly by age twelve, passed the imperial examination at eighteen, and is now, at twenty-two, already promoted to Supervisor of the Thirteenth Bureau of Purging Officials. He is a pillar of our Chen family. As for Chen Ji, this boy is unruly by nature and developed a gambling habit in his early years; he is truly not fit for such an important task."

Hearing this, Chen Yu outside Wendan Hall instinctively turned to look at Chen Ji. But Chen Ji's expression remained unchanged, as if the words weren't about him.

Chen Ji stood outside the courtyard and looked in. The five vermilion doors of Wendan Hall were all open. Elder Chen, dressed in a red robe, sat at the head of the room, eyes closed, resting. Chen Lizun, Chen Lizhi, and Chen Liqin sat on either side, while Chen Wendong stood silently behind Chen Lizhi.

Chen Lizun spoke up to refute, "Third Brother, what you say is incorrect. To my knowledge, the rumors circulating that Chen Ji is a compulsive gambler were malicious fabrications by your second son, Chen Wenxiao. This matter has long been clarified, so why are you still bringing it up? A father should defend his son, not slander him. Wouldn't Chen Ji be disheartened to hear such things?"

Chen Liqin was startled. The matter involving Chen Wenxiao and Chen Ji was a scandal for the Third Household. After Yunyang and Jiaotu visited their home, he had strictly ordered all servants not to spread the news. *It seems the First Household had already placed informants within the Third Household's compound.*

Chen Liqin changed his tack. "He is a military official. What good is martial skill alone in this capital? To preserve the family business, one cannot rely on martial paths; one needs talent and wisdom. Chen Ji hasn't studied the classics or understood principles these past years. How can the ancestral foundation be entrusted to him to manage?"

Chen Lizun leisurely said, "Third Brother, what you say is incorrect. If Chen Ji were merely brave without strategy, he probably wouldn't have been able to emerge unscathed before His Majesty a few days ago."

Chen Liqin was left speechless.

Chen Lizhi, meanwhile, picked up his teacup and unhurriedly savored the aroma of the Dragon Well tea. He watched the First and Third Households argue endlessly. Only when Chen Liqin was rendered speechless did he slowly say, "Elder Brother, our arguments here are useless. Everyone knows that you and Third Brother are essentially arguing about whether Chen Ji should be adopted into your First Household. But have you considered whether Chen Ji himself is willing to be adopted into your First Household? After all, Third Brother is his actual father. What if they have deep father-son affection?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Liqin involuntarily clenched his fists.

Chen Lizun, however, was calmer. He casually picked up his teacup. "Then let's call him in and ask."

Elder Chen, without even raising an eyelid, said hoarsely, "Call Chen Ji and Chen Yu in."

A middle-aged man beside him walked out, cupped his hands to Chen Ji and Chen Yu, and said, "Young Masters, the Master wishes for you to enter." The middle-aged man led the two into Wendan Hall. Chen Ji and Chen Yu bowed together, cupping their hands. "Greetings, Master."

Elder Chen opened his eyes and gave a look to the middle-aged man. The man immediately dismissed the servants and maids outside the door, then closed the five vermilion doors of Wendan Hall. *Words spoken with an open door are often not important. When the door is closed, those outside are mere onlookers; only those inside are truly family.*

Elder Chen slowly asked, "Chen Yu, Chen Ji, do you two know what the Chen family relied on to establish this vast foundation?"

Chen Yu was the first to reply, "To the Master, it was built by generations of the Chen family, adding brick by brick."

Elder Chen nodded slightly. "Indeed. The Chen family has stood for a thousand years, and you and I, merely passing through for a fleeting hundred, are but temporary guests. Our Chen family's ancestor rose with the Great Ancestor from Haozhou. Later, when Hongdu was besieged, our ancestor led twenty thousand men in a desperate defense. The city walls collapsed more than ten times, and after eighty days of bloody battle, the Chen family secured its foundation. That's why the first page of our family motto isn't grand principles from the classics, but the two words 'Literary Courage'."

"In the 160th year of the Great Ning Dynasty, the Chen family's influence waned. Emperor Ningxuan's five sons contended for the throne, and our ancestor Chen Jiye made a desperate gamble, backing the twelfth prince, thereby achieving meritorious service for the new dynasty. This revived the Chen family."

"However, good times don't last. In the 190th year of the Great Ning, Emperor Ningwen died suddenly, causing the Chen family to lose influence and face demotion by the young emperor. It's rather shameful to admit, but this time, the Chen family didn't rise through its men. Instead, a woman from our family was sent into the palace as a consort candidate. Only after she gained favor and became a noble consort did the family seize the opportunity to return to court."

"But imperial favor was fleeting; the situation changed in a mere eight years. Our Chen family ancestor, Chen Xuanyun, learned from the pain and went into seclusion in Luzhou. They stopped contending for power and instead closed their doors, dedicating themselves to teaching young children to read classics, acquire knowledge, and understand worldly principles. The Chen family remained dormant for thirty years, but after those thirty years, two extraordinary talents emerged, leading our Chen family back to the capital..."

Elder Chen spent a full hour recounting the Chen family's history, its eight rises and eight falls, until it finally became the towering family it is today. After speaking, he looked at Chen Ji and Chen Yu. "What lessons have you two learned?"

Chen Yu cupped his hands and said, "To the Master, the prosperity or decline of a family is rooted in its people."

Elder Chen turned to look at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, "Relying on external momentum is temporary; one must create their own momentum."

Elder Chen smiled. "Both of your answers are reasonable. Now that I am old, and your eldest uncle has no sons, the family needs new blood to support the Chen family's backbone. Are you two willing to share some of the family affairs?"

Chen Yu replied without hesitation, "To the Master, I am willing."

As soon as he spoke, Chen Lizhi and Chen Liqin simultaneously looked up at Chen Ji. Wendan Hall suddenly fell silent. After a long while, Chen Ji calmly said, "To the Master, I am willing."

Chen Lizun let out a sigh of relief and drained his teacup. Chen Liqin's face darkened, and he slowly leaned back in his chair.

Chen Lizun put down his teacup. "That's excellent. Currently, there are two family businesses without oversight: the grain business and the salt business. The grain business's income has dropped by thirty percent in recent years, and several groups sent to investigate haven't found any results. The salt business, on the other hand, has been squeezed by other salt merchants, nearly losing its licenses last year. You two discuss it: who will manage the grain business, and who will manage the salt business?"

Chen Yu cupped his hands and said, "This nephew is willing to take over the grain business."

Chen Lizun frowned slightly. "You're in the Bureau of Purging Officials, responsible for salt taxes. Why would you take the grain business?"

Chen Lizhi laughed heartily. "Elder Brother, you told them to choose themselves, but then you disagree with their choice. What does this mean? Are you afraid you already know the crux of the grain business's losses and want to help Chen Ji cheat?"

Chen Lizun's face darkened. "Second Brother, there's no need for your sarcastic remarks. I'm merely a little confused."

Chen Yu turned and bowed to Chen Lizun. "To Eldest Uncle, I am currently in the Bureau of Purging Officials, specifically in charge of salt mine taxation in the capital and Tianjin. I should naturally avoid any conflict of interest. If I were impeached by a censor due to matters concerning the salt business, it would be difficult to explain myself, even if I were in the right..."

Before he could finish, Chen Ji interrupted, "This nephew is willing to take over the salt business."

Chen Lizun anxiously said, "Chen Ji, reconsider. Don't make a hasty decision."

Chen Lizhi scoffed, "Elder Brother, why don't you just choose for him then? Chen Yu has already made his selection. What's your intention now?"

Just as Chen Lizun was about to retort, Elder Chen coughed lightly twice, and everyone fell silent.

Elder Chen slowly said, "It's decided then. Chen Ji will take the salt business, and Chen Yu will take the grain business. Both of you, go back for now. Don't quarrel in Wendan Hall. Yong Xiu, stay." Yong Xiu was Chen Lizun's courtesy name.

Once Wendan Hall was empty, Chen Lizun said in a low voice, "Father, this is not fair."

Elder Chen looked up at him. "What's unfair about it?"

Chen Lizun pointed outside. "This salt business was originally handled by the Second Household, and all the people there belong to the Second Household. They won't listen to Chen Ji's orders at all. Chen Lizhi has been unable to compete with the eight major southern banking houses for years, causing our Chen family's salt business to be constrained everywhere. Now he's dumped this mess on Chen Ji, and Chen Yu, who manages salt taxes, how can Chen Ji possibly contend? Chen Yu's intentions are malicious; he deliberately chose the grain business, leaving the salt business for Chen Ji, precisely to use his official position to restrict Chen Ji."

Elder Chen was unconcerned. "Doesn't that just show Chen Yu's intelligence? Everyone thought he would use his official position to choose the salt business, but he did the exact opposite."

Chen Lizun emphasized, "Father, Chen Yu is from the Second Household!"

Elder Chen slowly stood up. "Yong Xiu, it doesn't matter which household he's from. As long as he's a secondary son, once he comes to my First Household, his heart will only be with my First Household. When he gains immense power, if Chen Lizhi tries to restrict him again, it will only push him further away."

Chen Lizun remained silent.

Elder Chen walked out, pushing open the vermilion doors of Wendan Hall. He looked at the setting sun outside. "I said so much just now, but you didn't truly hear a single word. You and I are merely temporary guests of the Chen family. We must choose the right person to inherit the family business, only then will we have the face to meet our ancestors. As for whether he's from the Second Household or the Third Household, it's not important. In my position, I cannot make decisions based on personal preferences. I must stand in Wendan Hall and look outward, to see who can truly be the pillar of this hall and support the entire Chen family."

Elder Chen continued, "Everything in this world is a mirror; what's in your heart is what you see. Do you remember how they answered when I asked them how they viewed the Chen family's eight rises and eight falls?"

Chen Lizun recalled, "Chen Yu answered, 'The prosperity or decline of a family is rooted in its people'; Chen Ji answered, 'Relying on external momentum is temporary; one must create their own momentum.'"

Elder Chen stroked his grizzled beard. "If my Chen family faced a crisis, Chen Ji would be the one to make a desperate gamble and break through. But now, with our Chen family flourishing, Chen Yu is the one to preserve the legacy." He turned back to Chen Lizun. "Yong Xiu, I know you value Chen Ji more, and he indeed embodies the spirit of 'Literary Courage' more. But he is too independent; we need to observe him further."