Chapter 368: Little Monk

Early morning.

Chen Ji returned to Ginkgo Courtyard, carrying a pole across his shoulders.

Xiaoman came out holding a small black cat, rubbing her eyes as she asked, "What would Young Master like to eat today?"

Standing under the ginkgo tree, Chen Ji replied with a question of his own, "Xiaoman, what's the next festival that the palace will participate in?"

Xiaoman looked puzzled. "Why are you suddenly asking about this, Young Master?"

Chen Ji urged, "Just answer the question."

Xiaoman thought for a moment. "It should be the Spring and Autumn Sacrifices. During mid-spring and mid-autumn, His Majesty sends officials to offer sacrifices to the Great Sage and Ancestral Master. At that time, His Majesty also personally goes to the Altar of Agriculture to plough, performing the agricultural ritual. It's quite troublesome then; the Troublesolving Guards, Imperial Forest Army, and the Five City Military Divisions all clear the way, making Zheng Yang Street in the outer city completely empty. People can't even go out."

Chen Ji pondered for a moment. "Not that one. Are there any other festivals?"

"What do you mean, 'not this one, not that one'? What exactly are you asking about, Young Master?" Xiaoman tried hard to recall. "After that, at the beginning of the third month, the Empress leads all the female family members of officials ranked sixth grade and above to the Altar of the First Silkworm outside Anding Gate to the north. There, they offer sacrifices to the Lady Yuanyu and perform the Grand Silk Harvesting Ceremony to encourage sericulture. All the official ladies in the capital will attend, competing in beauty and creating a lively scene. Everyone says they're going to harvest mulberries, but they're really going on a spring outing. The Daoist Court will also send many people there to pray for favorable weather and harvests."

That's it. That's the one.

Chen Ji used 600,000 taels, which weren't originally his, to buy the young monk's freedom, and he made White Dragon personally promise last night to create an opportunity for Chen Ji and Bai Li to meet.

However, this meeting opportunity must be within the rules. Since Chen Ji cannot enter the forbidden palace, he can only find an opportunity for Bai Li to leave it.

The sacrifice at the Altar of the First Silkworm in early March is the only occasion that connects with the Daoist Court and the female Daoist priests of Jingyang Palace.

Chen Ji silently calculated the time... There were still over twenty days.

At this moment, Xiaoman muttered nearby, "Apparently, Second Master smashed quite a few things yesterday when he returned to Qinzheng Garden. The head manager of the grain store was beaten to death on the spot. As for that fat guy from the salt store, he received fifty strokes, but since the beating was administered by Second Household's people, he could still stand up and walk after fifty strokes... Why didn't they just beat him to death?"

Xiaoman continued, "I heard from Sister Duanwu that the fat guy's eyes were full of malice when he left. Young Master, why are you still thinking about festivals? You should quickly figure out how to deal with them instead."

Chen Ji walked into the side room, still carrying the pole. "Thinking about it won't help. That fat guy's accounts are now spotless, so I don't have much leverage against him. But since they hate me, they'll surely make another move, and when they do, they'll expose a weakness."

He poured the water from the bucket into a large jar. "By the way, if I'm giving a gift to a girl, what would be suitable? Something small and easy to carry."

Xiaoman poked her head in, her eyes sparkling. "Are you going to give me something, Young Master?"

Chen Ji casually explained, "No."

Xiaoman's face immediately fell. "Could it be for Miss Qi San? Then a hairpin, of course. No girl ever complains about having too many hairpins."

Chen Ji hummed in agreement. "Then a hairpin it is."

Just then, footsteps were heard outside the door.

Chen Ji turned to look, seeing a servant leading a young monk to the door. "Chen Ji!"

Chen Ji's eyes lit up. "That fast?"

It seemed that no matter who was behind the White Dragon mask, if they promised something, they would always deliver, and very quickly.

He had made the request last night, and before the hour of Mao (5-7 AM) today, the young monk had already been delivered.

The young monk, wearing a moon-white kasaya and carrying a small cloth bundle on his back, was beaming with joy. "A while ago, you said you'd find a way to rescue me from Yuanjue Temple. I didn't hold out much hope, but I never expected you to be so capable and actually get me out!"

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Tell me how it happened."

The young monk explained, "At the fourth watch this morning, Lord White Dragon arrived with over a hundred secret agents. We were in morning class when he called the abbot out and talked to him about something I don't know. Immediately after, the abbot called me out and told me to follow White Dragon."

Chen Ji wondered, "That simple?"

The young monk shook his head. "It wasn't simple. The abbot's face was very grim."

Chen Ji realized that since the young monk possessed mind-reading abilities, he must have known what the abbot of Yuanjue Temple and White Dragon discussed, but couldn't state it directly, only hinting at it with "the abbot's face was grim."

It seemed White Dragon had put in some effort to get the young monk out.

Strange, he hadn't even expected White Dragon to get the young monk out today, yet the other party had done it overnight?

While he was thinking, someone else passed by outside the door.

Chen Lizhi, dressed in a brocade robe, stood outside the door. "Oh, quite lively here. Why did you bring a monk back for no reason, my dear nephew?"

Chen Ji turned and cupped his hands. "Second Uncle, this is my friend from Luocheng, Luo Zhui Sijia, the Buddhist Son of Yunzhou."

Chen Lizhi's expression froze. "It's him? He certainly cannot stay in my Chen family."

Chen Ji retorted, "Second Uncle, is there something wrong with that?"

Chen Lizhi couldn't think of a reason at the moment, so he quickly avoided the young monk's gaze and hurried away. "Never mind, if he stays, he stays. It's just an extra pair of chopsticks. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't chat with you anymore."

Chen Ji looked back at the young monk, whose expression was slightly solemn, as if he had seen something deep within Chen Lizhi's heart.

Xiaoman watched as a group of servants escorted Chen Lizhi away, and couldn't help but roll her eyes.

She turned back to look at the young monk, only to find that he was also looking at her.

The young monk softly sighed, "Lady benefactress, the curses in your heart are quite vulgar."

Xiaoman: "..."

At the Chen Family Salt Store.

Seven managers knelt in a row in the backyard, including Chen Yue, who had just been beaten with a cane.

Each manager had an empty bowl on their head, not daring to move.

Around them stood over twenty burly men with dark complexions and stern faces, their hands resting on their sabers. Beside them, a small brazier burned, with a silver pot on it, filled with boiling water.

Chen Lizhi sat opposite them in a wicker chair, slowly sipping from his teacup. "Recite the 'Store Regulations', from left to right, one sentence per person."

Chen Wende and Chen Yu stood silently behind Chen Lizhi, their hands clasped.

Chen Yue, trembling, said, "Chen Family Salt Store Regulation number one: Managers observe three prohibitions – no concubines, no consorting with courtesans, and no keeping private slaves."

Manager Zhou Er said hoarsely, "Regulation number two: Those who smuggle private salt shall have their right hand cut off and be expelled, never to engage in trade again. If caught smuggling over three *shi* of private salt, they shall be drowned."

A second manager named Li said nervously, "Regulation number three: The output of salt ponds is not to be discussed, violators shall have their tongues cut out; the itinerary of the Salt Censor is not to be discussed, violators shall have their eyes gouged out... each household... each household..."

Chen Lizhi casually waved his hand. A burly man took the silver pot and poured boiling water into the empty bowl on top of Manager Li Er's head. The water overflowed, making the man tremble all over from the scalding, yet he was terrified of spilling the bowl.

The boiling water flowed down his scalp, burning his skin and cheeks crimson.

Chen Lizhi pointed to the next person. "You."

The second manager who was pointed at quickly said, "Regulation number four: The Ten Commandments of Escort..."

After all the managers finished reciting the 'Store Regulations', Chen Lizhi put down his teacup. "Normally, I don't care if you consort with courtesans and gamble excessively, nor do I care if you secretly deal in private salt. Even when the salt store was short of salt due to pressure from the Eight Great Merchant Guilds, I gave you leeway. After all, the Eight Great Merchant Guilds are backed by the Hu, Xu, and Yang families, who are no weaker than our Chen family."

Chen Lizhi leaned forward, his fish-like eyes scanning the seven managers intently. "Now you've been easily deprived of your authority by an inexperienced brat, forcing me to step in and get rid of Ye Yumin, cleaning up your mess. What, do you want to give me your annual salary, and I'll do all your work for you?"

Chen Yue raised a hand to steady the bowl on his head, enduring the pain in his body, and crawled on his knees before Chen Lizhi. "Second Master, I haven't been negligent! I not only bribed Chen Ji's carriage driver, but also sent people to watch the front and back doors of Meihua Ferry day and night, just waiting to catch him in a blunder and alleviate your worries."

Chen Lizhi lifted his foot and kicked him in the face. "Just speak! Why are you getting so close?"

Chen Yue fell backward, then quickly scrambled to his feet. "I beg Second Master to give me a chance to redeem myself."

Chen Lizhi sneered, "I want him to be disgraced, humiliated, and driven out of the capital. Can you do that?"

Chen Yue hesitated.

Chen Lizhi's gaze swept over the other managers. "Can you do it? Whoever can, can replace Chen Yue as the head manager of this salt store."

The other managers' eyes flickered. Chen Yue gritted his teeth and said, "Second Master, I know what that brat has been doing recently. He set up some kind of exchange at Meihua Ferry, and then, through scholars Shen Ye and Huang Que, he invited small salt merchants from various places. He's splitting up salt licenses and selling them to them, and he also allows these small salt merchants to consign their excess salt licenses at Meihua Ferry, then collecting a commission from both buyers and sellers, one per thousand."

Chen Lizhi stroked his beard, his eyes glinting. "What kind of money can you make from one per thousand? Does this kid even know how to do business? No, wait, this kid is full of schemes, I shouldn't underestimate him. We must ruin this business of his."

Chen Yue quickly bowed and chuckled, "Second Master is right. His business only brings in a few thousand taels of silver a year; I don't know what he's after. However, I've discovered a loophole that we can exploit to disgrace him completely."

"Oh?" Chen Lizhi sat up. "What method?"

But then Chen Yu, standing behind him, suddenly spoke. "Father."

Chen Lizhi frowned and turned around. "What is it?"

Chen Yu bowed and cupped his hands. "Father, your son is a close friend of Chen Ji. If I were to listen to Manager Chen's schemes, I would inevitably inform Chen Ji. However, doing so would likely displease Father, so I might as well not listen. Your son takes his leave."

With that, without waiting for Chen Lizhi to speak, Chen Yu strode out of the salt store, leaving the seven managers looking at each other in bewilderment.

Chen Lizhi snorted coldly, "An ungrateful whelp."

Chen Yue hesitated, "Second Master, should we still..."

Chen Lizhi slowly rose to his feet. "Why be polite to those devious scoundrels from the main household? Just do it."

Chen Yue said awkwardly, "Second Master, I no longer have any money on hand, and that brat has taken away the salt store's public accounts. Please allocate some silver to me so I can accomplish this."

Chen Lizhi squinted at him. "How much do you need?"

After silently calculating in his mind, Chen Yue looked up and gritted his teeth, "One hundred and fifty thousand taels."

Chen Lizhi raised an eyebrow. "What do you need so much silver for?"

Chen Yue explained softly for a moment. Chen Lizhi gave him a meaningful look. "You'd better succeed this time. If I lose another 150,000 taels of silver because of you, you won't be a salt store manager anymore. I'll reserve a good spot for you in the pond beside the Altar of Mountains and Rivers."

Only after Chen Lizhi had left did Chen Yue dare to stand up.

But his legs were numb from kneeling; he stumbled halfway up and would have fallen face-first if Chen Bin and Chen Er Tong, his two trusted confidantes, hadn't helped him.

After steadying himself, Chen Yue rubbed his knees and quietly instructed Chen Er Tong, "Go find those remote households who rely on the Chen family for their livelihood and gather up the salt licenses they hold."

He then quietly told Chen Bin, "Find some sharp salt store clerks; I have something to tell them to do."