Chapter 90: The Ethics of Propriety

"Deal."

The two words rang out forcefully.

Outside the Taiping Medical Clinic, traffic bustled and crowds flowed.

Inside the Taiping Medical Clinic, a scrawny and struggling medical apprentice stood behind the counter, making a deal with a powerful feudal lord of the Great Ning Dynasty.

However, before Chen Ji could say anything more, Bai Li grew anxious: "Chen Ji, do you know how hard it is to be exiled to Lingnan? You'd have to walk there in shackles and fetters, and fewer than thirty percent of prisoners survive the journey."

Bai Li continued urgently, "Our house arrest for half a year is nothing. Don't be foolish for our sake!"

The Young Master also quickly advised, "That's right, after half a year, you'll be back to your old self."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Prince Jing stroked the black chess piece in his hand and calmly looked at him, saying, "Considering your youth and ignorance, I can give your brother a chance to repent!"

Chen Ji said earnestly and frankly, "I'm not just doing this for the Young Master and the Princess. I'm also doing this to find a way to earn money for myself."

Prince Jing smiled, "Born into the Chen family, do you still need to find a way to earn a living? Your Chen family has produced generations of high-ranking officials; why would a junior member of your family need to earn money? As long as you don't defy your father, you'll never lack for food or clothing."

Chen Ji said with a smile, "Your Highness, the Chen family's status is too high for me to aspire to."

Prince Jing suddenly asked, "Are you very short on money?"

Was Chen Ji short on money? Of course he was.

The Mountain Monarch's Path burned through money like water. To ignite the hundreds of furnace fires throughout his body would probably require tens of thousands of taels of silver.

This amount filled Chen Ji with despair, until the words 'cement' appeared in his mind.

At this point, seeing Chen Ji didn't answer, Prince Jing smiled and said, "Very well. Since you insist, then I must lay down three rules with you."

"Your Highness, please speak."

"Until the deal is complete, none of you are permitted to set foot in Red Robe Alley or White Robe Alley."

"Understood!"

"No drinking!"

"Understood."

"No causing trouble."

"Understood!"

Chen Ji was inside the medical clinic's counter, and Prince Jing was outside it. The two men gazed at each other across a chessboard.

The young medical apprentice's gaze was unyielding.

Prince Jing stared at Chen Ji, "In the military, there are no jokes, and in strategy, no trivial matters. Remember your promise. If you fail to complete it, I truly will exile you to Lingnan. Young man, beware of trying to be clever."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment. "Your Highness, rest assured. I know what I'm doing."

At this moment, a beardless middle-aged man with a fair complexion, dressed in plain brown cloth, entered the clinic and said in a soft, gentle voice, "Your Highness, Messrs. Liu Gun, Liu Mingxian, and Liu Mingli from the Liu family have arrived at the mansion."

Chen Ji looked up at the sound and subconsciously glanced towards its source.

The middle-aged man was tall and burly, yet his voice was exceptionally soft and gentle.

Prince Jing turned and pointed at the Young Master and Bai Li. "Eunuch Feng, have these two hand over all the money they have on them. And instruct everyone in the mansion that no one is to give them any money for the next six months."

The Young Master and Bai Li's faces darkened. Their father's actions were meticulous; he even remembered to confiscate all their money.

And just like that, the brother and sister were both penniless.

Prince Jing turned and left, leaving the two penniless siblings in the medical clinic.

The Young Master looked at Chen Ji and said seriously, "Chen Ji, I think half a year of house arrest is fine. I can go out and play after six months, and you won't have to go to Lingnan."

Bai Li, on the other hand, smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes with a decisive gesture. "More talk is useless, Chen Ji. What do you plan to do now?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and then asked, "Are there any pottery kilns near Luocheng?"

Bai Li and the Young Master exchanged glances. How would they know that?

Old Man Yao, standing nearby, slowly said, "Go ten li south of the city along the main road, to Liujiatun at the foot of Longmen Mountain. There are a few workshops that fire ceramics there. However, Luocheng's kilns only produce simple pottery for common folk; they can't compare to those in Jingdezhen."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "No matter. Having kilns should be enough."

With that, he went to the backyard to find Liang Mao'er. "Brother Mao'er, could you do me a favor and come with me for half a month? It might be very difficult."

Liang Mao'er gave a simple, honest smile. "It's fine. As long as I can help, I don't mind hardship."

Chen Ji turned to Bai Li. "Young Master and Princess, please return to the mansion and await my news. I'll be back in half a month at the latest."

The Young Master raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Between friends, we should naturally share good times and bad. If Brother Mao'er can endure hardship, why can't we? We're coming with you."

Bai Li also said, "That's right, we can endure hardship too."

Chen Ji was amused. "Who would eagerly seek out hardship?"

The Young Master patted his chest. "This is chivalrous loyalty!"

She Dengke and Liu Quxing also came to the main hall of the clinic and cautiously looked at their master. "Master, can we go?"

Old Man Yao scoffed, "Go on then. A bunch of penniless folks gathering together for fun. All of you go, and I, an old man, can have a few days of peace and save a lot on food. Liang Mao'er, carry your brother over too. Otherwise, that lazy bum will stay in the clinic and keep relying on me, an old man, to cook for him."

Liang Mao'er said shamefully, "All right, Physician Yao. I'll definitely carry him over."

Seeing that things had come to this, Chen Ji smiled and instructed, "Young Master and Princess, go back to the mansion and change your clothes. Your current clothes aren't suitable for work. Also, everyone remember to bring two changes of clothes. We'll be out for ten days to half a month. We'll meet at the clinic entrance in half an hour."

"Alright."

After everyone had left, Chen Ji looked at Old Man Yao, who was fiddling with an abacus behind the counter. "Master, did you ask Liang Mao'er to bring Liang Gou'er because you're worried about our safety?"

Old Man Yao scoffed, "Don't flatter yourself. I just don't want to see him in the clinic."

Chen Ji said "Oh," and said nothing more.

In the ensuing silence, Old Man Yao gradually stopped moving his abacus beads and said calmly, "You should understand by now. Cultivating the Mountain Monarch's Path lacks two things most: one is power, and the other is money. That's why you're so eager to earn money. But you must know that in this world, these two things are most likely to lead people astray. I hope you don't follow in the footsteps of those who came before you."

Chen Ji smiled. "Don't worry, Master."

Old Man Yao suddenly said, "The thing you made last time caused an enormous commotion. Now, all major transportation routes in Yuzhou are controlled by the Imperial Army's forces, only allowing entry, no exit. The last matter isn't over yet. What are you making this time? Please don't cause another disaster and implicate an old man like me."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied, "You'll know once it's made. Don't worry, this time it's not dangerous."

Old Man Yao observed him for a moment. Still feeling uneasy, he took six copper coins from his sleeve and tossed them onto the counter. As he interpreted the divination, he muttered, "Kun Yuan, the auspiciousness of peace and constancy, boundless as the earth, generously bearing all things..."

With that, he suddenly looked up and stared at Chen Ji. "What exactly are you making?"

Chen Ji replied with a smile, "I've already told you. It's something that can replace glutinous rice mortar."

As he was speaking, he heard footsteps from outside the door.

He turned around and saw Bai Li, who had changed into a coarse cloth dress typically worn by maidservants for work. She was also carrying a cloth bundle.

Yet even in these old, coarse clothes, Bai Li's noble aura could not be concealed.

Because a golden hairpin was stuck in Bai Li's hair bun.

Chen Ji said, surprised, "Princess, your clothes don't match that golden hairpin."

Bai Li hurriedly pulled out the golden hairpin and then pulled out a wooden hairpin from her sleeve to fasten her hair. "Shh, my father confiscated all my money. I secretly brought this golden hairpin out when my mother wasn't looking. It's for exchanging for money. They haven't noticed yet."

"Lady Yun Fei is intelligent and meticulous. How could she not notice? She's just deliberately letting you off easy..."

"Ah, really?"

Bai Li was stunned for a moment. "Anyway, it's already been brought out. I figured you'd need money for whatever you're doing. In this world, you can't get anywhere without money."

Chen Ji was silent.

Bai Li smiled. "Let's go. I've already called for an ox cart. We'll take the ox cart out of the city."

"Wait for me a moment."

Chen Ji returned to the apprentice dormitory, pulled out the loose brick under his bed, took out all his belongings from the hole and put them in his pocket. Only then did he leave.

But just as he reached the doorway, he saw a fast horse clattering from the end of Anxi Street. On the tall, large horse, a person dressed in a green robe, with hair flying back, was truly a dashing youth, handsome and valiant.

Chen Ji slowly stopped and quietly watched the other person rein in their horse in front of the clinic.

Chen Wenzong sat on his horse and said breathlessly, "Chen Ji, quickly come back to the mansion with me. Don't be angry with Father anymore."

Chen Ji stood inside the clinic's doorway and looked up at his legitimate elder brother on horseback across the threshold. "Brother, you've misunderstood. I'm not angry with anyone."

Chen Wenzong tried to persuade him, "Father has already uncovered the truth. It was a young servant under the steward who embezzled your monthly allowance. Mother has now had that servant beaten to death with a stick to vent your anger, and even the steward received ten planks."

Chen Ji said "Oh." "How pitiful."

Chen Wenzong was puzzled. "Pitiful?"

Chen Ji smiled. "I said that servant was pitiful."

Chen Wenzong couldn't help but say urgently, "Chen Ji, as the saying goes, 'When a family is harmonious, all things prosper.' What deep hatred could there be among family members? Now that you've turned over a new leaf, as your elder brother, I naturally hope you can return home and reunite with the family soon. I'll persuade Father to send you to Donglin Academy to study. After three years, you can also take the imperial examinations. At your age, it's not too late to start studying now."

"Study? For a science student like me to study the Mingjing Eight-legged essays, that would truly be an absolute torment."

However, Chen Ji looked up and gazed at his legitimate elder brother. The other party was genuinely sincere at this moment, like the unpolished jade of a humble gentleman from a storyteller's tale.

But everyone has their own aspirations.

Chen Ji said with a smile, "Brother, we're about to leave the city. My friends are waiting."

Chen Wenzong dismounted his horse and said sincerely and earnestly, "Chen Ji, although you've studied little, you should still understand the principles of filial piety between father and son. No parents in the world are truly in the wrong. How can you always be angry with your father?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Brother, whether you believe it or not, I truly am not angry with anyone. Please go back."

With that, he, carrying his bundle, walked around Chen Wenzong and sat at the back of the ox cart.

Chen Wenzong took two steps to catch up, his tone heavier. "Chen Ji, by doing this, where do you place the principles of filial piety?"

Just then, Bai Li suddenly looked up and said, "You keep spouting about filial piety and ethics, but did anyone in your Chen manor know that Chen Ji was previously injured by thugs? His chest was cut open, and his thigh was pierced by thugs, yet not one of you sent anyone to care for him!"

Chen Wenzong froze. "Princess?"

He looked closely. On this simple cart, not only was the Princess present, but also the Young Master.

These two noble individuals were actually wearing coarse cloth clothes and squeezed onto the dilapidated ox cart with his illegitimate brother.

Bai Li sat cross-legged on the cart, her back straight, and continued, "When Chen Ji was injured, we saw him at the embroidery building in White Robe Alley. Did you check on him that day?"

Chen Wenzong fell completely silent.

Bai Li pressed on relentlessly, "All you care about are the filial duties and ethics you preach. You came to the clinic to persuade him only because your academy teachers taught you that 'when a family is harmonious, all things prosper,' and your scriptures taught you about the proper relationships between ruler and minister, father and son. That's all there is to it."

Chen Ji stopped Bai Li, turned to the cart driver, and said, "Let's go. If we delay any longer, it will probably be dark by the time we reach Liujiatun."

The ox cart creaked and slowly moved forward.

Chen Wenzong stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly as Chen Ji and the others sat in the open, dilapidated ox cart, laughing, chatting, and playfully bickering.

In this freezing season, their eager appearance didn't look like they were going to work, but rather like they were going for a spring outing when flowers had just bloomed.

The Young Master's teasing voice drifted from afar: "Haha, did you see that? Bai Li just now was like an angry little tiger. Ah, gently, don't pinch so hard."

End of chapter.