Chapter 93: Descendants

The morning rooster crowed.

The crow was by the bed, gently pecking at Old Man Yao's hair.

Old Man Yao slowly opened his eyes, listening to the gentle sound of water flowing in the courtyard. He put on his padded jacket, embraced Wuyun, and went out.

In the courtyard, he saw Chen Ji, with sleeves rolled up, carrying a shoulder pole and heading out.

Old Man Yao chuckled, "Looks like you weren't tired enough yesterday. If you're really not tired, why don't you open a gate in the courtyard wall? That way, the Young Master and Bai Li won't have to climb over it every day."

Chen Ji smiled and explained, "Last night, we used too much water when washing off the dust. So I got up early to fill the water vat so we wouldn't run out when cooking. Did I disturb your rest? Next time, I'll be quieter."

"Oh, no need."

Old Man Yao sighed.

He noticed the transformed red apricot tree in the courtyard and remarked wistfully, "Next spring, when the apricot tree blooms white, it should be beautiful. It's truly wonderful to do things with friends when you're young, even if you were often covered in dirt back then. But decades later, when you look back, those old friends seem to glow."

Chen Ji was surprised.

Old Man Yao looked at him, "Do we still have red cloth?"

Chen Ji paused for a moment, then quickly retrieved the unused strips of red cloth from last night, and went to the main hall counter to get a brush for his master.

In his impression, Old Man Yao always appeared indifferent, never overly sentimental, and disliked sentimentality in others.

But today, the old man had suddenly become quite sentimental.

Old Man Yao took the brush and lightly wrote his wish on the red cloth: "May the little rascals bother old folks less."

Chen Ji, expressionless, slowly turned his head to look at his master.

Old Man Yao leisurely said, "No need to hang it on the apricot tree. Hang it on your forehead instead. That way, you can help me fulfill this wish."

Chen Ji retorted, "Are you making fun of me this early in the morning?"

Old Man Yao wrapped the red cloth around the lowest apricot branch and said blandly, "Yesterday evening, Jin Zhu came to the medical hall looking for you, but you weren't here."

"Did he say what it was about?"

Old Man Yao, with his hands behind his back, turned and walked towards the main hall of the medical clinic: "He didn't say. How could the Secret Service casually disclose their affairs to an imperial physician? But I know why he came to see you."

Chen Ji, carrying the shoulder pole, followed behind his master: "Why?"

"The Secret Service didn't catch the Jing Dynasty rogue who used the firearms, so they plan to return to the lead involving the Jin Workshop and the Directorate of Imperial Manufactories. Yesterday, they arrested many people from the River Transport Gang. Perhaps there's a new clue they need you to investigate. Were you hiding from him by going to Liujiatun? Once you're in the Secret Service, there's no turning back. Where do you think you can hide?"

Chen Ji said softly, "I suspect Concubine Yun intends to push the Young Master and the Princess into a dangerous situation, so I simply took them away from the trouble. Now that Prince Jing is back, perhaps no one will dare to frame them so easily anymore. But one more day of safety is one more day."

Old Man Yao raised an eyebrow. "Concubine Yun wants to harm her own children?"

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment, then voiced his conjecture: "Master, on that day, the Jing Dynasty already knew in advance that the Xie Fan Guards were surrounding the Jin Workshop in Hongyi Lane. The person in charge of the Jin Workshop fled early, yet someone deliberately led the Young Master and the Princess there. Other than Concubine Yun, no one else would do such a thing for now. I suspect she wants her own children to inherit Prince Jing's title."

However, Chen Ji also had some doubts: "But I don't understand why Concubine Yun would do this, since she has no sons herself."

"You're asking me? I'm not a secret agent!"

Chen Ji pondered, always feeling that a crucial piece of information was missing, like the most vital wooden tenon was absent from a mortise and tenon joint before building a pavilion.

"Master, has Concubine Yun had any children who died young over the years?"

"No, Bai Li is her only child."

"Have there been any other children who died young in Prince Jing's manor?"

"I haven't heard of any."

Chen Ji was surprised: "Master, is Prince Jing in poor health? A powerful vassal prince with only three offspring?"

Old Man Yao said blandly, "Having many children isn't necessarily a good thing. If this manor had even one more boy, I fear it would stir up another bloody struggle. Perhaps Prince Jing experienced the cruelty of succession battles himself, and thus couldn't bear to see his own children fight amongst themselves, choosing not to have more."

"That's certainly a possibility!"

Chen Ji still had a doubt in his mind: "Concubine Yun currently has no direct heir to inherit Prince Jing's title. So why would she try to kill the Young Master and Bai Li? If she were to act, it should be after she has a child of her own. Could my judgment be wrong?"

"Wait."

Chen Ji looked at Old Man Yao: "Master, how long has it been since Prince Jing spent the night at Feiyun Courtyard or Wanxing Courtyard? Uncle Crow can communicate with birds, so you must know about this."

Old Man Yao scoffed, "What kind of person do you take me for? Do you think I'd eavesdrop on such matters?"

Chen Ji said earnestly, "Master, this is very important."

Old Man Yao stroked his beard. "I've been in Luocheng for three years, and Prince Jing has never spent the night at Wanxing Courtyard or Feiyun Courtyard. He always resides alone in Mingzheng Tower."

Chen Ji fell silent. The last wooden tenon had been fitted.

He seemed to understand why Concubine Yun was acting this way.

Just as he was contemplating, a rustling sound came from beyond the wall.

Chen Ji and Old Man Yao walked back to the backyard, looking suspicious.

The next moment, the Young Master's head peered over the wall's eaves: "Chen Ji!"

Chen Ji was surprised: "Young Master, you're here so early? Such enthusiasm for work isn't like you."

The Young Master's expression changed: "What are you talking about? Wasn't I diligent yesterday? Chen Ji, you should speak with a conscience."

"Diligent. Very diligent indeed."

The Young Master's expression softened. "I want to discuss something with you. Yesterday, you said you needed help remodeling the kilns, so I found a few helpers for you."

Chen Ji responded with a smile, "Having helpers is a good thing."

The Young Master hesitated slightly: "This helper's identity is a bit special, but you don't need to feel pressured. He's mainly curious about what we're doing..."

The more Chen Ji listened, the more something felt off.

The next moment, someone set up a ladder on the other side of the courtyard wall, and a figure appeared on the eaves.

Chen Ji's expression changed: "Your Highness?"

To ask for help, how did he end up inviting Prince Jing?

Prince Jing, still dressed in patched clothes, climbed into the medical hall and said with a smile, "Climbing over my own wall is quite exciting. No wonder the Young Master and Bai Li don't use the front gate."

The Young Master, perched on the eaves, chuckled delightedly, "Right?"

Chen Ji quickly gave the Young Master a look and whispered, "His Highness is mocking you, can't you tell?"

The Young Master's smile slowly faded.

Prince Jing slowly walked to the apricot tree, reached out, and picked up a red cloth strip, quietly reading the wish written on it: "Did you all write these? It's been a long time since I've seen such simple wishes. Usually, I see more requests for official positions and wealth."

Chen Ji put down the shoulder pole and asked curiously, "Your Highness, are you going to help us?"

Prince Jing smiled and said, "With my physical condition, I certainly can't do manual labor, but I've called for other helpers for you. They're on their way and should arrive soon."

No sooner had he spoken than a knock came from outside the medical hall, and someone called through the crack in the door, "Your Highness, we've arrived."

Prince Jing raised a hand and pointed, telling Feng Daban, who had just climbed into the courtyard, "Open the door for them."

While Feng Daban went to open the door, Chen Ji whispered to the Young Master, "Young Master, did you say anything to His Highness?"

Prince Jing was an extremely practical person; the Young Master must have mentioned something that piqued his interest for him to rush over so early.

The Young Master also lowered his voice and said, "After morning lessons today, Father asked me what I did yesterday. I boasted to him using your words, saying that the traditional earth kilns aren't good, and even the local experts' semi-inverted flame kilns aren't impressive. We're building a full-inverted flame kiln today."

Chen Ji was thoughtful: "What did His Highness say?"

The Young Master shrugged: "He asked me what a full-inverted flame kiln was, where the chimney should be placed, how to design the air intake and flame ports, where the combustion chamber should be, how high the baffle wall should be... How would I know all that? I told him it was all confidential and I couldn't tell him."

Chen Ji was taken aback.

Prince Jing was so knowledgeable?

The essential difference between updraft kilns, downdraft kilns, semi-inverted flame kilns, and full-inverted flame kilns lies in how the flame flows within the kiln.

Ordinary people perceive a kiln as merely an earthen mound; few pay attention to its internal structure.

A powerful vassal prince, so knowledgeable about this, and even came specifically to join in the fun?

At this moment, the gate of Taiping Medical Hall opened, and more than ten burly men filed in.

The men had dark skin, their bodies were heavily muscled, and they looked strong and powerful.

The leading man bowed with clasped fists to Prince Jing: "Your Highness, I've brought the men. They are all excellent kiln builders."

Prince Jing nodded, then turned to Chen Ji: "Shall we go? Ox carts are already prepared at the entrance."

Chen Ji was taken aback: "You're also riding an ox cart?"

Prince Jing laughed heartily: "We're going to work, what else would we ride if not an ox cart?"

Outside the gate, Bai Li instinctively moved to get on Chen Ji's ox cart, but Prince Jing called out, "Where are you going? Come sit here."

Bai Li lowered her head and slowly went to sit beside Prince Jing.

Three ox carts slowly set off, their wooden wheels creaking as they turned.

With Prince Jing by their side, everyone on Chen Ji's ox cart became extremely reserved...

On Prince Jing's two ox carts, the sturdy men were solemn and serious, quietly eating their flatbreads.

Upon reaching the kiln factory, the men disembarked and immediately began working.

First, they cleaned the messy kiln factory thoroughly.

Chen Ji picked up a branch and drew the construction plan on the ground: "First, dig a foundation, leaving space for a combustion chamber on each side."

As he drew, Prince Jing suddenly interrupted: "The interior has straight vertical walls, and the flame ports are vertical? Won't that make the flame flow spray entirely onto the dome? Can the temperature at the bottom of the furnace reach high enough?"

Chen Ji explained: "The cross-section of the flame ports should be small, so the flame flow will be extremely fast. As long as the dome is a proper arch, the flame flow will roll back down inside the furnace."

"Additionally, holes must be left in the baffle wall to ensure a more even temperature."

Another man asked doubtfully, "Why are there two combustion chambers?"

Chen Ji continued to explain: "It's also for the convection of the flame flow, to transition the flame from a semi-inverted state to a full-inverted state, which can increase the temperature by another twenty percent."

Prince Jing was surprised: "That much of an increase? Do you know what a twenty percent temperature increase means? Many artisans struggle to achieve even a ten percent increase and fail, and you say you can increase it by twenty percent just like that?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment: "It should be fine."

Prince Jing pondered for a moment, then turned to the men he had brought: "Do you think this is feasible?"

The leading man hesitated: "Your Highness, please allow us to discuss it."

More than ten men were seen huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.

Finally, one of them said, "Let's try it. We'll know once we try. As long as the drawing is correct, building such a small kiln will only take a day."

Feng Daban found a barely usable chair from the kiln factory, wiped it clean, and placed a piece of coarse cloth on it for Prince Jing: "Your Highness, please sit and rest. Your health doesn't permit prolonged standing."

Prince Jing raised a hand to stop him: "It's fine. Let me observe first."

Chen Ji led the Young Master and the others to build the kiln.

Unexpectedly, after watching them build for a while, the leading man simply said, "Young Master, you all step aside. Just hand us bricks and yellow mud from the side; we'll handle the rest."

The Young Master muttered softly, "We've been looked down upon."

Liu Quxing whispered, "What should we do? Should we prove that we're not inferior to them?"

The Young Master watched how efficiently these men worked, thought for a moment, and said, "No need. I permit them to look down on me."