Green Mountain-Chapter 491 - 368: The Biting Dog

With a loud splash, Second Shopkeeper Zhou fell into the water and sank to the bottom before even struggling much. The other second shopkeepers were even more terrified, each twisting their bodies in panic.

Before the water’s surface could settle, Chen Lizhi said impatiently, "What are you waiting for? Do you all want to perform for my virtuous nephew? Push them all in!"

At his words, the men on the canopy boat pushed the remaining five second shopkeepers into the water, as if they were pushing sheep. Chen Yue’s eyelids twitched slightly, yet he didn’t dare to utter a single word and stood silently with his hands down.

Chen Ji remained silent, simply watching quietly.

Chen Lizhi glanced back to observe Chen Ji’s expression, then burst into laughter, "Chen Yue, you lost without grievance. Look at my dear nephew, much calmer than you. You think he’s a domesticated lamb, but you didn’t realize he’s actually a wolf who’s seen great waves and winds in Guyuan. Your dog might be fierce, but a dog is still a dog."

Chen Yue murmured, "Second Master is right."

Chen Lizhi looked towards the lake, "My dear nephew, I didn’t call you here today to scare you. I know a person who’s been to Guyuan won’t be frightened by such a trivial scene."

Chen Ji watched the canopy boats scatter across the lake, "Then what was Second Uncle’s intention in calling me here?"

Chen Lizhi baited his hook anew, and upon closer inspection, the bait was actually a pinky finger freshly cut from Chen Yue.

He cast the bait into the water, "Are you puzzled why, when it was Chen Yue who lost me money and made mistakes, I did not kill him but instead killed the other innocent second shopkeepers?"

Chen Ji nodded, "I am indeed puzzled."

Chen Lizhi said slowly, "Not counting the 20,000 Jinling salt permits he bought from you, Chen Yue lost me 70,000 taels of silver overnight. It’s neither a lot nor a little, as the patriarch put it, our Chen family can afford the loss. Tsk, why did the patriarch sound so imposing when he said it, but it sounds so bland coming from me?"

Chen Ji responded with a smile, "Because Second Uncle speaks of 70,000 taels, while the patriarch spoke of hundreds of thousands."

Chen Lizhi nodded, "Makes sense, it’s less money lost."

Chen Ji was curious, "Second Uncle still hasn’t said why he killed the other second shopkeepers but kept Chen Yue, who caused you the loss?"

Chen Lizhi replied casually, "But he was the only one who dared to bite you."

Chen Ji seemed to ponder.

Chen Lizhi lazily said, "When a homeowner raises a dog, it’s not just to wag its tail, it also has to know how to bite. Strangers should be bitten when they come, intruders should be bitten when they sneak into the yard. Isn’t raising a dog to help its owner bite at people? Biting the wrong person or missing the bite doesn’t matter, as long as it dares to bite."

Chen Lizhi continued, "Though Chen Yue made a mistake and missed biting you, he was the only one in the salt shop who dared to bite you, and that’s enough."

Chen Ji modestly said, "Understood, thank you, Second Uncle, for explaining."

Chen Lizhi added, "Though losing money is still losing money. Death may be spared, but living punishment is hard to escape. I had to cut off a couple of his fingers to vent my frustrations, so everyone knows that losing my money doesn’t go unpunished. Additionally, tonight I called my virtuous nephew here to apologize; since Chen Yue offended you. Tell me, how many fingers should we cut off to appease your anger?"

Chen Ji replied with a smile, "I harbor no great enmity towards him, Second Uncle needn’t go to such lengths. However, I am indeed unsure of what Second Uncle is up to."

Chen Lizhi, unable to catch a fish for a long time, threw the rod into the pond and stood up, "My virtuous nephew has the heart of a Bodhisattva and the methods of a vajra; I couldn’t achieve this at your age—impressive. Thank my virtuous nephew, Chen Yue, because your remaining fingers are saved."

Chen Yue hurriedly prostrated on the ground, kowtowing three times to Chen Lizhi, then turning to do the same to Chen Ji.

Chen Lizhi nudged Chen Yue with the tip of his shoe, "Scram, you’re spared this time. Don’t bring shame to the Imperial Capital. Before the borderline people find you, go manage those businesses of mine in Jinling. If there are any more mishaps in those businesses, send your head back to the Imperial Capital yourself."

"Thank you, Second Master, for sparing my life." Chen Yue knocked his head to the ground nine times before getting up and leaving hastily.

Chen Lizhi waved at the middle-aged martial artist beside him, "Move away, I want to have a word with my virtuous nephew."

Silence descended upon the dock.

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Did Second Uncle invite me tonight just to vent my frustrations?"

Chen Lizhi’s figure was slender, his cheeks sunken.

His protruding fish-like eyes stared fixedly at Chen Ji, "My dear nephew, how about we reconcile?"

Chen Ji was startled.

Chen Lizhi, with hands clasped behind his back, looked towards the center of the pond, "Tonight, I’ve realized that it’s not Chen Lizun standing behind you, but someone else. Yet, I’m not concerned with whom stands behind you or any fortuitous encounters you’ve had these past years; I’m only concerned with the affairs of my Chen family."

Chen Ji remained silent, his mind racing with numerous unsolved questions.

What kind of show was the other party putting on?

Chen Lizhi continued, "My dear nephew, if you want money, I can give it to you now. If you want a position, I can buy it for you tomorrow. But the matter of the big house’s succession, could we not fight over it?"

Chen Ji, unsure, asked, "What does Second Uncle want?"

Chen Lizhi chuckled, "Surely the little monk has informed you, no need to feign ignorance. My father, once the Minister of Revenue and the Patriarch of the Chen family, fell victim to the schemes of the big house. As his son, to not avenge his death would mean my life on this earth is for naught. Anyone who obstructs me, I will kill. You’re not part of the big house, there’s no need for you to get involved in this messy situation."

A lightning bolt seemed to flash through Chen Ji’s mind, so that’s what it was.

Chen Lizhi’s sudden openness today, in reality, was because he believed the little monk had seen through his thoughts with telepathy, thinking the secret was no more.

Little did he know, the little monk never divulged seen secrets to a third party.

Chen Ji suddenly realized that his uncle Lu Jin’s assassination of the Minister of Revenue and subsequent glory upon returning to the Jing Dynasty wasn’t the conclusion of a motivational story but the beginning of new grudges. Chen Lizhi attributed the conspiracy to the big house’s power grab, seeing Official Chen and Chen Lizun as murderers of his father.

Chen Ji, doubtful, asked, "Wasn’t this the work of the Jing Dynasty spy?"

Chen Lizhi solemnly said, "My father had a Seeking Dao Realm Executive Officer with him, named Ning Ji. Yet, when I heard the dreadful news and went to inspect the ambush site, I did not find that officer’s corpse. This officer remains missing to this day, clearly an insider placed by the big house beside my father."

Chen Ji sighed internally, what a complicated mess; he had many things to do yet was drawn into the tangled family feud.

Chen Lizhi stared at Chen Ji, "Chen Ji, I am a true villain, but the father and son of the big house are hypocrites; you’d be better off trusting me than them. Tonight, just name your condition. Whatever I can agree to, I will. Once you’ve got what you want, you can leave the Imperial Capital, go anywhere."

"Your father, Chen Liqin, is a smart man. Today he’s gone to Zhang Zhuo to spend ten thousand taels for a transfer to the Prefect of Jinling. I also lent him a hand; the Ministry of Personnel documents should come down tomorrow. You should go to Jinling with him; it’s a prosperous place, wouldn’t it be wonderful to be a wealthy and influential gentleman?"

Chen Lizhi’s offer was tempting; had Chen Ji just arrived in this world, he would have certainly agreed.

But not now, he wanted something Chen Lizhi couldn’t provide.

Chen Ji calmly said, "Second Uncle is mistaken; I have no intention of getting involved in the feud between you and the big house, nor will I disclose your secret to them. You do what you need to, and I will do the same. Let’s not interfere with each other."

Chen Lizhi silently observed Chen Ji, a glimpse of killing intent flashed in his eyes.

Chen Ji calmly said, "Second Uncle, if you kill me at this juncture, everyone in the world would know it’s your doing. If you have patience, why not wait a little longer?"

Chen Lizhi was silent for a moment; he looked at Chen Ji, then at Si Caogui in the distance, suddenly bursting into laughter.

He patted Chen Ji’s shoulder, "My virtuous nephew, what nonsense are you spouting? We’re family, why would I kill you? Go back home to rest early; you have to show up for duty tomorrow."

Chen Ji bowed respectfully to Chen Lizhi, "Second Uncle, you should also rest early. I take my leave."

He walked towards the shore and, before boarding the carriage, looked back to see Chen Lizhi still standing at the end of the wooden dock, looking at him with a meaningful gaze.