Green Mountain-Chapter 740 - 591: The Persuader

The autumn air is crisp and refreshing.

The reed marsh beside the Mountain and River Altar stretches for miles, the reed flowers turning white as autumn arrives. When the wind blows, the whole expanse of reeds bows like golden waves, then stands upright again, producing grand and dense rustling sounds.

The sound is neither hurried nor slow, as if someone in the world is leisurely turning pages and paper.

Further away, the noise from Zhengyang Gate Street faintly drifts in. It's the commotion of the An Nan Envoy leaving the Imperial Capital, with flags, music, horse hooves, armor, and the surrounding crowd of onlookers.

The envoy's team, escorted by the Yulin Army, exits the Imperial City through Zhengyang Gate Street, leaving the capital via Yongding Gate, heading south. The sounds cross the reed marsh, shattered by the wind, leaving only a vague hum, like something from another world.

It has nothing to do with Chen Ji anymore.

Beside the reed marsh, a narrow wooden pier extends into the lake. The planks, aged with time, emit a slight creaking sound when stepped on.

At the end of the pier, two rattan chairs are placed side by side, with Chen Ji and Brother Pao each holding a bamboo pole, their fishing lines hanging in the water, motionless.

Chen Ji reclines in the rattan chair, eyes closed, unclear whether he is awake or asleep.

Sunlight casts sideways on him, his loose old robe hanging on him, without the imposing presence of Qilin Embroidery, resembling an ordinary neighborhood youth instead.

Brother Pao glanced at him, but said nothing, merely biting his pipe and continuing to stare at the water's surface.

Behind them on the shore, Xiao Man had long gathered stones to stack a fire pit, igniting a bonfire, just waiting for them to catch fish and cook on the spot. However, after a long wait, no fish were caught.

Squatting beside the fire pit, she leaned one hand on her chin while using the other hand to stir the fire with a stick, expressing her boredom, "Will they actually catch any fish?"

Er Dao remained silent, focusing on adding firewood to the pit.

Xiao Man shouted towards the end of the pier, "Are you going to catch fish today? I've already lit the fire. If you don't catch any, maybe someone should buy some instead."

Her voice spread through the reed marsh, startling a few water birds into flight.

Brother Pao rose and walked towards the shore, saying, "Keep it down, the landlord is asleep."

Lowering her voice, Xiao Man asked suspiciously, "Did Brother Pao really fish before?"

Brother Pao laughed in irritation, "What kind of question is that? When I was young, I carried my bamboo pole to the riverbank daily back home; how could I never have fished?"

Even more perplexed, Xiao Man asked, "Then why can't you catch a single one now?"

As Brother Pao opened his mouth, Er Dao abruptly said, "The bait isn't working."

Brother Pao's words got stuck in his throat, as he prepared to explain further, Er Dao suddenly added, "The fishing rod is too short."

"... ..."

"Bad weather, fish won't bite."

"... ..."

"No fish here, overfished by others."

"... ..."

"Too many small fish, can't reach the bottom."

Sighing deeply, Brother Pao snapped irritably, "Why are you stealing my lines?"

Xiao Man covered her mouth in laughter, her shoulders shaking as she chuckled quietly.

Just then, in the distance, two figures appeared, walking along the edge of the reed marsh. Narrowing his eyes, Brother Pao saw a man and a woman, both clad in black, walking with ease.

Yun Yang, Jiao Tu.

Sighing again, Brother Pao tapped his pipe against the sole of his shoe, murmuring, "Can't even have a moment's peace."

He tucked the pipe into his waistband and walked towards the pair. Meanwhile, a dozen ruffians silently emerged from the reeds, forming a human wall to block their path.

Jiao Tu halted her steps, her gaze briefly sweeping over the ruffians blocking their way, then looking past their shoulders towards the golden expanse of reeds.

At the end of the wooden pier, Chen Ji sat secluded, bathed in sunlight, surrounded by the rustling reeds, unfazed by distant commotion.

Jiao Tu suddenly chuckled softly, "Mr. Chen now seems to have a bit of the air of a powerful minister in exile. I heard that Brother Pao previously went to Panjia Garden to buy some official gateways for his ruffians? What's the point of those gateways that can't step onto the stage? Brother Pao leads the Red Gate into my Spy Department, and it seems the Prime Minister is willing to grant some gateways from the Fan Building. Quite a few renowned gateways in Jianghu have roots in my Fan Building."

Brother Pao smiled, "Jiao Tu, you're quite well-informed. The hearts of Jianghu people are treacherous. We're just playing small games, having some official gateways at our side is enough, not hoping to achieve any great deed."

Jiao Tu covered her mouth and laughed softly, "Brother Pao is joking. What Mr. Chen does are earth-shaking deeds, you all following him won't be able to play small games even if you wanted to. However, Brother Pao, have your men step aside a bit. What we have to talk about with Mr. Chen is something you cannot overhear."

Brother Pao said leisurely, "The landlord is asleep, you all wait, please."

Yun Yang raised his eyebrows, "Acting more grand than the Prime Minister, someone might think he's the master of the Fan Building. Hurry up and let us pass, or else..."

Just then, Chen Ji's voice sounded from the end of the dock, "Brother Pao, let them come over."

Brother Pao waved his ruffians aside, opening a path. Jiao Tu wasn't angry, and as she passed by Brother Pao, she tapped his shoulder with her finger, "We're all on the same side, I almost drank cross-cupped wine with your landlord."

Yun Yang frowned, "When was that?"

Jiao Tu rolled her eyes, "In Luocheng City, you forgot?"

She walked across the wooden bridge to Chen Ji's side. "Mr. Chen is quite elegant, the Imperial Capital is in chaos, yet you have the mind to fish?"

Chen Ji leaned back on the bamboo chair and casually asked, "Why is it chaotic?"

Jiao Tu sat on the bamboo chair beside him, crossing her leg. "Mr. Chen feigns ignorance? Lord Binghu suddenly appeared in the Imperial Capital, taking Han Tong from the inner prison. Not only that, this Lord Binghu could send the Cao Guild riffraff out of Anding Gate during curfew. Deputy Commander Lin Yanchu resigned because of this... I remember Lin Yanchu was once under Mr. Chen's Yulin Army, Mr. Chen has planned well, laying a move early for last night."

Chen Ji remained expressionless, "It's well-known that Lin Yanchu publicly betrayed me, how could he be my man?"

Jiao Tu leaned back, pressed her body on the armrest, and gently ran her fingers over Chen Ji's shoulder, "Mr. Chen is deceiving himself. Anyone smart could see who sent Han Tong away last night, wouldn't Mr. Chen think he could fool the world by having a cloth over his face..."

As her finger reached Chen Ji's arm, Yun Yang reached over from behind and moved Jiao Tu's hand away, "If you're going to talk business, talk business, what are you touching for."

Jiao Tu rolled her eyes and sat up straight, "When did Mr. Chen become Lord Binghu?"

Chen Ji calmly gazed at the lake, "You came today just to extract words from me?"

Jiao Tu seeing him unwilling to discuss, smiled, "Mr. Chen won't speak and that's fine. Yun Yang and I are here today to pay respects at the dock. Not speaking of others, but the two of us have long been running around for you, outside Chongli Pass and the Imperial Music Bureau... Mr. Chen, does this make me your most trusted confidante?"

Chen Ji glanced at her without speaking.

Jiao Tu earnestly said, "After last night's curfew, the Spy Department allowing Han Tong to escape can't be concealed. There's bunch of Imperial Censors kneeling outside the Imperial Palace Gate in the middle of the night, impeachment memorials against the Ritual Supervision are piling like snow. Mr. Chen must know, along the canal are a hundred seventy-two docks, each with Han Tong's men. The cargo ships, porters, dock workers running on the canal recognize Han Tong's seal, not the court's official permit."

Yun Yang standing behind, his hands gathered in his sleeves, spoke coldly, "They wouldn't dare to openly rebel, but the Cao Guild has plenty of shady tricks, placing wrecked ships across the shallows so official vessels can't dock, delaying transport times, and sending underwater saboteurs to damage official ships... If the canal transport falls into chaos, the Imperial Capital will be the first to suffer. The Imperial Capital's million people consume seven-tenths of their grain and rice transported from the South via canal. If canal transport halts, within three months, grain prices in the capital will have skyrocketed."

Jiao Tu added beside him, "Next would be the South's tax silver. The salt tax of Lianghuai, textile from Jiangnan, grain tax from Hu-Guang, all need to follow the canal into the capital. Blocked canal transport means court's silver can't enter, the border army's pay can't be distributed, and Chongli Pass soldiers will be left to face the Northwest wind... Mr. Chen, letting Han Tong go has endless consequences."

Yun Yang's voice grew colder, "This one action has caused a colossal chaos. The court is already in uproar, some say to immediately send troops to extinguish the Cao Guild, others say to pacify, and still others say to question you. Jiao Tu, he's already struggling to protect himself; if the Cao Guild rebels, he'll end up decapitated. What are we coming to pay respects at his dock for?"

Jiao Tu remained calm, simply tossing him two words, "Shut up."

She turned, looking steadily at Chen Ji, "Mr. Chen may not know, even His Majesty is furious, the Prime Minister has been demoted to Divine Chief Eunuch to guard the Imperial Mausoleum in Changping at dawn. The Chief Eunuch now is Wu Xiu. I suppose by now, the Prime Minister's carriage has left Anding Gate." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Finally, the fishing rod in Chen Ji's hand moved slightly.

He lowered his gaze at the water, the fishing line remained still, it was only the wind blowing.

No wonder a spy came to Shaojiu Alley this morning requiring he respond at the appointed time; appears that the Ritual Supervision has changed hands. That Prime Minister sitting idle in Fan Building has actually been exiled to guard the mausoleum?

Chen Ji felt something was amiss.

Jiao Tu continued, "The Spy Department and Jiefan Guard now solely under Wu Xiu's control. Not only that, His Majesty has transferred Li Dongyan from Taiyuan Prefecture to the capital, promoting him to Commander of Jiefan Guard."

Chen Ji asked in confusion, "Li Dongyan?"

Jiao Tu explained, "Li Dongyan was demoted to Taiyuan for contradicting the Prime Minister, hasn't been even a year before Lin Chaoqing took his place. This man is a tough nut, from humble origins with fallen family; he forcibly cleansed himself, bribing the then Imperial Stables Supervisor to send himself into the palace. Entered palace at sixteen, transferred to Jiefan Guard at twenty, now thirty-two, a Seeking Dao Realm. Back in the day, we were most troubled by him, with him watching, the Spy Department couldn't make a dime."

Chen Ji pondered, "Why exactly did you two come today?"

Jiao Tu sincerely replied, "Lord Wu Xiu sent us to ask if Mr. Chen still wants to manage the salt permit and newsletter business. As long as you nod, he can let you keep handling these; no need for any extra measure, just need to respond at the appointed time daily."

Chen Ji slowly closed his eyes, leaning back on the bamboo chair, "No more."