Chapter 973 - 812: Time to Leave

Dusk.

The setting sun shone on the golden characters on the plaque of the Duke of England Mansion, making them gleam. The people and horses of the Eight Great Merchants filed out from under the plaque and scattered into Jinling City. Some headed for the Qinhuai River, some for Sanshan Street, some for the Old Courtyard.

Thirty-two and San Shichi, who were feigning idle chatter before Qing Mansion’s gate, heard the commotion and were about to dart out after them, but the other side had eight men and they had only two.

Thirty-two halted and pondered for a moment: "You tail that man from the Wang Family. I need to go into the government office and find someone to ask for news."

San Shichi said in a low voice: "The Landlord said it before, the one inside the government office can’t be contacted at will."

Thirty-two shoved him: "Forget it. The Eight Great Merchants are making such a big move, we can’t afford to fuss over rules now. Go! In an hour, we rendezvous at the Xu Family Mansion."

The two split up. San Shichi ran out after the Wang Family men, while Thirty-two circled to the back gate of the government office and stopped. On this back gate, just like the front gate, hung a plaque: "Open Door."

A couplet hung on either side. The upper line read, "Cast off rank and fame beyond Qingshan," the lower line read, "Let worldly cares be worn away in cloudy wine."

Thirty-two stood before the door and knocked lightly three times, then heavily twice.

The brown little door creaked open. The man inside glanced at him, frowned: "Who allowed you to come? I already said only I can seek you out, you’re not to come seeking me."

Thirty-two said anxiously: "I’m watching our Lady about to get Dinghai Port and Songjiang Port into her hands. Now there’s such a big stir in the government office, I’m forced to it."

The man said coldly: "Go back. I’ve got nothing here."

Thirty-two wedged his foot in the crack of the door and said in a deep voice: "Go and report it. This is too big for you to decide. I’ll only leave once your master speaks."

The man’s expression changed: "All the news deals we’ve done till now are on my own say-so. What’s it got to do with my master? Get lost!"

Thirty-two smiled without warmth: "Best you go ask anyway."

The man reached for the blade at his waist: "Are you leaving or not?"

But just then, a voice sounded behind him: "Zhang Cheng, let him in."

Zhang Cheng glared at Thirty-two, then opened the door wider to reveal the Duke of England inside. The Duke held a cricket jar in his hand, smiling as he watched Thirty-two: "Your Landlord never taught you the rules?"

Thirty-two cupped his fists: "Lord Duke, urgent matters bend the rules. The Landlord did teach this little one the rules, but this matter is too big."

The Duke sat down beside a stone table and asked with a smile: "Since it’s a big matter, it ought to fetch a big price. What does your lamp plan to use this time to trade for a leaf?"

Thirty-two pondered for a moment, then carefully tested: "Our lamp has two Mutton Fat Jade cricket jars in hand..."

The Duke smiled, opened his own cricket jar, pinched the cricket out into his palm, and squeezed it to death: "No need. Try something else."

Thirty-two froze, thought for a moment: "Thirty Lamp Copper Coins."

The Duke shook his head: "Even in the Ghost Market on the Qinhuai River, that’s only six thousand taels of Silver. Not enough."

Thirty-two shot back: "What does Lord Duke want?"

The Duke tossed the cricket onto the ground, spoke offhandedly: "I hear your lamp is holding eight thousand catties of ginseng shipped in from Korea."

Thirty-two’s expression didn’t change: "Lord Duke jests. Each year only two thousand catties of ginseng are brought in from Korea. Where would our lamp get eight thousand catties?"

The Duke laughed loudly: "That line of yours can only fool ghosts."

Thirty-two shifted the topic: "Lord Duke, even if our lamp truly has eight thousand catties of ginseng, that’s worth tens of thousands of taels of Silver. What leaf could be worth tens of thousands of taels?"

The Duke fixed his gaze on him: "This touches on five million taels of customs each year, and you begrudge a mere few tens of thousands? Decide quickly. What your Landlord has least need to worry about is Silver."

Thirty-two’s eyes rolled once: "What does Lord Duke want so much ginseng for, raise a rebellion?"

The Duke said with a smile: "To send to Datong."

Thirty-two was taken aback: "Send it to whom?"

The Duke laughed: "Once your ginseng reaches the Datong border, someone will naturally come to you on their own. That person, your Landlord knows as well."

Thirty-two thought it over: "This isn’t something I can decide. I have to seek the General to make the call."

The Duke waved his sleeve: "Go."

Zhang Cheng opened the back gate a crack, letting Thirty-two slip out.

Ten minutes later, Thirty-two returned to the courtyard again: "Four thousand catties, no more. It’s not that our lamp is stingy, it’s that we really only have this much left in hand."

The Duke considered it: "Done."

A moment later, Thirty-two left the Duke of England Mansion and sprinted toward the Xu Family Mansion. He had run back and forth to the Xu Family several times today, his soles were aching.

By the time he reached the gate of the Xu Family Mansion, Zhang Xia and the others were already waiting. San Shichi’s arm was wrapped in white cloth, the cloth beneath soaked with blood.

Thirty-two was startled: "You’re hurt?"

San Shichi explained: "The Wang Family servants went to White Tower Lane. Before I could get close, someone ambushed me. The bastard’s skill is impressive—if I hadn’t been quick and dived into a crowd, I’d likely be dead by now."

Thirty-two grunted once: "Rest."

He went up the steps and murmured to Zhang Xia: "Lady, Hu Junye has detained each Shopkeeper of the Eight Great Merchants inside the government office, wielding both favor and threat. He promised them fifty percent shares in Dinghai Port and Songjiang Port and is driving them to Dinghai Port, to disguise themselves as pirates and strike the Anti-Japanese Army... Only, the Eight Great Merchants each harbor their own schemes, they may not truly put in effort."

Zhang Xia frowned: "Whether the Eight Great Merchants exert themselves or not, I know Hu Junye. He looks burly and rough, but his mind is fine as a hair and he plans like a strategist. There’s no way he hasn’t thought of the Eight Great Merchants playing tricks—he’s just using this to lash them onto the Hu Family war chariot. To move against the Anti-Japanese Army, he must have another hand prepared!"

She gave a whistle and called Zaozao over; Zaozao galloped out from within the Xu Family Mansion.

Zhang Xia swung into the saddle, and while on horseback instructed Thirty-two and Xiao Man: "I’m going to intercept Prince Fu and ask him to ride hard for Dinghai Port to relieve the siege. The only person Hu Junye doesn’t dare touch is him. You two ride fast horses to the post stations along the route... If they want to head to Dinghai Port, they’ll have to use Ministry of War Fire Tickets to change horses at each post!"

Zhang Xia closed her eyes and thought for two breaths. When she opened them again, she said: "If they want it fastest, they’ll definitely go by Yunyang Posthouse, Jingkou Post House, Lucheng Post Station, Gusu Post, Pingwang Post... It’ll take them some time to muster their men. You must get to Gusu Post before they do, burn Gusu Post, loose the warhorses in the station, and cut off a leg of their journey. Also—whether you rob or steal—you must obtain the Ministry of War Fire Tickets they hand to the post. That is crucial; it’s evidence against the Ministry of War!"

Thirty-two immediately went into the Xu Family Mansion to lead the horse out. "Rest easy, Lady."

Zhang Xia snapped the reins and galloped all the way toward the Jubao Gate.

...

...

Before the sun set, several groups of riders sped out of Jinling City, racing through the night toward Dinghai Port.

Dinghai Port itself was perfectly quiet. A sea-like swath of crimson sunset clouds hung upside down in the sky, as if torrents of fire were pouring toward the edge of the world.

Chen Ji sat on the gunwale, head lowered, reading a newspaper. He had already finished it once, yet couldn’t help reading it again. At some point he casually looked up into the distance, caught by the sunset glow, and his mind drifted.

It seemed he hadn’t watched a sunset in a long time.

At some unknown point, Old Ears came to stand beside him, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the sunset, sighing, "The sunsets in the North are vast and grand; the sunsets in the South are bright and gorgeous. When this old man was young, I was drunk on cultivation every day, only wanting to become the strongest under heaven and above it. Back then someone tried to drag this old man out to watch the sunset. I thought to myself, what’s so great about that? With that time, I might as well cultivate my sword more and become number one in the world sooner."

Chen Ji said nothing. The other’s words had already revealed quite a bit.

Old Ears chuckled. "Back then my head was full of worries—if I slacked off, would I fail to step into the Divine Realm, and be a step behind others? I didn’t even know who I was competing against, just that I didn’t dare stop for even a moment, didn’t dare catch my breath. Then one day I was standing idly on a mountaintop, and suddenly saw the layers upon layers of sunset clouds soothing the heart. Only then did I realize I didn’t need to push myself that hard, to the point of missing many people, and many things."

Chen Ji countered, "So that’s why you later went down the mountain to wander the world, changing identities every so often for fun?"

Old Ears sighed. "Your master once called me to go watch the sunset. I didn’t want to go. Then, on a sudden whim, he wanted to pull me off to be mountain bandits, robbing the rich to help the poor. I said I wouldn’t go. Later he said, let’s sail out to sea, go see Japan and then the Southern Ocean. I still said I wouldn’t go."

Chen Ji froze.

Old Ears looked toward the sunset. "Kid, people are always arguing over what counts as a good life. Some say having Silver to spend is a good life. Some say lovers finally becoming family is a good life. If you ask this old man, if you come across a beautiful sunset, and it can make you stop and look for a while, that’s a good life. If you don’t even have the mind to stop and watch the sunset, then no matter how much Silver you have in your arms, you’re still living a bitter life."

Chen Ji came back to himself. "Makes sense."

Old Ears turned to look at Chen Ji. "What, you actually have the mood today to sit here and watch the sunset—did helping the Zhang Family fight for the Grand Secretary put you in a good mood?"

Chen Ji was silent for a moment. "I’m not watching the sunset. I’m using the sun for sword cultivation."

Old Ears was stunned. He suddenly looked at the distant sun, then back at Chen Ji. "Kid, what did you just say you’re using to cultivate your sword?"

Chen Ji jerked his chin at the setting sun, as if it were only natural. "The sun."

Old Ears let out a disbelieving laugh. "You make it sound like everyone’s using the sun for sword cultivation. I’m asking, how can you use the sun to cultivate your sword?"

"Why can’t I use the sun for sword cultivation?" Chen Ji thought for a moment. "There’s even someone who uses the Ziwei Star to cultivate his sword."

Old Ears was once again stunned. "Who?"

Chen Ji fell silent for a moment and did not say Xuanyuan’s name.

He had once asked his master if he’d heard of Xuanyuan, but Old Yao had said no. It seemed someone had deliberately erased the names of Xuanyuan and the Lord of War. He didn’t know why, but it was better not to let those names resurface in the world.

Seeing he wouldn’t answer, Old Ears changed the question. "You use the sun for sword cultivation. If your sword body cracks, how long will it take to recover?"

Chen Ji replied casually, "Ten days, I guess."

Old Ears fell silent.

Chen Ji turned to look at him. "Isn’t it the same for you?"

Old Ears stiffened his neck. "This old man also takes ten days."

Chen Ji smiled. "Is it really ten days for you? Actually, I only need seven."

"You’re playing tricks on this old man now?" Old Ears gave Chen Ji a shove, sending him flying into the sea. Caught completely off guard by the enormous strength, Chen Ji plunged into the water.

In the water, he shrugged off his heavy straw coat. Wearing his mask, he surfaced, bobbing up and down. "Got worked up?"

Old Ears snorted. "What’s so great about seven days? If you practice fast enough and your realm is high enough, nobody can even injure your sword seed. You don’t need any recovery at all."

Chen Ji shot back, "Didn’t your sword seed break? What’s the point of saying all this?"

Old Ears held his breath, held it for a long time. "True enough... Is it fun in the sea?"

Chen Ji said irritably, "If it’s fun or not, why don’t you come down and find out?"

The next moment, Old Ears actually took off his straw coat and jumped into the sea with him.

Chen Ji was stunned, staring wide-eyed at Old Ears.

But Old Ears didn’t tread water like him, floating upright. Instead, he relaxed his body and slowly lay on his back on the surface, drifting leisurely. "People ought to just do what they feel like doing, instead of staying wound up every day. Come on, copy me—lie back."

Chen Ji also relaxed his body and lay on his back on the sea, letting the water carry him up and down.

The two of them fell quiet, watching the sunset in the sky together. Only the sound of the waves crashing remained in their ears, yet heaven and earth felt more peaceful than ever.

After a long while, Old Ears said with a smile, "Kid, it’s not only seawater that has buoyancy. The world has buoyancy too. Loosen up a bit, and the world will naturally hold you up."

Chen Ji was silent for two breaths, then broke into a smile. "Lesson taken."

Old Ears suddenly said, "You’ve finished cleaning up the Xu Family, helped the Emperor of Ning Dynasty get so much Silver, and helped the Zhang Family seize the Grand Secretary. Now that matters here are done, you should go home. With such great merits, the court can’t really pursue your crime of deceiving the Emperor anymore."

Chen Ji made a sound of acknowledgment.

Still looking at the sunset, Old Ears suddenly said, "This old man should go home too."

Chen Ji was puzzled. "You’re going home? Just like that?"