182. Fate
Heavy snow.
The vast expanse of white mourning is like the white hair of the human world.
Chen Ji didn't know how he got back to the clinic, nor did he remember if he'd said "I'm back" this time. But the moment he approached the clinic, he finally stopped smiling numbly.
Tomorrow, he will host a banquet at Yingxian Tower to celebrate his promotion to Haidongqing.
According to Jin Zhu, from then on, even a county magistrate had to be polite when meeting him, and a prefect of a small town without a powerful background would not dare to act rashly.
Should I be happy?
Of course he should be happy, he's finally found his footing in this world. He should be especially happy, openly happy!
But what happens after being happy?
Old Man Yao stood behind the counter, looking at the snow falling on his head and shoulders. "Have you lost your mind? Go light the fire in my room."
Chen Ji nodded softly and walked inside.
At this moment, the sound of a carriage stopping was heard outside the door, and someone came to the door and asked politely, "Excuse me, who is Chen Ji?"
Chen Ji turned around slowly: "I am, what's wrong?"
A shopkeeper walked into the room with a young servant, smiling broadly. "I'm the owner of Li's Clothing Shop," he said. "Do you remember? The princess ordered a few sets of clothes for you from us: two stand-up collared jackets, two pairs of winter cotton trousers, two pairs of black boots, a corrugated black gauze hat, and a fox fur coat. The princess instructed us to wear the fox fur inside, as she said you don't like to be ostentatious, and the outer layer is made of fine cotton..."
Chen Ji stared blankly at the clothes in the boy's arms, unable to react for a moment.
The shopkeeper continued to speak to himself, "By the way, the princess also instructed me to sew six gold melon seeds into the robe as pendants to make it look more upright and spacious. She said it would be convenient for you in case of emergency."
The young man came forward and put the clothes in Chen Ji's arms.
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "The princess has already paid. If you have nothing else to do, I will take my leave. If the clothes don't fit, we will always provide free alterations."
He waited for Chen Ji to reply, but Chen Ji just lowered his head and stared at the clothes in his arms for a long time without saying a word.
Until Old Man Yao threw a piece of silver and said, "Go back." The shopkeeper hurriedly said "oh" and turned to leave.
Old Man Yao stood there looking at Chen Ji's back, and suddenly he sighed: "...are you still going to be home for dinner tonight?"
"I don't want to eat anymore, Master," Chen Ji walked into the dormitory holding his clothes. When he came out, he looked at the red cloth strips on the apricot tree in a daze.
After a long time, Chen Ji brought a ladder, climbed up the tree, plucked the piece of cloth that belonged to Bai Li, and slowly untied it. Inside, he saw a line of elegant small characters: "With you year after year, year after year."
He looked at the line of small words, his eyes seemed to pass through the heavy snow, and met the gaze of Princess Baili under the apricot tree that day.
The red color of the apricot tree blooms in my mind, like an anchor in my memory, turning into annual rings in my mind, and the old and the new are no longer the same.
Chen Ji put the red cloth strip into his arms, went out and mounted his horse. The horse and the young man galloping in the heavy snow were like the characters in a storyteller's story, all of them were strangers who would never return from the world of martial arts.
48848 Cuiyun Lane.
The housekeeper of the Chen Mansion was directing the servants to sweep the snow: "Sweep the snow clean. If the master slips when he comes back from the government office,
Mind your skin."
At this moment, a carriage slowly drove into Cuiyun Lane, and Chen Liqin opened the carriage door and stepped out. He was dressed in a bright red official robe, but his expression was no longer as majestic as before, but rather gloomy and oppressive.
The Liu family's rebellion had been put down, but the manifesto he wrote to fight the rebels disappeared along with Mr. Feng.
This matter can be considered a big deal or a small matter. If someone really uses the anti-traitor manifesto to investigate, he and the Liu family will be accomplices in the rebellion.
Chen Liqin didn't know who to discuss this matter with, nor could he discuss it, so he could only keep it in his heart.
When the housekeeper saw him coming back, he quickly shouted to the inside of the house, "Master is back!"
Inside the Chen residence, a dignified and elegant woman arrived to greet them. Standing at the threshold, she said softly, "Master, you've been having a cough lately. I've had someone stew some white fungus and pear soup. Please come in and drink it while it's hot."
Chen Liqin nodded silently. The woman continued gently, "Master, Wen Zong has locked himself in his room, not even letting his maids in. Please talk to him tonight and see if there's anything wrong with him."
Chen Liqin responded.
The next moment, the sound of horse hooves was heard outside the alley.
Chen Liqin turned around and looked at Chen Ji in astonishment: "Why are you back?"
The woman on the other side of the threshold saw Chen Ji and asked softly, "Is there something urgent that has brought you back so suddenly? Are you short of money?"
In the eyes of everyone, Chen Ji's horse hooves did not stop.
The butler blocked Chen Ji's way and said, "Master and Madam are talking to you, you..."
Chen Ji's face was calm. He pulled the reins with his right hand, and the warhorse suddenly raised its front hooves and stomped hard towards the butler!
The butler panicked and rolled sideways, barely avoiding the step! Chen Ji said coldly, "Get out."
He brushed past the crowd and jumped off his horse in front of Zhang's mansion.
Chen Ji handed the reins to the servant at the door and said, "Please inform me that Chen Ji is here to visit."
At the Chen residence, Chen Liqin, his wife, the housekeeper, and the servants all watched in silence, their minds a little confused for a moment. Wasn't this the third young master of the Chen residence? Why did he go to the Zhang residence? Why was he so murderous?
This person doesn't look like an apprentice in a medical clinic, he clearly looks like a killer among the border troops!
The woman asked gently, "Master, why did Chen Ji pass by our house without entering? Did I do something wrong and offend him again..."
Chen Liqin said in a serious tone, "It has nothing to do with you, don't think too much about it."
The woman frowned, puzzled. "But why would he go to the Zhang residence? I seem to have heard that he and Miss Zhang Er had some friendship. But now, for a man like him to rashly visit Miss Zhang Er, wouldn't that be a breach of etiquette and tarnish her reputation?"
At that moment, Zhang Zhuo's voice could be heard running from inside the Zhang residence. "Hey, why are you here? I said I'd change into my official robes and go to the clinic to look for you."
As he spoke, Zhang Zhuo came running out wearing only a pair of white socks. Immediately afterwards, Zhang Zheng, the eldest son of the Zhang family, also came running out like a gust of wind.
Zhang Zheng pulled Chen Ji's arm and walked inside. "Brother, I just told A-Xia that we'd go look for you together. It's cold outside, come inside and warm up."
But Zhang Zhuo glanced at Chen Ji, then turned to Zhang Zheng and said, "Chen Ji must have something important to tell you. You should go back first."
Zhang Zhengzheng
After a moment, he turned and left, taking the doorman away with him to prevent others from hearing the conversation between his father and Chen Ji.
When the crowd at the door calmed down, Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji and asked, "Are you here for Prince Jing?" "No, I'm here for the Crown Prince and the Princess. Sir Zhang, I saved you once and Zhang Xia twice. Now I need you and Zhang Xia to do something for me tomorrow, is that okay?"
Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard and said, "Whatever it is, my Zhang family will take it."
An incense stick later, Chen Ji braved the wind and snow again and rode towards the East Market. It was not until dusk that he stopped in front of a large house on Tongji Street.
This is a wealthy family. The old lady in the family is celebrating her 70th birthday tonight and they are planning to hold a party, but it suddenly starts snowing in Los Angeles.
When Chen Ji arrived at the door, the housekeeper was there greeting him with a smile: "Sir, do you have an invitation from our family?"
Chen Ji walked in without turning his head. "I'm here to look for the puncher who's in charge of your party. I'm his friend."
When the housekeeper heard that he was looking for a power stick, his face suddenly turned cold. He stretched out his hand to block Chen Ji's way and said, "Looking for a power stick in the master's house? Get lost. It's the old lady's 70th birthday tonight, and I don't have time for you."
Chen Ji glanced at him and pulled out his Secret Service badge from his sleeve. "Three days from now, go to the Secret Service Yamen in Huanjing Hutong and receive ten strokes of the canon. If you don't come looking for me, I'll go looking for you."
The housekeeper's face suddenly turned pale.
Chen Ji exhaled a breath of white air in the heavy snow and said with emotion, "Power really is very useful... Forget it, I was just kidding you, take me to the stage for the party."
The butler led the way humbly, saying, "Be careful of the snow on the ground. Don't slip."
When they arrived outside the stage, Chen Ji waved his hand and drove the housekeeper away.
He watched from the sidelines as She Dengke and a group of strongmen carried wood, bit by bit, to build the stage. She Dengke saw him and ran over in surprise, "Chen Ji, what brings you here? Tonight is the old lady of the Tang family's birthday. Come hide backstage with me, and I'll take you out for a good meal later!"
Chen Ji stood in the snow, silent for a moment before saying, "Brother Yu, you like Chunhua, right?" She Dengke hesitated and said, "Yes, I do."
Chen Ji asked, "Why do you like her?"
She Dengke recalled, "The first time I entered the palace, I made a lot of foolish mistakes. The other maids laughed at me, but she was the only one who carefully reminded me. Later, she secretly taught me the rules and gave me snacks from the palace. During my days off, I took her to my house to join in the party, and she didn't mind. Chen Ji, she is actually a good person."
Chen Ji looked at the stage in the distance. "You and she once framed me together. Do you remember? She compensated me with money, both in small and large amounts: thirty taels of silver and thirty-six copper coins."
Yu Dengke's mood dropped: "I remember. I'm sorry."
Chen Ji turned and looked directly at Yu Dengke, saying calmly, "At that time I said you owed me a life, and you must pay it back when I say so."
"I remember."
"Now, it's time to repay this life." She Dengke struggled for a long time and said, "Okay."
Chen Ji smiled and patted the snow on Yu Dengke's shoulder. "Brother She, I won't take your life in vain. Chunhua is in the inner prison right now. Helping me is like helping her. If you can survive this time, I will send you both away."
She Dengke's heart tightened: "What if I can't survive?" "That's fate."
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