Chapter 45
Ultimately, Chen Hai didn't dare move on from these two men, not because he valued their talent, but because Zhou Jingchen's words had directly exposed his intentions. The higher-ups were indeed planning to merge the North and West Camps into one, a plan that had been leaked since the beginning of the year. If one person were to be chosen as the leader of the two camps, the other would automatically become deputy. However, Niu's seniority was comparable to his, and the higher-ups were hesitant to make a final decision, which was why they didn't make the final decision.
He and Niu had been fighting for years, and the relationship between the North Camp and the West Camp was as bad as fire and water. If one of them climbed up, the other would definitely trample them to death. How could Shen Hai tolerate Niu Buqun climbing up? He hadn't had enough of his good life yet!
The two were politely sent back to the tent. Although no punishment was given, Shen Hai was still holding his breath. Even if he didn't punish them, he had to keep them locked up.
The small tent was surrounded on all sides, and soldiers at the door were guarding it with weapons in hand. They were on high alert, and it looked like they wouldn't be able to leave for three to five days.
Their tent had been searched long ago, its beds and cabinets ripped apart. Clothes, shoes, and socks were scattered all over the bed. Liu Yuan sighed and lazily slumped onto his messy bed. With his hands resting on his chest, he looked up at Zhou Jingchen, who sat upright across from him, tidying his bed.
Seeing his indifferent expression, I couldn't help but smile: "You are really interesting. You seem to follow the rules but you don't follow the rules?"
Zhou Jingchen raised his eyelids and tilted him, saying in a calm tone, "Not as good as you. Mr. Liu San seems unrestrained and rude, but in fact, he is cautious and careful in every step."
"In a place like this where there are no rules, it's best to be cautious." Liu Yuan shrugged. He was indeed pretending to be timid. Before he could gather enough power, he had to bide his time.
He wasn't criticizing Zhou Jingchen's actions at this point, but rather that their circumstances were similar, and Liu Yuan felt a certain sympathy. Naturally, he wanted to remind him, "Chen Hai isn't truly a fool. Even if he were, he wouldn't have reached the rank of captain. He's been able to tamper with the enemy for years, keeping the news secret. He must have had his own ruthless tactics. You're an exile, all alone and powerless. Trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm isn't a wise move. Besides, do you think Niu is any good? He's just a piece of shit."
Zhou Jingchen raised an eyebrow, remaining noncommittal. He knew the two men were equally matched. The North and West Camps operated independently, yet their responses to the bandit attacks were remarkably consistent. Both sides adopted a perfunctory approach, ignoring the incident during the initial attack and then shifting the blame afterward. Any quick thinking would have hinted at a complex relationship between either side and the bandits.
But no matter what consensus Niu and Chen reached, when it came to their own practical interests, it was another matter. That was human nature.
Zhou Jingchen couldn't help but recall the mineral deposits behind Hongshan. Others might not recognize them, but he knew them very well.
Flat, blocky. Dark blue with a thin green layer (green-green) on the surface. Opaque, earthy luster. Hard, difficult to break, with an uneven cross-section. No odor or taste. Zengqing ore, also known as Qinglong Blood. Zengqing is one of the ingredients in Wushisan (Five Stone Powder). The aristocratic families of Dayan had a habit of using Wushisan. This practice spread from the upper class down to the wealthy, and even ordinary families followed suit. Wushisan use has become a widespread trend in Dayan.
In other words, a bluestone mine is a treasure trove.
The Zengqing Mine, located near Hongshan and under the jurisdiction of both men, possessed a vast deposit. If Shen refused to share equally with Niu Buqun, he would surely find a way to eliminate him. At this critical juncture, how could he possibly allow Niu Buqun to gain control of him?
Thinking of this, Zhou Jingchen lowered his eyes to hide a gloomy look.
The night gradually darkened, and the tent was silent. The two people were in their own space, as if there was a Chu River and Han River between them, and they had nothing to do with each other.
Although they shared a tent and were both cavalrymen, they weren't particularly close. Liu Yuan had enlisted six months before Zhou Jingchen and had never been particularly visible. If Zhou Jingchen hadn't forced him to step forward on the battlefield, he probably would have remained hidden.
Zhou Jingchen straightened the bedding, not caring about Liu Yuan watching. He then brazenly removed a piece of wood from a corner of the bed. He then pulled out something from inside, which looked like a letter.
Liu Yuan's eyes flickered, fell on the letter, and then retracted in an instant. He put his arms under his head and turned over, sleeping with his back to Zhou Jingchen.
After a long time, Liu Yuan didn't know whether he woke up from sleep or hunger. He turned over while holding his stomach and looked resignedly at Zhou Jingchen on the bed opposite.
Zhou Jingchen sat upright on the edge of the bed, still holding the object in his hand and looking at it. They hadn't eaten a single grain of rice since they were captured at noon. Both were young and strong men. They ate a lot and consumed food quickly, so they were already starving.
After a long moment, Liu Yuan sighed and opened his mouth, about to speak to Zhou Jingchen.
Suddenly, there was a sound of conversation at the door; someone was talking to the guard. Zhou Jingchen quickly put the letter away and tucked it under his blankets. A moment later, Sun Yushan walked in carrying a tray.
The camp was under surveillance, and orders were in place for outsiders to enter or leave without receiving three meals a day. Shen Hai couldn't punish them, as the people outside were waiting. But he wouldn't let these bad guys get away with it either. It was dinner time, and someone was supposed to be delivering food. Sun Yushan happened to be on good terms with the gatekeeper, so he took over and delivered food to Zhou Jingchen.
His eyes flickered between the two of them. On the tray were two servings of rice and a bowl the size of a clay pot. Sun Yushan first delivered the food to Zhou Jingchen, placing one serving of rice and one bowl. By the time he got to Liu Yuan, there was only one serving of rice left.
Liu Yuan couldn't help but frown and asked indignantly: "Why does he have an extra copy?"
After Sun Yushan arrived at the base, he and Zhou Jingchen were assigned to different branches of the military, but he also knew that Liu Yuan and Zhou Jingchen seemed to have a good relationship. Upon hearing this, his eyebrows raised and he retorted unceremoniously, "That bowl was specially sent by Wu Shi's sister-in-law. Are you jealous? Or why don't you go find a wife too?"
Their eyes met, and Zhou Jingchen curled the corners of his mouth.
Liu Yuan: “???”
Sun Yushan collected the tray and prepared to leave: "Just throw it at the door after you finish eating. Someone will come to collect the dishes later."
Zhou Jingchen had already slowly opened the large bowl that looked like a clay pot.
The food had been sitting there all afternoon, and it had already gone cold. Fortunately, the heatwave had passed, and the weather hadn't been particularly hot these past two days, so Sun Yushan had left it uncovered, so it hadn't spoiled. Not only had it not spoiled, but the large chunks of braised chicken looked incredibly tempting. Looking over from Liu Yuan's side, Zhou Jingchen's large bowl was filled with chunks of chicken, and on the other side were bright red garlic shrimp. Two vegetables dotted the sides, and underneath lay plump grains of rice.
His eyes immediately turned red with envy and jealousy: "This is really..."
Sun Yushan, having sneaked in, couldn't stay long, so he put down his things and left. Seeing his unbearable bitterness, I felt relieved. To be honest, the few times he opened the lid that afternoon, he felt similar to Liu Yuan's mood at this moment, envious to the point of tears.
As soon as he left, Liu Yuan casually grabbed a couple of bites of the food provided for the pigs in the camp, and his eyes fell on Zhou Jingchen's bowl of fish and meat.
Zhou Jingchen met his gaze from the corner of his eye and silently moved his bowl to another direction.
"What are you doing? You can't even take a look! How can you be so stingy?!" Liu Yuan was furious. He got off the bed, carrying his small, broken bowl. He sat down next to Zhou Jingchen without any hesitation, staring at his bowl with eager eyes. The pride of a young master from an aristocratic family had been ground down to nothing during his years of exile.
He sucked his chopsticks and looked at Zhou Jingchen eagerly: "Give me a piece to taste your sister-in-law's cooking?"
Zhou Jingchen glanced at him and asked, "You don't have any food?"
"Isn't this delicious? Look at your bowl, it's so big, almost as big as four of my bowls of rice. Brother, we're all in the same camp, fighting side by side, can you give me some?" Liu Yuan was really greedy. Even though it was cold, the garlicky aroma of the garlic shrimp seemed to have legs and penetrated his nose. The braised chicken nuggets had a strange aroma, even smelling a little spicy.
Zhou Jingchen would have been surprised if he had shared some with him, so Jia Niang gave him a bowl of everything and said, "Eat your own!"
"If that doesn't work, just give me a piece of shrimp..."
Zhou Jingchen was finally annoyed by his pestering and gave him a piece of chicken and a shrimp. Not to mention that Liu Yuan was so jealous after eating that she wanted to smash Zhou Jingchen's bowl, the night finally passed peacefully.
The next morning, before dawn, Ye Jia took Ye Wumei to the town to reopen the business.
The batter was prepared early in the morning and would be sold fresh at the stall. Ye Jia prepared some pork head, some fried chicken fillets, some blanched bean sprouts, fresh white cabbage leaves, and chopped piyazi for the side dishes.
As soon as the food was displayed, curiosity immediately returned. It must be said that the Xishi stall's recent closure had left many diners craving food. They hadn't previously found the food at the naan shops and noodle stalls in front of the tile market to be particularly bad, but compared to the Xishi stall, it was hard not to find it palatable. As soon as the Xishi stall's sign was erected, a crowd gathered at the entrance.
Ye Jia lit the fire and explained, "Let's not make chive and egg pancakes today. Let's make something fresh."
As she spoke, Ye Wumei neatly arranged the things one by one.
Ye Jia wasn't as good at making pancakes as Fifth Sister. She gave up her spot to her while she advertised the prices, "Fresh food, one without egg is four cents. If you want to add anything, you have to pay extra. Pork head is four cents, thin crackers are one cent, and an egg is two cents. Add bean sprouts, yams, and white cabbage all together for one cent. How do you like it?"
Everyone knew the two sisters at Xishi's stall were skilled cooks. Since she had never tried it before, Ye Jia asked Ye Wumei's stall to prepare a dish tailored to her taste. She wanted two eggs, bean sprouts, white cabbage, and some fried chicken fillets.
Ye Wumei spun the wooden spatula, and a thin pancake appeared. She put the spatula down, cracked two eggs on the edge of the pan, and then used the spatula again to coat the pancake. She checked the pancake's doneness with her left hand, using the spatula Ye Jia had used to shovel the pancake. With a gentle push, she flipped the pancake over effortlessly.
Then he brushed the sauce on it, added pickled mustard greens and chicken fillets, sprinkled chopped green onions on it, and then rolled it up and wrapped it for Ye Jia.
This morning, there was a breeze, and the aroma had been wafting through the air since it was cooked. It was a melding of eggs and grains, and the people watching had never tasted anything like it, yet the aroma was so captivating they couldn't even move. They were tempted to buy one, but they didn't quite understand the price Ye Jia had just mentioned. Pointing at the way Ye Jia was eating, they asked, "Madam, how much does this cost?"
"It costs thirteen cents! I added two eggs and chicken to this." Ye Jia said directly, not afraid of shocking others, "If you think it's expensive, you can put less in it. It's much cheaper without the eggs and meat."
Now, they weren't that poor. Besides, wouldn't the pancake taste bad without the egg? A wealthy man who was used to eating Xishi's pancakes looked at them and pointed at Ye Jia's pancake and said, "Make me one in the style of the boss lady."
"Okay! Do you want to add some crispy food? My sister doesn't like crispy food, but it tastes better with crispy food!" Ye Wumei's voice was crisp.
The rich man didn't need that penny, "Add more, add all!"
Once one person tried it, the others were eager to try it. Some of the less-privileged ones would make a cheaper four-cent pancake and still eat it. The flavor of Ye Jia's sauce, once applied to the hot pancake, was so delicious it made you want to swallow your tongue.
Ye Jia had initially thought that the pancakes wouldn't sell well given their new arrival, but she'd underestimated the reputation of Xishi's stall. The entire town knew the owner of this stall was a great cook, so even if she made something new, it wouldn't stop people from buying. Ye Jia saw that Ye Wumei was doing a great job, but she was too busy counting the bills and making the pancakes to handle the meal, so she simply counted the money on the side.
Worried that they wouldn't be able to sell all the batter, they made half a bucket of it in the morning. As a result, it was all sold out in a short while. Ye Wumei's forehead was sweaty from exhaustion, and Ye Jia wiped it for her. Ye Wumei's eyes curved with joy: "Sister, do you think we can make more batter tomorrow?"
Most people liked thin crackers, and they devoured the entire basket. It was understandable, considering everyone's thirst for oil these days. Ye Jia found thin crackers greasy, while the oil-starved Dongxiang residents found them crispy and fragrant. The first person to enjoy them liked them, and others followed suit. By the end of the sale, those who wanted extra thin crackers had nothing to add.
"Give me some more." Ye Jia just made a quick count and earned a small amount of two taels, which was incredible. "Fry more crispy crackers tomorrow."
The two sisters were doing their accounts, waiting for the time to sell the pork head. Seeing that they still had a while to go, Ye Jia prepared to go buy some vegetables and some oil and salt. She locked the cash box and placed it in the back of the cabinet, leaving it to her fifth sister to watch over. She then left for the tile market. Ye Fifth Sister knew her sister did her daily grocery shopping, and she was happy to see her leave. She nodded, grabbed a pancake, and ate it at the stall while she waited.
Ye Jia walked to the center of Wa City, ready to buy some vegetables. As she reached the stalls, she encountered a group of people talking. They were whispering to each other, their expressions quite serious. She hadn't intended to listen, but she overheard, "Is this true or false? Is there really a high-ranking official in the garrison colluding with the bandits?"
Ye Jia's heart skipped a beat and he stopped.
"Of course it's true! How could it be false?" A woman, standing aside with a basket slung over her arm, said, "How else could those two villages in Libei Town be so miserable? No matter how powerful the horse bandits are, how many can they compare to the soldiers stationed here? We've recruited so many soldiers over the years, and even sent a group this year. How could so many people still be unable to keep a hundred or so horse bandits at bay? It's all because of the connivance of the high-ranking officials in the garrison!"
"Oh my God! This is killing people! How can the high-ranking officials here condone the bandits and kill people? How can they be so cruel and ruthless? Aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning for doing such a beastly thing?"
"Even if lightning strikes, there are still tall people to support them! When the officials go out, they are protected by a group of servants. Even if lightning strikes, there are people to block it..."
As they spoke, the two women stood in the middle of the road and sighed.
Ye Jia hadn't been to the town of Washi for several days, and he didn't expect that this matter would be spread all over the place now.
She visited several stalls, all of which were talking about high-ranking officials in the garrison protecting the bandits. The rumors were so convincing that some even claimed to have witnessed soldiers speaking with the bandits on the day of the Zhangjiaqiao massacre. Ye Jia's heart was heavy, and she couldn't help but recall the words Zhou Jingchen had left her yesterday before he left.
Although he didn't know what had happened, it looked like some major action was about to take place at the garrison. He wondered if there would be a war, and if that would affect the livelihoods of the local people. Ye Jia pondered for a moment, and now he couldn't even think about buying groceries. Worried about any accidents, he decided to go to the grain store and buy more food.
No matter what the situation, having enough food is enough to survive. Ye Jia thought about it and decided to not only stock up on food and vegetables, but also buy some oil, salt, sauce and vinegar. Old Man Sun followed Ye Jia on his ox cart, helping him carry the things back.
After running a few times, not to mention that Yu was surprised to see Ye Jia stockpiling food and oil at home again, Ye Jia ran into an acquaintance in the teahouse on East Street.
Having not seen him for a long time, Ye Jia didn't recognize him at first glance. But Guo Huai had changed his clothes, so it would be impossible to recognize him without a closer look. Ye Jia had a sharp eye, and it took him several careful glances to recognize him as Guo Huai. Guo Huai was dressed like a storyteller, standing in the middle of the teahouse, talking with saliva flying. Ye Jia could hear the intention of his words in just a few words. He was talking about the strange things about the horse bandits attacking the village in Libei Town, and he listed the unreasonable ways in which the resident officers handled the bandits.
He was a sharp-tongued man, his words simple and easy to understand. His list of accusations only stirred the audience's indignation. Ye Jia's heart pounded as he listened, fearing someone would report him to the garrison. The troops came and arrested Guo Huai, the rumormonger, and beat him to death.
Guo Huai obviously also saw Ye Jia in the crowd and smiled from afar.
When Ye Jia looked back, he had stopped smiling and continued to talk about the tragic massacre of the people in Libei Town. His words were so fitting and harsh that they moved anyone who heard them to tears. Ye Jia saw many soft-hearted people wiping away tears on the spot. Then he clapped his hand, took a sip of tea, and fell silent: "That's enough for today."
After saying this, he didn't ask for any tip. He drank his tea and slipped into the crowd, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Ye Jia's brows furrowed as she recalled the message Zhou Jingchen had asked her to pass on to Guo Huai. She wondered if Zhou Jingchen had any hand in these matters.
She had something on her mind, and when she returned to the stall, Ye Wumei was so busy that she was almost out of breath.
Having not eaten pig's head for a few days, it suddenly felt fresh. Some diners who loved pig's head had found it bland in their mouths these days and were eager for Xishi's stall to open. After all, there were always tall people to hold up the sky, so there was no need to worry too much. Yu Shi could only put her affairs aside and come over to help cut the pig's head and mix the vegetables. Ye Jia had originally been thinking about the shop, but she figured she would have to wait a while.
She wasn't that obtuse. She had a vague idea of what Zhou Jingchen was doing behind the scenes. But she had no idea how far he would go, or how much of an impact it would have on the Zhou family. She figured she'd have to wait for a definitive conclusion.
She had to wait for Zhou Jingchen to come back and talk to him.
She was preoccupied and hadn't noticed the time. By the time she came to her senses, all the pig heads were sold out. Ye Wumei sat off to the side, eating the leftover pancakes from the morning. She turned to look at Ye Jia while speaking to a customer who came over to ask about them, "No more! They're all sold out today. If you want to eat, please come early tomorrow."
"Never mind, let's go back first." Ye Jia didn't have any plans for the time being. Just then, Old Man Sun came back from a few deliveries. They loaded their stall items onto the oxcart. Thinking about the soap business he still had to do next month, Ye Jia went to the grocery store again.
The grocery store owner now knew where the Zhou family was. Ye Jia asked him for the goods and told him to go back to the Zhou family to get the money. She might as well go to several shops and buy more raw materials to keep at home. She could then make more soap and keep it on hand. This would provide a long-term supply for the rouge shop and the Lihua Lane shop. She had just finished her run and left the shop when she ran into Guo Huai again on the street.
This time he changed his attire, making himself look like an older man. He walked around the town with his fortune-telling mask in one hand and a dustpan in the other, looking very sage-like and uneasy.
When he met Ye Jia, he even jokingly said, "Old Taoist, you have the appearance of living a long life, don't worry too much."
After saying that, he staggered away with the banner.
Ye Jia: “…”
Whether it was this remark or the sight of a year's worth of food at home that gave Ye Jia confidence, she suddenly calmed down once she got home. It was she, however, who lost her composure. Zhou Jingchen, the main villain of the entire story, was the only place he could reach. If he couldn't even hold out here, how could he survive to the end and slaughter the main characters?
With this thought in mind, Ye Jia returned home and ordered everyone to move all the food into the cellar. The cellar was something the family already had, right next to the kitchen. Ye Jia hadn't noticed it before, until Old Man Sun found it when he was helping her move a large jar of sauce and had nowhere to put it.
Grain was stored there, as were sauces. There was plenty of woods behind the firewood yard. Oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar were all stored there. Looking at the full cellar, her heart was at ease.
After recuperating for half a month, Ajiu is now able to go out and walk around.
But he kept his promise when he moved in, fearing he would bring disaster to the Zhou family. He rarely walked around in public. When he occasionally went out for something, he would hide from everyone. He didn't know where he'd gotten a few thin, long swords, but he gave one to Ye Jia. Ye Jia chopped it up, and it was incredibly sharp. He'd happened to be brandishing a sword in the yard when Ye Jia returned today, and the sound of the sword piercing the air was quite realistic.
A few days passed peacefully, but the town's rumors, far from subsiding, intensified. Zhou Jingchen, imprisoned for several days, remained calm, but those with hidden agendas were. Their promotions were imminent, and their qualifications and reputations were being scrutinized. If someone caught them at this point, they'd likely face not only no chance of promotion, but also, potentially, the death penalty!
Shen Hai's first reaction when he heard the rumors was to smash all the porcelain vases in the room.
The Shen Mansion is located in Dongxiang Town. The Shen family is the wealthiest family within a hundred miles. Once these suggestive words reached Shen Hai's ears, he was furious. He wanted to tear the person who spread the rumor into pieces, but he was afraid to do so because of the situation. Even in the camp, they didn't dare to arrest the rumormongers.
He was afraid that if he arrested someone, the noise would be too loud and his opponent would use it as an excuse to try to cover up his wrongdoing.
They didn't dare to make any big moves, and the rumormonger was as slippery as a loach. They'd been staking out the town for quite a while without catching him. Chen Hai had originally wanted to lock Zhou Jingchen and Liu Yuan up for a few days to vent his anger, but now he didn't dare to make any small moves.
He immediately ordered the release of the two men and generously rewarded those who had made contributions to the suppression of the bandits. Those who had previously blamed Deng Hu now had a full explanation.
He spoke frankly, expressing his deep love for Deng Hu and his sharp criticism. It was precisely because he had high hopes for Deng Hu that he was disappointed that he failed to fulfill his responsibilities and replaced him at the last minute. This punishment was meant to serve as a warning, to make him see his painstaking efforts more clearly. After the departure, Shen Hai summoned all the soldiers in the North Camp and publicly presented them with awards and honors. Deng Hu had been instrumental in suppressing the bandits and had indeed discerned two talented young men. Shen Hai personally commended him and generously compensated him with financial rewards.
Not only that, he publicly promoted Zhou Jingchen three ranks higher, directly promoting him to the position of Quchang, in charge of the cavalry battalion. He was brought to Chen Hai's side to serve. Liu Yuan was also promoted to deputy Quchang for his meritorious service, assisting Zhou Jingchen.
Less than two weeks after a rumor spread, the outcome of the bandit suppression operation was reversed so quickly. After witnessing this series of events, Liu Yuan looked at Zhou Jingchen with a complicated expression: "...When did you start deploying this?"
Zhou Jingchen actually found it quite funny, how quickly Shen Hai contradicted himself. He still had a lot of things in his hands that he hadn't taken out, and Shen Hai's flexibility made him feel helpless. He raised one eyelid calmly, without arrogance or impatience, as if the question was not directed at him. Zhou Jingchen didn't confront him directly, but instead asked him: "What are your plans for the future?"
"Want to win me over?" Liu Yuan sat down with his arms folded, tilting his head to look at Zhou Jingchen.
Zhou Jingchen nodded without hesitation: "Young Master Liu is a man of profound learning, well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge, and possesses the talent to govern the world. Commanding troops and generals is not your strong point, and you won't make a name for yourself here. Isn't it a waste to be stuck in this small place, living in a daze?"
Liu Yuan sneered at his compliment and said, "Who told you I have the talent to govern the world?"
"I said so."
Liu Yuan's smile froze.
Zhou Jingchen's attitude was neither hurried nor slow, and his tone was slightly indifferent: "How is it?"
Their eyes met, Liu Yuan said nothing, and turned over to sleep.
The two were still in the same tent, their reward having just arrived and yet to be fully implemented. Zhou Jingchen paid no attention to his attitude, his slender fingers tapping gently on his knees. He gazed past the raised tent curtain at the bright moonlight outside, his expression relaxed and content.
After an unknown amount of time, the sleeper suddenly turned over and blurted out, "Is your sister-in-law a good cook? The roast chicken she made a few days ago was quite good."
Zhou Jingchen's leisurely expression froze, and the corners of his mouth drooped. He glanced at him sideways.
Liu Yuan grinned.
The night was as dark as water, the moon as slender as a hook. The bright moonlight shone into the tent, casting a veil over the crude furnishings inside. Zhou Jingchen smiled slightly and said politely, "My martial arts are also quite good."
Liu Yuan: “…”
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