On the Double Ninth Festival, the whole city celebrated.
The crowd thronged around the heir and the commandery princess as they made their way to the prince's residence. Some townsfolk brought eggs and vegetables as gifts, while young women by the roadside tossed flowers at the heir.
The heir was not the only one being showered with attention. The two young masters of the Chen residence were covered in petals as well, as though flowers paved their road and magpies built them a bridge.
Among them, Chen Ji spotted a young monk of thirteen or fourteen, dressed in moon-white robes. With red lips, white teeth, and handsome features, he was probably the Buddhist Son Dark Cloud had mentioned, from the Gening School of Yunzhou.
As the Buddhist Son rode past, he turned to look at Chen Ji. He paused in surprise, then his face lit up with a smile for him.
In the procession, a girl riding a white horse asked curiously, "Little monk, who were you looking at just now?"
She followed the young monk's gaze, but there was no one left beneath the eaves.
The young monk smiled. "Commandery Princess Bai Li, I saw a young man whose heart is full of bitterness. Yet he has already cut down two thieves, leaving only obsession in his heart."
"Huh?" Zhu Baili looked puzzled. "Stop talking as though your words are wrapped in clouds and fog. What are the two thieves?"
"I was just saying whatever came to mind."
Chen Ji followed the crowd all the way back to the medical hall. Old Yao was standing just inside the threshold, watching the young men in fine clothes on spirited horses. He said slowly, "Aren't those your two legitimate elder brothers? Why didn't you go say hello?"
Chen Ji smiled. "Master, you already know the answer to that. Besides, they didn't recognize me."
Liu Quxing leaned his head over in astonishment. "Master, do you mean Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao beside the heir? They're the sons of Luo City's assistant prefect. I saw them at Old Master Liu's birthday banquet... You're saying they're Chen Ji's legitimate elder brothers?"
Old Yao gave an indifferent grunt of assent.
The people in the medical hall looked over and saw the two noble young masters of the Chen Family, each impeccably dressed in white. The jade pendants on their collars alone were worth a fortune, and the hairpins in their hair were neither wood nor silver, but white jade. They were truly dashing young men, dazzling to behold.
Liu Quxing looked at the two of them, then at Chen Ji. Chen Ji had changed into his freshly mended gray cloth robe, with a coarse cloth sash around his waist and a pair of old cloth shoes on his feet...
"Chen Ji, you're from the same family as them?" Liu Quxing asked, stunned.
Chen Ji also gave an indifferent grunt of assent.
He had thought Liu Quxing, that moral low ground, would seize the chance to make a few jabs at him. To his surprise, Liu Quxing suddenly bristled on his behalf. "Your legitimate mother is far too biased! These days, sons of concubines can't inherit the family estate, but elder brothers are still supposed to be kind, younger brothers respectful, mothers loving, and sons filial. Isn't she afraid people will point fingers at her behind her back for this?!"
Chen Ji looked at Liu Quxing in some surprise.
Liu Quxing continued angrily, "You never mentioned your family all these years, so I thought yours were only tenant farmers. Do you know that just one of those jade pendants on their collars would cover ten years of your apprenticeship fees?"
Chen Ji smiled and patted Liu Quxing on the shoulder. "Senior Brother, don't be angry, don't be angry. I didn't expect you to speak up for me."
Liu Quxing took offense. "What's that supposed to mean? You and I are fellow disciples, after all. They're all outsiders."
With that, Liu Quxing glanced at the backs of the departing group. "Pah! All those people swarming around them, like ants moving house!"
Chen Ji didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Senior Brother, that mouth of yours has half of Master's skill now."
Liu Quxing turned to Old Yao. "Master, he insulted you too."
Old Yao slapped the back of his head. "You just love sowing discord! Stop staring. That's another world, and it has nothing much to do with you."
Everyone returned inside the medical hall, and Chen Ji said with a smile, "I passed a roast chicken shop just now and bought two chickens. Master, Senior Brothers, come and eat."
"Wow." Only then did Liu Quxing notice the lotus-leaf package in Chen Ji's hand. He took it to the counter and opened it. "Chen Ji, did you strike it rich?"
"I picked up a bit of silver," Chen Ji explained.
"Picked up silver?" Old Yao casually tossed six copper coins onto the counter. As he interpreted the divination, he teased, "You didn't pick up any silver. You went out and landed two unlucky fools in jail... Tsk, tsk, quite a big move!"
Chen Ji hurriedly looked around. Seeing that Liu Quxing and She Dengke were focused on eating the chicken, he finally relaxed.
He asked suspiciously in a low voice, "Did you divine that, or did the crow see it?"
"Never you mind," Old Yao said gravely. "Let me ask you: was it really you who tipped off the Liu Family?"
Chen Ji was silent for a moment before finally saying, "It was me."
Old Yao gave a soft scoff. "Why are you willing to tell me the truth now?"
"Because I don't think you mean me any harm. And from now on, I'm going to treat the medical hall as my home. You'll be the only elder I have."
"Don't try to cozy up to me." Old Yao ignored that remark. "Did anyone find out you were the one who tipped them off?"
"No."
"Good, then." Old Yao stroked his beard. "Do whatever you like. Your legs are your own, and I can't control where they take you, but don't drag me into it!"
"All right!"
Old Yao looked at him and finally added, "If you want to live longer, don't be ostentatious in what you do. Look at those people outside in their fine clothes on spirited horses. They may be pleased with themselves, but only those who quietly make their fortunes can laugh last. In time, you'll discover that as long as you live long enough, you can watch your enemies die one by one."
Chen Ji said earnestly, "Master, I understand what you're saying, and I'll try to keep a low profile, but I can't wait that long to take revenge..."
At that moment, Liu Quxing, gnawing on his chicken, admonished him through greasy lips, "Chen Ji, you really don't know how to manage your life. You found a little silver and rushed to buy roast chicken instead of saving it."
She Dengke cursed at him. "Then stop eating! You're eating his food and still running your mouth!"
"I'm reminding him for his own good!"
Chen Ji looked at Liu Quxing. His senior brother was an interesting person. If you called him a good person, his moral standards were low, he had a loose tongue, and he was petty.
But if you called him a bad person, he still had a line he wouldn't cross, making him much better than a bad person.
Yet most people in the world were like that; they couldn't simply be judged as good or bad.
Chen Ji tore off a chicken leg and held it in front of his chest. Dark Cloud emerged from his robes, seized the leg in both paws, and began gnawing on it. Chen Ji tore off another leg and offered it to Old Yao.
Old Yao curled his lip and said reservedly, "I'm old. I can't eat anything so greasy."
Chen Ji shoved the leg straight into his hand. "You're full of life when you're whipping us with a bamboo strip, not old at all. Go on and eat."
Old Yao's beard bristled and his eyes bulged. "What kind of way is that to describe your master? Have some respect for your elders!"
Outside the medical hall was a noisy crowd. Inside, master and three disciples shared a roast chicken. Sometimes Chen Ji thought how nice it would be if life could remain so peaceful.
But he knew that what had to come would come sooner or later.
Just then, Miss Xibing came skipping up to the medical hall, pinching her skirt between fingers curved like an orchid. She was poised and lovely in the prince's residence, but once outside, she let herself go, her dangling hair ornament swaying as she moved.
She leaned against the doorway and peered inside, waving to Chen Ji. "Chen Ji, Chen Ji!"
Dark Cloud hid on the chair behind the counter, while Chen Ji wiped his mouth and went out to meet her. "Miss Xibing, what is it?"
Xibing said, "My lady's White Prajna has been hurt again! She sent me to fetch you to have a look."
Chen Ji instinctively turned to look at Dark Cloud behind the counter, his mind full of questions. Did you do it?
Dark Cloud's eyes were clear and puzzled. No!
The man and cat's accounts didn't match!
In that instant, Chen Ji realized clearly that Consort Yun wanted to talk to him!
He had been wondering all along who the important figure connected to the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Directorate was.
Consort Jing, as a member of the Liu Family, was clearly the most likely, yet all the clues pointed to Consort Yun.
Thinking of what the Directorate officer had confessed, Chen Ji looked at Old Yao. "Master, I'm going with Miss Xibing."
Old Yao thought for a moment and hinted, "Should you take a ginseng root with you, just in case you need it?"
Chen Ji said, "...I probably won't need one this time."
If he prescribed another ginseng root for a cat, he was afraid Consort Yun would have him beaten to death.
Old Yao was somewhat disappointed. "Go on, then."
Chen Ji followed Xibing toward the prince's residence. As they passed the plaque bearing the words "Open and Aboveboard," he couldn't help taking another look.
Xibing showed her waist token to the guards. "My lady has summoned a physician from the medical hall."
The guards withdrew their halberds and let them pass.
Inside the residence, servants and maids bustled about, presumably preparing the evening banquet because the heir and the commandery princess had returned.
Chen Ji asked curiously, "Miss Xibing, who injured White Prajna?"
"I don't know." Xibing smiled. "I haven't even seen her today. My lady told me to fetch you, so I came. Be quick with your diagnosis later. There's a gathering of Luo City's literary folk over by Flying White Pond tonight, and I want to go see it. I hear the heir invited a great many talented scholars."
The two hurried through the archway leading to the inner residence and stopped outside Flying Cloud Court.
Xibing called out, "My lady, I've brought Chen Ji from Taiping Medical Hall."
Nanny Xitang came out and glanced at Chen Ji. "Follow me inside."
Chen Ji lowered his head and followed, studying the courtyard of Flying Cloud Court from the corner of his eye as he walked. It was plainer than Evening Star Court, with only a persimmon tree in the middle, hung with bright red fruit.
The persimmons were already ripe, but many had been left hanging on the tree, unpicked.
Chen Ji suddenly remembered a story. Old people often said not to pick every persimmon, but to leave some for the birds to eat through winter. He wondered whether that was why Consort Yun had left them.
They came to the entrance of the enclosed tower in Flying Cloud Court. The tower did not look like a woman's quarters either. It had no beautifully patterned caisson ceiling or mother-of-pearl inlay; instead, it looked like a man's study, somewhat plain and somber.
Consort Yun was listening with a broad smile as a girl told her stories about Eastern Grove Academy.
When she saw Chen Ji, she said to the girl, "Bai Li, take a rest for now. I'm feeling a little unwell, so I asked a physician from the Imperial Medical Hall to examine me. I'll hear more about the academy from you later."
Zhu Baili paused. "Mother, what's troubling you?"
Consort Yun smiled gently. "It's nothing. I've just been breaking out in cold sweats easily. Go and change your clothes. There's a banquet tonight."
Zhu Baili came out of the tower and brushed past Chen Ji. She looked back at him, a little puzzled. She couldn't shake the feeling that the young physician looked familiar, and besides... was he really able to treat patients at such a young age?
Consort Yun sat upright in a grand armchair, wearing a brown, cross-collared robe with a sweeping front. A vivid python was embroidered across its shoulder, treading on green waves.
Though called a python, the python in the Ning Dynasty's designs looked more like a dragon.
Consort Yun dismissed Xibing. Once there was no one else in the room, she asked gravely, "Today was the agreed time for the delivery. Why didn't your Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Directorate show up?"
Chen Ji said, "..."