CHAPTER 452: 348, CHEN YU

Evening.

The Yulin Army training ground was empty and deserted, with no one in training.

Chen Ji was in the stables, grooming warhorses alongside humble soldiers. The hard bristles of the brush scraped over the horse’s body, leaving a fine layer of loose hair.

From the covered building behind him in the Governor Mansion came the indistinct sounds of betting and shouting, with Qi Zhenzhuo’s voice the loudest: "Come, come, place your bets, no more bets!"

Lin Yanchu looked at Chen Ji: "Mr. Chen, things can’t go on like this. The Left Brave Guard has no Commander, the Right Brave Guard’s Commander is utterly useless, and the governor is hiding in the barracks, asleep..."

Chen Ji shook his head: "They’ve all been spoiled at home, thinking that as long as they throw a tantrum, someone will come and placate them. It’s nothing, they’ll be fine in a few days."

Lin Yanchu sighed: "I understand them. Cooped up in this Governor Mansion, they long to go out and accomplish great deeds. It’s normal to feel disheartened when they’re so close to success only to be obstructed by their own family. You’ve only been in the Yulin Army for a short time, so maybe you haven’t felt the frustration here yet."

Chen Ji lowered his head and blew at the horse hair tangled in the brush: "Do you want to go to Korea too?"

Lin Yanchu hesitated for a moment: "I do."

Chen Ji casually asked, "Why? People die on the battlefield."

Lin Yanchu thought for a moment and said, "Sir, my family put in all their savings and borrowed some silver to buy an official gateway, hoping I could bring honor to the family. Instead, I’m stuck in this Yulin Army government office, scraping by until I’m thirty-something and ordered to retire. Then I’d have to seek a job as a caretaker for some official families and be subservient to them. Moreover, the Yulin Army’s pay is too low; only by going to war can I earn money to repay the family’s debts."

Chen Ji glanced at him: "How much silver do you owe?"

"Three hundred and twenty taels."

Chen Ji responded leisurely, "What if I find you a money-making job? Would you be willing to let go of your Yulin Army status?"

Lin Yanchu was taken aback, then his eyes lit up: "Are you serious, Sir?"

At that moment, the sound of the cloud boards suddenly rang from the opposite Six Ministries government offices.

The Daming Street gradually became lively as the voices of the Six Departments Clerks drifted across the street into the Governor Mansion.

The day was over.

Chen Ji threw the brush in his hand to Lin Yanchu: "I’ve finished for the day, you all continue. Remember to leave someone on duty at night, close the doors and windows properly, and check the arsenal every two hours—don’t all go to sleep. Although there are no crossbows in the arsenal, losing equipment is still a troublesome matter."

Lin Yanchu clumsily caught the brush tossed to him through the air and hurriedly said, "Don’t worry, Mr. Chen. I will arrange it... you mentioned a money-earning job earlier, were you serious?"

"Yes, I was serious. Wait for my news," Chen Ji glanced at the covered building of the Governor Mansion, then walked away without looking back.

Upon exiting the gate, Chen Ji suddenly saw a young man on the other side of Daming Street, on tiptoe, waving at him through the dispersing crowd.

The young man enthusiastically called out: "Chen Ji!"

Chen Ji’s heart sank; he had never met this young man before.

The young man appeared to be around twenty-two, with a thin body draped in a blue official robe, a plain silver leather belt at his waist, and a heron badge on his chest, indicating a sixth-rank official.

To have a sixth-rank official title at such a young age, he must be from a noble family.

With a light sigh in his heart, Chen Ji acknowledged that returning to the Imperial Capital would inevitably lead to meeting familiar strangers. This young man was not the first, and likely not the last.

While guessing the identity of the other, he enthusiastically waved back: "Long time no see!"

The young man laughed heartily and began walking towards the gate. Coincidentally, a red velvet sedan chair passed by, and the young man cupped his hands in greeting to the sedan chair: "Lord Qian."

The person inside the sedan chair responded with a nod but did not instruct the porters to stop; they continued onward.

Once the sedan chair had moved on, the young man briskly crossed the Daming Street.

He stood in front of Chen Ji, his eyes bright and scrutinizing him up and down: "It’s been three years, and you’ve become much sturdier. When you left, you said you’d never return to the Imperial Capital in this lifetime. I was quite upset about it for a while. Originally, I was also invited to the Lu Hun Manor Literary Meeting, and I planned to seize the opportunity to visit you, but alas, I was delayed by my duties."

Chen Ji also looked the young man over.

He hadn’t seen clearly from afar, but now up close, it became evident: the young man’s black boots had mud on them, and his official hat was coated with a thin layer of dust.

His cheekbones had frost-like peeling skin, and there were blemished patterns on his neck from peeling, indicating prolonged sun exposure, not the mark of someone who sat in a government office.

The collar of the official’s robe was dirty, and the sleeves were frayed, indicating that he had been stationed outside for a long time and had no woman to manage his life, being a person who is not particular about minor details.

The young man looked at Chen Ji, somewhat curiously, and said, "Why the strange look, unfamiliar?"

Chen Ji explained, "I heard you went to a foreign land, I didn’t expect you to return today."

The young man laughed and replied, "This time Lord Imperial Doctor sent me to Changlu Salt Field to collect salt tax. It was a disaster for me. Those salt transport envoys and salt merchants colluded; as soon as I arrived there, they incited the salt-makers to block me in the government office, starving me for three days and nights, giving me quite a shock."

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows, "So blatant, why not arrest a few for a warning?"

The young man shook his head, "Those salt-makers are also pitiful folk, why make it difficult for them. Let’s not mention those vexing matters, tell me about you. At the salt field, I heard about your achievements in Guyuan. I didn’t expect you became an executive officer, mastered good martial arts. When I heard you went to the Medical Hall as an apprentice, I thought it was a pity. Now, I can only feel happy for you."

Chen Ji was somewhat troubled, who exactly was this person and how did he know such detailed information?

He had several guesses in his heart, but without concrete evidence, he couldn’t be certain.

At this time, the young man pulled him by the sleeve and walked towards the Great Ming Gate: "Let’s go, let’s walk and talk, the family is waiting for us to have dinner together."

Family?

Chen Ji finally confirmed the identity of the other party: Chen Yu, the bastard son of the second house of the Chen family.

Chen Yu pulled Chen Ji through Chang’an Street, speaking of his experiences this time: "When I first arrived at the salt field, I lived in the official dwelling of the government office. Upon waking, all the clerks of the office ran away. I was puzzled where they went and then found myself blocked by the salt-makers in the office. The salt-makers boarded up the doors and windows, as if intending to suffocate me alive in the Covered Building. Fortunately, there was half a pot of leftover tea in the house; otherwise, I would have had to drink urine."

Chen Ji was skeptical: "The salt merchants are so rampant, even daring to treat a Salt Inspection Envoy from Qing Officials Division this way? Moreover, you are a Chen family member."

Chen Yu sighed, "What kind of Salt Inspection Envoy am I, just a chief for collecting salt tax. I heard, in earlier years, even the Imperial Doctor from Beijing Bureau got thrown into the river by them. Fortunately, the Imperial Doctor was good at swimming and swam back to shore. Originally, he intended to return to the Imperial Capital to file a complaint, but before he could return to the capital, impeachment papers accusing him of forcibly taking civilian women arrived first."

The two walked on the bluestone road of Chang’an Street, Chen Ji frowned: "Is there no one to govern them?"

Chen Yu looked at the pedestrians on the street and sighed: "I originally thought that way too, determined to find a way to govern these lawless salt merchants. But later when I inquired, I found out it was actually the salt merchants of my Chen family doing this..."

Chen Ji: "..."

Chen Yu said softly, "It’s shocking, Chen Ji. When I was released, I also thought about finding the leader to warn and punish, but later I found that the culprits were not those salt-makers, the root lay with the salt merchants and salt officials. The salt-makers were merely coerced. If the salt merchants and salt officials are not eradicated, the root will always be rotten."

Chen Ji asked nonchalantly: "What do you mean?"

Chen Yu explained, "The salt tax accounts for thirty percent of our Ning Dynasty’s taxation, it can be called a pillar of the nation. That shiny salt is actually silver. There are too many parasites in the salt administration, entrenched. The court wants to rectify but can’t manage. Even if the Inner Court Salt Inspection Envoy goes to Lianghuai, if you are willing to collude, that’s fine. If you aren’t, they’ll sink you in the pond and bring out a scapegoat, you can’t argue."

Chen Yu said with a smile: "Even our Qing Officials Division clerks said the court must rectify rigorously, killing a batch is necessary. A clerk is just a clerk, he doesn’t understand, he can’t represent the court, the people behind the salt merchants are the court. The division assigned me to collect salt tax thinking that as a Chen family member, the salt officials and merchants wouldn’t dare touch me. But they didn’t realize that the salt officials and merchants wield immense power, not needing to take someone like me, the Chen family’s bastard son, into account."

While speaking, the two arrived at the side gate of the Chen Mansion’s Qingzheng Garden, Chen Yu raised his hand to knock on the beast-head ring, but suddenly stopped: "Chen Ji, I heard you are competing for the adoption by the main branch?"

Chen Ji said unflinchingly: "Why mention this?"

Chen Yu turned to face Chen Ji, sincerely, "Don’t compete anymore, give this opportunity to me."

In the narrow alley, under the gray tiles and white walls, the two stood facing each other, as if the alley’s air and the sunset’s glow were frozen in place.

Chen Ji asked in confusion: "You are now a sixth-rank official of the Qing Officials Division in the Ministry of Revenue, yet you still strive to be an adopted son?"

Chen Yu nodded: "If you hadn’t returned, this matter would be finalized. I’ve worked hard to attain merit, cautiously fulfilling my duties, trying every way to be included in the family genealogy, all for this chance. With this opportunity, I can do more for the people."

Chen Ji lowered his head to ponder for a moment: "I don’t have ambitions like yours, but hearing people talk about serving the people makes my ears develop calluses."

Chen Yu shook his head: "I am sincere, more genuine than pure gold."

Chen Ji looked straight into Chen Yu’s eyes: "You have your tasks, I have mine. Since we both need this identity, then let each rely on their abilities."

Chen Yu was silent for a long moment, then smiled, "Then I won’t stand on ceremony, before the result is determined, I will use all means."

Chen Ji also smiled, "Me too."

Chen Yu raised his hand to knock on the beast-head ring on the door, the brown wooden door creaked open, and the servant inside, seeing the two, immediately said: "The two young masters have returned, please follow this little servant to Zhuozheng Garden’s Wendan Hall, several lords are discussing matters there."

Chen Yu casually tossed the servant a piece of broken silver, "What are they discussing?"

The servant adeptly tucked the broken silver into his sleeve, "It’s said to be about entrusting some family industries to the two young masters, they’re discussing which industries to allocate to you two."