Chen Ji looked down at the water in the bucket, the water gently swaying, and the face within swayed along with it, sometimes gathering, sometimes scattering.

He looked for a long time, until the water finally calmed down, but the face remained the same, expressionless.

From behind in Gate Tower Alley, the neighbors’ gossip drifted over, intermittently.

A man in a short brown garment squatted at the base of a wall, holding a dry tobacco pipe in his hand, and said in a muffled voice: "If the prison break in Luocheng City is true, then it’s a crime punishable by death. That Chen Ji embodies all traits—disloyalty, lack of filial piety, unkindness, unrighteousness..."

An elderly woman stood beside him, holding an empty basket on her arm, shaking her head as she listened: "Just listening to those idle folks in the teahouse jumping to conclusions based on rumors, isn’t it a bit early? My neighbor Old Wang’s son works in the teahouse and says those storytelling masters make up eight stories a day, which ones can you believe?"

The squatting man clamped the tobacco pipe in his mouth, squinting at her: "Even if there wasn’t a prison break, Chen Ji is not a good person. Which of those things reported in the newspaper wrongly accused him?"

Before the elderly woman could reply, a middle-aged woman with her arms crossed

leaned forward, whispering: "Exactly. I think the Qi family was also framed by the Eunuch Party, enraging Mr. Qi to the point of illness. My husband works at the government office, personally saw Mr. Qi being carried out of the palace, face ashen."

The squatting man was about to nod when a snicker unexpectedly came from the corner.

Everyone turned their heads to look; it was a young man from Gate Tower Alley: "Have you forgotten what Li’s Pawnshop used to be like? My father-in-law borrowed three taels of silver one year to buy medicine, and with interest accumulating, it grew to forty-seven taels, almost making me sell my sister-in-law to pay the debt—why didn’t any of you say good things about the Qi family then?"

The woman was choked for a moment, stiffly saying: "Li’s Pawnshop was set up by Qi Xianzun, and now Mr. Qi has already expelled him from the family records."

Chen Ji stopped listening and picked up a yoke, heading down the alley with gray tiles and white walls.

He walked and stopped again, pondering something, as Wu Yun hopped from his left shoulder to the right and back, nudging Chen Ji’s cheek with its head, but Chen Ji remained silent.

After a moment, Chen Ji exhaled a thin breath in the chilly air, smiling as he patted Wu Yun’s head: "I’m alright."

When Chen Ji returned to Shaojiu Alley, carrying the yoke into the courtyard, he saw Xiao Man and the little monk looking worriedly at him.

He walked nonchalantly into the side room: "You all know?"

Xiao Man followed to the doorway, hurriedly saying: "Young Master, please don’t take it to heart, it’s all the Qi family’s scheme. They waited a month to smear your name today, just to make themselves look better. That Xu Bin from Wenyuan Bookstore isn’t decent either; he holds a grudge because his newspaper venture failed."

Chen Ji took the yoke off his shoulder, pouring a bucket of water into the cistern.

Xiao Man continued: "Others might not know, but I do. That Chen Liqin, Mr. Chen indulged Mrs. Liang to seize Aunt’s estate and allowed Chen Wenxiao to throw dirt on you—what right do they have to call them father and mother? They don’t act like parents at all."

Chen Ji set down the wooden bucket and picked up another to pour into the cistern.

Xiao Man hurriedly added: "And that Third Miss Qi, you’ve clearly rejected her several times to make her give up, but she just won’t quit, clinging tenaciously... And as for that Peace Money, people were paying it even before you, and after Brother Pao took charge, he often waived many people’s Peace Money. Whoever extorted extra was punished by hanging and beating. Recently, which merchant in the Outer City hasn’t praised the Red Gate for its orderliness?"

Chen Ji smoothed the wrinkles in his clothes and said with a smile: "No need to worry, I’ve never taken these matters to heart."

Xiao Man breathed a sigh of relief: "That’s good, Young Master, come and eat."

Chen Ji sat down at the stone table, raised his chopsticks but suddenly paused, after contemplating for a long time, he spoke: "Xiao Man, pack up our things, we’re leaving the Imperial Capital today."

Xiao Man was taken aback: "So suddenly?"

Chen Ji responded with an ’hmm’, picked up a chopstick’s worth of food into his bowl, and with porridge, took a big gulp.

Xiao Man was puzzled: "Is it because of these rumors? The Qi family and Xu family can only slander you in the newspapers, after a while, everyone will forget."

Chen Ji said with a smile: "Don’t think too much, I’m just tired of staying in the Imperial Capital and want to go out for a walk. Let’s go to Luocheng City first, and come spring see the peonies there, then head south to Jinling... It’s said Jinling is even more prosperous than the Imperial Capital, don’t you want to see it?"

Xiao Man beamed with joy: "Oh, it’s for a trip! I’ve wanted to go to Jinling for a long time, but never had the chance. I’ll pack our things soon... Oh no!"

Xiao Man’s face suddenly fell.

Chen Ji asked puzzled: "What’s wrong?"

Xiao Man grumbled: "Brother Pao took the buckwheat noodles early to give away, otherwise we could have eaten them on the road."

The little monk nearby mused: "Amitabha Buddha, Chen Chong benefactor gave so generously, even Buddha and Bodhisattva couldn’t eat stir-fried buckwheat noodles for a month..."

Xiao Man pinched the little monk’s waist, making him grimace in pain.

She turned to Chen Ji, tentatively: "Uh... Young Master, since we’re leaving the Imperial Capital and don’t know when we’ll return, how about I invite Zhang Zheng and Sister Axia for lunch at noon?"

She anxiously watched Chen Ji, who after a long silence, agreed: "Alright."

Xiao Man nonchalantly said: "Zhang Zheng idles around all day, Sister Axia stays home for spiritual cultivation... They have no real obligations, why not invite them to travel with us to Luocheng City? Recently, Sister Axia mentioned she loves Luocheng City and wants to go back one day."

Chen Ji pondered for a long while: "You go invite them first, we’ll discuss it together at home at noon."

Xiao Man lit up with a smile: "Okay!"

...

...

After breakfast, Chen Ji headed straight for Bianyifang Restaurant.

Bianyifang had just taken down the door panels, and a few unfamiliar workers were sweeping the floor. The main hall was filled with the damp smell of water mixed with dust.

One worker, hearing footsteps, continued to wipe the table while politely saying, "Guest, our place only starts business at 9:45 AM. Please wait patiently. If you have nothing to do, I can brew you a pot of good tea."

Chen Ji calmly replied, "How many copper coins for a pot of good tea?"

The worker straightened up, looked Chen Ji up and down, then pointed to the window: "Guest, we don’t serve leaves anymore here at Bianyifang."

Chen Ji turned to look, and the first, third, and fifth windows of Denghuo Inn were ajar, while the second, fourth, and sixth were closed, indicating they were doing business. If the windows were disordered, it meant no business.

At that moment, someone lifted the curtain from the back hall and walked in. The person seemed surprised to see Chen Ji: "Young Master Chen."

Seeing it was Shi San, Chen Ji promptly said, "I’m looking for Aunt Ping."

Shi San suddenly realized: "But Aunt Ping isn’t in the Imperial Capital right now; she’s gone to Changping... Maybe you can come back at 9 to 11 PM; lately, she returns to the Imperial Capital no matter how busy she is."

Chen Ji pondered: "Why is Aunt Ping permanently residing in the Imperial Capital now?"

Shi San replied with a carefree laugh: "I wouldn’t know. You’ll have to ask her yourself."

Chen Ji turned and walked away: "I cannot wait until 9 to 11 PM. Please pass her my regards."

Just as he was about to step over the threshold, Shi San suddenly said, "Wait a moment, Third Master is in the Imperial Capital right now. If it’s urgent, you might try talking to him."

Chen Ji halted: "Alright."

Shi San threw the rag on his shoulder to another worker: "Keep an eye on the shop while I’m gone; if I catch you being lazy, I’ll twist your heads off."

Shi San led Chen Ji out, diving from Chessboard Street into the west side of Nianzi Alley. At a small standalone yard, he stopped and knocked twice lightly, then twice heavily. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Chen Ji stood at the door and looked around, remembering Aunt Ping’s house was next door.

With a creak, the small door opened just a crack, and Third Master Hu, wearing a bamboo hat, peered at Shi San with his cloudy eyes: "Who gave you the courage to come here during the day?"

Shi San stepped aside, revealing Chen Ji behind him: "What do you say now?"

Third Master Hu relaxed his expression, peered into Nianzi Alley, then stepped aside: "So it’s Marquis Wu Xiang, come in and let’s talk."

Chen Ji entered the yard, and just as Shi San was about to follow, Third Master Hu blocked him: "Get back to the shop."

With a clang, the gate closed.

Shi San left, mouthing quasi-sarcastically: "So it’s Marquis Wu Xiang..."

The courtyard wasn’t large, with several bundles of dry firewood stacked neatly in the corner.

Next to the woodpile leaned a saddle, its leather surface polished bright.

Several white wax sticks were poked into the ground near the wall, their cloth-covered tips stained with a dark residue, seemingly from years of sweat.

The kitchen door was open, and a strong smell of mutton mixed with the pungency of scallions and garlic wafted straight into one’s nose.

Chen Ji glanced inside, seeing a black iron pot on the stove with chunks of mutton bobbing in the boiling broth. Nearby on the chopping board lay half a flatbread, sliced unevenly, a knife still stuck in it, with its blade stained with oil droplets.

Third Master Hu entered the kitchen, continuing to slice the bread he hadn’t finished: "Want some lamb soup? Now that it’s winter, a bowl of lamb soup can keep you warm for a whole morning. When we traveled as a trading caravan in the Northwest, we liked to drive sheep along the way. If we couldn’t endure, we’d slaughter one, a lifesaver in the bitter cold months."

Chen Ji shook his head: "I’ve already eaten."

Third Master Hu, having finished slicing the bread, gestured to the table and chairs in the yard with his knife tip: "Sit?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "No sitting, urgent matters, I’ll leave once I’m done talking."

Third Master Hu was somewhat surprised: "What’s the matter?"

Chen Ji considered for a moment: "I helped Denghuo catch Si Cao Ding. Now Denghuo needs to help me secretly escort four people out of the Imperial Capital, preferably by evening, more ideally mingling with the folks going to the market."

Third Master Hu wiped the grease off his hands and, surprised, asked: "That urgent? Where to send them?"

Chen Ji affirmed: "First lead them south, pretending to head for Luocheng City. Once tens of miles out, turn towards Guyuan. If there’s trouble in the Imperial Capital, take them to Princess Liyang in the Jing Dynasty; don’t let them return. Xiao Man is Innate, the rest are ordinary folks. Escorting them out of the Ning Dynasty shouldn’t be a problem."

Third Master Hu nodded: "Princess Liyang has already stabilized her position in Shangjing City. Entrusting them to her should be fine... Aren’t you leaving?"

Chen Ji stood silent in the courtyard for a long time: "I’m not leaving."