Chen Ji finally understood why Lord Bai Long had sent everyone else away.

He spoke calmly, "Isn't Lord Bai Long afraid that I'll accuse you of grave disrespect?"

Bai Long no longer placed his pieces, instead he continued speaking to himself: "With civil servants as a counterbalance, at least it keeps the Eunuch Party and the Foreign Relatives from acting recklessly and running amok."

He shifted his tone: "But civil servants are often shameless. In the earlier years, civil ministers still had a noble and dignified bearing, but over the years they've all turned into actors, performing morality dramas on the surface—filial piety and integrity have become mere stepping stones in politics, while impeachment has turned into a business behind the scenes."

Chen Ji frowned, "What exactly is Lord Bai Long trying to say?"

Bai Long looked up at him, "What about the common people?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Bai Long rubbed a chess piece with his fingers, his speech calm: "Floods in Henan Province scattered over eighty thousand households, leaving them without homes. Women, holding their newborns, without milk, want to cry but have no tears; officials set up porridge stalls, but intentionally place them thirty miles away, exhausting the people just to get there. Henan's people have fled south to Jinling—Jinling's pleasure boats are brightly lit, and the new songstresses aboard are girls from Henan Province selling themselves."

Chen Ji said nonchalantly, "Why is Lord Bai Long telling me this? I am insignificant, and powerless, unable to manage so much."

Bai Long continued, "Do you remember the three sentences you wrote when you ran the morning paper?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "My lord, that was just casual talk."

Bai Long sighed, "May all humble households under heaven have books on their desks and light at their windows. May all the people under heaven have fire in their stoves and streets free from frozen bones. May all the people under heaven have rice in their bowls and millet in their pots. You spoke casually, but someone cut out that page and pasted it beside the stove."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Bai Long knocked on the table, "You exposed the Li Family pawnshop's true face in front of Renshou Palace. The court confiscated the Li Family's assets and waived the high interest for the people, allowing them to repay only the principal. You may not have heard, but I know someone knelt on the ground, reciting your name, bowing in gratitude."

Chen Ji was suddenly enlightened.

Now, seven hundred and twenty flames within him have retreated to a pale yellow, like candles flickering in the wind, yet an idea persists, igniting the fire—it must come from here.

But why does Bai Long want to tell him these things?

The other party first suggested he open a Medical Hall, and now speaks of the people, subtly persuading him to take action.

Chen Ji remained silent for a long time, "Lord Bai Long, I initially wanted to overthrow the Qi Family. Whether it benefitted the people or not was not my concern. Lord Bai Long, why don't we speak openly, I no longer wish to be anyone's tool."

Bai Long placed the piece in his hand onto the board, "What about those around you, aren't you making plans for them?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment, "I will send them away."

Bai Long suddenly tossed all the pieces back into the bamboo tube, "Send them away... Do you really not trust they'd stand by you through thick and thin? Fine, words are futile. Since Lord Binghu is unwilling to do anything, then stay here in the Imperial Supervision Office, with three meals a day taken care of, you won't starve."

With that, Bai Long stood up and walked away.

Chen Ji watched the swaying gates in shock.

...

...

Bai Long left.

Chen Ji sat idly in the empty courtyard for a long time.

He didn't know what he was thinking during his daze, sometimes he remembers, sometimes he turns and forgets.

Occasionally, he recalled his early days at the Taiping Medical Hall in Ning Dynasty—the scent of medicine in the main hall, the thin mist on Anxi Street, Old Yao scolding people with a bamboo stick.

Sometimes he'd chuckle to himself, having run around for a year, surviving near-death experiences multiple times, ultimately others had long laid the groundwork for Prince Jing's exoneration.

If he'd known earlier, he could've stayed in Luocheng City, done fewer things, as the difference would only be Bai Li's release a few days earlier or later.

Chen Ji suddenly thought, if the little monk were to ask him again now, if he could go back a year but change nothing, would he choose to go back?

This time, he might answer yes, or he might answer no, but it seems both answers wouldn't matter.

The sky gradually dimmed.

Chen Ji then stood up and collected the chess pieces into the bamboo tube, returned indoors, and lit the oil lamp, flipping through the pages of "Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Warm Pathogenic Diseases" by the tiny flame.

The Imperial Supervision Office was empty, empty enough that only the sound of flipping pages remained.

Rain started at midnight.

Chen Ji sat behind the desk, looking up, not hearing the pitter-patter of heavy rain, just fine rain falling on tiles making a gentle sound.

He draped a coat over his shoulders and walked to the eaves, leaning against the door frame. Watching the rainwater drip from the eaves, forming lines that merged into the darkness beyond the lamplight.

He reached out to catch it, rain mixed with icy slivers landed in his palm, flowing away through his fingers.

He stood there dazed with his arms raised, standing for an entire night, until the oil lamp inside extinguished by itself, until the sky gradually brightened, and footsteps resounded outside again.

Coming to his senses, Chen Ji realized his hand still reached beyond the eaves, fingers soaked and pale.

The courtyard gate was pushed open from the outside.

A figure in white walked in holding an oil-paper umbrella, shoes stepping through puddles, splashing tiny water blooms. The person passed through the rain curtain, through the courtyard, reached the eaves, put away the umbrella, and the water droplets from the umbrella fell down, forming a small dark gray patch on the ground.

Bai Long handed the oil-paper package to Chen Ji, "Lamb buns, eat while they're hot."

Chen Ji looked down at the oil-paper package, the paper moistened by steam revealing faint oil stains. The package was warm, with heat felt through the paper.

He was somewhat surprised, having thought Bai Long wouldn't come anymore: "Did Lord Bai Long come himself?"

Bai Long leaned the soggy oil-paper umbrella in the corner, casually explaining, "The court is in turmoil, last night Your Majesty got angry again in Renshou Palace, unclear why. Instead of being anxious outside, I'd rather hide here for some peace."

Chen Ji ate the lamb buns slowly, wondering if they were as tasty as the ones Wu Xiu had eaten.

Bai Long looked at him, "Shall we play a game?"

"Let's play inside then," Chen Ji finished the buns in a few bites, wiped his mouth, spread the goatskin chessboard on the table, and sat facing Bai Long.

Chen Ji played black, moving quickly, as if without thought.

Bai Long was also swift, each piece dropped like Sword Qi, precisely cutting off Chen Ji's paths. After twenty or so moves, black pieces were strangled in a cramped corner, unable to advance or retreat.

Chen Ji conceded, rearranged the board.

Once more. Lost again.

Once more. Still lost.

Today Bai Long seemed different, not sparing a half sentiment, slaughtering him in every game.

Chen Ji didn't get upset, simply collected the pieces, then set them up again when he lost.

The fifth game.

The tenth game.

Outside, rain pattered gently, blending seamlessly on tiles and steps. Inside, only the crisp sound of chess pieces dropping on the chessboard, one by one, slowly.

Neither spoke, no one mentioned the previous day's events.

By evening, Bai Long had won seventeen games, then stood up to leave with his umbrella.

Chen Ji watched his departing figure in a daze, the other person seemed truly here to escape for some peace today.

Suddenly he asked, "Lord Bai Long, if you could go back to a year ago, would you want to?"

Bai Long turned back, holding the umbrella, "I would."

Chen Ji thought briefly, "If you went back and couldn't change anything, would you still want to?"

Bai Long paused in silence, "I would."

Chen Ji uttered an oh.

Bai Long asked, "Do you want to?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "I haven't decided yet."

Bai Long stood quietly with his oil-paper umbrella, watching him, "I know you're discouraged. But besides saving the Commandery Princess, surely there were other important things this year."

Chen Ji sank into thought, silent for a long time.

Bai Long awaited no answer, and turned to leave.