Green Mountain-Chapter 683 - 540: Cao Guild

Chen Ji hurriedly left Jiefan Building, leaving only the Prime Minister and Bai Long inside.

The Prime Minister said nothing, and Bai Long also remained silent.

The sound of music from Fengxian Hall drifted over, playing the court melody "Flowers and Full Moon."

At this moment, fireworks were set off outside the window, and the red light exploded in the sky like a blooming azalea, illuminating the room for a brief instant.

In that moment, Bai Long saw through the screen that the Prime Minister was not leaning over to mark a red seal but inexplicably gazing outside the window.

The Prime Minister suddenly remarked, "The Nie's Fireworks from Jiangzhou Wan Zai aren't as good as they used to be. I remember there was a time when they could make colorful flowers, but alas, Master Nie's son is unfilial. He carried his resentment and skill with him to the grave, and everything has to be relearned from scratch... Whose fault do you think this is?"

Bai Long didn't understand why the Prime Minister brought this up, but simply cupped his hands and said, "Lord, in the matters of the world, there's no right or wrong. Those who are pitiful must have their hateful aspects, and those who are hateful surely have their pitiable qualities."

The Prime Minister laughed, "The Nie family lost their unique skills and was squeezed out by the Medicine King Li Family of Ji State and the Huqiu Fireworks Society of Su Zhou. The world accuses Master Nie's son of reaping what he sowed, but they don't know that Master Nie used to beat his son since childhood, never giving him a penny. Whenever the son asked Master Nie for silver, he would be made to listen to grievances for an hour, followed by an hour of curses. Now with Master Nie dead, regardless of whether the unique skills were passed down or not, the happiest is this son... The human heart, where is there right or wrong? It's merely the fruition of cause and effect falling naturally from the branches."

Bai Long turned contemplative.

Yet the Prime Minister lamented again, "It's a pity we can no longer see such beautiful fireworks. The fireworks on the Lantern Festival thirty-one years ago were extremely beautiful."

Bai Long retorted, "Lord Prime Minister, you should have been in the Charcoal Bureau then; the outside of the capital cannot see the fireworks in the Imperial Capital."

The Prime Minister did not mind Bai Long's probing and calmly replied, "That year, someone secretly brought me into the capital. The four of us followed behind him, starving, and he didn't have silver either, so he plucked a hairpin to exchange for five warm roasted sweet potatoes... People have joy and sorrow, parting and reunion, the moon waxes and wanes, this ancient matter remains unresolved, good words."

Bai Long realized that the stories the Prime Minister shared today didn't hold any profound meaning nor were meant to warn him of anything—perhaps it was just that sitting in this Jiefan Building alone for too long makes one desire to witness the world's lively scene outside the window.

He suddenly asked, "Lord, among those who roamed the Lantern Festival night thirty-one years ago, Feng Wenzheng should have been one of them, right?"

The Prime Minister turned back, looking at him through the screen, speaking with some apathy, "Letting you succeed Bai Long was Feng Wenzheng's idea. At the time, I thought you were too young, but he said 'everyone starts young,' if you don't wish to be Bai Long, you can resign at any time, I have other candidates... You're not fond of Jiefan Building, but since you stayed to listen to my ramblings, there must be something you want to say, say it all, and leave once you're done."

Bai Long calmly asked, "Lord Prime Minister, is doubling the yield of good land not important?"

The Prime Minister responded, "It is indeed important."

Bai Long further queried, "Is the improvement of firearms not important?"

The Prime Minister tapped the desk with his fingers, "Also important."

Bai Long continued, "Currently, Your Majesty has many places to spend silver; isn't the Inner Treasury and national treasury important?"

The Prime Minister smiled and said, "Of course important."

Bai Long was puzzled, "I don't understand. Since they're all important, why does the Lord not want them, preferring instead that Chen Ji exchanges Han Tong's life? Any of those three matters I mentioned earlier are far more important than Han Tong's life."

As they spoke, a moth flew in from outside the window, lost its way, circling around the flame of the oil lamp in the room.

The Prime Minister watched the moth with a calm expression and said slowly, "You might think I'm malicious, knowing full well of the relationship between Han Tong and the Commandery Princess, being aware that Chen Ji knows as well, yet insisting he uses the father to save the daughter?"

Bai Long did not shy away, "Indeed."

The Prime Minister chuckled freely, "You can't understand what I'm trying to do, just like you can't understand why Chen Ji won't let go—a lot of things in this world escape your understanding because you're neither Chen Ji nor me. Look at this moth, with so many open windows in the building, why won't it leave?"

Bai Long remained silent.

The Prime Minister pointed at the moth circling around, "That's what you see, but it doesn't. It can only fly towards the light because it survived relying on this bit of light in the past. An ineffective defect won't stay with you because you've survived until today solely relying on this defect—Chen Ji is like this, and so am I."

Bai Long pondered quietly.

The Prime Minister waved his sleeve, "Go ahead, my Jiefan Building only resolves dilemmas, not shortcuts."

Bai Long cupped his hands, "I take my leave."

As he stepped out of the room, just as the door was about to close, he caught a glimpse through the gap of the person inside extinguishing the oil lamp.

...

...

Chen Ji passed through the archway of Zhengyang Gate, only to hear the hubbub and bustling crowd beside the taverns on Zhengyang Gate Street.

He arrived at the Eight Great Hutongs and saw a throng of people once more. Normally, the Eight Great Hutongs are lively but not overcrowded; after inquiring around, he learned that Baishun Alley is selecting an Oiran today, and the leaders are coming out to showcase their talents.

Ignoring the commotion, he headed straight to Meihua Ferry Crossing, from afar observing Brother Pao smoking at the balcony of Meirui Building, quietly tending to his family's business.

Chen Ji went to the top floor and casually asked, "Brother Pao, why didn't you celebrate Mid-Autumn today?"

Brother Pao chuckled, "Landlord, you're joking. The service industry doesn't have holidays; this is the busiest time."

Service industry.

Holidays.

These words left Chen Ji in a daze.

Brother Pao smilingly explained, "I also tried to speak like the Ning Dynasty people previously, but later felt that losing one's native accent might mean forgetting one's home, so I decided not to change... How come the Landlord didn't celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "No time for Mid-Autumn. How are the people planted in the Cao Guild doing? Have they met Han Tong?"

Brother Pao took a puff from his pipe, explaining in detail, "The Cao Guild thrives by the river, half official, half rogue, with many regulations. Under General Leader Han Tong, there are the Four Beams and Eight Pillars. Below them are division leaders called Chieftains, under them are Hall Masters, and beneath Hall Masters are the Cao Ding, porters, and dock workers."

"It takes three years as a Cao Ding to become a Hall Master, five years as a Hall Master to become a Chieftain, and another five years as a Chieftain to possibly become one of the Four Beams and Eight Pillars. Only at that level can you hope to meet Han Tong... Han Tong knows many are looking for him, wanting him dead, so none of our people have seen him yet."

At that point, Brother Pao scratched his head with his pinky, complaining, "This Cao Guild acts like it's evaluating titles, not Jianghu at all. Yet, these rules prevent outsiders from infiltrating; one must endure."

Chen Ji frowned and asked, "To infiltrate the Cao Guild, what other rules should be noted?"

Brother Pao recalled, "You must first learn their lingo: a boat is a 'float', grain is 'sand', the government is 'water mosquito', killing someone is 'washing the river', distributing money is 'raining'. This set of jargon is different from Green Forest, very complex. Is the Landlord looking to infiltrate the Cao Guild? You can only start as a Cao Ding for three years, then mix into Wind Trust Hall or Law Enforcement Hall. Wind Trust Hall gathers Jianghu intel and government trends; Law Enforcement Hall enforces guild rules, punishes within, and battles outside."

Three years is a threshold, which Chen Ji can't wait for.

At this moment, Cold Plum Building across was brightly lit, with the sound of singers floating over.

Chen Ji was puzzled, "Brother Pao, why does the court want Han Tong dead so badly? Offering such good conditions is ignored; they only want Han Tong himself. What trouble has he caused, or what secret does he hold?"

Brother Pao shook his head, "That, I don't know. I heard the Cao Guild has three iron rules: those who privately communicate with other gangs or the government, sell Cao Yun routes or secret water level maps, get sunk; those who rob the regular Cao grain, light the heavenly lantern; those who rape brothers' wives or daughters, embezzle large sums of public silver, meet three knives six holes. There are also four golden rules: when on the river, upon seeing a seal, distribute grain, recognize only General Leader Han Tong's seal; segment responsibilities, respect territories, each division manages its own river section, ships crossing boundaries must pay local river tribute…"

Brother Pao said this, turning to Chen Ji, "Perhaps the court wants Han Tong's River Map? The depths of the Cao Yun vary, some parts allow navigation, others easily strand. I heard that in the Grand Canal alone, every year over a hundred ships strand; knowing the locations of reefs and shallows allows you to be a First Mate earning a monthly salary of sixty silver taels on board."

Chen Ji frowned in thought, is it just for the River Map? If so, gathering a few experienced sailors could piece it together.

Brother Pao probed, "Is the Landlord trying to capture Han Tong?"

Chen Ji didn't answer.

He hadn't decided whether to capture him yet... after all, he is Princess Bai Li's biological father. The princess's birth mother, Consort Yun, he personally killed; regardless of the reason, if he also captures her father, how should he face Bai Li?

Wait.

Chen Ji remembered Wu Yun had mentioned outside Zhongcui Palace that the Empress also wanted to help Bai Li escape, saying "The Cao Guild activated several little eunuchs planted in the palace years ago to secretly assist the princess, one named Xu Xi from the Shangyi Palace, secretly delivered a box of rouge to the princess."

Is the Cao Guild also secretly planning to rescue Bai Li? Do they have a way?

Chen Ji took a deep breath, "Brother Pao, personally go to the Cao Guild, say Luocheng City old friends have important matters to discuss, ask him to come out for a meeting."

Brother Pao tapped out the ashes from his pipe, turned, and walked downstairs, "I'll go now."