Green Mountain-Chapter 691 - 547: General Amnesty Across the Realm

Chen Ji sat on the rooftop all night, watching as Wu Yun carried the Little Black Cat away, waiting until dawn to see it safely return home.

Curiously, he asked, "Gone for so long?"

Wu Yun jumped onto his knee, "I took it to Fengxian Hall and waited until midnight before a eunuch carried it to Renshou Palace. I didn't dare get too close. Every time I get near the Emperor, the Liang family's Blade Aura inside me becomes completely suppressed and immobile."

Chen Ji responded with a hum, "The Emperor's influence. Whenever I'm within twenty steps of him, my internal stove is also suppressed. Jin Zhu said that if Mr. Feng brings back the Imperial Jade Seal, he might be able to suppress all the Executive Officers within a two-mile radius, turning them back into ordinary people."

Wu Yun's eyes widened, "Impressive!"

Chen Ji slowly stroked Wu Yun's back fur, "But the Imperial Jade Seal has been lost for too long. Now it's only rumors on the street, so what Jin Zhu says might not be true… What else did you do, why did you only return at the hour of the rabbit?"

Wu Yun whispered, "I went to Kunning Palace again, wanting to see the Empress one last time. But inside Kunning Palace, a group of female servants and concubines were mourning. I couldn't get close and could only watch silently for a while. The Empress was so good to them during her life, but they weren't sad at all, not even shedding a tear. I overheard them whispering that Consort Xue didn't meet a good end either and that after the Empress passed away, she was put under house arrest in Yikun Palace, without a single female servant left by her side. All were killed by the Jiefan Guard."

Chen Ji heard of Consort Xue's tragic state but remained unmoved, "It's her own doing."

Wu Yun continued to mutter, "I went to Jingyang Palace. There, a nun named Xuan Su was betrayed by the Commandery Princess, and now her leg has been broken by someone. She's howling like a ghost in the rear hall, probably not long for this world."

Chen Ji's expression remained calm, "It's her own doing."

Wu Yun meowed again, "I saw the Commandery Princess kneeling all alone in Jingyang Palace's main hall, seemingly praying and chanting for the Empress. There was food placed beside her, but she didn't touch it…"

Chen Ji's gaze fluctuated slightly.

Wu Yun looked up at him, "How should we rescue the Commandery Princess?"

Chen Ji didn't answer.

Wu Yun observed Chen Ji's expression, feeling that he was making a very important decision.

After a long while, Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Wu Yun, if doing something would lead to being despised by the world, would you still do it?"

Wu Yun tilted its head, "You mean rescuing the Commandery Princess?"

Chen Ji replied, "Yes."

Wu Yun thought for a moment, "Then I suppose I would do it."

Chen Ji remained silent for a long time, "What if even the Commandery Princess doesn't understand?"

Wu Yun was silent for a long time too, "Is there another way?"

Chen Ji softly said, "There isn't."

...

...

At the hour of the dragon, Chen Ji left Chen Mansion alone, Fuyou Street was draped in mourning attire.

The taverns took down their red-lettered wine flags, put away the mooncake signs, and covered the red lanterns with white cloth.

At the end of every street were posted obituaries and decrees, forbidding slaughter and tavern business for seven days, and prohibiting marriage and opera houses for a hundred days. Suddenly, storytelling and opera came to an abrupt halt.

Passersby dared not speak loudly, vendors no longer called out.

Chen Ji walked on Chang'an Street, feeling as if his ears were stuffed with cotton, the world suddenly much quieter.

Just as he was about to pass through Zhengyang Gate, a fast horse sped out from Chengtian Gate, its rider shouting loudly, "Amnesty to all under heaven! Amnesty to all under heaven!"

The eunuch riding the fast horse arrived beneath Zhengyang Gate, pulled a scroll from a black lacquered bamboo tube behind him, and posted it beside the city gate.

Passersby read aloud, "By the Emperor's decree, the Middle Palace has collapsed. Empress Hu, gentle and prudent, with virtuous morals and a model to follow, has suddenly passed away, leaving the Emperor heartbroken, his insides consumed. Remembering the Empress's lifetime of kindness, spreading grace within and without the palace, it is unbearable to see harsh punishment. At this time of national mourning, it is even more appropriate to bestow mercy widely, to comfort the Empress's spirit in heaven, therefore granting amnesty to all under heaven."

Chen Ji watched silently for a moment, then turned and exited Zhengyang Gate.

The amnesty to all did not include ten unforgivable offenses: treason, grand treason, rebellion, heinous acts, immoral conduct, great disrespect, unfilial conduct, discord, unrighteousness, and internal chaos. These were the so-called ten offenses that could not be forgiven.

Princess Bai Li, implicated by Prince Jing's treason, was not included in the scope of the amnesty.

Chen Ji arrived at the Eight Great Hutongs, each brothel firmly shut, eyes full of mourning attire. From today on, brothels wouldn't open for business for a hundred days, as would the Imperial Music Bureau. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

He knocked on the back door of Meihua Ferry Crossing, a ruffian opened a crack, recognizing him and quickly making way, "Landlord, Brother Pao is not at Meirui Building, he's at Liu Xingshou's Cold Plum Building."

Chen Ji looked towards Cold Plum Building in confusion, "Why go to Cold Plum Building?"

The ruffian whispered, "Brother Pao said Meirui Building still needs to open for salt permit business later, shouldn't delay business."

Chen Ji, puzzled, walked towards Cold Plum Building… What was Brother Pao doing?

As soon as he stepped over Cold Plum Building's threshold, he heard a familiar sound coming from upstairs. On the top floor, he found over a dozen square tables set up, with dozens of women gathered around, playing bamboo… mahjong.

Amidst the crowd, Brother Pao, Er Dao, Liu Xingshou, and the leading singer from Red Plum Building sat at a table, with women gathered around watching.

Brother Pao picked up a tile, rubbed it lightly with his thumb, and played it again: "Eight Bamboos."

The women around exclaimed, "Brother Pao can actually draw the face of the tile!"

Brother Pao said proudly, "It's a small matter."

While speaking, he inadvertently looked up and saw Chen Ji outside the crowd, quickly stood up: "Landlord."

As soon as these words came out, a room full of women quickly put down the Mahjong tiles in their hands, stood up, and bowed gracefully to Chen Ji. While saluting, the women secretly scrutinized him, their eyes darting around.

Liu Xingshou greeted Chen Ji openly: "The landlord is not often seen, why not sit down and play with us little girls for a while?"

"How could the landlord have time to play this with you, he has serious matters to attend to," Brother Pao pulled a woman over: "Come, come, you replace me, if you win, it's yours, if you lose, it's mine."

The woman sat in Brother Pao's place with a grin: "Then Brother Pao mustn't blame me if I lose everything for you."

Brother Pao lifted the black cloth shirt from the back of the chair: "If you can lose everything for me, that's your skill."

Amidst the laughter, Brother Pao squeezed through the crowd and followed Chen Ji downstairs.

Once outside the Cold Plum Building, Chen Ji stood at the threshold, curiously asked, "What is this?"

Brother Pao explained unhurriedly: "Now that the Empress has passed away, the entire Eight Great Hutongs has closed down, with many brothel girls who borrowed the opportunity leaving the Imperial Capital and heading south to Jinling by the Qinhuai River. It's said that the management over there is more lenient, and when the ships are in the middle of the river, no one bothers them. At present, those bonded to slavery at Meihua Ferry Crossing cannot leave, so I taught them to play Mahjong to pass the time and prevent any trouble."

Chen Ji nodded: "That's good too. During this period, both the newspaper and Meihua Ferry Crossing must be cautious. Meihua Ferry Crossing should not engage in any other business than salt permits, and the newspaper must avoid... s should be paused for now, replacing them with the Empress's obituary or poems praising her."

Brother Pao agreed: "Understood. Since the landlord is here today, there must be other serious matters to discuss?"

Chen Ji was silent for a long time: "I need to send a message to Han Tong of the Cao Guild."

Brother Pao scratched his head: "We have just established ourselves in the Imperial Capital, and the Cao Guild doesn't trust us. To send a message, it has to be through the Three Mountains Association as a mediator. But unless the landlord can offer terms they cannot refuse, the Three Mountains Association is no longer willing to get involved."

Chen Ji contemplated: "Lead me to see Qigong."

...

...

The two arrived at the entrance of a Qingyin Small Class called White Jade Garden in Baishun Alley. Brother Pao knocked on the bamboo door, and a one-armed man inside opened a gap: "What is it?"

Brother Pao cupped his fists: "Here to visit Qigong."

The man was about to close the bamboo door immediately: "Qigong no longer manages the Three Mountains Association, please leave."

Brother Pao held the bamboo door, smiling: "My landlord from Meihua Ferry Crossing is here, surely Qigong won't be so discourteous."

The man looked coldly at Chen Ji behind Brother Pao: "Is this the Marquis of Wuxiang who released Yuan Cheng back to the Jing Dynasty? Then it's even more forbidden to meet."

Chen Ji suddenly spoke: "Send a message to Qigong, I have a prescription that can prevent gangrene in injured soldiers of the Imperial Three Camps and protect against dysentery and cholera."

The man was startled, then closed the bamboo door.

Half an hour later, the bamboo door opened again, and the man spoke in a low voice: "Marquis of Wuxiang, Qigong invites you in."

Brother Pao followed behind Chen Ji into the door, smiling as he patted the man's shoulder: "Be smarter next time, not many can refuse my landlord."

The man held back his frustration but did not act out.

Chen Ji followed a winding path and crossed a Han Baiyu bridge, just in time to see Qigong sitting by the pond, holding a handful of red worms in his left hand, missing a forefinger and thumb, and using his right hand to throw some into the pond, attracting the fish to gather without dispersing.

Except that the White Jade Garden was not filled with koi, but a pond of black fish.

Not far away, there was also a pavilion with a table set with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Chen Ji stood not far away and clasped his hands: "Qigong."

Qigong did not turn his head, leisurely said: "Marquis of Wuxiang, no need for formalities, with your title, it's only proper for us common folks to bow to you."

Chen Ji did not wish to engage in unnecessary pleasantries and said straight to the point: "If Qigong is upset about me releasing Yuan Cheng, we can go our separate ways in the future. But I wonder, if it can help save more soldiers from gangrene in the Imperial Three Camps, how many fewer lives might be lost?"

Qigong turned to look at him: "Marquis of Wuxiang, don't boast. Half of our soldiers in the Imperial Three Camps did not die under the blades of the Jing Dynasty but succumbed to their wounds and infections. If you have such a prescription, why not go through fire and water for you?"

Chen Ji walked to the nearby pavilion and wrote several hundred words: "The Three Mountains Association can prepare garlic extract following this method, apply it to wounds to prevent decay. For dysentery and cholera, take orally, it resolves in seven days. The preparation process of garlic extract is complicated. If Qigong doesn't understand, come to Meihua Ferry Crossing and I will teach you step by step."

Qigong stood by the table, silently reading for a long time: "How do I know if it's true?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "Qigong, you also know my newspaper's reputation for serving the people. If you didn't believe it, you wouldn't have let us in."

Qigong stroked his beard: "Marquis of Wuxiang, what message do you want to send to Han Tong?"

Chen Ji confidently said: "I have a way to save his daughter. Let him come to see me."