Green Mountain-Chapter 724 -

The Danbi Grand Music Hall was empty and silent.

The usually bustling Imperial Music Bureau had no one daring to come in for excitement today.

Bai Li stood quietly at the center of the stage, where normally actors would perform. She was still wearing that loose blue Daoist robe, her long hair tied up with a white jade hairpin.

She closed her eyes lightly, her hands forming the Three Mountains Technique in front of her, seemingly oblivious to everything around her, softly reciting scriptures.

Fengluan sat behind the official desk of the Imperial Music Bureau, his expression tense. He occasionally glanced at the entrance and then sneakily looked at Bai Long, who was resting with his eyes closed in the first row: "It's already the Hai hour now, how long do we have to wait? We can't really wait until tomorrow."

With that, he glanced at the dagger pressed against his neck. Following the dagger upward, there was a slender white hand. Looking up further, he saw Jiao Tu sitting on the official desk in front of him with her legs crossed: "You're coercing a court official, can the Spy Department do whatever it wants?"

Jiao Tu tapped Fengluan's cheek with the dagger, seemingly amused: "You criticize the Eunuch Party daily, even in the scripts you perform, yet when you truly face the Eunuch Party, you don't call me a eunuch anymore? Don't rush; on ordinary days, I wouldn't bother you, but today's a big business."

Fengluan was puzzled: "Big business?"

Jiao Tu smiled and said, "Helping Mr. Chen today might save a life in the future, isn't a human life bigger than the sky? Isn't that big business?"

At this moment, the sound of ringing ornaments broke the silence of the hall from the entrance.

Everyone's gaze turned to see Qi Zhaoning walk in with a sullen face, wearing a crimson gown embroidered with begonia flowers and phoenix tails, covered by a light cloud brocade cape, and a gold phoenix crown studded with pearls and kingfisher feathers.

Qi Zhaoning stared intently at the stage, striding forward and looking up at Bai Li, who stood in front of her. The plain Daoist robe on stage contrasted sharply with the dazzling sight below, as if from two different worlds.

Qi Zhaoning gazed at Bai Li's face: "I am Chen Ji's fiancée. Chen Ji and my Qi family have completed five of the six betrothal ceremonies, and the engagement is known to all."

Bai Li remained unmoved.

Qi Zhaoning spoke in a deep voice: "He is now ruining himself by consorting with the Eunuch Party, abandoning his promising future, causing a scandal in the city. He has given up his position as the Chen family's legitimate son imitation on Fu You Street, abandoned the Gufu Building his mother left him, relinquished 500 acres of fertile land, forsaken the Meihua Ferry Crossing, given up the salt permit business, and even dropped the evening paper. He threw away so much, risking life and limb, and bearing the Eunuch Party's infamy all just to save you; what have you done for him?"

Bai Li's serene face finally showed a slight tremor in her eyelids.

Qi Zhaoning's voice was low and somber: "Do you know, losing to Zhang Xia wouldn't hurt as much because Zhang Xia has been through life and death with him in Guyuan, braved the White Tiger Festival Hall on Western Capital Road, and gambled her life for him. But losing to you is unbearable; you've done nothing for him. What right do you have to make him give up everything? If you care about him, you should let him go and stop ruining his future."

Jiao Tu chuckled, correcting: "Third Miss Qi, I knew Chen Ji the earliest. When Chen Ji was just a mud-footed man at a medical hall, the Commandery Princess didn't disdain him, she tailored clothes and ordered a customized sheath for him…"

But Qi Zhaoning ignored Jiao Tu, looking angrily towards Fengluan: "The prisoner Bai Li is here, and the bidders have arrived. What are you waiting for? Start the auction immediately!"

Fengluan looked at Bai Long.

But Qi Zhaoning shrieked: "Why are you looking at him? You are an official of the Ministry of Rites. Since when do you take cues from the Eunuch Party? My Qi family hasn't fallen yet. If he dares, let him kill me. If he doesn't dare, then watch as I buy Bai Li."

Bai Long sat still, ignoring her.

After hesitating for a moment, Fengluan immediately raised the gavel on the official desk and slammed it down heavily: "The auction begins now, following the old rules of the Imperial Music Bureau. The highest bidder wins!"

Qi Zhaoning immediately shouted: "Ten thousand taels!"

Bai Long calmly said: "Fifty thousand taels."

Qi Zhaoning glared at Bai Long: "Sixty thousand taels."

Jiao Tu merrily took off a string of Buddhist Treasure from her wrist: "Here's my savings of twenty thousand taels over the years, adding to Lord Bai Long's side, seventy thousand taels!"

Qi Zhaoning raised her chin: "One hundred thousand taels!"

At this point, Jiao Tu was stumped. She looked at Yun Yang, but Yun Yang turned away.

She looked at Bai Long again, and Bai Long calmly said: "One hundred and fifty thousand taels."

Jiao Tu took a sharp breath, admiring: "How wealthy Lord Bai Long is, where did you scrape together this much fat from the people? I haven't heard of any recent raids. I suppose you were born into a wealthy family. I wonder which family's young master you are under that mask. Why don't you take it off and let me see how handsome you are…"

Before she could finish, Qi Zhaoning shouted: "Two hundred thousand taels!"

This time, neither Jiao Tu nor Bai Long spoke. Jiao Tu looked at Qi Zhaoning puzzled: "Where did you get the silver? I want to verify your Buddhist Treasure."

Qi Zhaoning raised the Buddhist Treasure in her hand: "Genuine."

Jiao Tu jumped off the desk, walked over to Qi Zhaoning, and took the Buddhist Treasure. She was surprised with a gentle touch: "It is real! Lord Bai Long, continue bidding, or else Princess Bai Li will be bought out."

But Bai Long remained silent.

Fengluan looked left and right, unsure of what to do.

Qi Zhaoning glared at him fiercely: "The highest bidder wins, don't forget whose ship you're on!"

Fengluan, at this moment, just wanted to end this nerve-wracking farce quickly. He picked up the gavel, ready to slam it down…

Just then, commotion erupted outside the Danbi Grand Music Hall: "They're coming!"

Qi Zhaoning shouted sternly: "Quick, slam it!"

Fengluan gritted his teeth and lowered his gavel, but Jiao Tu gripped his wrist. Jiao Tu leaned forward, whispering: "A ninth-rank official daring to interfere in this matter, if you dare to slam it, I'll kill your entire family tonight. At worst, the Prime Minister will demote me back to Hai Dongqing, but Chen Ji will help me return to the zodiac. When your whole family reincarnates, I'll kill you all again."

The growing tide of citizens' voices outside the Imperial Music Bureau surged like a tidal wave, approaching rapidly.

"Marquis Wu Xiang, Marquis Wu Xiang has arrived!"

"Make way, quickly make way!"

"My heavens, it's really him! That Qilin Embroidery attire!"

"Finally here!"

Outside the Danbi Grand Music Hall, Yanle Alley was already tightly packed with citizens. Heads filled the walls, rooftops, and even the second-floor windows of street-side shops.

Initially, people only held evening newspapers, discussing the scandal of the Qi family, angrily denouncing it.

But when Chen Ji's figure appeared at the end of the long street, breaking through the crowd with a near-brutal speed, all the discussions instantly turned into exclamations and more intense movements.

There was no entourage, no pomp of carriages and horses.

Only one person, in a somewhat disheveled Qilin Embroidery attire, like a burning arrow, cutting through the tide of people, piercing the night, shooting straight towards the Imperial Music Bureau's gates.

Princess Bai Li finally opened her eyes, her gaze followed the red carpet before her towards the end.

A red figure, carrying the heavy night air from outside, broke through the door, those eyes contained morning glow, evening twilight, year after year, and day after day.

Bai Li's eyes were finally not calm anymore, gently leaving tears.

In these seven days, she hadn't shed a single tear.

She almost learned how to pretend to be an unflappable adult, but at the moment she saw Chen Ji, it all fell apart.

Chen Ji looked at Fengluan and asked in a deep voice, "What is the bid up to?"

Fengluan stammered, "Tw—twenty thousand taels."

Chen Ji asserted, "Twenty-four thousand taels."

Qi Zhaoning looked at Chen Ji, "Twenty-five thousand taels."

Chen Ji frowned, "Third Miss Qi, is it necessary?" 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Qi Zhaoning said sorrowfully, "What can I do? Heartfelt longing, how unfortunate it's not a good match. Chen Ji, today I must press you down, just press you down, make you recall tonight forever with regret, when you clearly could save her, you just couldn't!"

Just then, Shen Ye walked in from outside, laughing loudly, "Tonight is destined to be remembered by the world, how could it be without me, Shen Ye? Huqiu Poetry Society Poetry Champion, top scorer of the 32nd year of Jianing, Shen Ye, bids three thousand taels for Chen Ji, twenty-eight thousand taels."

Qi Zhaoning fixedly stared at Chen Ji, "Twenty-nine thousand taels!"

The next moment, Liu Su unexpectedly also walked in from outside, "Meihua Ferry Crossing leader Liu Su, honored to be taken in by the landlord, bids one thousand taels for the landlord, thirty thousand taels."

No one present expected Liu Su to come.

Qi Zhaoning still remained unchanged, "Thirty-one thousand taels!"

Jiao Tu twisted Yun Yang's waist flesh, "If you don't help today, don't talk to me in the future!"

Yun Yang grunted, "Add one thousand taels, thirty-two thousand taels… that's all I have."

Qi Zhaoning glared around, "Thirty-three thousand taels! Whoever wants to help her, come together!"

As the words fell, a middle-aged man hurried over, travel-worn and dusty.

Chen Ji showed surprise as he saw Uncle Chen Lizun walk along the red carpet to his side, handing him a string of Buddhist Treasure, "Here's five thousand taels, this… is all Uncle can help you with."

Seeing more people helping Chen Ji arrive at the Imperial Music Bureau, Qi Zhaoning desperately wagered everything, "Fifty-three thousand taels, no one wants to take Bai Li away!"

But looking at Chen Ji, she found his expression was neither panicked nor angry, only a trace of compassion, "Don't look at me with such eyes, I don't need your pity!"

Chen Ji sighed, "Fifty-four thousand taels."

Qi Zhaoning couldn't believe it, "Where have you gotten so much silver? How could you have so much silver? If you had so much silver before, why…"

Just then, Brother Pao also walked into the Imperial Music Bureau, smiling as he spoke, "My Meihua Ferry Crossing deals in salt permits, taking a cut of one per thousand. This business doesn't earn much silver right now, but salt merchants consigning their permits must keep the deposit on my Meihua Ferry account for seven days. Bit by bit, it accumulates until there are over two hundred thousand taels flowing through. This silver isn't idle; I loaned out a portion at three percent monthly interest and invested some with Huang Que in small businesses together… Therefore, my landlord never lacks silver; you've all been fooled by his illusion technique."

Chen Ji calmly walked onto the stage, throwing all the Buddhist Treasure onto the ground.

He came to Bai Li, holding her wrist gently, "Let's go, take you home."

Qi Zhaoning slumped to the ground, "You use all your silver, all your future, just to exchange for her, now you have nothing. Chen Ji, now you have nothing left!"

Chen Ji ignored.

He led Bai Li, not looking back as they walked outside, one in a bright red outfit, the other in a blue Daoist robe, walking through the long red carpet of the Imperial Music Bureau, past the crowded, long tide of people.

The onlooking crowd no longer noisy, like a tide, split to the sides. The silent, dark mass of people parted, just like last year, when Li Changge led the Commandery Princess through that long, shadowy Skyline.

The heavy snow in Luocheng City, which fell for two hundred sixty-eight days, finally ceased.