Green Mountain

On the morning of Huang Que's purchase of the first salt permit, Chen Ji heard noises outside the door and slowly opened his eyes.

He pulled off the quilt and walked outside wearing only a white undershirt. Under the grey sky, Xiao Man was carrying a basket of white powder from outside the yard to inside, spreading it all the way into the side room.

The Little Black Cat was following behind her, step by step, like a small dog.

On the second day of February, the dragon raises its head, beckoning the dragon back.

This white ash to beckon the dragon back should first be spread around the water well, and then all the way into the stove to pray for good fortune and wealth. This day, no sweeping is done, to avoid "startling the dragon's eyes".

Xiao Man was focused on spreading the white ash and did not hear the footsteps.

Chen Ji smiled and said, "It's rare to see you wake up so early."

Upon hearing the words, Xiao Man raised her head: "Young Master, you're awake? I'll boil water for you after I finish spreading the white ash. You leave home a bit later today; I still need to make pancakes for you to eat for the festival."

Chen Ji leaned against the door frame and calmly said, "Can a handful of white ash truly invite a dragon to the home for promotion and wealth? Why not sleep a little more?"

Xiao Man earnestly retorted, "No way. Aunt once said, beckoning the dragon back certainly won't bring wealth, and Duanwu doesn't necessarily have to commemorate anyone, but if the family doesn't even celebrate a festival, the home wouldn't feel like a home."

"On New Year's Eve, even the poorest family should cut some meat to make dumplings; if that's not possible, a bit of pig fat will do. During New Year's Day, everyone seeks joy, regardless of wealth or poverty, buying gold foil paper to cut into butterflies, grasshoppers, and other shapes to wear on the head."

"On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, admire lanterns; Qingming in March to honor ancestors; Duanwu in May wears mugwort, Mid-Autumn in August eats mooncakes. In September, eat date cakes, in October, send cold weather clothing; cook Laba porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and make sugar cakes for the Kitchen God at the end of the month. Aunt said life is too hard, a festival is something to look forward to."

Chen Ji was focused on listening.

He suddenly remembered that during past Lunar New Years, his mother and father used to insist on taking him to paste couplets. Clearly during winter vacation he would sleep in every day, but they still insisted on pulling him up to write and paste couplets by hand, which was quite annoying.

But now when he thinks back, those things he once resisted have become anchors in his memory.

Chen Ji turned and went back indoors to get dressed: "Next time there's a festival, if there's anything to be done, call me to join, don't secretly busy yourself."

Xiao Man smiled showing her small tiger teeth: "Sure!"

Suddenly Chen Ji asked, "Xiao Man, if you wanted to smooth over a relationship with someone, what would you do?"

Xiao Man bent over to pick up the Little Black Cat and held it in her arms, saying as a matter-of-fact: "Invite them to eat something."

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "What if the person has no appetite?"

Xiao Man was surprised: "I don't know about others, but if someone made me angry, inviting me to eat something nice makes me happy. Sister Li Qiu always coaxed me with food... Is Young Master inviting me to eat something?"

Chen Ji hesitated for a long time: "Then when you make pancakes later, make a few extra."

"Okay."

Chen Ji ate the pancakes made by Xiao Man in the morning before going out. Holding the pancakes wrapped in palm leaves in his hand, he walked along the path to the side door, where he saw Si Caogui leaning against the doorpost wearing a bamboo hat, resting with his eyes closed.

Upon hearing the footsteps, the other party opened his eyes which shone brightly.

Just opening his eyes was like a long knife leaving its sheath.

"Young Master," Si Caogui saluted and turned to pull open the side door for Chen Ji. The carriage was parked at the entrance.

Chen Ji casually handed the palm leaf-wrapped pancake to him: "Arriving so early, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Xiao Man made the pancakes; they taste good."

Before Si Caogui could refuse, Chen Ji had already stuffed the palm leaf-wrapped pancake into his hand, and bent over to climb into the carriage on his own accord.

Si Caogui looked down at the pancake in his hand. The warmth of the pancake seeped through the palm leaf, gradually warming his palm.

He turned sideways to sit in the carriage, raised a whip lightly, and tapped it on the horse's rump, making the carriage move slowly.

Si Caogui peeled back the palm leaves, and an aroma of scallion oil greeted him. He hesitated for a moment before slowly taking a bite and chewing it meticulously.

Chen Ji asked softly in the carriage: "Lord Si Cao, was it like this when you escorted my uncle before?"

Si Caogui swallowed the bite of pancake and calmly said, "The Lord had other experts by his side and did not need my escort."

Chen Ji lifted the curtain to open a small crack and asked curiously: "Does my uncle have officials better than Lord Si Cao by his side?"

Si Caogui calmly replied: "The lord's side is full of experts. I'm not even in the top three. Don't talk nonsense; when will you sell those salt permits? If your method doesn't work, I can only bring in a spy skilled in management to help you. The succession battle must not have errors."

Chen Ji did not argue and just lowered the curtain and urged: "Lord Si Cao, please be patient a while longer."

The next morning.

Chen Ji methodically went to the Yulin Army for the morning roll call, arriving at the Chen Mansion's side door where Si Caogui coldly said when waiting by the door: "Young Master."

Chen Ji climbed into the carriage, and Si Caogui just drove the carriage away from Fuyou Street but suddenly stopped it.

Before Chen Ji could react, Si Caogui had already entered the carriage cabin and pressed a short knife against Chen Ji's neck: "Yesterday you returned home early to sleep, do you not care about the salt business? I said, the succession battle involves a lot, cannot be careless, did you listen to me?"

Chen Ji felt the coldness on his neck but stuffed the palm leaf package into Si Caogui's arms: "Lord, eat something to quell your anger. Xiao Man made donkey meat buns; one bite fills your throat with fragrance."

Si Caogui furrowed his brow, suddenly striking the third rib of Chen Ji with his knuckles, so fast it left a residual shadow.

The piercing pain attacked, Chen Ji took a sharp breath, and sweat suddenly soaked the back of his clothes.