Chen Ji silently gazed at the handful of yellow earth and ash on the ground, a corner of a yellow paper talisman clutched in his hand.

Whose talisman was this… Bai Long’s? He wasn’t sure.

Chen Ji had seen Bai Long use yellow paper talismans before, but Bai Long wasn’t the only official who used them. Meng Ji used them, as did the Daoist Court, and all the splinter factions and scattered officials originating from the Daoist Court relied on yellow paper talismans.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, he had an uncanny feeling that the owner of this yellow paper talisman must be Bai Long.

When he first arrived in Guyuan, the postman had mentioned that the Secret Service personnel had withdrawn because the conditions were too harsh… This had always seemed illogical.

How could such a crucial organization as the Secret Service be absent from a city teeming with spies? Secret agents were normally frantic for accolades, eager to capture Jing Dynasty spies daily. There should have been a large number of secret agents here!

Back then, the Directorate of Ceremonials had deliberately allowed Jiao Tu and Yun Yang to be exiled to make the Liu family drop their guard.

Wasn’t Guyuan’s current situation remarkably similar to that past event?

When Chen Ji realized that Bai Long “might” be behind this, his heart sank.

He instinctively glanced around, worried that he might turn and see “Mr. Feng” watching him from a distance with a knowing smile.

Fortunately, he wasn’t there.

But another question remained: Who had killed all thirty-four members of the Chen family?

Was it Bai Long? Certainly not.

If the border army hadn’t delivered mutton that day, Chen Ji and the others might have fallen victim too. After all the effort Bai Long put into having him infiltrate the Chen family, why would he then kill him?

If not Bai Long, then who could it be?

Who would benefit from the Chen family’s deaths?

The border army, Jing Dynasty spies, the Crown Prince…

As he pondered, footsteps echoed from outside the alley. Someone called out from a distance, “Officers, the wailing came from this way just now! It sounded terrifying!”

An old man led a squad of border army soldiers at a brisk pace. As they turned the corner, they saw only a scattering of ashes on the ground; Chen Ji was nowhere to be found.

A border army soldier squatted down, picked up a pinch of yellow earth, and rubbed it carefully between his fingers in front of his eyes. “It’s human ash,” he stated.

Another soldier looked puzzled. “Human ash? That can’t be right. Even if you burn a person on firewood for a whole day, they might not turn to ash.”

Chen Ji walked slowly down the street, stopping occasionally to look up at shop signs, until he spotted the three large characters for “Yuan Caotang.” Only then did he step into the shop.

Smuggled goods from the north—deer antler, bear gall, bear paw, snow toad, and ginseng—were first transported from Changbai Mountain to Longhua Prefecture in Dongjing Province, then from Longhua to Zhongjing Province, and finally south from Fengsheng Prefecture in Xijing Province, entering Guyuan.

They ultimately arrived at Yuan Caotang, available for selection by various brokers and merchants.

As Chen Ji stepped over the threshold, he saw a familiar figure. Dressed in a lambskin coat with striking leopard-print sleeves, the person was standing at the counter, conversing with the shopkeeper.

It was Old Man Hu!

Old Man Hu, his back to Chen Ji, calmly stated, “Shopkeeper, Guyuan is besieged by the Heavenly Policy Army. The city will fall soon, and your ginseng will be worthless.”

The shopkeeper smiled unhurriedly. “Third Master, you know how Yuan Caotang came to be. Even if the Jing Dynasty troops break in, I have connections who can speak on my behalf. I don’t know what will happen to others, but my Yuan Caotang will certainly be fine.”

Old Man Hu stroked the stubble on his chin and changed the topic. “Forget about the city falling for a moment. We don’t know how long the Jing Dynasty will besiege Guyuan. The granaries have been burned, and every household is short on food. Everyone is rushing to buy grain; they won’t be buying your ginseng. Why don’t you sell it all to me at a lower price?”

The shopkeeper’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Third Master, we’re old acquaintances, so let’s skip the pleasantries. Guyuan is isolated and helpless, and the Heavenly Policy Army could breach the city at any moment. Many officials are looking to buy ginseng to advance their cultivation. How could I possibly sell it to you cheap?”

Chen Ji frowned slightly. Old Man Hu had thought of the same thing he had: with competition, prices would naturally rise.

He didn’t approach, just listened quietly from behind.

Just then, Old Man Hu said, “I’ve been in Guyuan for so many years; I naturally know what’s valuable and what’s cheap at times like these. An official needs at least five days to fully absorb one ginseng root. After five days, Guyuan might already have fallen. What good is a last-minute effort then? Besides, one or two ginseng roots won’t significantly improve one’s cultivation. Shopkeeper, at this moment, those with grain are the true masters. Ginseng won’t fetch a good price.”

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow. “Even so, you just offered eight taels per catty for ordinary wild ginseng and ten taels per root for fifty-year-old ginseng. I really cannot accept those prices. I’d rather burn it all than sell it to anyone that cheaply, wouldn’t you agree? Old Man Hu, you’re a prominent figure in Guyuan; surely you wouldn’t resort to forced buying and selling?”

Old Man Hu smiled. “Harmony brings wealth, shopkeeper. Don’t say such harsh things; you wouldn’t bear to burn all that ginseng. If you think my price is too low, how about we trade for grain instead? Your Yuan Caotang supports hundreds of people, and your entire family, over thirty mouths, needs to eat. If you run out of food, your seven precious sons and more than ten concubines will all starve to death.”

The shopkeeper smiled faintly. “That won’t trouble you, Third Master.”

“Oh?” Old Man Hu asked with interest. “It seems the shopkeeper has hidden grain. Didn’t the border army finish searching?”

The shopkeeper shook his head. “Third Master, there’s no need to probe. I intend to starve to death with my whole family.”

Old Man Hu laughed heartily, clasped his hands, and said, “Then I won’t trouble you further, shopkeeper. I’ll come back in ten days to ask you again.”

The shopkeeper casually cupped his hand in a polite gesture. “Please, Third Master.”

Old Man Hu turned around and was surprised to see Chen Ji standing not far away. He paused for a moment, then pretended not to recognize him and exited the shop.

The shopkeeper smiled and looked at Chen Ji. “Customer, what can I help you with?”

Chen Ji asked, “How much for fifty-year-old ginseng roots?”

The shopkeeper held up three fingers. “Thirty taels of silver per root, fair price for all.”

Chen Ji turned and walked away. The price was so exorbitant, there was no point in even bargaining.

He exited the shop, discreetly turned into a small alley, and waited quietly at the corner, slowly drawing a short dagger from his sleeve.

Moments later, Old Man Hu turned into the alley. Chen Ji pressed the dagger to his neck and calmly asked, “Third Master, why are you following me?”

Old Man Hu slowly raised his hands and said with a smile, “Don’t worry, I mean no harm.”

Chen Ji was puzzled. Given Old Man Hu’s standing in the martial world, his official cultivation level was probably not low. Ordinary officials, no matter how familiar they were with someone, wouldn’t casually put their lives in another’s hands.

Yet, Old Man Hu showed no intention of resisting, allowing the dagger to be pressed against his neck.

Chen Ji thought for a moment but didn’t lower the dagger. “Third Master, what do you want with me?”

Old Man Hu looked at Chen Ji with his one good eye. “You want to buy ginseng too? For cultivation? What’s your current cultivation level?”

Chen Ji was taken aback by the barrage of questions. “Why are you concerned about these things, Third Master?”

Old Man Hu was silent for a moment. “If you want to buy ginseng, I can help you.”

Chen Ji scrutinized Old Man Hu. “Aren’t you trying to buy ginseng yourself? Why would you help me?”

Old Man Hu smiled. “I’ve traveled far and wide; there are plenty of opportunities for me to get cheap ginseng. If you’re in a hurry, I can let you have it first. Consider it fostering good karma.”

Chen Ji hesitated; kindness from strangers always warranted caution.

Old Man Hu disregarded his wariness and asked directly, “How much ginseng do you want to buy?”

Chen Ji gripped the dagger hilt tightly. “How much ginseng does Yuan Caotang have?”

Old Man Hu pondered. “That’s quite a lot. There are thousands of catties of ordinary wild ginseng, and probably six or seven hundred roots of fifty-year-old ginseng or older. All of it is inventory waiting to be transported to the heartland of the Ning Dynasty in spring.”

Chen Ji replied, “I want all the fifty-year-old ginseng and older, but his price is too high; I can’t afford it.”

Old Man Hu’s pupils contracted slightly. “Why do you need so much? While old ginseng is good, it requires a gradual approach. You should slice the old ginseng, divide it into thirty portions, and steam two slices in a jar with water to drink in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. Never be overly eager for quick results, or your meridians won’t be able to handle it.”

Chen Ji remained silent.

Seeing Chen Ji didn’t respond, Old Man Hu softened his tone. “Since you want to buy it, I’ll help you. Come back to Yuan Caotang in five days, and you’ll get what you want. Remember, pretend you don’t know me then.”

With that, he slowly retreated, his neck gradually moving away from the dagger.

Once out of the alley, he turned and quickly departed, leaving Chen Ji brimming with questions: Had he perhaps unknowingly saved a relative of Old Man Hu in the past?

But why would Old Man Hu need so much ginseng? It wasn’t for money; if it were, selling grain would be more profitable than selling ginseng.

Behind Old Man Hu, there must be many officials who need ginseng for cultivation!

Chen Ji returned to the Dragon Gate Inn, pushed aside the heavy cotton curtain, and saw several middle-aged men with bundles on their backs huddled at the counter, anxiously saying, “Shopkeeper, please arrange for us to leave Guyuan quickly. We can’t stay here another moment.”

The shopkeeper leisurely replied, “You all know the rules of my Dragon Gate Inn for sending people away, don’t you?”

The middle-aged man patted the bundle on his back. “We understand! We understand!”

The shopkeeper eyed one of them. “Li Laogi, I remember you have a wife in Guyuan. Aren’t you taking her with you?”

Li Laogi shrunk his neck. “She can’t bear children, so what’s the point of bringing her along? With money, I can find another wife anywhere.”

The shopkeeper fiddled with the abacus beads beside him. “I see you don’t want me to earn an extra two hundred taels, you cheapskate. You earn so much money, yet you’re unwilling to spend two hundred taels to save your wife’s life?”

Li Laogi stiffened his neck. “Why are you meddling in my family affairs, Second Master?”

The shopkeeper smiled. “Fine, I won’t interfere. Go stay in the ‘Ren’ character dormitory. I’ll send you off the day after tomorrow.”

Li Laogi froze. “Why the ‘Ren’ character dormitory? A ‘Di’ character room would be fine too.”

The shopkeeper said impatiently, “The ‘Di’ character rooms are all full. The ‘Ren’ character dormitory was just vacated last night. Are you staying or not? If not, get out of here.”

Li Laogi quickly pulled out a string of Buddhist coins and handed them to the shopkeeper. “Yes, yes, I’ll stay… Can I get some food, even gruel? I’m truly starving.”

The shopkeeper sneered, “My Dragon Gate Inn has no surplus grain either. Find your own way. Since you’re so stingy, you might as well peel off some of your own foot skin and eat it if you’re desperate.”

Chen Ji was speechless.

Just then, Wang Gui entered from the backyard, carrying a tray with over ten yellow steamed buns on it.

He saw Chen Ji approaching and hurriedly turned away, worried that Chen Ji might see what he was carrying.