Miss Zhang Xia is attending the class too? Chen Ji was slightly surprised.

Prince Jing teased, “Minister Zhang, there’s no problem with your Zhang Xia coming to study with Mr. Wang. However, you and Mr. Wang took the imperial examination in the same year; he was the second-place scholar, and you were the top scholar. Instead of sending Zhang Xia to Mr. Wang, wouldn’t it be better to teach her yourself?”

Zhang Zhuo chuckled, “Back then, His Majesty thought he was too young and impetuous, deliberately not naming him the top scholar. In terms of talent and learning, I am inferior to him.”

Prince Jing smiled faintly, “Minister Zhang, you are too modest.”

Zhang Zhuo shook his head, “It’s not modesty. I still remember that year, beneath the double-eaved hipped roof of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, with rows of *dougong* brackets like wells. His Majesty sat on the golden dragon throne, and I didn’t even dare to raise my head. Yet Wang Daosheng dared to meet His Majesty’s gaze. Just for that courage alone, I am not his equal.”

Zhang Zhuo, with a hand resting on the leather belt at his waist, looked up at an apricot tree and recalled, “That day, in front of the palace, His Majesty distantly asked me why I studied. I honestly replied, ‘To become an official.’ His Majesty lightly chuckled and said, ‘Your treatise on taxation, “The Discourse on Taxation,” is already enough for you to become an official.’ His Majesty then asked Wang Daosheng why he studied. Wang Daosheng replied, ‘Naturally, one studies to become a sage.’ His Majesty calmly remarked, ‘Your “Twelve Strategies for Pacifying the Wokou” is certainly enough for becoming an official, but it falls short of making you a sage.’ So, that year, I was fifteen and he was twenty-three. I became the top scholar, and he became the second-place scholar.”

After speaking, Zhang Zhuo chuckled again, “In all these years, I’ve spent my days drinking and socializing with fellow officials, and my studies have fallen by the wayside. Learning from me is not as good as learning from him. Besides, Zhang Xia has only just arrived in Luocheng. For three years, she hasn’t made any friends. If she can study with others, it might also help her change her introverted nature and make more ambitious friends.”

Liu Quxing muttered softly, “She’s not introverted at all.”

Just as they were talking, an urgent shout came from outside the wall: “Chen Ji, run! My father took a bribe from Minister Chen. He wants you to study with Mr. Wang to smooth over the relationship among you three brothers. Run quickly! Don’t let my father scheme against you. Mr. Wang is very strict!”

Silence suddenly fell over the small courtyard of Taiping Medical Clinic.

Everyone slowly turned their heads. A moment later, Princess Baili’s head peeked over the gray tiles of the courtyard wall.

“Oh!” Baili was startled when she saw the scene in the courtyard. She immediately recoiled, falling backward. Fortunately, the Prince, who was below her, reacted quickly and caught her, otherwise, she would have had a terrible fall.

The Prince complained, “You’ve climbed this wall dozens of times, how can you still make a mistake?”

Baili lowered her voice, “Run! Father’s at the clinic!”

The Prince’s face changed drastically. “We’re in trouble. Run!”

Prince Jing said coldly, “Where do you think you can run? Get over here!”

“Oh…” Rustling sounds came from the other side of the courtyard wall. Baili, the Prince, and the young monk successively tumbled into the courtyard and stood in a line, heads bowed.

Prince Jing glanced at Chen Ji, then turned and said gravely, “Baili, tell me, what bribe did I receive?”

Baili whispered, “I was going to Mingzheng Tower to ask you for the pottery factory’s dividends. But outside, I overheard you setting conditions for Minister Chen, saying that as long as the Ministry of Revenue approves an additional sum of money for the border army to purchase cotton gloves, you would act as a lobbyist for him to persuade Chen Ji to attend school.”

Prince Jing raised an eyebrow. “This is a matter of national importance. I’m not doing it for personal gain, so what’s wrong with it?”

Baili mumbled, “Father, how can you still be so self-righteous after being exposed!”

Prince Jing showed no embarrassment from being exposed. Instead, he smiled and asked, “Chen Ji, Chongli Pass is bitterly cold in winter. The border soldiers all have frostbite on their hands and feet; you can’t even see a piece of good flesh on their hands. Do you think they should be given cotton gloves?”

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment. “…They should!”

Prince Jing was pleased. “Seeing you understand the bigger picture like this, I am relieved. Baili, Chen Ji has agreed, what more do you have to say?”

Baili helplessly replied, “Nothing.”

Chen Ji raised a hand. “Your Royal Highness, wait. This matter of national importance…”

Prince Jing interrupted Chen Ji, turning to look at Steward Feng. “Distribute it to them.”

Steward Feng, with a gentle expression, took several strings of Buddhist currency from his sleeve and handed them out one by one to Chen Ji and the others.

Prince Jing remarked with emotion, “Chen Ji, this money was originally intended for purchasing cotton, but Prince Jing’s residence keeps its word, so we can only first distribute the money as a dividend to you all. I won’t force you to reconcile with the Chen family; that’s your own business. You just need to show up at Mr. Wang’s place and go through the motions. That would be a huge help to me!”

Chen Ji looked down at the string of Buddhist currency in his hand. A solid two thousand five hundred *liang* of silver, enough to buy seventy ginseng roots or light one hundred forty stoves.

He turned to Liu Quxing and She Dengke. “Do you two elder brothers want to go study with Mr. Wang?”

She Dengke shook his head like a rattle-drum. “I couldn’t learn it!”

Liu Quxing hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “I’d rather stay and serve Master.”

Chen Ji tucked the Buddhist beads into his sleeve, then looked back at Prince Jing. “Your Royal Highness, I can go to Mr. Wang’s place alone. If there’s no one at the clinic, my master won’t be able to manage by himself.”

Prince Jing clapped his hands and laughed. “Young Doctor Chen truly understands what’s important. I admire that! So, it’s settled then. Tomorrow morning at a quarter past five, you can go to Zhixing Academy, next to the Prince’s Residence, and report to Mr. Wang.”

With that, Prince Jing left, leaving everyone in the clinic exchanging bewildered glances.

She Dengke said gruffly, “Liu Quxing, don’t you want to become an official? Why aren’t you going to study with Mr. Wang? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once his mourning period is over and he’s reinstated, he might even arrange a position for you.”

Liu Quxing rolled his eyes. “What do you know? That Mr. Wang, he’s been an official for twenty years and been demoted five times. Even with his remarkable achievements in suppressing bandits in Jiangzhou and pacifying the Wokou in Minzhou, he’s still out of favor with His Majesty. If one truly becomes his disciple, it might not be a good thing.”

“Then why do Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao study with him?”

Liu Quxing said impatiently, “Those two are from the Chen family; can I compare myself to them? Instead of joining that excitement, I’d rather focus on learning medicine from Master. With my limited cleverness, I might be alright as a seventh-rank imperial physician, but as a seventh-rank county magistrate, I might end up banished to Lingnan.”

Zhang Zhuo, stroking his beard nearby, smiled, “Young Doctor Liu knows when to advance and when to retreat; that’s truly rare. If I had understood this principle at your age, perhaps I would have already returned to the capital and been promoted to Minister of Personnel by now.”

Only then did Liu Quxing remember Zhang Zhuo was still there. He quickly cupped his hands and said, “You flatter me, sir.”

“No worries at all.”

Zhang Zhuo looked at the Prince and Chen Ji. “Zhang Xia is not bad by nature. I hope you young gentlemen won’t dwell on the previous misunderstanding. As the saying goes, ‘a long road tests a horse’s strength, and a long time reveals a person’s heart.’ Spend more time together, and you will understand her true character. Farewell.”

Baili watched Zhang Zhuo’s retreating figure as he left the clinic and wondered, “Why do I feel like Minister Zhang had a hidden meaning in his words?”

Just then, a bird’s chirp came from outside the clinic. Chen Ji frowned; it was a signal mimicked by a copper whistle from the Secret Service.

He quickly walked out of the clinic and saw a carriage stopped in front of a bun shop on the bustling Anxi Street. Its doors and windows were tightly covered by dark blue cotton curtains.

Beside the carriage, Xifeng was dressed as a coachman, wearing a bamboo hat.

Jinzhu opened a tiny slit in the curtain from inside and mouthed silently, “Get in the carriage.”

Chen Ji glanced back at the clinic, then turned and pushed through the crowd, slipping into the carriage.

Jinzhu tapped on the carriage body. Xifeng raised his whip and drove the carriage away, destination unknown.

Inside the dim carriage, Chen Ji asked puzzledly, “Sir, it’s only been a few hours since we parted ways. Why did you come to the clinic again?”

Jinzhu said mysteriously, “Don’t ask so many questions. Just rest for a bit in the carriage, and you’ll understand once we arrive. Something truly great awaits you.”

Chen Ji felt uneasy seeing Jinzhu’s current enthusiastic demeanor. “Sir, perhaps you should just suspect me as you used to. Your current behavior makes me a little scared.”

Jinzhu couldn’t help but laugh and cry. “What are you talking about? I know you harbor resentment, but from now on, we’re like brothers. There’s no need to hold grudges against me. Once I secure a cultivation path for you, you’ll know my sincerity.”

Chen Ji shifted his position, leaning against the carriage wall. “How can I trouble you to intercede with the Grand Secretariat for me? One should not accept rewards without merit. I can slowly accumulate achievements; it wouldn’t be too late to begin cultivation after being promoted to Sea Eastern Azure.”

Jinzhu’s expression changed. “No, absolutely not.”

Chen Ji looked at Jinzhu, suspicious. “Sir, what’s wrong?”

Jinzhu quickly forced a smile and said, “You young man, you just don’t know the benefits of a cultivation path! You’ve seen Tianma, haven’t you? His meteor shower of arrows is so powerful that even a hundred-man army formation has to temporarily retreat from its onslaught. Don’t you envy that?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “No matter how powerful, that’s someone else’s skill. I don’t envy it.”

Jinzhu, feeling helpless, could only continue to coax him, “Once you have a cultivation path, you’ll no longer be one of the mundane masses, but a high-ranking official on the path of cultivation. If you can quickly enter the Xiantian (Innate) realm, why would you still be content to be a mere apprentice at Taiping Medical Clinic?”

“I’m doing quite well at the clinic.”

Jinzhu lamented, “I know you have a grudge with the Chen clan. Let me use another analogy. If you can enter the Xundao (Path-Seeking) realm, even your father would treat you with respect. If you can enter the Shendao (Divine Path) realm, you and Chen Luch, the head of the Chen clan, could be equals.”

Chen Ji became interested. “Sir, are you in the Shendao realm?”

Jinzhu’s breath caught. “No, there are only three Shendao realm cultivators in the entire Ning Dynasty. I am currently in the Xiantian realm.”

“How many years have you cultivated, sir?”

“Fifteen years…”

Chen Ji thought for a moment. “Then I’m afraid I won’t be able to reach the Xundao realm!”

Jinzhu grew anxious. He leaned forward, almost pressing against Chen Ji. “I fell from the Xundao realm to the Xiantian realm due to a special reason. You definitely won’t be like me.”

Chen Ji asked casually, “Sir, why are you so concerned about my cultivation?”

Jinzhu chuckled dryly, leaning back. “I already told you, from now on, we’re like brothers.”

Chen Ji said nothing more. At this moment, he finally realized that Jinzhu had placed his bet on him.

The carriage swayed along. After an unknown period, it slowly came to a halt. Xifeng’s voice came from outside the door, “Sir, we’ve arrived.”

Jinzhu did not get out, merely lifting the curtain and watching silently.

Through the gap, Chen Ji was astonished to see the carriage had stopped not far from Bailu Pavilion.

The front of Bailu Pavilion was already swarming with secret agents, virtually impenetrable.

Pedestrians along the entire street had taken refuge in the shops lining the road, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

Chen Ji asked, perplexed, “Sir, why have you brought me here?”

Jinzhu glanced at Chen Ji and explained, “This is one of the Jing Dynasty’s military intelligence outposts in Luocheng. The Jing Dynasty’s traitors use it to transmit messages, gather military funds, and support numerous spies. For our Secret Service to dismantle it now is a great achievement. I have already sent a carrier pigeon to the Grand Secretariat, ensuring this merit belongs solely to you, to be exchanged for a top-grade cultivation path from the Jiefan Tower. Don’t worry, the cultivation path will be delivered to Luocheng in half a month at the latest!”

Chen Ji asked, “Aren’t we getting out of the carriage?”

Jinzhu kept his eyes fixed outside the carriage, replying without turning his head, “Not yet. We’ll get out after the Ministry of Justice personnel leave.”

At this moment, the first group of secret agents led out Bailu Pavilion employees, each tied up, while the second group of agents brought out several large chests and placed them by the entrance.

In front of the door, Dragon Guard officers from the Ministry of Justice, cloaked in straw raincoats and armed with long swords at their waists, were already waiting. They even searched the secret agents one by one to prevent anyone from secretly pocketing money after the raid.

Immediately afterward, they opened the chests, inspected the confiscated goods, and meticulously registered each item.

Jinzhu secretly cursed, “These scoundrels, all they do is investigate their own people every day. If it weren’t for them, why would I need to secretly make money?”

Half an hour later, both the secret agents and the Ministry of Justice personnel withdrew.

Only then did Jinzhu quietly get out of the carriage, tear off Bailu Pavilion’s seal, and enter the premises.

Inside, the room was a mess; counters and tables had all been overturned.

Jinzhu bent down, searching through the chaos on the floor.

He then instructed Xifeng, “Xifeng, go to the storeroom and see where the six of them hid the items. Chen Ji, close the door.”

Chen Ji closed the main door and asked curiously, “Sir, what are you looking for?”

The next moment, Jinzhu rummaged through a pile of debris and pulled out a small wooden box, a look of delight on his face. “Found it!”

From the backyard, Xifeng’s voice also came, “Sir, I found one hidden in the backyard too!”

Jinzhu opened the box to check its contents, then tucked it into Chen Ji’s arms. “Here are fifteen aged ginseng roots, worth four hundred *liang* of silver. Keep them; they’ll be of great use once the cultivation path arrives from the capital.”