The atmosphere in the dim Zhuque tent was subtle.

Chen Ji hadn’t expected that the merchant caravan Ah Sheng mentioned, which had good connections in Jing Dynasty, would be the Deng Huo caravan. Not only was Hu San-ye there, but also Xiao Jiu, the border resident who had previously gone to Meihua Du to sell salt certificates.

But Chen Ji didn’t rush to acknowledge Hu San-ye, and Hu San-ye tacitly didn’t speak either, as if they were meeting for the first time.

In the silence, Hu San-ye turned to Ah Sheng, his expression indifferent: “Why did you bring a new face?”

Ah Sheng cupped his fists and explained: “San-ye, this is Chen Ji, the new Ye Bushou from Chongli Guan. He’s not an outsider.”

Ye Bushou?

Hu San-ye became interested, took a bite of his饼zi, and teased: “How come I didn’t know you had such a new person in Chongli Guan? They say a Ye Bushou must have descendants to qualify. I see he’s so young, he looks like a child himself. How can he be a Ye Bushou?”

Ah Sheng didn’t blink an eye as he lied: “He just arrived a few days ago, it’s normal that San-ye wouldn’t know.”

Hu San-ye smiled as he scrutinized Chen Ji: “Hey, kid, are you married to be a Ye Bushou?”

Chen Ji raised an eyebrow: “Married, and I have eight children.”

Hu San-ye burst out laughing: “Then you’re quite capable. Who is the bride? Is her surname Zhang? Hu Mou might even know her.”

Chen Ji was puzzled. Why was Hu San-ye suddenly joking?

Before he could answer, Ah Sheng quickly said: “San-ye, please don’t joke. Hong-ye trusts this person.”

Hu San-ye swallowed the饼zi in his hand, mumbling indistinctly: “Since Hong-ye trusts him, then I trust Hong-ye. Speak, what do you need from Hu Mou?”

Ah Sheng hesitated, then whispered: “San-ye, I have a request, but this matter is very important. Could you please dismiss everyone so I can speak privately?”

Hu San-ye glanced at him: “That important?”

Ah Sheng affirmed: “Important.”

Hu San-ye gestured to those around him, and the men by the fire all stood up and left the Zhuque tent.

Once the Zhuque tent was empty, Ah Sheng was about to speak but noticed three people had not left.

These three weren’t by the fire earlier. They had been behind Hu San-ye, their backs to everyone, packing their bags. Now, after chatting for so long, these three were still packing.

Ah Sheng looked closely and realized that one of them took a bag of饼zi out of a bundle, put it back, took it out again, and put it back again.

He cupped his fists again and emphasized: “San-ye, please dismiss everyone.”

Hu San-ye looked back at the backs of the three and chuckled: “Aren’t you three leaving?”

The three lingered, pretending not to hear anything.

Chen Ji narrowed his eyes, and the more he looked, the more familiar their backs seemed.

He took a deep breath and slowly said: “San-ye, are these three hard of hearing? Can’t they hear?”

Xiao Heshang: “Yes.”

Xiao Man turned her face, glared fiercely at Xiao Heshang, and stepped on his foot.

Xiao Heshang gasped, clutching his foot, but dared not cry out in pain. He was wearing a gray cloth outfit, and his hair, which hadn’t been shaved in who knows how long, had grown out into green stubble.

Xiao Man turned around, smiling somewhat guiltily, and said: “We were packing just now, didn’t notice what you were saying.”

Chen Ji frowned slightly. If meeting Hu San-ye here was understandable, why were Xiao Man and Xiao Heshang, whom he had settled in the Chenghuang Temple in Chongnan Fang, appearing together in Hu San-ye’s caravan?

Xiao Man dared not meet Chen Ji’s gaze, looking down at her toes. She secretly tugged at Xiao Heshang, whispering through clenched teeth: “Later, just say it was your idea.”

Chen Ji no longer looked at Xiao Man, but at the last person.

The curtain of the Zhuque tent was blown open by the wind, and a narrow beam of light shone in from outside, hitting the third person’s back. The person was wearing a white jiànfú, and their hair was neatly tied on top of their head with a silver hairpin.

After the wind blew the curtain of the Zhuque tent, it fell again, and the tent became dim once more.

Zhang Xia was silent for a few seconds, then turned to Chen Ji, smiling as she said: “We’ll go out now and won’t disturb your discussion.”

She led Xiao Man and Xiao Heshang out. Chen Ji watched the three pretend not to know him as they walked past him out of the tent. Ah Sheng looked at Zhang Xia’s back, then at Chen Ji: “You…”

But he heard Hu San-ye interrupt: “Alright, the outsiders are gone. Please speak.”

Ah Sheng composed himself, bowed respectfully, and cupped his fists: “San-ye, five Ye Bushou need to go to Baidadan City in Jing Dynasty. We request San-ye’s caravan to help conceal us.”

Hu San-ye frowned: “Jing Dynasty isn’t very peaceful recently. What are you going there for?”

Ah Sheng sincerely said: “San-ye knows the rules of us Ye Bushou; we cannot disclose what we’re going to do. Of course, us Ye Bushou also know San-ye’s rules. You are a businessman, and we will offer something important in return.”

Hu San-ye’s gaze subtly flickered towards Chen Ji. He saw Chen Ji shaking his head slightly behind Ah Sheng and immediately understood.

He stuffed the饼zi in his hand into his mouth, clapped the flour dust from his hands, and casually said: “What can Ye Bushou offer in return?”

Ah Sheng thought for a moment: “A piece of information.”

Hu San-ye picked up another warm饼zi from by the fire, sneering: “What information is worth me risking taking five Ye Bushou to Baidadan City?”

Ah Sheng earnestly said: “San-ye must know that we Ye Bushou never betray our own.”

Hu San-ye was noncommittal: “First, tell me the information.”

Ah Sheng lowered his voice: “Last year, Hong-ye and I went to a large mountain east of Baidadan City to investigate Jing Dynasty’s grain supply route. During that time, Hong-ye and I were looking for water to quench our horses’ thirst and actually discovered gold dust at the bottom of a small river in the mountains. Not only gold dust, but also gold nuggets the size of thumbs.”

Chen Ji’s heart stirred.

Gold, over time, is washed downstream by rain and rivers, slowly accumulating in riverbeds. If gold dust is found in a riverbed, searching upstream is very likely to lead to the discovery of the gold mine.

This was the most common method of prospecting for gold.

The value of a gold mine was self-evident, but Hu San-ye was unmoved, sneering: “Since you know there’s a gold mine, why don’t you go dig it?”

Ah Sheng shook his head: “San-ye is joking. How could we dare to dig it?”

Hu San-ye sneered again: “Yes, you dare not go, so I dare go? East of Baidadan City is the vanguard camp of the Hubaotie. What’s the difference between prospecting for gold there and seeking death? A gold mine that cannot be dug is worthless.”

Ah Sheng earnestly said: “But San-ye can use this information to earn a huge favor in Jing Dynasty. I imagine some nobles would be interested. San-ye runs caravans to Jing Dynasty; cultivating connections is the most important thing.”

Hu San-ye waved his hand impatiently: “What do little kids know about business and connections? Go wherever you want, I’m not taking this deal.”

Ah Sheng said in a deep voice: “What does San-ye want?”

Hu San-ye took a bite of his饼zi: “I want nothing. Get out quickly.”

Chen Ji breathed a sigh of relief.

As he wished, blocking the Ye Bushou was the best outcome.

Originally, it would have taken a lot of trouble to stop the Ye Bushou, but now that Hu San-ye was in charge of the caravan, and he was doing him a favor, he could slowly find an opportunity to repay it.

At least the Ye Bushou were stopped.

However, at this moment, the curtain of the Zhuque tent was lifted, and a strong ray of sunlight shone in.

Chen Ji looked back and saw Hong Zu’er limping into the Zhuque tent.

Hong Zu’er came to the fire and sat down: “San-ye has always been calm and reserved, modest and humble. Why such a big temper with a child today? Ah Sheng, apologize to San-ye.”

Ah Sheng quickly cupped his fists: “San-ye, please forgive me, I spoke improperly.”

Hu San-ye put away his playful mood and gazed at Hong Zu’er with his hazy eyes: “For Hong-ye to personally come with injuries, it must be no small matter. But Hong-ye, if you borrow my caravan to sneak into Baidadan City, and it fails, I’ll lose an entire trade route, and it will be difficult to open it up again. You know, I’m just a shopkeeper, I can’t make such a big decision.”

Hong-ye was silent for a moment: “That gold mine is in Shizuizi Mountain, east of Baidadan City. This information is for San-ye.”

Hu San-ye calmly said: “Hong-ye needn’t do this. Hu Mou will pretend he heard nothing just now.”

Hong-ye slowly said: “Then I’ll give San-ye a piece of information that cannot be refused. Last year, I captured seven Jing Dynasty spies. There were originally twelve of them, lurking in Ning Dynasty for eight years. Their mission was to map the area around our capital city, record the changing shifts of the Wucheng Bingma Si, and then secretly take the maps back to Jing Dynasty.”

“Why is Hong-ye saying this?” Hu San-ye relaxed and leaned back in his chair: “We are just businessmen. What do Jing Dynasty spies have to do with us?”

Hong-ye waved his hand: “Everyone else, leave.”

Chen Ji and Ah Sheng exchanged glances and walked out of the Zhuque tent together, leaving only Hong-ye and Hu San-ye.

“Twelve came, seven left, and five are unaccounted for,” Hong-ye smiled slightly and continued: “The seven captured Jing Dynasty spies only knew that the other five had a different mission and had parted ways with them early on, but they didn’t know what the five’s mission was. However, one of them said he had seen his missing colleague in Bianyi Fang in the capital, and that colleague was working as a waiter in Bianyi Fang.”

Hu San-ye’s expression changed: “Who is it?”

Hong-ye remained silent, leisurely picking up a warm饼zi from by the fire and slowly eating it.

Hu San-ye frowned and pondered for a long time, his gaze sweeping over Chen Ji at the entrance of the Zhuque tent, then he sighed: “I have suitable travel permits to get you into Baidadan City, but you must bring your own caravan and follow us, and you cannot speak to us at all. If something happens to you, it has nothing to do with us. If you are captured by Jing Dynasty, and even one person reveals our transaction, I will kill everyone closely related to you. Believe me, Hu Mou keeps his word.”

Hong-ye put down the餅zi: “Deal. This person’s alias is Zhang Xiang.”

Hu San-ye suddenly stood up and walked out of the Zhuque tent. He beckoned to a man and whispered a few words.

A moment later, the man led two skilled men onto horses and galloped towards the capital.

Hu San-ye returned to the fire and sat down again: “Ye Bushou are indeed Ye Bushou. Hong-ye is indeed Hong-ye, excellent tactics. Even in this remote, impoverished place of Chongli Guan, you can know things happening in the capital.”

“Chongli Guan is not far from the capital, a fast horse can get there in three days. It’s just easily forgotten,” Hong-ye smiled: “Don’t worry, I haven’t told anyone else. As for why Jing Dynasty spies were lurking in your Bianyi Fang, I don’t care either.”

With that, he said loudly: “Everyone, come in.”

Several people from outside filed in. Hong-ye looked at Hu San-ye: “Tell us, how do we get into Baidadan City?”

Chen Ji’s heart sank. What information did Hong-ye give that Hu San-ye couldn’t refuse?

What to do? Although Hu San-ye had some acquaintance with him, he was him, and Hu San-ye was Hu San-ye. Each had their own things to do. He couldn’t force Hu San-ye to go back on his word.

Troublesome.

Hu San-ye pondered for a moment, then said to Chen Ji: “Kid, go call the three people who just went out to come in.”

Chen Ji turned and called Zhang Xia, Xiao Man, and Xiao Heshang in.

Hu San-ye found several travel permits from a wooden box at the edge of the tent: “Here are seven travel permits, from Shangjing Liaoyang Fu to Baidadan City: a young couple, a young brother and sister, a father and son, and a forty-two-year-old widower. Hong-ye, I don’t need to say more, do I? It’s not enough to just have travel permits to enter Baidadan City, you know what I mean.”

Hong-ye nodded: “I understand. I’ll teach them how to deceive everyone, but we only have five people, so we don’t need seven travel permits…”

“No,” Hu San-ye pointed at the three, Zhang Xia, Xiao Man, and Xiao Heshang: “I promised to take these three out early on. They’ll go with you, taking three travel permits. You can divide the remaining four among yourselves.”

“Must it be this way?”

“Must it be this way.”

Hong-ye closed his eyes and pondered for a moment: “Xingxing, you stay in Chongli Guan.”

Xingxing quickly said: “Hong-ye, I must…”

Hong-ye frowned: “Stay!”

Xingxing shrank his neck: “Okay.”

Hong-ye closed his eyes again, thinking: “Couple, siblings, father and son, widower. How should I arrange their identities?”

He opened his eyes, looked at Zhang Xia, Xiao Man, and Xiao Heshang, and hesitated: “You…”

Xiao Man’s eyes darted around, and she suddenly pointed at Zhang Xia and Chen Ji, saying: “Let them play a couple!”

(End of this chapter)