Chapter 1475 - 799: Han King, Crown Prince, Iron Abacus (Two-in-One)

One night passed without incident.

After all, it was his first time here, and in someone else's residence, so Chen Yi didn't engage in Dual Cultivation. As morning light first appeared, he glanced sideways to see Yin Weiyin meditating on the cushion, her profile still, and she seemed to have enjoyed a leisurely night of meditation.

Chen Yi didn't disturb her and instead pushed the door open and stepped out. The sunlight was just right, and he shielded his eyes slightly. The sun in Chang'an City was much brighter than in the Great Yu Capital City, and he feared it might be scorching if he were to stay out for the whole day.

He basked in the sun for a while, contemplating the need to explore Chang'an City. Hearing this stupid girl talk was not enough; he needed to learn about the customs and court ceremonies of Western Jin from the Jianghu community in Chang'an.

Following the path from yesterday, he walked towards the front courtyard of Zhang Mansion. As he passed through corridors and courtyards, he could see from afar the small square where an altar had been set up the day before. The housekeeper was there, hands behind his back, directing several servants to clean and tidy up.

The yellow cloth on the incense table had been removed, and the ground was wiped repeatedly, even the ash in the stone crevices was carefully cleaned.

The housekeeper's face showed traces of fatigue from the night before; his eyebrows slightly furrowed, watching the servants take away the last cushion while he complained softly to a familiar old servant beside him: "…They said they'd continue today, yet what hour is it now? Not a shadow in sight. These masters from Qinglong Temple are becoming more and more arrogant. The master spent so much incense money, and the old master is still suffering, while they're…"

The old servant was about to agree when he glanced up and saw Chen Yi approaching slowly. He quickly coughed and tugged the housekeeper's sleeve.

The housekeeper turned, saw it was Chen Yi, and switched to a smooth, warm smile, quickly stepping forward with cupped hands: "Mr. Chen, you're up early! Did you rest well last night? The guest courtyard is secluded; if there's any shortage or anything unsatisfactory, please feel free to let me know."

Chen Yi waved his hand, indicating it was no trouble, and casually asked: "The housekeeper is busy. Is this… the ritual continuing?"

The housekeeper sighed and said: "Yes, indeed. Yesterday, those masters chanted scriptures until evening, saying that if Master Huipu is free today, he might personally come to take a look. But… it's past the usual agreed hour, and no message has come. Perhaps the master's Buddhist affairs are busy and delayed him."

"I see." Chen Yi nodded, following his words and asking: "I've heard that Master Huipu of Qinglong Temple has profound Buddhist knowledge and a widely known reputation. I wonder how many families in Chang'an he has helped relieve their problems?"

Seeing Chen Yi seemed interested, the housekeeper opened up: "Mr. Chen has heard about him? That master is indeed extraordinary; since arriving in Chang'an a year ago, many dignitaries and wealthy merchants have been vying to invite him. It's with great effort that we managed to get someone from the temple to perform the ritual for our old master."

"Hmm, if I also wish to know about such a venerable monk, I don't know where to start," Chen Yi shifted the topic here: "Does the housekeeper know of a good place to gather such information?"

"Is this Mr. Chen's first time in Chang'an? The Weishui Tea House and Fangyu Tea House are both good places."

When gathering information in Jianghu, tea houses and taverns are indeed the prime locations. Which traveler doesn't drink alcohol, and which local doesn't drink tea? People from all walks of life gather here, and there is no shortage of know-it-alls. Even if there aren't any, idle gossip can form some semblance of a picture.

"Those places are full of hearsay, hard to distinguish truth from falsehood," Chen Yi paused, "let's be direct, Huian Hall is so established, surely it has its own channels for gathering information. Just give me a hint, housekeeper."

The housekeeper showed reluctance, rubbing his hands continuously.

Just as Chen Yi said, Huian Hall has its own channels for information. The more one travels in Jianghu, the more one understands that every somewhat significant city has its own "vital system". The glamorous tea houses and inns are the face, while the true digestion, circulation, and even creation of various nutrients lie in those inconspicuous, sometimes avoided "vital organs".

Car, boat, inn, foot, broker.

These five trades are what it's about. Coachmen and boatmen travel north and south, experienced and slick; shopkeepers welcome and send off guests, observant and attentive; laborers mix in the docks, trading strength for meals and also for information; brokers connect trades, intertwining both lawful and unlawful paths, with connections most varied. They may not possess profound martial arts, but form an invisible net covering every corner of the city. They may not know who is plotting against whom in the court, but they surely know which market has new faces, which prestigious household's nights are unpeaceful, which waterway has seen goods it shouldn't have, and which gambling den is backed by which one master.

Although the saying "innocent deserves to be killed" is biased, perhaps many ancient people had suffered from such deception, thus it spread.

Huian Hall has been rooted in this precious Chang'an for a century now and naturally has its own channels behind the scenes.

After some insignificant tasks for Zhang Mansion, Chen Yi questioned it a bit for convenience.

"Well… if Mr. Chen wants to hear city gossip, those tea houses I've just mentioned… should suffice."

The housekeeper politely declined; Huian Hall's channels must never be disclosed to outsiders, especially to Mr. Chen, who holds the master's token, whose depths are unknown. Revealing it would break the rules.

Mr. Chen still wished to inquire more, yet the housekeeper was genuinely troubled. At this moment, fortunately, a maid hurriedly approached from the path, providing an escape.

"Housekeeper, the old master is awake and in great spirits, mentioning yesterday's chanting masters. He asks you to go and confirm whether they're coming today or not."

The housekeeper quickly cupped hands towards Chen Yi, his face full of apology: "Mr. Chen, you see… the old master calls for me, I truly cannot delay. Your inquiry… we'll discuss later, yes, later."