Chapter 76: The Plan Fails

Soon, Chen Ying also received word from his trusted men that there was indeed a large amount of coal beneath that small hill.

After arranging for people to start mining at once, Chen Ying paced back and forth excitedly in the Study.

Chen Delin, who was sitting in a chair sipping tea leisurely, glanced at him.

"As for the snow disaster and the coal, what do you plan to do about it?"

Chen Ying paused his steps.

"Didn't we just discuss it with Lady Da? Naturally, we'll mine it as fast as possible. If a snow disaster really comes, we'll set aside part of it to help the common people survive the winter."

Chen Delin nodded slightly.

"The heated kang that Lady Da mentioned—see to it right away."

"And inform the county magistrates in the surrounding area."

"Also, submit a Memorial to the Capital, bringing up the matter of the snow disaster."

Hearing that last remark, Chen Ying gave a cold laugh.

"That foolish ruler won't believe it!"

At the mention of the Shunhe Emperor, the expression on Chen Delin's face also cooled.

"A foolish ruler is a foolish ruler, Da Yin is Da Yin, and the common people are the common people. The foolish ruler deserves to be slain, but the countless common people of Da Yin are innocent."

He wiped his face and let out a heavy sigh.

"All we ask is to have a clear conscience."

Chen Ying nodded in assent.

"Yes, Your Son understands."

He thought for a moment, glanced a few times at his father's expression, and asked in a low voice.

"Father, don't you find the Cheng Family very strange?"

Chen Delin frowned at him.

"What do you mean?"

Chen Ying recounted in detail the things that had happened since the Cheng Family came to Bei Huang.

"Let's not even mention the heated kang and the horseshoes—just the new grain they discovered in the Mountain, and this unheard-of coal."

"We've been in Bei Huang for five years and haven't even caught a glimpse of these things. How is it that the moment they arrived, one after another just popped up?"

Chen Ying lowered his eyes.

What luck that really is.

Chen Delin looked at him deeply and said earnestly.

"So what? Everything depends on fate, and luck is something you can't envy your way into."

Besides, even if ordinary people discovered coal, how many of them would think to burn it?

This time, Chen Ying said nothing.

Really?

Even if their luck is good and they discovered these miraculous things, so what?

Don't these things still appear on his own turf?

"Father, then Your Son will go back and prepare the Memorial first."

Chen Delin inclined his head.

"Go on, then."

Chen Ying had only been gone for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea when a guard from the manor came running.

"Old Master, my lord!"

"Bad news!"

Chen Delin rose and opened the door.

"What happened?"

"Why such panic?"

The guard glanced around, didn't see Chen Ying, and immediately bowed with clasped hands.

"This Subordinate had better go report to Lord Chen in the Study, so as not to disturb Old Master's rest."

Chen Delin snorted and said in a low voice.

"You've already disturbed me!"

"Has Yi Jiang gotten into trouble again?"

Whenever it involved his troublesome Grandson, Chen Delin was never patient, and this guard in particular couldn't be coaxed into a single word no matter how hard you tried.

He glared at the guard.

"Speak quickly!"

The guard stepped closer and whispered a few words in his ear.

"Old Master, the Young Master has packed a big Inventory. This Subordinate heard him say something about running away from home."

"Running away from home?"

Chen Delin stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a while, a mysterious smile appeared on his face, and he beckoned the guard over.

"Come here. Later, you all do this…"

In the City Lord's Manor late at night, Yi Jiang, with a large bundle on his back, snuck around the corners of the various courtyards.

"Why are they all blocked?"

All three of the dog holes he knew about had been plugged up. Yi Jiang stamped his foot in frustration.

Suddenly, his ears twitched—he heard footsteps—and he quickly ducked into a corner to hide.

Two guards patrolled past, chatting as they walked.

"I just saw in the neighboring courtyard, at the southeast corner, there's a dog hole that hasn't been blocked up. Let's seal it up in a bit—mustn't let the little Young Master find it."

The other guard nodded.

"Right, right, right. These past few days most of the brothers have gone to the Mountain outside the city, so there are few hands in the mansion. We absolutely can't let the little Young Master find a chance to slip out."

"Speaking of which, I saw on the street by the back gate several carts covered with cloth—wonder what they're carrying."

The man beside him clapped him on the shoulder.

"Enough. Whatever it is, it's none of our business. Doing our own job well beats anything else."

After the two left with their lanterns, Yi Jiang crawled out from the corner.

"Southeast corner? Carts going into the Mountain?"

Yu'an's house is right at the foot of the Mountain!

He could just sneak into one of the carts!

And hitch a free ride!

Having made up his mind, he first glanced warily around, detected no movement, then hurried toward the neighboring courtyard.

"Southeast corner, southeast corner…"

Ha ha—Yu'an, here I come to find you!

After he left, those two guards doubled back, watching his cheerful retreating figure. One of them asked,

"That dog hole was just dug out—do you think the little Young Master will find it?"

"Don't worry. In this pitch darkness, you can't tell."

"The spot we picked is the closest to the cart convoy. By the way, has everything been arranged over there? Won't we be discovered?"

"Old Master has already given instructions to the brothers over there."

The man beside him was still uneasy.

"But Chen Daren will be going too—won't we run into him?"

"I just saw Chen Daren still busy in the Study. He won't be done in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. By then, the little Young Master will have hidden himself long ago."

The other nodded.

"Good then. Strange, really—if the little Young Master wants to stay at a friend's place for a few days, why not just send someone to deliver him? Why must Old Master go through all this trouble?"

"Isn't it because our Chen Daren keeps such a tight watch? Daren would definitely refuse."

The two went back to report with relief, but things didn't go the way they had planned.

Because—

Yi Jiang entered the courtyard, looked around, and scratched the back of his head.

"Southeast corner?"

"Which way should I go?"

"Forget it—doesn't matter!"

He hitched his bundle firmly onto his back and picked a direction at random.

He'd search them one by one!

But what he never expected was that his luck was truly terrible.

After getting it wrong three times, Yi Jiang finally arrived at the right spot.

He huffed and puffed, and just as he finally poked his head out of the hole, a pair of boots appeared before his eyes.

Yi Jiang looked up, a few strands of dry grass still perched on his head. His gaze traveled upward and met his own father's stern face—and those eyes that seemed about to spit fire.

"Why are you here?"

Yi Jiang tilted his head up and gave him an ingratiating smile.

"I—I just came out for some fresh air."

Saying so, he edged back slightly, trying to retreat.

But Chen Ying reached out with a large hand, grabbed him by the collar, hauled him out and set him on his feet, then examined the hole in the wall.

"I remember every dog hole in the mansion was sealed. What's the meaning of this one?"

Then he glanced at the bundle scattered on the ground and swept a cold look at Yi Jiang.

"Running away from home? You've really grown some nerve!"

Letting the cart convoy depart first, Chen Ying brought Yi Jiang back to the Study.

Chen Delin, who had gotten the news, hurried over in such a rush that he hadn't even put his shoes on properly, shuffling along in them.

"What's going on? What's going on?"

Noticing his son's dark, stern expression, he rolled his eyes and pointed at Yi Jiang.

"Look at you, child—can't you let people worry a little less?"

Chen Ying glanced at him, then slammed the Study door shut with a heavy thud.

Listening to the wailing inside, Chen Delin at the door shivered a few times and shook his head with repeated sighs.

Sigh!

Good grandson, your luck really is a bit too rotten.

I arranged everything so perfectly, and still you couldn't slip out.

Don't blame Grandpa for not helping—your father really does nag too much.

After he beats you, he probably won't keep nagging me, right?