Volume One, Chapter 12: Just for Show?

After leaving the Song family, Song Qingwu hurried to the inn. However, upon arrival, he learned that Shen Ji and the others had already left the city early in the morning to search for the silver. Helpless, Song Qingwu had no choice but to return home first, planning to come back later.

Meanwhile, Shen Ji had already led his men to a mountain opposite Little Green Hill. Yet, instead of heading directly to where the silver was robbed, he climbed the mountain across from Little Green Hill. Standing atop the summit, he gazed into the distance. From this vantage point, the terrain and features surrounding Little Green Hill were clearly visible.

“What are you looking at?” Ning Shu finally couldn’t hold back and asked as she saw Shen Ji scanning the landscape repeatedly.

“Checking the feng shui,” Shen Ji replied casually. These people really had no idea; if you wanted to find silver, you had to first study the surrounding terrain!

“Feng… shui?” Ning Shu’s delicate face twitched slightly. “You know how to read feng shui?”

Shen Ji kept his eyes fixed on the distance. “Miss Ning, you might not know, but I was frail as a child and couldn’t practice martial arts, so I read extensively and have a wide range of knowledge…”

Ning Shu fought the urge to kick him down the mountain, snorting lightly. “If you really can find silver just by reading feng shui, you’d be the greatest wonder in history!”

Shen Ji turned to her. “Wherever gold and silver gather, the earth and heaven’s spiritual energy naturally arises…”

He then launched into a lengthy explanation for Chen Liuqi. Ning Shu, however, didn’t listen to a word, and several times nearly kicked Shen Ji down the hill.

Chen Liuqi stood nearby, utterly impressed by Shen Ji. This young master was truly extraordinary! To boldly spout nonsense even in front of a princess—

Shen Ji smiled silently and continued his observations.

After some time, he asked Chen Liuqi to take him to the scene of the incident. The site was a small forest beside the official road. Although the event had happened over half a month ago, dried bloodstains were still visible on the ground.

“These are the tracks left by the silver escort cart,” Chen Liuqi pointed at the clearly visible wheel marks. “These tracks run all the way to the shore of Green Hill Lake. By measurement, the depth of these wheel marks matches those that would be left by the silver escort cart…”

Shen Ji didn’t heed Chen Liuqi’s analysis but closed his eyes instead. In his mind appeared the terrain and features he had seen from the mountain opposite Little Green Hill.

“What are you doing now?” Ning Shu asked, unable to resist.

Shen Ji replied with his eyes closed, “I’m sensing the location of the silver!”

The others exchanged glances of disbelief. Chen Liuqi looked at Shen Ji with admiration. What’s called a dandy? This is the real thing! Spouting nonsense even before a princess!

Ning Shu’s forehead twitched with a vein pulsing. Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer. Without regard for decorum, she suddenly kicked Shen Ji sharply on the backside. Her unexpected blow nearly sent him tumbling like a dog eating dirt.

Seeing Shen Ji’s disheveled state, a faint smile flickered across Ning Shu’s face.

“Who the hell—” Shen Ji turned to curse but met Ning Shu’s dagger-like glare.

“Miss Ning, what are you doing?” Shen Ji asked, frustrated.

“I’m really looking for the silver!” Shen Ji thought bitterly. He was searching for the silver, yet she suddenly kicked him. If she weren’t a princess, he’d have given her a good slap in return.

Well, better not provoke her now.

Silently, Shen Ji noted this incident in his mental ledger. Ning Shu, just wait—once I manage to succeed through my own cunning, I’ll see how to deal with you!

“Isn’t Young Master Shen lucky?” Ning Shu raised her delicate brows, half-smiling. “I want to test if a single kick can knock you down right where those demons buried the silver.”

Though she didn’t have much hope of finding the silver relying on Shen Ji’s luck, seeing his careless attitude irritated her somewhat.

If someone didn’t want to live, no one else could save them.

Shen Ji was speechless. If you want to kick me, just say it straight. Don’t make up such ridiculous excuses!

Following the principle of avoiding trouble, Shen Ji moved aside and resumed his closed-eye contemplation.

Earlier, he had noticed a small river from the mountain top. The river flowed all the way to Green Hill Lake, and the official road crossed it via a stone bridge.

At first, he suspected that the demonic followers of the Fire Worship sect, to cover their tracks, had transported the silver back along the same route, possibly hiding it in the river near the stone bridge or moving it to a concealed place along the riverbank.

But the river was quite far from here. The Fire Worship sect’s demons likely didn’t have enough time to transport the silver that far.

Could it be…

After a moment's thought, Shen Ji summoned Chen Liuqi.

“How long would it take to transport one million taels of silver from here to Green Hill Lake?”

Chen Liuqi replied, “At least an hour.”

Though the distance to Green Hill Lake was only four or five li, it took quite a long time to cross. He even thought an hour might not suffice.

Loading that much silver onto a boat would require considerable time as well.

This left very little time for the enemy to transport the silver. With only a few boats, it would be impossible to row a vessel carrying so much silver away from Green Hill Lake and then move it elsewhere.

The government’s belief that the silver was sunk in Green Hill Lake was partly based on this timing logic.

“Let’s go and have a look at the lake shore!” Shen Ji stood up. He had a rough hypothesis and only needed to confirm it.

“All right!” Chen Liuqi nodded, lowering his voice to Shen Ji. “Young Master, you’d better search thoroughly. Even if you don’t find the silver, at least let the princess see your effort. Maybe she’ll plead for mercy on your behalf before His Majesty, and you might avoid execution…”

Chen Liuqi offered this advice out of kindness.

Even ants struggle to survive. Why complicate matters?

Now that the princess favored him most with the emperor, she should be his lifesaver. Why risk angering her?

“Hmm, all right…” Shen Ji nodded perfunctorily.

Soon, Chen Liuqi led them along the cart tracks toward Green Hill Lake. Along the way, Shen Ji frequently stopped to examine the wheel marks and survey the surroundings.

Watching Shen Ji’s demeanor, Chen Liuqi nodded quietly. It seemed the young master was heeding advice.

That was right! The princess was watching closely!

Even if it was just for show, he had to put on a performance!

After their investigation, they finally reached Green Hill Lake. Looking out, several boats still drifted on the water.

Although Shen Ji had torn down the imperial edict, government officials continued searching the lake.

Shen Ji surveyed the area and asked Chen Liuqi several questions, his suspicions nearly confirmed.

The group had deliberately misled the government’s search direction. Yet, they probably didn’t expect the authorities to stubbornly believe the silver was in the lake. They only sought to buy a few extra days.

By the time the officials shifted their search to the area around the crime scene, traces of where the silver was buried would have been erased by nature.

It would be impossible to dig up every inch of earth around Little Green Hill.

One had to admit, these people were indeed cunning…