Chapter 182 Xiao Fan Chooses a Sister-in-Law, and His Wife's Business

Upon arriving in the prefectural city, I was struck by the sight of countless magnificent buildings and bustling activity. The streets were adorned with colorful lanterns, and the crowds thronged like a never-ending stream.

The shouts and calls of vendors filled the air.

The alleyway was damp and fishy; the fishmongers of the prefectural city were collecting their catch, all river fish. Madam Wen frowned and quickened her pace. Li Xian, holding Bai Yun's hand, followed behind.

After turning out of the alley, he asked, "Madam, where are we staying? Shall we go to an inn for the night?"

“No need,” Madam Wen said as she walked. “I have several residences in the city; I can choose any one to live in.”

The city was vast. Li Xian had never seen such a large city in his past and present lives. Not far away, rows of restaurants appeared, where young gentlemen and noble ladies were drinking and chatting about interesting things.

I couldn't help but exclaim, "This building is truly tall! In this world, strange things emerge one after another. There is wood strong enough to support a building a hundred feet high, and there are construction techniques that rival the wonders of nature."

Among them, the "Tianjiao Lou Banquet" was the most talked about.

Passing by a restaurant, I overheard a conversation upstairs: "This banquet was quite spectacular. I heard that the renowned blacksmith Ou Yezi from Yuzhou passed through here a few days ago."

"Upon hearing of the grand event for the young, he wanted to add to the festivities and offered a sword that had sunk into the river as a prize. Whoever performed exceptionally well and outshone everyone else could take the sword!"

"Really? Ou Yezi is incredibly skilled. The weapons he forges must be exquisitely crafted and imbued with mysterious power. I've heard that he participated in the forging of the divine sword [Heaven and Earth Without a Trace] more than a decade ago."

"This matter cannot be faked. This [Sinking River Sword] is quite famous. Many geniuses from outside the city have heard of this and rushed to the city to attend the banquet and obtain the sword."

"I suspect that the [Sinking River Sword] must have been obtained by Young Master Zhou Shijie. He is a man of both literary and martial talents, and his appearance is exceptionally handsome. The sword is a perfect match for him."

"Is it true that Young Master Zhou has someone he has fallen for? It is said to be a woman from the manor."

"Speaking of appearance and character, I am reminded of someone. Is that wicked lieutenant Li Xian really born with an unusual appearance and extremely ugly?"

"This matter cannot be faked; someone witnessed it firsthand. They also said that this person bullies men and women and acts ruthlessly. In this county, he is completely lawless and no one can restrain him. In my opinion, he is just a small-town figure. If he comes to our prefectural city, we will teach him a lesson."

"That wicked Li Xian, a mere military officer in a remote county, is surprisingly ranked quite high on the list of heroes, number forty-four. If he were one place higher or lower, it wouldn't be so bad. But he's actually one place above that young master of the 'Seven Mountains Sect'."

"That young master has a violent temper and will definitely cause him trouble. At that time, the forty-fourth prodigy will probably die a miserable death."

...

...

The provincial capital.

Hanyue Residence.

This is the lady's residence, covering more than ten acres. The vermilion lacquer is as good as new, and the location is excellent. The lady frequently traveled to and from the city several years ago, so she bought this residence for her convenience.

However, in the past two years, Madam's "Silkworm Garment Jade Inlay Technique" has faced a bottleneck, almost breaking through but not quite. This technique prefers stillness to movement, like a silkworm lying in the snow in winter. As a result, Madam has visited the prefectural city less often, but every October, she still manages to make a trip there in person.

When Li Xian first entered Yihe Manor, the lady was already in the prefectural city.

Now that the Silkworm Jade Inlay Technique is about to be mastered, once this matter is resolved, a few more seclusions will allow me to break through the bottleneck.

“The courtyard is usually maintained by servants, but the living quarters still need to be cleaned.” Madam Wen stepped across the courtyard gate, pointed to the rooms in the distance, and said, “You prepare two rooms and choose one to move into.”

"Since you've come to the prefectural city, you've had a rare opportunity to broaden your horizons, so go and explore on your own."

"This is money, containing a hundred taels of silver. If used sparingly, it should last for several days."

Li Xian took the brocade pouch, which contained a hundred taels of silver; it was quite heavy. He asked, "Madam, who are you...?"

"I have my own things to do." Madam Wen turned and left, boarding her carriage. She lifted a corner of the curtain, glanced at Li Xian, then closed the curtain again, and the carriage drove away.

Madam Wen drove away from Hanyue Residence and headed straight for the city center. Having come all this way, she needed to inquire about the city's business.

There are three Canyun Towers, four Xiangyan Workshops, two Zhenshui Towers, and seven Chunmeng Kilns.

Silkworm Cloud Pavilion sells fabrics, Fragrant Rouge Shop sells rouge, Precious Water Pavilion is a restaurant with a wide variety of delicious dishes, and Pure Dream Kiln is a brewery.

The lady's businesses were widespread throughout the prefecture. Her influence extended to the prefectural capital, county seat, and major cities. Her daily income was immeasurable. Of her many businesses, those in the prefectural capital were the most lucrative.

The Canyunlou, Xiangyanfang, Zhenshuilou, and Chunmengyao are renowned throughout the prefectural city for their ability to amass wealth. Lin Guolong, who once served as the magistrate of Qingning County, inevitably had contact with Yihezhuang and knew that his wife was involved in businesses such as clothing and wine, and also owned several properties in the prefectural city, making her extremely wealthy.

However, their knowledge is limited, and they are unaware of the specifics of their livelihood.

Lin Aoshan had been to Qingning County. Lin Guolong, fearing a conflict between her and Madam Zhejian, informed Lin Aoshan of Madam Zhejian's whereabouts beforehand. Lin Aoshan also knew that Madam Zhejian owned properties in the city, but she was unclear about the specific details.

No one knew that... the Silkworm Cloud Pavilion, Fragrant Rouge Pavilion, Precious Water Pavilion, and Pure Dream Kiln were all in the hands of one person. Madam Wen was of a reserved nature, neither flamboyant nor low-key, but ruthless in her actions.

Therefore, very few people in the prefectural city knew of the name "Lady Broken Sword". Since they did know, it meant they had already suffered a loss and were even less willing to publicize it.

The carriage stopped.

Lady Wen, dressed in snow-white robes, first visited the Silkworm Cloud Tower. This tower was a hundred feet tall, towering majestically. It mainly sold silkworm garments, and the most precious silkworm fabrics were even auctioned off.

Prices remain high.

Besides, silkworm feed has a wide range of uses, including mechanical arts, medicine, martial arts, and weapon forging.

There were many women in the building, a beautiful sight to behold.

...

...

Hanyue Residence.

After tidying up his room, Li Xian strolled around the courtyard. The courtyard was filled with green trees and red flowers, and the flowerbeds were vibrant. He quickly finished his stroll, found an open space, and began practicing his martial arts by himself.

Proficiency +1

Proficiency +1

Accumulated water forms a deep pool.

Little by little, we're making progress.

When Li Xian first arrived in the prefectural city, he knew that his hidden adversaries were far superior to the three schools and two factions of Qingning County. His knowledge was limited, and his access to information was restricted; he had no way to "know his enemy." The only way was to "know himself," to clearly understand his own strength.

Then I carefully considered it in my mind.

Ultimate Martial Arts Techniques: Four Directions Fist, Gentle Breeze Leg, Great Luo Saber, Azure Palm, Cloud Soaring Hand, Iron Copper Body...

Perfected Martial Art: Sunset Bloodstained Sword Level 1. Advanced Martial Art: Sunset Bloodstained Sword Level 2, Thunderous Finger.

The nine martial arts techniques are all mastered to a considerable degree. Each technique accumulates internal energy, endowing it with special power and unique characteristics. Combined, they should be enough to rival the average prodigy of the prefecture.

Li Xian thought to himself, "The city is currently fraught with danger. I am not yet clear about what the lady's intentions are. Judging by the time, today is October 17th, and there are still a few days until the banquet at the top of the tower."

"Although I should be careful, it's a rare opportunity to come to the prefectural city, so how can I not wander around? Rumors are rampant in the prefectural city, and most people don't even know what I look like."

I've made up my mind to visit the city tomorrow. I'll find out the direction of the government office and see Xiao Fan.

The lady did not return home all night.

The next day.

Li Xian traveled lightly, concealing the red mole between his eyebrows with rouge, his long hair tied up, and adorned with a bronze hair crown. Looking fresh and handsome, he headed out onto the street.

The prefectural city was vast, with numerous buildings, and even with a map in hand, it would be difficult to navigate in a short time. Fortunately, the Qingyuan Prefectural Courtyard was renowned, and with a little money, someone was willing to personally lead the way, and we soon arrived at the courtyard.

The government office was a place for learning.

In the vast Qingyuan Prefecture City, countless noble families sent their sons who were not good at martial arts or had deficiencies in their physical constitution to study literature at the prefectural academy.

If one can obtain a wisp of fortune, one can still be highly valued within the family.

"Brother!"

In front of the mansion.

Li Xiaofan heard his classmate calling out that his brother was looking for him. He immediately put down his book and ran quickly out of the mansion.

I hadn't seen him for a year, and he had grown quite a bit taller, with delicate features and fair skin. The food at the manor was good; he hadn't been mistreated.

"Xiao Fan!" Li Xian exclaimed happily, patting Xiao Fan on the shoulder. Li Xiao Fan looked up, stood on tiptoe, and compared his height: "Ah, brother, you're so tall now! And so handsome!"

"Hahaha." Li Xian saw that Xiao Fan looked much fairer and knew that he was living a good life, so he was very happy. "Come on, it's been a long time since we brothers have seen each other, let's go get something to eat together."

"Wait a moment," Li Xiaofan said. "I've made many friends since I entered the manor. Brother, let me introduce them to you."

Li Xiaofan teased, "Brother, there's a great beauty in our manor. She's about your age, and has a very impressive background. Shall I introduce you to her?"

"Good lad, you really care about your brother's marriage." Li Xian sighed, "But for now, your brother isn't considering it."

Favored by a lady, its merits and demerits are hard to discern. A seemingly limitless future, a life of promise and happiness, with a beautiful woman by one's side. Yet, it is also shrouded in mystery, beyond one's control, fraught with danger, and ultimately, a prison within oneself.

“Brother, don’t be so reserved.” Li Xiaofan laughed. “It’s quite a coincidence. Sister Gu has some connection with Master. I’ve met her a few times and asked her for advice. She praised me for being smart and treated me fairly well, but she’s a bit arrogant. I mentioned to her that I have a brother. She just smiled and didn’t say much. Brother, seize the opportunity; there might be a chance.”

Li Xian said, "In two more years, you won't be young anymore. Start looking for yourself!"

“No, it won’t work,” Li Xiaofan said. “My master said that I, as the one who controls destiny, will have few children. Besides, I spend all my time studying, and I can give up all lust.”

Li Xian's expression changed. Li Xiaofan quickly changed the subject: "So, brother, our Li family needs you to carry on its glory."

Li Xian remained silent, seeing that Li Xiaofan's eyes were bright, indicating he had grasped his ambition. Since that was the case, there was no need for further words. He could only offer his silent support.

Li Xian said, "We'll talk about this later. Invite your close friends over, and I'll treat them to a meal."

"Okay!" Li Xiaofan ran off.

After a long while, Li Xiaofan hurried back, followed by three people. They were of ordinary appearance, two tall and one short, all dressed in cloth clothes with patches of various sizes. A trace of arrogance still lingered between their brows, but their shoulders were hunched inward, their eyes were lifeless, and they lacked any confidence.

Their situation was humble.

Li Xian thought to himself, "It seems that ordinary people's children are not well-liked in the mansion. The people Xiao Fan associates with do not seem to be from wealthy families. They must have been ostracized by each other, which is why they happened to associate with each other."

"Brother Xian".

Upon seeing Li Xian, the three stepped forward and bowed respectfully. Their manners were impeccable. On the way there, Li Xiaofan had told them they could simply call him "brother."

Li Xian smiled and said, "Hello!"

The three men were named Lu Xuan, Hong Chengbing, and Liu Shu. They all obtained their degrees by picking flowers in the county seat and towns below, and were admitted to the prefectural academy to study literature.

"Xiao Fan, your brother is so handsome," Lu Xuan said enviously.

"That's great, your brother came to see you," Liu Shu said.

Li Xiaofan smiled and said, "Of course."

Li Xian said, "Let's go, it's my treat, I'll take you to eat something delicious."

(End of this chapter)