Chapter 209 Clearing the Clouds to Reveal the Blue Sky (6K views, please vote)

Thousands of miles away in Shu Prefecture, dark clouds covered the sky and rain drizzled down.

Meanwhile, the sky above Kyoto Prefecture to the north was clear and cloudless.

At noon after the start of autumn, the bright sun shines on the "Wind and Rain Tower," which has stood for two hundred years south of the imperial city, making it look as bright as new.

Rays of light streamed down through the stained glass of the lattice window.

This made the spacious room deep inside the third floor seem to gleam with a golden luster.

A man wearing a white tiger-striped mask stood before the table, holding a thick white jade wolf-hair brush in his hand.

He dipped his brush in Huizhou ink and wrote four characters on the soft, damp paper: "Thoughts after the rain".

Then comes the four lines of poetry: "Departing from Baidi in the morning amidst colorful clouds, I returned to Jiangling, a thousand miles away, in a single day."

"The cries of monkeys on both banks could not stop the light boat from passing through ten thousand mountains."

—It was none other than Chen Yi's "Thoughts After the Rain".

However, Chen Yi wrote it in running script, which exuded elegance between the lines.

The man wearing the white tiger-striped mask was written in Wei Qing's style.

Each stroke is straight and bold, bold and unrestrained.

Even if it flows smoothly, it doesn't match the poem's sentiment of "overcoming countless mountains to see the light."

Therefore, after the man in the white tiger-patterned mask finished writing, he looked at the artistic conception emerging on the tobacco paper and remained silent for a long time.

Even the White Tiger Guard in red robes kneeling before him looked at him with a strange expression.

—The Pavilion Master is also a master of calligraphy?!

Before he could think further, he heard the "pavilion master" he mentioned ask, "How does the secret letter describe the poem 'Thoughts After the Rain'?"

He bowed and said, "Calm and unrestrained, riding the wind."

The pavilion master nodded slightly, tossed aside the white jade wolf-hair brush, and gazed at the artistic conception that appeared before him—

A range of towering mountains, majestic and towering, thousands of feet higher than the white clouds.

A city rises high into the clouds, straddling two mountain peaks.

Inside, there are magnificent palaces, thick city walls, thousands of heavily armored soldiers guarding the city, and weapons such as crossbows that exude a chilling aura.

The "boats" below the mountains can no longer be described as "light boats," but rather as warships.

They marched in large groups, in a grand and imposing manner.

He, dressed as a "general" in a white robe with silver armor underneath and a white tiger-patterned mask on his face, stood at the bow of the ship.

With a wave of his hand, the warship sped along the mountain river.

Mountains can be cut through, enemies can be killed, and thousands of miles can be covered in an instant.

Finally, banners were planted in abundance in a sunlit place.

Looking at the scene, the white-robed pavilion master chuckled inexplicably, "The light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains, not bad."

The white-robed pavilion master offered a calm compliment, his icy eyes then falling upon the red-robed White Tiger Guard before him.

"Ji Qing, what's your opinion on this statement?"

The red-robed White Tiger Guard, Ji Qing pondered for a moment and replied, "This line of poetry evokes the feeling of 'breaking through the dark clouds to see the light again.'"

"In my opinion, the fledgling is much more open-minded than before."

The white-robed pavilion master said calmly, "It seems he has already seen a glimmer of hope... Not bad."

Ji Qing's body trembled slightly; this was the second "not bad" he had heard from the Pavilion Master.

As the person who had followed the "palace master" the longest, he understood that the pavilion master was truly enraged.

Thinking it over, Ji Qing cautiously said, "Perhaps it's because his calligraphy is perfected?"

The white-robed pavilion master said noncommittally, "Perfect calligraphy skills can make him famous throughout the nine provinces and three prefectures. He truly has the ability to 'clear away the clouds and reveal the blue sky'."

Then he changed the subject, "I don't think so."

"The name 'Light Boat' may be fitting for his name, but looking at everything that has happened in Shu Prefecture in recent days, isn't it all related to the Xiao family?"

Ji Qing was slightly taken aback. He raised his head slightly to look at it and hesitated before asking, "Does the Pavilion Master mean that the fledgling knew in advance that someone was going to burn down the summer grain in the three towns?"

"But according to the hawk, the fledglings have always kept to themselves."

"Aside from occasionally going to Guiyun Academy to teach calligraphy, the few times I went out were to discuss the expansion of Baicaotang on behalf of Xiao Wan'er."

"How could he possibly know about the Mingyue Tower, the Liu family, and the Grey Wolf's attack on the Xiao family?"

"How could he possibly have foreseen that the Xiao family would be able to escape danger?"

"unless……"

Before he could finish speaking, the white-robed pavilion master slightly raised his hand and interrupted, "I need to know the whole story, not just guesses and deductions."

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency. I will immediately order the tigress to carefully examine the chicks."

The figure in white robes glanced at him and coldly reminded him, "Ask where the fledgling was on the night the three towns were attacked."

Ji Qing immediately bowed his head and agreed.

Just as he was about to get up and leave, he heard the white-robed pavilion master continue to give instructions:

"Send word to General Xing, tell him that I agree to his plan, and to get it started as soon as possible."

"As for Luanfeng, if she wants to stay in Shuzhou, then let her stay there."

"As for the Liu family of Jingzhou... they are already in internal strife and are courting their own destruction, so there is no need to pay them any attention."

Just then, there were two more knocks at the door. The figure in white robes paused. "What is it?"

"Reporting to the Pavilion Master, a letter has arrived from the palace. His Majesty commands you to enter the palace immediately."

"Prepare the sedan chair."

"yes."

After the person outside the door left, the figure in white robes looked at Ji Qing kneeling before him and waved his hand, saying:

"Go and rewrite a secret letter about Liu Wen's death. I need to take it to the palace to see the Emperor."

"Remember to state that the Liu family of Jingzhou is suspected of treason. The Xiao family knew about this but concealed it, harboring malicious intentions."

Upon hearing this, Ji Qing paused, then bowed his head and kowtowed to the ground, "Your subordinate obeys!"

He then got up, took a few steps back, and turned to leave.

I stood still for a moment.

The white-robed pavilion master glanced at the illusory image floating on the table, a hint of contemplation appearing in his cold and indifferent eyes.

"Qingzhou has grown up."

"Unfortunately, scholars who wield their pens their whole lives are ultimately just ants."

As he spoke, the white-robed pavilion master gently picked up the magnificent piece of tobacco paper.

It shook twice.

The light paper instantly turned into scraps and floated out the window.

The white-robed pavilion master watched the scraps of paper flutter and dissipate, a cold glint in his eyes.

Immediately, he waved his sleeve.

His figure vanished abruptly, transforming into a blurry white shadow that swept into the imperial city, which was fortified by the red walls to the north.

Faintly, a very low, suppressed voice echoed in the empty, quiet room:

"How can someone who is indifferent to fame and fortune grow into a mighty roc that can blot out the sky?"

...

Thousands of miles away.

Shuzhou.

After three days of continuous rain, it finally stopped just before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Although the sky was covered with clouds, the sun could already be seen behind the clouds.

Like a furnace, the heat caused the temperature in various parts of Shuzhou, which were shrouded in clouds, to gradually rise.

It's hot and humid.

Very unpleasant.

Chen Yi didn't think anything of it, but in front of Xiao Die and the others, he had to pretend to be sweating profusely.

Fortunately, he was already used to hiding.

He could effortlessly produce these normal physical reactions.

After lunch, he asked Xiaodie to prepare some tea with ice, and then he and Xiao Wuge sat by the pond to fish.

The three chatted while sipping their refreshing iced tea.

Xiaodie did most of the talking, with Chen Yi occasionally chiming in with a word or two.

Xiao Wuge simply didn't say a word, only occasionally cheering, "Brother-in-law, the fish has taken the bait!"

"Brother-in-law, the big fish is here."

"Brother-in-law, look what I did to get revenge for you! It was this fish that splashed you all over..."

Why would he need revenge?

Chen Yi cursed under his breath, his mind filled with the muttered thoughts of an air force fishing enthusiast.

So whenever this happened, he would just grunt in response to Xiao Wuge, a vague and ambiguous reply.

Then he pretended to ask Xiaodie, "Has anything interesting happened in Shuzhou Prefecture lately?"

Or, "With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, which city, the East or the West, is more lively?"

Xiaodie seemed to know a bit about everything, and replied with a few words, saying some unimportant things.

“Young master, the most bustling place in the city lately is still Kangning Street.”

"After your poem 'Thoughts After the Rain' became famous, scholars flocked to Guiyun Academy to read it."

As Xiaodie spoke, a smile spread across her face.

"I heard that Mr. Yue Ming specially hired several guards to stand at the door, for fear that someone might break in without permission."

"That's how it is. There are still quite a few scholars with official titles who try every means to enter the academy."

"Mr. Yue Ming had no choice but to post a notice early this morning announcing that the exhibition hall will be open tomorrow."

"However, if you wish to view your calligraphy, you still need to submit your visiting card in advance; otherwise, you can only see your calligraphy that represents the pinnacle of your skill."

Chen Yi gave a disinterested "oh".

As he expected, the perfectly executed running script calligraphy copybook did indeed attract many visitors.

However, to his surprise, the number of people visiting the Xiao family did not decrease, but rather increased.

Among them were regulars like Mrs. Tang and Miss Wan, as well as some newcomers who came after hearing the news.

Most of them wanted to use connections and connections to try and become disciples of this Mr. Qingzhou.

In addition, due to the recent burning of summer grain in Tiebi Town, many people have come to visit the old man.

The arrival of guests from both sides kept the Xiao family's gatekeeper busy from morning till night.

Left with no other choice, the old man first ordered that only one person be allowed to visit each day, and later simply made an excuse of being unwell and closed his doors to visitors.

But Xiao Wan'er wasn't so decisive.

She is a soft-hearted person and always tries to be considerate of everyone.

Therefore, she usually accepted the visiting cards from guests, and if she couldn't avoid them, she would chat and laugh with them for a while.

From morning till night, there is hardly a moment of rest in Jiaxingyuan where she lives.

Not only did Chen Yi not join in the fun, but even Xiao Wuge, who needed a teacher to give him lessons, got two days of free time.

Why bother?

"It would be so much better if I just turned them all down like I did."

Chen Yi may have his own thoughts, but he also knew that Xiao Wan'er was just like that, and no outsider could persuade her otherwise.

Xiaodie, noticing his lack of interest, changed the subject:

"Furthermore, because of your poem 'Thoughts After the Rain,' many talented people have recently said that they want to overshadow you at the Mid-Autumn Festival poetry gathering."

"Steal my thunder? Great, hurry up and do it, you'd better bury your son-in-law in the mud."

Seeing Chen Yi's nonchalant attitude, Xiao Die said seriously, "Young Master, they can't do it."

"Why?"

"Of course, it's because they lack knowledge and skills!"

"...Xiao Die, who taught you to flatter and fawn?"

"Sister Hua and the others from the Intermediate People's Court."

"Sister Hua and the others said that we servants should be sweet-talking so that we can win the favor of the master, mistress and young ladies."

Chen Yi turned his head and glared at her, "Stop learning that nonsense, I don't buy into that kind of stuff."

Xiaodie stuck out her tongue, smiled, and replied, "I know." Then she began to recount the grand occasions of the Mid-Autumn Festival in previous years.

From the lively variety of small performances in the East Market, to the grand operas in the West Market, to the poetry competitions among several families on Kangning Street, and finally to the vying beauty of courtesans in the South City's entertainment district.

From these various sources, one could roughly discern the bustling activity within Shuzhou City.

"Young master, where would you like to go for a stroll?"

"Me? Either way is fine."

None of them will work.

Chen Yi would rather stay in Chunhe Garden and take a nap.

However, he also knew that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, there would be no shortage of formalities and rituals in the Marquis's mansion.

Ancestor worship, welcoming guests, banquets, etc.

If Xiao Jinghong doesn't come back, he can have some peace and quiet.

Whenever Xiao Jinghong returned, he had to accompany him to social events or deliver holiday gifts to some elders.

The social interactions after marriage are generally like this.

Xiaodie paused upon hearing this, naturally not daring to offer any suggestions. How could a maidservant make decisions for her master?

So she said hesitantly, "I heard that the north of the city is even more lively this Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Guessing the lanterns, matching couplets, and also, you can release lanterns and make wishes on the winding pond..."

Chen Yi understood her meaning and jokingly asked with a smile, "Want to go?"

Xiaodie nodded repeatedly, then shook her head violently, her two buns of hair swaying back and forth behind her head.

"Son-in-law, it's your decision, I'll listen to you."

"Listen to me, then we won't go."

"ah……"

Just kidding, haha.

"Wait until Madam returns and ask her where she wants to go, or if she doesn't return, see if Eldest Sister wants to go release lanterns."

The disappointment on Xiaodie's face flashed by, and then she immediately showed some joy, saying that she would go and ask Juan'er and Cui'er about it later.

Chen Yi naturally wouldn't say anything more.

Thinking about it carefully, he realized that he hadn't really explored the area properly since he arrived.

Not to mention going out for sightseeing on purpose.

Most of the time, he has important business to attend to when he goes out, so he's never really relaxed.

If the opportunity arises, he wouldn't mind going out for some fun.

Let's chat for a bit.

Chen Yi dropped the empty fishing rod and prepared to go back to his room to rest.

Just then, Wang Lixing came out from outside the garden, bowed and said, "Second son-in-law, someone outside the gate requests an audience."

Chen Yi was slightly taken aback and asked curiously, "Who is it?"

"The two officials, Chen Yunfan, the Provincial Administration Commissioner, and Li Huaigu, the Councilor, said they have important matters to discuss with you."

"...The two of them?"

If it were just Li Huaigu, Chen Yi might have believed him.

But with Chen Yunfan involved, he no longer believed that the two of them could have any "important business".

"Please let them in."

As Chen Yi spoke, he instructed Xiao Die to take Xiao Wuge back to his room for a nap while he boiled water to make tea.

Not long after.

Chen Yunfan and Li Huaigu, both dressed casually, arrived together.

Upon seeing Chen Yi's figure from afar, Chen Yunfan bowed respectfully with a smile on his face.

"This junior student, Chen Yunfan, has met Mr. Qingzhou."

Li Huaigu paused, hesitating whether to follow suit and bow, when he heard Chen Yi, standing outside the pavilion, laugh and scold:

"Brother, you didn't come here on purpose to embarrass me, did you?"

Chen Yunfan winked twice, then got up and pulled the stunned Li Huaigu over.

“In the past two days, your name has spread throughout Shu Prefecture, which makes me ashamed.”

"I can't compare to my brother's title of top scholar."

"Not at all, not at all. My position as the top scholar was mostly due to luck. I'm barely the best this year..."

Seeing how familiar the two brothers were, Li Huaigu immediately understood that Chen Yunfan had been joking earlier.

He couldn't help but relax as well, "If Brother Yunfan is just lucky to be first, then my third place is not a fair one."

Chen Yunfan glanced at him sideways, feigning surprise, and said, "So, Brother Huaigu thought he was truly talented?"

"……no."

Seeing that the honest Li Huaigu was speechless after being choked by a single sentence, Chen Yi shook his head: "Brother is always joking."

With that, he invited the two of them to sit down.

While drinking tea, he inquired about the purpose of their visit.

"Is the Provincial Administration Office so free today that you're all allowed to go out together?"

Chen Yunfan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said with a sneer, "Those two old guys certainly weren't that kind of person."

"and you……"

"They sneaked out."

Chen Yi chuckled to himself, thinking that this was indeed something Chen Yunfan would do.

Then he looked at Li Huaigu, "Brother Huaigu?"

Li Huaigu shook his head. "I just returned to Shuzhou last night. This morning I went to the office to report the situation to Lord Yang and was granted leave to rest."

He disagreed with Chen Yunfan's indifferent attitude towards the Provincial Administration Commission.

However, since the two worked in the same government office and would see each other frequently, it was best not to say too much.

Chen Yi, however, spoke frankly, "Brother should learn from Brother Huaigu."

Chen Yunfan glanced at Li Huaigu and said, "It's too tiring to learn from him, I can't."

"Brother Yunfan, you..."

"Am I wrong? You took on such a hot potato as the summer grain tax in the three towns, weren't you exhausted both physically and mentally?"

Li Huaigu was unable to refute, "There are indeed some."

Then his gaze fell on Chen Yi, and he said with a hint of gratitude, "But thanks to Brother Qingzhou's guidance, I escaped a disaster."

Chen Yunfan was taken aback, and looked at Chen Yi as well, asking, "Did you teach him to dawdle for more than ten days and not arrive at Tiebi Town?"

Chen Yi was about to nod when he suddenly realized, "It's been more than ten days since we reached Tiebi Town?"

This speed was indeed beyond his expectations.

You should know that he led a group of evil spirits to Iron Wall Town that night, and it only took him two hours to get there by fast horse.

It took Li Huaigu more than ten days to cover such a short distance...

Tsk tsk, this guy is a bit too straightforward.

Li Huaigu, meeting the strange looks of the two men, smiled wryly and said, "Lord Liu sends a letter every three days."

"First they said one-tenth of the tax would be levied, then two-tenths, then they said one-tenth would be left over, until recently they sent a letter saying it would be exempted."

"This is really making me dizzy, so I might as well slow down my pace..."

Before Chen Yi could say anything, Chen Yunfan, standing beside him, was already cursing, "They're obviously bullying an honest person."

"Liu Hong is shameless; he changes his orders faster than anyone else."

"Brother Yunfan, be careful what you say."

"What are you afraid of? There are no outsiders here."

Chen Yunfan looked at Chen Yi, "Right, Yi-di?"

Chen Yi said with a half-smile, "If you are dissatisfied with the Provincial Administration Commission, you might as well lose your official seal."

"I actually have that idea..."

After a few words of laughter and conversation, Chen Yunfan couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

He had assumed that Li Huaigu's procrastination was due to Yue Ming's advice, but he never expected it to be Chen Yi's idea.

But that was more than half a month ago.

"Tsk, Yi-di is still Yi-di after all."

"Even without leaving home, one can deduce from some clues that the Liu family will back down."

"However, he clearly didn't expect that all my previous warnings were just empty words..."

An hour passed quickly.

Although the three of them mostly chatted about trivial matters, the atmosphere was actually more harmonious.

It was getting late.

Chen Yunfan and Li Huaigu then explained their purpose.

Chen Yunfan placed a visiting card on the table and said in a serious tone, "The Mid-Autumn Festival is a day for family reunion."

"I am pitifully alone in Shu Prefecture, with no relatives or friends to turn to. Only my brother Yi can be considered family, so..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yi guessed what he was going to say and interrupted him impatiently, "Don't bother."

"How can I, a son-in-law living with his wife's family, have any say in the matter?"

Chen Yunfan chuckled, "You don't need to make the decision. Wherever you go, I'll go with you."

"Oh right, if General Jinghong were here too, Cui Qingwu could keep her company."

Chen Yi thought to himself, "I knew it would be like this." Just as he was about to refuse, he saw Li Huaigu also take out an invitation and say with an awkward smile:

"My teacher asked me to send you an invitation to the Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering at Guiyun Academy."

"...I already refused the dean the day before yesterday."

"Refuse to do what?"

Chen Yunfan took the invitation without asking, opened it, glanced at it, and immediately became interested:

"Brother Huaigu, there must be quite a few people here for this poetry gathering, right?"

Li Huaigu nodded. "The teacher said that some people who happen to be visiting the academy will also participate."

"Such as Mr. Zhang Ping of Yuelu Academy and Mr. Ziqian of Jinling Academy."

To everyone's surprise, Chen Yunfan shook his head and said, "I was talking about the courtesan."

"This...I don't know."

"A poetry gathering will inevitably involve a courtesan performing songs and dances."

"Brother Yi, would you do me the honor?"

Chen Yi glared at him irritably, "I'm not going."

A look of disappointment crossed Chen Yunfan's face. He smacked his lips and muttered, "Wherever you go, I'll go."

The same applies to the reverse.

He had made up his mind to bring Cui Qingwu along to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with Chen Yi.

Li Huaigu glanced at the two of them, hesitated, and said, "Brother Qingzhou, if you have time, you can go and see it. This poetry gathering is indeed unprecedented in its scale."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yunfan paused, disregarding his disappointment, and then looked at Chen Yi with a serious expression, saying, "Go!"

Seeing that Chen Yi remained unmoved, his expression hardened. "I'll be going to pay my respects to the old Marquis later."

Seeing how eager the two were, Chen Yi could only say, "I will go to the academy tomorrow to ask Mr. Yue Ming before making a decision."

This elder brother is not only unlike a top scholar, but also unlike a human being.

This is completely inconsistent with his status as the eldest son of the Chen family in Jiangnan Prefecture and a scholar.

Chen Yunfan didn't care what he thought. Seeing that he had agreed, he immediately smiled and said, "I'll show you my poetic talent later."

"you?"

"Poetic talent?"

"After ten years of diligent study, I can compose a poem or verse to suit the occasion, not only effortlessly but also fluently."

"..."

After some casual conversation, Chen Yi finally saw the two off at the mansion.

He only managed a wry smile after they had walked away.

Now, he can't avoid going out and joining in the fun during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

It's just a matter of whether Xiao Jinghong can return before then.

...

Wushan Border Market.

Xiao Jinghong returned discreetly, quietly switching identities with Su Zhenyue without alerting the busy mountain tribesmen and laborers in the market.

Although news of the attack on the summer grain harvest in the three towns spread throughout Shu Prefecture, no one in the remote Wushan border market knew about it.

Xiao Jinghong would not speak carelessly.

After changing into a white dress, she looked around and asked, "Where is Pei Guanli?"

Su Zhenyue looked embarrassed and said helplessly, "She went back to the mountain tribe with her brother."

Xiao Jinghong frowned slightly, but did not blame her. He said calmly:

"The more she tried to hide, the more it showed that the identity of the person who sent me the message was questionable."

"'Knife Maniac' Liu Lang is indeed loyal and righteous, and he will repay the kindness of not killing me, but it is impossible for him to have any connection with the mountain tribe."

Su Zhenyue nodded upon hearing this, then hesitated and asked, "How about I go to the mountain tribe and bring her back?"

"It's no use you going, Grandma Mountain won't listen to you, I'll go instead."

"You're going in person? But the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, aren't you going back home?"

Xiao Jinghong pursed his lips slightly beneath the half-mask and said:

"The attack on the summer grain harvest in the three towns has made me realize that my grandfather does not want me to stay in the mansion."

"What...why is this happening? How could the old Marquis..."

"It's better to be safe than sorry."

Xiao Jinghong didn't say anything more, but instead whispered, "After I go to the mountain tribe, write a letter to my husband for me."

"Have him frame those poems and hang them in my room as soon as possible."

Su Zhenyue opened her mouth, then hesitated and said, "Miss, my handwriting is different from yours. I'm afraid it wouldn't be appropriate for the young master to see it."

He will understand.

As Xiao Jinghong spoke, his watery eyes looked towards the city of Shu Prefecture, as if a scholar's figure appeared in his mind's eye.

In a daze.

The figure approached, smiling, and asked, "Madam, when will you return?"

My dear husband, please forgive me.

Once everything is settled, Jinghong will naturally return...

A good wife and mother?

Xiao Jinghong was startled, came to her senses, and quickly lowered her head to sit down at the table. She picked up a notebook and, while looking at it, asked:

"Tell me about the progress of the border trade in the past few days."

Su Zhenyue looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and replied, "The continuous rain has affected the progress somewhat..."

Should she remind the young lady that she's holding the notebook upside down?

(End of this chapter)