Chapter 263 A Thorough Cleansing (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Although Chen Yi did not want to appear in Shuzhou as "Chen Yu" in the short term, he did not have suitable subordinates.

Wang Ji and Zhang Dabao are both capable of following orders, but not of being of high caliber.

Liu Lang is capable of accomplishing great things, but his ability to adapt to changing circumstances is too poor. When he encounters people like the Jizhou Merchant Guild, it's difficult for him not to expose his true colors.

Chen Yi has yet to discover any of the remaining Tianshan Sect disciples who possess both excellent character and ability.

Therefore, he had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.

"I wonder how the old master and the others will react to Chen Yu's appearance."

Of course, Chen Yi wasn't too worried about the Xiao family coming after him.

He needed to be wary of the people in Yunqing Tower across from Baicaotang—Cui Qingwu and Chen Yunfan.

Those two had previously noticed that "Liu Wu" was in the West Market, so it's hard to say they wouldn't have guessed it was "Chen Yu".

"Now that things have come to this, we can only take it one step at a time."

Chen Yi was lost in thought, but remained outwardly calm as he instructed Xiao Die, "Let's eat breakfast."

"Oh, son-in-law, the kitchen just happened to make your favorite steamed pork with rice flour today. I'll go and get it right away."

Chen Yi smiled and nodded, watching Xiao Die run away, his gaze then drifting towards the courtyard.

The dark clouds blocked out the sunlight, making the courtyard appear slightly dim.

The wet bluestone slabs were clean and smooth, with raindrops pattering softly on them.

A pavilion stands in the distance by the pond, shrouded in a thin mist created by the collision of raindrops and pond water.

It's a little blurry.

It is like a painting of "Jiangnan in the misty rain".

"The evening rain sprinkles across the river and sky, washing away the autumn chill..."

"Although the pond water is not river water, it is still suitable."

Chen Yi muttered to himself, the phrase "A golden carp is no ordinary fish" inevitably coming to mind.

This seems to reflect the current situation of the Xiao family.

"Heh, I have no choice but to agree..."

Just then, Xiaodie came in carrying a bowl and chopsticks, inviting him to eat while smiling and asking:

"Son-in-law, what do you mean by 'yes' or 'no'?"

Chen Yi composed himself, sat down at the dining table, shook his head without answering, and instead asked:

"The Double Ninth Festival is approaching. Is there any plan for the household?"

The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival.

Every year on this day, grand events are held in Jiangnan Prefecture, such as Buddhist ceremonies, poetry gatherings of talented scholars, or brothel courtesans.

In this Shu Prefecture, he had no idea what else might be there.

Xiaodie smiled and gestured with her hands, saying, "There are so many... fun things."

"However, things are pretty much the same every year in the prefectural city, like poetry gatherings and temple fairs."

"But many mountain people have all sorts of fun activities, the most interesting of which are horse racing and worshipping the road god."

"The God of Roads?"

Chen Yi looked enlightened. "Those people from the caravan, right?"

The mule caravan was similar to the canal caravan.

The only difference between the two is that the former traveled along the Tea Horse Road from the Great Wei to the Buddhist kingdoms of the Western Regions, while the latter traveled by water, sailing along mountains, rivers, and lakes.

The God of the Road was the god worshipped by caravan traders.

Seeing that he knew, Xiaodie nodded repeatedly and said, "Every year, people ride dappled horses through the streets and alleys, followed by many colorful paper floats. It's so beautiful."

"I remember the year before last, the young lady asked Sister Huatang to take us on a trip, and I ate a lot of Chongyang cakes..."

As Chen Yi ate his breakfast, he listened to her story, and his expression relaxed.

He didn't actually want to attend the poetry gathering or celebrate the festival; he just wanted to inquire about the arrangements within the household to avoid any scheduling conflicts.

After all, what he was about to do required meticulous attention, and with limited time available, it was best to proceed with caution.

A short while later, breakfast was finished.

Chen Yi took a painting from the study, gave Xiao Die a few instructions, and then went straight to Jiaxing Garden.

At this moment, Xiao Wan'er had just finished eating and was drinking her medicinal soup.

Seeing Chen Yi approach, she stood up to greet him with a gentle smile, saying, "I was just about to send Hua Tang to find you."

Chen Yi looked at her with slight surprise, "You got a reply from Tonglin Town so quickly?"

Xiao Wan'er nodded, her pale face full of smiles.

"Kang Bo just sent word that after the people from the prefectural city arrived yesterday, they completed the survey of the academy area that same day and made modifications and adjustments to the blueprints."

"These are the new blueprints, take a look."

Chen Yi placed the scroll on the table, quickly glanced at the drawing, and shook his head with a smile:

"Professional matters should be handled by professionals."

"After this adjustment, the layout of the entire academy is more reasonable, especially the newly added observation platform."

Chen Yi himself is blessed with the essence of medical philosophy, and he has mastered the principles of medicine. He can determine the seasons and star positions without the need for external aids.

The art of observing qi (vital energy) was developed into a medical skill based on this.

However, students who are just beginning to learn about medicine, or even those whose medical skills are not yet proficient, need to supplement their basic knowledge when learning "Five Qi and Six Movements" for the first time.

The observation platform was an essential building to help them survey the solar terms and celestial positions.

Xiao Wan'er nodded and said, "After I reply to the letter, construction will begin over there."

"With Uncle Kang overseeing things, I believe it should be completed before spring."

Chen Yi smiled and said, "The preparation time is a bit longer, but the actual construction progress is much faster than that of the border market."

Wushan Border Market was, after all, a market far from any village or shop, and it carried a variety of valuable goods, so it needed to be sturdy.

After the shops and warehouses are built, a city wall may also be constructed for protection and management.

But the Medical Academy is different.

Apart from some houses with specific purposes, such as observation decks, libraries, and medicine storage facilities.

The remaining houses only need to provide shelter from the wind and rain.

Xiao Wan'er put away the drawings, and seeing the scroll on the table, she couldn't help but ask, "What's this?"

Chen Yi smiled and said, "I've lived up to your expectations. I've finished the painting I promised you."

"real?"

Xiao Wan'er's heart skipped a beat. She quickly handed the drawing to Shen Huatang and carefully unfolded the painting.

Then six figures appeared on the paper.

Xiao Fengchun, who exudes authority without anger, and Fu Wanqing, with her graceful demeanor, sat upright in their chairs, with Xiao Wuge, who was grinning broadly, squatting beside them.

Behind them stood the dashing Xiao Jinghong, the gentle and delicate Xiao Wan'er, and Chen Yi standing between the two women.

Just like he painted last night, he was dressed in a black brocade robe and had a very imposing appearance.

As Xiao Wan'er looked at the portrait in her hand, her eyes reflected Xiao Fengchun and Fu Wanqing, and a layer of misty fog appeared in her eyes.

"Father, Father, Mother..."

Chen Yi looked at Xiao Wan'er, who was on the verge of tears, and sighed inwardly, but did not reveal the alternative use of Xiao Cheng's painting technique.

To prevent her from developing a mental illness from worrying.

Unfortunately, he couldn't reveal that Fu Wanqing was in the heart of the barbarian territory right now, otherwise it would have made Xiao Wan'er happy.

Shen Huatang and Xie Tingyun, who were standing nearby, glanced at the portrait and sensed a trace of spiritual energy from it.

While secretly admiring them, they dared not say anything more.

After a long while.

Xiao Wan'er finally came to her senses and turned to wipe the corner of her eye.

"You...brother-in-law, please forgive me. You...you drew so well that it reminded me of my father and mother."

Chen Yi hummed in agreement and smiled reassuringly, "It's good that you didn't blame me for taking the liberty of drawing myself in."

Xiao Wan'er then noticed Chen Yi in the painting. After a brief look, a blush inexplicably appeared on her face.

“You…you are Jinghong’s husband, and of course you are also my…our family.”

But why are the bad guy's own hands outstretched in his drawing?

It looked like he was embracing the two sisters.

Chen Yi was aware of those minor "flaws" and said dismissively, "As long as Big Sister is satisfied."

"I also painted an extra one for the lady, and I will send someone to deliver it to her in a few days."

Xiao Wan'er carefully put away the portrait while nodding: "Judging by the time, Second Sister's reply should be on its way."

"After you and I have read the contents of the letter, we will write a reply to her and send it over together."

After Xiao Wan'er calmed down, Chen Yi explained his purpose.

"I heard from Wang Ji yesterday that Boss Chen Yu is coming back today. I'll go check on him later."

"If all goes well, Guangyuan County should be the first stop for Baicaotang's expansion."

Xiao Wan'er thought for a moment and said, "You can decide."

She then explained apologetically, "Right now I'm stretched thin, my mind is all on the medical academy."

"If you don't mind, please help me visit Baicaotang more often."

That was exactly what I wanted.

Chen Yi naturally wouldn't refuse, "The cooperation between Baicaotang and several other pharmacies has already been established, so there's not much to do."

"Of course, this matter ultimately concerns the family's finances. I'll ask Mr. Chen Yu about his plans after I meet him, and then I'll tell you."

Xiao Wan'er gazed at him with gentle eyes and nodded lightly: "Thank you."

"No need for thanks..."

Xie Tingyun looked at the two of them, his face full of "I knew it would be like this".

In her eyes, the way the two of them were acting at that moment should be described as "being deeply in love".

So she glanced at it a few more times and couldn't help but nudge Shen Huatang next to her with her elbow.

Junior sister, wasn't I right? The relationship between these two... is unusual.

Shen Huatang glanced at her sideways and said silently, "Don't talk nonsense."

But...

Thinking back to what she had seen and heard in Tonglin Town that day, Shen Huatang felt that what she said was true.

The eldest daughter and the second son-in-law are really... out of control!

After exchanging a few jokes, Chen Yi got up and left.

Xiao Wan'er saw him off at Jiaxing Garden, handed him an oil-paper umbrella, and then gave him some instructions:

"Please give my regards to Mr. Chen Yu when you see him."

Chen Yi nodded in agreement and then left the Xiao residence with his umbrella.

This time, without Cui Qingwu interjecting, he naturally didn't want Liu Si'er and the others to follow him.

Alone, I blended into the crowd in the rain, trying my best not to attract attention.

Just as he rounded Chuanxi Street, Chen Yi glanced at the passersby around him and couldn't help but frown slightly.

I don't know if it was just his imagination.

He felt that there were many more江湖客 (jianghu people, people of the martial arts world) on the street today than usual.

Moreover, judging from their accents, it wasn't hard to tell that they all came from outside Shu Prefecture.

Chen Yi glanced around, then slightly released the Xuanwu Concealing Breath Technique, revealing his eighth-grade cultivation level.

He focused his true energy into his ears and listened carefully to the movements of these people.

"I never imagined that Shuzhou, so far from the Central Plains, would be so prosperous."

"After all, it is a prefecture city. Even though it is located on the frontier, the imperial court and those powerful figures can still reach it."

"Moreover, there are many prominent families here, who will naturally benefit the local people by building bridges and roads, and developing people's livelihoods, etc."

“That makes sense… I remember the longest-standing family in Shu Prefecture is the Xiao family, the Marquis of Dingyuan, right?”

"It's them."

"But that was before. Since the death of the former patriarch, Marquis Dingyuan Xiao Fengchun, on the battlefield, the Xiao family is now old and young, and has already begun to decline."

Chen Yi glanced at the group of martial arts practitioners who clearly spoke with a Jiangnan accent, then turned his head to look elsewhere.

"...Master Bai appeared in Xiangyang City, north of Jingzhou, the day before yesterday, and he performed divination for people."

"Who is so unlucky?"

"It is said to be a heretical and evil person whose name is unknown, but the prophecy he made has been passed down."

"Tell me about it?"

"A person with a prosperous destiny will either be rich or noble."

"Hiss! Isn't that person going to die a horrible death?"

"Who says otherwise? Let's see what happens to that person in a few days. We should be careful too."

"Yes, Master Bai inadvertently mentioned that he was coming to Shu Prefecture. We're just here to watch the show, we can't risk our lives here..."

After listening to the casual conversations of several people, Chen Yi finally found out why these wandering swordsmen had come to Shuzhou.

—It was all because of the White Immortal of the Wind and Rain Pavilion!

Upon learning this result, Chen Yi was both amused and exasperated.

He didn't think much of it when he learned of this news from Pei Gan yesterday, but now it seems that the influence of Bai Daxian, the number one martial artist who has dominated the martial arts world for decades, far exceeds his imagination.

"I wonder what his purpose is in coming to Shu Prefecture."

"It couldn't possibly be to deal with the Xiao family, could it?"

The moment the thought crossed Chen Yi's mind, he quickly shook his head to dispel it.

The Liu family of Jingzhou, the White Tiger Guard, and the merchants of Jizhou alone are enough to give him a headache.

If another White Immortal comes along, he'll really quit.

With that in mind, Chen Yi went straight to the house behind the tailor shop in the West Market.

Zhang Dabao had been waiting there for a long time.

Chen Yi didn't linger. He sat down and asked the man to disguise him.

While Zhang Dabao was busy working on him, he reported, "The shopkeeper came over early this morning."

"What's the matter?"

"He told me to tell you that there have been suspicious people loitering outside that house in the East Market recently."

"That house?"

Chen Yi frowned slightly. The house in the East Market was the place where he tricked Xiao Dongchen into signing the contract.

Since then, he has never been there again, and he even specifically instructed Wang Ji to send the seller away from Shu Prefecture and to have someone keep an eye on him.

I never expected that after so much time, someone would actually find that place.

He pondered for a moment.

Chen Yi looked thoughtful. "It's nothing more than those two."

Firstly, the White Tiger Guard—Xiao Dongchen was, after all, their Silver Flag Officer, so it was reasonable for him to leave some clues.

Secondly, the Liu family.

Or rather, Liu Hong.

"In comparison, the latter is more likely."

"After all, after Liu Wen died, his affairs were thoroughly investigated by those with ulterior motives."

"The 300,000 taels of silver that ultimately ended up in the hands of the Xiao family is a clear clue."

Thinking of this, Chen Yi instructed, "A few days ago, didn't you contact some beggars? Just have them keep an eye on things over there."

Just as Zhang Dabao was about to agree, he suddenly remembered something and said awkwardly:

"My lord, I'm afraid those people won't dare to help me."

"Oh, why is that?"

"You've forgotten, that day they followed those two bandits from Vaishsa Kingdom to Black Fish Alley, and afterwards... many people died."

Zhang Dabao said with a wry smile, "Afterwards, the shopkeeper gave them a lot of money to shut them up."

Chen Yi chuckled, "In that case, let's have someone else go and guard it."

Aside from Liu Lang, only the guards from the Tianshan Sect currently possess this level of strength.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Yi continued to instruct, "Later, go to Baicaotang and summon Wang Ji, Liu Lang, and a few Tianshan Sect disciples. Tell them... I want to see them."

"Who are you...?"

"Chen Yu!"

Chen Yi pointed to his face—handsome and calm—and said, "This is fine."

Zhang Dabao realized what was happening, quickly put down the other mask, and replied while tidying up:

"Please wait a moment, sir, I'll be right there."

The monthly pass lottery is on its last day, so please vote as many times as you can! Thank you!

grateful

(End of this chapter)