Chapter 52 My brother-in-law loves me the most.

Who else could that figure leaning against the porch be but Pei Guanli?

Hearing the voice, her previously listless face immediately broke into a smile, and she quickly skipped over, the bell around her neck swaying.

Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling.

"Brother-in-law, it's past noon, why are you so late?"

Perhaps she was getting impatient, because Pei Guanli even started speaking in her mountain tribe's local dialect.

Chen Yi understood, and gestured to Xiao Die, Wang Lixing and the others to take Xiao Wuge into Chunhe Garden first.

Xiao Wuge looked at Pei Guanli's clothes with curiosity, but then he saw her making a funny face and couldn't help but laugh and say, "Brother-in-law, she calls you brother-in-law too."

Chen Yi patted his shoulder, "Your second sister recognizes her god-sister."

"Oh, no wonder I haven't seen her at the manor."

After Xiao Wuge followed Xiao Die into Chunhe Garden, Wang Lixing, Yan Hong, and the others went to the central courtyard to report back to their second uncle, Xiao Xuanshuo.

Chen Yi glanced around and asked, "Did Madam send you out?"

Pei Guanli nodded vigorously and said with a grin, "I've been pestering Sister Jinghong for days, and today she finally agreed to let me out. She even said that I can represent the mountain tribe at the old master's birthday banquet tomorrow."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow inwardly, recalling what the girl had said about the mountain tribe wanting to establish a trade market with the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion, and then he understood.

After thinking for a moment, he said in a low voice, "Then you should be careful. You showed your face in the manor before, so be careful not to be recognized."

It's good that the maids and servants recognize her, but the real fear is that Liu Si'er will suspect her.

After all, the previous secret letter contained the words, "You have been exposed. Find out who killed him."

Given the mystery surrounding that "hidden guard" and its infiltration of the Xiao family, if Liu Si'er were to find out that Pei Guanli had been to his room, there's no guarantee he wouldn't take action.

Pei Guanli, however, disagreed and patted her chest, saying, "Tomorrow I'll put on some nicer makeup, and I guarantee no one will recognize me."

Seeing her confidence, Chen Yi nodded and said, "I hope so."

Before he could speak again, Pei Guanli exclaimed "Oh!" and grabbed his arm, running towards the Spring Lotus Garden, saying:

"Brother-in-law, don't worry, nothing will happen."

"So what are you doing?"

"I have something even more urgent. Tomorrow is the old master's birthday, and I... I haven't prepared a gift."

"..."

Chen Yi couldn't help but flick her forehead, "You're planning to eat and drink for free without any gifts, huh? I'm afraid the Xiao family won't entertain you."

Pei Guanli covered her head and looked at him pitifully: "Brother-in-law, aren't you good at writing? You can also compose poems, please help me."

"Do you think poetry is like cabbage? You think it comes out of nowhere? Besides, at this point, there's not even enough time to frame calligraphy and paintings."

"Brother-in-law, help me..."

Chen Yi glanced at her, then asked unmoved, "Does Madam know?"

Pei Guanli's pitiful look vanished instantly, and she stuck out her tongue. "To be honest, brother-in-law, it was Sister Jinghong who asked me to find you."

Chen Yi looked toward the wooden building where Xiao Jinghong was, but it didn't seem to be occupied, and he didn't know where she had gone.

Pei Guanli saw through his thoughts, jumped over to block his view, and said with a grin, "Don't look at brother-in-law, Sister Jinghong has gone out."

"They said they were going to the Provincial Administration Commission, and they mentioned some kind of memorial or report."

Chen Yi nodded helplessly and said, "Then don't just stand there. I'll write you a piece of calligraphy. Take it to a framing shop. I hope it's still in time today."

Pei Guanli immediately smiled and clung to his arm, shaking it back and forth, "I knew my brother-in-law loved me the most."

pain?

I can't wait for you to go back to the mountains.

Chen Yi rolled his eyes and led her to the study. After spreading out the Yun Song paper, he had her grind the ink beside him.

"Brother-in-law, what do you want to write?"

May your happiness be as boundless as the Eastern Sea and your longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountain.

"Oh, that sounds impressive... Where is Nanshan? Is it Wumeng Mountain?"

"It's not impossible."

Chen Yi replied casually, and when the ink turned bright, he wrote eight large characters in one stroke.

However, this time he did not use his qi to draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but won purely through his calligraphy skills.

Furthermore, to distinguish it from the poem "Celebrating Marquis Xiao" he wrote, he deliberately used the Wei Qing style of calligraphy.

Even so, it is still a masterpiece.

At least that's how it is in the eyes of knowledgeable calligraphy masters.

After he finished writing, Pei Guanli picked it up, blew on it to dry, looked at it from left to right, and nodded as if she didn't understand:

"As expected of my brother-in-law, his handwriting is so beautiful."

Chen Yi glanced at her and decided to assume she was an expert, since her words were at least somewhat comforting to hear.

After thinking for a moment, he called Xiaodie over.

Let her take Pei Guanli to the framing shop, so that this brat won't waste time running around aimlessly in an unfamiliar place.

Pei Guanli thanked her sweetly and followed Xiao Die in the mansion's carriage, leaving the Xiao residence together.

What she didn't know was that the coachman was the same one who had led her to Liu Si'er's room.

Chunhe Garden is deserted.

Chen Yi was happy to have some peace and quiet and was planning to study the opportunity he had just obtained and take some time to improve "Martial Arts Body" to the Great Perfection level.

Little did he know that Xiao Jinghong's absence would leave him with no free time.

Not long after Xiaodie and Pei Guanli left, Shen Huatang from the neighboring courtyard came looking for them.

Chen Yi tidied up his desk, glanced at her, and casually asked, "Looking for the young marquis? He's resting upstairs; he went out to play at noon and got tired."

To everyone's surprise, Shen Huatang shook her head. "Second son-in-law, I'm looking for you."

"oh?"

"With the Second Miss away, there are quite a few guests in the manor, and the Eldest Miss can't handle them all by herself, so we would like to ask you to come and help out."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi thought for a moment, then got up and followed her toward Jiaxing Garden without refusing.

"What kind of guests are they?"

"Most of them are distant relatives of the Xiao family, but some of the masters, young masters, and young ladies are inconvenient to visit."

"I understand."

Chen Yi nodded in realization; Xiao Wan'er's gentle nature was indeed not good at dealing with other rough men.

Shen Huatang glanced at him sideways and saw that he looked calm and indifferent, which made her feel somewhat uncertain.

This second son-in-law is usually lazy and unambitious; it's hard to say whether he can handle those guests.

In reality, she was clearly overthinking it.

After arriving at Jiaxing Garden, Chen Yi first greeted Xiao Wan'er in the side room, asked her to show him around and introduce him, and then sent her away.

Then, in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, all of Xiao's distant relatives, young and old, were chatting and laughing with him.

It sounds simple, but it's actually not difficult at all.

It's nothing more than welcoming and seeing off guests, social etiquette, plus a little bit of reading between the lines and being neither servile nor arrogant.

Even when a few so-called young masters spoke rudely, bringing up his elopement and abduction of women, Chen Yi simply laughed it off and even joked to himself:

"My mind is muddled; I'm probably not as upright as Brother Feng."

"That is..."

It's all about flattery.

Regardless of whether they are killed or not, at least on the surface, everyone is getting along quite well.

Then Chen Yi gracefully withdrew, only needing to start conversations to warm up the atmosphere when things got awkward or quiet, and that's how he managed to get through the afternoon.

In contrast to his relaxed and carefree attitude.

Xiao Wan'er was somewhat troubled. None of the women who came, regardless of age, were easy to deal with.

The aunts, uncles, and other female relatives were mostly talking about her marriage, saying that she was so beautiful but too old to get married.

Those cousins ​​wouldn't dare to say it openly, but their tone was sarcastic and mocking.

"Sister Wan'er, you are so beautiful, you must have many young men who admire you, right?"

"Sister Wan'er, before I came here yesterday, a young master wrote me a love poem. Let me read it to you..."

Love poems?

Xiao Wan'er's dazed mind instantly cleared, and she looked at her younger sister who had spoken, saying:

"Let's skip it."

"It's really well written; I almost fell in love with it."

Xiao Wan'er ignored her and turned to her mother, saying gently, "Aunt, don't worry about my marriage. Let's find a good family for my sister first."

Whether the love poem was good or not, she knew the answer without even listening to it.

After all, someone else set a high bar before us...

Thinking about it, Xiao Wan'er looked out the window into the courtyard and immediately spotted Chen Yi, who was chatting and laughing with someone in the crowd.

What are they talking about? Why are they laughing so happily?

"Wan'er, Wan'er?"

Xiao Wan'er snapped out of her daze, a blush rising to her pale face. She stood up, curtsied, and said:

"Please sit down, elders and sisters, I'll go get some food."

After saying that, she walked out of the wooden building, and while heading to the kitchen with Shen Huatang, she glared at Chen Yi.

She happened to meet Chen Yi's gentle gaze, which made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Xiao Wan'er quickly lowered her head and hurriedly left Jiaxing Garden.

Chen Yi glanced at their backs and felt utterly bewildered.

"Is this her period, coming as usual every month?"

(End of this chapter)