Chapter 129: Warmth on the Body
Even though it was July in Linxia, the afternoon was still quite cool despite the torrential rain.
Thick clouds obscured the sunlight, and amidst flashes of lightning and thunder, gusts of wind blew from all directions.
This resulted in a scattered carpet of fallen leaves in the Chunhe Garden.
Some are bamboo leaves, some are willow leaves, and there are clusters of newly blooming petals on the flowerbeds.
In this kind of weather, Chen Yi naturally couldn't stay in the drafty pavilion to drink tea.
So he set up a chessboard with Xiao Wuge in the study.
One person teaches, and the other learns.
The black and white pieces on the chessboard were spread out and then put away again; not a single game was ever completed.
Although Xiao Wuge is a beginner and making good progress, he has mastered too few chess patterns and is not yet able to handle a game of chess.
Chen Yi wasn't in a hurry about this.
Since learning Go, he has spent more time on the game than on calligraphy, only less on martial arts and medicine.
Although the mastery of martial arts and medicine is a factor, the fundamental reason lies in the usefulness of chess.
Originally, Chen Yi did not believe in the ancient sayings of "taking all living beings as chess pieces", "taking heaven and earth as chess pieces", and "judging people by chess pieces".
Judging from his mastery of the profound mysteries of chess and his numerous strategic deductions, he should be able to reach the level described in those words.
It depends only on the position of the player making the move, or the goal they want to achieve.
For example, at this moment, the chessboard in Chen Yi's mind is the land of Shu, where he is deducing the situation and future changes of the Xiao family.
In the process of making moves, it can generally be summarized in two words: "breaking the deadlock".
If the Xiao family's situation improves in the future, the game will change and evolve into a different game altogether.
As Chen Yi pondered these things, he simply smiled gently and occasionally offered a few words of guidance.
After listening, Xiao Wuge would usually stop and think for a moment.
Then, following his method and adding my own understanding, I placed a few more pieces.
Some of the understandings are biased, while others can be described as drawing inferences from one instance to another, demonstrating a thorough understanding.
Regardless of whether the misunderstanding was correct or not, Chen Yi would offer a few words of praise, and then point out the problems or the merits.
He knew very well that the most valuable quality in a child was the ability to think independently.
Any interference from outsiders is an attempt to destroy this precious quality.
Therefore, all he needs to do is be a guide, a practitioner of the principle that "the master leads you through the door, but the practice is up to you."
At this moment, Xiao Wuge had just learned a set pattern. After his initial joy, he began to ask about other things.
"Brother-in-law, do you think my sister's illness can be cured?"
Chen Yi calmly gathered the chess pieces back into the chess box and replied, "Maybe."
He didn't rule out any possibility of definitive conclusions.
Now his medical skills have reached a high level, and his understanding of medical principles, techniques, and even the properties of medicines surpasses that of nine out of ten physicians in the Great Wei Dynasty.
Even so, he still couldn't cure Xiao Wan'er's extreme cold ailment.
They could only wait until their skill level improved further before trying again.
Xiao Wuge responded with an "oh," feeling somewhat disappointed.
"This is the first time I've seen my older sister so excited. If only that Dr. Ma's medical skills were a little better."
Chen Yi smiled and said, "Yes."
"Just like playing chess, as long as you immerse yourself in it, your chess skills will gradually improve."
"However, everyone's talent is different, the speed of improvement varies, and the upper limit of progress also varies."
Xiao Wuge thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Brother-in-law is right."
Then he asked, "How talented am I in the art of Go?"
Looking at the seriousness on his face, Chen Yi said dismissively, "So-so."
"ah?"
"What do you mean, 'ah'? Show me the 'Pine and Snow Chess Game'."
"oh……"
Kids, they want recognition for even small achievements.
At this point, you need to decide based on the situation. You can't just praise him all the time; appropriate criticism can help him learn more steadily.
When the two played chess, Xiaodie would sit quietly beside them.
For her, Go was something only scholars knew, something elegant, and not something that belonged to her world.
Therefore, when she sees the number of black and white pieces gradually increasing on the chessboard, her eyes will unconsciously close.
Its head nodded a few times, then stopped moving, leaving only the sound of its steady breathing.
The afternoon passed peacefully like this.
Just before nightfall, a series of tinkling sounds rang out outside Chunhe Garden.
Knowing that Pei Guanli and the others had returned, Chen Yi patted Xiao Die, signaling her to prepare dinner.
Xiaodie looked up at him blankly, then at the sky outside, and suddenly jumped up and ran outside.
"Please forgive me, sir. Xiaodie didn't fall asleep on purpose."
Chen Yi shook his head with a smile. Whether it was intentional or not, she at least got a good night's sleep.
Then he and Xiao Wuge tidied up the chessboard.
A moment later, Pei Guanli's head appeared outside the study door, a smile on her round face.
"Brother-in-law, I'm back."
"I heard your bell ringing a long time ago. Come in and have a seat."
Then you see Pei Guanli stepping on her wet, smooth feet, leaving two footprints.
"Look, I bought a lot of things today."
Pei Guanli sat down to the side and held up the few small bags she was carrying, shaking them.
"There's also a gift for my brother-in-law."
"Guess which one it is?"
Chen Yi glanced at it and casually pointed to a bag, "This one."
He can't see through things, so how could he tell which one was his gift?
But then Pei Guanli's smile faltered, and she took the bag out separately, pouting as she said:
"Brother-in-law, do you have some kind of third eye? How could you see that? I even hid it inside on purpose."
"I was lucky."
Chen Yi chuckled, took the bag from her, opened it, and his face darkened.
"Pei Guanli, is this the gift you prepared for me?"
"A bellyband??"
"Oh? Wrong, wrong, that's mine, brother-in-law, I took the wrong one."
Pei Guanli hurriedly snatched the bag back, then blushed and rummaged through it from side to side, finally finding a box and handing it to Chen Yi.
"This is the gift for my brother-in-law."
Chen Yi glared at her, opened the box, saw that it contained a fan, and then nodded, "Not bad."
Pei Guanli stuck out her tongue, then, as if remembering something, pointed at him and said:
"Brother-in-law, you guessed wrong just now."
"..."
This little rascal's thought process is indeed somewhat different from that of ordinary people.
After chatting and laughing, the group had dinner.
Chen Yi told Xiao Die to take Xiao Wuge to rest, and after asking about Pei Guanli's situation that day, he also sent her back to sleep.
Now that Xiao Jinghong is gone, Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang are still in the mansion.
He still couldn't go to the bamboo forest with Pei Guanli like before, and could only stay in the side room to cultivate the "Four Symbols Technique".
Soon, three hours had passed.
Chen Yi slowly finished his practice, and after the true energy flowing through his body returned to his two great seas of qi, he got up and stretched his hands and feet.
The seventh rank of martial arts does not require cultivating internal strength or opening up meridians like the ninth and eighth ranks; it is merely a realm of accumulating true energy.
He only needs to diligently practice and gradually fill the two dantian with true essence.
Once his true essence condenses into mercury, he can begin the process of breaking through to the next realm.
As Chen Yi pondered these thoughts, he looked out the window at the falling rain.
The rain had lessened a bit, but the wind was still blowing hard.
The flowers, plants, and trees in the garden were swaying and leaning precariously.
But because the doors and windows were tightly closed, all one could hear was the pitter-patter of raindrops.
Before he knew it, Chen Yi’s thoughts turned to several recent events.
The first thing that came to mind was what Xiao Wan'er had said: "I am indeed waiting for you."
Starting with this fairly straightforward statement, and combining what he had heard and discovered during the day, he could easily deduce the Xiao family's response to Liu Jing's death.
"The old master and the Xiao family must have already prepared for the worst."
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have specifically instructed Xiao Wan'er not to leave the mansion these days."
Of course, this is also the safest approach at present.
After all, the incident has just occurred, and more information needs to be gathered before a more accurate response can be made.
However, if Chen Yi were in the old man's position...
The first thing to do is to conduct an internal investigation to see if Liu Jing was killed by the Xiao family's punishment hall or other related individuals.
Only after confirming that it was not done by the Xiao family will we proceed to the next step.
There are two attitudes here.
One option is to openly cooperate with the Liu family or the Criminal Investigation Department to catch the murderer, thus allowing the situation to ease tensions between the two sides.
Secondly, we should be more assertive and force the Liu family to back down.
The general idea is, "Even if it wasn't done by my Xiao family, you still have to bow down."
Clearly, given the old man's current cautiousness, the first approach is the most likely.
"Catch the murderer, I don't plan to go to jail."
Chen Yi muttered to himself, pondering, "I still need to see how the Liu family reacts."
If the Liu family remains restrained, there is still room for maneuver in this matter.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for the old man to settle things peacefully.
Just then, midnight arrived—
[Daily Intelligence - Low-Grade Mystic: Around 5 PM, the Hidden Guards are discussing important matters at Fengchun Tower. A small amount of good fortune may be obtained.]
Tomorrow night at Fengchun Tower, the hidden guards will discuss this matter.
Chen Yi frowned slightly as he looked at the content displayed on the screen.
"Xiao Dongchen, Ge Laosan, Liu Si'er, and Gui Shu are the four known hidden guards in Shu Prefecture."
First, we can rule out Liu Si'er.
He is still recovering from his injuries and remains in bed.
Then there's Uncle Gui. As a servant of the Xiao family, it would be too conspicuous for him to go to Fengchunlou.
Ge Laosan...
His identity doesn't seem appropriate either, but it's not impossible for Xiao family guards to occasionally visit Fengchun Tower.
The most likely candidate is Xiao Dongchen.
Thinking of this, Chen Yi looked in the direction of Sifangzhai, his expression changing slightly.
"At a time like this, if it really is him... it wouldn't be a good thing."
He pondered for a moment.
Chen Yi turned around and returned to the bed, where he once again sat cross-legged to practice the Four Symbols Technique.
Regardless of whether Xiao Dongchen is in Fengchun Tower or not, he has to go this time.
...
Nothing was said that night.
The next day, before dawn, Chen Yi got up early, washed and dressed, with Xiao Die's help.
Because he was going to visit Mr. Yue Ming at Guiyun Academy, he specially changed into a more formal long gown.
He looked in the mirror to make sure it was correct before going downstairs.
At this moment, Pei Guanli was already sitting at the dining table in the living room. When she saw him, her eyes lit up slightly.
"Brother-in-law, are you going out today too?"
Chen Yi nodded, "Let's go to Guiyun Academy."
Upon hearing this, Pei Guanli couldn't help but recall what she had done at Guiyun Academy, and a smirk involuntarily crept onto her face.
Seeing her expression, Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and asked, "I almost forgot, you went to Guiyun Academy before and even participated in a poetry gathering."
How is it there?
Pei Guanli quickly lowered her head, covering her mouth to avoid laughing out loud, "Luckily, there are quite a few people."
She dared not reveal that she had drugged Chen Yunfan, otherwise she would surely be reprimanded by her brother-in-law.
Chen Yi knew that her answer was irrelevant, so he didn't ask any further questions.
I've had breakfast.
Pei Guanli went to Jiaxing Garden as usual, and dragged Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang along to stroll around the city.
According to her, she had visited the west and north of the city the previous two days, and today she was going to stroll around the area around the east market.
Chen Yi didn't care about her; he just wanted her to keep Ge Laosan in check.
After delivering Xiao Wuge to Jiaxing Garden, he told Xiao Wan'er that he was going to Guiyun Academy.
Xiao Wan'er reminded him, "Remember to have your personal guards accompany you, so you don't get lost in the alleys."
Chen Yi nodded. "I'll see who's free later."
But in his heart, he disagreed.
The Xiao family's personal guards were all at the lower third rank, so even if they followed him, it would be of no use in case of danger.
Seeing him like this, Xiao Wan'er couldn't help but nag him again, reminding him not to be careless or negligent.
Chen Yi smiled as he looked at her, letting it go in one ear and out the other, but he noticed the changes in her.
"You're not wearing a cloak today, don't you feel cold, elder sister?"
At this moment, Xiao Wan'er was wearing a light yellow dress with a short jacket on top, looking like a young lady from a wealthy family in early winter.
Compared to her previous attire of wearing a cloak, she no longer appears as bulky.
Her elegant and gentle demeanor further accentuates her stunning beauty.
Xiao Wan'er smiled and shook her head upon hearing this, a hint of color returning to her pale face. "I drank some medicinal soup this morning, and I feel warm all over."
This was the first time she had ever been in such a state, so she was naturally in a good mood.
But because of this, she felt a little awkward not wearing a cloak.
Just like, just like...
It's like going out in winter wearing only underwear; it feels like something's missing.
Especially under Chen Yi's gaze, Xiao Wan'er felt somewhat uncomfortable and quickly signaled to him that it was getting late and he should go and come back soon.
Knowing that she was shy, Chen Yi smiled and said goodbye, leaving Jiaxing Garden.
When they arrived at the front yard, they bumped into Ge Laosan and his group who were about to leave.
He vaguely heard an armored soldier call out:
"Third Brother, Master Dongchen just said that there is a banquet at Fengchun Tower tonight, and he wants you to wait for him outside Fengchun Tower after you come back."
"knew."
As the carriage drove away into the distance.
Chen Yi glanced around, then, without letting the other soldiers follow, walked alone towards Guiyun Academy, holding an umbrella.
Is it really Xiao Dongchen and Ge Laosan?
It seems that my having Pei Guanli keep Ge Laosan occupied for several days has made Xiao Dongchen anxious.
Otherwise, given the Hidden Guard's style of doing things, he would never have resorted to such a desperate measure as to arrange a meeting with Ge Laosan in this way.
What concerned Chen Yi was that these two meeting at this time was probably not just about the "Dingyuan Army's grain supply".
There is a very high probability that the content will include the circumstances of the Xiao and Liu families.
"Is Xiao Dongchen planning to interfere and become a spoiler?"
If the hidden guards were to make a move, I fear...
As Chen Yi pondered these thoughts, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
He truly despises those who betray their own people.
Immediately, the chessboard in his mind moved—the black piece representing Xiao Dongchen.
Perhaps Xiao Dongchen will have to join Liu Hong's side as well.
"Brother Qingzhou?"
Just then, a voice came from behind him. Chen Yi turned around and was somewhat surprised:
"Brother Fang Gui, what a coincidence!"
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(End of this chapter)
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