Chapter 178 If anything goes wrong, it'll be me, me...
After a quick wash, Chen Yi changed into a dry long gown and then carried an oil-paper umbrella to Jiaxingyuan.
At this moment, Xiao Wan'er had already prepared a sumptuous feast.
Xiao Wuge, Xie Tingyun, Shen Huatang, along with Xiaodie, Cui'er, and Juan'er, were already seated.
Upon Chen Yi's arrival, Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Wuge greeted him with smiles and invited him to sit down, while the others rose to greet him.
Chen Yi casually cupped his hands in greeting and then sat down opposite Xiao Wuge.
To her left was Xiao Wan'er, who sat in the head seat, and to her right was Xiao Die.
One can't help but catch a whiff of fragrance.
Most of it came from Xiao Wan'er, and a small part was Xiao Die's sweet scent.
After looking around, Chen Yi pretended not to know and asked, "Isn't today a banquet to entertain the owner of Baicaotang?"
"What, isn't he here?"
Xiao Wan'er looked at him with eyes that seemed both reproachful and angry, "And you're telling me? I told you to come back early this morning, but you didn't get back until tonight."
Chen Yi met her eyes and said naturally, "I couldn't refuse Mr. Yue Ming's invitation, so I stayed at the academy a little longer."
Xiao Wan'er naturally had no suspicions, nor did she truly blame him. She dismissed the matter after saying it once, and then explained:
"That Mr. Chen arrived with his men in the afternoon. Although he is a bit quiet and reserved, his manners and speech are quite outstanding."
"In particular, the 'Bai Cao Tang Expansion Charter' that he presented was admirable, and even my grandfather praised him highly."
Chen Yi responded with an "oh," and roughly understood that she had already discussed it with the old man.
It's not hard to deduce the result from the "high praise"—the old man must have agreed to the proposed charter.
"What kind of regulations are so powerful?"
"It's roughly a plan to open Baicaotang in Shuzhou, and even in the nine provinces and three prefectures of our Wei Dynasty. My grandfather and I both think it's feasible."
"It will not only benefit the growth of Baicaotang, but also bring considerable profits to our Xiao family. It's a win-win situation, and there's more..."
Xiao Wan'er recounted everything in detail, completely forgetting "Boss Chen's" earlier instructions.
So much so that Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang, who knew the situation, couldn't help but glance at Chen Yi a few more times.
They were probably looking for something special about him that would earn the young lady's trust.
Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die, standing to the side, didn't seem to care much about the food. Their eyes were mostly fixed on the delicious food on the table, and they were secretly swallowing their saliva.
Perhaps because the two were being too obvious, Xiao Wan'er paused in her speech, gesturing for the others to start eating and chatting at the same time.
Chen Yi had eaten something outside, so he only ate a couple of bites before chatting casually with Xiao Wan'er.
"It seems that Mr. Chen is quite capable."
"That's right, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to produce that charter."
Xiao Wan'er paused, recalling the strange thoughts she had when she met with Boss Chen earlier, and couldn't help but look at Chen Yi.
He looked him up and down very carefully.
As she looked him over, she mentally compared the similarities and differences between Boss Chen and Chen Yi.
Their eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar, but their gazes are different.
My brother-in-law's eyes are gentle and bright, giving off a friendly feeling.
Their face shapes are similar, or rather, almost identical.
However, their facial features are slightly different.
Although my brother-in-law's skin is a bit dark, his features are softer and less angular, making him more pleasing to the eye.
They have similar builds, but the brother-in-law is not skilled in martial arts and is rather frail.
However, this is not necessarily a bad thing; most talented scholars are like this.
besides……
In just a moment, Xiao Wan'er listed ten things in her mind that made Chen Yi stand out from Boss Chen.
Overall, its advantages are obvious.
Chen Yi noticed her gaze, looked down at himself, and finding nothing unusual, couldn't help but ask:
"Big sister, what happened to my clothes..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Xiao Wan'er came to her senses and dropped her chopsticks.
Her face flushed slightly, and she hurriedly bent down to pick it up, not noticing that her forehead was facing the corner of the table.
Seeing this, Chen Yi didn't have time to ask any more questions. He quickly reached out and blocked the corner of the table.
It caught Xiao Wan'er's smooth forehead perfectly.
*Smack*
The crisp sound startled everyone who had been looking over because of the chopsticks falling to the ground.
Even Xiao Wan'er, who had bumped her head against Chen Yi's palm, was a little stunned. With her forehead pressed against that warm palm, she felt her face burning.
It wasn't just the warmth emanating from her forehead, but also the shyness she felt upon realizing her flustered reaction, that left her momentarily at a loss for what to do.
Seeing this, Chen Yi gently lifted her forehead and asked with a smile, "Are you alright, big sister?"
"It's just a pair of chopsticks, don't bother picking it up. Let Cui'er get you a new pair."
Upon hearing this, Cui'er quickly got up, picked up the chopsticks, and said apologetically:
"Please forgive me, Miss. It was Cui'er's fault. Cui'er will get you a new pair of chopsticks right away."
Seeing this, the others mostly understood what had happened, but didn't say anything.
Only Xiao Wuge, though young, was incredibly shrewd. After understanding what had just happened, he couldn't help but laugh:
"Sister, you should thank your brother-in-law."
"If it weren't for your brother-in-law's intervention, you would have smashed the corner of the table with your head just now."
This made Xiao Wan'er blush even more, and she looked around shyly, pretending to pat him.
"You're talking nonsense. If anything is wrong, it's me. I... well, the table is really too hard."
At this moment, she inevitably lacked words, and her explanation seemed rather weak.
Hesitant and indecisive.
Xiao Wan'er finally realized that the occasion was inappropriate, so she suppressed her embarrassment and bowed her head slightly to express her gratitude.
Chen Yi smiled, knowing that she must have been lost in thought, but he didn't say anything more, so as not to make the shy Xiao Wan'er feel awkward.
After Cui'er replaced Xiao Wan'er's chopsticks and helped her sit down.
Chen Yi then continued the previous topic, "With the old master giving his approval, won't Baicaotang soon be able to flourish all over Shuzhou?"
Xiao Wan'er did not answer immediately upon hearing this. After quietly taking a breath to calm herself down, she used her slightly dizzy mind to organize her thoughts.
"Grandpa was a little worried and said he wanted to wait a while."
"wait?"
"Well, we need to confirm Mr. Chen's background, but I think he should be fine. I heard today that he has been learning medicine from his master since childhood, and he also said..."
Chen Yi clearly didn't hear what was said after that.
While Old Master Xiao's caution was not unexpected, it would still cause some trouble.
In particular, when he ordered Wang Ji to establish Baicaotang, he did not think too much about it, treating it as a casual arrangement.
As a result, there are flaws in many details.
For example, the origin of "Chen Yu", the location of his master, and Ma Liangcai and Jishi Pharmacy, etc.
Most of these people cannot withstand too much detailed investigation.
Chen Yi thought about all this and knew he needed to find a way to salvage the situation, as he had to deal with the Xiao family's investigation.
Otherwise, if his identity is exposed, not only will he be unable to develop and expand Baicaotang, but he will also attract some unnecessary trouble.
Perhaps sensing that he wasn't listening attentively, Xiao Wan'er stopped speaking and, because of what had happened earlier, didn't dare to look him in the eye, so she glanced over instead.
"Does your brother-in-law think there's something wrong with the Baicaotang matter?"
Chen Yi snapped out of his reverie, met her gaze, and shook his head with a smile, saying:
"Please forgive me, elder sister. I was just thinking about some things."
Xiao Wan'er turned her head, pretending to be casual as she picked up a piece of pastry and ate it in small bites. "What is it?"
"Since the old master has some concerns and needs to spend time and money to maintain relationships with all parties, why not let Baicaotang get a larger share of the profits?"
“Grandpa had a similar idea, but I rejected it.”
"oh?"
"After all, it was Mr. Chen who proposed the charter, and his Baicaotang clinic had previously helped us. We shouldn't put him in a difficult position now."
After listening to Xiao Wan'er's words, Chen Yi understood that she had ill intentions and wanted to "cross the river and then burn the bridge".
While he felt a warmth in his heart, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
They probably share the same idea as the old man.
Xiao Wan'er is too kind-hearted. Whether it is internal or external, whether in business or in family relationships, she always thinks of others.
That would be good.
Without the help of others, she would inevitably suffer some losses.
After chatting for a while, dinner was finally finished.
Seeing that there was still a lot of food left on the table, Xiao Wan'er belatedly asked, "Brother-in-law, is your appetite not good today?"
Chen Yi made up an excuse to brush it off.
It wasn't that he didn't want to eat more, he just couldn't eat any more.
With Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang also present, he couldn't use the Four Symbols Technique to aid digestion.
Those who could match Xiao Wuge's appetite were all stuffed into their stomachs by him.
Take a short rest.
Chen Yi then led Xiao Die and Xiao Wuge back to Chunhe Garden, waving from afar to signal Xiao Wan'er not to stand outside so as not to catch a cold.
Xiao Wan'er smiled and waved to them until their figures disappeared into the Spring Lotus Garden before returning to the wooden building.
Upon seeing the chopsticks in Cui'er's hand, she couldn't help but recall what had happened earlier, and couldn't resist touching her smooth, fair forehead.
Although her hands were cold, she felt a touch of warmth for some reason at that moment.
Brother-in-law, he is indeed much better than Boss Chen.
Inside Chunhe Garden.
Chen Yi had no idea that Xiao Wan'er had compared him to himself.
After washing up and changing his clothes, he, Xiao Wuge, and Xiao Die each returned to their respective rooms to rest.
After a long day of work, he could finally relax completely at this moment.
At this moment, the rain subsided slightly.
The lightning and thunder ceased, and the wind subsided considerably.
However, the sound of drizzling rain and the croaking of frogs in the pond in Chunhe Garden added a touch of color to the tranquil rainy night.
Chen Yi stood by the window for a moment, then sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate the Four Symbols Technique.
Judging by the time, Liu Lang should not have set off for Liu Wen's location yet.
"I hope everything goes well for him."
...
It was just past the middle of Hai hour.
The rain stopped in Shuzhou City.
Only a light drizzle fell intermittently, carried by the cool breeze and hitting the faces of pedestrians, giving them a bit of a chill.
Liu Lang didn't feel the cold at all; he was focused on concealing himself and hurrying towards Kangning Street in the north of the city.
Because he came out early, he was still wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat, and as he walked and stopped, he made a few slight rustling sounds.
In addition, he had just acquired a fine new knife, and he couldn't help but take it out to examine it, inevitably making a clanging sound mixed with the rustling sound.
If there weren't so few pedestrians on the street at the moment, and if he hadn't known to avoid the patrolling city guards and the chief magistrate, he probably would have been stopped long ago.
Fortunately, he arrived safely after a close call. After spending most of the day, he finally made it from Baicaotang to the house where Liu Wen and Liu Zhaoxue were staying.
Scan the area.
Liu Lang noticed the guards at the gate, curled his lip slightly in disdain, and then sneaked into the house from the other side.
Even though powerful families are rich and influential, in terms of martial arts, most of their guards and protectors are only of the lower three ranks.
Occasionally, there might be one or two powerful individuals, but they are usually the personal attendants of those young masters and ladies, and it's impossible for them to be stationed outside.
Therefore, Liu Lang sneaked deep into the mansion without encountering a single guard he found worthy of his attention.
Although this house was only a temporary stop for Liu Wen and Liu Zhaoxue, it was not small in size.
There are three courtyards on each side, and a rear garden separated by a porch.
It can only be described as luxurious.
It took Liu Lang quite a while to figure out where Liu Wen and Liu Zhaoxue lived.
"Liu Wen to the west, Liu Zhaoxue to the east... there's no mistake."
Liu Lang peered around from behind a wall for a moment, then slipped over and entered the western back courtyard, quietly heading towards the side rooms.
As he got closer, he suddenly stopped, then turned and hid behind a nearby tree.
The next moment, a creaking sound was heard.
The door of a wooden building ten feet away opened, and a figure stepped out.
It wasn't the tall and slender Liu Wen, but Liu Zhaoxue in a long red dress.
Liu Lang glanced at it, muttering to himself about the Liu family's lack of rules and traditions. Just as he was about to head towards another back courtyard, he heard a voice behind him:
"Come out."
Um?
Liu Lang was slightly taken aback, wondering if he had been discovered.
Before he could check again, he heard another voice coming from behind him:
"Miss Zhaoxue, how have you been?"
Judging from the voice, it belonged to a man with a slightly deep and sinister tone.
"It's you?"
Unable to contain his curiosity, Liu Lang quietly turned his head and glanced at the scene out of the corner of his eye.
A figure dressed in black, with only his eyes showing, was seen crouching on the eaves of the wooden building, staring at Liu Zhaoxue below.
That's strange, are there other people hiding here?
Liu Lang muttered to himself, worried that he might be seen by him, and couldn't help but wonder if he was one of Black Fang's men.
After all, Chen Yi had previously warned him to be careful when Black Fang went to the Liu family to verify the authenticity of the marriage alliance with the Xiao family.
Just as he was thinking about these things, he then heard Liu Zhaoxue say behind him:
"Aren't you afraid my second brother will find out if you come here at this time?"
The man in black said in a low voice, "What are you afraid of?"
"With Wen Yu right here, why would Liu Wen care about you, his half-sister?"
"Instead of worrying about him, Miss Zhaoxue should worry about herself."
"What do I have to worry about?"
"Ha, do you even believe that yourself?"
"..."
Liu Zhaoxue frowned slightly, looked up at him and said, "Why have you come here? Just say it."
The man in black chuckled hoarsely, "I, Wang, have come here to help Miss Zhaoxue. Why do you need to ask any further questions?"
"help me?"
“You said you would help me last time, but in the end, it was still Liu Wen who was in charge of expanding Xinglinzhai to Shuzhou.”
"I believe Miss Zhaoxue is aware of this matter. The sixth young master of the Liu family accomplished nothing and died in Shuzhou... It was an unexpected event and has nothing to do with us."
Liu Zhaoxue gave a noncommittal snort, clearly disbelieving.
However, there was a moment of silence.
She then asked, "Tell me, how does your Five Poisons Sect plan to help me this time?"
The man in black chuckled a few times upon hearing this, "That's more like it."
“Miss Zhaoxue should know that you are now in a precarious situation. Without external help, your outcome will be even worse than Xiao Jinghong’s.”
"After all, she is the commander-in-chief of the Dingyuan Army and holds military power, while you here..."
"I reckon she'll just be sent by the Liu family to marry into another family."
Liu Zhaoxue ignored his words and continued to ask, "If you're just here to spout nonsense, then please leave."
"Don't rush."
After a pause, the man in black quickened his pace and said, "Someone has arrived. It's inconvenient today. I'll come to find you again tomorrow night at the same time."
"I hope that Miss Zhaoxue will not be as aloof as she was tonight."
Before he could finish speaking, Liu Lang heard a soft whooshing sound.
Clearly, the man in black had already left.
However, his expression was somewhat strange at the moment, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself.
"The Five Poisons Sect?"
"Weren't they wiped out by the mountain tribe elders and their people decades ago?"
"Now it has actually reappeared in the martial world...tsk, it seems that there are going to be some waves in the martial world of Shu Prefecture."
Thinking about these things, Liu Lang didn't pay much attention to them.
After all, he wasn't a member of the Mountain Clan and had no conflict with the Five Poisons Sect, so he had no time to concern himself with the affairs of those evil spirits.
However, it seems that this third young lady from the Liu family in Jingzhou is quite extraordinary.
You should know that cooperating with the Five Poisons Sect is like asking a tiger for its skin.
The fact that she dared to do this shows that she has far more courage than many others.
Not long after.
Two figures walked in from outside the house. One of them was tall and slender with a handsome face that looked somewhat sinister.
The other was a woman, and judging from her attire, she was not a maid or servant.
Upon seeing them, Liu Zhaoxue asked, "It's so late, why isn't Second Brother resting in his room? Why have you come over?"
Second brother, Liu Wen?
Liu Lang glanced at him, memorized his appearance, and then carefully hid it.
Then Liu Wen said, "My second uncle just sent someone over to tell you and me to be prepared."
"oh?"
"Father wrote a letter, stating that this dispute with the Xiao family must be resolved, and ordered you and me to go to the Xiao family tomorrow with the letter he wrote to Lord Xiao."
Liu Zhaoxue was slightly taken aback. "Father intends to provoke the old Marquis?"
"The letter didn't mention it, and my second uncle didn't mention the contents of the letter he wrote to Lord Xiao either. I guess he wants you and me to act according to the circumstances."
"Is that so? Zhaoxue thought that Father would grant Second Brother's wish and write to the Xiao family to propose marriage."
"Who knows, hehe..."
(End of this chapter)
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