Chapter 190 No, no, impossible!
Chen Yi could easily guess what Lou Yuxue's feelings were.
I reckon he's probably itching to kill him right now.
But he wasn't worried at all.
Firstly, his identity was sufficiently secretive.
The only two people who knew the truth were Wang Ji and Zhang Dabao; even Liu Lang only knew that "Chen Yu" existed.
Lou Yuxue wanted to confirm that "Liu Wu" was him, but there were two obstacles in between.
The difficulty wasn't particularly high, but Chen Yi was able to find a way to remedy the situation before Lou Yuxue could break through Liu Lang's protection.
The second reason is simple—Lou Yuxue dared not touch him.
At least not right now.
With the burning of the summer grain in three towns and the 300,000 taels of silver in the past, and the presence of Mingyue Tower and the Hidden Guards in the future, Lou Yuxue had some reservations.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as "looking ahead and behind".
In short, Chen Yi has indeed placed himself on the chessboard.
But he hid that white piece very well.
He will not let anyone discover his existence for a while.
They remained silent the entire way.
Chen Yi and Liu Lang eventually returned to their house on Chuanxi Street.
After Black Fang's killing of Old Demon Fang last time, they were relatively successful this time and did not notice anyone following them.
We arrived at the main room.
Liu Lang took off his straw hat, plopped down in a chair, and couldn't help but ask:
"Boss, why are you going to Chunyu Tower tonight? When I heard Black Fang say you were coming, I almost said something I shouldn't have."
"How would I have known you and Miss Lou..."
Chen Yi glared at him, shutting him down completely.
"Don't ask me yet, tell me what happened after you arrived at Chunyu Tower."
Liu Lang smiled ambiguously and casually said, "When I arrived, Black Fang and the others were not there, so I sat in the hall for a while."
"Chunyu Tower truly lives up to its reputation as the premier brothel in Shu Prefecture. I haven't been there for several days, and there are already many more girls there, all of them so beautiful and fresh."
"And those tea drinks, I only knew that Baicaotang would deliver tea drinks to the red-light district by truck, but I didn't expect them to sell so well there, almost everyone had a bottle."
"I also..."
Seeing Chen Yi's unfriendly expression, Liu Lang paused, then coughed and said, "Later I ran into Black Fang and heard from him that you had come, so I went to look for you."
"No other findings?"
"No."
Chen Yi thought for a moment and asked in more detail: "Where did you run into Black Fang? In the lobby, on the first floor, the second floor, or the third or fourth floor?"
Liu Lang opened his mouth, then replied awkwardly, "Third floor."
"...How much silver was spent?"
"Thirty or forty taels, I can't quite remember."
Chen Yi said irritably, "Use it sparingly, or you'll be relying on the monthly allowance from Baicaotang from now on."
Liu Lang chuckled twice, but didn't say anything.
He knows his own situation well. He's been quite extravagant in his actions. With money and free time, why wouldn't he go up to the third floor for a leisurely stroll?
Even if Chunyu Tower only sells its art and not its body, it's still pleasing to the eye.
Seeing the expression on his face, Chen Yi knew he hadn't listened, so he didn't say anything more.
He silently worked backwards to calculate the time when Black Fang and Liu Lang met.
It was deduced that Black Tooth might have placed the money somewhere on the third floor of Spring Rain Pavilion.
Or it could be entrusted to someone else at Mingyue Tower for safekeeping.
Chen Yi made a note of this discovery, and then his mind began to race with thoughts.
With 300,000 silver notes in hand, Liu Wen had completed all the pieces of his plan.
So, he only has two things left to do.
He pondered for a moment.
Chen Yi tapped the armrest of his chair and looked at Liu Lang seriously, saying, "Tomorrow, go to the Provincial Administration Office and give Xiao Dongchen a message."
"Xiao Dongchen? What did you say?"
"Tell him that my young master has arranged to meet him tomorrow night at 7 PM in the alley next to the Jishi Pharmacy in the East Market."
"Young Master?"
"Liu Wen".
Liu Lang's body stiffened, and he subconsciously stroked the long sword at his waist, asking:
"Boss, are you planning to meet him this time as Liu Wen?"
Chen Yi shook his head: "It's just using Liu Wen's name; he'll still go under Liu Wu's identity."
Liu Lang scratched his head. "What are you planning to do this time? Are you trying to get money from Xiao Dongchen? But he's a member of the Xiao family. Aren't you afraid they'll find out?"
A series of questions made Chen Yi frown slightly. "Alright, you'll find out tomorrow night."
"Remember, the old rules apply. Pass on the message but don't say more, and it's best not to show your face in front of him."
Liu Lang stared at him blankly for a moment before nodding.
But he clearly couldn't guess Chen Yi's intention in doing so.
However, based on his recent understanding of Chen Yi, he knew that this mysterious and unpredictable boss was most skilled at swindling and deceiving people.
Previously, Black Tooth was deceived by him, thinking he was from the Liu family of Jingzhou, and was invited to participate in that deal.
Later, Liu Wen believed his identity as Black Tooth and was swindled out of 300,000 taels of silver.
Xiao Dongchen... I reckon he's no exception.
Chen Yi naturally ignored Liu Lang's thoughts.
After confirming that there were no problems, he sent Liu Lang away first.
After Zhang Dabao removed his disguise, he gave him a few words of advice and then returned to the Xiao family.
Chen Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief after returning to his room in the wooden building.
"These are all such troublesome matters..."
That's what they say, but Chen Yi was also aware of the Xiao family's current situation.
— He may appear to be the local tyrant of Shu, but in reality, he has enemies on all sides.
Not only were there people from the imperial court, but also powerful families and government officials from Shu and Jing prefectures.
Even evil and heretical figures like Black Fang are trying to trip up the Xiao family.
They didn't even need to confront the Xiao family directly. They only needed to take advantage of the conflict between the Xiao and Liu families, muddy the waters, confuse the public, and cut off the Xiao family's eyes and ears outside, which would be enough to plunge the Xiao family into a quagmire.
In this situation, even if the old man was cautious and had a backup plan, he still found it difficult to distinguish friend from foe before the situation became clear.
If Chen Yi hadn't intervened, the old man would have faced two options.
Either suppress everything, friend or foe.
Either crush one side with swift and decisive action to deter others with ulterior motives.
The former would be too drastic, requiring the use of the Dingyuan Army and causing self-inflicted damage, essentially destroying the Xiao family's network of connections built up over two centuries.
The latter is less costly, but it also comes with a lot of trouble.
What Chen Yin could do was to secretly relieve some pressure on the old master and the Xiao family, so that they wouldn't become completely blind to the truth.
We can't just leave it unattended.
"I'll definitely have Xiao Jinghong make it up to me later."
Thinking about this...
Chen Yi glanced at Jiaxingyuan subconsciously, then muttered a few words and sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate the Four Symbols Technique.
Five days have passed since he broke through to the sixth rank.
With the blessing of the spiritual energy of the four divine positions, his cultivation progress was no slower than before.
On the contrary, it has actually increased.
It used to take five days to advance one level when he was in the seventh rank, and it also took him five days to break through one level when he was in the sixth rank.
Just like right now.
As Chen Yi's true essence circulated within his body, the mercury-like true essence was further compressed by the four divine positions.
It not only removed impurities from his body, but also doubled his true energy.
At the same time, as his cultivation level rose to the middle stage of the sixth rank, the figures of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise on the four divine positions in the sea of qi in his Yintang acupoint also solidified a bit.
Their whiskers, feathers, and scales looked real, covering their bodies.
Upon closer inspection, it is not difficult to see that they are becoming increasingly divine, and even the spiritual energy emanating from them has become slightly more effective.
The most obvious benefit is the Four Symbols Technique – it speeds up the cultivation process.
In just half an hour, he could complete a full cycle of Qi circulation, more than twice as fast as before.
Chen Yi vaguely sensed these things, and thus became even more immersed in the cultivation of the Four Symbols Technique.
A faint glow swirled around his brow, subtly drawing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his body.
His cultivation level gradually increased.
...
However, Chen Yi's cultivation here is peaceful.
Nighttime, however, is destined to be a sleepless night for some.
The first to be affected was Lou Yuxue, the female tiger.
She thought about it again and again, but she still couldn't swallow her anger.
Considering her status as a high-ranking Silver Flag Officer in the Hidden Guard, she not only commands several Iron Flag Officers but has also successfully infiltrated the Bright Moon Tower in Shu Prefecture. Her abilities and character are undeniably exceptional.
But tonight, out of nowhere, a jerk has come along that she can't handle.
He not only suppressed her at every turn, but also threatened her, forcing her to back down.
That's fine.
In order to carry out the orders of the adults, Lou Yuxue had previously pretended to be friendly with some difficult people.
But at least she knew the other party's identity and background.
Unlike now, she doesn't even know where "Liu Wu" came from or where he lived.
"We're being too passive!"
Lou Yuxue gritted her teeth and swayed the bed slightly, thinking of how "Liu Wu" had previously taken liberties with her.
Then she sat up, looked at the moonlight that had appeared after the dark clouds dispersed outside the window, and her face turned icy cold.
"Once I've dealt with Black Fang and Xiao Dongchen, I'll make you pay the price!"
Kangning Street.
Liu Wen was so excited that he naturally couldn't sleep.
Today he spent real money, and it was a huge sum of 300,000 taels of silver, so he couldn't help but feel excited.
Whenever he lay in bed, images of him crushing the Xiao family and taking control of the Liu family would flash through his mind, making it difficult for him to control himself.
"Just you wait, old man, you'll pay the price for provoking me!"
Meanwhile, in the western house, which was separated from him by only one wall.
Liu Zhaoxue was also busy.
She was discussing the follow-up matters in a low voice with Yan Fusha, who was dressed in a black robe.
"It's impossible to kill my second brother in a short time. It would inevitably arouse suspicion from my father and others, even if their target is the Xiao family."
"Don't worry, Miss Zhaoxue, I have already planned everything."
Yan Fusha took out a porcelain bottle from his bosom and said with a low laugh, "This is the Five Poisons Powder that I prepared for you. You only need to have your second brother take it for seven consecutive days without interruption, and he will surely die without anyone knowing."
Liu Zhaoxue glanced at the porcelain vase, but did not take it, still shaking her head and saying:
You didn't understand what I meant.
“Even if there are no clues about my second brother’s death, and even if all the clues point to the Xiao family, I will still be suspected.”
Yan Fusha's eyes flickered slightly: "Is your father so suspicious?"
Liu Zhaoxue nodded and said, "My father never believes in accidents without a reason, because he is best at turning his schemes and plans into coincidences and accidents."
"Just like when he arranged for my aunt to marry into the palace, he took advantage of the Emperor's departure from the palace to arrange for my aunt to meet the Emperor by chance, which allowed her to rise to the rank of Imperial Concubine in a short period of time after entering the capital."
Yan Fusha touched his chin, and for a moment he also felt a headache.
"If that's the case, then it can't be a case of framing the Xiao family; it's about getting the Xiao family to actually kill Liu Wen."
Liu Zhaoxue nodded, "Only in this way can I continue to stay in Shuzhou and have the opportunity to take charge of Xinglinzhai's affairs."
"good!"
"I will go back and begin preparations now. Wait for my good news!"
Seeing Yan Fusha about to leave, Liu Zhaoxue stopped him, a hint of hesitation appearing on her beautiful face, and asked:
"Could you first tell me what your Five Poisons Sect's purpose is in coming to Shu Prefecture?"
Yan Fusha glanced at her sideways and smiled sinisterly, "The grand schemes of my Five Poisons Sect have nothing to do with your Liu family."
"Unfortunately, we need to borrow your Xinglinzhai for a while."
"Um?"
"Don't worry, Miss Zhaoxue, it's just a temporary loan, and it's not a difficult matter for Xinglinzhai."
"...I hope so."
...
The next day.
The rain stopped completely, and the sky cleared up.
Chen Yi washed up and changed his clothes early in the morning. He didn't just wear whatever he wanted; instead, he put on a brocade robe and dressed formally.
This prompted Xiaodie to repeatedly ask him about his schedule for the day.
Chen Yi didn't hide anything from her and said with a smile, "I'm going to Guiyun Academy at noon."
"Young Master, there are still two days before you go to teach calligraphy, why..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xiaodie seemed to have thought of something, and stared at him intently:
"I see."
"Is the son-in-law trying to deal with those people who came to visit you?"
Chen Yi raised his hand and tapped her forehead. "You're so smart."
"Xiaodie isn't clever, Xiaodie just knows that the young master won't stand idly by while the young lady is in trouble."
"Um?"
"Young master, please don't look at me like that. You didn't know how to do it in the first place."
Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and nodded with a smile: "It's all my fault for causing this trouble, so I have to deal with it."
"Okay, let's eat breakfast first."
Xiaodie said "oh" and, seeing him walking ahead, couldn't help but stick out her little tongue.
There was a reason she said that earlier—the "love poem" that the son-in-law wrote for the eldest daughter.
Even after so long, Xiaodie still remembers the content of that poem.
"Ode to the Goddess of Beauty" and "Few in the Human World," etc.
"I almost let it slip. Xiao Die, you can't let the young master know that you're breaking the rules and reading those poems without permission."
Xiao Die thought to herself, patted her rather ample chest, and followed Chen Yi downstairs.
But as she walked, she couldn't help but think of another question.
Did the son-in-law hide that poem?
Why has she never seen him again since then?
After thinking for a moment, however, some scenes that only appeared in plays came to Xiaodie's mind—
Young master, I've given that poem, which he wrote himself, to your beloved, the eldest daughter...
No, no, no, that's impossible!
Xiaodie shook her head, but didn't pay attention to her movements and bumped into Chen Yi's back.
Chen Yi turned his head and looked at him suspiciously: "You're acting strange today. What are you thinking about?"
A blush immediately appeared on Xiaodie's face, and she waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "No, it's nothing."
"Please forgive me, son-in-law, I was just daydreaming, haha."
Chen Yi sized her up, but naturally couldn't discern her thoughts. He simply assumed she was a young girl in love and teased her:
“Xiaodie is a grown woman now. I think I should talk to your older sister about your marriage later.”
Upon hearing this...
Xiao Die's face changed drastically, her rosy cheeks turning deathly pale. She anxiously blocked Chen Yi's path, "Young Master, Young Master, you, you want to send Xiao Die away?"
"Please don't send me away, okay? I..."
Seeing tears welling up in her eyes, Chen Yi realized he had gone too far with his joke and had to try to salvage the situation.
After a thorough explanation, he finally managed to coax Xiaodie into smiling through her tears.
“Son-in-law, how could you make fun of me with something like this?”
"You've cried and laughed, now let's eat."
Just as the two were about to sit down and have breakfast with Xiao Wuge, they heard several footsteps outside the door.
Then, Xiao Wan'er, dressed in a pure white cloak, gracefully approached.
Perhaps she had been taking good care of herself lately, because as she stepped across the threshold, she held onto her cloak with one hand and skipped into the house.
Seeing this, Chen Yi was slightly surprised. "Big sister, are you in a good mood today?"
Xiao Wan'er's face showed a rare bright smile, with a hint of smugness in it.
This made Chen Yi even more curious.
Then Xiao Wan'er gestured and said, "Last night, Cui'er, Juan'er, and I put together an expansion plan for the Xiao family's pharmacy."
"I came here specifically today to have my brother-in-law take a look."
"...Xiao Family Pharmacy, expansion, bylaws?"
Chen Yi looked at Xiao Wan'er, who had a happy expression on her face, suppressed his strange feelings, took the booklet from her hand, and began to look through it.
After reading just a few pages, he had a good idea of what to expect.
Sure enough, the eldest sister's business acumen was limited to distributing cash and monthly allowances.
The "Xiao Family Pharmacy Expansion Regulations" are not exactly the same as the "Hundred Herbs Pharmacy Expansion Regulations," but they are quite similar.
By changing a few words, the characters can be completely interchanged...
Xiao Wan'er, unaware of his thoughts, asked eagerly, "How is it?"
Chen Yi couldn't bear to discourage her, so he put down the booklet and pondered for a moment before saying, "It's acceptable."
"However, there is still some room for expansion..."
(End of this chapter)
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