Chapter 205 The Xiao Family Must Have a Master (8K views, please vote)
The truth is quite the opposite.
Lou Yuxue was numb.
She showed no anger whatsoever; in fact, she quickly regained her composure after Chen Yi took the 290,000 taels of silver.
Analyze the situation, weigh the pros and cons, and make a response.
Lou Yuxue not only withdrew from Chunyu Tower in advance, but also scattered and properly arranged her subordinates.
This includes the Hidden Guards and some members of the Bright Moon Pavilion.
She even completed one of the two tasks assigned to her by the White Tiger Guard Master and the Golden Banner Officer—killing Xiao Dongchen.
It wasn't until nightfall that she relaxed a bit and went to Corning Street.
It was nearly late afternoon, and the sky was already dim.
Even though colorful lanterns were decorated early on Kangning Street because of the approaching Mid-Autumn Festival, the candlelight was still dim in this rainy weather.
Not to mention the nearby Quchi Pond.
Only a few pavilions built along the pond were illuminated by red lanterns.
From a distance, it appeared as a hazy, indistinct scene.
Normally, as night falls, the pavilions become the liveliest, serving as a secret rendezvous spot for talented men and beautiful women.
There were very few people tonight.
It seemed as if overnight, everyone had a better place to go.
Lou Yuxue looked at the winding pond in the distance, and after confirming that no one was around, she quietly walked into a pavilion.
Lou Yuxue was no longer wearing her usual glamorous dresses and cheongsams, but instead dressed in coarse cloth clothes, with her hair deliberately tied up in a bun and her face smeared with tung oil.
She was dressed like an ordinary farm woman.
Even those familiar with her identity would probably not recognize her now.
After wiping the side seats of the pavilion clean, Lou Yuxue sat down in one of them, looking at the pond water disturbed by the rain.
The clattering sound was incessant.
The noise actually calmed her mind, allowing her to contemplate the future.
Everything that had happened in the past few days flashed before Lou Yuxue's eyes like fleeting shadows:
Initially, Gray Wolf contacted Hawk because of Xiao Jinghong's joint construction of the trade market with the Mountain Clan, and wanted to burn down the summer grain in the three towns.
The hawk had no choice but to agree.
She, the tigress, then intervened.
She had originally planned to use Black Fang and Bright Moon Tower to support Hawk's men and minimize losses.
By a twist of fate, Black Fang received a job offer: a powerful clan in Shu Prefecture offered 30,000 taels of gold, also for the summer grain harvest in the three towns.
After receiving the news and thinking it over, she devised a plan to kill four birds with one stone.
One is a gray wolf.
The second is silver coins.
The third was the Iron Flag Officer, who was in charge of receiving the Hawk.
Fourthly, to prevent chaos within the Xiao family and affect Shu Prefecture, the construction of the trade market was temporarily suspended.
So, when did this plan become vulnerable?
Lou Yuxue naturally thought of "Liu Wu".
Not only because "Liu Wu" came so abruptly.
Or perhaps it's not so abrupt; the word "strange" would be more appropriate.
Because "Knife Maniac" Liu Lang found out about the deal involving burning the summer grain of the three towns proposed by Black Fang before "Liu Wu" did.
"So Liu Wu originally didn't plan to make a move, just like that financier, he only wanted to reap the benefits."
"But after learning where the benefactor was, he also began his own schemes, plotting against Liu Wen, plotting against me... no."
Lou Yuxue shook her head with a cold look in her eyes.
“His initial target wasn’t me; he was probably after Black Tooth’s money, and I just happened to be the person closest to that money.”
Thinking about this, two questions arose in her mind.
Why did he scheme against Xiao Dongchen?
"Did he notify Xiao Jinghong?"
When Lou Yuxue dealt with Xiao Dongchen, she already knew what had happened. She learned that Liu Wu not only impersonated Hei Ya to get close to Liu Wen, but also impersonated Liu Wen's close attendant to get close to Xiao Dongchen.
Furthermore, Liu Wu used 300,000 taels of silver to gain Xiao Dongchen's trust and trick him into signing a document.
"So what he said last night wasn't all a lie."
"He did receive Liu Wen's money, but it was to lure Xiao Dongchen into a trap. Afterwards, he left the letter along with Liu Wen's body with Xiao Jinghong..."
Lou Yuxue paused, frowned, and muttered to herself, "In the end, the money also ended up in the Xiao family."
As soon as she finished speaking, a brilliant idea flashed into her mind.
This immediately connected everything together.
"So it was Liu Wu who notified Xiao Jinghong, so that she could take precautions in advance."
"That sum of money was also specifically left for the Xiao family by him."
"So he's—a member of the Xiao family?!"
Lou Yuxue's face showed surprise and astonishment.
"If he were a member of the Xiao family, why would he scheme against Xiao Dongchen? Unless... he knows Gray Wolf's identity and plans..."
"However, everyone knows what the second branch of the Xiao family is thinking, and it's possible that they might get rid of Xiao Dongchen."
"And the fact that the old Marquis was unaware of this was probably part of his scheme, to lull us into a false sense of security, wasn't it?"
"Because his real killing move is outside Shuzhou City, and it lies with Xiao Jinghong..."
After figuring this out, Lou Yuxue's expression became increasingly complicated.
She suddenly realized that "Liu Wu" had said last night that he was a member of the Xiao family.
At that time, her knowledge was limited, and only now has she come to understand everything.
This made her very frustrated.
What frustrated her even more was that even though she knew everything "Liu Wu" had done, she still didn't know who he was.
Xiao family's secret guards?
A branch of the Xiao family?
Both are possible.
The only exception would not be the eldest branch of the Xiao family.
“Xiao Wan’er and Xiao Jinghong are both girls, Xiao Wuge is young, and Xiao Xuanshuo is crippled. None of these people from the eldest branch of the family could be Liu Wu.”
"The only one left who could be associated with the main branch is the fledgling. Ha, he's a weak scholar who's being watched by a hawk; he can't possibly be Liu Wu."
After much thought...
Lou Yuxue deduced that "Liu Wu" should be a member of a collateral branch of the Xiao family, or a member of another prominent family in Shuzhou who was close to the Xiao family.
"No matter who you are, I will find you and lock you up in the inner prison this time!"
Just then, the sound of train tracks came from afar.
The rumbling sound broke the tranquility of the rainy night and came to a stop on Corning Street not far away.
Lou Yuxue looked in the direction of the sound.
Two beautiful figures stepped off the carriage one after the other.
The one in the lead was quite beautiful, with a phoenix hairpin and delicate features.
The other was dressed as a maid, wearing a pale yellow cloth dress and carrying two long swords.
It was Cui Qingwu and her maid Huan'er.
The two of them went to the pavilion together.
Cui Qingwu raised his hand, and Huan'er silently stood guard outside the pavilion, holding an oil-paper umbrella.
Cui Qingwu sized up Lou Yuxue, a smile playing on his lips, and said:
"You've suffered a crushing defeat this time, you tigress."
Lou Yuxue stood up, looked at her, and said calmly, "I'm right here, how can I say I've lost?"
"Even if we are affected by this, the hawks flee far away, and the gray wolves die, can you really stay out of it?"
The implication is that since they are all Silver Banner officers stationed in Shu Prefecture, the Lord will treat them equally when he decides to punish them.
Cui Qingwu still smiled and said, "I finished my business yesterday, so the impact is negligible."
"As for you, you didn't lose much money this time, and you even got targeted at Chunyu Tower. If you hadn't run fast, you would have been trapped inside by Xiao Jinghong by now."
"My men suffered minimal losses."
"Where's the hawk?"
Upon hearing this, Lou Yuxue said stiffly, "His mission is already complete. No matter how many people he loses, he won't be punished by the adults."
Cui Qingwu asked noncommittally, "So this time the only loss was some money? Two hundred and ninety thousand taels?"
Lou Yuxue pursed her lips. Although she had been numb by the blows, she still felt a deep resentment when she thought of that bastard Liu Wu.
A moment of silence.
"I didn't come to see you today to hear you laugh."
Cui Qingwu looked at her with a half-smile: "Tell me, what do you want from me?"
“Xiao Jinghong has wiped out all the evil forces in the West City. Before the new elder of Mingyue Tower arrives, they will hardly have any power. So I need you to help me find a place to stay.”
"Are you begging me?"
"Cui Qingwu, don't force me..."
Before Lou Yuxue could finish speaking, Cui Qingwu changed the subject and said, "I can help with this."
"But I have one condition."
Lou Yuxue suppressed her anger and said, "Speak!"
Cui Qingwu smiled and said, "Before I leave Shuzhou, you have to do three things for me."
Lou Yuxue frowned slightly involuntarily: "What else do you want to do?"
"You came to Shu Prefecture without permission this time, and the Pavilion Master and Lord Jinqi are already displeased. If you stay any longer, aren't you afraid that the Pavilion Master will hold you accountable?"
Cui Qingwu's smile faded slightly. "That's my business, it has nothing to do with you."
"Besides, even if they're unhappy, what can they do to me?"
Lou Yuxue paused upon hearing this, gave her a deep look, and said, "I can agree to your conditions, but they cannot conflict with the mission."
"certainly."
"After all, who in the White Tiger Guard doesn't know that you, the female tiger, are incorruptible and loyal to the Pavilion Master?"
"snort!"
Lou Yuxue snorted coldly and turned her head to look at Qu Chi, ignoring her sarcasm.
"I will report what happened here to you later, depending on the situation of the Xiao and Liu families. Neither of us can take any further action until you reply."
"Don't worry, I don't care about the affairs of Shu Prefecture as much as you do."
"Then why did you come to Shu Prefecture? To help Chen Yunfan?"
Cui Qingwu looked at her with a smile, "Guess?"
Upon hearing this, Lou Yuxue immediately pictured that hateful face and said stiffly:
"Whatever you want, just don't forget what you promised me, and it would be best if it were in the north of the city."
"oh?"
“...The Xiao family’s secret guards have been keeping watch on the south and west sides of the city recently, while the east side of the city is too far from the Xiao family.”
After explaining for a moment, Lou Yuxue turned and left.
Cui Qingwu watched her walk away before chuckling softly, beckoning Huan'er to hold an umbrella for him, and then getting back into the carriage.
Huan'er looked around and then drove the carriage south towards Tingyu Pavilion.
"Miss, that man is so tactless."
"There are some, but... never mind, remember to find a shop on Kangning Street tomorrow."
"shop?"
"It's not good to let her have too much free time."
Cui Qingwu looked at the night rain outside the car, and was in a pretty good mood.
Despite her previous mockery of Lou Yuxue, she actually highly regarded Lou Yuxue's abilities; otherwise, she wouldn't have made that request.
However, while he acknowledged her loyalty, Lou Yuxue was too rigid, being devoted to the Pavilion Master.
She had to be on guard.
After the carriage drove out of Corning Street.
A dark shadow quietly emerged from the grass beside the winding pond.
The dim glow of the lanterns illuminated his figure, revealing his long, thin face and tall, slender frame.
It was none other than Ning Yu, the bodyguard who accompanied Chen Yunfan.
"Is Miss Cui also involved with the Hidden Guards?"
"We must report to the young master immediately..."
...
Four quarters past midnight.
Listening to the Rain Pavilion.
Inside the side room of the central courtyard, Chunying stood by the window, gazing towards the backyard, a thoughtful expression on her delicate face.
Ning Yu stood respectfully beside her, waiting quietly.
A moment later.
Chunying came to her senses and said with a smile, "Brother Yu, go and rest first. I'll go find the young master and tell him about this."
Ning Yu bowed slightly, "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Chunying."
Chunying nodded, bid him farewell, and walked lightly to a side room deep inside.
She glanced at Chen Yunfan, who was fast asleep hugging his blanket, thought for a moment, then turned around and fetched a basin of warm water.
After thoroughly wetting the towel, she came to the bedside and gently wiped Chen Yunfan's eyes with it, whispering:
"Young master, wake up..."
Chen Yunfan seemed to sense something, turned over, and asked groggily, "What is it that disturbs me?"
Helpless, Chunying could only press his shoulder while saying, "Young master, there's been progress on what happened during the day."
"The burning of the summer grain in the three towns was planned by the Hidden Guards behind the scenes, while the evil spirits of Mingyue Tower were just there to provide support from the outside."
"oh."
"There's also some unusual activity from the Liu family. You saw Young Master Liu Wen a while ago, but he hasn't shown up for a day."
"Um."
Seeing that Chen Yunfan remained unmoved, Chunying hesitated and said, "Then there's Miss Cui, who just met with the White Tiger Guard's Silver Flag Officer, the Female Tiger."
"Cui Qingwu?"
Chen Yunfan slowly sat up, rubbed his eyes, and looked at her, asking, "What did Cui Qingwu and the Hidden Guard, the Female Tiger, talk about?"
Chunying breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was not angry, and replied, "I heard from Brother Ning that the tigress wants to ask Miss Cui for help in finding a safe place to live."
"She agreed?"
"She must have agreed, but she also made a condition: that the tigress do three things for her."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunfan lay back down, but instead of continuing to sleep, he leaned against the pillow and lazily asked:
"Anything else?"
Chunying then recounted everything Ning Yu had heard and seen, "That's about it."
Chen Yunfan yawned. "As a young lady from the Cui family of Qinghe, it's normal for her to have connections with the White Tiger Guard."
"As long as she didn't get involved in the burning of the summer grain in the three towns, it's fine."
After a brief pause, he looked at Chunying and asked, "What about the Xiao family?"
"There are also reports."
"Xiao Dongchen, the second son of the family, committed suicide. Xiao Wang and others were driven out of Shuzhou by the old Marquis and were heading to Guangyue Prefecture."
Chen Yunfan was slightly taken aback, and asked in surprise, "Xiao Dongchen is dead?"
"Yes, the Xiao family did not try to block the news, but there was also no information about why he committed suicide."
"That's really strange."
“Yesterday morning, Xiao Dongchen even transferred one of his achievements to me. How could someone who went to such lengths to please me commit suicide?”
Chunying thought for a moment and said, "Could it be related to Xiao Dongchen and the attack on the summer grain harvest in the three towns?"
Chen Yunfan grinned: "Then he didn't die unjustly."
“I noticed early on that the second branch of the Xiao family had a grudge against the old Marquis, but I didn’t expect Xiao Dongchen to be so bold.”
"No, you should say he's stupid."
"The Xiao family has stood strong in the Great Wei Dynasty for two hundred years. Even though they are not in good condition now, the old Marquis is still alive."
"The second wife is jumping around so wildly; she's practically courting death."
Chunying nodded upon hearing this, and then said, "Young master, there is one more thing."
"After Xiao Jinghong led his men to slaughter all sorts of people in the west of the city today, he did not return to the Xiao family, but left the city directly."
Chen Yunfan pondered, "Xiao Jinghong should have gone back to the border market."
Chunying also guessed the same thing.
"The summer grain losses in the three towns are not significant. The old marquis can handle it by staying in the prefectural city, and all those who made the move have been eliminated..."
Before she could finish speaking, Chen Yunfan shook his head and said, "That's only one aspect."
"Secondly, and most importantly."
"With Xiao Jinghong not in the city, some people will be hesitant to act rashly."
Chunying realized what was happening and asked, "You mean, the Xiao family deliberately kept Xiao Jinghong at the border market to prevent their eventual annihilation?"
"Yes, once a major upheaval occurs within the Xiao family, Xiao Jinghong can mobilize troops from the three towns. At that time, hehe..."
At this point, Chen Yunfan looked out the window at the rain and exclaimed, "I really don't know who's been giving the Xiao family advice behind the scenes."
"Perhaps the Xiao family was able to escape danger this time thanks to him."
Chunying's eyes flickered slightly: "Some time ago, Sun Changming stayed at the Xiao family's place. Could it be him?"
"How could someone dressed in white not know which old foxes are in the Xiao family?"
"Young master is joking. This servant in white is just a novice."
"Then let's go back and ask. The Xiao family is currently facing internal and external troubles, yet they have managed to turn misfortune into good fortune. There must be a master among them."
Chunying nodded. "I will write back later."
To her surprise, Chen Yunfan glanced at her sideways and said, "I'm telling you to go back and leave Shuzhou."
“…Young master, if you are dissatisfied with this servant, you may speak frankly.”
"You can't even figure out why Xiao Jinghong has been staying outside all this time, and you call yourself a White-Clad Prime Minister?"
"You don't actually think that Xiao Jinghong is only away from my brother Yi?"
Chunying opened her mouth, "I, I..."
Seeing her embarrassed, Chen Yunfan laughed out loud, "You fell for it, didn't you?"
You believe me when I'm making things up?
Chunying looked at him with a slight sense of frustration, not understanding which sentence he meant by "nonsense".
In her opinion, Xiao Jinghong staying at the border market would indeed allow him to act as a counterbalance to the old Marquis, keeping the four sides in check.
Some military books also clearly describe it as the "strategic pincer formation".
"Young master, do you know something?"
Chen Yunfan's laughter paused, he muttered "boring," and then turned over and lay down: "Hurry up and leave, this young master needs to rest."
"you……"
"What, are you going to warm my bed?"
"No, it's not..."
Chunying fled in panic.
Upon hearing the door close, Chen Yunfan opened his eyes and stared at a corner of the bed, muttering to himself.
Despite being attacked from both sides, the Xiao family managed to thwart the Hidden Guards' plans and managed to recover.
Those who were waiting for the Xiao family to fall are going to suffer.
Thinking of this, Chen Yunfan clicked his tongue twice and closed his eyes again.
But then, his eyes widened suddenly. "Damn it, this is bad."
"If the Xiao family's situation continues to improve, then wouldn't all the things I reminded Yi-di of earlier become... wouldn't they all become nonsense?"
"Won't I be laughed at to death by him then?"
Chen Yunfan muttered a few words, but it wasn't enough. He made up his mind to find an opportunity to make amends.
Mid-Autumn Festival?
"I am all alone in Shu Prefecture, and I believe Brother Yi would not bear to see me like this..."
...
Meanwhile, in a house next to the Provincial Administration Commissioner's Office.
Liu Yu paced back and forth in the hall, occasionally looking up at the night sky outside.
His expression betrayed his anxiety.
On the armchair next to him, a middle-aged man dressed in black casual clothes was sipping tea from a blue and white porcelain cup.
Sizzle, sizzle.
Perhaps disturbed by the sound of him drinking tea, Liu Yu paused in his tracks, frowning as he said:
"Provincial Governor Liu Hong, are you really not worried about the safety of your nephew Liu Wen?"
The middle-aged man in black—Liu Hong, the Left Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shu Prefecture—put down his teacup and said with a smile:
"Second brother, Wen'er is a grown man now. It's normal for him to stay out all night occasionally. What's there to worry about?"
"Normally I wouldn't be worried, but look at what time it is now?"
"The Dingyuan Army's three border towns were attacked at night, and the summer grain in Tiebi Town was burned. At this critical moment, Wen'er disappeared, he..."
Seeing Liu Yu pause, Liu Hong's square face showed a hint of seriousness as he asked:
"Second brother, are you worried that this matter is related to Wen'er?"
"Or do you know something?"
Liu Yu glanced at him, remained silent for a moment, and then sighed, "The other day, Wen'er took 300,000 taels of silver from the account."
Liu Hong frowned slightly and asked, "Second Brother, why didn't you tell me about something this important earlier?"
Liu Yu hesitated for a moment before saying, "I... I just thought Wen'er was taking the money to expand Xinglinzhai in Shuzhou."
“But I’ve already asked Zhaoxue, and Wen’er hasn’t shown up all day. He hasn’t even gone to the shops he’s already eyed.”
"Third brother, do you think Wen'er might...maybe already be in the hands of the Xiao family?"
Liu Hong pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "If that's the case, then we'll just have to wait for the old Marquis to come and question us."
"this……"
Before Liu Yu could speak, footsteps could be heard outside the door.
Then Liu Zhaoxue hurried over, and after seeing the two men, she bowed and said, "Second Uncle, Third Uncle, the Xiao family just sent a visiting card."
Liu Yu and Liu Hong exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves that what they feared most had come to pass.
Liu Yu stepped forward to take the visiting card, opened it, and his expression changed drastically.
He hurriedly handed the visiting card to Liu Hong, who was standing beside him, and said, "The old Marquis will come in person early tomorrow morning and specifically requests to see the two of us."
Liu Hong glanced at it, then placed the visiting card on the table and said nothing more.
Seeing this, Liu Yu said anxiously, "It's come to this point, you might as well say what you have to say."
Liu Zhaoxue glanced at the expressions of the two people and realized that something must have happened, so she couldn't help but show a serious expression on her face.
Could it be related to my second brother?
Liu Hong ignored their gazes, tapping the armrest as he spoke with his head down:
"Now that things have come to this, there's no use being anxious. Let's think about how to deal with it."
Compared to Liu Yu and Liu Zhaoxue, he had worked in Shuzhou for many years and had a good understanding of the Xiao family and the old Marquis.
Knowing full well that the old marquis was holding his breath and had a knife in his hand, he was just waiting to see who would be foolish enough to run into the blade.
Therefore, when Liu Jing died, even though he knew the murderer was not the guard of Wanjia Pharmacy, he took the opportunity to back down, so as not to be caught in the middle and not be liked by either side.
But this time is different.
Thinking of this, Liu Hong's face hardened with an air of authority, and he took a deep breath and said:
"Second brother, you should set off back to Jingzhou immediately, leaving Zhaoxue here alone."
Liu Yu was stunned and asked, "Why is this happening?"
Liu Hong glanced at him and said, "Second Brother, you know Liu Wen's character better than I do. You should know that he is capable of doing something as foolish as burning down the grain supplies of three towns."
"Besides, the old Marquis came in person; don't you understand his purpose?"
Liu Zhaoxue glanced at the hesitant Liu Hong and said softly, "Second Uncle, this time the old Marquis has sent a visiting card..."
A visiting card!
Liu Yu realized what was happening. "He...he's here to interrogate me?"
Liu Hong nodded. "That's the only way. If he didn't have concrete evidence, Old Master Xiao wouldn't have come in person, especially since he sent his visiting card in advance."
"When have you ever seen a marquis so courteous?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yu sat down blankly on the chair beside him, his expression shifting uncertainly. He whispered, "Trying diplomacy first, then resorting to force..."
"So you want me to go back to Jingzhou so I can bring back reinforcements?"
Liu Hong glared at him. "I'm just asking my second brother to stay out of the way, so you don't get angered by the old Marquis and give him an opportunity to use his troops!"
Liu Yu opened his mouth, then realized what was happening: "Then what about you... no, what about Wen'er? My brother will definitely ask."
"You go back first. After I meet with the old Marquis, I will write to my elder brother to explain."
After Liu Hong finished speaking, he sighed softly: "I just hope Wen'er is alright, otherwise..."
Otherwise, his eldest son would certainly not let it go.
Liu Zhaoxue was well aware of this, and her beautiful eyes glanced at Liu Hong before settling on Liu Yu.
"Very well, I'll leave the city and return to Jingzhou now..."
Not long after.
Liu Zhaoxue returned to her house on Kangning Street alone, stood by the window watching the rain outside, her brows furrowed.
"Has he really fallen into the hands of the Xiao family?"
A sinister voice replied from the side, "They might already be dead."
Liu Zhaoxue turned her head to look and said calmly, "If he really dies, it will be a bad thing."
Yan Fusha stepped out of the shadows, came to her side, and asked, "Why?"
"His death was suspicious, and his family is worried. In the end, it will only implicate more people. Even I will not be able to escape the consequences."
"I see... So should I hide for the time being?"
Liu Zhaoxue nodded slightly, "Let's wait and see, maybe Second Brother is just hiding."
But it's impossible to even think about it.
Liu Wen left mysteriously earlier, clearly plotting something.
Moreover, he withdrew 300,000 taels of silver from the account.
Liu Zhaoxue pondered for a moment, then asked, "How's the investigation going?"
Yan Fusha glanced at her and asked with a smile, "Are you sure that person has a problem, Miss Zhaoxue?"
“I investigated his actions after he came to Shu Prefecture today, and he is nothing more than a reckless scholar.”
"Even if he has beautiful handwriting and is valued by Guiyun Academy, it's nothing special."
Upon hearing this, Liu Zhaoxue paused, and the scene of her meeting with Chen Yi during the day inevitably flashed through her mind.
She couldn't be wrong—Chen Yi was definitely not simple.
"In short, keep a close eye on him for me, and report to me immediately if you find anything."
"Okay, I'll check again."
"However, this time, Miss Zhaoxue cannot stop me from testing him again."
"what ever……"
...
Early the next morning.
As dawn broke.
Chen Yi got up and dressed, only to learn from Xiao Die that it was already past the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).
"It's so late."
Yesterday, after learning that Xiao Jinghong had left Shuzhou, he went to bed early.
After all, I had been busy and mentally exhausted the past few days, so it was inevitable that I would feel a little tired after relaxing.
Xiaodie straightened his collar and said with a smile, "Young master, I saw you were sleeping too soundly, so I didn't wake you."
Chen Yi nodded, glanced at the rain outside the window, and asked, "What's new in the manor today?"
Xiaodie knew what he was going to ask, and as if she had been prepared, she chattered on and on:
"Young master, you'll never guess what happened."
"Early this morning, the master led his men out of the mansion, saying he was going to the Provincial Administration Commission to see Governor Liu."
Chen Yi nodded slightly, thinking to himself that this was nothing new.
With Xiao Dongchen dead, Mingyue Tower and the evil forces of Xicheng were wiped out by Xiao Jinghong. Apart from the wealthy patrons who were unknown to the Xiao family, the only remaining "mastermind" behind the burning of the three towns was the Liu family of Jingzhou.
It's not surprising that the old man went to confront Liu Hong at this point.
Then he heard Xiaodie say, "And do you know what? Master put on that suit of armor before he went out."
Chen Yi was taken aback. "What armor?"
"It's the armor that Master wore when he led the southern expedition against Vaishsa Kingdom and drove out the barbarians. It's a pity that Xiaodie left late and didn't get to see Master's appearance in the armor."
Oh.
Chen Yi chuckled inwardly; this old man must have been holding back for too long.
The moment they went to confront the Liu family, they made such a big show of force; it seems they were planning to give them a hard time first.
Judging from this display of power, Liu Hong, that second-rank official, would probably lose about 30% of his confidence.
Fortunately, the Xiao family is in the right this time. They still have Liu Wen's corpse, 300,000 taels of silver, and a letter signed and sealed by Xiao Dongchen. They should be able to make the Liu family bow down.
Just as Chen Yi was about to start a casual conversation, two lines of large characters floated past his eyes:
[Chance +4.]
[Comment: Marquis Dingyuan Xiao Yuan visited Liu Hong, the Provincial Governor of Shu Prefecture, and forced Liu Hong to apologize. He also asked the Emperor to make a ruling.]
To not seize an opportunity that falls from the sky before one has arrived, heard, or witnessed it, is the mark of a naturally lazy person.
Chen Yi's eyes narrowed: "..."
He went to bed early last night and missed a good show.
But on second thought.
Even if he had seen this intelligence beforehand, it would have been difficult for him to go to the Provincial Administration Office with the old master.
"That's enough, let's put this matter to rest. As long as the outcome is good, that's all that matters."
Although there was still one "financial backer" to be dealt with, the summer grain harvest in the three towns was not significantly damaged, and the Xiao family's situation was alleviated in the short term.
Chen Yi thought about it and then took Xiao Die to the study. He instructed her to call for a carriage while he tidied up the calligraphy books.
"Also, when you come back, go and ask your older sister which elders need holiday gifts."
Xiaodie should have left.
After tidying up the calligraphy copybooks, Chen Yi pondered for a moment, "We should also send a gift to the people from Guiyun Academy, such as Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying."
He then took out paper and pen and made a list, intending to buy them all at the same time when preparing gifts for Xiao Jinghong.
But not long after...
Not only did Xiaodie return, but Xiao Wan'er also rushed over upon hearing the news, carrying a blue booklet in her hand.
Chen Yi glanced at her and saw that her expression was normal, clearly unaffected by Xiao Dongchen's death yesterday.
"What brings you here, eldest sister?"
Xiao Wan'er's smile remained gentle as she asked, "I heard that my brother-in-law is going to buy holiday gifts?"
Chen Yi smiled and said, "Before leaving yesterday, Madam instructed me to prepare for her."
Xiao Wan'er's smile paused slightly, then she nodded and said, "I also need to prepare some, let's do it together."
Chen Yi naturally wouldn't refuse. He picked up the stack of calligraphy books and followed her out of Chunhe Garden.
After instructing Xiao Die and the others to keep an eye on Xiao Wuge, Xiao Wan'er and Chen Yi boarded the carriage.
The drivers were still Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang, the two fellow disciples.
After the carriage left the Xiao residence, Xiao Wan'er finally spoke, "Brother-in-law, have you heard about what happened at the residence yesterday?"
Chen Yi hummed in agreement. "I've heard about it. It's a pity."
Perhaps because his tone was too casual, Xiao Wan'er couldn't help but ask, "What is my brother-in-law regretting?"
"What a pity... It's a pity that Uncle Dongchen died a worthy death."
Xiao Wan'er was taken aback, and after realizing what he meant, she gave him a reproachful glare.
"After all, they are elders, so it's not appropriate to say that."
Chen Yi nodded, then asked, "Such a big thing happened yesterday, what is your opinion, eldest sister?"
Xiao Wan'er's face showed a slight change upon hearing this. "I... all I can do is appease Second Grandfather's family."
"them?"
"Yes, yesterday Grandpa told them to leave Shuzhou, and also said he would remove Uncle Dongchen from the family genealogy. Second Grandpa fell ill."
Chen Yi's first reaction upon hearing this was that she deserved it, but after seeing Xiao Wan'er's expression, he also said seriously:
"Life and death are preordained. I'm sure Uncle Dongchen, if he knew in the afterlife, would understand what the old master did."
Xiao Wan'er nodded gently, "Major military affairs can be decided by Grandpa and Jinghong, especially since he did such a bad thing."
"I just feel a bit sentimental. When my father was still alive, my second uncle and Uncle Dongchen were quite harmonious, and so was the family."
"I didn't expect this..."
Listening to her recount her past, Chen Yi was somewhat able to understand her feelings.
Regardless of right or wrong, regardless of betrayal or not, in terms of relationship alone, Xiao Dongchen and the second wife both have Xiao family blood flowing through their veins.
It's understandable that Xiao Wan'er felt somewhat saddened by her current predicament.
As for Chen Yi...
He caused this situation himself, so naturally he feels nothing.
Furthermore, if he had known the other patron's background beforehand, he might have been able to make the game even bigger this time.
Just as Chen Yi was about to offer a few words of comfort, he suddenly heard a deep, hoarse voice from outside the car:
"Shuzhou remains the same as always."
"I remember the last time I came here was for General Jinghong's wedding..."
(End of this chapter)
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