Chapter 239 With nothing to do at the government office, the brothel…
Chen Yi knew that Lou Yuxue had recently been acting on orders from the General Star and had been secretly contacting the people of King Landu of Vaishsa Kingdom.
He simply didn't know the purpose of the Hidden Guard's contact with King Lando.
Furthermore, according to the merchant surnamed Lin, King Landu was a bandit king of Vashj.
"King Lando..."
Chen Yi lay on the bed, muttering the name to himself.
Although he didn't know much about King Lando, he could tell from the fact that the Hidden Guard's Golden Banner Officer cared so much about him and that he could buy ironware from Mr. Lingchuan through a merchant surnamed Lin that King Lando was capable.
"Bandits?"
"There aren't many bandits who can do this much."
However, Chen Yi had previously heard some things about the Kingdom of Vaishsa.
Many of the bandits in that area were soldiers who specialized in robbing merchants from the Wei Dynasty and the Buddhist Kingdom along the Tea Horse Road.
Those with greater abilities even dared to plunder barbarian tribes—that's how the barbarian slaves of Shuzhou came to be.
In this situation.
Rather than calling them bandits, it would be more accurate to describe them as soldiers of the Vaishsa Kingdom dressed in bandit robes.
Chen Yi thought for a moment, then took out a piece of paper from under the folding gun strapped to his arm and looked at its contents in the dim light from outside the room.
"Horizontal stroke, hook, hook, left-falling stroke..."
“The script in Vaishsa is really hard to decipher.”
What Chen Yi was holding was none other than the letter addressed to King Lando that he had obtained from the man surnamed Lin.
"I guess they're discussing how to make a deal with King Lando?"
"Tomorrow, let Wang Ji find someone who understands the script of Vaishsa to take a look."
After pondering for a while, Chen Yi put the paper away again, closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
He slept soundly.
In the opposite room, Xiao Wan'er tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
His eyes opened from time to time.
When Bao Jian, who was sitting by the door, noticed her movement, he glanced at Cui'er and Juan'er who were sleeping soundly, and then lightly got up and came to the bedside.
"Miss, can't you sleep?"
Xiao Wan'er gave a soft "hmm," sat up wrapped in the blanket, leaned against the pillow, and whispered:
"I haven't been back here for a long time, and I'm feeling a bit uneasy."
Five years have passed since Xiao Fengchun and Fu Wanqing died.
She should have gotten used to it by now, but coming here inevitably brings back memories of her childhood.
In addition, she felt somewhat saddened after seeing the painting tonight.
Shen Huatang guessed some of the clues, but didn't know how to comfort her, so she just sat by the bedside to keep her company.
Outside the window, the rain pattered noisily.
The room was dimly lit and silent.
I sat there blankly for a moment.
Xiao Wan'er took a deep breath, dispelling the suffocation in her heart, and smiled gently:
"Have you made arrangements for your fellow disciples? Are you settling in well?"
Shen Huatang hummed in agreement, "The conditions are better than on the mountain."
"Manager Wang found them lodgings in two large three-courtyard houses and arranged for several servants to attend to them."
"Aside from their monthly allowance, they don't need to worry about their food, clothing, or daily necessities; all expenses are covered by Baicaotang."
Xiao Wan'er was slightly taken aback, and said in surprise, "This should have been planned, right?"
She might not know much else, but she was well aware of the situation at her family's pharmacy.
Even though the conditions for the managers, doctors, and apprentices in the several pharmacies were quite good, they still couldn't compare to Baicaotang.
Shen Huatang nodded and pondered, "I asked my senior sister, but she didn't know why either."
"Perhaps it's as Wang Ji said, the conditions were negotiated and negotiated between the son-in-law and him."
"Brother-in-law?"
"Hmm, it might also be related to the fact that we come from the Tianshan Sect."
Shen Huatang clearly preferred the latter.
Although the Tianshan Sect rarely ventures into the martial world, it is still quite famous.
Especially her master Ni Haishan's generation, who had roamed the martial arts world for many years and did several remarkable things.
On the contrary, her generation is not well-known.
Only the eldest disciple, Xie Tingyun, acted on behalf of the Tianshan Sect in the martial arts world, killing some local scoundrels.
In addition, the Tianshan Sect is located in the far west of the Western Regions, a vast and sparsely populated area with little money and food, which is why it is not widely known in the martial arts world.
This is also why she didn't drag her junior brothers and sisters down the mountain to join Baicaotang.
In any case, it can earn some reputation for the sect.
Of course, there's also money and provisions.
Xiao Wan'er glanced in the direction of the doors and windows and said thoughtfully, "Perhaps."
She preferred that Chen Yi mediate so that Wang Ji would show more favor to the disciples of the Tianshan Sect.
Of course, this is just her inclination.
Shen Huatang turned her head to look at Xiao Wan'er, and even in the dim light, she could still clearly see Xiao Wan'er's expression.
After thinking for a moment, she hesitated for once, which was uncharacteristic of her, and asked, "Miss, you seem to value your second son-in-law very much?"
She wanted to say "I care," but ultimately couldn't bring herself to ask directly.
Xiao Wan'er froze, secretly glancing at her out of the corner of her eye, and said with a somewhat unsure tone, "Yes, right?"
“My brother-in-law is very knowledgeable and capable... I hope he can teach Wuge more.”
After much thought, this reason seems the most appropriate.
That was her initial idea, and so far, Xiao Wuge's growth has met her expectations.
However, she didn't know when a shadow had appeared in her heart.
Hmm... it should start with that poem...
Shen Huatang, still somewhat unwilling to give up, said, "Miss, the second son-in-law is indeed outstanding, just like the second young lady."
The two "two"s were emphasized.
Xiao Wan'er naturally understood, and after a brief silence, she said softly, "Yes, they are all doing well."
"I wonder if their future children will inherit it."
She paused, then lowered her voice, making it almost inaudible.
"I hope I'll live to see that day..."
Upon hearing this, Shen Huatang's expression turned complicated. She sighed inwardly, having roughly understood her intentions.
"Don't worry, Miss, you will get better."
Xiao Wan'er chuckled, said nothing more, and lay down flat on her pillow.
"Go to sleep."
"good……"
...
I don't know how much time has passed.
In a daze.
Chen Yi felt as if he were in a courtyard, laughing and chatting with people.
There is Xiao Wan'er, and there is also Xiao Jinghong.
Strangely, the two of them addressed him in the same way.
Xiao Wan'er: "Husband, Wu Ge is about to return from Jinling. Shall we go and greet him?"
Chen Yi: "Okay, okay..."
Xiao Jinghong: "Husband, you must promise my sister one thing, and you must also promise me one thing."
Chen Yi: "Okay, what's up?"
"Come and fight me."
"A duel? No, no, no."
"My husband, it's not a good thing to forget the old for the new."
Then Xiao Jinghong drew his long sword from his waist as he spoke, smiling gently:
"My lord, take this sword."
Immediately, a dazzling sword light slashed through the sky and landed directly on Chen Yi's head.
hiss--
Chen Yi gasped and sat up abruptly from the bed.
A ray of light shone through the window into the room.
Along with that came the sound of raindrops falling.
Chen Yi breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and muttered to himself that it was a dream.
He said, "Why would Xiao Wan'er call me husband?"
Do some tidying up.
Chen Yi got up, dressed neatly, looked at himself in the bronze mirror, and forced a smile.
"My lady, you bullied me in my dream. You must never lay a knife or sword on your husband again."
"How dangerous!"
Chen Yi muttered a couple of words to himself, then put the images from his dream out of his mind and walked straight out of the room.
At this time, it was just past the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).
Xiao Wan'er, Shen Huatang and others had all packed up, and Liu Si'er had fed the horses hay early in the morning.
Soon, the group finished breakfast.
Without lingering, they all boarded the carriage.
Kang Ming and the others originally intended to see them off, but at Xiao Wan'er's instruction, they simply stood outside the house and watched them leave.
Until the carriage disappeared into the rain.
The elderly people and Kang Ming's family had just returned to their residence, but their expressions didn't show much emotion.
"It's a good thing that Miss is building a medical academy here. She should be staying here more often in the future."
"Perhaps the Marquis will come along as well."
"Lord Marquis?"
Upon hearing this, Kang Ming paused, a hint of nervousness appearing on his aged face. He quickly waved his hand and gave instructions:
"Then what are you still standing there for?"
"While there's still some time, let's repair and clean the house inside and out."
"So that when the Marquis and his men arrive, they won't find that we've made a mess of this house."
"Yes, yes..."
Chen Yi, who had already gone far away, was naturally unaware of these things.
On the way back, however, he sensed something unusual about Xiao Wan'er beside him.
Not much, just a tiny bit.
From the moment he got into the carriage, Xiao Wan'er kept smiling at him, making him almost think that his clothes were buttoned crooked today.
"Is my eldest sister in a good mood today?"
"It's certainly good to have something on my mind put at ease."
"Medical Academy? This is only the first step in a long journey, it's just the beginning."
"You're right, I might be celebrating too soon."
As Xiao Wan'er spoke, she smiled and asked, "What is the story behind the Long March?"
Chen Yi smiled, raised his hand to lift one side of the curtain and looked at the heavy rain outside, then said, "The rain today... is really heavy."
Xiao Wan'er's beautiful eyes reflected his figure, but she didn't ask any more questions. She just silently pulled her cloak tighter around herself.
Why bother with something that's impossible to begin with?
Besides, her health is also... and her days are numbered.
Thinking of this, Xiao Wan'er nudged Chen Yi with her elbow, and when he turned around, she smiled and said:
"Last night, you promised to make copies of those two paintings for me."
Chen Yi was slightly taken aback. "What's wrong?"
"No, I want you to draw a few more pictures, not copies, but one for me, my second sister, Wu Ge, Grandpa, and you."
"Separately, or together?"
Xiao Wan'er's pretty face lit up with joy when she saw that he did not refuse.
"Whatever you like, but it would be even better if there were pictures of all of us sitting together, like Father and Mother with my second sister and me."
Chen Yi nodded and agreed.
Although he didn't know what Xiao Wan'er was thinking, he could still do this little thing, just to hone his skills in painting.
Not long after.
The carriage passed through the south gate of Shuzhou Prefecture and arrived at Zhennan Street.
Chen Yi glanced at the sky and said, "I have to go to Baicaotang. You guys go back first."
Xiao Wan'er didn't ask any further questions and directly instructed Shen Huatang to stop the car.
After Chen Yi stepped off the carriage, she asked, "Will you be back at noon?"
Chen Yi thought for a moment and said, "I'm not going back. I'll have a big meal at Baicaotang for lunch."
He has a lot to do today, and I estimate he won't be able to finish in an hour.
Xiao Wan'er smiled gently, "Let Wang Ji take you to the restaurant. If you don't have enough money, I have some here."
"Need not……"
Looking at that stunningly beautiful face that could express both joy and anger, Chen Yi felt an even stronger unease in his heart.
Did anything happen last night?
It seems that Xiao Wan'er has become much more cheerful after just one night.
Just as the two were about to part ways, a voice called out from not far away: "Brother Yi?"
Chen Yi and Xiao Wan'er looked in the direction of the sound and saw Chen Yunfan, Cui Qingwu and others waving at them.
Chunying and Cui Qingwu's maid Huan'er followed behind.
Chen Yi muttered to himself, "What a coincidence," but waved back calmly.
Xiao Wan'er didn't leave either, and got off the carriage.
Upon seeing her, Cui Qingwu quickly walked a few steps and held the oil-paper umbrella over her head. "Sister Wan'er, it's been a long time."
Xiao Wan'er smiled and nodded, "It's been a while since the Mid-Autumn Festival."
"I was saying I was going to look for you, but then the restaurant opened and suddenly I had a lot more things to do."
"A restaurant?"
"Yes, I just opened Yunqinglou, which is right next to the West Market."
"That's great..."
While the two beauties were chatting and laughing, Chen Yi and Chen Yunfan felt something was off.
Chen Yi wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he noticed that Chen Yunfan was looking at him strangely.
There were sighs, indignation, and a touch of smugness.
He was unaware that Chen Yunfan had learned of his killing of Yan Fusha of the Five Poisons Sect that day.
After looking at it for a moment, he simply assumed he had misread it.
After all, who can simultaneously show resentment and smugness?
"Brother, aren't you on duty today?"
Seeing his calm demeanor, Chen Yunfan suppressed the urge to strike him with his sword and the smug satisfaction of knowing his secret, and raised his head to say:
"Nothing to do at the yamen today, so let's go to the brothel... to listen to music at the newly opened restaurant in Qingwu."
He's been really bored these past few days.
Seeing that his progress in swordsmanship was slow, he decided not to force it and planned to relax before continuing his training.
Chen Yi nodded knowingly; he had seen the Yunqing Tower when he went to Baicaotang before.
“Perfect timing, I was just about to go to Baicaotang, let’s go together.”
Before Chen Yunfan could reply, Cui Qingwu's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she pulled Xiao Wan'er aside, saying:
"Sister Wan'er, since Mr. Qingzhou has said so, why don't you come with us?"
Xiao Wan'er glanced at Chen Yi.
Chen Yi glanced at Xiao Wan'er, then at the eager Cui Qingwu and the impatient Chen Yunfan, and said with a smile:
"Why don't you, eldest sister, go and try it too?"
"You just mentioned that Manager Wang would host a dinner at the restaurant."
Xiao Wan'er smiled and turned to instruct Liu Si'er to take Cui'er and Juan'er back to the mansion first.
Shen Huatang naturally followed her closely.
Not long after, the two groups headed to the West Market together.
However, Cui Qingwu was too domineering; she directly took Xiao Wan'er's hand and walked ahead with them under the same umbrella.
There's no other way.
The brothers Chen Yi and Chen Yunfan could only be relegated to a slightly later position.
What's worse, Chen Yi was holding the umbrella alone, while Chen Yunfan and Chunying were holding the umbrella for him.
Seeing this, Chen Yunfan winked at him and slightly raised his head:
"Yi-di, did you just come back from outside?"
Chen Yi didn't care about his little competitive thoughts, and nodded, saying, "I went to the farm outside the city."
"The Xiao family?"
"It's mine."
Chen Yunfan was taken aback, then looked at him in surprise, sizing him up before clicking his tongue in disapproval:
"Incredible, truly remarkable! Mr. Qingzhou is indeed worthy of being General Jinghong's husband."
That being said.
His feelings were somewhat complicated.
"Yes, it's only natural that Yi-di married into the Xiao family and is wholeheartedly devoted to them."
"Besides the Chen family... Mother..."
Thinking about all this, Chen Yunfan suddenly understood why Chen Yi had hidden his martial arts and medical skills.
If he were in Chen Yi's position, he might have made the same choice.
Chen Yunfan fell silent without realizing it.
Even the displeasure he felt about Chen Yi hiding things from him earlier dissipated considerably.
Of course, only the majority.
Chen Yi smiled dismissively and said, "Is it wrong to follow a woman wherever she goes, even if she's a chicken or a dog?"
He had absolutely no awareness of being inferior as a son-in-law.
Chen Yunfan chuckled and muttered, "Then you should remember that your name is still on the Chen family genealogy. As your elder brother, I am connected to you by blood."
"Huh? My name wasn't removed from the family tree?"
"Let's see who dares. Even if Father and Second Uncle give the order, I'll write it back to you."
Chen Yi glanced at him, taking it as a joke.
He is currently far away in Shu Prefecture, and having married into the Xiao family, it is unlikely that he will ever return to Jiangnan Prefecture.
In this case, what difference does it make whether his name is on the Chen family genealogy or not?
Chunying listened silently to the conversation between the two, her eyes occasionally glancing at Chen Yi's figure, and she couldn't help but feel a little sigh.
The young master was in a bad mood and had even snapped at her that morning.
To my surprise, Chen Yi was a completely different person the moment I met him, and he was even chatting and laughing with me.
Thinking of this, Chunying's lips pursed slightly.
While she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard Chen Yunfan say, "Yi-di, would you like to write a letter to Father?"
Upon hearing this, Chunying opened her mouth, then her heart tightened. "Young master, why do you tell everyone everything?"
Chen Yi was obviously unaware of these things. Without even thinking, he shook his head and said, "Why write a letter? I don't want to."
Chen Yunfan looked at him, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Don't you want to tell the old man something?"
“I know you feel wronged because your mother arranged for you to come to Shuzhou…”
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yi raised his hand to interrupt him, saying, "Stop, I'm not aggrieved at all."
He didn't want Xiao Wan'er and Shen Huatang to misunderstand.
Especially things like expressing grievances.
He's carefree and happy every day, he's not at all aggrieved.
Chen Yunfan paused, then said thoughtfully, "I remember, when Father went to the Western Lands, you wrote him a poem..."
"You really don't want to say hello to him?"
Chen Yi paused, then shook his head again: "Never mind, I'm doing quite well in Shu Prefecture, there's nothing to write to him."
Besides, he wasn't the one who wrote the poem "Sending Chen Xuanji to Jinling".
Seeing this, Chen Yunfan stopped trying to persuade him and silently noted the matter down, planning to write another letter to his father when he got back.
He eventually had to find out if his father knew about Chen Yi's marriage into the family.
Not long after.
Several people came to Yunqing Tower.
Chen Yi was just about to find an excuse to leave for a while when he heard some noisy sounds coming from Baicaotang.
"Manager Wang, this is not our fault..."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
