Chapter 77: The Backup of the Hidden Guards?
“I have done what you asked me to do, but the two women interfered. You shall decide the matter of the fledgling yourself.”
“I have discovered that the two women have used their family wealth to jointly build a trade market with the mountain tribes in order to make up for the lack of money and food for the Dingyuan Army. I need your help with this matter.”
Chen Yi looked at the two seemingly unrelated sentences on Yun Song's paper.
However, some information can be extracted from it.
First, this is not a report or a dispatch of intelligence, but a communication between two people of equal status.
Secondly, Xiao Dongchen had done something for the other party, concerning the fledglings... which was related to him.
Thirdly, Xiao Dongchen, or rather the Hidden Guards, were also targeting the Xiao family, not wanting them to fill the gaps in the Dingyuan Army's supplies.
It seems that this last point of goal coincides with what the imperial court has done to the Xiao family?
So, were the "Hidden Guards" people from the imperial court?
After much deliberation.
Chen Yi circled three characters on the pine paper: one for "I", one for "baby bird", and the last for "Dingyuan Army".
"I have only had a handful of interactions with Xiao Dongchen: once when I gave him a gift, twice when I welcomed Chen Yunfan, and three times at his birthday banquet."
Besides that, there were a few things that didn't happen but were related.
One incident involved Xiao Dongchen saying a few words in his defense after he "forcibly took Yunxiang".
However, it is clear that the secret letter did not refer to this matter, because Xiao Jinghong, one of the "two women," was not in the mansion on that occasion.
The second thing is something Xiaodie once said.
"That day, the Second Master wanted to punish the son-in-law, but the Duchess mentioned that she had found him a government job in the Provincial Administration Commission, which was arranged through connections by Master Dongchen."
If the secret letter refers to this matter, then it makes sense.
Then Chen Yi circled the word "you" again, "He asked Xiao Dongchen to arrange an official position for me?"
"It seems my earlier guess was correct."
"Those hidden guards really intend to nurture me, this 'fledgling'."
"But what is the purpose?"
Chen Yi went through it again in his mind, and two words came to mind: "Xiao Family!"
The only way to deal with him is to use him against the Xiao family.
In this way, everything can be connected.
"The Hidden Guards are there to deal with the Xiao family, gather intelligence, create difficulties, and hinder the Xiao family from earning money and food."
"Chen Yunfan and Li Huaigu are serving in Shu Prefecture, which should also be the case. I suppose they have other arrangements for them later."
"Finally, there is me—the husband of Xiao Jinghong, the current pillar of the Xiao family."
Thinking of this, Chen Yi destroyed the paper with cloud and pine branches to cover his tracks, muttering to himself, "They made me an official for only a few reasons."
"Either they're trying to frame me and implicate the Xiao family."
"The probability is not small. A charge of treason would be enough to bring down the entire Xiao family."
"They'll either use me to deal with Xiao Jinghong... Ha, they don't really think I can subdue Xiao Jinghong and thus control the Xiao family, do they?"
The sound paused.
Chen Yi's face became more serious as he burned the last bit of cloud pine paper, his eyes turning somewhat cold.
He certainly couldn't.
Putting aside his abilities, his mind and ambitions were not in officialdom or the military.
But if it were the original owner of this body, the "Chen Yi" who was suppressed by the Chen family for five years and missed the imperial examination, things would probably be different now...
The thought process was instantly overturned and restarted.
He pondered for a moment.
Chen Yi chuckled self-deprecatingly, "It's a good thing I didn't tell Xiao Jinghong about the 'Hidden Guards' before, otherwise I'm afraid I'd be in deep trouble no matter what."
"So, to them, I'm considered 'one of their own,' a reserve member of the Hidden Guard?"
Chen Yi patted the ashes off his palms, got up, and opened the window, letting the night breeze disperse the smoke and the smell of fire in the study.
He looked at the pavilion not far away, and his mind couldn't help but drift back to his life over the past few months.
It was quite comfortable and pleasant.
A long silence followed.
A smile reappeared on Chen Yi's face. "Damn it, they're always causing me trouble."
...
It was just past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).
Xiaodie got up as usual, tidied up the bed briefly, and changed into a clean floral long-sleeved shirt and trousers.
By the light of the oil lamp, she wet a towel and wiped her face, then combed her hair into two buns at the back of her head.
Everything is in order.
Xiaodie then carried the porcelain basin, took two freshly dried towels, and went to the back kitchen to fetch water.
At this moment, the rain outside gradually subsided, but the sound of raindrops hitting the rubble could still be heard.
Xiaodie tiptoed out of the room, glanced at the dim sky, and reached out her hand from under the eaves.
A few drops of rain fell into her palm.
"The rain is quite heavy."
As she spoke, Xiaodie assumed a running stance, mustered her courage, and was about to rush into the rain.
Just then, a voice rang out from the side: "Go fetch water? Fetch plenty of hot water."
The sudden sound startled Xiaodie, who was caught off guard, and she almost dropped the porcelain basin in her hand.
She looked in the direction of the sound and saw Chen Yi outside the wooden building, covered in mud. "Young Master, what happened to you?"
Chen Yi looked down and said with a smile, "I practiced some stance training."
Xiao Die looked at the sky, then at him. An hour of standing meditation! What time did her son-in-law get up?
She had no idea, but she did as she was told and jogged off to fetch water.
After Xiaodie ran far away, Chen Yi didn't use the mud on his feet to soil the wooden floor under the eaves.
I just stood quietly in the rain, letting the icy rain wash over my burning muscles and skin.
After realizing the purpose of the "Hidden Guards," he knew that his own strength was far from enough to deal with everything.
Unless he defectes to the "Hidden Guards" or the imperial court, he will only end up like the Xiao family.
They will either be defeated by various conspiracies or sweep away everything and stand firm.
There is no third possibility.
"Madam and the old master must have been aware of this, which is why they acted in such a hurry."
Chen Yi didn't need to think too deeply about the specifics.
Until he has a certain ability to protect himself, he only needs to pretend that he knows nothing and that everything is as it is.
Not long after.
Xiaodie ran over, gave him a quick wipe, and then had him stand under the eaves. After cleaning him up, she brought him a clean robe.
"Young master, don't cultivate outside on rainy days, be careful not to catch a cold."
Chen Yi smiled and nodded, took the clothes and went back to his room to change. After Xiao Die tidied him up a bit, he finally sat down in the main room.
"Bring some food."
Little Butterfly responded and left.
After Chen Yi's internal energy calmed down, he then used the Xuanwu Concealing Breath Technique to conceal his energy.
Now that he has mastered the "Martial Arts Body", his Xuanwu Breath Concealing Technique and Great Spear Stance Skill are progressing rapidly, and his cultivation level is increasing day by day.
After his muscles, bones, skin, internal organs, limbs, and bones have been thoroughly tempered, his martial arts foundation will only be more solid than that of other martial artists.
Soon Xiaodie brought the food, and Chen Yi ate while giving instructions:
"We'll go to Jishi Pharmacy later. You stay at the manor with Wuge, and I'll have Xingge bring some men to accompany us."
Before Xiaodie could speak, he smiled and looked up: "It's raining, so Wuge won't catch a cold."
Actually, there's another piece of information about the brothels and entertainment district in the south of the city.
He had no choice but to go and see what was going on.
(End of this chapter)
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