Chapter 343 This Thing Is the Most Nostalgic (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
No wonder Pei Guanli was in a bad mood.
Anyone who sees someone who has only recently started practicing stance training making visible progress in their cultivation will feel frustrated.
Pei Guanli sighed and said, "Sister Liu'er, she actually generated Qi and tempered her muscles and skin in less than a quarter of an hour."
She looked at Chen Yi, pouted, and said, "Brother-in-law, did you already know that she had extraordinary talent in martial arts?"
Chen Yi nodded, "Liu'er is indeed exceptionally talented."
However, he did not expect that Yuan Liuer would practice the stance training for such a short time.
Even when he first started practicing the spear stance training, it took him more than half an hour to get a basic understanding of it.
From this, we can see that Yuan Liuer has a high talent in martial arts.
Pei Guanli, still feeling melancholy, stood with her hands behind her back, looking old-fashioned, and sighed, saying, "New talents emerge in every generation of martial arts world; the old generation will eventually be swept away by the new generation."
Chen Yi chuckled and patted her forehead, silencing her long sigh.
"At noon, you said you would cultivate diligently and break through to the seventh rank as soon as possible. Why are you giving up now?"
Instead of saying these useless things, you should go back and focus on your cultivation. Perhaps in a few days, your cultivation will improve.
Pei Guanli rubbed her forehead, pouted, and said, "It's all your fault..."
She knew Chen Yi wouldn't take on a disciple for no reason, especially not someone like Ma Liangcai.
It's all probably for the sake of the exceptionally talented Yuan Liuer.
Fortunately, Pei Guanli was broad-minded, and she quickly put those feelings of discouragement behind her. She rolled her eyes and said:
"Brother-in-law, after the annual examination, will you personally tutor Liu'er?"
Chen Yi looked around and nodded slightly, "Her talent in calligraphy is also quite good."
Pei Guanli knew he was avoiding suspicion, but she didn't mind and just chuckled and said:
"Then can you take me with you?"
"you?"
"hold head high."
Seeing that she wasn't joking, Chen Yi thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Your handwriting is indeed a bit poor. You can do it with Liu'er then."
Pei Guanli was about to nod happily when she suddenly realized, "You...brother-in-law, you mean besides..."
She gestured with her fists and feet a couple of times, then made a writing motion and said, "I want one too?"
Chen Yi glanced at her sideways: "What do you think?"
Pei Guanli's face fell. "I hate reading the most... Can I not write?"
What do you think?
"It won't work, will it? Oh well, I'll write it."
"Um……"
The two chatted and laughed all the way back to the Xiao family.
The afterglow of the setting sun lingered, and the evening glow, like a dream, poured down, elongating the shadows.
Although the travelers on the road were in a hurry, many of them would glance at Chen Yi and Pei Guanli.
The former is now quite famous in Shuzhou City.
Not only scholars knew him, but even ordinary people in the streets and alleys had heard of the name "Mr. Qingzhou".
Even today, storytellers still perform in teahouses and brothels, recounting how their rendition of "Prelude to Water Melody: Mid-Autumn Festival" won the poetry competition.
After Chen Yi's poetry and calligraphy spread throughout the nine provinces and three prefectures, people would occasionally come to Shu Prefecture, bringing with them some rumors from the outside world.
A certain Confucian scholar praised "Prelude to Water Melody: When Will the Moon Be Bright?" as the greatest Mid-Autumn Festival poem of all time, and said that no one in later generations could surpass it.
Or perhaps a famous calligrapher had the good fortune to see Chen Yi's running script calligraphy, was amazed by its brilliance, and diligently imitated and studied it.
Even from the capital city, snippets of conversation reached us: "Chen Qingzhou has achieved mastery in running script, and in terms of calligraphy, he is no less accomplished than the ancient sages who passed down their teachings."
The one who uttered these words was none other than Wei Chi, also known as Wei Cixin, one of the two sages of calligraphy in the Great Wei Dynasty.
Not only was he born into the royal family, but he was also the dean of the Imperial Academy in Kyoto Prefecture.
This made the name "Chen Qingzhou" widely known, especially among those who love calligraphy.
It's not hard to understand.
His mastery of running script, pioneering the Wei style, will allow more people who are passionate about calligraphy to try to forge their own path and no longer be limited to the Wei Qing style.
As for Pei Guanli...
Mountain girls are unconventional; their clothing and behavior are hard to miss.
Of course, the people of Shuzhou were mostly afraid of the mountain tribes.
Not fresh.
Everyone fears witchcraft and poisonous insects.
Not long after.
Chen Yi and Pei Guanli returned to the Xiao family home, their steps measured, and they passed through the front yard discreetly.
Upon arriving at the central courtyard, Chen Yi glanced at the armored soldiers guarding the quiet residence and muttered to himself that something was amiss.
No wonder he didn't see Wang Lixing or Liu Si'er in the front yard.
Upon seeing the two, Wang Lixing clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, "Second son-in-law, Miss Pei."
Chen Yi greeted him with a smile and asked casually, "Have you had guests at your residence?"
Wang Lixing felt there was no need to hide anything, so he whispered, "The Duke of Gan has brought men to deliver grain to the Marquis."
The Duke of Gan, Zhang Xuan, that shameless old man?
Chen Yi nodded knowingly and said with a smile, "No wonder there's such a grand display in the mansion."
He originally thought that Xiao Jinghong had returned to the Xiao family after hearing about the imperial edict, but he really didn't expect Zhang Xuan to come in person.
Let's chat for a bit.
Chen Yi brought Pei Guanli back to Chunhe Garden.
Xiao Die was chatting and laughing with Xiao Wuge in the pavilion after he had changed into dry clothes.
Pei Guanli's eyes darted around, her delicate white feet stomping on the bluestone slab, and she called out with a smile, "Take this!"
The bell then jingled once.
Xiao Wuge turned around upon hearing the sound and saw a pink fist looming large in front of him. He quickly ducked and nimbly dodged it.
Pei Guanli was somewhat surprised. Even though she had held back 90% of her strength, her speed was still much higher than that of a lower-level ninth-rank cultivator.
"Little Wuge, your martial arts are progressing very quickly, although you can't compare to a certain monster."
Xiao Wuge then recognized the person who had come, and his tense expression turned to joy. "Sister Pei, you're back."
Pei Guanli put one hand on her hip, reached out and tapped his forehead, and said with a smile, "If you don't come back soon, Xiao Wuge will be better at martial arts than your sister."
"Hehe, no..."
Amidst laughter and conversation, Chen Yi arrived outside the pavilion and taunted Pei Guanli, "If you don't work harder, Wu Ge's cultivation might really surpass yours."
Pei Guanli's smile remained unchanged. "My brother-in-law is here, no, no."
Chen Yi thought to himself, "Who knows?" and didn't provoke Hu Yatou any further. He then instructed Xiao Die to prepare dinner.
Xiaodie smiled and agreed, then hurried off to the kitchen.
Xiao Wuge, as usual, approached Chen Yi and pulled him to play chess.
Chen Yi has no objection.
The chessboard is set up, and we take turns placing our pieces.
Pei Guanli sat on the railing of a pavilion, her hands supporting her, her delicate white feet swinging back and forth, giving Xiao Wuge bad advice.
"Go down there, go down there... Oh dear, little Wuge, you're going the wrong way, you should listen to me..."
Xiao Wuge wouldn't listen. While placing his pieces according to the chess manual, he didn't forget to turn around and say, "Sister Pei, don't give me random advice."
Ever since he believed Pei Guanli's words and made a few moves in the game, he has never believed that Pei Guanli could play chess.
There's no other way.
The consequence of those few moves was that Chen Yi quickly cornered him and scored five goals in a few moves.
Pei Guanli, however, remained unperturbed and continued pointing and gesturing as if nothing was wrong.
Xiao Wuge simply focused on playing chess, occasionally exchanging a few words with Chen Yi.
"Brother-in-law, you know that Grandpa Zhang is here at the mansion, right?"
Chen Yi casually placed a piece on the board and nodded nonchalantly: "I've heard about it."
“When I went to Qingjing House to pay my respects earlier, Grandpa Zhang and Grandpa were drinking, and there were six jars next to them.”
"Brother-in-law, is the drink good?"
"It doesn't taste good..."
Mentioning this, Chen Yi thought of the incident with Ye Guxian that afternoon, and a helpless look appeared on his face.
Although Ye Guxian used his hidden identity as leverage to "blackmail" him, there were other reasons that led him to agree to Ye Guxian's request.
Firstly, Bai Daxian is Xiao Jinghong's senior martial brother.
He agreed to Ye Guxian's request, saying that after he confessed to Xiao Jinghong in the future, Xiao Jinghong could ask her senior uncle for some benefits.
Secondly, he also received a promise from Ye Guxian.
Neither of them lost out; it was a win-win situation.
Just that.
Ye Guxian is a truly eccentric person. He never gives a friendly face when someone asks him for a favor, and he won't even pay for drinks he's invited to.
Both his character and his drinking habits need to be questioned.
Before long, the game of chess was over.
Xiao Die had prepared the food, and Chen Yi and the others gathered around the table, about to start eating, when Xiao Wan'er arrived with her entourage.
"Brother-in-law, you're going to take the provincial examination tomorrow, which will take a day and a half, so I've had some snacks prepared for you to eat at the examination hall."
Chen Yi smiled and nodded, then stood up to invite her to sit down.
While gesturing for Shen Huatang and the others to put out the snacks, Xiao Wan'er greeted Pei Guanli and sat down next to her, drinking tea.
She had already had dinner at Jiaxingyuan and waited specifically for Chen Yi's return, arriving at the appointed time.
She didn't do it for any other reason than to say a few words of encouragement to Chen Yi before the annual exam.
Of course, she also knew in her heart that with Chen Yi's abilities, there was no need to say those words.
So after exchanging a few pleasantries...
Xiao Wan'er then brought up another matter.
"In the afternoon, my sister Qingwu sent someone with a letter, saying that several doctors from the Cui family have arrived in Shuzhou and asked me when I would like to test them."
Her beautiful eyes reflected Chen Yi's figure, and she said somewhat shyly, "I don't know what to test."
Chen Yi, of course, was prepared. He instructed Xiao Die to fetch the articles he had written from the study, saying:
"Sister, you don't need to show up in person. I'll have Ma Liangcai take the exam for you later."
"That's fine... but it wouldn't be appropriate for me not to show up. Dr. Ma can take the lead at that time."
"Then I'll go with you..."
Xiao Wan'er met his gaze, nodded slightly, and felt much more relaxed and warm inside.
Although she devoted a lot of effort to the Medical Academy.
However, she was clear about her own abilities. She could build the academy, implement its charter, and recruit students, but she was somewhat powerless when it came to matters related to medicine.
Fortunately, Chen Yi's help put her at ease.
Chen Yi knew that Xiao Wan'er was not skilled in medicine, so he did not intend to completely stay out of it; at least he wanted to get the medical academy on the right track.
They chatted and laughed.
After dinner.
Xiao Wuge and Pei Guanli went to wash up one after the other.
Chen Yi then escorted Xiao Wan'er back to Jiaxing Garden.
The moon was bright and the stars were few; the night sky resembled a dark mirror, smooth and spotless.
As the cool breeze blew, Xiao Wan'er gently pulled her cloak tighter, her eyes lowered, not daring to turn her head to look at Chen Yi.
Shen Huatang, Juan'er, Cui'er and others were still behind him.
Chen Yi, on the other hand, remained the same as always.
Before long, the group arrived at the entrance of Jiaxingyuan.
Xiao Wan'er stopped, then looked up at Chen Yi and gently instructed, "You need to be at the examination hall before noon tomorrow, don't be late."
Chen Yi smiled and nodded, "Don't worry."
"My elder sister and wife reminded me several times, so I dare not take it lightly."
Xiao Wan'er hummed in agreement, then lowered her eyes again and said softly, "If Second Sister were in the prefectural city, I wouldn't need to say anything more."
Chen Yi roughly guessed her mood and chuckled, saying, "Madam will probably say something, but I'm afraid she won't instruct the kitchen to prepare some snacks for me."
Given Xiao Jinghong's personality, it's already enough that he cares about his annual exams; he probably won't concern himself with the minor details.
Xiao Wan'er clearly knew this, and her expression improved. She then chided, "Second sister is preoccupied with military affairs, so naturally she can't attend to the details."
"I have been staying in the manor, so it is only right that I prepare food for you."
The sound was almost inaudible.
Chen Yi smiled, glancing at Shen Huatang's unfriendly expression, knowing she might have noticed something, and then bowed respectfully.
"It's getting late, elder sister, you should get some rest."
Xiao Wan'er realized she had been somewhat out of line, so she nodded, forcing herself to remain calm.
"I'm going to Tingyuxuan early tomorrow morning, so I won't be able to take my brother-in-law to the examination hall. You, take care of yourself and don't be late."
After a pause, she remembered something and said, "My second sister has been gone for several days. I'm thinking of writing her a letter tomorrow to tell her about things at home."
Chen Yi readily agreed, saying, "I'll finish writing it tonight and have Xiaodie bring it to you first thing tomorrow morning."
"good……"
Chen Yi watched Xiao Wan'er walk away before turning back to the wooden building. He didn't go to the side room but went straight to the study.
The candle was lit, water was poured, ink was ground, and a sheet of pine paper was spread out.
He sat at the table, picked up his wolf-hair brush, and pondered what to write to Xiao Jinghong.
It had been about five days since Liu Hong died.
Xiao Jinghong was gone for only five days.
She should not be at Wushan Market right now, but rather in a military town, inspecting the new Dingyuan Army.
One reason was to guard against the Emperor blaming Old Master Xiao for Liu Hong's matter, and the other was to prepare for Chen Xuanji's southward inspection of the three towns in Shuzhou.
Thinking of this, Chen Yi knew what he was going to write.
[To be opened by Jinghong; seeing this letter is like seeing you in person.]
[As the saying goes, "A day apart feels like three autumns," and these fifteen autumns have truly been quite...]
[The annual examination is nothing to worry about; I will do my best, my wife. Military affairs are of utmost importance.]
[With these words—I offer this poem, "Thoughts on an Autumn Night," to express my feelings.]
[Red beans grow in the south, how many branches will sprout in spring? I wish you would gather many, for this is the most cherished token of love.]
After finishing writing, Chen Yi blew on the ink to dry it, thinking that he would ask Xiao Die to prepare a few red beans to send with the letter the next day.
This way, his feelings can be considered expressed satisfactorily.
Chen Yi carefully put away the cloud pine paper, found an envelope, sealed it with wax, and then got up and stretched.
He looked at the full moon outside the window and felt quite relaxed.
"With peace and tranquility in the Marquis's residence for a while, I can finally relax a bit."
"I wonder how things are going with Madam..."
...
Xuanjia Army Town.
Although it was late at night, the lights were still on.
Xiao Jinghong, clad in soft armor, stood at the front of the army, gazing at the neat array below.
Beside him was Ma Kui, clad in heavy armor.
His expression grew even more serious, gripping his helmet and visor in one hand and his saber in the other, he shouted sharply:
"After three years of honing your skills, it's time to test your mettle!"
"Set off!"
As the bugle sounded and the mournful sound echoed, tens of thousands of Xuanjia soldiers filed outwards.
Ma Kui watched them ride out and approach Xiao Jinghong, his expression softening slightly:
"General, would you like to come along?"
Xiao Jinghong watched the Xuanjia Army running away and said, "You can keep an eye on them. I'm going to check on the Iron Wall and Canglang towns."
She turned to look at Ma Kui, "Remember, if you spot the barbarian army, turn back immediately."
"yes……"
Ma Kui accepted the order and left.
Just as Xiao Jinghong was about to return to his tent, a slightly aged voice reached his ears:
“If you have any free time, nephew, you might as well come and say a few words to your senior master…”
(End of this chapter)
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