Chapter 104: The Eldest Brother Is Like a Father

Chapter 104: The Eldest Brother Is Like a Father

When Chen Yunfan arrived in Chengdu, he deliberately set up this study within the three gates of his courtyard.

The name was elegant, the decorations refined, the ambiance high-brow.

Especially on rainy days.

When the rainwater slid down from the roof's debris, it would strike the bamboo and strings beneath the eaves, producing a delicate, tinkling sound.

In his own words, lacking sufficient knowledge meant the rain couldn't fall elsewhere.

Though, of course, the ambiance was indeed achieved.

When the rain actually came, the sounds of the bamboo within the study would continue endlessly.

Not to mention Chen Yunfan himself—even the composed and steady-witted Chun Ying would find it noisy.

Especially when she was handling official matters for Chen Yunfan outside the study, hearing the bamboo's melody, and seeing Chen Yunfan lying on the adjacent bed reading a play, her face would immediately show a look of suppressed irritation:

"My lord, how about you take a look at these official documents and edicts?"

Chen Yunfan didn't lift his head, lazily turning a page, his voice languid:

"You're 'White Clothes,' aren't you? You can see the big picture of Dai Wei's situation, so handling these trivial matters is surely beneath you."

The words were true enough, yet it couldn't continue like this forever.

Chun Ying, without further persuasion, took the scroll she had just finished processing, walked over, and said:

"My lord, you can ignore the others, but this one—please take a look."

Chen Yunfan glanced at her, saw her serious expression, and took the scroll in one hand:

"The harvest from Dingyuan Army this summer has already been stored. A total of 213,000 sheng of grain across the three towns."

"Not bad a harvest this year. According to the monthly grain standard of one sheng per soldier, the Dingyuan Army's troops can sustain themselves until the end of the year."

Chun Ying: "The Bureau of Border Affairs requires the commanding officers to store grain, and to deliver twenty thousand sheng of grain to the storehouses in the city of Chengdu."

Chen Yunfan tossed the scroll aside, sneered: "What does this have to do with me? Whoever doesn't want to help, let them not help."

Chun Ying, wanting to say more, hesitated: "My lord, you are now a chancellor, responsible for this."

Chen Yunfan turned his head: "I don't want to, I don't want to. The Xiao family has submitted twelve petitions this year requesting grain, and the court hasn't approved any."

"Now that we finally have grain, we surely won't give it out. I'm not going to go hassle them for it, am I?"

"But..."

"Don't worry about it. That's none of my business. As a chancellor, I'd better stay low-key and cautious."

Chun Ying saw he wouldn't relent, so she stopped persuading, tucked away the scroll, and returned to her desk to handle other matters.

Chen Yunfan, meanwhile, remained lying down, continuing to read the play, occasionally chuckling softly, clearly having found something amusing.

At that moment, a sharp, explosive sound came from the wall.

*Thwack.*

They both turned to look, seeing an arrow stuck upright in the wall.

Chen Yunfan looked toward the outside, frowning slightly, muttering under his breath: "These scum in the ditches really think my place is their backyard."

When Chun Ying heard the sound, she walked over, removed the arrow, and took out a slip of paper: "My lord, a message from the hawk."

Chen Yunfan cast his gaze back, took the paper: "The Huangjin Sect has returned. Liu family in Chengdu intends to attack Bai Caotang, using this to suppress the Xiao family's pharmacy."

Just that one sentence, complete in itself.

Yet also incomplete.

Chen Yunfan pondered for a moment, then muttered irritably: "What are they trying to do to me with this information?"

"If they wanted to deal with the Xiao family, let them act through the Huangjin Sect."

"If not, would they plan to use me to pass this message to the Xiao family without my consent?"

Chun Ying, upon hearing this, slightly shifted her expression: "The Liu family in Chengdu is a branch of the Liu family in Jingzhou."

"But because the left attendant of the Bureau of Border Affairs, Liu Hong, is in control there, the Liu family in Jingzhou has gradually lost influence in this region..."

Chen Yunfan cut him off: "And then? Would the assassins in the ditches be upset with the Liu family in Chengdu?"

Chun Ying analyzed: "It seems they hope to use the Xiao family as leverage to weaken the Liu family in Chengdu."

After a pause, she continued: "My lord, the Xiao family has already suspected that the Huangjin Sect, who stole medicinal materials, is connected to the wealthy families in Chengdu."

"Plus, the sixth prince of the Liu family in Jingzhou, Liu Jing, has established Linglan Tower adjacent to the pharmacies of the Xiao family."

"They must be keeping an eye on the Liu family in Chengdu and Liu Jing, among others."

"It's just I can't figure out the Xiao patriarch's plan. He doesn't seem in a hurry to act."

Chen Yunfan, upon hearing this, seemingly thoughtful: "Given the Xiao family's current situation, I imagine the old master is just waiting to see who will make the first move."

"From his previous banquet, it's clear the old master has already made preparations to protect the final path for the Xiao family."

"For someone like him, who's spent his life in war and strife, his final counterattack before death will surely be thunderous. Naturally, they need to find a suitable target."

Chun Ying seemed to have an epiphany: "Those people in Chengdu must also be worried about this."

Chen Yunfan nodded: "Though it seems the assassins in the ditches here in Chengdu have their own schemes too."

Chun Ying also reached the same conclusion.

If it were merely about the Xiao family, the assassins would likely choose to observe and wait rather than strike directly.

"My lord, what do you intend to do?"

"Nothing. Let them fight it out. I'll play my own game."

Saying this, Chen Yunfan's palm trembled slightly, and the paper turned into a flurry of ashes, blown out the study window.

He looked out at the rainy night, huffing: "Do they think they can command me like that?"

Chun Ying opened her mouth, at a loss for words.

Her attempt to continue persuading him had suddenly ceased.

Chen Yunfan didn't care what she thought; he had made up his mind, lay back down, and continued reading the play.

Occasionally, he let out a soft chuckle.

After a moment of contemplation,

Chun Ying tentatively spoke: "My lord, the Yì Shàoye is now the proprietor of the Jishibao pharmacy."

"They say most of the tea served to the Xiao family's pharmacy from Bai Caotang is actually sold through Yì Shàoye."

"If Bai Caotang were in trouble, it would likely affect Yì Shàoye as well."

Chen Yunfan's smile faltered, then after a moment of silence, he suddenly sat up, showing a more serious expression:

"Chun Ying, you're right. I shouldn't just stand by."

Chun Ying, at the thought of his change of heart, was about to speak, when he said: "Let's quietly go and rescue Bai Caotang."

"Um..." "Think about it. If Yì Shàoye later finds out that it was me who came to rescue Bai Caotang, and that he can safely run his pharmacy, wouldn't he be grateful to me?"

"Probably..."

Chen Yunfan raised an eyebrow and said, "You think so too, then it's settled."

"You've sent those ruffians to watch Liu's family these past two days, see when they strike."

Chen Yunfan spoke to himself for a moment, then chuckled. "Can't say I'm surprised."

"Wait and see. Someday I'll restore my elder brother's reputation, so Yi Di can understand what it means for an elder brother to be like a father!"

"...Well, my lord is pleased."

Indeed, whenever matters concerning the young master Yi arose, the prince always paid close attention.

...

Xiao Family, Spring Lotus Garden.

"The rain has been falling steadily, the atmosphere isn't quite harmonious..."

Chen Yi finished his cultivation and stood in the pavilion, watching the rain patter against the pond and willows.

Though he hadn't yet found a suitable method for cultivating true energy, through his mastery of the mid-level Xuanwu Subduing Energy Technique, his progress had reached the eighth level of the martial arts hierarchy.

With twelve primary meridians open, excluding the four extremities, he had consecutively unblocked four more, filling the dantian and lower dantian with abundant true energy.

Not only did his fists, steps, and spear techniques benefit, but his medical arts, book studies, and Go strategies also advanced accordingly.

Even in acupuncture techniques like "using energy to guide the needle" and "meridian connections," true energy was essential.

The same applied to the ethereal insights of the book arts.

Even the evolving chess formations in Go became clearer and more distinct.

The applications of true energy were indeed profound and mysterious.

"However, this isn't a long-term solution. I need a proper method for cultivating true energy."

Thinking this, Chen Yi planned to have Wang Ji fetch a suitable manual tomorrow, to practice and study it first.

The Wei Dynasty was in an era where martial arts were flourishing, but the highest-level techniques were scarce, mostly found only among the capital, noble families, and sects.

Those passed down externally were either incomplete or of lower tiers, with slow cultivation efficiency.

This was precisely why Chen Yi had been patiently waiting all these years.

He hoped for a heavenly or earthly-level intelligence report, rewarding him with a true energy cultivation method.

A permanent solution.

Alas, lately all he'd received were low-level reports, not even a single Xuan-level one.

After sitting for a while until the witching hour—

[Daily Intelligence Report: Xuan-level Quality. At the witching hour, half past, the hidden guard discusses matters within the Four Directions Hall. A small amount of fortune may be gained.]

A flash of light passed by.

Chen Yi read it, then suddenly stood, looking toward the Xiading area.

"Half past the witching hour, so half an hour from now."

The hidden guard discussing matters in the Four Directions Hall—Xiao Dongchen?

Who was the other person?

The Four Directions Hall...

It wasn't far from his Spring Lotus Garden, just across the Xiading area. Though now Shen Huatang was at the manor, so he couldn't easily slip in as he had before.

But this Xuan-level intelligence report, he couldn't afford to let it go.

Even a mere glance could yield significant gains.

Deciding this, Chen Yi activated his panel.

[Fortune: 147]

After some thought, Chen Yi added fortune to "Martial Arts Step," elevating it to the Completion Realm.

To silently bypass Xiading, even the powder from Pei Xiaotou was useless. Only by maximizing his body's agility could he find a chance.

If he were ultimately discovered... Well, long nights without sleep, wandering about—shouldn't be a problem, right?

With his previous experiences, Chen Yi had already suppressed the Completion-level Xuan Step's martial arts secrets in his mind, even without a single wave of water.

Immediately after, within this pavilion, Chen Yi practiced the Star Butterfly Step while absorbing the martial arts step's secrets.

His form darted and flickered, like a black butterfly leaping in the rain-soaked night.

After a minute...

[Practice Step: Star Butterfly Step (Earth Level) Success, Level: Mastery]

Chen Yi paused, then slowly gathered his true energy.

He looked at the rain falling from the sky, then at his wet clothes, and immediately returned to his chambers to change into a black robe.

Not lingering a moment, Chen Yi, with the Star Butterfly Step, ghostlike, left the Spring Lotus Garden and headed toward the Four Directions Hall.

To avoid Shen Huatang, whose cultivation had reached the fifth level, he deliberately took a longer route.

Along the way, he dodged Xiao Family's elite warriors one by one.

After about a minute, Chen Yi finally arrived at the entrance of the Four Directions Hall.

Listening intently for a moment, he followed his memory of a previous visit, leapt into a spot not illuminated by the hall's lamps.

Seeing no one around, he let out a breath of relief.

Then, Chen Yi observed his surroundings.

Fortunately, the rain provided cover, the courtyard was shadowy and unclear.

It seemed the hidden guards couldn't discuss matters in the open under such conditions.

Just as he'd thought this, Xiao Dongchen stepped out of the wooden tower.

Behind him followed a Xiao Family guard in armor.

Chen Yi blinked, quickly concealed himself, and used the Xuanwu Subduing Energy Technique to suppress his energy, then focused his gaze on them.

Liu Si Er?

(Chapter End)