Chapter 116: People Are Afraid

Chapter 116: He’s Afraid…

“Seeing her stumble away,” Liu Rong’s words struck a chord within her.

Xiao Jinghong returned to the house and sat down.

Though she had suspected the raid on the medicinal herbs was orchestrated by the power brokers of Shu Zhou, the target had never been the Liu family. Not even the letter from the Patriarch had explicitly stated it.

After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Jinghong grasped the old patriarch’s intent and let out a long, weary sigh.

“Grandfather, he must be awaiting word from me.”

She glanced at the two letters on the table, then took another bite of the pastry.

Her thoughts surged back to an earlier time.

Where had her mind wandered to just now?

Oh.

The matter of Dingyuan Army had sown seeds of distrust within her toward Chen Yi.

“Miss.”

At that moment, Su Zhiyue rushed in.

Xiao Jinghong’s eyes flickered with a trace of frustration. She swept the two letters and two poems into her arms.

“Has everything been arranged?”

“Everything is settled. Yan Hong has already departed. He should reach the Governor’s Office by afternoon tomorrow.”

As Su Zhiyue spoke, she noticed Xiao Jinghong’s damp clothing and frowned slightly.

“Miss, you stepped outside just now?”

Xiao Jinghong nodded. “The disciple of the ‘Blade Demon’ Senior came to pay a visit not long ago. He’s left now.”

Su Zhiyue paused. “The Blade Demon’s disciple must be the famed ‘Blade Fiend’ Liu Rong, then?”

“Indeed.”

“Surely he came to challenge you?”

Xiao Jinghong inclined her head. “Alas, his art extends beyond blades to also encompass firearms. It’s rather… unremarkable.”

Su Zhiyue covered her mouth and chuckled softly. “Perhaps he seeks to emulate your ways, though his talents fall short of greatness.”

“Still, his arrival suggests the Blade Demon Senior did not reveal your identity to him.”

“Revealed or not, that matter is past.”

Xiao Jinghong did not dwell on it further. She commanded, “Fetch some food.”

Su Zhiyue bowed and left.

Xiao Jinghong glanced at her retreating figure, then withdrew the two letters from her embrace. She did not open them, her thoughts lingering on Liu Rong’s words: “The Liu family of Jingzhou will soon act against the Xiao family’s apothecary.”

She recalled the elder sister’s letter, mentioning that several apothecaries had recently prospered. And her husband’s performance as the manager of the Pharmacy for the Sake of Life had been commendable. He had worked diligently.

If the Liu families of Jingzhou and Shu Zhou joined forces… would they disrupt the apothecaries?

Xiao Jinghong sank deeper into thought, her gaze fixed on the letters.

Only when Su Zhiyue set down a steaming pastry did she return to herself.

“Miss, your brother-in-law’s letter—still keeping it?”

Seeing the sharpness in Su Zhiyue’s eyes, Xiao Jinghong calmly tucked the letters away.

“I have business to attend to. I’ll return after nightfall tomorrow.”

Su Zhiyue blinked. “Ah, now? Where are you off to?”

“Miss, tomorrow we must survey the terrain. Without you here, the mountain folk might struggle to hold back those engineering folk.”

Xiao Jinghong popped another pastry into her mouth. “Let Pei Wenlu handle it…”

She paused, then shifted her tone. “Let her brother act. Pei Wenlu will accompany me.”

Hearing this, Su Zhiyue held her tongue for a moment before asking again, “Miss, where exactly are you going at this hour?”

Xiao Jinghong offered no reply. She ordered, “Wake Pei Wenlu.”

“Then I’ll prepare the horses.”

“No need. We’ll return swiftly.”

Seeing her resolve, Su Zhiyue nodded and departed the wooden hut.

As she walked away, Xiao Jinghong mused silently: *Perhaps I should take a look.*

In truth, she still felt uneasy about the Liu family.

And her husband…

Not long after, Pei Wenlu burst in, panting and gasping.

Then Xiao Jinghong lifted her by the neck and carried her into the night sky. The panting soon turned to panicked screams.

“Sister Jinghong, wait, slow down—he’s afraid… high… ah…”

…

The next morning, daylight broke.

A light rain had fallen through the night, swelling the waters. Raindrops the size of rice grains pattered against the tiles and puddles.

Within the Spring Lotus Garden, the steady drip-drip of rain filled the air.

At first glance, the sound was delicate and pleasant.

Chen Yi awoke from his cultivation, rose, and opened the window. Outside, the garden lay drenched in rain. He stretched his limbs.

The effect of his four-piece Xianggong cultivation had improved significantly.

Yet to open the final Renzhong second meridian, the true energy in his two great energy seas was not the key.

He could only proceed inch by inch, lest he cause a flaw, damaging these most vital meridians of his body.

At that moment, a small butterfly, as if hearing his voice, knocked on the door with a towel and a bowl of warm water.

“Master, good morning.”

“Good morning.”

He made his way in.

Xiao Di took a damp cloth and wiped his face.

Then, after helping him change into his long robe and arranging him properly, she began tidying the room.

When she saw the black long robe still damp, she picked it up hesitantly: "Uncle, did you go out last night?"

Chen Yì chuckled, brushing it off with a casual remark about practicing martial arts in the garden.

Xiao Di accepted his explanation without question and placed the robe in the basin, ready to wash it.

The two of them walked out of the room, one after the other.

Xiao Di seemed to recall something: "Uncle, there have been some incidents at the mansion today."

Chen Yì’s heart stirred slightly: "Oh? What kind of incidents?"

Xiao Di puffed out her cheeks and said: "There are many people from the judicial bureau here—some from the execution office, others from the mansion’s bureaucracy and the city’s garrison."

"No one’s saying much about what exactly happened, but they say Liu Si Gege was injured by bandits last night."

"It’s likely someone from the bureaucracy is involved in this."

Bandits?

Chen Yì glanced at her with a smile: "Xiao Di, I’m having hot pot for lunch. Tell the kitchen staff to prepare it."

The little girl, bold as ever, snapped: "If you call me a bandit, I’ll have you boiled in the hot pot!"

Xiao Di hesitated, but didn’t refuse.

Thinking back to the last hot pot, she frowned and said: "Uncle, could you ask for two pots…?"

Last time, when the young mistress was here, she and Juan Er and Cui Er couldn’t even get served.

Ah, seeing but not eating—it’s unbearable.

Chen Yì glanced at her expression and gave a nonchalant smile.

Embarrassed, Xiao Di lowered her head: "Uncle, they just want to try it too."

"Alright then, tell the kitchen to prepare plenty of dishes."

"Okay…"

After having breakfast, Chen Yì, knowing the matters with the Xiao Family Pharmacy and Bai Cao Pavilion were still unresolved, settled in to play chess with Xiao Wu Ge in the pavilion.

Should he say something?

Xiao Wu Ge was clever—quick to grasp the rules, the board formations, and the strategies.

In just a couple of days, he’d gotten the hang of it.

They played until near noon.

Xiao Di ran off to arrange the hot pot not long after.

Soon, Xiao Wan Er, Shen Hua Ting, and Xie Tuo Cloud arrived at Spring Lotus Garden.

When Chen Yì saw them, he smiled: "How convenient! I just had Xiao Di go prepare the hot pot."

They clearly hadn’t come for the smell.

Though they didn’t seem in any particular hurry.

At least, judging by their expressions, Xiao Wan Er looked in good spirits.

Indeed, Xiao Wan Er laughed: "Hot pot is great—perfect for a lively gathering."

Shen Hua Ting was still indifferent, but Xie Tuo Cloud was already familiar with Chen Yì, teasing him affectionately: "Old brother, you’re quite the eater, aren’t you?"

Chen Yì found it amusing and also made sure they sat down first: "I heard there were incidents at the mansion. Did someone from the military get injured last night? What about Bai Cao Pavilion?"

He was asking, knowing full well the answer.

Xiao Wan Er nodded: "Liu Si Er was hurt, but not too seriously. Someone brought him to the pharmacy for treatment last night."

"Besides, Bai Cao Pavilion’s crisis was resolved within a short time. Boss Wang and Yan Hai are safe and sound."

"Though it’s a bit of a close call…"

As Xiao Wan Er recounted the events of last night, Chen Yì suppressed a strange feeling, finding her narration quite eloquent.

She detailed everything with precision, as if she’d been there firsthand.

"Boss Wang is all right then."

Chen Yì paused, then asked: "But who was behind the bandits? Did they catch anyone from the Illusion Sound Sect?"

Xiao Wan Er hesitated: "It seems they’ve already figured it out, but Grandfather and Second Uncle haven’t announced it publicly yet."

Chen Yì understood: he guessed the old master and the elders still had some unresolved business with the Liu family.

After all, the Liu family still had that imperial envoy from Shu Zhou, the Left Protector.

The old master and his kin wouldn’t easily resolve things.

In the end, the outcome would likely mirror Chen Yun Fan’s guess—Liu’s family brought out that sixth prince to calm the Xiao family’s anger.

Of course, none of this concerned Chen Yì anymore.

Given his current standing, helping the Xiao family earn some silver and ensuring Bai Cao Pavilion’s safety was already pushing his limits.

Facing the Liu family’s vast power, it was best to leave it be for now.

Not long after, the kitchen staff arrived.

Two hot pots now simmered in Spring Lotus Garden.

One with Chen Yì, Xiao Wan Er, and others; the other with Xiao Di, Juan Er, and Cui Er.

Though their statuses differed, both groups had oil dripping from their mouths in that moment.

At that time, Xiao Wan Er said: "Brother-in-law, I’m going to write a letter to Jing Hong today."

"You should write one too, and send it together."

Chen Yì paused: "Write? Aren’t we going to be like the 'Three Thoughts on a Summer Night' now?"

Three thoughts…

Well, he decided to come up with a fitting title instead.

(Chapter End)