Chapter 139: The Son-in-Law Will Laugh Little Die to Death, Right?

Chapter 139 Will the son-in-law mock Xiao Die to death

Without time for further thought, and before Xiao Die could alert Xiao Wan'er, Xie Tingyun, and the others in Jiaxing Courtyard, Chen Yi hurriedly circled back to the wooden pavilion from behind, heading straight for the wing room.

At this moment, Xiao Die at the doorway did not run directly to Jiaxing Courtyard, but instead went to find Pei Guanli.

Presumably, she intended to wake her up to search together.

Feeling a touch of amusement, Chen Yi also felt a ripple of warmth within his heart.

This was likely the feeling of being cared for, of being valued by someone.

Warm, and deeply comforting.

With this thought, Chen Yi pushed open the window, pretending he had just awoken as he said, "Xiao Die, what is all this noise about?"

Her hair disheveled, Xiao Die heard the voice and halted mid-stride, turning her head to look behind her:

"Son-in-law?"

She looked left and right but failed to spot Chen Yi, who was obscured behind the lantern; anxiety crept back onto her face, and tears welled in her eyes:

"Son-in-law, where are you? Please do not scare Xiao Die."

Helpless, Chen Yi tapped the windowsill, "Here, right here."

Hearing the sound, Xiao Die lifted her head to look over, and only after discerning Chen Yi's blurred silhouette did she finally smile.

Yet as she smiled, her lips puckered, and the tears that had been pooled in her eyes cascaded down.

"Son-in-law, where did you go just now?"

"Xiao Die thought, thought that you..."

"Thought that I had run away again, right?"

Chen Yi caught her words, speaking with feigned annoyance, "In this pitch-black darkness, where could I possibly run to?"

However, seeing Xiao Die wiping away her tears there, he could only smile and offer consolation:

"Do not just stand there freezing."

"With your hair all messy, your clothes disheveled, and weeping so pitifully, if anyone saw you, they would think I had done something terrible to you."

With tear-filled eyes, Xiao Die lifted her head, then lowered her gaze to look at herself.

Though she wore long sleeves, two buttons were left unfastened, revealing a small patch of skin.

With just one glance, Xiao Die forgot all about crying; lowering her head and clutching her chest, she bolted back into the wooden house.

As she ran, she spoke in a faint, aggrieved tone, "Son-in-law... Xiao Die, Xiao Die did not mean to."

Her voice was barely audible, tinged with soft whimpers.

Had Chen Yi's martial arts cultivation not progressed, he likely would have struggled to catch her words.

"The night is late, hurry back to your room and sleep."

Chen Yi exhorted her with a few words, shook his head, and was about to turn around to clean the traces upon himself.

Just then, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the direction of Jiaxing Courtyard, noticing that Xie Tingyun, the one sent by the Tianshan Sect, was currently standing atop the wall between Jiaxing Courtyard and Chunhe Garden, peering over toward this side.

Startled for a brief moment, he then closed the window with an air of complete naturalness.

Indeed, having a martial arts expert nearby was truly inconvenient.

The moment any disturbance arose, the people over there would come to investigate the situation.

Fortunately, he had returned in time tonight; otherwise, his secret would have been exposed.

While Chen Yi was quietly changing his clothes inside the room, Xie Tingyun over there had also muttered to herself and returned to Jiaxing Courtyard.

Shen Huatang, who had likewise been jolted awake, looked toward the direction of Chunhe Garden and asked:

"Senior Sister, what happened over by the son-in-law's side?"

"It is nothing, the master and servant have some sort of ailment, playing hide-and-seek in the house in the dead of night."

"What?"

Shen Huatang was taken aback, her Shuzhou dialect blurting out.

Xie Tingyun ignored her, yawning as she walked toward the wooden pavilion, "The latter half of the night is yours, I am going to sleep."

"..."

Shen Huatang watched her walk away, her mind still thoroughly bewildered.

The son-in-law and Xiao Die playing hide-and-seek?

In such darkness, could they even find each other?

It was a good thing Chen Yi did not hear the conversation between these fellow sisters; otherwise, he would have made them try it regardless.

He shed his black garments, cleansed his wounds using the water in the basin, and after wiping himself dry, changed into a long robe.

He looked at the blood-stained clothes, temporarily stowing them away along with that five-fold spear, intending to bury them in the bamboo grove tomorrow morning.

"After this, I must prepare a few more sets of night-traveling attire."

Chen Yi muttered softly to himself, then opened the light screen to review the rewards of this venture.

Previously, after he departed from Cui Qingwu and the other person, the opportunity had already arrived, but because his injuries were not light at that moment, he had gone straight to the Baicao Hall without looking closer.

[Witnessed the Shuzhou Judicial Commissioner searching for the "murderer" outside the Huixian Restaurant in the West Market. Reward: Xiuchun Blade Technique (Mystic Rank), Opportunity +38.]

[Review: The person arrived, the sound was heard, the scene was witnessed. Slaying the "murderer" and disrupting the Hidden Guards' plot, causing the Judicial Commissioner to return empty-handed; the performance was fairly good.]

"Fairly good?"

Chen Yi curled his lips; he now thoroughly understood the rationale behind these evaluations.

This did not merely require him to eat melons, watch a play, or listen in, but rather desired him to participate in it by any means necessary.

It could be stepping in to disrupt, showcasing his might to manifest himself, or directly or indirectly driving the events forward.

Ultimately, he could not remain indifferent.

Otherwise, not only would the rewards diminish, but he would also receive an evaluation of laziness or indolence.

Conversely, it would grant additional opportunity rewards based on what he had achieved within the event.

Just like this instance, compared to his previous marriage to Li Huaigu and Yun Xiang, which was also of the middle-grade Mystic rank, the rewarded opportunity points were distinctly different.

With these thoughts, Chen Yi glanced at the "Xiuchun Blade" within his mind, temporarily shelving it away.

Presently, his martial arts already spanned four paths: body, steps, fists, and spears; while practicing another blade technique was not impossible, it would not offer him much elevation. It was better to focus entirely on raising his cultivation first.

If he had possessed the Sixth-Rank Realm tonight, even without utilizing the Immortal's Drunkenness, that Cui Qingwu would have been no match for him.

Yet, thinking of Cui Qingwu, he could not help but feel a shred of curiosity.

"I truly cannot conceive of any reason for her to become a Hidden Guard."

"Could she, like Xiao Dongchen, also desire to become the person in power within the Cui family?"

"I wonder if Chen Yunfan is aware; presumably... he must still be kept in the dark."

Chen Yi shook his head, letting his thoughts drift no further.

Then he sat cross-legged on the bed, preparing to cultivate the Four Symbols Technique.

Just then—the witching hour had just passed—

[Daily Intelligence: Yellow Grade Lower Grade: The hour of Chou, a lone scholar from Spring Rain Lane outside the city, had fallen into the water.]

A quick glance.

Chen Yi directly began circulating his true energy along the Four Symbols Technique.

A Yellow Grade Lower Grade wasn't worth his running out late at night to witness.

What with the southern city’s Smoke Flower Lane?

What with little Bieo still worrying over the earlier disheveled state of her clothes, down below.

Faintly, she could still hear her curled up in the quilt, the cicada’s shell rustling here, the cicada’s shell rustling there.

“What should I do? Won’t the Master scold little Bieo to death?”

“He’ll scold, he’ll scold…”

……

In the courtyard of the Xiao family, the Pure Rest Mansion.

Within the quiet mansion, only red-lit lanterns hung, illuminating the inner hall.

The old master of the Xiao family sat upright on the dais, his clothes immaculate.

He supported himself with a carved pearwood cane, his slightly dim eyes calmly watching the moonlight outside the hall.

Somewhere in the shadows, a figure in black leaned against a pillar on the side.

A long silence.

The old master finally spoke: “This matter tonight, it was not the work of the Liu family.”

The figure in the shadows, slightly surprised, asked: “Lord Xiao, if not the Liu family, then who?”

“Other sect leaders in Shu Zhou? Those with such strength—they’ve all been waiting to see how the Liu family reacts.”

“Then what of the Tang family? After the accident three years ago, Tang Zixun now only holds the post of Pacification Commissioner—he no longer takes part in other conflicts.”

“Or perhaps the Xie family?”

“But Xie Ying and the Xiao family were once on the same ship together. Whether he can hold his position as general—depends on……”

Before he could finish, the old master tapped his cane against the ground.

The sound faded.

The old master glanced at him, “Regardless of who it is, the aim is to stir up a feud between the Xiao and Liu families.”

The man in black hesitated: “Then the death of Liu Shingzhi—was that also part of it?”

The old master paused, “Whether he died or not, it matters less now.”

“Liu Hong has already arranged for a councilor to be sent to the three towns to collect the summer harvest tax, thereby making his stance clear.”

When he came to that, the old master coughed once, then continued: “He did so, after a fashion, it’s reasonable.”

“As a collateral branch of the Liu family, he must consider his family’s feelings.”

The man in black understood these things. After a moment’s thought, he carefully asked: “Lord Xiao, how do you intend to respond? Do you need my assistance?”

The old master understood his meaning, raised his hand to cut him off: “Not yet to that point.”

The man in black sighed, then closed his mouth.

After a moment’s consideration, the old master straightened his back, leaning on his cane, and commanded: “This matter must still give the Liu family a way out.”

“Find someone unrelated to the Xiao family, someone important for the time being, to take the blame.”

The man in black seemed relieved, nodded in agreement.

“Also, have your people keep an eye on the people from Cui family.”

“At this critical juncture, Cui Qingwu’s appearance in Shu Zhou—she couldn’t have come all this way just for the Xiao family’s son.”

“Cui Muer is now the ‘Heaven Officer,’ the chief of the nine chancellors, in charge of the civil administration, with clients throughout the land—she’s no simple person.”

“Her thoughts and schemes often hide deep meanings. One careless move and—”

The man in black nodded: “I’ll have my guards keep a close watch on her.”

Just as he was about to leave, he stumbled a step, and asked: “Lord Xiao, the person I helped tonight—do I need to investigate him?”

The old master turned toward a side chamber, slightly fatigued, waved his hand: “Investigate him, then.”

“These days, our Xiao family is in a state of wind and rain, Shu Zhou’s territories—anyone risking themselves to help us, it’s not easy.”

“Find him, then you may first make a note of it. When all is settled, the Xiao family will have a thick reward for you.”

“Yes, Lord Xiao!”

(End of Chapter)