Chapter 145: The Principal Is Willing to Give Up So Much? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 145: The Director So Generous? (Please Vote for the Monthly Ticket)

Chen Yi returned to the Xiao family residence half a temporal cycle later. From a distance, he saw Xiao Die standing at the entrance, glancing toward another direction.

Pei Manlu crouched beside her, pressing her pearly toe against the cobblestones, grinding the soles of her feet as if polishing them. She muttered through her teeth: "My brother-in-law truly means no harm, just trust me once."

Xiao Die didn’t turn her head. "Don’t believe it."

She clearly remembered the time Pei Manlu had promised a swift return when she attended the poetic gathering at the prestigious Yunshu Academy, only to vanish for several cycles without a trace.

"Ah, why don’t you trust me, brother-in-law…"

Pei Manlu lifted her gaze to where Chen Yi had approached. Her round face lit up with a smile: "My brother-in-law, you’ve finally returned."

Upon hearing his voice, Xiao Die still kept her eyes turned away. "This marks your third deception already. I won’t be fooled again."

Chen Yi fell silent, then chuckled, tapping Pei Manlu’s shoulder. "Don’t tease little Xiao Die."

Pei Manlu stuck out her tongue, playfully acknowledging his scolding, then embraced Xiao Die, turning her around: "See? This time I didn’t lie."

Xiao Die struggled free, allowing herself to be held, then addressed Chen Yi: "My husband, you’ve returned late again today."

"Indeed, I wandered through the Western Market."

As he spoke, he held up the half-eaten candied hawthorn stick as proof: "Still not finished…"

Before he could finish, Pei Manlu snatched the remaining two hawthorn berries from the stick and devoured them in one gulp.

"Delicious, brother-in-law."

Chen Yi sighed helplessly. They entered the Xiao mansion, and he said, "Come, let’s first go to the Spring Lotus Garden."

Xiao Die hurriedly followed Pei Manlu, matching his steps.

"My husband, have you eaten yet?"

"Not yet. Check the kitchen later; there might still be some dishes left."

"No need. My lady left dinner for you, just reheat it—it’ll be ready quickly."

Chen Yi glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "Those wild meats?"

Xiao Die nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. "So delicious. Young Master Guo ate two bowls, and Sister Cui and Sister Juan each had one too."

"I—I also got a bowl. And sisters Cui and Juan each had one as well."

Pei Manlu mumbled beside them: "My sister and Sister Pingcy and Sister Huatang returned so late, we didn’t get to eat those dishes."

Chen Yi nodded, his gaze drifting toward the corridor at the end of the hall. He seemed to recall the moment when Xiao Wanyan had feigned calmness in her command to set aside some food for him.

She must have been torn, then.

Thinking this, Chen Yi smiled slightly. "So you missed out on the feast."

"Brother-in-law, shouldn’t you share some with me?"

"Wanyan sister was biased, left you a whole big bowl."

"Is that so? Then I won’t take any."

"Hmph."

When he finally saw that massive bowl, Chen Yi paused for a moment, then sent Xiao Die to reheat the dishes and invited Pei Manlu to eat as well.

Who served dishes in a large sea bowl without even a mound on top?

Even though he could now use spiritual energy to aid digestion, it would still be a challenge to finish that entire bowl.

Pei Manlu hadn’t thought of such things. She simply pulled Xiao Die up with her, embracing her as a true sister should.

Chen Yi wouldn’t refuse either. He chewed the meat while inquiring about her day’s outing.

"Bought a lot of things."

"Two carts of flour, two carts of coarse grains, and some smoked meat. I had them all sent to the mountain clans."

When she finished, she added with praise: "Wanyan sister is so kind, she didn’t even let me pay."

Chen Yi blinked. "You only bought those things?"

Pei Manlu nodded. "In the clan, food grows where the mountains are. We trade all our grain at the market, so I thought I’d buy some to send over."

"…Hired the bounty hunters to escort them?"

"Of course. I feared they might be robbed on the way."

Chen Yi’s lips twitched slightly. He decided not to say the words "unprofitable," and instead asked about others.

Pei Manlu seemed to recall something, then asked mysteriously: "Brother-in-law, there’s something fun—I wonder if you’d like to hear about it?"

Chen Yi, unused to such riddles, frowned thoughtfully. "No time for games."

Pei Manlu didn’t seem offended. She rubbed her smooth forehead and smiled: "When I returned today, Old Man Ge was taken by the prison officials, they said he’d be beaten ten times on the palms."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow. "Tell me more."

"They said he’d been unfaithful to a woman the day before while we were out wandering, and it caused her to seek death over life. After the authorities in the capital investigated, he was punished."

"I heard from Cui and others that the prison officials plan to execute Old Man Ge tomorrow, either by buying the woman’s virtue or resolving the matter another way."

When she said this, Pei Manlu’s eyes widened: "Oh? Brother-in-law, he’s not here tomorrow."

"So I don’t have to go out wandering anymore?"

Chen Yi nodded thoughtfully, then smiled slightly.

Old Man Ge had indeed made a clean getaway.

To escape quickly, he’d resorted to a bitter move.

He hoped that upon learning of the plan to burn the three cities, he could still play it smart.

After eating, everyone returned to their chambers to rest.

Chen Yi changed into his nightclothes, stretching his limbs, while gazing at the bright moon outside. Several thoughts drifted through his mind.

The matter of Liu’s family remained unresolved. The Xiao family should be taking action soon.

After all, they couldn’t let the Governor be led around by the nose.

The plan to burn the three cities—Old Man Ge was the one they’d found to carry it out. Once he’d made his move, the difficulty would rise sharply.

Then there were Xiao Dongren and Cui Qingwu.

Xiao Dongren’s goal was clear—he merely sought to leverage the hidden force to replace the Xiao family’s main line.

As for Cui Qingwu?

Her purpose in coming to Shuzhou was also to oppose the Xiao family?

At least last night, her move was indeed to frame the Xiao family.

"Besides them, there must still be some hidden guards in Shuzhou."

"Silver Flag officers... their superiors, then?"

Chen Yi suddenly realized.

They should first stir up the waters of Shuzhou and see how many demons and spirits lurk beneath the surface.

After that, he sat cross-legged on his bed, practicing the Four Symbols Technique.

Until the witching hour, when the light before him suddenly flared, he blinked awake.

[Daily Intelligence Report—Level 4 Middle: Sì time, the magistrate of Shuzhou accompanied several officers from the Execution Office to pay respects to the Marquis of Qingdao. A tiny thread of fortune was obtained.]

Chen Yi read the report, muttered a few words, and resumed his cultivation of the Four Symbols Technique.

Sì time had not yet passed noon, so he should still be back from Guiyun Academy.

It was likely too late to witness the magistrate Liu and the Execution Office officials paying respects to the Old Master.

"They probably won’t have anything worth seeing."

"The officials from Liu Sì and the Execution Office came to report to the Old Master about Liu Jingzhi’s death."

"As the Old Master, they dare not make a scene at the marquis’s mansion."

Still, the hidden guard’s scheme from that night had indeed placed the investigation’s focus on the Xiao family.

Perfect. He wanted to see how the Old Master would respond.

…

The next day, the hour of Yín had just passed.

The starlight gradually faded, leaving only one bright moon stubbornly hanging in the night sky.

Street vendors had already claimed all the advantageous spots.

Especially the stall selling breakfast.

A cart, a pot, two tables, and eight stools—enough to provide food for passersby.

Ma Guan was one of them. "Two mantou."

"Sir, please take your purchase."

After paying, Ma Guan headed toward Guiyun Academy.

That day, as usual, he rose just past the hour of Chou.

He dressed, washed, and spent half an hour reading before reviewing yesterday’s texts and previewing today’s lessons.

This was a habit he’d cultivated since passing the imperial examination and entering Guiyun Academy.

Ma Guan always believed, "Diligence can make up for lack of talent." As long as he worked harder than his peers, he’d surely pass the provincial examination and earn the right to take the metropolitan exam.

Even after failing the provincial exam twice, spending six wasted years, he never lost heart, believing he’d pass next time.

Then, like Li Huaiyu, he’d return home in finery, honored and glorious.

About a quarter of an hour later, Ma Guan arrived at the academy, heading straight for the study hall.

At that hour, the early students were already greeting one another.

"Brother Ming, still up so early today."

"They say the headmaster sent you to the marquis’s mansion yesterday?"

"Yes, the headmaster asked me to deliver a calligraphy practice scroll to Master Qin Zhou."

Upon hearing this, his two classmates scoffed.

"Brother Ming, what kind of master is he, just a calligraphy teacher? Even if his handwriting was exquisite, he couldn’t become an official."

"True, though Chen Qinzhou was known for his literary talent and fine calligraphy, he was merely a degree holder."

"Even his rank paled in comparison to the new degree Xiu and Xiu’s peer Xiu."

"And now he’s the Xiao family’s son-in-law. Hmph, his reputation and abilities are a bit shameful to us."

Ma Guan pursed his lips but offered no rebuttal, quickening his pace.

The two scholars in their robes paused, then realized their mistake and scoffed again.

"Master’s words are true, people are divided by groups, things by categories."

"Ma Ming and his poverty—we don’t mind him, but he looks down on us."

"Who would want to mingle with us?"

Ma Guan overheard their conversation and quickened his steps further.

Not because he held Chen Yi in any particular regard, but because he remembered the master’s teaching: "When seated in stillness, reflect on your own faults; when speaking idly, avoid discussing others’ wrongdoings—this is the way of a gentleman."

Whether Chen Yi lacked knowledge or had done something unseemly, Ma Guan would not speak of it.

All in all, he was a gentleman who kept himself in strict order.

When he reached the study hall, several students were already inside.

After scanning the room, Ma Guan asked, "What are you all doing today?"

One of them pointed ahead. "Brother Ming, didn’t you notice anything different?"

Ma Guan looked where they were pointing and immediately sensed something amiss.

Where the sand table should have been, there was now a white platform.

Closer inspection revealed the white surface was stacked with layers of paper.

Not ordinary rice paper, but thick cypress paper.

Ma Guan grimaced. "Has the academy brought all their cypress paper into the study hall?"

"Probably."

"But I can’t figure out why. They can’t expect us to practice writing on such expensive paper, can they?"

One of them seemed to think of something, hesitating. "They say Master Qinzhou is here to teach us calligraphy today."

Ma Guan’s eyes lit up. "Ah, I understand now."

"The headmaster plans to replace the sand table with cypress paper to provide for Master Qinzhou’s lessons."

"Is that so? That must be it. No wonder they needed cypress paper."

"Only this kind of paper won’t get soaked through by ink."

"Though the headmaster must be generous to do this."

"Perhaps he wants to leave behind Master Qinzhou’s ink treasures…"

[End of Chapter]