Chapter 158: Bastard! Rogue!

Chapter 158: Bastard! Devil!

“Not me.”

Recognized by her, Chen Yì immediately denied it and turned to run.

“Chase after him!”

Fang Hongxie couldn’t let him go, so she led a few men in pursuit.

While chasing, she warned, “Be careful, don’t get caught off guard like last time.”

The three judges nodded in unison: “Rest assured, Master Bi, we’ll handle it.”

They clearly remembered the last time they’d pursued him relentlessly, only to be ambushed by Chen Yì around the corner.

Chen Yì, of course, remembered that too, so this time he employed his old trick, turning into a narrow alley.

Fang Hongxie and her party instantly became alert, their pursuit slowing slightly.

Then they all drew their swords from their waists, turning the corner with their blades first.

This way, if they encountered an ambush, they could fight back.

But when they reached the alley, there was no ambush—only a tall figure in a raincoat and hood, standing five zhang away.

Behind him loomed a high wall, ending the alley completely.

Fang Hongxie’s heart stirred slightly. She raised a hand to halt, squinting at the silhouette:

“You can’t escape. Surrender and you’ll be taken.”

Chen Yì saw them stop at the alley entrance, smirked, and replied, “Not necessarily.”

“Do you believe me? If I count to a few dozen, you’ll obey and let me go?”

Then he extended a hand, palm open toward Fang Hongxie, starting to count aloud:

“Ten.”

“Nine…”

Fang Hongxie frowned, narrowed her eyes, and glanced around with her other eye.

Once she confirmed the area was clear, she bit her lip and hissed, “A trickster’s ghost story!”

One of the judges scolded beside her, “What kind of person are you? Daring to sabotage our bureau three times already!”

Another echoed, “You needn’t speak now. Once we catch you, we’ll find ways to make you talk.”

Chen Yì paid them no mind, continuing his count.

“…Three, two, one.”

“Fall.”

Before Fang Hongxie could protest, she felt her whole body go limp, her sword slipping from her grasp.

“You—you poisoned me?”

“You—”

She glared viciously at Chen Yì, her companions already sprawled on the ground behind her.

Clang, clang, clang.

Three sharp clinks of swords hitting the ground followed by Fang Hongxie, who clung to her blade before collapsing.

No matter how she struggled, her strength failed under the spell’s effect.

Seeing this, Chen Yì walked over, pulling his hood down slightly.

“Why chase me so?” he said mockingly.

“I’ve already told you before, you’d obey if I counted to a few dozen.”

As he reached her side, he saw her thrashing, neck twisted, and couldn’t help but push her gently aside.

She rolled to the other side.

The hood flew off.

Fang Hongxie lay soft and sodden on the rain-soaked ground, her uniform soaked through.

Yet her beautiful face remained frozen, eyes wide as saucers, yearning to see his features.

In the dim rain-soaked night, all she could see was the stubble on his rounded jaw beneath the hood.

“You—you better not catch me…”

If only she could move, she’d plant her sword on that bastard’s neck.

Not just her.

The three judges beside her, too, glared viciously at Chen Yì, “You can’t escape.”

“Bastard, don’t let us catch you!”

Chen Yì crossed them without hesitation, his hoarse voice sighing, “I’m just a nobody. Leave me be.”

Fang Hongxie gritted her teeth, “No, no chance.”

Hearing this, Chen Yì paused, turned his head, and chuckled softly:

“Counting the previous time, I’ve spared your lives twice already.”

“The old saying goes, ‘Once, twice, never again.’ Tell me, if we meet again, will you still let us go?”

With that, he raised his sword and vanished into the dark rain.

Fang Hongxie, however, did not lower her gaze. Her lovely eyes remained fixed on his departing figure.

She could still faintly hear his vile voice:

“By the way, the poison lasts two hours.”

“Be careful in the rain—catch a cold. After, take a hot bath and brew some ginger tea.”

“And Fang Bǐhù, you’re so handsome and well-built. Hope no bandits pass by during this time.”

“Or else *hssshhssh*…”

After hearing this, Fang Hongxie cursed, “Bastard! Devil!”

Yet thinking of what Chen Yì had just said, a chill crept up her spine.

The three judges, too, had heard her words, and instantly pulled their necks back, silent.

“Afterward, remember what to say and what not to say.”

“Rest assured, Master Bi, we know all about it… hah…”

Fang Hongxie bit her teeth, her heart filled with hatred for this man who’d humiliated them twice.

No matter what, I’ll catch you and bring you to justice! Lock you up in prison!

This incident won’t affect Chen Yì.

It was merely that on the way back, he had been more cautious, no longer lost in thought about the matters of the hidden guard as he had been before.

It must have taken about half an hour.

Only then did he skirt past Xiao family’s personal guards and return to Spring Lotus Garden.

After washing clean and changing into a fresh robe, Chen Yì did not rest but went to the study.

He lit a lamp and sat alone at the desk.

He glanced outside the window, then leaned his ear to listen for a while.

Seeing that Xiao Bie, Xiao Wugou, and Pei Menglu were all asleep soundly, he poured water, ground ink, spread a sheet of cypress paper, and began to write and draw upon it.

By then, the hour ofZi had already passed.

With the rain pouring down in sheets, the croaking of frogs filled the courtyard of Spring Lotus Garden, mingled with the sharp patter of drops and slaps, making a rather noisy clamor.

Outside the two wooden buildings, eight lanterns swayed, casting light on two circles, their glow visible through the falling raindrops.

In a faint, hazy outline, the dim candlelight within the study room cast a clear shadow of a man leaning over a desk onto the papered window.

About an hour later, Chen Yì set down his wolf-hair brush, gazed at the scattered dots and circles on the paper, and murmured softly in thought:

“To subdue the outside, one must first pacify the inside.”

At least compared to Ge Lao San, Cui Qingwu, and that female tiger, Xiao Dongyan’s private motives were more pronounced.

Adding to this, there was Xiao Wang, who held control over the judicial chamber; Xiao Qiuyun, married to the Duke of Qian; and Xiao Zhiqi, serving in the prison administration.

These few individuals in the second chamber, working in concert with the hidden guard, posed a great threat to the Xiao family.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Yì crossed out “Xiao Dongyan” on the paper and placed a white stone upon the chessboard in his mind—Liu Lang.

“Then perhaps we can use this fire that burns the three cities’ summer provisions to eliminate him.”

“Though if only I had thirty thousand taels of silver…”

Chen Yì muttered to himself a few more times before turning the cypress paper over and burning it to ashes beneath the lamp.

Thankfully, even without so much silver, there were those willing to provide it.

After all, Liu Lang would owe him a few favors.

…

In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.

The rain in Shu Prefecture had eased somewhat.

The torrential downpour had given way to a steady drizzle, offering some relief from the sweltering heat.

Yet for some people, the rain, though cooler, brought its own troubles.

Especially for the cooks and street vendors who relied on the sun to earn their daily bread.

With fewer people on the streets, business naturally suffered.

Even Bai Caotang’s tea shop and the Xiao family’s pharmacy were affected.

Most notably, Wang Ji’s summer-cooling tea, designed specifically for the heat, had begun to stagnate as the weather cooled.

Though it accounted for only a tenth of his earnings, Wang Ji could not help but feel the pinch.

Not long after dawn broke, he brought his ledgers to the Xiao residence.

On the surface, he was merely informing Xiao Wanglei and the owner of Bai Caotang of the meeting date.

In truth, he had bypassed Xiaoying Garden and made his way directly to Spring Lotus Garden.

From afar, he spotted Chen Yì sitting in the pavilion sipping tea and couldn’t help but feel a pang of admiration.

This gentleman truly has ears that do not hear what happens outside his window.

Not to mention the reduced profits of Bai Caotang, even the general bustle of Shu Prefecture, a sight that would not strike an ordinary person as being so leisurely.

And what he meant by “bustle” was none other than the news that the prestigious Cloud Terrace Academy had accepted two more calligraphy masters as students.

Since that message had first circulated, nearly every scholar in Shu City had been discussing it.

Some envied the Cloud Terrace Academy’s students; others, relieved they had passed the prefectural exams and were about to enter the academy, praised Chen Shouzhou and Chen Qingzhou.

“A scholar who achieves both literary and martial arts to serve Shu Prefecture—how admirable.”

“This statement, once spoken, will ensure that no matter Chen Qingzhou’s scholarly standing, whether he holds official rank or not, at least in Shu Prefecture, his reputation will not be diminished.”

“The elder brother speaks wisely, though perhaps a bit biased.”

“How could Chen Qingzhou lack knowledge? His earlier works, such as the birthday poems for Master He and the wedding congratulations, clearly show his erudition.”

“And now he is the son-in-law of the Xiao family, so even without official rank, he’ll live comfortably for life.”

“It seems so…”

The murmurs and shuffling of voices went on, none daring to question the veracity of the claims.

Especially among the noble families, regardless of whether they had sons studying at the Cloud Terrace Academy, they all hoped to find Chen Yì to instruct them.

Yet such a matter was naturally impossible to arrange.

As Wang Ji knew, those who sought the Xiao family were all sent away by the patriarch and the princess.

Those who sought the Cloud Terrace Academy were even easier to dismiss.

Master Yue merely presented their “Three Articles of Agreement” with Chen Yì and dispelled most people’s notions.

Wang Ji, thinking of all this, smiled and approached to pay his respects: “Master Qinzhou, I apologize for the intrusion, but I hope you will pardon me.”

Chen Yì slightly raised an eyebrow, nodded, and invited him to sit: “Mr. Wang, in matters of commerce, you should call me Master.”

“Wang dare not.”

“If this gets around, the scholars of Shu Prefecture will have a field day with you.”

(End of Chapter)