Chapter 17: Heroine?

Chapter 17: A Heroine?

The next day, the heavy rain slowed to a drizzle.

The continuous fine rain fell, making the entire Xiao Manor appear much fresher.

As Old Marquis Xiao’s birthday approached, the manor's servants and maids also began to busy themselves in each courtyard.

Even though it was raining, they still had to prepare the grand display for the birthday celebration in advance.

At the very least, the "happiness" lanterns hung for Chen Yi and Xiao Jinghong’s grand wedding previously had to be taken down and replaced first.

Before long, the eaves of the two wooden buildings within Chunhe Garden were hung full of lanterns bearing the character for "longevity".

Worried that the rain would soak them, the servants also covered the outside with a layer of oilcloth, saying it could just be removed before the birthday feast.

As for the other decorations, Chen Yi paid them no mind, leaving everything fully in Xiaodie's hands.

At this moment, he was pondering what longevity poem to write for the Old Marquis, and had specially asked Xiao Wuge about the Old Marquis's past achievements.

"Grandfather is very formidable."

With eyes shining brightly, Xiao Wuge spoke of Xiao Yuan’s several victories in defeating the barbarian tribes, such as twenty years ago when he personally led three thousand black-armored iron cavalry to decapitate the barbarian state preceptor in battle.

Like fifteen years ago during the rebellion of the Poshipo Kingdom, Xiao Yuan led the army to suppress the revolt, massacring twenty towns and cities, large and small, in succession, so that his name still circulated in the Poshipo Kingdom to this day.

And for instance six years ago, the barbarian King of the Left, Muhage, assembled an army of two hundred thousand to press upon Mengshui Pass, and Xiao Yuan sat in command upon the pass, repelling them over the course of a year.

Yet speaking to this point, Xiao Wuge could not help but feel somewhat dejected.

"Father, Mother, and several uncles and aunts all died in that great war..."

Chen Yi patted his head, consoling him, "The deceased are gone; living your life well is the greatest filial piety you can show them."

Indeed, the Xiao family's offspring were currently not flourishing. Needless to say for the main lineage, apart from Xiao Jinghong, Xiao Wan'er, and Xiao Wuge, only Old Marquis Xiao and Xiao Xuanshuo, one elderly and one crippled, remained.

As for the children of concubines, there were quite a few. For instance, the lineage of Old Marquis Xiao’s brother, Xiao Wang, serving as the second branch of the Xiao family, could be described as having a house full of children and grandchildren, with three sons of his own alone.

Originally Chen Yi had doubts about this, but later learned that the second branch pursued the path of civil officials, with most of them holding office within the borders of Shuzhou.

The one with the highest official title was Xiao Wang’s eldest son, Xiao Dongchen, who was currently the Shuzhou Administration Commissioner's Counselor, of the lower fourth rank, in charge of Shuzhou's various taxes, wielding no small authority.

Of course, the most special was still Xiao Wang’s daughter, Xiao Qiunyun, who married the youngest son of the Duke of Qian, and was the birth mother of the young heir, Zhang Heng.

It could be described as a pheasant flying up a branch to become a phoenix.

This time Xiao Qiunyun brought Zhang Heng back to her maiden home, accompanied by the old Duke himself, coming under the pretext of celebrating Old Marquis Xiao's birthday, but in truth mostly to show off.

To put it nicely, it was called "nurturing refinement through nobility," but to put it harshly, it was called "a vulgar person putting on airs."

Among the recent opportunities Chen Yi had obtained, two out of three times were related to this person, which truly opened his eyes.

After a long while, a smile returned to Xiao Wuge's face: "Brother-in-law, next year I have to go to Jinling and stay there for ten years. Can you come with me?"

"What would you go there for? Is staying in Shuzhou not good?"

Although Chen Yi wanted to experience the prosperity of Jiangnan Prefecture and Jinling, going there would inevitably involve dealing with the Chen family, so it was better to stay in Shuzhou for peace and quiet.

Xiao Wuge smiled and said, "By the regulations of Great Wei, if I want to inherit the marquisate, I need to stay in Jinling for a full ten years to study etiquette, laws, regulations, classics, and histories."

"But I feel that Brother-in-law could be my teacher, without needing so many people to teach me."

Chen Yi frowned secretly. Studying? This was going over to be a hostage.

But thinking about it carefully, it was also understandable—the military marquisate was hereditary and perpetual, and the heir serving as a hostage in their youth to accept etiquette and regulations brought a hundred benefits and not a single harm to the imperial family.

"I cannot be your teacher."

"Could it be that Brother-in-law does not want to go to Jinling?"

"I don't. And besides," Chen Yi glanced sideways at the few lively carps flopping in the fish basket beside his feet, "your natural talent is too dull; I can't teach you."

"Ah?"

"Don't 'ah' me, a fish has taken the bait, hurry up..."

It was also strange to say.

Ever since Chen Yi made his fishing rod more than ten days ago, he had not caught a single fish.

He knew not whether he was at odds with this pond of "golden-furred carps," or if his luck was too poor; every time the float bobbed, the fish would always escape due to various accidents. That would be fine.

The key was that Xiao Wuge had a harvest every single day, catching five fish even on his least successful day, which truly left him with no face.

A day of peace.

Today Chen Yi was just like usual, practicing stance work with Wang Lixing at dawn, picking up his brush to practice calligraphy after breakfast, and then passing the time by fishing and drinking tea.

Waiting until the sky turned grey and dark, he quietly slipped out of the wing room to practice the Great Spear Stance, Mountain-Collapsing Fist, and the Swimming Dragon and Playing Phoenix footwork in the bamboo forest.

While holding the stance, Chen Yi checked his current progress in each path.

Name: Chen Yi

Cultivation: Ninth Rank, Mid Stage

Path of Literature: Grand Achievement (0/1000)

Calligraphy: Wei Qing style (Proficient), Running Script (Skilled)

Martial Path - Body: Minor Achievement (0/100)

Technique: Great Spear Stance [Mystic Grade] (Skilled)

Martial Path - Fist: Minor Achievement (0/100)

Fist Art: Mountain-Collapsing Fist [Mystic Grade] (Skilled)

Martial Path - Step: Minor Achievement (0/100)

Movement Technique: Swimming Dragon and Playing Phoenix [Yellow Grade] (Initial Glimpse)

Opportunities: 7

"After reaching the mid stage of the Ninth Rank, physical strength increases rapidly."

At the lower stage of the Ninth Rank, Chen Yi's physical body possessed only the strength of one bull, but now, he already possessed the strength of five bulls, fully a fivefold increase.

Although he had not learned about the progress of other cultivators, according to the profound guidance of the [Martial Path - Body], he guessed that others who cultivated the [Great Spear Stance] should directly break through to the mid stage of the Ninth Rank after reaching the strength of one bull.

Yet he had not rushed to break through, still polishing his physical body with stance work until he could advance no further before breaking through, building a sufficiently solid foundation.

"This is good as well; when others use full strength, I only need to use twenty percent."

"If I cultivate the Great Spear Stance to the proficient level or even the consummation boundary in the future, I can reach the peak of 'elephant strength', with a single casual punch weighing ten thousand catties."

Thinking of this, Chen Yi collected his thoughts, silently feeling the vibration of his muscles, bones, skin, and internal organs, guiding that trace of vital energy born from the tempering of flesh and blood, returning it to his Dantian to gradually expand his Dantian's sea of energy.

Stepping into the mid stage of the Ninth Rank, wanting to break through further required relying on vital energy.

First he had to open up the Dantian's sea of energy, and only when the vital energy contained within was sufficient could he take the next step, clearing the four regular meridians of the hands and feet to reach the upper stage and consummation boundary of the Ninth Rank.

But the entire process was exceptionally slow; even though Chen Yi possessed the profound guidance of the "Martial Path - Body," it remained a matter of slow, grinding work.

An hour passed quickly.

Chen Yi took a short rest, scanned the surroundings to see no unusual movement, and then struck a pose, executing the Mountain-Collapsing Fist slowly and powerfully.

The entire fist art had nine moves in total, with thirty-six kinds of variations.

Except for the ferocious and forceful, sinking momentum, he also adheres to the principle of using attack to replace defense, each punch and kick striking directly at the vital points, his footwork as direct and straightforward as a straight path.

Therefore, after completing the five sets of boxing techniques, the food Chen Yì had just replenished was once again consumed almost entirely, leaving his stomach as empty as ever.

“Tomorrow, I’ll have to let Xiao Die bring more food, otherwise if we keep practicing, I’ll really be as thin as Wang Liheng said.”

Chen Yì muttered to himself, then circled around a few purple bamboo, continuing to practice the [Dancing Dragon and Phoenix] body method.

Suddenly, a clear and melodious voice rang out beside his ear:

“Chen Yì?”

Chen Yì’s face cooled, his feet darted away, scanning the surroundings.

“Who?”

“Looks like it’s you after all, the useless son-in-law of the Xiao family, the husband of Xiao Jinghong—Chen Yì, is it not?”

That voice drifted and swayed through the bamboo forest, interspersed with tinkling sounds.

Chen Yì looked around but saw nothing, “May I ask, fair lady, what brings you to my presence?”

“A lady? Hahaha… that’s right, that’s right, I am a lady.”

(End of chapter)