Chapter 188: You Can't Handle It!

Chapter 188: You Can’t Hold On!

The evening arrived with a chill.

The rain fell incessantly, a relentless cascade of silver threads.

Yet in the sweltering summer of Shu Zhou, such rain was a welcome reprieve, far preferable to the scorching sun.

Especially when the night breeze swept through.

Tiny droplets of rain, suspended in the wind, brought a delicate, cooling moisture.

In the Spring Lotus Garden, that breeze carried more than just the rain—it bore the scent of purple bamboo and blooming flowers.

It was as if nature had poured a fragrant perfume into the air, leaving a fresh, sweet aroma on every surface, every garment.

At this hour, before the ninth watch had fully passed, Chen Yi had already changed into a simple black outfit—nothing like the silk robes he usually wore. The coarse hemp fabric felt rough against his skin, a deliberate choice.

This was the night attire he had specially requested Wang Ji to prepare.

Ten sets, hidden beneath the partitions of his bed, awaiting his next journey.

He couldn’t afford to take chances.

In his previous outings, his clothes had borne traces—some damp from the rain, others torn in altercations, a few still smelling of blood.

Even if Di Biao pretended ignorance, time would eventually reveal the inconsistencies.

Worst of all was the ruined garment Chen Yi had discarded, which had led Di Biao to suspect thieves had entered the garden.

Only a fabricated excuse about imperial guards patrolling outside had saved him.

“If this rain lasted until Mid-Autumn Festival… it would be troublesome.”

Chen Yi adjusted his attire, gazing out at the rain-streaked window, his heart tight with concern for Hei Ya and the others.

If the rain persisted, their task of burning summer grain would grow far more difficult.

What had once required only a few barrels of oil now might demand a dozen or two.

Otherwise, with the torrential rain and the soldiers from the three towns rushing to aid, the grain might not burn completely.

Of course, this was mere speculation.

If things proceeded smoothly, Xiao Hong would have already set precautions in place—those who dared act would not survive.

With that thought, Chen Yi settled by the window, waiting for Xiao Biao and Xiao Hunge to drift into sleep.

It was still early.

He could still hear Xiao Biao moving about downstairs, tidying the room.

Xiao Hunge, however, had lain in bed since early evening, tossing restlessly, muttering to himself.

“The rites are so complicated. When will the elder sister remove the master’s restrictions?”

“The elder brother won’t help me either. Ugh—I’d rather learn chess, or practice calligraphy. I don’t want to study rites.”

Perhaps relieved that no one could overhear, he rambled on, his voice growing softer with each word.

Fortunately, they were simple souls, burdened by little, unlikely to suffer insomnia.

As Xiao Hunge’s words reached his ears, Chen Yi’s lips curved into a smile.

He was reminded of their encounter at Xi Shi Gate upon returning, when Xiao Hunge had bid farewell to that professor of rites.

The display of respect was flawless—every gesture precise, every expression dignified, embodying the grace of a noble heir.

Even Chen Yi, versed in rites himself, found it exhausting.

Yet there was no choice.

In the courtyard, Xiao Wanyou reigned supreme.

Her words, especially those concerning Xiao Hunge’s upbringing, were beyond even the old patriarch’s authority to challenge.

It was the utmost expression of the “eldest sister as mother” ideal.

Chen Yi would not resort to such trivialities as “rites are fine as they are.”

He feigned not noticing Xiao Hunge’s pleading gaze, turning instead to Ye Bo.

Bo’s proposal had piqued the interest of Wang Ji, the merchant.

Though he’d need to confirm the details with “Chen Yu,” the boss.

Ye Bo’s eyes brightened with pleasure, gracious in his thanks.

Inquiring further, Chen Yi asked about the Sun Mountain Sect’s disciples capable of being dispatched, and their monthly fees.

Ye Bo nearly choked on laughter at the question, muttering, “Pay the money back!”

Had the Sun Mountain Sect disciples heard this, they’d surely blame Ye Bo for dragging them into this scheme.

So it turned out she’d only ever wanted a “Hundred Herbs Study Hall,” the rest being mere afterthoughts.

After explaining, Chen Yi grasped the Sect’s structure.

Beyond Ye Bo and Shen Huaotang, two senior disciples, there were over a dozen others of mid-third rank.

Adding the disciples of her elders and aunties who could serve as guards for the study hall, the number easily exceeded a hundred.

Sufficient for the initial expansion of the hall.

After about a quarter of an hour, once Xiao Biao and Xiao Hunge’s breaths had steadied, Chen Yi slipped away from the Spring Lotus Garden.

This night held great stakes—no room for error.

He moved with utmost caution, taking half an hour to reach the residence on Xiwei Street.

Zhang Da Bao had already awaited him in the hall.

Without waiting for orders, he stepped forward to handle the disguise and costume changes.

Silent and seamless, their coordination was flawless.

In just twenty breaths, Chen Yi’s face transformed.

Another twenty, and he donned a long black robe, then a black iron mask, his presence utterly altered.

Under the candlelight, he checked his reflection in the brass mirror, confirming everything was correct.

“Yan Hai’s preparations?”

Zhang Da Bao gathered his tools, replying, “The afternoon’s route has been finalized by Master Yan.”

“He plans to head first to the farthest county in the north—Guangyuan, then northeast through the central plains, south to Anxi, tracing the border between Shu and Jing provinces.”

“Guangyuan…”

Chen Yi slightly nodded his head, not finding any fault with Yan Hai's planning.

The northern Jingzhou, Youzhou, and Shuzhou confluence was a place where merchants and traders abounded, with many aristocratic families and nine schools of thought flourishing.

Adding to this complexity, the Shuzhou Prefectural Office's intricate web of authority made the region even more tangled.

Going to Jingzhou County seemed a wise choice.

"Who accompanies you?"

"I can't recall the exact names, only that there's a treasurer named Sun Doctor, two guards, and Yan Zhi, making five in total."

"Not bad, they've made sure of it..."

A meticulous treasurer could record details from all regions, a doctor could assess the skills of various apothecaries, and the guards and Yan Hai—well, their presence spoke for itself.

Clearly, the afternoon was spent in lengthy discussions between Wang Ji and Yan Hai.

After a moment of waiting, Liu Lang arrived drenched in rain, shook off his raincoat, and saw Chen Yi ready. Smiling, he said:

"Boss, shall we go now?"

Chen Yi nodded, ordered Zhang Da Bao to rest, and led Liu Lang toward Kangning Street.

It was still far from midnight.

The streets were bustling with people and carriages, and the city guards patrolling every alleyway meant their pace was slow.

After wandering around, they finally slipped into the courtyard where Liu Wen resided.

As soon as they entered, they saw the courtyard lit up, with several people guarding the wooden building inside and outside.

Liu Lang scanned the area and raised an eyebrow: "Lord, there's a five-tier martial arts master here, though his cultivation is too low to reach the minor breakthrough."

Chen Yi's expression remained unchanged, his gaze assessing, and he formed some deductions.

"Perhaps he's encountered misfortune, or Liu Wen is testing us."

"Is this so? Shall we return?"

Chen Yi gave a slight shake of his head, thought for a moment, then took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to him.

"Immortal Wine, take a sip."

Liu Lang nodded, took the bottle, and silently approached the guards, knocking them out one by one.

He didn't spare the five-tier martial arts master hiding in the wooden building either.

In the span of just ten breaths, they had neutralized everyone except Liu Wen.

Chen Yi then walked calmly toward the wooden building.

For Liu Wen's scheme, he had some suspicions. After all, thirty thousand taels of silver was no small sum; caution was natural.

Moreover, these guards stationed inside and outside the building could probe their identities. If even ordinary cultivators could sense their arrival, Liu Wen wouldn't trust their supposed identity as the owners of Mingyue Tower.

Thinking this through, Chen Yi knocked on the door.

It was merely a signal; after knocking, he pushed it open and entered without lingering in the spacious hall, heading straight for the second floor.

Before he reached the top, he spoke: "Lord Liu, is this distrust of my black teeth, or lack of trust in me as the owner of Mingyue Tower?"

The semi-enclosed staircase made his low, rasping voice echo hollowly.

Yet when it reached Liu Wen's ears, he showed no anger. Instead, he smiled and rose to greet him:

"Brother He, forgive me. I meant no ill will, only worried I might not tend to your needs properly, so I had my men stay nearby."

Chen Yi didn't believe his words.

Upon turning the stairs, his cold, emotionless eyes fell upon Liu Wen, who spoke flatly:

"This time, it's forgiven. If it happens again, Lord Liu, don't blame me for not knowing the weight of things."

"Of course, of course..."

Liu Wen nodded, then gestured for him to sit inside.

Chen Yi didn't move, saying: "Tonight, I'm here only for the silver, and I can't stay long."

Liu Wen's gentle smile froze, his gaze lingering on him, his tone tinged with irritation:

"A senior elder of the Black Tooth sect refusing me at such a distance doesn't seem like how a client is treated."

Chen Yi met his gaze steadily: "Tonight, I also need to summon several old demons to make arrangements. Time is pressing. Forgive me."

Liu Wen paused, then his expression brightened: "So soon to act?"

"The longer we delay, the greater the risk. I trust Lord Liu understands."

"Understand, hahaha, I certainly do. But could the senior elder of the Black Tooth tell me about your plan?"

Chen Yi stared at him for a moment, then shook his head: "To prevent rumors, I can only tell you we're here to divert attention from the Xiao family."

Liu Wen's breath caught slightly: "To create an opportunity for the true executor?"

He understood that such major matters involved countless people, leaving no room for error.

Seeing Chen Yi unwilling to elaborate, he thought for a moment and didn't press further, then withdrew a thick stack of silver notes from under the table and handed them over.

"The reputation of the Black Tooth and Mingyue Tower precedes them. As the head of this household, I naturally trust them. These silver notes are from the Da Wei bank, unmarked. The Black Tooth can collect them directly."

Chen Yi took the money, checked it, nodded: "Lord Liu, wait here for a few days. Once the matter is settled, someone will come to find you."

Liu Wen hesitated: "You're not coming?"

"Lord Liu, this matter's success or failure will draw the Xiao family and the Dingyuan army's pursuit. I can't stay in Shuzhou for long."

"After everything settles, I'll find a way to meet Lord Liu and catch up."

"Very well. When that time comes, I'll surely welcome you with open arms and offer you wine."

Chen Yi slightly nodded, bowed respectfully, and descended the stairs.

When he stepped outside, Liu Lang unfurled his oil-paper umbrella over him, and they left together.

Liu Wen stood by the window, watching their figures disappear into the rainy night, a soft, sly smile spreading across his face.

"The Black Tooth and Mingyue Tower, known by reputation but never met in person—they are indeed capable of achieving great deeds."

Once this matter was accomplished, it would not only scatter the Xiao family but also set the stage for his own decisive strike.

"Brother, though you're favored by father and the elder clan, your opportunities and abilities lag behind. The Liu family..."

"You're not seizing your chance!"

Liu Wen's eyes sparkled with excitement, gazing toward the Xiao family's location, his face twisted into a cruel smile.

"And the Xiao family, Xiao Wan'er... Only when I obtain Xiao Wan'er can I use this to manipulate the Dingyuan army."

"By then, haha, haha... who in Jingzhou or Shuzhou will dare defy me?"

In the unseen depths of fate.

Chen Yi seemed to catch Liu Wen's laughter; weighing the three hundred silver notes of a thousand-tael denomination in his hand, he let out a soft snort.

He figured that Liu Wen must be dreaming a grand dream at this very moment.

For now, let him enjoy his joy.

Liu Lang by his side, however, did not think so deeply, his eyes fixed squarely upon that stack of silver notes as his throat moved slightly, swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

Though he cared little for wealth, having no grand expenses save for the pleasures of romance, it was hard not to feel a stir of desire when so much silver was laid bare before his eyes.

"Boss, these silver notes..."

Chen Yi cast a sidelong glance at him, drew out two sheets, and handed them over, saying, "Spend them sparingly."

Fortunately, he had previously obtained ten thousand taels in silver notes from Liu Wen, so giving Liu Lang two thousand now would not disrupt his plans.

With a smile, Liu Lang accepted them and tucked them into his robe, "Many thanks, Boss."

Yet after offering his thanks, seeing Chen Yi put the notes away securely, he could not help but ask one more question:

"Is this silver to be used for expanding the Baicao Hall?"

He naturally knew what Wang Ji and Yan Hai had discussed during the day, and at this moment he could not help but calculate how many branches of Baicao Hall three hundred thousand taels of silver could open.

To his surprise, Chen Yi did not nod, but instead shook his head and said, "I have a great use for it."

The expansion of Baicao Hall did indeed require a vast amount of silver.

But there were plenty of ways to raise money in business; at the worst, they could find means through the Xiao family and the influential clans across various regions with whom they had secured partnerships.

However, the three hundred thousand taels in his hand were bound up with the success of his current schemes, and could not be lightly touched.

...

Not long after.

Chen Yi sent Liu Lang off to the Chunyu House to find Black Fang, while he himself headed straight for the tailor shop in the West Market.

One going south, the other west, they parted ways at Kangning Street.

Soon Chen Yi arrived outside the West Market, carefully avoiding Fang Hongxiu and the few other judicial officers who still refused to give up, and reached the residence just behind and to the side of the tailor shop.

The tasks he had commanded Wang Ji to do during the day were progressing neither too slowly nor too quickly.

The two storefronts adjacent to the tailor shop had not yet been settled, but someone in the residence behind had been unable to resist the high price and had handed the land deed over to Wang Ji that very day.

The place where Chen Yi stood was that very residence.

It was now just past the hour of the Boar.

Though the downpour had lessened slightly, dark clouds still hung thick in the sky, and the surrounding gloom served well enough to shroud him from view.

About two quarters of an hour passed.

Chen Yi heard a knock at the door outside the tailor shop, and he silently rose and moved over.

According to his previous observations, most of these hidden guards possessed modest cultivation bases.

Even among the three Silver Banner officers—Ge the Third, Lou Yuchun, and Xiao Dongchen—only Lou Yuxue had attained the realm of the middle three ranks.

For them to detect his presence was nigh impossible.

Chen Yi cautiously approached the tailor shop, pressing his ear against the outer wall.

Faintly, he heard Lou Yuxue's voice from within: "A letter from the Pavilion Master?"

Then came the voice of Ge the Third, sounding somewhat excited: "Quick, see what the letter says."

"See for yourself."

Following the rustling sound of paper, an enduring silence fell within the tailor shop.

Just as Chen Yi grew suspicious, Ge the Third finally spoke, his tone carrying a hint of hoarseness, as though his mind had been shaken by something hard to accept.

"The Pavilion Master... he, he wants us to find a way to implicate the Gray Wolf after we finish that matter? This... why is that?"

Then Lou Yuxue spoke in a grave tone: "Is there any need to ask?"

"Clearly, the Pavilion Master is displeased with Gray Wolf's way of using public office for private gain, and does not even hesitate to eliminate the second branch of the Xiao family."

"However, Sparrowhawk, I think this is a good thing for us."

"Just look at this time; Gray Wolf took risks for his own interests, which affected us all."

"Think about it, once the deed is done, more than half of the Iron Banner officers planted on your side within the Dingyuan Army will surely be lost."

"The same goes for my side."

"Once Black Fang flees Shuzhou, a new elder from Mingyue House will arrive to take charge, and even I will have to vanish from sight for a time."

Hearing this, Ge the Third sighed with emotion, "I merely did not expect the Pavilion Master to be so resolute."

"Gray Wolf holds a special identity; he is not only the standard-bearer for the second branch of the Xiao family, but also a counselor in the Provincial Administration Commission, who could be of use in the future..."

"Enough nonsense. The Pavilion Master's order—do you dare disobey?"

"Naturally, I dare not..."

Hearing up to this point.

Chen Yi suppressed his aura completely, yet a ripple of emotion stirred in his heart.

He too had not expected the hidden guards to abandon Xiao Dongchen so decisively, and they seemed to intend to eliminate both him and the second branch together.

But thinking carefully.

Chen Yi felt that while the hidden guards' action was unexpected, it was also within the realm of reason.

Just as Lou Yuxue had urged Ge the Third moments ago, Xiao Dongchen and those of the second branch were too consumed by selfishness, which would interfere with the hidden guards' designs.

"In this way, the hidden guards' goal happens to coincide with mine."

"I wonder who that Pavilion Master truly is? To be ten thousand miles away and still capable of issuing such a cold, calculated command."

This intellect and decisiveness alone were beyond what ordinary men could muster.

A moment of silence ensued.

Then Lou Yuxue snorted, "Quickly look at the letter from the Gold Banner Lord; I must return to Chunyu House as soon as possible."

Ge the Third gave an affirmative grunt and asked, "When do we strike?"

"Tonight Black Fang goes to fetch the silver from that patron; once I confirm the three hundred thousand taels have entered the vault, I will begin arranging the subsequent plans."

"I reckon it will be within the next two days."

"The same goes for your side; once the weather clears in a couple of days, I will notify you to act."

After listening to Lou Yuxue's words, Ge the Third said no more and proceeded to read the second secret missive, reciting it word by word:

"Obtain a piece of calligraphy from the Fledgling, and determine whether his path of calligraphy has reached perfection."

Lou Yuxue could not help but ask, "Perfection in calligraphy? Are you certain it wasn't mistranslated?"

"See for yourself..."

As he listened to the two people's conversation, Chen Yi had a strange flicker in his eyes.

The Book Way perfected?

How would Yin Wei know that his Book Way had broken through to the perfected realm?

So far, he had only used the perfected Book Way to write for the old master and Sun Fu.

Only three people knew the secret.

Even Xiao Wugou had been instructed not to disclose this matter.

Chen Yi recalled the words he'd heard from Ge Lao San that morning and couldn't help but speculate:

"Could there be another Yin Wei hiding near the old master?"

After some thought.

Chen Yi couldn't come up with any solid leads, but he was certain the leak of his perfected Book Way wasn't from the old master, nor from Sun Fu.

However, upon hearing that the golden-flag official had sent a secret letter, he remembered another matter.

——The calligraphy scroll he'd lost earlier must have been taken by Yin Wei.

"How peculiar... what do they care about my Book Way?"

After a while.

Luo Yu Xue and Ge Lao San left the tailor shop one after another.

[Witness Yin Wei receiving the secret letter. Reward: Sheet music "Guangyuan Qu," karma +18.]

[Evaluation: Presence, hearing, scene not seen...]

Chen Yi glanced over a few golden characters, thought for a moment, and decided not to return to Xiao's home, but quietly followed Luo Yu Xue.

Tonight, Hei Ya was going to see another golden patron for silver, so he could follow along and take a look.

On the way, he could also meet with Liu Rong to inquire about the situation.

When Luo Yu Xue walked into a quiet alley, Chen Yi was about to follow, but suddenly stopped and hid in a corner.

A muffled, deep voice came from the distant alley:

"Luo Yu Xue, where are you going?"

(End of chapter)