Chapter 190: No No, Impossible!

Chapter 190: No, No, Impossible!

Chen Yi found it hard to guess what mood Lu Yuxue would be in.

He could almost feel the urge to kill him rising within him.

Yet he remained entirely untroubled.

For one, his identity was sufficiently obscure.

Only two people knew the truth—Wang Ji and Zhang Daobao. Even Luo Lang was only aware of the existence of "Chen Yu."

Lu Yuxue sought to pin the identity of "Liu Wu" onto him, with two hurdles in between.

The difficulty was immense, yet before Lu Yuxue broke through the barrier protecting Luo Lang, Chen Yi could think of ways to remedy the situation.

And the second reason was simple—Lu Yuxue dared not move against him.

At least, not for the time being.

Before him lay the matter of "Burning the Summer Grain of the Three Towns" and the sum of thirty thousand silver taels; behind him, the Bright Moon Pavilion and the Hidden Guard. Lu Yuxue, to some extent, felt cautious.

One could even say it was an overstatement to describe him as "looking forward and backward."

In short, Chen Yi had indeed placed himself at the center of the board.

Yet his white stone was concealed deeply enough.

In the short term, he would not let anyone realize his existence.

Silence stretched between them.

Chen Yi and Luo Lang circled back and forth until they returned to the residence on Xi Wing Street.

Thanks to their previous encounter with the Black Fang's killing of the old demon Fang, this time they proceeded smoothly, without noticing anyone trailing them.

Upon reaching the courtyard house, Luo Lang removed his hat and collapsed onto a chair, unable to resist asking:

"Boss, why did you go to Chunru Lou tonight? Just now, I heard Black Fang mention that when you arrived, he nearly said something he shouldn't have."

"Who knows? Did you know that Luo Gongni—"

Chen Yi glared at him, cutting off his words abruptly.

"First, tell me what happened after you got to Chunru Lou."

Luo Lang smiled vaguely and casually replied: "When I went there, Black Fang and the others weren't around, so I just sat in the hall for a while."

"Chunru Lou truly deserves to be one of the top in Shu Zhou. It's been a few days since I last visited, and there are now a batch of new girls, all of them fresh and lively."

"And those teas and refreshments—they sell so well there, almost one bottle per person. I only knew Bai Caotang delivered them by the truckload to the Hua Hua alley, but I didn't expect them to sell so well over there."

"I also happened to—"

Seeing Chen Yi's stern expression, Luo Lang paused, then coughed to cover his slip: "Later, I bumped into Black Fang, who told me you'd arrived, so I went to find you."

"Any other discoveries?"

"Nothing else."

Chen Yi thought for a moment and asked more precisely: "Where exactly did you meet Black Fang? In the hall, on the first floor, second floor, or third or fourth floor?"

Luo Lang opened his mouth, then awkwardly replied: "The third floor."

"…How much did the silver cost?"

"Thirty, forty taels, I can't remember exactly now."

Chen Yi snapped: "Save some for later, or else you'll be asking Bai Caotang for your monthly allowance."

Luo Lang let out a nervous laugh, but said nothing.

He knew his own affairs well, and with money and leisure at hand, how could he not make a show of himself by ascending to the third floor?

Even if Chunru Lou didn't sell pleasures, merely looking after the girls' appearances was enough.

Chen Yi noticed the expression on his face, realizing he hadn't taken the hint, so he said no more.

He silently traced back the time when Black Fang and Luo Lang had met.

Judging from the circumstances, Black Fang likely had hidden that sum of silver somewhere on the third floor of Chunru Lou—or perhaps entrusted it to someone at Bright Moon Pavilion.

Chen Yi filed this discovery away for now, then let his thoughts churn.

With Liu Wen's thirty-thousand-tael silver note in hand, all the pieces of his scheme had fallen into place.

Thus, all he had left to do were two things.

After some contemplation, Chen Yi tapped his chair's armrest and said to Luo Lang, his voice grave: "Tomorrow, go to the Ministry of Revenue's office and deliver a message to Xiao Dongcheng."

"Xiao Dongcheng? What message?"

"Tell him that my younger brother will meet you at the alley beside the pharmacy on Jixiang Street on the night of the upcoming dog hour."

"My younger brother?"

Luo Lang's body jerked, instinctively patting his waist where his long dagger hung, and asked:

"Boss, are you planning to meet him as Liu Wen this time?"

Chen Yi shook his head: "Only using Liu Wen's name, still going as Liu Wu."

Luo Lang scratched his head. "What are you up to this time? Planning to get the silver from Xiao Dongcheng? But he's from the Xiao family—won't he find out?"

A string of questions made Chen Yi slightly frown. "Never mind, you'll find out tomorrow."

"Remember the old rules—keep the words brief, and don't show yourself in front of him."

Luo Lang stared at him for a moment, then nodded slowly.

But clearly, he hadn't grasped Chen Yi's purpose.

Yet, based on his recent understanding of this enigmatic boss, he knew he was masterful at schemes and deceptions.

Before, Black Fang had been tricked into believing he was a man from Liu's family in Jingzhou, making him participate in a deal.

Later, Liu Wen trusted Black Fang's identity, falling for a scam costing thirty thousand silver taels.

Xiao Dongcheng… he probably wasn't an exception either.

Chen Yi paid no heed to Luo Lang's thoughts.

Once he was certain there were no issues, he sent Luo Lang ahead to leave.

After Wang Ji removed his disguise, he gave a few instructions and followed suit, returning to the Xiao family's residence.

Only when he reached the wooden loft room did Chen Yi finally exhale a long breath.

"All these affairs and matters are indeed troublesome…"

Though he said so, Chen Yi was well aware of the Xiao family's current situation.

He seemed like the local tyrant of Shuzhou, but in truth, enemies beset him from all sides.

They came not only from the imperial court, but also from the prominent clans and government officials of Shuzhou and Jingzhou.

Even wicked outcasts like Black Fang were tripping up the Xiao family.

They did not even need to face the Xiao family directly; they only had to fish in troubled waters and muddy the waters while the Xiao and Liu families clashed. Coupled with cutting off the Xiao family's eyes and ears on the outside, it was enough to mire the Xiao family in a swamp.

Under such circumstances, even if the Old Master was cautious and had backup plans, it remained difficult for him to discern friend from foe before the situation cleared.

Had Chen Yi not intervened one after another, only two paths would have lain before the Old Master.

Either suppress everything, making no distinction between friend and foe.

Or crush one side with thunderous means to deter others with ulterior motives.

The former would cause too much commotion, requiring not only the mobilization of the Dingyuan Army but also causing self-inflicted damage, which would mean ruining the connections accumulated by the Xiao family over two centuries.

The latter carried a lesser cost, but the corresponding troubles were by no means few.

What Chen Yi could do was secretly relieve some pressure for the Old Master and the Xiao family, preventing them from becoming completely blind.

After all, he could not just let it be.

"I will definitely make Xiao Jinghong make it up to me in the future."

At this thought.

Chen Yi subconsciously glanced at the Jiaxing Courtyard, murmured a few words, and then sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate the Four Images Technique.

Five days had passed since he broke through to the Sixth Rank realm.

With the blessing of the spiritual essence from the divine positions of the four directions, his cultivation progress was not slower than before.

Instead, it had increased somewhat.

Originally, it took five days to advance a tier in the Seventh Rank realm, and it still took five days to break through a tier in his cultivation now that he was in the Sixth Rank realm.

Just like this moment.

As the true qi circulated inside Chen Yi's body, the true qi, which resembled liquid mercury, was further compressed by the divine positions of the four directions.

It not only expelled impurities from his body but also doubled his true qi.

Meanwhile, as his cultivation rose to the middle stage of the Sixth Rank, within the sea of qi inside his Yintang acupoint, the figures of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise atop the four divine positions grew a fraction more solid.

Their whiskers, feathers, and scales looked like the real thing, covering the surface of their bodies.

Peering closely, it was not hard to see that they possessed more and more divine aura, and even the effect of the spiritual essence surging from them had improved slightly.

The most intuitive aspect was the Four Images Technique—its cultivation speed was even faster.

In just half an hour, he could run a complete celestial cycle, twice as fast as before.

Vaguely sensing this, Chen Yi immersed himself deeper into the cultivation of the Four Images Technique.

Wisps of faint, shimmering light encircled the space between his brows, and in the flickering gleam, they channeled the spiritual mechanism of heaven and earth into his body.

Gradually strengthening his cultivation.

...

Yet while Chen Yi cultivated in peace here.

At night, someone was destined to find it hard to sleep.

The very first was the Tigress, Lou Xueyue. She thought about it over and over, completely unable to swallow this grievance.

Think of her, a dignified Silver Banner Officer of the Hidden Guards, who not only commanded several Iron Banner Officers under her but had also successfully infiltrated the Mingyue Tower of Shuzhou; her capability and disposition could not be considered anything but high.

Yet tonight, a nameless bastard had left her overwhelmed.

Not only did he suppress her at every turn, but he also threatened her, forcing her to back down.

That would have been fine.

To fulfill the orders of the masters, Lou Xueyue had also dealt superficially with some difficult people in the past.

But at least she knew the other party's background and identity.

Unlike now, where she did not even know where that "Liu Wu" came from or lived.

"Too passive!"

Thinking of how she had been slighted and suppressed by that "Liu Wu" earlier, Lou Xueyue pounded the bed, gnashing her teeth.

Then she sat up, looking at the moonlight revealed after the dark clouds outside scattered, her face freezing with coldness.

"Once Black Fang and Xiao Dongchen are dealt with, I will surely make you pay the price!"

Kangning Street.

In the midst of his excitement, Liu Wen naturally found it somewhat hard to sleep.

Today he had spent real gold and silver, and a grand sum of three hundred thousand taels at that, making it hard to contain the thrill in his heart.

Whenever he lay on the bed, scenes of him trampling the Xiao family and taking control of the Liu family would flash through his mind, rendering him unable to restrain himself.

"Just wait, old man, you will pay the price for provoking this young master before!"

And within the western residence, separated from him by a single wall.

Liu Zhaoxue was not idle either.

She was currently discussing subsequent matters in a low voice with Yan Fusha, who wore a black robe.

"Wanting Second Brother to die suddenly in a short time is simply impossible; it will bound to arouse the suspicion of Father and the others, even if their target is the Xiao family."

"Lady Zhaoxue may rest assured, this seat has already planned everything."

Yan Fusha took out a porcelain bottle from his bosom and said with a low chuckle, "This is the Five Poisons Powder this seat prepared for you. You only need to make your second brother take it for seven consecutive days without interruption, and he will surely die without anyone knowing."

Liu Zhaoxue glanced at the porcelain bottle but did not reach out to take it, still shaking her head:

"You do not understand what I mean."

"Even if Second Brother's death leaves no clues, or even if all clues point to the Xiao family, I will still be suspected."

Yan Fusha's eyes flickered slightly: "Your honorable father is that suspicious?"

Liu Zhaoxue nodded and said, "Father never believes in unprovoked accidents, because what he excels at most is arranging calculations and schemes into coincidences and accidents."

"Just like back then when he had my aunt marry into the imperial palace, he also took advantage of the opportunity when the Emperor left the palace to arrange a chance encounter between my aunt and the Emperor, which allowed her to step into the sky and rise to Noble Consort within a short time after first entering the imperial city."

Yan Fusha stroked his chin, feeling a bit of a headache for a moment.

"If that is the case, then it cannot be framing the Xiao family, but rather letting someone from the Xiao family truly kill Liu Wen."

Liu Zhaoxue gave a soft murmur of agreement, "Only in this way can I continue to stay in Shuzhou and have the opportunity to take charge of the Xinglin Pavilion matters."

"Good!"

"This seat shall return right now to make preparations, wait for my good news!"

Seeing that Yan Fusha was about to leave, Liu Zhaoxue stopped him, a trace of hesitation surfacing on her stunning face as she asked:

"Can you tell me first, what exactly is the purpose of your Five Poisons Sect coming to Shuzhou?"

Yan Fusha turned his head to glance at her, giving a sinister smile, "The grand matter my Five Poisons Sect plots has nothing to do with your Liu family."

“But alas, I find myself in need of borrowing Xinglin Jamie’s use.”

“Huh?”

“My lady, rest assured—it is only a temporary loan, and nothing particularly difficult for Xinglin Jamie.”

“…I hope so.”

…

The next day.

The rain had ceased entirely, and the sky cleared to a bright blue.

Chen Yì rose early to wash and dress, and he did not merely throw on casual clothes—he donned a formal brocade robe, his appearance deliberate and proper.

Little Duo hurried to inquire about his plans for the day.

Chen Yì said as much, smiling: “At noon, I must visit Guayun College.”

“My lord, it is still two days before you begin teaching the classics—how…?”

Before he could finish, Little Duo seemed to think of something, her eyes fixed upon him without blinking:

“I see now.”

“My lord, you go there to resolve the matters of those who come to pay respects to you?”

Chen Yì raised a hand to tap her forehead. “Just as sharp as ever.”

“Little Duo isn’t clever, little Duo simply knows my lord will not stand idly by while a lady is in trouble.”

“Huh?”

“My lord, you needn’t look at me like that—you never did, after all.”

Chen Yì arched an eyebrow and smiled in return: “Still, it is I who have caused the commotion, and I must set things right.”

“Very well, let us eat breakfast first.”

Little Duo nodded, and as he walked ahead, she stuck out her tongue in a quick, playful gesture.

Her earlier words—those were no idle boast, you understand. That poem her lord had penned for her, those verses of affection.

Even so many seasons later, Little Duo still remembered the words:

*“The Graceful Spirit’s Song”* and *“A Mere Fleeting Moment”*, among others.

“Don’t let your mouth hang open, Little Duo! You can’t let my lord know you’ve been skulking about reading those poems on your own!”

She thought this over, patted her substantial chest, and followed Chen Yì down the steps.

Yet as they walked, another question nagged at her:

Had that poem been hidden away by my lord?

Why, since then, had she not seen it again?

After a moment’s reflection, scenes from the drama plays flashed through her mind—

My lord, the poem he himself wrote and gifted to the one he loved most… that is, my lady…

No, no, no, that’s impossible!

Little Duo waved her head to clear her thoughts, but failed to notice her motion, and bumped squarely against Chen Yì’s back.

He turned his head, puzzled: “You’ve gone and had a sudden spell of odd thoughts, what’s on your mind?”

Little Duo’s face flushed crimson, and she waved her hands frantically: “N-nothing! Nothing at all!”

“My lord, forgive me—I was just daydreaming, hehe.”

Chen Yì sized her up, seeing nothing but the flushed cheeks of a young girl, and chuckled:

“Little Duo, you’re practically a young miss now—I reckon I ought to tell my elder sister about your marriage prospects.”

At that,

Little Duo’s face paled to ghostly white. She rushed forward, blocking his path in urgent alarm:

“My lord! My lord, you—you’re going to drive me away?”

“Please don’t drive me away, I beg you, I—”

Chen Yì saw tears welling in her eyes and realized his jest had gone too far. He quickly soothed her, explaining until her sobs turned to laughter.

“My lord, you’ve made me both cry and laugh—thank you, truly.”

“Well, enough of that—let’s eat.”

As they prepared to sit with Xiao Wugou for breakfast, footsteps sounded at the door.

In strode Xiao Wanyue, her pure white robe flowing as she stepped over the threshold with graceful ease.

The sight of her arrival caused Chen Yì to pause, slightly surprised: “My elder sister, you seem… in fine spirits today?”

Xiao Wanyue’s face bore a rare, radiant smile, tinged with a hint of pride.

This only deepened Chen Yì’s curiosity.

“Just now,” she said, gesturing, “I and the others—Xue Er and Juan Er—have compiled a proposal for expanding the Xiao family pharmacy.”

“I came especially today to let my brother-in-law take a look.”

“…A proposal for expanding the Xiao family pharmacy?”

Chen Yì looked at the cheerful Xiao Wanyue, and though he felt a twinge of something odd, he took the scroll from her hands and began to read.

Only a few pages in, he understood its nature.

Indeed, his elder sister’s talent for business was limited to distributing silver and monthly allowances.

This *“Proposal for Expanding the Xiao Family Pharmacy”* was, in every way, identical to the *“Proposal for Expanding the Bai Caotang”*—save for a few changed characters, one could swap them freely.

Xiao Wanyue, unaware of his thoughts, pressed eagerly: “What do you think?”

Chen Yì could not bring himself to discourage her, so he set the scroll aside and pondered aloud:

“Adequate.”

“Though there is still room for expansion…”

(Chapter Complete)