Chapter 227: Hey, Miss Yuxue

Chapter 227: Hi, Lady Jade Snow

Nine o’clock and fifteen minutes past midnight.

The night was deep and still.

The rain poured down in torrents, making the entire city of Shuzhou Prefecture ring with the sharp patter and drumming of droplets.

Especially within the Spring Lotus Garden, where the trees and plants grew dense and lush.

The raindrops pattered and drummed against the cobblestones and the tiles of the eaves, creating a cacophonous din.

It did little to disturb Chen Yì, yet it kept Xiao Wúgōu, Pí Wéilù, and the three companions restless.

Especially Xiao Wúgōu, who had only just begun practicing martial arts in the training grounds that very day.

After finishing his evening meal, he had bounded over here with great enthusiasm, declaring he couldn’t sleep.

There was little else to be done.

Chen Yì had no choice but to listen as Xiao Wúgōu recounted his martial arts training.

For instance, his second uncle, Xiao Xuānzhōu, had taught him to stand in a stance—not the grand spear-rooted posture, but a set called [Xiao Huangting].

Though Xiao Wúgōu had revealed none of the specific techniques or incantations, Chen Yì managed to deduce the general efficacy of [Xiao Huangting Gong] from mere fragments of his account.

It seemed designed to cultivate inner energy before one had yet established a foundation or refined one’s body.

Chen Yì had already formed a clear impression and asked no further questions, merely advising Xiao Wúgōu to focus his efforts.

Before they knew it, the hour had crept toward nine.

Chen Yì had just sent Xiao Wúgōu and the others off to rest when he himself extinguished the lamp, donned a set of nightclothes, and slipped on a raincoat before quietly departing the Spring Lotus Garden.

He made his way along the muddy mountain path, past Houfu, and then headed toward a residence on Chuānxī Street.

After Zhang Dabao had finished giving him a new face, he proceeded to Kangning Street.

Fortunately, it was still raining, and as had been the case in past late nights, few pedestrians lingered on Kangning Street, and there were no gatherings of scholars or beauties in secret.

The occasional passerby hurried along, and a few idle scholars, drunk and carefree, sat without umbrellas, downing wine from large earthenware jars, babbling nonsense:

“The monkeys on both banks can’t stop crying, the small boat has already passed ten thousand mountains. I, ah, I want to pass ten thousand mountains, haha…”

“Brother Lin recites well, recites well—though I prefer the line from Mr. Qin’s poem: ‘May people be long-lasting, sharing the beauty of the moonlit maiden over a thousand miles.’”

“Good verses, good verses…”

Chen Yì rolled his eyes and walked past those drunkards.

Not long after, he arrived at a noodle shop nestled beneath the eaves near Guìyún Institute.

“Oh?”

Chen Yì nearly stumbled over his own feet when he glanced inside the noodle shop.

He couldn’t help but glance upward at the sky and around at the steady rain, confirming it was indeed a deep night with rainfall.

“How can there still be so many people eating noodles this late at night?”

Truth be told, he had no choice but to believe it.

Even in the dead of night, the noodle shop remained packed.

The main hall held thirteen tables, nearly all occupied, the rest filled with small groups.

Some drunkards even stumbled in, shouting for the owner to bring them two bowls of noodles.

The women working there bustled about, their movements swift and tireless.

One moment they’d carry bowls of noodles to the guests, the next they’d clear away the remnants of meals.

Even Lóu Yǔxuě herself didn’t idle.

Behind the counter, tallying sales with a pair of dice, she rattled them off with a sharp clatter.

Occasionally, her voice rang out: “Two bowls of noodles for three coins, one coin for wine!”

“Two coins for noodles, add one coin for lamb!”

“Big tooth, come clear the tables!”

“Big foot, fetch—”

Chen Yì scrutinized Lóu Yǔxuě carefully, making sure she wasn’t some impostor, and nearly laughed out loud.

“You’ve really made a business of it, haven’t you, Lady Jade Snow?”

Though he’d once left a calligraphy sample for Master Ma as a prank, he’d never expected Lóu Yǔxuě to be so forthright.

She’d genuinely worked hard at the noodle shop by Guìyún Institute, and it had grown busier still.

If he hadn’t seen her before in the Flower Pavilion in the southern city, he couldn’t have imagined that this woman, with her modest appearance, could ever be the same as the alluring beauty he’d once encountered.

Good grief, he bit his tongue to keep from smiling, then paused a moment before walking boldly into the shop.

He scanned the room, found a seat in the corner, and called out cheerfully: “Server, a bowl of noodles, three coins worth of lamb, and a pot of wine!”

The two diners beside him looked up in surprise, as if marveling at someone who could eat so much.

Lóu Yǔxuě, busy arranging the noodles, snapped: “Are you trying to starve yourself to death? Eating so much?”

The patrons in the shop erupted in laughter.

“Lady, he’s not refusing to pay—why are you scolding him?”

“Eat your own noodles, weren’t you the one who insulted him?”

“Lady, who’ll come here next if you keep this up?”

“I don’t care—if you lot don’t come, that’s fine. Life’s been…”

Lóu Yǔxuě was about to continue her scolding when she froze, seeing Chen Yì pull off his raincoat.

“You…”

When she recognized him, Chen Yì smiled and waved his hand silently: “Hi, Lady Jade Snow. Fancy seeing you again.”

Lóu Yǔxuě’s eyes instantly reddened, veins bulging, and she nearly drew her blade to slash that devilish man.

Fortunately, she knew many eyes were watching.

She forced herself to rein in her fury, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her ordinary face: “My lord, if you’d like such a feast, perhaps you’d prefer to dine upstairs?”

Chen Yì chuckled. “Server, dining upstairs is perfectly fine. Though…”

“Though what? Say exactly what you want—did I bring you the noodles, or did you bring me the noodles?”

“You wouldn’t happen to be planning to eat me, would you?”

The room fell silent, then erupted into uproarious laughter, several patrons slapping their tables.

"Right, right, you're absolutely right, brothers."

"Boss Lady, you must be thinking I'm so handsome that you're planning to eat me like a dumpling, aren't you?"

"Ha... If it were something like this, I'd advise you, brothers, to stay downstairs and eat. That way, I can have a good look at you."

Lou Yuxue ignored the teasing remarks of the surrounding diners, her eyes fixed on Chen Yi's clenched jaw as he asked, "Are you going or not?"

Chen Yi stood up immediately and said, "Of course I'm going. How could I not go?"

"Boss Lady, you're so beautiful, you'd eat me up completely. I can only steal glances at you."

The group laughed again, teasing him about making a bit of a commotion when they ate, to give them some entertainment.

Chen Yi smiled, bowed his hands, and agreed, then winked at Lou Yuxue before heading up the stairs.

Lou Yuxue glowered at his back, kicked off her stool, and hurried up with the wontons and lamb and beef he had requested.

Of course, she was teased again by the diners.

She nearly spilled the wontons in her anger.

But just then, she spotted Chen Yi and called out coldly, "Do you want to eat wontons, or eat me?"

Chen Yi pointed downstairs and then at the room across, saying leisurely, "You choose."

Lou Yuxue understood—he was telling her to either throw the food away or go into the room. She turned a brilliant red, her face flushed even through the cheap mask.

"Come with me!"

She turned and walked toward the back room.

Chen Yi watched her silhouette, chuckled twice, and followed her.

The door closed, and Chen Yi immediately felt a gust of wind behind him. He turned, dodged, and saw a pink fist coming his way. He grabbed it and pulled.

*Thwack.*

Lou Yuxue was thrown against the door, pinned there.

"Long time no see, Miss Yuxue. Your temper's still as big as ever."

Lou Yuxue struggled, but couldn't break free. She turned her head and glared at him, teeth gritted, "You damn bastard, how dare you show your face in front of me! Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

Chen Yi met her gaze and smiled, "Not afraid."

"Miss Yuxue, you're such a kind and generous person. You've sent me tens of thousands of silver dollars. How could you kill me?"

"Thief! Shameless!"

"You greedy bastard, you stole those silver dollars from me. You despicable, low-life thief—you dare, you dare..." She thought of the silver Chen Yi had taken, and the letters from the hawk urging her to act, her anger boiling over.

"Give me back my silver!"

"Give back silver?"

Chen Yi feigned thought, "Not impossible."

Lou Yuxue's anger paused. "Really?"

"Not exactly. I want to team up with you on a big deal."

"When it's done, I guarantee you'll make a fortune."

"You—you won't!

Lou Yuxue struggled again, "You have no sense of the way of the world, no business integrity. Unless I die, I'll never work with you!"

"Don't be so quick to refuse. Let me tell you my plan?"

"Fine. Let me go."

Chen Yi let her go, stepped back, and warned, "Don't move. You're not my match."

Lou Yuxue clenched her fists, then retracted her hands, stormed past him, and sat at the table, her eyes full of resentment.

Chen Yi saw her sit down, and stopped teasing her. He sat across from her, picked up the wontons and lamb, and ate.

Swallowing, he gave a thumbs up, "No, really, they're delicious. No wonder your shop is so successful."

To his surprise, Lou Yuxue was even angrier. She slammed her hand on the table, "If you want to eat, just eat. No need for all that fuss!"

"And you think I want to open a shop here? Do you want this shop to be successful?"

"If it weren't for you, for you taking those silver dollars, why would I be in such a state?"

"You've been going on and on about how you run this shop to make money, haven't you?"

After a pause, Chen Yi curiously asked, "How much silver have you made in these days?"

Lou Yuxue was about to answer, but remembering Chen Yi's untrustworthy nature, she cautiously said,

"It doesn't matter to you. Don't interfere."

Chen Yi fell silent, then said, "A gentleman loves money, taking it with righteousness. I only like taking what's mine."

Lou Yuxue widened her eyes, "How dare you say such things?"

"In the twenty-nine thousand silver dollars I took earlier, fourteen thousand was mine."

Chen Yi said seriously, "It was mine."

"Without those fourteen thousand silver dollars, how could I have thought of you first for a big deal?"

In translation, it's like how debts bring people together.

But Lou Yuxue clearly didn't understand. She stretched out her pale hand and huffed, "If you want me to team up, just give me back my silver."

"They're gone. I already said, those silver dollars were the capital for this deal."

"Business partnerships don't work without capital, do they?"

"You—you're making excuses. You—you this filthy—"

"Get out. I don't want to see you!"

Chen Yi ate the wontons, smiling, "Miss Yuxue, you really don't want to join in?"

"When the deal's done, you'll make more than last time."

Lou Yuxue turned her face away, huffing, "Only if I get it."

"Teaming up with you, you'd gain nothing. Plus, you'd cause trouble. It's not worth it."

"This time is different. I guarantee you'll make a fortune."

"How much?"

"What?"

"How much silver can I make?"

Lou Yuxue saw him looking at her, her confidence waning as she explained,

"Right, right, you're absolutely right, brothers."

"Boss Lady, you must be thinking I'm so handsome that you're planning to eat me like a dumpling, aren't you?"

"Ha... If it were something like this, I'd advise you, brothers, to stay downstairs and eat. That way, I can have a good look at you."

Lou Yuxue ignored the teasing remarks of the surrounding diners, her eyes fixed on Chen Yi's clenched jaw as he asked, "Are you going or not?"

Chen Yi stood up immediately and said, "Of course I'm going. How could I not go?"

"Boss Lady, you're so beautiful, you'd eat me up completely. I can only steal glances at you."

The group laughed again, teasing him about making a bit of a commotion when they ate, to give them some entertainment.

Chen Yi smiled, bowed his hands, and agreed, then winked at Lou Yuxue before heading up the stairs.

Lou Yuxue glowered at his back, kicked off her stool, and hurried up with the wontons and lamb and beef he had requested.

Of course, she was teased again by the diners.

She nearly spilled the wontons in her anger.

But just then, she spotted Chen Yi and called out coldly, "Do you want to eat wontons, or eat me?"

Chen Yi pointed downstairs and then at the room across, saying leisurely, "You choose."

Lou Yuxue understood—he was telling her to either throw the food away or go into the room. She turned a brilliant red, her face flushed even through the cheap mask.

"Come with me!"

She turned and walked toward the back room.

Chen Yi watched her silhouette, chuckled twice, and followed her.

The door closed, and Chen Yi immediately felt a gust of wind behind him. He turned, dodged, and saw a pink fist coming his way. He grabbed it and pulled.

*Thwack.*

Lou Yuxue was thrown against the door, pinned there.

"Long time no see, Miss Yuxue. Your temper's still as big as ever."

Lou Yuxue struggled, but couldn't break free. She turned her head and glared at him, teeth gritted, "You damn bastard, how dare you show your face in front of me! Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

Chen Yi met her gaze and smiled, "Not afraid."

"Miss Yuxue, you're such a kind and generous person. You've sent me tens of thousands of silver dollars. How could you kill me?"

"Thief! Shameless!"

"You greedy bastard, you stole those silver dollars from me. You despicable, low-life thief—you dare, you dare..." She thought of the silver Chen Yi had taken, and the letters from the hawk urging her to act, her anger boiling over.

"Give me back my silver!"

"Give back silver?"

Chen Yi feigned thought, "Not impossible."

Lou Yuxue's anger paused. "Really?"

"Not exactly. I want to team up with you on a big deal."

"When it's done, I guarantee you'll make a fortune."

"You—you won't!

Lou Yuxue struggled again, "You have no sense of the way of the world, no business integrity. Unless I die, I'll never work with you!"

"Don't be so quick to refuse. Let me tell you my plan?"

"Fine. Let me go."

Chen Yi let her go, stepped back, and warned, "Don't move. You're not my match."

Lou Yuxue clenched her fists, then retracted her hands, stormed past him, and sat at the table, her eyes full of resentment.

Chen Yi saw her sit down, and stopped teasing her. He sat across from her, picked up the wontons and lamb, and ate.

Swallowing, he gave a thumbs up, "No, really, they're delicious. No wonder your shop is so successful."

To his surprise, Lou Yuxue was even angrier. She slammed her hand on the table, "If you want to eat, just eat. No need for all that fuss!"

"And you think I want to open a shop here? Do you want this shop to be successful?"

"If it weren't for you, for you taking those silver dollars, why would I be in such a state?"

"You've been going on and on about how you run this shop to make money, haven't you?"

After a pause, Chen Yi curiously asked, "How much silver have you made in these days?"

Lou Yuxue was about to answer, but remembering Chen Yi's untrustworthy nature, she cautiously said,

"It doesn't matter to you. Don't interfere."

Chen Yi fell silent, then said, "A gentleman loves money, taking it with righteousness. I only like taking what's mine."

Lou Yuxue widened her eyes, "How dare you say such things?"

"In the twenty-nine thousand silver dollars I took earlier, fourteen thousand was mine."

Chen Yi said seriously, "It was mine."

"Without those fourteen thousand silver dollars, how could I have thought of you first for a big deal?"

In translation, it's like how debts bring people together.

But Lou Yuxue clearly didn't understand. She stretched out her pale hand and huffed, "If you want me to team up, just give me back my silver."

"They're gone. I already said, those silver dollars were the capital for this deal."

"Business partnerships don't work without capital, do they?"

"You—you're making excuses. You—you this filthy—"

"Get out. I don't want to see you!"

Chen Yi ate the wontons, smiling, "Miss Yuxue, you really don't want to join in?"

"When the deal's done, you'll make more than last time."

Lou Yuxue turned her face away, huffing, "Only if I get it."

"Teaming up with you, you'd gain nothing. Plus, you'd cause trouble. It's not worth it."

"This time is different. I guarantee you'll make a fortune."

"How much?"

"What?"

"How much silver can I make?"

Lou Yuxue saw him looking at her, her confidence waning as she explained,

“I never said we’d team up. I just asked, and if you don’t tell me, that’s fine too.”

Chen Yi, sensing she was still wary from their last encounter, smiled and extended five fingers:

“Five hundred thousand strings of silver.”

“All mine?”

“Of course.”

Lou Yuxue felt a flicker of interest beneath her restraint, yet could not quite bring herself to agree to collaborate with Chen Yi.

“You’re not going to trick me out of five thousand strings after getting five hundred thousand, are you?”

Huh. Getting clever all of a sudden.

Chen Yi’s heart delighted at her suspicion, but on the surface he spoke earnestly: “I promise, you’ll receive the five hundred thousand strings.”

“Then you—what do you stand to gain?”

“I’d say I could make at least a hundred and eighty thousand, maybe more.”

“A hundred…”

Lou Yuxue turned her head, startled: “What kind of big venture earns that much?”

After finishing his wonton, Chen Yi wiped his lips and smiled: “I took you for someone who agreed to join me.”

Lou Yuxue paused, then gritted her teeth:

“If you dare cheat me again, I’ll have the authorities send master fighters to cut you down!”

“That’s just right, my lady.”

“The way of benevolence and righteousness doesn’t mix with money—don’t try to make amends with it.”

“Enough talk. Tell me what this big venture is.”

To their surprise, Chen Yi shook his head and feigned mystery: “The timing isn’t ripe yet. I’ll plan it first, then tell you.”

Lou Yuxue snorted: “So you’re scheming again—who are you plotting with this time?”

“Not the Liu family of Jingzhou, I hope. They brought a lot of silver from expanding their tea business.”

Chen Yi shook his head: “No, even if I were heartless and cruel, I’d never harm my own people.”

Upon hearing this, Lou Yuxue couldn’t help but mutter in frustration.

This scoundrel, despite all his actions being for the Xiao family’s benefit, actually treated her like a member of the Liu clan.

After suppressing her anger, she spoke stiffly:

“In Shuzhou, few can amass such silver. It’s likely a handful of people at most.”

“Even if you don’t say, I have ways to find out.”

Chen Yi spread his hands: “If you can discover it, that’s your skill.”

He himself didn’t even know who was in the anti-Xiao alliance, and secretly hoped Lou Yuxue would help him uncover them.

Still, he’d resolved to deal with those people first, then investigate thoroughly.

As for actually making that much money…

He didn’t particularly care.

After all, he’d already secured the White Tiger Guard’s loyalty for his gang.

Lou Yuxue was about to press further when a sharp sound reached her ears—she saw a dark eagle pecking at the windowpane outside.

Her eyes shifted, and she hurried over to Chen Yi: “Since you haven’t planned it yet, we’ll wait until you do.”

Chen Yi glanced at the eagle, his eyes subtly circling—he knew the Yin Wei’s secret letter had arrived.

Before Lou Yuxue could react, he snatched the eagle and, with swift movements, retrieved the letter from its talons.

“Don’t—”

Before Lou Yuxue could stop him, Chen Yi tore open the letter and read rapidly.

As he read, he muttered: “Codes two, three, one, sixteen… Lou, this is your White Tiger Guard’s letter, isn’t it?”

“What are these strange symbols?”

Lou Yuxue stepped forward and snatched the letter back, her face cold:

“Do you know that spying on the White Tiger Guard’s secrets is a grave offense?”

Chen Yi silently memorized the letter’s contents, then let it go, bowing slightly:

“You’re the imperial guards’ Yin Wei—who could offend such a powerful organization?”

“But you needn’t be so upset; those symbols are gibberish to me.”

After all, he’d already obtained what he wanted—

[Seeing Yin Wei receive the secret letter. Reward: Sheet Music “Spring Clear,” Fate +34.]

[Evaluation: Presence, awareness, and spectacle. Retrieving the letter under Yin Wei’s watchful eye—performance acceptable.]

Lou Yuxue stared at him for a long moment before snorting: “Don’t do anything that’ll bring you to a tragic end—you’ll regret it someday!”

“Yes, yes…”

No sooner had he spoken than Chen Yi looked toward the window, instantly suppressing his aura and whispering:

“Someone’s coming!”

(Chapter End)