Chapter 24: Who Dares to Be So Bold?

Chapter 24: Who Dares to Be So Bold?

Meanwhile, in a tailor shop in the western district of Shuzhou City.

The street outside buzzed with carriages and horses, yet inside, the shop was no less crowded.

Three households, each with distinct masters and servants of varying ranks, surged in together, overwhelming the apprentices who scrambled to attend to them.

One busied herself arranging measurements for the female apprentices, while another displayed finished garments to showcase styles.

Chirping and chattering like birds, the place was alive with lively chatter.

Yet behind the counter, the tailor—a man in a gray robe, plain-faced and unassuming—frowned at a note slipped beneath the table.

"Jia Three, Ding Fifteen... I **you** out of Hou Family’s grounds, let me catch you causing trouble behind my back, and I’ll slit your throats without mercy!"

The tailor read the words slowly, each stroke of the brushmark searing his eyes with a flash of lethal intent.

Who dared to dare so boldly, to humiliate my hidden guard?

Had those Iron Flag officers been discovered by Xiah family’s shadows—or by Old Duke Hou himself?

No, it couldn’t be.

These aristocrats, these noble warriors and meritorious officials—surely they would not act so recklessly.

Especially the Xiah family, a martial aristocratic house.

With their methods, if they uncovered the location of my hidden guard, they’d crush us all with thunderous force.

"Looks like the Silver Flag officer guessed right—there are others eyeing the Xah family."

Spies from the Barbarian tribes?

Northern demons and evil cults?

Or local aristocratic families or mountain clans in Shuzhou?

All possible.

"When did people’s methods become so crude?"

The tailor slowly folded the letter, pondered for a time, then gestured to his apprentices to greet the customers, and hurried back into the shop.

He took out a widely circulated collection of Yellow Opera scripts, *The Story of the Elder Sister’s Journey*, and cross-referenced it with the note’s contents.

"A young bird rests at Xah Mansion, fishing and writing daily. Rumor says her poetry reveals unrest—she’s been hiding. Last night, thieves entered Xah Mansion, identity unknown."

After comparing the translations, he glanced once, then burned the paper.

Then he produced another script, cross-referencing the translation with his own thoughts, and penned a new secret letter.

He then swept his gaze across the room, walked slowly into the rear warehouse, pried open a hidden compartment, and withdrew a messenger pigeon. He tucked the two letters into the bamboo trough atop the bird’s legs.

Once the pigeon had taken flight, the tailor rubbed his face, donned a merchant’s smile, and strode toward the front hall.

This matter was weighty—decisions would have to be left to the Silver Flag officer.

…

Xah Family, Spring Lotus Garden.

Chen Yi regarded Zhang Heng’s displeased expression, then glanced at Xiao Wugou, and asked,

"Young Lord Xiao, so prosperous—how did you lower yourself to this place?"

Zhang Heng assumed he was being praised, puffing up his chest to meet Chen Yi’s gaze: "Escorting you away from marriage, you know it well."

"I wouldn’t have come if Mother hadn’t ordered me to spend a few days here."

Xiao Wugou sneered at Chen Yi, then glared at Zhang Heng: "Call me brother, you uncouth brat!"

"No, no—I’ll call him Escapee of Marriage, Escapee of Marriage…"

When Xiao Wugou opened his mouth to retort, Chen Yi waved dismissively: "Never mind, Young Lord, be happy."

"See? Even the Escapee of Marriage has sense, Wugou brother is learning something."

Ah, a properly raised young lord—at least Chen Yi could manage.

But Zhang Heng, spoiled from childhood by his elders, bore an insufferable arrogance that drove one mad.

"She ordered you here? Xiao Qiuyun?"

Thinking of that phoenix who had flown into the trees, Chen Yi let little Butterfly lead Zhang Heng to the pavilion to fish.

He himself pulled Xiao Wugou aside to ask about the elders’ reactions.

Xiao Wugou smiled as he recounted the events.

Even at such a young age, he remembered everyone’s words, spoken with such vivid emotion—truly remarkable.

"Brother, Grandfather said he forgave you."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi blinked: "That’s it?"

"That’s it. Grandfather said many things—I could tell they all adored the poem you wrote for his birthday."

I saw it too.

Chen Yi thought this over, nodded to himself, and said nothing further. Despite differing from his expectations, he’d managed to ease tensions with the Xah elders—commendable, all the same.

At least his escape from marriage had been forgiven.

In this way, three or four days passed.

With a "young lord" added to the household, the Spring Lotus Garden buzzed with activity.

Occasionally, one could hear Zhang Heng and Xiao Wugou bickering over words, neither yielding an inch.

Not over fishing rods, nor over a cake or piece of meat—no brotherly camaraderie like that of true family.

Such changes left Chen Yi somewhat exasperated, yet he couldn’t educate two half-grown brats. In secret, he counseled Xiao Wugou:

"Evil people need to be worn down by evil. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you."

To deal with someone like little lord Xiao, one must relent—and yet they only pressed harder.

Thus, these days, Zhang Heng caused no major uproar in the garden.

And Chen Yi, as usual, rose before dawn to stand at attention for an hour, then after breakfast practiced cursive script.

He dozed for an hour at noon, spent the afternoon fishing and sipping tea, and at night quietly slipped into the Purple Bamboo Grove to practice martial arts and internal skills.

Only his progress in the Xuanjie’s *Dancing Dragon and Phoenix* method was notable.

His other techniques and arts were steadily improving as well.

That night, Chen Yi practiced the *Crumbling Peak Fist*, his thin robe speckled with sweat, his flushed face betraying the vigor of his qi.

After completing the full routine, faint wisps of white mist rose from his head—a sign of his internal energy churning.

Pei Wangluo, crouching nearby, urgently handed him a towel: "Brother, your fists grow stronger—teach me, teach me…"

Chen Yi brushed off his sweat: "This technique is too fierce for you."

"What skill do you think suits me, Brother?"

…

I recall you once said that the method you study was inherited from the tribe, and continuing to practice it would be...

Pei Manglu made a disdainful face and muttered: "If I could master it, I would have long since broken through to the eighth-grade realm."

"What?!"

"N-no, nothing, brother-in-law, I was just saying I have a dull aptitude."

"Then you'd better practice more," Chen Yi flicked her forehead with a casual tap and pointed to the empty space nearby: "Come, let's rehearse the pillar work and techniques, so I can have a look."

Pei Manglu's eyes lit up. "Brother-in-law, you're willing to guide me?"

"For the sake of your dear sister, I'll grudgingly take a look. First, let me say, I can't guarantee any results."

"N-no, definitely not... not..."

As they spoke, Pei Manglu straightened her expression, legs together, hands raised overhead, drawing in a breath.

Soon, her chest and abdomen rose and fell like rolling waves, the bell on her neck jingling merrily with each movement of her pillar work.

Chen Yi glanced at her twice more, steadied his mind, and carefully observed the qi and energy stirring around her, matching what he had learned of Great Spear Pillar Work and the arcane mysteries of "Martial Arts·Body."

"Her pillar work must not be low in rank, at least at the Mystic level, perhaps even stronger."

"But her foundation is not solid, her breath clearly unstable, with obvious irregularities in her inhalations and exhalations."

Thinking this, Chen Yi had Pei Manglu pause and continue demonstrating techniques and body methods.

After a stick of incense had burned through, Pei Manglu finished her practice, wiping sweat from her brow with anticipation:

"Brother-in-law, what can you see?"

"I see," Chen Yi eyelashed, "you were beaten often as a child."

"Huh?!"

"What, first stand the pillar work."

Pei Manglu nodded obediently and assumed her rolling-wave pillar work.

Chen Yi was about to touch her, hesitated, then picked up a long, thin piece of bamboo, pointing to the errors in her pillar work.

"You're too eager to succeed. Your dantian's energy field isn't fully opened, the qi within your body isn't sufficient to fully connect the four meridians."

"Furthermore, you haven't refined this aspect; your sinews, bones, and skin should be uniform throughout your entire body."

Pei Manglu stared at the bamboo frozen beneath the bell at her neck, her round face flushing slightly, and could not help but protest:

"When I was little, I was still little..."

(Chapter End)