Chapter 210: Chapter 188: You Can’t Handle It

Night fell, bringing a slight chill.

The heavy rain showed no signs of stopping.

It poured down relentlessly.

But in the sweltering summers of Shu State, such rain was rather welcome—certainly better than the scorching sun.

Especially when the night wind blew.

Tiny raindrops mixed with the wind, carrying a gentle, moist coolness.

And in the Spring Lotus Garden, the wind also carried the fragrance of purple bamboo, flowers, and other plants.

It was like a perfume gifted by nature, its fresh, sweet scent clinging to the air and one’s clothes.

At this moment, the hour of You was not yet half over.

Chen Yi had already changed into a set of simple black clothes and trousers. They were not the silk brocades he usually wore, but rather a coarse linen whose rough fibers he could feel under his touch.

These were the Night Clothes he had specially asked Wang Ji to prepare.

He had ten sets in total, hidden in a compartment under his bed for his excursions.

The preparations were necessary.

His previous few outings had inevitably left traces on his clothes.

Some clothes, though perfectly dry before, had been soaked by rain; others were torn during fights, and some were stained with the smell of blood.

Even if Xiaodie didn’t ask, she would inevitably notice something was amiss after a while.

Especially the torn clothing Chen Yi had discarded, which had made Xiaodie think a thief had broken into the garden.

If he hadn’t managed to fob her off with an excuse, there might have been Armored Guards patrolling outside the Spring Lotus Garden.

"If this rain keeps up until the Mid-Autumn Festival... that would be bad."

Fully dressed, Chen Yi watched the falling rain outside his window and couldn’t help but feel "concerned" for Black Tooth and his men.

If the rain continued, it would be much harder for them to burn the summer grain.

What might have originally required only a few jars of fire oil would now likely need ten or twenty.

Otherwise, with the torrential downpour and the rescue efforts of the soldiers from the Three Towns, it was doubtful all the grain could be burned.

Of course, this was just him idly speculating.

If all went according to plan, Xiao Jinghong would have already set up defenses. If those men dared to make a move, they would have no chance of survival.

With these thoughts, Chen Yi sat by the window, waiting for Xiaodie and Xiao Wuge to fall sound asleep.

It was still early.

He could still hear Xiaodie moving about downstairs, sounding as if she were tidying up a room.

Xiao Wuge, on the other hand, was already in bed, tossing and turning endlessly while muttering a few things under his breath.

"Etiquette is so tedious. When will Big Sis get rid of the tutor?"

"Brother-in-law won’t help me either. This is misery... I want to learn chess, or even practice calligraphy. I don’t want to study etiquette."

Perhaps because he wasn’t worried about being overheard, he grumbled on for a while before his voice gradually faded.

Fortunately, they were both simple souls with few worries, so insomnia was not an issue.

Hearing Xiao Wuge’s words, a small smile appeared on Chen Yi’s face.

He couldn’t help but recall seeing Xiao Wuge in Jiaxing Garden after returning from the West Market, bidding farewell to his etiquette tutor.

That was truly the epitome of teacher-student etiquette.

Not only were his movements meticulously precise, but his expression also had to be just right—respectful, dignified, and magnanimous, not one quality lacking.

After all, he had to embody the presence and refinement of a Marquis’s heir.

Forget Xiao Wuge—even Chen Yi, who was well-versed in etiquette, found it all a hassle to watch.

But there was nothing to be done. In the rear courtyard, Xiao Wan’er’s word was law.

When it came to her decisions, especially regarding Xiao Wuge’s upbringing and education, not even the Old Master could easily intervene.

It was the ultimate expression of "an eldest sister is like a mother."

Chen Yi, for his part, would certainly not say something like, "A passable understanding of etiquette is good enough."

He just pretended not to see Xiao Wuge’s pleading gaze and instead turned to say a few words to Xie Tingyun.

He told her that Shopkeeper Wang Ji was very interested in her proposal.

However, he would have to check with the boss, "Chen Yu," before making a final decision.

Xie Tingyun’s face lit up with joy, and she didn’t forget to thank him.

Taking the opportunity, Chen Yi asked a couple more questions.

Such as, "Which disciples can the Celestial Sect send?" and "How many silver coins would be needed each month?"

He was almost amused to death by Xie Tingyun’s response: "We get paid for this?"

If the other disciples of the Celestial Sect heard her say that, they would probably resent their Senior Sister to death.

It turned out that all she had ever wanted was a "Hundred Herbs Hall," and she hadn’t considered anything else.

After Chen Yi gave a simple explanation, he got a clear picture of the Celestial Sect’s situation.

Besides Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang, the two Sect Leader’s Disciples, there were over ten other members in the Middle Three Grades Realm.

Adding the disciples of her martial uncles and aunts, the number of people who could come down the mountain to serve as guards for the Hundred Herbs Hall should exceed one hundred.

That would be more than enough to handle the initial expansion of the Hundred Herbs Hall.

He waited for about a quarter of an hour.

Once he heard the steady, even breathing of Xiao Wuge and Xiaodie, Chen Yi quietly slipped out of the Spring Lotus Garden.

Tonight’s matter was of great importance and allowed for no mistakes.

Thus, he moved with extreme caution, taking half an hour before finally arriving at the residence on Chuansi Street.

Zhang Dabao, who had long been waiting in the main hall, stepped forward to help him with his disguise and change of clothes without waiting for a command.

They worked in silence, yet with perfect coordination.

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

Another twenty breaths later, he had changed into a long black robe and donned a black iron mask. His entire presence and aura changed completely.

By candlelight, Chen Yi glanced at his reflection in the copper mirror. After confirming everything was in order, he asked:

"What’s the status on Yan Sea’s preparations?"

Zhang Dabao replied while packing up his tools, "This afternoon, Steward Yan finalized the travel route."

"I hear he plans to first go to Guangyuan County, the northernmost point, then head northeast to Central Sichuan, and then south to An Guang to inspect the counties and towns along the border between Shu State and Jing State."

"Guangyuan County..."

Chen Yi nodded slightly. He saw no issue with the way Yan Sea had planned the route.