Chapter 222: Chapter 193: If Brother-in-law Is Unwilling, I...

"Liu Zhaoxue of the Jing State Liu Family."

Chen Yi’s brow furrowed at the name.

’That ruthless woman who’s involved with the Five Poison Sect?’

"Did she give a reason?"

Suspecting nothing, Xiao Wan’er took out the invitation and handed it to him.

"The invitation is brief. It just says she wants to meet and clear up some misunderstandings."

Chen Yi nodded, opening the invitation to take a look. It said more or less what Xiao Wan’er had told him.

But just seeing the name "Liu Zhaoxue" as the sender was enough to make him suspicious.

After a moment of thought, the smile vanished from Chen Yi’s face. A possibility occurred to him—Liu Zhaoxue wanted to use Xiao Wan’er to murder Liu Wen.

He didn’t know the exact details. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

But he knew her objective, and her plot to have Liu Wen killed.

For her to approach Xiao Wan’er at this time, Chen Yi could think of no other possibility besides laying the groundwork for her plot against Liu Wen.

Of course, he hoped he was just being cynical. But when dealing with a woman like Liu Zhaoxue—so consumed by greed that she would cooperate with the Five Poison Sect—he had to prepare for the worst.

Just then, Xiao Wan’er saw his expression and assumed he didn’t want to go. A hint of disappointment clouded her features.

"If you don’t want to go, I can just go by myself."

She hadn’t asked Chen Yi to accompany her for any improper reason, like some sort of clandestine meeting.

It was simply because the Jing State Liu Family had previously mentioned a marriage alliance, which left her feeling wary and uneasy.

She figured having Chen Yi with her would help put her at ease.

Her words snapped Chen Yi out of his thoughts, and he smiled again.

"Since you’re the one asking, I’d drop everything to go with you."

"Besides, I don’t really have anything to do tomorrow anyway."

"I just spaced out for a moment. I was thinking about the Jing State Liu Family’s Xinglin Hall. I recall they have several Medical Saint Hands in residence, and it occurred to me that once the Medical Dao Academy is established, we could invite them to offer some guidance."

Xiao Wan’er glanced at him. Seeing that he seemed perfectly at ease, she chided him playfully,

"We haven’t even laid a single brick for the academy. Why are you already thinking so far ahead?"

Perhaps because she had just misunderstood him, her chiding tone sounded a little sheepish.

Still, she’d gotten what she wanted. With Chen Yi accompanying her to Fengchun Building, she felt a little more at ease.

Just then, Xiao Wuge, who had overheard them, ran over. "Sis, take me with you!"

Xiao Wan’er thought for a moment and was about to agree when Chen Yi said with a smile,

"You have your etiquette lessons tomorrow; you can’t afford to miss them."

"Besides, I just told Xiaodie to ask a mounting artisan to come over tomorrow. You can help me keep an eye on them, so they don’t damage the calligraphy scrolls."

Xiao Wuge blinked, feeling as if his brother-in-law had become a different person. ’Shouldn’t he be sticking up for me right now? Why is he shutting me down?’

Xiao Wan’er, on the other hand, saw nothing wrong with it. It didn’t really matter to her whether Xiao Wuge went or not.

Instead, she was more concerned about the calligraphy scrolls.

"You have new poems?"

Chen Yi shook his head with a smile and then explained that he had asked Guiyun Academy to prepare an "exhibition hall."

"...This way, we should be able to reduce the number of unsolicited visitors."

Xiao Wan’er nodded in delight. "That’s a great idea."

"I thought..."

Chen Yi picked up where she left off, teasing, "You thought I’d come up with some mischievous plan?"

Called out, Xiao Wan’er blushed. "You’ve done so many strange things in the past. I was just worried..."

She paused, then quickly changed the subject. "But putting the calligraphy in the academy is certainly a good idea."

"For one, it will allow visitors from other states to see your work, and for another, it will enhance the academy’s reputation."

’Most importantly, it will raise Chen Yi’s prestige in the eyes of the scholars.’

Xiao Wan’er didn’t say this last point out loud, only feeling happy for Chen Yi in her heart.

She might have been happy, but Xiao Wuge was pouting.

’I want to go to Fengchun Building, too!’

But the two of them just kept talking and laughing, not giving him a single chance to get a word in.

’Brother-in-law, you’ve changed.’

...

「As night fell.」

The daylight had just faded.

Chen Yi spoke briefly with Xiaodie and Xiao Wuge, then made an excuse about being tired and retired early to his room.

The moment he closed the door, Chen Yi changed into a set of Night Clothes, donned a bamboo hat, and slipped out of the Xiao Family residence through a back window, heading straight for Chuansi Street.

It wasn’t yet seven o’clock.

There were many pedestrians on the road, and it took him quite a bit of effort to avoid being noticed.

Fortunately, it wasn’t far. Before long, Chen Yi arrived at the house and had Zhang Dabao apply his disguise.

He had just finished changing into a brocade long-robe when Liu Lang arrived.

Before Chen Yi could speak, Liu Lang said with a smile, "Boss, it’s done."

Chen Yi grunted in acknowledgment, calmly put away the Copper Mirror, and motioned for him to drive the carriage away from the house.

Liu Lang was also in disguise, looking nothing like his usual self from Hundred Herbs Hall. A ghastly scar now marred his face.

"Boss, aren’t you worried he won’t show up?"

Chen Yi sat straight-backed inside the carriage, watching the surging crowd outside through a gap in the curtains. He replied calmly,

"It doesn’t matter whether he comes or not."

If Xiao Dongchen comes, things will go more smoothly.

If he doesn’t come, it will just take a bit more effort, but the result will be the same.

Liu Lang pursed his lips, clearly not understanding. ’If it doesn’t matter whether he comes, then why are we making this trip at all?’

After a moment of silence, Chen Yi spoke up. "Tell me more about the Five Poison Sect."

Liu Lang froze for a second, glancing over at him. "Boss, why are you..."

Chen Yi cut him off. "Tell me about the Five Poison Sect’s Cultivation Techniques, their dangerous methods, their history... Just tell me anything you know."

’I just hope I’m being paranoid,’ he thought.