Brother-in-law is really a good person

"I... you get lost, hehehe... Brother-in-law, you are even more vulgar than a few aunts in my tribe."

Glancing at the endlessly amused Pei Guanli, Chen Yi silently looked around.

His intention in writing those few lines of text on that Secret Letter was very simple, only to startle the snake in the grass and make those so-called "Hidden Guards" exercise some restraint.

No matter who saw those two extra sentences of classic state cursing on the Secret Letter, the first thing that would come to their mind was that their whereabouts were exposed, and they would consequently launch an investigation to trace the source back.

Regardless of what plans they previously had or what they wanted to do, their rhythm would be disrupted by this unexpected interlude.

More importantly, doing this could buy him more time.

Waiting until he was certain there was no anomaly around, Chen Yi raised a hand to pinch Pei Guanli's face, squeezing slightly with some force, "Stop laughing."

Forcibly stopped from laughing, Pei Guanli whimpered and begged: "Wuwu husband, I won't laugh anymore."

Chen Yi released his hand and said softly, "I need you to do something for me."

Rubbing her slightly numb cheeks, Pei Guanli stared at him with those expressive big eyes.

"Do you see this Secret Letter? It is placed here, and someone will definitely come to take it away later."

"I need you to help me keep watch here, and see what kind of person takes it away and by what method."

If it weren't for the fact that Chen Yi truly had no one else he could use and could not pull himself away, no matter what he said, he would not have handed such an important matter over to Pei Guanli.

However, the current situation...

Never mind, this time let it be regarded as a test and probe for her.

If she did it attentively and well, she could barely be considered a qualified helper.

Pei Guanli's eyes lit up, and she pulled his hand, saying excitedly: "Are we catching a traitor of the Marquis's mansion? Good, good, this is good."

Drooping his eyelids, Chen Yi slapped away her claw-like hands and exhorted: "You just need to confirm his identity, do not do anything extra."

"Those people have special identities and have been hiding in the Marquis's mansion for many years, perhaps they are all cultivators with powerful Cultivation Base. It is very dangerous for you to rashly follow them."

"Rest assured, brother-in-law, I am not good at other things, but hiding my figure and aura is still something I am very good at." Pei Guanli patted her chest, causing a slight chiming of bells to ring out.

Before Chen Yi could say anything, he heard the voice of an armored soldier ring out from outside Jiaxing Garden.

"Eh? How come I heard the sound of bells?"

"Hanging windchimes under the lanterns in the inner courtyard of this Marquis's mansion and having them tinkle and ring is the most normal thing. The crucial thing now is to locate that petty thief who illegally entered the Marquis's mansion."

"Once I catch him, let's see how I take care of him!"

"..."

Smiling awkwardly, Pei Guanli shrank her head back and grasped the bell at her neck, playing the ostrich.

Seeing this, Chen Yi shook his head inwardly, swept a glance over her weird attire and grooming, and his gaze landed on her tender, white little feet.

"Find a place to stay honestly, I will send you food during the daytime."

A wave of joy bloomed in Pei Guanli's heart, "As you command, brother-in-law!"

Not lingering any longer, Chen Yi took advantage of the night and nimbly vaulted back to Chunhe Garden.

Watching him disappear, Pei Guanli's round little face overflowed with a smile, and she could not help lightly waving her hands.

She was right to say that she came to the Xiao Manor to offer birthday greetings to the Old Marquis; as soon as she arrived, she could follow her brother-in-law to do such a big event.

Hehehe, the Mountain Goddess finally favored her after all.

After she finished this matter for her brother-in-law, and her Cultivation Base made another breakthrough, let's see if Sister Jinghong and Ah Niang would still look down on her in the future.

Thinking of this, while searching for a suitable hiding spot, Pei Guanli looked back toward the direction of Chunhe Garden, thinking in her heart:

Brother-in-law is really a good person.

Sister Jinghong has it too good, being able to find a husband like brother-in-law.

Quietly returning to the side room and lying back down on the bed, Chen Yi did not have Pei Guanli's kind of excitement.

Instead, he grew increasingly curious-what on earth was the purpose of those "Hidden Guards" hiding in the Xiao Manor.

Judging from the time Liu Si'er had spent in the Xiao Manor, it seemed to have little connection to the people who manipulated him into fleeing his marriage back then.

Chen Yi shook his head inwardly, It is still too early to draw a conclusion.

However, digging deeper along Liu Si'er's line, it would not be difficult for him to find the remaining "Hidden Guards" hiding in the Xiao Manor and even within Shuzhou City, and thereby figure out their identities and purposes.

And after that...

Frowning slightly, Chen Yi knew that with his current situation in the Marquis's mansion, even if he discovered the whereabouts of the "Hidden Guards", it would not be convenient for him to act rashly.

He had better wait until he saw Xiao Jinghong before making a decision.

Given Xiao Jinghong's current status and position in the Xiao Family, upon learning of this matter, she should be able to easily resolve those "Hidden Guards".

With this thought.

Chen Yi calmed his mind and gradually drifted into dreamland.

The Chou hour had not yet passed its halfway point.

Xiao Die rose early, brought a basin of water, and came to Chen Yi's side room.

Seeing that he was still fast asleep, Xiao Die slowed her pace, light-footedly set down the washbasin, and stood by the window looking outward.

Only after seeing Wang Lixing, clad in armor, push open the door of Chunhe Garden and walk toward this side did Xiao Die gently nudge Chen Yi:

"Son-in-law, wake up, Guard Wang has come."

Half-asleep and half-awake, Chen Yi opened his eyes, sat up to look out the window, and then got dressed under Xiao Die's attendance.

Arranging his lapels, Xiao Die asked, "Son-in-law, did Guard Wang and the others find that evildoer who sneaked into the Marquis's mansion last night?"

Chen Yi: "They probably didn't find him, but I think that... evildoer shouldn't be able to threaten the Marquis's mansion either."

With Pei Guanli's half-baked skills, she couldn't even beat him. If she were tracked down by Wang Lixing and the others, she would probably only be locked up in the Disciplinary Hall of the Marquis's mansion waiting for Xiao Jinghong to come back and save her.

"What son-in-law says is right, Guard Wang and the others are all skilled fighters in the army, and they've even killed quite a few members of the Barbarian Tribe. An ordinary thief certainly won't escape their search and capture."

Smiling and nodding, Chen Yi picked up a handkerchief to wipe his face, then walked outward.

"It's still overcast today, let Wu Ge sleep a bit longer, no need to rush to wake him up."

"Alright, son-in-law, then I'll go get breakfast for you both."

Chen Yi paused in his steps, "Take a bit more, follow twice the amount of yesterday. These days I want to diligently practice Stake Training, the consumption is relatively large."

With a smile, Xiao Die agreed.

The son-in-law is more studious than before.

Good thing, this way once he passes Second Master's examination, he won't need to report for duty at the Black Armored Army camp.

Stepping out of the side room, Chen Yi called out a greeting to Wang Lixing.

The two of them once again came to the Purple Bamboo Grove by the pond.

Taking advantage of the lantern's light, Wang Lixing scanned the surroundings, his gaze landing on a pair of clear footprints, and said with a smile:

"With the son-in-law being this studious, I believe you will soon thoroughly train your tendons, bones, and skin, reaching the Ninth Rank · Lower cultivation stage."

"I hope so."

Noticing his gaze, Chen Yi nonchalantly moved his hands and feet while walking around the bamboo grove, wiping away the little foot-prints on the ground one by one.

It seems the tribe where Pei Guanli resided is truly dirt poor, not even having a single pair of shoes to wear.

No wonder she wanted to discuss the matter of the "Mutual Market" with Xiao Jinghong...

Thinking like this, Chen Yi noticed Wang Lixing watching from the side, and still as usual, pretended to slack off with a lazy appearance.

It was not that he did not want to cultivate the Great Spear Stance Cultivation, but rather that he had now achieved success in his Stake Training and worried about exposing flaws before Wang Lixing.

While dragging his feet and idling, Chen Yi asked, "Was the evildoer caught last night?"

"He let him run."

"I heard he got in by using poisons?"

"I am making a fool of myself in front of the son-in-law," a trace of shame and annoyance appeared on Wang Lixing's face: "That petty thief was truly detestable, actually taking advantage of the shift change interval to knock down the armored soldiers along the way one by one with a knockout drug."

Chen Yi smiled, thinking to himself that Pei Guanli still had some capability.

However, poisons and knockout drugs were by no means a bad method for self-defense.

If he had the opportunity, he would get some from her; perhaps they would come in useful in the future.

On the other side.

Pei Guanli did not yet know that she was being kept in mind by Chen Yi.

Hiding in a tree in Jiaxing Garden, she stared fixedly in the direction of the pavilion without blinking.

As for the task Chen Yi assigned her, she took it to heart.

Even though she had not slept all night, she did not feel the slightest bit of sleepiness, her eyes wide open for fear of missing the person who came to take the Secret Letter.

She was not made to wait too long.

Almost at the exact time Chen Yi and Wang Lixing were chatting idly, the gate of Jiaxing Garden was pushed open from the outside, and a hunched, stooped figure pushed a handcart inside.

As he walked, he also coughed lightly into his hand from time to time, as if he were ill.

After walking around a circle and placing the sundries onto the handcart, he looked left and right, then walked toward the pavilion.

Watching his movements, Pei Guanli could not help excitement surging inexplicably within her: "It's him!"