Chen Yi gave an instruction, cast a calm glance at Uncle Gui, and then added to Wang Lixing:
"Today we'll go have a look somewhere a bit more lively and bustling. Sorry for the trouble, Brother Xing, bring along a few skilled fighters."
"Understood."
Wang Lixing accepted the order and left.
A few armored guards stood watch outside the courtyard.
Chen Yi then brought Xiao Wuge into Chunhe Garden, caught sight of Xiao Die sitting in the pavilion and gazing blankly at the pond, and said with a gentle smile:
"Xiao Die, take the Young Marquis and change into some more rustic clothes. Later we'll go out of the manor for a stroll."
"Oh, oh?"
Xiao Die gave a start and replied, then reacted, "Son-in-law, Second Master lifted your confinement?"
"Old Master nodded, Second Uncle won't disagree."
"Don't worry, this time we aren't going to a place like South of the City."
"That's good." Xiao Die patted her chest, relaxing.
Chen Yi patted Xiao Wuge, signaling him to follow Xiao Die and change clothes first.
As the two entered the side chamber, his smile vanished instantly. Sweeping his gaze around, he immediately executed the Playful Dragon Teases Phoenix Body Movement Technique, leaped lightly, and vaulted over into Jiaxing Garden.
With his current Ninth Rank, Middle Stage cultivation base and Proficient Level Playful Dragon Teases Phoenix Body Movement Technique, executed at full force, it took him only three breaths to cross ten zhang and clear the low wall.
Upon confirming that Jiaxing Garden was empty, Chen Yi walked straight over to the side of that previous pavilion, leaned down, and felt underneath.
Soon, he pulled out a piece of rough-surfaced paper and opened it for a look.
"B-14, Bing-3, Shen-21..."
Four rows of thirty-two groups of numbers, still secret cipher that required a translation key to crack.
Chen Yi quickly memorized them, then put them back inside the pavilion. His figure soared over the rockery like the wind, returning to Chunhe Garden.
Before he could even calm the surging Qi within his body, he heard the voices of a few armored guards outside the yard:
"Fourth Brother, it's rare to come to the back courtyard. Did Brother Xing call you?"
"Mm, I heard the Young Marquis is going out of the manor."
"And the son-in-law and the others, I hope this time isn't to South of the City..."
Chen Yi silently thought that this Liu Si'er had arrived quite quickly.
He didn't know whether the man was tipped off by that Uncle Gui or if it was the previously fixed periodic timing.
He always felt that hiding the secret letter in another place like this was somewhat superfluous.
Chen Yi stood quietly for a moment, turned his head to glance in the direction of the wooden tower, and seeing that Xiao Die and Xiao Wuge were not yet ready, he quietly went to the outer side of the slightly distant wooden tower.
Clack, clack-clack.
He knocked twice on the room door.
Pei Guanli pulled open a crack in the door, reached out a tender white hand, and held it out flat.
Chen Yi was startled, "...My apologies, I forgot to prepare breakfast for you."
Earlier he had been solely focused on going to find the Old Marquis to lift his confinement, and upon returning he had happened to run into Uncle Gui, indeed forgetting this matter.
Pei Guanli inside the door pouted her lips, pitifully rubbing her belly, "Brother-in-law, I'm hungry..."
Chen Yi could only first comfort her with a couple of sentences, then instructed her in a low voice: "Do you still remember that armored guard you saw earlier?"
Pei Guanli's spirits perked up. Forgetful of her hunger, she blinked her large eyes and asked with keen interest, "Brother-in-law, is he making another move?"
Chen Yi gave a soft assent, "His name is Liu Si'er. Later, when the Young Marquis and I go out of the manor, he should follow along. You can try going to his quarters and help me check what books, storybooks, playbooks, and so on he has, and just write down their names."
Pei Guanli's face revealed joy, "Okay, okay."
Chen Yi admonished: "Don't be in a rush to agree. It's daytime now, and defenses within the marquis's mansion are strict. If matters prove unfeasible, you should fall back. Remember never to kick up such a huge fuss as last time."
"In addition, that person's accomplice is still hidden within the marquis's mansion-namely that hunchbacked old man you spotted earlier. Be careful not to let him discover you."
"Understood, understood..."
Seeing this, Chen Yi unconvincingly reminded her a couple more times.
Then he stated the approximate location of Liu Si'er's dwelling, instructed her on what matters to mind, and departed with a natural expression.
The two successive secret letters completely stirred up his interest.
If he didn't figure out those people's identities and motives, he feared he would dream about this matter in his sleep at night.
Consequently, he had earlier deliberately and obscurely dropped a few hints to Wang Lixing, entirely harboring the intention of transferring Liu Si'er away in hopes of letting Pei Guanli go search.
Thinking thus, Chen Yi stood outside the wooden tower, "If it succeeds, it succeeds; if it doesn't, we'll find another opportunity next time."
Once Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die had changed into plain clothes, Chen Yi led them together as they walked outward.
"Brother-in-law, we don't need to call Brother Heir Apparent along?"
"If you want to, I don't mind."
"Hehe, I don't want to. I don't want to at all..."
Not long after.
Chunhe Garden was exceptionally quiet.
Pei Guanli carefully pulled open the wooden door. Amidst the creaking sound, she surveyed her surroundings, a trace of slyness showing on her face.
She had said coming to the Xiao Manor was right, and following brother-in-law was also right.
Not only did he teach her methods to break through her cultivation realm and point out the flaws in her techniques, but he also brought her along to catch internal thieves within the marquis's mansion.
Hehe, interesting, so interesting. Sister Jinghong's husband is much more interesting than those people back in the tribe.
Elder brother, you'd better let brother-in-law be Sister Jinghong's husband. You, you're far too far behind.
Thinking this, Pei Guanli walked out on tiptoe.
Bright sunlight shone upon her, and one could see that she had by now changed into the clothes of a marquis's mansion maid.
Her green short jacket was full and rounded, the lower body featured a mamian skirt, her feet trod upon a pair of embroidered cloth shoes, and matched with the pair of hair buns on her head, she cut the figure of a thoroughly pretty maid.
Confirming there was nobody around, Pei Guanli stretched lazily, then tracked down the location Chen Yi had previously described.
Who would have thought that just as she reached the entrance, she would run head-on into a charging Zhang Heng.
Zhang Heng swept a glance at her, ran into Chunhe Garden without a care, and hollered at the top of his lungs, "Runaway groom, Younger Brother Wuge, this heir apparent has arrived, come out and welcome me..."
Pei Guanli flattened her full lips, and before he could notice that Chunhe Garden had been emptied of people, she bolted away in a flash.
Along the way, she walked without a shred of timidity.
Aside from her eyes darting about from time to time, whenever she ran into some maids or manservants of the manor, she would put on a proper show and speak a couple of polite phrases.
Even those burly armored guards who looked over were greeted by her with bright, uninhibited smiles.
Even a couple of young, robust armored guards, their vital energy stirred, were captivated by her smile, staring straight at her retreating back.
"Which courtyard is this maid from?"
"She shouldn't be from the Main Branch, perhaps from one of the older masters' courtyards in the Second Branch. Last time I heard someone say Master Chen is keeping a young one outside."
"You mean her... this figure, this appearance, what a pity."
"Don't think about it. Although we're the marquis's mansion guards, matching families always matters for marriage. A pretty thing like this, how could she take a fancy to us?"
"That's true..."
It was inevitable that these armored guards failed to perceive anything amiss with Pei Guanli.
For one thing, people came and went frequently within the marquis's mansion; aside from the gate-keeping manservants and Third Steward, nobody could remember that many faces.
For another, in broad daylight, the armored guards naturally relaxed their vigilance-the exact same principle as things being hidden in plain sight.
Others simply wouldn't imagine that someone would dare slip on a maid's dress and swagger about the marquis's mansion. Even Chen Yi would not have imagined Pei Guanli was so daring.
She truly lived up to his personal evaluation of "a rashly bold girl," possessing quite a fierce drive.
In short, all the way along, Pei Guanli encountered no obstructions, smoothly and smoothly arriving outside a side chamber near the front yard stables.
"One, two, three... seven, eight, so many rooms. Which one is Liu Si'er staying in?"
Pei Guanli glanced left and right; they all looked similar. She tilted her head and thought for a moment, a clever smile instantly blooming on her face.
Then, cupping her hands around her mouth just like she used to sing mountain songs back in the mountains, she called out crisply:
"Is anyone there?"
"Who is it?"
"A lass? A lass has come?"
One stone stirred a thousand ripples. Two horse-tending grooms walked out to take a look, and upon seeing it was a pretty maid, they awkwardly tugged at their undershirts.
"Lass, who are you looking for?"
"Which room does Fourth Brother live in? The son-in-law and Young Marquis forgot to take something when going out of the manor, and said it's in Fourth Brother's room. I've come to have a look."
"That room at the very end... Never mind, I'll take you there. These stables are dirty and messy, don't go soiling your clothes, lass."
Pei Guanli smiled and expressed her thanks, then followed them to Liu Si'er's room.
Once she dismissed them and sent them away, she patted her full chest, muttering under her breath about how scared she was, and how terrifying it was-she'd have to make brother-in-law compensate her.
Only, my good girl, when you say things of this sort, could you perhaps not smile quite so happily?
Before you continue