Night Talk Between Couples

Xiao Wan'er thought of several excuses, but none seemed likely to get past Second Sister, so she could only ask her to consult Chen Yi first.

After all, from what she knew of Chen Yi, he was indeed talented and learned, but he was also an idle layabout.

Even if he wasn't... he had better be!

Leaving aside Xiao Wan'er's troubled thoughts, after receiving her answer, Xiao Jinghong considered finding a time to talk to Chen Yi.

As she had said earlier, she knew very well why Grandfather had brought Chen Yi into the family as a live-in son-in-law, and so she had never considered refusing.

It was just that the Xiao Family and the Dingyuan Army had too many miscellaneous affairs to handle right now. She could not sort out her relationship with Chen Yi in the short term, much less figure out how to get along with him.

After turning it over in her mind,

Xiao Jinghong decided to keep them both occupied with their own affairs.

After all, she would soon be busy establishing a mutual market with the Thirteen Tribes of the Shuzhou mountains, and likely would not have time for anything else in the near future.

Having Chen Yi help her elder sister would also give him something to do.

She did not ask that Chen Yi contribute much, only that they could get through their current difficulties smoothly.

Naturally, Chen Yi knew nothing of this.

After Xiao Jinghong, Xiao Wan'er, and the others returned, he had lunch with the sisters, Xiao Wuge, and Zhang Heng.

Xiao Die ate with Shen Huatang and Su Zhenyue at a small table in the adjoining room.

Only Pei Guanli was left gnawing on a pork hock in the neighboring wooden tower, pitifully wondering when she could show herself openly in the Xiao Family.

Still, she reckoned it would not be possible anytime soon. After all, even Xiao Jinghong found it difficult to speak of how she had poisoned her way from the outer courtyard to the rear courtyard.

During the meal, Chen Yi and the others exchanged a few words now and then. It was uneventful, but harmonious enough.

Chen Yi had no ill feelings toward Xiao Jinghong, though neither fondness nor love entered into it.

As long as she did not force him to do things and let him stay peacefully in the Marquis's mansion, a future as placid as water would be all the better.

Throughout lunch, however, Xiao Wan'er remained quiet, her head lowered, not even glancing at Chen Yi from the corner of her eye.

Although Xiao Jinghong found it strange, she did not know that Eldest Sister's change was because of Chen Yi, and merely assumed it was due to the Xiao Family's current predicament.

Chen Yi knew the reason, though, and thought he would find an opportunity to explain later.

"Eldest Sister, Second Sister, you should have seen how impressive the Third Place Scholar was! The whole street was full of talented scholars..."

Just as before, Xiao Wuge recounted everything that had happened recently.

"No, I can't call them talented scholars. Brother-in-law said that talented scholars have both talent and virtue. Some people have neither."

When he finished, Chen Yi picked up a chicken drumstick and stuffed it into his mouth. "Wuge, less talking, more eating."

This little traitor blabbed about everything. Was he really not afraid of getting him packed off to the army camp?

Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong thought little of it, merely feeling that the two got along very well.

Beside them, the Young Heir Apparent, Zhang Heng, remained silent throughout, behaving himself much more than usual.

Chen Yi was thoroughly amused at the sight. Sure enough, everything has its nemesis.

After lunch, everyone went their separate ways.

Xiao Wan'er had not returned to the mansion in a long time, and matters great and small, both within and outside the household, needed sorting out, such as the accounts of the Main Branch and Second Branch.

Xiao Jinghong was somewhat busier.

Throughout the afternoon, Chunhe Garden was anything but quiet.

One moment, members of the Xiao Family's collateral branches came looking for her; the next, visitors arrived from the Shuzhou prefectural city guard, the Judicial Department, and other government offices.

Some women who clearly came from wealthy, prominent households also called, saying they had come to arrange banquets with Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan'er.

At first, Chen Yi found it rather novel. After all, Chunhe Garden had not been this lively in a long time.

But those people were only polite to his face and pointed and whispered behind his back, making it impossible for him to keep fishing.

He simply returned to his study to read medical books and practice calligraphy, which was quite comfortable.

Night fell.

After finishing his calligraphy practice, Chen Yi stretched, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his slightly aching eyes as he rested.

The next moment, the Light Screen appeared before him:

[Fortune +1.]

[Assessment: before the person arrives, before a voice is heard, before the scene is witnessed, fortune falls from heaven, yet he does not seize it. An inherently lazy fellow.]

Chen Yi glanced over it, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Although he had stayed indoors throughout this period and gained little fortune, he had made considerable progress in the techniques of his various "Daos."

He had brought his running script to the proficient level. With the support of the Way of Calligraphy and qi, he could now keep its brilliance contained within.

He had cultivated Great Spear Stance Cultivation to the peak of the proficient level. Once he had enough fortune to raise his martial Dao body to great accomplishment, his stance training could break through to the next level of proficiency.

When that happened, his strength would make considerable progress as well. He estimated that it could reach four elephant strength.

His fist techniques, palm techniques, and footwork had also reached the proficient level, with Collapsing Mountain Fist, which he had learned first, already at the peak of proficiency.

"The only troublesome one is still the Medical Dao."

Chen Yi looked at the medical books on his desk, finding them quite a headache.

Although he had the profound mysteries of the Medical Dao to guide him, the material involved was far too complex, and reading alone would not improve it.

For instance, the observation, listening, inquiry, and palpation of the Four Diagnostic Methods required him to see patients.

Then there were things like acupuncture and dispensing medicine. Working behind closed doors, his progress was nowhere near as fast as in the Way of Calligraphy or the martial path.

After a moment's thought, Chen Yi could only set it aside for now. Surely he could not actually go find a clinic and practice medicine there.

Thinking this, he rose to move his limbs, walked to the window, and paused despite himself.

Beneath the bright, starry sky of early summer, Xiao Jinghong sat in the Pavilion by the Pond, gazing absently at the Golden-haired Carp that kept leaping.

After a moment's thought,

Chen Yi left the study, entered the pavilion, and sat down beside the table. "It's so late. Still not going to bed?" he asked casually.

Xiao Jinghong had heard his footsteps long ago and had prepared herself, but hearing his casual words now still made her pause.

She turned to look at him, something unusual flashing in her eyes beneath the Half Armor. "You've changed a great deal."

Chen Yi picked up a cup from the table, poured two cups of tea, and passed one over. "People change."

He did not call her his wife, nor did she call him her husband. This was a frank, open conversation.

Xiao Jinghong stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "True."

She relaxed as well, leaning against the edge of the stone table and turning her gaze toward the pond.

After these years of military service, she had indeed changed a great deal.

Seeing her lost in thought, Chen Yi did not interrupt, simply sipping his tea with little slurping sounds.

Perhaps disturbed by the noise, Xiao Jinghong thought for a moment, then asked, "Why did you run away from the wedding before?"

Chen Yi paused. "Probably because I thought about the uneventful life ahead and couldn't resign myself to it."

It was not as though he had wanted to run away from the wedding, but what could he do? He had been framed.

"Then why do you want a peaceful life now?"

"Probably... because I've thought about the more distant future," Chen Yi said with a smile.

"Take the Old Master. He fought north and south for decades, but isn't he now enjoying his retirement here in the mansion?"

"So I thought, when I reach his age, I should be just like him."

"In that case, if I start enjoying myself now, won't I save myself years of detours and a great deal of toil and drudgery?"

"..."

Xiao Jinghong paused again, turning to look at him as though trying to see whether he was talking nonsense.

Still, to be fair, such a view did sound fresh.

"With your talent and learning, don't you feel it's a waste? Doesn't it leave you dissatisfied?"

"Sometimes," Chen Yi said honestly. "But when I think it through, that sort of life doesn't suit me."

Seeing Xiao Jinghong nod, he pointed at the Half Armor and asked, "May I ask why you keep wearing that mask?"

Xiao Jinghong looked at him for a moment, then reached up to the side and removed her mask, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face.

This time, it was Chen Yi who froze.

Although he had known Xiao Jinghong was good-looking from the first time he saw her, he had not expected her to bear a ninety-percent resemblance to Xiao Wan'er.

It was just that the sisters' figures and bearing were completely different.

Xiao Wan'er was like a pure, sacred lotus, so delicate that she made people want to protect her.

Xiao Jinghong, on the other hand, had a little more martial spirit and a little less fragility. On her exquisite face, below the corners of her eyes, were two faint scars.

"The first time I led troops on patrol beyond the frontier, we encountered the Barbarian Tribe's army. I was careless and got wounded by a barbarian."

For some reason, Xiao Jinghong added an explanation. "But I'm not trying to hide anything ugly. There are many inconveniences in the army, so wearing a mask is better."

Chen Yi continued looking at her face. Only after a long while did he smile and nod. "Your beauty hasn't diminished. Instead, there's an added touch of martial spirit. It looks good."

"But I'd like to know where the person who wounded you is now."

"Dead, of course."

"Then he really... got off lightly."

With that, they looked at each other and smiled.

For Chen Yi, he had gained a better understanding of Xiao Jinghong and felt that she was straightforward and unaffected, which was quite nice.

As for Chen Yi in Xiao Jinghong's eyes, perhaps... he was simply pleasing to look at.

In any case, she felt little restraint at that moment. Instead, her mind and body relaxed somewhat, and even her worries over the Dingyuan Army's funds and provisions eased a little.

They chatted for an hour.

Chen Yi looked at the sky, rose, and cupped his hands. "My wife, let us introduce ourselves anew. Chen Yi, courtesy name Chen Qingzhou, a native of Jiangnan Prefecture."

Amused by the sight, Xiao Jinghong rose as well and smiled. "Xiao Jinghong greets you, my husband."

That smile was just like the evening breeze brushing his face.

Chen Yi briefly fell into a daze, then nodded and turned toward the side chamber, waving lazily.

"Good night, my wife."

He thought that perhaps, even many years later, he would still remember that smile.

Xiao Jinghong watched him enter the wooden tower and listened as he made his unhurried way into the side chamber. Only then did she stare absently at the Half Armor in her hand.

A moment later,

"Good night, my husband."