Chen Yi had not intended to pay any attention to that elder half brother of his.
Who knew that that very night, just after midnight, a streak of golden light would enter his eyes.
[Daily Intelligence · Profound Grade Low Rank: halfway through the hour of the Rabbit, on the North City Official Road, this year's Zhuangyuan, Chen Yunfan, will arrive on horseback. Officials from Shuzhou's various government offices and members of its aristocratic clans will welcome him in person. A small amount of fortune can be obtained.]
Chen Yi glanced over it and rubbed his chin. "Looks like I have no choice but to go."
He truly had no fondness for Chen Yunfan, but this fortune was precisely what he needed.
After occasionally watching the squabbles in the estate these past few days, his fortune had reached 83 points. He was not far from raising "Martial Dao · Body" to great accomplishment.
He considered it for a moment.
Chen Yi chuckled. "The invitation was full of affection between brothers. I wonder what he'll say to my face."
He reckoned that Chen Yunfan, a jackal from the same den as the Chen Family's First Madam, Cui Yu, would have nothing pleasant to say.
In truth, Chen Yi knew little about this elder brother.
During the years he had been imprisoned in the estate, they had met so few times he could count them on his fingers.
The last time he had heard the name "Chen Yunfan" was from Li Huaigu-His Majesty had overruled all objections and personally named him Zhuangyuan in this year's imperial examination.
Apparently, it had even caused the scholars in Capital Prefecture to kick up a fuss for quite some time, most of them dissatisfied with Chen Yunfan as Zhuangyuan.
"To come with such a grand entourage under these circumstances, he must already think himself a mighty dragon crossing the river."
With that thought, Chen Yi lay back on his bed and gradually drifted off to sleep.
While he slept soundly, the Xiao sisters in Jiaxing Garden next door were still working by candlelight... handling affairs.
Xiao Wan'er looked serious, holding an abacus in one hand and pressing the other against a ledger as she sent the beads clacking.
After calculating each page, she picked up her brush and marked the ledger in red.
Xiao Jinghong sat opposite her, her slender Wolf-hair Brush dancing like dragons and snakes as she wrote line after line on a memorial. Its general contents were:
"The Southern Barbarians are currently unsettled, and the Dingyuan Army lacks the funds, provisions, and pay for both new recruits and veteran soldiers. I fear we will struggle to carry on."
Although she had previously told the Old Marquis that she intended to establish a mutual market with the Wumeng Mountain tribes and use its profits to cover military needs, she still had no intention of giving up on demanding funds and provisions from the Imperial Court.
As she had thought before, the Dingyuan Army was a frontier garrison established by the Imperial Court, not the private soldiers of Marquis Dingyuan's Estate.
No matter how one reckoned it, the burden of funds and provisions should not fall on them.
They worked for a long while, late into the night.
Xiao Wan'er closed the ledger. Though her face was pale, her eyes brightened as she said happily:
"Second Sister, the estate has a surplus of four thousand taels of silver this month. We can finally cover the outstanding payment for that batch of medicinal herbs Cousin Dongchen brought in."
Xiao Jinghong had also finished her memorial. As she checked it carefully, she reminded her:
"Sister, Jingzhou and Shuzhou have had a lot of rain lately. Those medicinal herbs are coming from Northern Prefecture, so don't forget to let Cousin Dongchen know."
Xiao Wan'er smiled. "I already sent Hua Tang to tell him yesterday. Our Medicine Hall has been doing well lately, and we're waiting on this batch of medicinal herbs to keep things moving. I wouldn't dare be careless."
After checking that everything was correct, Xiao Jinghong put away the memorial, stood up, and stretched her limbs as she looked at her.
"Grandfather was right. With you here, everything in the estate is in good order."
Xiao Wan'er chided her, "Who praises someone to her face like that? If we're talking about credit, you've had the harder task."
The corner of Xiao Jinghong's mouth lifted beneath her Half Armor. "With us sisters working as one, we can certainly hold on until Wu Ge inherits the marquisate."
At that, a trace of worry surfaced on Xiao Wan'er's delicate face. "That's true. Wu Ge is the one we worry about most now."
She paused after speaking. Thinking of Xiao Wuge's recent changes, she could not help thinking of Chen Yi, along with that "Graceful Spirit Ode."
A faint surge of embarrassment and annoyance shattered her worries outright.
At that moment, Xiao Jinghong removed her Half Armor and said, seemingly with a sigh, "Come to think of it, Wu Ge has grown a great deal during his time with Chen Yi."
"Sister, you were right to suggest having Wu Ge follow him."
"I suppose so." Xiao Wan'er secretly gritted her teeth. A moment later, she changed the subject. "How are things between you and him?"
Xiao Jinghong toyed with her Half Armor Mask, her tone drifting. "For now, I suppose we count as husband and wife."
"Huh?"
"I spoke with him earlier. Things were a little better than I imagined."
"Sister, we both know Grandfather's intentions. As long as Chen Yi stays peacefully with the Xiao Family, that will be the greatest help he can give us."
Hearing this, Xiao Wan'er looked at her composed second sister and opened her mouth, unsure what words of comfort to offer.
Then, thinking of another matter, she could not help feeling somewhat guilty.
"If my health were better, perhaps you wouldn't have had to take a husband into the family this time."
Xiao Jinghong turned to look at her. "Sister, you're wrong. Even if you were perfectly healthy, I should still have been the one to take a husband into the family."
"Grandfather approached the Chen Family of Jiangnan not because he valued their prestige, but simply to find a reason to silence Shuzhou's various families so I could remain with the Xiao Family."
"Actually, during this inspection of the Three Towns..."
Before finishing, Xiao Jinghong shook her head. "Never mind. Military matters cannot be discussed with outsiders."
Xiao Wan'er understood and did not take it to heart.
Still, after hearing that, the guilt and self-reproach in her heart eased a little.
But just then, Xiao Jinghong said, "Sister, what would you think of me having my husband come help you?"
Xiao Wan'er immediately became flustered. "Well, I..."
"You don't want him to either?"
"No, it's not that I don't want him to. It's, it's... Brother-in-law is exceptionally learned. Having him engage in trade might be inappropriate."
"Is that all?"
"Yes, that's all."
Seeing Xiao Wan'er nod, Xiao Jinghong had her answer. She put her Half Armor back on and said, "I believe my husband is a reasonable man."
"Sister, get some rest early. Grandfather's birthday is the day after tomorrow. This is a busy time."
With that, she waved and returned to Chunhe Garden with Su Zhenyue, who had been waiting by the door.
Xiao Wan'er stared blankly at the candle flame on the table, her heart thrown into turmoil again.
If he were reasonable, he shouldn't and couldn't have written those verses.
The night passed without further incident.
Halfway through the hour of the Tiger, the dark clouds dispersed and the sky cleared.
Chen Yi woke at leisure and dressed neatly with Xiao Die's help.
Looking at Chen Yi, who had made the rare choice of fine brocade robes and cut a tall, handsome figure, Xiao Die asked curiously, "Son-in-law, are you going out today?"
Chen Yi checked himself in the bronze mirror. Only after confirming that everything was in order did he look at her. "You noticed?"
Chen Yunfan clearly wanted to make a laughingstock of him, so naturally he would not let his elder brother have his wish.
Xiao Die nodded. "But Son-in-law, tomorrow is the Old Master's birthday. The estate should be busy today. If you leave now, I'm afraid there won't be anyone to look after you."
Chen Yi walked outside and said with a smile, "Of course no one would come along if I went alone, but it'll be different if I bring the Young Marquis."
Xiao Die froze, then hurried after him once she understood, giggling. "You always have a way, Son-in-law."
It was not so much having a way as making one when there was none.
Chen Yi knew that his "elder brother" Chen Yunfan had not come with good intentions this time. He had to prepare some sort of fallback as a precaution.
With Xiao Wuge present, no matter how mighty a dragon Chen Yunfan was as he crossed the river, could he possibly loom larger than Marquis Dingyuan?
With that thought, Chen Yi first went to inform Xiao Jinghong, then headed to Jiaxing Garden to pick up Xiao Wuge and leave the estate.
Wang Lixing, who already shouldered an important responsibility, followed along with Yan Hong.
Chen Yi glanced around and asked casually, "Where's Fourth Brother?"
Before the more familiar Wang Lixing could speak, Yan Hong answered from beside him, "Son-in-law, Fourth Brother went to East City to make purchases and hasn't returned yet."
Chen Yi looked him over, smiled, and nodded, then boarded the carriage with Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die.
"Brother-in-law, where are we going?"
"Hmm... let me ask you something."
"Please ask, Brother-in-law." Xiao Wuge set his little face taut. This should be the first time his brother-in-law had tested him.
Chen Yi mused, "If someone was at odds with you and insisted on planting a foot on your nose to climb onto your face, how should you deal with him?"
Xiao Wuge looked bewildered at that. "Brother-in-law, is there someone like that?"
"Suppose there is."
"Oh, then... then I'd order someone to flog him."
"Good, good. But having someone flogged would make too much noise. A surprise blow with a club would be better."
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