Jade Steps, Jade Trees, Like You, Rare in the Human World

Being extremely careful, he was still discovered in the end by someone.

Chen Yi raised both hands at once, fearing that the cold-flashing blade might give him a slash.

"Don't move."

Hearing the voice, Xiao Wan'er looked over, seemingly recognizing Chen Yi's identity, and walked closer a few steps to say:

"Hua Tang, put away the sword. This is Jinghong's husband."

"Yes, Eldest Miss."

The woman named Hua Tang put away her long sword, yet still stood behind Chen Yi as if waiting for him to make a move so she could run him through.

Chen Yi felt his heart relax, looked straight at Xiao Wan'er, and his eyes lit up.

Earlier, because the garden was dim and shadowy, he had only caught a fleeting glimpse, but now, upon seeing Xiao Wan'er's appearance clearly, a flutter instantly arose in his heart.

He figured he was quite knowledgeable in his past life, but when those women stood before Xiao Wan'er, they amounted to nothing more than "vulgar powder and painted faces."

How should one describe her beauty?

That ice-smooth and jade-white seed-pod face seemed draped in stars and the moon; even in this dim garden, her beauty could still be clearly discerned.

Thinking this, a poem surfaced in Chen Yi's mind-Jade steps, jade trees, like you, rare in the human world.

Seeing his dazed expression, Xiao Wan'er thought he had been frightened, and asked gently: "You weren't startled, were you?"

Chen Yi withdrew his gaze and shook his head: "No."

Although Xiao Wan'er was curious why he appeared in Jiaxing Garden, a quick glance around told her this was not the place to talk, so she hesitated and said: "Then, let's go to the room first to drink a cup of tea."

"Alright."

Chen Yi did not refuse; matters having reached this point, he was actually quite decisive.

Before long.

Chen Yi was invited into the reception room of the Wooden Tower.

He sat on the grand master's chair, feigning composure on the surface as he looked around, though inwardly he had some misgivings.

During these days, the name he heard most often from Xiao Die was "Xiao Wan'er," and he knew she was the chief steward of the Marquis's mansion.

Not only did she manage the food, drink, and expenses of every household and courtyard, she also managed the shops, fertile fields, and other properties the Xiao Family owned outside; she could be described as the person with the greatest power apart from Old Master Xiao Yuan.

In certain aspects, even Xiao Jinghong-the general who held the position of Marquis Dingyuan-did not have as much weight in her words as Xiao Wan'er.

Having sneaked out this time and been caught by her, he had no idea what kind of outcome awaited him.

Surely they wouldn't send him right back just after he was let out of the side room?

Just as Chen Yi was looking around, Xiao Wan'er walked over under the protection of the female guard with a long sword hanging at her waist.

Xiao Wuge still followed behind her with a drooping head.

"Forgive me, Brother-in-law. Hua Tang is my personal guard, and she acted that way just now because she didn't know your identity. I hope you won't blame her."

Hearing this, Chen Yi secretly raised an eyebrow; this tone sounded as though she did not intend to pursue the matter of him sneaking out of Chunhe Garden?

"Naturally not. It should be me saying sorry instead; disturbing you late at night is quite an offense."

The flowery tone made him somewhat unaccustomed to it, but he still persisted in making a weak excuse:

"That... tonight, the long night was dragging on and I couldn't sleep, and I heard someone shouting runaway groom, runaway groom, so I came over..."

Before he could finish, Xiao Wan'er's pretty eyebrows furrowed slightly: "Does Brother-in-law know who said it?"

Xiao Wuge also raised his head to look at him, a pair of eyes carrying a trace of grievance.

"Naturally, it was that heir apparent." Chen Yi glanced at him and said with a smile: "The Young Marquis is well-behaved and sensible, and only got into a fight with him because he couldn't hold back his qi."

"So that's how it was." Xiao Wan'er's brows smoothed out, a gentle smile hanging on her jade-white face as she said: "It turns out I wronged Wuge after all."

"It was like that to begin with..." Xiao Wuge shot a grateful look at Chen Yi, not forgetting to mutter a sentence under his breath.

Xiao Wan'er cast him a reproachful glare. "Why aren't you thanking your brother-in-law quickly?"

"Wuge thanks Brother-in-law." Xiao Wuge paused, then stepped forward and bowed in salute: "As for Brother-in-law's runaway groom affair from earlier, it is written off right here with Wuge."

The smile that had just appeared on Chen Yi's face instantly collapsed. "Heh heh... Written off is great. To err is human, none of us are sages, right?"

This brat, poking right at sore spots.

Xiao Wuge gave a shy smile and looked at Xiao Wan'er, not noticing that she was looking at Chen Yi with astonishment.

To err is human, none of us are sages... Was there this phrase within the historical classics and records of past dynasties?

Having read quite a few books, Xiao Wan'er shook her head inwardly; she could be certain she had never heard this phrase before.

Yet it was undeniable that this sentence was concise and clear yet contained profound reason... It seemed his brother-in-law truly was a person of great learning.

Thinking of this, Xiao Wan'er smiled and said: "Wuge, from now on you should spend more time interacting with your brother-in-law."

"Your brother-in-law is a renowned talent of Jiangnan Prefecture. When you encounter things you don't understand, you can also ask him for guidance or two."

"Eldest Sister, Wuge has made a note of it."

Yet Chen Yi looked at Xiao Wan'er uncomprehendingly; how did the style change mid-conversation?

He had no great learning to speak of, and as for what the original owner knew, he hadn't even finished learning it all.

Asking for no guidance was fine, but if he asked for guidance wouldn't everything completely fall apart?

Until Chen Yi was escorted back to Chunhe Garden by the maid named Shen Huatang, he still hadn't figured out the intention behind Xiao Wan'er's words.

Surely she couldn't really think Xiao Wuge could learn anything from him, could she?

Stop joking around; learning how to fish from him would be about the extent of it.

Before Chen Yi could figure out Xiao Wan'er's intention, he heard Shen Huatang say: "Son-in-law, Eldest Miss is kind-hearted and doesn't fuss, but I have a duty to remind you."

"Hmm?" Chen Yi came back to his senses and looked at her.

Earlier, with Xiao Wan'er's jade-like perfection eclipsing everything, he hadn't paid excessive attention to this maid with a long sword at her waist, but at this moment he finally noticed her extraordinariness.

With Chen Yi's shallow cultivation base of qi, although he couldn't see Shen Huatang's cultivation, he nevertheless sensed a trace of sharpness exuding from her body, just like a long sword that had returned to its scabbard.

"Guard Shen, speak your mind."

"I hope Son-in-law can conduct yourself properly within the Marquis's mansion and prevent occurrences similar to tonight, so as not to harm others and yourself."

Having spoken, Shen Huatang bowed slightly, then turned straight back toward Jiaxing Garden, pulling the door at the end of the corridor closed along the way.

Click. The lock fell into place.

Chen Yi gave a dry, self-deprecating laugh. Was she telling him not to drag Xiao Wan'er down, or...

"Son-in-law, you-why are you here?"

At this moment, Xiao Die was seen running over draped in a short jacket and wearing a look of anxiousness, her petite figure so light and nimble it seemed a gust of wind could blow her away.

"You wouldn't still be planning to run, would you? Even if you run, you can't go to Jiaxing Garden! If you accidentally offended the Young Marquis and the Eldest Miss, you-you..."

Chen Yi instantly found it neither funny nor tear-worthy. "Put your heart in your stomach. I just... heard people arguing in the middle of the night and came over to take a look."

Tell a lie two or three times, and even if it isn't true, it becomes true.

Xiao Die looked at him suspiciously, and only after making sure he spoke with sincerity did she pat her fairly sized chest and set her mind at ease.

"Son-in-law, can't you sleep?"

While shaking his head and walking ahead, Chen Yi said:

"Xiao Die, from now on stop with the 'you' and 'your' formal pronouns. Hearing it makes me very uncomfortable; just be like you used to be around me from now on."

"But Son-in-law, now is different from before." Xiao Die stammered in surprise.

"How is it different? You are still you, and I am still me. In short, listen to me; if I hear that formal word again from you, household discipline will serve you!" Chen Yi threatened.

"...Oh."

Xiao Die tilted her head as she followed behind, pondering deeply for a moment-her little brain almost short-circuiting-yet failing to figure out what kind of stimulation her son-in-law had received.

After Xiao Die fell asleep in the partition room, Chen Yi couldn't sleep.

For a moment he thought about tonight's encounter, and for another he thought about the Fist Art Manual in his mind, calculating matters of subsequent cultivation.

Even more of it was recalling the encounters in Jiaxing Garden: the Young Marquis, the heir apparent, Xiao Wan'er, and that Shen Huatang.

Clearly, the Marquis's mansion was far more complicated than he had anticipated beforehand.

Tossing and turning for a good hour or so, Chen Yi was still full of energy, so he simply draped a blanket over his shoulders, came to the study, lit an oil lamp, poured water, and ground ink.

Recently, along with the refinement of his calligraphy, he had also discovered that while writing characters, his state of mind could grow peaceful-not a bad fortune by any measure.

Chen Yi steadied his composure, then picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and put nib to Yunsong Paper.

At first they were all meaningless words and sentences.

Like following "Falling red is not a ruthless thing," with the continuation line: "My Light Boat Has Passed Ten Thousand Mountains."

Or after writing "The small tower last night saw the east wind again," following it with the line: "It's just that back then I was already bewildered."

Unawares, Xiao Wan'er's figure surfaced in Chen Yi's mind. The wolf-hair brush paused, and then flowing freely with unconstrained ease, he wrote:

Snow Soul cuts clouds to form temples, Ice Silk washes the moon to form eyes.

Kui Gate night swells with stars and rivers, pouring out a thousand mountains of jade brightness.

Sword Qi first congeals the hue of painted eyebrows, crane shadows secretly cross the Sichuan heavenly court.

Jade steps, jade trees, like you, rare in the human world...

Writing with complete absorption, Chen Yi didn't even notice that the minuscule amount of qi inside his body was being drawn toward the characters, a wisp of profundity rising and drifting above the script.

[Characters naturally formed; Calligraphy: Wei Qing Style, breaks through to Proficient Level, catching a glimpse of the intent of the Way of Calligraphy.]
[Way of Calligraphy: Minor Accomplishment, progress +60, reaching...]