Brother-in-law Is Such a Good Person

"I... you... get the hell out of here! Hehehe... Brother-in-law, you're even cruder than several of the aunties in my tribe."

Chen Yi glanced at the delighted Pei Guanli, then silently looked around.

His purpose in writing those lines on the Secret Letter had been simple: to startle the snake in the grass and make those so-called "Hidden Guards" rein themselves in.

Anyone who saw two classic vulgar curses suddenly added to the Secret Letter would first think their movements had been exposed, then begin investigating and tracing the matter back to its roots.

Whatever plans they had made before, whatever they had intended to do, this unexpected interruption would throw off their rhythm.

More importantly, it could buy him more time.

After confirming there was nothing unusual nearby, Chen Yi raised a hand, pinched Pei Guanli's cheek, and gave it a slight squeeze. "Stop laughing."

Pei Guanli was forcibly cut off mid-laughter and whimpered as she begged for mercy. "Mmph, husband, I won't laugh anymore."

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

Pei Guanli rubbed her slightly numb cheek and stared at him with those large, expressive eyes.

"Do you see this Secret Letter? Since it has been left here, someone will surely come to retrieve it later."

"I need you to keep watch here and see who takes it, and how."

If Chen Yi had not truly had no one else to use and could not spare the time himself, he would never have entrusted something this important to Pei Guanli.

But given the current situation...

Forget it. He would treat this as a test and a trial for her.

If she handled it attentively and did well, she could barely count as a qualified helper.

Pei Guanli's eyes lit up. Grabbing his hand, she said excitedly, "Catching the mole in the Marquis's mansion? Good, good, this is great."

Chen Yi lowered his eyelids slightly, swatted away her paw-like hand, and reminded her, "Just confirm his identity. Don't do anything unnecessary."

"Those people have special identities and have hidden in the Marquis's mansion for years. They may well be cultivators with powerful Cultivation Bases. It would be dangerous for you to rashly follow them."

"Don't worry, brother-in-law. I may not be good at much else, but I'm quite skilled at concealing my body and aura." Pei Guanli patted her chest, making the bell around her neck give a faint jingle.

Before Chen Yi could say anything, an armored soldier's voice rang out beyond Jiaxing Garden.

"Huh? Why did I hear a bell?"

"Wind chimes hang beneath the lanterns throughout the rear residence of the Marquis's mansion. It's perfectly normal for them to jingle. What matters now is locating that little thief who broke into the Marquis's mansion."

"Catch him, and I'll show him exactly how I'll serve him!"

"..."

Pei Guanli gave an embarrassed laugh, shrank back, and clutched the bell at her neck as she played ostrich.

Chen Yi secretly shook his head. His gaze swept over her strange outfit before falling on her pair of soft, pale bare feet.

"Find somewhere and stay put. I'll bring you food during the day."

Delight rose in Pei Guanli's heart. "As you command, brother-in-law!"

Chen Yi did not linger any longer. Under cover of the night, he lightly vaulted back toward Chunhe Garden.

Watching him vanish from sight, Pei Guanli's round little face bloomed with a smile, and she could not help waving both hands lightly.

She had been right to come to Xiao Manor to celebrate Old Marquis's birthday. She had barely arrived before she got to do something so important with brother-in-law.

Hehehe, the Mountain Goddess had finally blessed her.

Once she finished this task for brother-in-law and made another breakthrough in her Cultivation Base, she would see whether Sister Jinghong and grandma still dared look down on her.

Thinking this, Pei Guanli searched for a suitable hiding spot while looking back toward Chunhe Garden, thinking:

Brother-in-law was such a good person.

Sister Jinghong was far too fortunate to have found a husband like him.

Chen Yi quietly returned to his side room and lay back down on the bed, but he did not share Pei Guanli's excitement.

Instead, he became increasingly curious about the purpose of those "Hidden Guards" lurking within Xiao Manor.

Judging by how long Liu Si'er had been in Xiao Manor, he seemed to have little connection with whoever had manipulated him into fleeing marriage back then.

Chen Yi secretly shook his head. "I can't draw conclusions so early."

However, if he dug deeper along Liu Si'er's trail, it would not be difficult to find the other "Hidden Guards" concealed in Xiao Manor and even Shuzhou City, and thus learn their identities and purpose.

After that...

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

He should wait until he had seen Xiao Jinghong before making a decision.

With Xiao Jinghong's current status in the Xiao Family, once she learned of this, she should be able to easily deal with those "Hidden Guards."

With that thought in mind.

Chen Yi calmed his mind and gradually drifted into sleep.

The hour of the Ox had not yet passed its halfway mark.

Xiao Die rose early, filled a basin with water, and brought it to Chen Yi's side room.

Seeing that he was still asleep, Xiao Die slowed her steps, gently set down the washbasin, and stood by the window looking outside.

Only after she saw Wang Lixing, clad in armor, push open the gate of Chunhe Garden and walk this way did Xiao Die gently nudge Chen Yi.

"Son-in-law, wake up. Guard Wang is here."

Chen Yi opened his eyes in a half-asleep state, sat up, glanced outside the window, and dressed with Xiao Die's assistance.

As Xiao Die straightened his collar, she asked, "Son-in-law, did Guard Wang and the others find the criminal who broke into the Marquis's mansion last night?"

Chen Yi said, "They probably did not find her, but I think that... criminal probably cannot pose any threat to the Marquis's mansion."

Pei Guanli's three-legged cat skills could not even beat him. If Wang Lixing and the others found her trail, she would likely only end up locked in the Disciplinary Hall of the Marquis's mansion, waiting for Xiao Jinghong to return and save her.

"Son-in-law is right. Guard Wang and the others are all skilled men from the army. They have killed plenty of Barbarian Tribe members. An ordinary thief certainly could not escape their search."

Chen Yi smiled and nodded. After wiping his face with a handkerchief, he headed outside.

"The sky is still overcast today. Let Wu Ge sleep a little longer; there's no need to wake him yet."

"Yes, Son-in-law. Then I'll go get breakfast for you."

Chen Yi paused. "Take more. Bring twice as much as yesterday. I'll be diligently practicing Stake Training these next few days, so my consumption will be greater."

Xiao Die smiled and agreed.

Son-in-law had become more diligent than before.

That was a good thing. This way, once he passed Second Master's assessment, he would not have to report to the Black Armored Army camp.

After leaving the side room, Chen Yi called out to Wang Lixing.

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

Using the lantern's light, Wang Lixing looked around. His gaze landed on a pair of distinct Footprints, and he said with a smile:

"Son-in-law is working so diligently. I believe you will soon temper your sinews, bones, and skin thoroughly, reaching Ninth Rank · Lower cultivation."

"I hope so."

Noticing Wang Lixing's gaze, Chen Yi casually moved about the Bamboo Grove, stretching his limbs as he wiped away the bare Footprints on the ground one by one.

It seemed Pei Guanli's Tribe was truly destitute, so poor that they could not even afford a pair of shoes.

No wonder they wanted to discuss a Mutual Market with Xiao Jinghong...

Thinking this, Chen Yi saw Wang Lixing watching nearby and continued pretending to be as lazy as usual.

It was not that he did not want to practice Great Spear Stance Cultivation. Rather, his Stake Training had already borne fruit, and he feared Wang Lixing might spot the flaw.

As he idled, Chen Yi asked, "Did you catch the criminal last night?"

"He got away."

"I heard he got in by poisoning people?"

"Please don't be embarrassed by us," Wang Lixing said, a hint of shame and annoyance on his face. "That little thief was truly detestable. He actually took advantage of the changing of shifts to use knockout smoke to fell the Armored Soldiers along the route one by one."

Chen Yi smiled, thinking that Pei Guanli did have some skills after all.

Still, Poisons and Knockout Drug were not bad methods of self-defense.

He could find an opportunity to get some from her. They might come in handy someday.

Elsewhere.

Pei Guanli still had no idea Chen Yi had set his sights on her.

She was hiding in a tree in Jiaxing Garden, staring unblinkingly toward the pavilion.

She took the task Chen Yi had given her very seriously.

She had not slept all night, yet she was not the least bit sleepy. Her eyes were wide open, afraid she might miss the person who came for the Secret Letter.

She did not have to wait long.

Almost as Chen Yi and Wang Lixing were chatting, the gate of Jiaxing Garden was pushed open from outside, and a hunched, bent-backed figure entered while pushing a flat cart.

As he walked, he occasionally covered his mouth and coughed softly, as though he were ill.

After circling around and placing the miscellaneous items onto the cart, he looked left and right before walking toward the pavilion.

Watching his movements, Pei Guanli could not contain her excitement. "It's him!"