Daily Intelligence? Today's Gossip!

Xiao Jinghong was probably beautiful.

Although Xiao Die still remained tight-lipped and hadn't said anything definitive. Her exact words were: "Xiao Die thinks the Second Miss is very, very beautiful... really, truly beautiful."

But Chen Yi had already seen through her hesitations and darting eyes that she was being honest—his wife Xiao Jinghong was a rare beauty unmatched in the world!

However, perhaps her beauty was a little different from what people normally considered beautiful?

Chen Yi thought to himself, as long as she wasn't a female version of Zhang Fei, he'd trade a lifetime of power and wealth for it—after all, in the Great Wei Dynasty, a live-in son-in-law couldn't take the imperial exams or become a high official, so power and fame were useless.

Might as well trade for something practical.

Besides, Chen Yi didn't want to be an official or chase fame and profit.

Aside from not liking hard work and scheming, he mostly didn't want to add more burdens to himself.

In his past life, he'd been a beast of burden, waking up to work and study; this life, he just wanted to take it easy.

Borrowing Old Tao's poem, it was like "picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely gazing at the southern mountains."

Chen Yi wanted that peace and calm.

Before he knew it, a month had passed in the blink of an eye.

From early spring to mid-spring.

The flowers in Chunhe Garden grew more vibrant, the grass tender green.

Especially that pond, covering a full ten acres, with willows casting green shade along the edges, pavilions and small huts—it was a lovely sight.

"Sitting there fishing, drinking tea, with a light breeze blowing—must feel great."

But Chen Yi could only lie by the window, staring longingly at that little pavilion, feeling a bit like he was behind bars.

If only he could go out.

Unfortunately, his wife Xiao Jinghong insisted on having people "protect" him for a hundred days.

Chen Yi tilted his head to look at the doorway, meeting the gazes of four Armored Soldiers, each eight feet tall with imposing builds, and immediately put on a friendly smile.

"Sunny day today, perfect for a walk, huh."

Seeing them still staring back expressionlessly, Chen Yi took the hint and got up to remove the support rod from the casement window, closing it.

He had no idea what those Armored Soldiers ate to grow so big—each one was about two meters tall and built like a tank.

Although Chen Yi wasn't short, standing at seven feet, around 1.8 meters, compared to them, he perfectly fit the image of a "frail scholar."

"Son-in-law, I've finished counting."

Just then, Xiao Die walked over carrying a stack of Yunsong Paper.

Chen Yi asked casually, "How many?"

"Eight hundred in total," Xiao Die said in admiration. "Son-in-law, you've written six hundred pieces this month alone, averaging twenty a day, two thousand characters."

Two hundred more to go.

Chen Yi thought to himself, if only he had a fountain pen or a pencil, he could write a hundred a day with no problem.

But using a brush, and having to maintain calligraphy skill, he really couldn't speed up.

Still, that didn't stop him from being smug. "Pretty impressive, right?"

Xiao Die didn't argue this time and praised him sincerely, "Impressive."

"Since you know I'm impressive, hurry up and take it to the Eldest Miss," Chen Yi said, patting his stomach. "I'm hungry, remember to bring back lunch."

That so-called Wei Qing Font emphasized thick, heavy strokes and broad frames, somewhat similar to the calligrapher Mi Fu's brush style from his past life, and it was extremely draining.

"Mm-hmm, I'm going now. Sister Xiao Qin said the chef made roast duck for lunch—it won't taste good cold."

Xiao Die rushed out the door with the stack of Yunsong Paper, not forgetting to remind the Armored Soldiers to keep an eye on Chen Yi.

This girl.

Chen Yi shook his head with a smile, then leaned back in his recliner, his eyes flickering.

A translucent screen appeared:

Name: Chen Yi

Way of Calligraphy: Minor Accomplishment (35/100)

Font: Wei Qing (Proficient)

Opportunities: 1

[Daily Intelligence Grade High Rank: Rain at Wushan during Chou hour. Fang family's young lady Fang Lichun elopes here with her lover Wang Boyuan, caught by family who forcibly break them apart. Obtain a small amount of opportunity.]

[Comment: Not yet arrived, not yet heard, not yet seen the scene—opportunity falls from heaven yet unclaimed, truly a lazy and idle sort.]

After reading, Chen Yi muttered to himself, "This Daily Intelligence content is getting stranger and stranger."

Over the past month.

The content refreshed by the Daily Intelligence ranged from minor squabbles within Xiao Manor to major incidents like a local bully seizing fertile land in Shuzhou—all of it made him feel that the opportunities from the "Daily Intelligence" had an old-fashioned air.

Like today's story of a rich young lady eloping with a poor scholar—the scene would probably be—

The Fang family ignored their young lady's wailing and forcibly dragged her away.

Her lover Wang Boyuan struggled to grasp his beloved's hand, but was knocked unconscious with a single club blow, collapsing in the wind and rain.

The scene was intensely vivid, heart-wrenching and pitiful.

When it came down to it, Chen Yi wondered whether he should be cracking melon seeds and watching the show, or moved by their genuine affection and lend a hand.

"Daily Intelligence? I'd say it's more like today's gossip."

If he weren't confined to his quarters with armored soldiers guarding the door, he'd definitely go see what this Daily Intelligence was all about.

With that thought, Chen Yi allocated his opportunity to the Way of Calligraphy and focused his mind on the "Calligraphy Fonts" section.

"Eight hundred family rules, eighty thousand characters in total, and that brought Wei Qing script up to Mastery-level completion... not bad."

Although Minor Accomplishment in the Way of Calligraphy couldn't directly grant him calligraphy experience or the brush strength of someone who'd written for decades, when he wrote, it enhanced his understanding of calligraphy—from the simplest strokes and character structures to the composition, white space, and intent of each piece—providing clear guidance and greatly accelerating his growth in the Way.

What took others years, decades, or even a lifetime to achieve in calligraphy mastery, he reached in just a month and a half.

"Pity that Minor Accomplishment in the Way of Calligraphy only raises calligraphy skill to Mastery-level completion. If I break through again, I'd at least be on par with Wei Dynasty calligraphy masters."

Chen Yi muttered to himself, then pulled out a book and began reading.

These days, aside from copying family rules, he spent his free time reading—mostly history books, with a few story collections or travelogues mixed in.

According to the records, two hundred and fifty years had passed since the Great Wei overthrew the Ganyang Dynasty, and the current Emperor Anhe was the thirteenth emperor of Great Wei.

In the first fifty years, Wei waged continuous wars to expand its territory.

Then came two hundred years of peace, experiencing the Rongping Golden Age and the Huijing Reign, with all nations paying tribute, pushing Great Wei's prestige to its peak.

But all things follow the cycle of rise and fall. In recent years, several neighboring countries had risen, leading to friction and war with Wei.

For instance, twenty-five years ago, the Southern Barbarians marched north, and it took the Xiao Family under Marquis Dingyuan five years of bloody battle to drive them back.

That war was so brutal it could be described as "killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of your own." In every major town, county, and village of Shuzhou, nearly every household held a funeral.

From then on, the Xiao Manor began its decline.

Though there had been no major wars in the last twenty years, barbarian tribes frequently came to plunder, and every so often, a Xiao family member fell in battle.

No wonder even his wife, Xiao Jinghong, a woman, chose to don armor and take the field.

"Barbarian lands, foreign neighbors—back and forth, always on the defensive."

"If you don't slaughter them to extinction, how can there be lasting peace?"

Chen Yi had always believed one thing: those not of our kin are bound to have different hearts.

Dealing with barbarians or the Buddhist kingdoms of the Western Regions required the same approach Huo Qubing took with the Northern Desert Xiongnu—slaughter them until they trembled, only then could peace be enjoyed.

"Heh, thinking too far, too far."

"I'm just an idle son-in-law. I'll live out my days in peace."

With that thought, Chen Yi put down the book and stared longingly at the door.

Xiao Die, if you don't come back soon, your son-in-law is going to starve to death.

Jiaxing Garden, meaning "Harmony brings prosperity to the family."

Twenty years ago, Old Marquis Xiao, feeling the family had lost too many to death and injury, sought out a enlightened master to inscribe the name and rename the place.

Separated from Chen Yi's Chunhe Garden by only a single wall, it was now the courtyard where the Xiao Family's Eldest Miss, Xiao Wan'er, and the Young Marquis, Xiao Wuge, lived.

Compared to Chunhe Garden, Jiaxing Garden was slightly smaller.

On the east and west stood three-story wooden buildings, with trees in front and gardens behind, surrounded by green shade. At a glance, it was serene and pleasant.

At this moment, in the West Wing a little further off, Xiao Die gently placed the Yunsong Paper on the table and said with lowered eyes, "Miss, the family rules the son-in-law copied today are all here."

"Mm." From the study behind a curtain came a question: "Xiao Die, has he shown any signs of trying to run away lately?"

The voice was gentle and clear, like the drizzling rain of the Jiangnan Water Town, but carried a hint of frailty, lacking in vitality.

Xiao Die shook her head. "No. Recently, the son-in-law either copies family rules or reads books. He hasn't written poems like before."

After a moment's thought, she added, "But... but Xiao Die can tell he's been cooped up too long. He often stares at that pond."

Laughter came from the study.

"It's only human. If I were stuck in a room without going out, I'd grow restless too."

The voice drew closer.

The curtain parted, and a graceful woman stepped out.

She was stunningly beautiful, with a delicate oval face, brows like distant mountains, and eyes like starlight—like a celestial maiden fallen to the mortal world.

But even in this early summer season, she still wore a thick cloak.

Her icy skin revealed a hint of illness, a trace of weariness, and a touch of pallor.

It was precisely the Eldest Miss of the Xiao Family, Xiao Wan'er.

"Later, go deliver a message to him. Tell him that once he finishes copying these thousand articles of the Family Rules, he may move about within Chunhe Garden."

Xiao Die hesitated a little. "This..."

"Don't worry. I'll write a letter to inform Jinghong; she won't hold it against you," Xiao Wan'er said as she picked up the sheets of Yunsong Paper on the table and glanced through them one by one, her tone reproachful. "It's been a month and a half since her wedding. Hiding away like this forever is no solution."

Xiao Die shrank her head back. When it came to matters involving the Second Miss, she dared not speak recklessly.

"Just go and tell my brother-in-law what I said. As long as he stays quietly in the residence, my Xiao Family will not treat him poorly."

"Ah, this servant will go at once."

After Xiao Die left.

Xiao Wan'er's eyes fell on one of the copied Family Rules, and a trace of surprise appeared on her delicate face.

"His skill in calligraphy is truly extraordinary."

With Xiao Wan'er's discernment, it was not difficult to recognize Chen Yi's brushwork.

What is called "calligraphy" is akin to "painting"—viewing calligraphy is like looking at an ink wash painting; one must appreciate it through the brush technique, brush strength, structure, and even the white space between the strokes and lines.

It could be said that from the very first Family Rule Chen Yi copied to the eight hundredth now, a certain spirit had faintly begun to emerge in his characters—just as Master Juyi of Jinling Academy had once appraised:

"Chen Qingzhou's characters possess a lively spirit; they are the high-spirited exuberance of a young talent."

Although Xiao Wan'er did not see "high-spirited exuberance," she did see a carefree ease and a composed manner of handling affairs, presenting the very bearing of a master.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would be hard to imagine it came from Chen Yi's hand."

With such calligraphy, his literary talent could also be glimpsed from that poem Ballad of Shu · Marrying into the Xiao Gate; it was not difficult to understand why he had chosen to flee the wedding back then...

She just wondered whether, once Jinghong learned of this, her opinion of him might change.

After all, having her husband flee on their wedding day—any woman would find that hard to forgive.

Not to mention that he was a son-in-law who had married into the Xiao Family, and not to mention... that Jinghong was such a proud person.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Wan'er sat down at the table, picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote a few lines of delicate, graceful characters on the paper:

"To Jinghong, may these words meet your eyes:

You have been inspecting the Three Towns of Shu for over a month now. Everything at home is well.

Grandfather's condition has improved. Recently, a few old friends have visited, which has lifted his spirits considerably...

Also, please be informed that our brother-in-law has shown signs of repentance—Xiao Wan'er."