Chapter 321 - 223: Speaking of All Earthly Matters
Chapter 321: Chapter 223: Speaking of All Earthly Matters
Sun Fu frowned slightly and mused, "Mr. Ju Yi, do you know why the Chen Family is acting this way?"
"Is it really as the rumors say, that Chen Yi was targeted by his stepmother, and that’s why he ended up in this situation?"
Mr. Ju Yi sighed and shook his head. "I do not know."
"But from what I know of the Chen Family, I fear there are secrets behind this matter that outsiders aren’t meant to know."
"Putting aside Madam Cui Yu of the Qinghe Cui Family, the Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family alone—a prestigious clan with such a long-standing tradition and strict rules—would never stop a great talent like Chen Yi from seeking a government position through the examinations."
"Even if Cui Yu disliked him, she would only have him leave the Chen Family to start his own branch. It wouldn’t have gone so far as to tarnish his reputation."
"Besides, both Chen Xuanji and Chen Xuandu are anything but shortsighted or incompetent."
Sun Fu nodded slightly. "This matter is indeed suspicious..."
’The Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family, the Qinghe Cui Family... for what purpose did they have Chen Yi marry into the Xiao Family?’
Suddenly, a possibility occurred to him—’The cuckoo occupying the magpie’s nest?’
’No, that can’t be it. How could Qingzhou do such a thing?’
After Mr. Ju Yi left, Sun Fu sat alone for a long time. In the end, he still didn’t believe Chen Yi was the type of person who would plot against the Xiao Family.
However, his belief was ultimately just his own opinion.
If Chen Yi cooperated with the Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family, or acted on their orders, the safety of the Xiao Family would certainly be at risk.
Sun Fu pondered for a long time before sighing. ’With a destiny as strong as a dragon-elephant and the luck of a leaping koi, he should be able to turn misfortune into good fortune.’
He decided to observe for a few more days. If he noticed anything amiss in Chen Yi’s actions, he would definitely write a letter to the Old Marquis.
’I hope Qingzhou doesn’t have any ill intentions...’
...
「Shu State, Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion, Spring Lotus Garden.」
Just past three in the afternoon, the sky abruptly darkened.
Vast stretches of dark clouds gathered rapidly, and a torrential downpour began to fall with a great ROAR.
The rain hammered against the pond in the courtyard, creating a ceaseless PATTER.
Xiaodie yelped, covering her head with her hands as she ran toward the bamboo grove to gather the clothes that had been drying during the day.
Chen Yi, however, sat unperturbed in the pavilion sipping his tea, while beside him, Xiao Wuge scrunched up his face as he read and practiced his writing.
The past few days had been unexpectedly peaceful. No one had come to visit him about matters concerning the Guiyun Academy’s Calligraphy Studio, nor had anyone come asking about Quchi, the Painted Boat, or the Five Poison Sect. It was as if he had been forgotten.
Although Chen Yi was happy for the peace and quiet, he was still worried about his Martial Arts and Medical Dao being exposed, so he had been keeping an ear out for rumors.
After several days of paying attention, he came to a conclusion—the disappearance of Yan Fusha and the others had indeed not caused much of a stir.
There was only one rumor circulating in the city: "Experts of the Upper Three Grades have been spotted outside Shu State City, suspected to be the other two culprits who burned the summer grain at Iron Wall Town."
It was also said that several Imprisonment Officers and Hundred Households from the Shu State Imprisonment Department had gone to take a look.
After that, there was no more news.
But Chen Yi knew Liu Zhaoxue of the Jing State Liu Family must have sensed something; otherwise, she wouldn’t have returned to Jing State so quickly.
’She probably doesn’t suspect me. I reckon she thinks, just like the rumors say, that it was the work of those two from Iron Wall Town.’
At the same time, Chen Yi knew Liu Zhaoxue would be back.
The reason was simple.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, five Xinglin Halls had opened one after another in Shu State Prefecture City.
Although they weren’t located near the Xiao Family Medicine Hall, competitors are always enemies. The moment Xinglin Hall opened its doors, it began to squeeze out the business of all the other medicine halls in Shu State.
Even Hundred Herbs Hall was selling far fewer medicinal ingredients each day, to say nothing of the other medicine halls.
Fortunately, Hundred Herbs Hall and the Xiao Family Medicine Hall’s main business was in tea beverages, so they had barely managed to earn fifty thousand taels of silver more than the previous month.
There was nothing more to be said about it.
Under these circumstances, he didn’t believe the Jing State Liu Family—or Liu Zhaoxue—would just let Xinglin Hall run rampant.
In addition, Chen Yi had also been following the aftermath of the summer grain incident in the Three Towns.
The news of Elder Master Xiao and Liu Hong being punished by the Holy Emperor had circulated for a few days, but by now, the talk had died down.
Few people inside or outside the Prefecture City mentioned it anymore, as if it had been forgotten.
However, many people were saying that Liu Hong had recently issued several public notices from the Governor’s Office.
There were notices about taxes, about corvée labor for canal repairs, and also about the arrangements for the Annual Examination for all Scholars.
Speaking of which, this last notice had something to do with Chen Yi as well.
He himself was a Scholar.
If he didn’t participate in the Annual Examination, or if he performed poorly, he could very well lose his title as a Scholar.
Chen Yi himself didn’t care about it, but Xiao Wan’er was quite concerned.
She had come by for two days in a row to ask his thoughts, and between the lines, she was clearly trying to persuade him to participate in this year’s Annual Examination.
She also said that even if he didn’t participate in the imperial examinations in the future, there were still many benefits to holding the title of a Scholar.
Things like exemption from labor services, not having to kneel before officials, and immunity from arbitrary punishment were all privileges enjoyed by those with a Scholar’s title.
But after careful consideration,
Chen Yi still decided not to participate.
’I’m part of the Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion, Xiao Jinghong’s husband, and an Instructor at Guiyun Academy. So what if I don’t have a Scholar’s title?’
As for the Xiao Family,
the incident at Iron Wall Town had a much greater impact.
Not only did they have to spend money to buy grain and provisions for Iron Wall Town, but they also had to pay the grain tax for all Three Towns, resulting in a huge loss of silver.
It was said that Elder Master Xiao was in anguish day and night over the loss.
Besides that, there were a few other minor matters.
For instance, his own Martial Arts cultivation had reached Sixth Grade Perfection, and he would soon be able to break through to the Fifth Grade.
For instance, Yan Hai from Hundred Herbs Hall had already taken his men and left the Prefecture City to investigate the situation with the medicine halls in other counties and towns of Shu State.
For instance, Xiao Wan’er had prepared all the plans and regulations for the Medical Dao Academy and would soon be heading to the Xiao Family’s fief to survey a location for it.
For instance, Pei Guanli had written a letter to Granny Shan to complain about something, but there had been no reply yet.
For instance, Xiao Jinghong had sent a letter, saying that the construction of the Mutual Market was progressing well and that two market streets would be completed in another half a month.
The scale was comparable to the East Market in Shu State Prefecture City, with a full one hundred storefronts.
And...
As Chen Yi pondered these things while watching the rain fall on the pond, he heard footsteps behind him.
"Second Young Master, Young Master Wuge, the Eldest Miss requests your presence for dinner."
Chen Yi was slightly taken aback and turned to look at the person who had arrived. "Fairy Tingyun?"
Xie Tingyun winked at him and chuckled softly. "Young Master, Tingyun has not failed her mission."
’Not failed her mission?’
"How many people from the Celestial Sect have come?"
"Not too many, not too few. Exactly one hundred and twenty-seven."
’How many? One hundred and twenty-seven?’
Chen Yi was secretly astounded. ’Did Xie Tingyun bring every disciple from the Celestial Sect with her?’