Chapter 440 - 273: Dragon and Phoenix Among Men
Chapter 440: Chapter 273: Dragon and Phoenix Among Men
Father...
Chen Xuanji...
It had been a long time since Chen Yi had heard that title.
The last time had been in the letter from the Chen Family’s matriarch, Cui Yu.
He hadn’t expected Chen Xuanji’s reply to Chen Yunfan to include a letter for him as well.
Chen Yi was silent for a moment before taking the letter. "Chen... Father, has he returned from the Western Regions?"
Chen Yunfan nodded, then shook his head. "His letter says he plans to return."
"But he hasn’t departed yet, so there’s no telling when he’ll make it back to the Capital Prefecture."
Chen Yi grunted in acknowledgment and opened the letter to read.
It was two pages long, filled to the brim with writing.
[For the eyes of my son, Yi, only.]
[I, your father, have heard of your marriage into the Xiao Family. My heart is filled with a measure of regret. I regret that I should not have entrusted all family matters, large and small, entirely to your mother’s care, which led to her making this grave error...]
Reading this, Chen Yi raised an eyebrow slightly.
’What’s this? A little late for that, isn’t it?’
’He’s the Patriarch of the great Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family. If he had truly cared, how could he not have arranged everything properly before he left?’
[...However, a man born into this world must be able to stand on his own two feet.]
[I trust that even while living with the Xiao Family, my son has not forgotten the patriotic heart of his youth.]
[Therefore, I shall write a memorial to the Holy Emperor to petition on your behalf, allowing you to participate in the next imperial examination, or to arrange an official post for you.]
[What do you say to a position in the Shu State Capital Commandery or the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office? Indulge me this, and ease the mind of this worried father of yours...]
By the end of the letter, a strange expression had crept onto Chen Yi’s face.
’The imperial exams, being granted a post...’
In his memory, Chen Xuanji had never been a kind or affectionate father.
Most of the time, he was stern and unsmiling—calm, composed, and possessed of a powerful aura.
So Chen Yi reread the letter before looking up suspiciously at Chen Yunfan.
"Are you certain Father wrote this, Brother?"
At these words, Chen Yunfan gave him a stern look. "Brother Yi, you mustn’t be disrespectful toward Father."
Chen Yi offered no explanation, simply handing him the letter. "See for yourself."
Chen Yunfan froze, muttering something about how he’d be in for it if their father found out, before quickly reading through the letter.
The expression on his face instantly became a picture of utter bewilderment.
"This... Father wrote this?"
"When... when did he become so kind and approachable?"
"This can’t be right. Shouldn’t he be sternly warning you to behave yourself at the Xiao Family’s home and not bring shame upon our name?"
Hearing Chen Yunfan say the same, Chen Yi felt his suspicions confirmed.
Based on his memories of Chen Xuanji, even if their father felt guilty about him marrying into the Xiao Family, he would never be this gentle and magnanimous.
’So something must have happened to cause such a shift in Chen Xuanji’s attitude toward me.’
Just then, as if he’d suffered a terrible blow, Chen Yunfan pulled out another letter and handed it over.
"You should see the one Father wrote to me. He’s just... he’s just..."
Chen Yi didn’t refuse. He took the letter and began to read it carefully.
[For the eyes of my son, Yunfan, only.]
[I have heard that my son placed first in the imperial examinations. I am deeply grateful to the Holy Emperor for allowing such an ignorant and unskilled rascal as yourself... ]
[As your father, I expect you to remember three things. First, you must take responsibility for the country and its people; this is not a game, so do not act foolishly... ]
[I will soon depart for my return to Great Wei. When that time comes, if I hear that you have been causing trouble in Shu State, you will face the full force of our family’s discipline!]
A small smile appeared on Chen Yi’s face after he finished reading. "Father has high hopes for you, Brother. This is to be expected."
Chen Yunfan shot him a resentful look. "You tell me, doesn’t he favor you more?"
"If you hadn’t come to Shu State, he probably would have secured a post for you in the Capital Prefecture by the time he got back."
Chen Yi waved a dismissive hand. "It’s enough that I have you to toil for the common good, Brother. I just want to be a man of leisure."
"Brother Yi, you’re really something else..."
Chen Yunfan nearly called his bluff, but a thought to his own current Cultivation and Technique Realm made him hold his tongue for the time being.
"In any case, now that Father has made an offer, you should think about your next steps."
"I’m not interested, I’m not listening, and I’m not doing it."
Chen Yi’s reply was blunt.
He was now a live-in son-in-law of the Xiao Family—a "husband married out," so to speak.
His priority had to be the Xiao Family in all matters.
Naturally, he couldn’t possibly follow Chen Xuanji’s arrangements—either by taking the imperial exams or by serving in some government office in Shu State.
After a moment of silence, Chen Yunfan clapped him on the shoulder. "Just what I’d expect from you."
"Even though Father has been gone for so many years, I still hold him in reverent fear."
He wasn’t just saying that to flatter Chen Yi.
It was a testament to the influence Chen Xuanji had held over him since childhood.
Even though he lived a wild and dissolute life in Shu State, fearing neither heaven nor earth, he would never dare act out of line in front of Chen Xuanji.
Much less would he dare to defy one of his father’s decisions.
Take the three rules from the letter, for instance. Chen Yunfan had them memorized, front to back, after a single read-through.
He couldn’t help it.
The letter had promised he would "face the full force of our family’s discipline," and if he dared step out of line, he truly would be punished as such.
Chen Yi, who was unaware of all this, simply shook his head. "It’s not that I lack reverence for Father, but..."
He paused, then looked at Chen Yunfan and continued, "It’s that I intend to stay in Shu State for the rest of my life."
"Unless absolutely necessary, I’m afraid I won’t see him again in this lifetime."
Chen Yunfan froze at his words.
Hearing this couldn’t help but make him a little sad.
"I wrote to Father about this before, asking if he knew in advance about your marriage."
"But in his reply, he never gave a clear answer."
Chen Yi smiled. "Thank you, Brother."
"However, in his letter to me, Father already made it clear he only learned about it after the fact."
’The letter was full of pretty words about guilt and regret, but it never once mentioned punishing the Chen Family’s matriarch.’
’It was all just a pretense.’
’Still, getting the ever-stern Chen Xuanji to use such "soft words" could be considered a form of closure for this body’s original owner.’