Chapter 514 - 303: Silence Speaks Louder Than Words
Chapter 514: Chapter 303: Silence Speaks Louder Than Words
Xiao Jinghong suspected nothing and took her leave.
Chen Yi originally thought she would go out or head straight back to the Wu Mountain Mutual Market. To his surprise, she followed him back to the Spring Lotus Garden. Although he found it strange, he didn’t show it at all.
The two walked shoulder to shoulder in silence, passing through the moon gate set in the white walls beneath black tiles, and strolled down the pear wood corridor.
The warm sunlight dispelled the chill in the wind, stretching their shadows as it bathed them in its glow. The chirping of the birds ceased, and a leaping fish landed with a SPLASH. Rainwater pooled on the flowers and trees dripped down, creating occasional PATTERING sounds. It was as if nature was accompanying the footsteps of Chen Yi, Xiao Jinghong, and Xiaodie.
Feeling she ought to say something, Xiao Jinghong placed one hand behind her back and pointed at the pavilion with the other. "Husband, why don’t we sit over there?"
Chen Yi turned his head to glance at her, smiling as he nodded. "Since Madam commands, I wouldn’t dare refuse."
Xiao Jinghong’s footsteps faltered. She discreetly lowered the hand behind her back and quickened her pace, her head slightly bowed.
Observing her expression, Chen Yi thought for a moment and realized his earlier words could be interpreted ambiguously. However, seeing Xiao Jinghong’s reaction, a faint smile couldn’t help but surface on his face. Madam and Husband—their relationship had long been established. Even though Xiao Jinghong was the esteemed Commander-in-Chief of the Dingyuan Army, she still revealed the demeanor of an ordinary young woman in front of him. This was a good thing.
Chen Yi followed her with a smile, waving a hand to signal Xiaodie to prepare some tea and pastries.
Xiaodie quietly walked away, occasionally glancing back to see Chen Yi and Xiao Jinghong take their seats in the pavilion. Her ears twitched, straining to listen. She was clearly curious about what her young miss and the master were going to talk about.
But even as she walked far away, neither of the two spoke. The atmosphere carried a distinct sense of "silence speaking louder than words."
Chen Yi sat casually on the stone bench, looking directly at Xiao Jinghong opposite him.
Xiao Jinghong, however, sat with rigid posture. Her gaze swept past him, lingered on the pond, and then flicked back to him.
After a moment of silence, Xiao Jinghong lowered her eyes slightly. "Thank you, Husband, for the painting you made of my father and mother."
Chen Yi chuckled softly. She had held it in all this time just to say this?
"As long as Madam likes it."
"Mhm, I do." Xiao Jinghong softly agreed, but she enunciated the words "I do" with utmost clarity.
"I followed my master to practice Martial Arts since childhood," she said. "I was gone for over ten years. By the time I returned, my father and mother had already perished deep in the territory of the Barbarian Race.
"So much time had passed that I couldn’t even clearly remember what they looked like.
"Fortunately, the portrait you gave me a few days ago allowed me to recover my memories of their voices and faces."
Chen Yi’s smile faded, and he fell silent. He had heard about this from Xiao Wan’er. Back then, Xiao Jinghong only returned to the Xiao Family after the news of Xiao Fengchun and Fu Wanqing’s deaths in battle reached them. Following that, she stepped onto the battlefield and became the Commander-in-Chief of the Dingyuan Army. He figured that during those days, she must have been just as grief-stricken as Xiao Wan’er.
But despite his thoughts, Chen Yi couldn’t bring himself to voice words of comfort. He knew very well that the past five years, along with the years she spent in Cultivation under the Sword Master, Li Wudang, had long tempered her mind and spirit to be unyielding. Offering words of comfort now would feel somewhat out of place.
Xiao Jinghong wasn’t seeking his consolation anyway. She continued on her own, "Over the years, whenever I encountered a problem I couldn’t solve, I would think of my father and wonder how he would handle it.
"Over time, I became accustomed to carrying myself as the ’Commander-in-Chief,’ whether I was at home or in the Dingyuan Army."
She looked at Chen Yi. Her stunning face retained its usual heroic spirit, but a hint of apology inadvertently slipped through.
"Please forgive me, Husband. I... couldn’t help it."
Chen Yi’s expression froze slightly. He met her gaze for a long time before smiling and shaking his head. "Madam, there’s no need to apologize.
"Do you remember what I told you during the Old Master’s birthday celebration?"
Xiao Jinghong nodded. "You said you had no desire to enter officialdom or join the military. You only wanted to stay in the Marquis’s Mansion and be an idle... husband."
"Exactly. My ambitions aren’t high. I’m satisfied with a tranquil and carefree daily life—just fishing, drinking tea, and playing chess is enough."
Seeing that she didn’t quite understand, Chen Yi simply threw his hands up in a shrug. "If Madam can let me live an Immortal-like life such as this, you are more than welcome to continue being your ’Commander-in-Chief’."
Xiao Jinghong was momentarily stunned, but soon a smile blossomed on her face. It was as radiant as the sunshine, like ice melting to usher in the revival of all things.
"Does my husband truly not mind?"
"I don’t mind," Chen Yi said with a smile. "If love between both sides can last for aye, why need they stay together night and day? That was the poem I wrote back then, wasn’t it?"
Xiao Jinghong hummed in agreement. Her gaze drifted toward the wooden building behind him, a barely perceptible trace of sweetness playing at the corners of her lips.
"After coming back last night, I saw the poems you rewrote. I really like the... Calligraphy Dao Realm in them."
Whether it was "Thoughts of a Summer Night", "Two Thoughts on a Summer Night", or "Autumn Letter to My Wife", she liked them all.
Perhaps feeling that her words were a bit too direct, Xiao Jinghong sped up her speech. "I also like the other two pieces you wrote, ’Post-rain Reflections’ and ’Song of the Water Melody: Mid-Autumn’.
"I wonder if you still have the manuscripts? I’d like to take them with me and read them... from time to time."
Naturally, Chen Yi wouldn’t refuse. He nodded and instructed Xiaodie, who was approaching with the tea, "Go to the study and bring the two poems I hung on the wall."
Xiaodie set the tea down and hurried back to the wooden building, her curiosity about their conversation growing even stronger.
However, thanks to this interruption, Xiao Jinghong relaxed. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and asked, "Husband, I wonder what you think of the situation here at the border in Shu State?"
Chen Yi also took a sip of his tea, vaguely feeling that this question sounded rather familiar.