Chapter 571 - 325: Slaughter Them All
Chapter 571: Chapter 325: Slaughter Them All
"Chen Yi, you’ve finally woken up. I’m happy for... my sister."
Xiao Wuge suspected nothing. THUMP THUMP THUMP! He came running over and threw himself onto the bed. "Chen Yi, you’ve finally woken up! I was scared to death."
"Scared to death? More like you cried from being scared, didn’t you?"
"N-no, I didn’t. It wasn’t me, it was Sister Xiaodie who cried. She even said you were dying."
Xiaodie let out a startled gasp and explained, her face flushed red, "That day, I went to the study and saw Mr. Chen unconscious. I-I was just a little worried..."
Chen Yi, naturally aware of all this, waved his hand and said, "It’s alright now." Then, he gave Xiao Wan’er a look.
Xiao Wan’er understood and sent the others away. She also asked Xiao Wuge to bring the news to Elder Master Xiao, before she finally traced a few words on his palm.
[What was the reason this time?]
Chen Yi glanced at Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang, who were guarding outside the door. He first smiled and thanked her, then opened her palm. His finger lightly traced a few times, leaving clear strokes.
[I resolved some matters and wanted to rest for a couple of days.]
[You... you could have just told me if you wanted to rest. Why fake an illness and make people worry?]
[It was a bit rushed...]
Perhaps because she had experienced this a few times, Xiao Wan’er cooperated with increasing proficiency. While they verbally discussed the situation in Prefecture City, they traced words on each other’s palms to share their secrets.
The gentle autumn afternoon sun shone down, casting a bright glow on the two of them. The "sickly" scholar and the delicate, breathtakingly beautiful woman complemented each other perfectly, creating quite the picturesque scene.
Listening to the soft murmurs inside, Xie Tingyun didn’t notice anything unusual, so she began conversing silently with Shen Huatang. Her lips parted and closed several times to form a question: "Junior Sister, do you think it’s necessary for us to stand guard outside for something like this?" Unfortunately, she wasn’t well-read enough to quote an idiom about a guilty conscience protesting too much, so she could only ask bluntly.
Shen Huatang stood quietly by the door. She glanced at her, then turned her head to look at the room behind them, replying silently, "Eldest Miss and Mr. Chen are not what you think."
"Why wouldn’t they be? Earlier, they..."
"If they were, you and I would be the first to suffer."
Xie Tingyun fell into deep thought after understanding her words. Stroking the Long Sword at her waist, she silently mouthed, "Junior Sister, if we tell General Jinghong about this, could we redeem ourselves?"
Shen Huatang glared at her with a hint of exasperation. "Shut up!"
Xie Tingyun closed her mouth resentfully. "It was just a joke. Why take it so seriously?"
Amidst her grumbling, her curiosity continued to grow. At the same time, she harbored a doubt. If Eldest Miss and Mr. Chen really were having an affair, what would Second Miss do? She’d probably do exactly what her junior sister said—slaughter them both...
Naturally, Chen Yi didn’t see the silent banter between the two martial sisters outside the door. Through their casual chat, he learned about the situation in Prefecture City from Xiao Wan’er. His expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he frowned.
Liu Hong’s reaction was all wrong! Logically speaking, with Yan Jingchen and the members of the Five Poison Sect missing, Liu Hong should be pacing like a cat on a hot tin roof right now. But according to Xiao Wan’er, not only was Liu Hong acting completely unfazed, he had also handled several matters in Shu State beautifully—disaster relief, epidemic prevention, placating the commoners, and so on. In just two days, the situation in Shu State had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. It was as if nothing had ever happened.
Elder Master Xiao’s response was equally strange. He had holed up in the estate, never stepping foot outside. He hadn’t directly seized Liu Hong and executed him before reporting it, as Chen Yi had hoped. It truly left him somewhat puzzled. Could an unexpected variable have come into play?
Xiao Wan’er didn’t understand all this. Seeing his silence, she took his hand and wrote a few words to ask:
[Is anything wrong?]
She couldn’t involve herself too deeply in these affairs, but she still hoped to offer whatever meager assistance she could.
Chen Yi shook his head slightly. Holding her hand, he considered his wording, their palms unconsciously rubbing together. Xiao Wan’er’s pretty face grew increasingly flushed. She endured it for a moment, but seeing him continue like this, she couldn’t help but lightly swat him. Snapping out of his daze, Chen Yi smiled under her reproachful gaze.
[It seems everything has been resolved.]
Chen Yi pondered carefully and formed a few speculations. Elder Master Xiao should have already made a move and was simply waiting for conclusive news. And Liu Hong’s reaction seemed very much like he had resigned himself to his fate. He didn’t know if the White Tiger Guard had taken action, or if...
Pushing these thoughts aside and planning to ask someone about it later, Chen Yi smiled and said, "Is there any news from Madam?"
Xiao Wan’er pulled her hand back and lowered her head slightly. "There’s no news from my sister yet."
Seeing her demeanor, Chen Yi guessed what she was thinking and took her hand back without leaving room for argument. Xiao Wan’er struggled slightly but failed to pull free, so she let him hold it, though her expression inevitably became somewhat complicated.
However, upon seeing the next few words Chen Yi traced on her palm, her expression instantly morphed into anxious embarrassment. Letting out a startled gasp, she reached out and pinched him a few times, which made Chen Yi burst into laughter with a mischievous wink. Her face completely flushed, Xiao Wan’er glared at him reproachfully and mouthed wordlessly, "That phrase... you are not allowed to say it again. Never again."
Chen Yi nodded, entirely amenable, his eyes still fixed on her face. Xiao Wan’er couldn’t resist gently swatting him again. "Y-you get some rest. I’ll head back to Jiaxing Garden." With that, she hurriedly stood up and walked out, not even waiting for Chen Yi to reply.
Chen Yi chuckled in spite of himself. He figured he could be quite wicked at times, always coming up with devious little tricks to coax a smile out of people. But in truth, he hadn’t said anything inappropriate just now. Just one single line.
Jade Steps and Jade Trees—someone like you is rare in this world.
Another two days passed.
After confirming that the epidemic hadn’t spread and that all infected individuals had fully recovered, the Government Office posted a public notice.