You Promised to Be an Idle Son-in-Law, How Could You Become a Land Immortal?-Chapter 75: The Long Night

Chen Yi didn’t stay long in Jiaxing Garden. After lunch, he returned to Spring Lotus Garden.

He only had Xiao Wuge stay behind to keep Xiao Wan’er company.

He could tell that although Xiao Wan’er’s heart had been eased by a few words of comfort, she was still a sentimental and melancholic woman.

Having Xiao Wuge there to talk with her was better than leaving her alone to let her imagination run wild.

Xiao Wan’er saw him to the entrance of the building. She stood there quietly for a moment before returning to her room alone.

Just as Chen Yi had thought, she was indeed much more at ease now.

After eating and laughing with Chen Yi and Xiao Wuge, some of her worries and anxieties had dissipated.

Xiao Wuge, however, wasn’t one for overthinking. He looked around, then went to the study, found a book, and plopped himself down on a recliner.

Rocking back and forth.

It had to be said, his relaxed and carefree manner did indeed resemble Chen Yi’s.

Xiao Wan’er glanced over a few times and couldn’t help but smile.

She walked over and sat beside him, asking with a smile, "Wuge, have you learned a lot from your brother-in-law these past few days?"

When Xiao Wuge heard her mention Chen Yi, he immediately put down his book and nodded repeatedly.

"I’ve learned a lot."

"Tell me, what have you learned?"

"Um..."

When it came to specifics, Xiao Wuge hesitated.

The reason was simple: Chen Yi hadn’t systematically taught him anything. He had just taken him along to eat, drink, and have fun. There was nothing special about it.

"Brother-in-law taught me how to fish, how to brew tea, how to grind ink, how to catch earthworms, and so on. When Sister Xiaodie isn’t around, he has me take care of these things."

"Oh, right, I also learned how to make my bed, get dressed, and wash up..."

The more Xiao Wan’er listened, the harder it was to maintain her smile.

It sounded like Chen Yi really hadn’t taught him anything of substance.

But it was strange. Wuge had clearly changed so much since he started following Chen Yi. His speech was more coherent, and his actions were calm and unhurried.

Thinking of this, Xiao Wan’er asked, "Besides all that, was there nothing else?"

Xiao Wuge thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Nothing special."

After saying that, he seemed to remember something and broke into a grin. "Ever since Brother-in-law taught me how to fish, he hasn’t caught a single one himself."

Xiao Wan’er looked at him in silence for a good while, then said in a peculiar tone, "Wuge, from now on, you should learn something useful from your brother-in-law."

"Like what?"

"Poetry, or perhaps Calligraphy? Your brother-in-law excels at these things. You could try learning them."

Xiao Wuge thought about it and agreed. "Tomorrow, I’ll ask Brother-in-law to teach me."

Seeing this, Xiao Wan’er relaxed a little.

It wasn’t that she was dissatisfied with what Xiao Wuge was learning; rather, she had a faint feeling that Chen Yi wasn’t teaching Wuge, but just using him as an errand boy.

’My brother-in-law... he has talent, but his intentions are a bit... bad?’

’No, not bad, exactly. He’s just vastly different from the scholars I’ve met or seen before.’

’It’s hard for me to describe clearly. I only have a vague outline in my mind.’

’Perhaps he’s a learned man who’s a bit reckless and unrestrained by rules?’

’That must be it.’

...

Chen Yi spent the entire afternoon holed up in his study.

Now that Xiao Jinghong was away, there were no Armored Warriors guarding Spring Lotus Garden.

So, after telling Xiaodie to go rest, he began practicing the Big Spear Pile Skill in his study.

Perhaps because "Spear" was in its name, Chen Yi always felt that cultivating the Big Spear Pile Skill to an advanced level would be even more beneficial for his Dragon-Falling Spear Technique.

And indeed, that was the case.

When he practiced the Pile Skill, he could feel the muscles and bones in his wrists tremble, which was easy to correlate when combined with the Dragon-Falling Spear Technique.

’I should practice the movements of the Basic Spear Technique more often in the future. It should be beneficial for my Dragon-Falling Spear cultivation.’

With this thought, Chen Yi guided the Qi Mechanism in his body to open the four Main Meridians in his hands and feet.

His progress was quite good so far. He had already opened the two Main Meridians running from his Elixir Field and Sea of Qi to the soles of his feet.

In another two days, he would be able to open the Main Meridians from his Chest Acupoint to his hands.

Soon, Chen Yi finished his Big Spear Pile Skill practice. After a short rest, he assumed the stance for the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique and continued his cultivation.

Compared to the Big Spear Pile Skill, the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique was more useful to him.

Not only did it constantly generate Qi Mechanism within his body, but it could also conceal his Qi Mechanism and Power, making it impossible for others to see through his Martial Arts Cultivation.

Coupled with the newly discovered ability to sever the connection between the Dragon-Falling Spear Technique and the Heaven and Earth’s Spiritual Mechanism, he practiced with extra diligence.

Before he knew it, evening was approaching.

After dinner, Chen Yi sent Xiaodie and Xiao Wuge off to rest, making a point to tell them he would take them to Jishi Medicine Hall first thing in the morning for a look around.

Although it was an excuse, he would have to take over the Medicine Hall sooner or later.

It would be good to get familiar with the place early, and to check out the Physicians, accountants, and apprentices.

Before nine o’clock, Chen Yi extinguished the candles in his room.

He changed into a set of light, dark-colored clothes.

He used the moonlight to check his reflection in the copper mirror.

In the dim reflection, he could make out the figure of a dashing and extraordinary night thief.

Chen Yi chuckled for no reason and quietly slipped out of the wooden building.

With his current Body Technique and his Realm in the Martial Arts Step, moving silently was a simple enough task.

Once outside, Chen Yi scanned his surroundings, then executed the Meteor Butterfly Step and sped toward Jiaxing Garden.

The rain was still falling. Although it soaked his clothes, the sound of the downpour provided perfect cover.

Before long, Chen Yi vaulted into Jiaxing Garden.

Seeing that all was quiet, he moved in starts and stops through the shadows until he reached the wall on the other side, which separated the garden from the Four Directions Hall.

As Chen Yi listened intently, he glanced toward Xiao Wan’er’s building and could faintly see the flicker of candlelight in her room upstairs.

’Still not asleep this late?’

’It seems that batch of medicinal herbs has really made her nervous.’

After confirming there was no movement from within the Four Directions Hall, Chen Yi lightly roused his Qi Mechanism and vaulted over the wall.

He landed without a sound and hid in the shadow of a tree.

Chen Yi peeked his head out and scanned the area.

The Four Directions Hall was not particularly spacious, but it was brightly lit. Outside the sole three-story wooden building was a courtyard lush with flowers and plants.

Besides the shadows where he was hiding, the only other place to conceal oneself was behind the rockery in the other corner.

Seeing this, Chen Yi frowned slightly. After another scan of his surroundings, his gaze landed on the tree in front of him.

He then leaped up and climbed to the top of the tree.

Carefully using his Light Body Technique to secure himself, he circulated the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique, entering a state of complete stillness.

’Everything is ready.’

Almost as soon as Chen Yi was hidden, he saw a figure walk out of the brightly lit wooden building.

It was none other than the current Assistant Governor of the Governor’s Office, Xiao Dongchen, whom he had met a few times.

He was wearing casual clothes and stood under the eaves, looking up at the night sky.

Chen Yi watched him for a few moments and thought, ’He’s a night owl, too.’

Nightlife was scarce in the Great Wei Dynasty. Ordinary families went to bed around dusk, and it was rare for anyone to stay up late unless they had urgent business.

This was also why many people could wake up in the dead of night or before dawn.

After watching for a moment, Chen Yi’s focus returned to his surroundings. It was almost time for the intelligence drop.

The Four Directions Hall was brightly lit, and Xiao Dongchen was still here.

’I wonder how that ’Hidden Guard’ plans to hide the intelligence.’

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Xiao Dongchen look left and right, then walk toward his position, braving the rain.

Chen Yi let out a soft "Huh?" and watched him quietly.

The distance between them shrank from a hundred paces, to ninety-nine... all the way to zero.

After stopping under the tree where Chen Yi was hiding, Xiao Dongchen glanced around and carefully took a cloth-wrapped package from his robes.

Then, he stuffed the package into a hole at the base of the tree.

As if worried the rain would soak it, he even went out of his way to cover the hole with some leaves.

Only after doing all this and scanning his surroundings one last time did Xiao Dongchen walk back to the wooden building with a nonchalant expression.

Seeing this, Chen Yi’s eyes narrowed. ’...The Hidden Guard is Xiao Dongchen?’

The next moment—

[Witnessed the caution and suspicion of the Marquis’s Mansion’s Hidden Guard. Reward: Gained Nothing, Opportunity +15.]

[Evaluation: You came, you heard, you saw. But your methods were thoroughly furtive. A naturally sneaky individual.]

Seeing this, how could Chen Yi not understand? Xiao Dongchen was indeed the Hidden Guard.

’But what does "Gained Nothing" in the reward mean?’

’It can’t be that there’s nothing to learn from Xiao Dongchen, can it?’

He fell silent for a moment.

After the wooden building fell silent, Chen Yi quietly climbed down and retrieved the cloth package from the tree hole.

Using the light from the building, he inspected the contents of the secret letter: "D-34, A-D-66, E-42..."

It was still a coded message that required a cipher to decrypt.

Chen Yi memorized it all, put the secret letter back exactly as he found it, then returned the way he came, vaulting back into Jiaxing Garden.

Compared to the contents of the secret letter, the biggest discovery of the night was that "Xiao Dongchen is the Hidden Guard."

’What exactly is the origin of these Hidden Guards?’

’Liu Si’er, a Personal Guard of the Marquis’s Mansion, is a Hidden Guard. The old servant Uncle Gui is a Hidden Guard. And now, even Xiao Dongchen from the second branch of the family is a Hidden Guard.’

’Does this mean the Xiao Family is already riddled with holes?’

Just as Chen Yi was lost in thought on his way back to Spring Lotus Garden, he heard a stifled gasp from not far away:

"Brother... Brother-in-law?"

Chen Yi froze and turned his head.

There, he saw Xiao Wan’er, sitting alone in the dark pavilion.

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment.

Chen Yi grinned and raised a hand in greeting. "The night is long, and, uh, I couldn’t sleep..."