The next morning.

The rain had lightened considerably.

Beneath the gloomy sky, a layer of mist shrouded the lush vegetation of the Spring Lotus Garden, obscuring the view in a hazy blur.

It was impossible to see clearly.

Weather like this, however, brought Xiaodie a little joy.

It wasn’t because Chen Yi hadn’t left early, but because he was still resting in the study.

By the candlelight, she could see his figure sitting cross-legged on a chair.

His face was calm, his eyes closed.

He was clearly sleeping soundly.

Xiaodie took a quiet peek, then tiptoed out of the study, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle a smile.

She had woken up even earlier today than yesterday; thankfully, her efforts had not been in vain.

With that thought, she ran upstairs to tidy up the room.

"Huh?"

Xiaodie tilted her head in confusion as she looked at the damp long robe and undergarments hanging on the rack, her twin hair buns tilting to one side along with her head.

’Did Master Chen go out last night?’

Xiaodie couldn’t figure it out, so she didn’t dwell on it. She tidied up the room and carried the wet clothes downstairs.

After taking them to the laundry room and washing them with floral water and soap beans, she shook out the long robe and strenuously stood on her tiptoes to hang it on the clothesline.

"Phew..."

Xiaodie looked down at her own short legs and pouted.

’If only I were as tall as the Eldest Miss and the Second Miss, at least hanging laundry wouldn’t be such a struggle.’

A young maid who rarely went out was bound to have some strange little worries.

Fortunately, Xiaodie never let her worries linger. Once she thought about them, she forgot them.

She then ran to fetch water and bring breakfast, trip after trip, moving quite quickly.

Once everything was ready,

Xiaodie wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a long sigh, a relieved smile gracing her small face.

She was like a flower bud waiting to bloom, pure and elegant.

’Time to wake the Young Master, and Master Chen.’

Xiaodie muttered to herself, counting on her fingers the things she had to do today.

’I need to prepare tea. If Master Chen isn’t going to the Medicine Hall, he’ll definitely be playing chess in the pavilion.’

’I’ll need to get two cups ready; Grandpa Sun will probably come too.’

’I have to get the small shovel to dig for earthworms for the Young Master’s fishing.’

’I also need to remind the kitchen to cook according to Master Chen’s tastes for lunch, and specifically tell them to use less spice.’

Shu State was humid, so people there ate a lot of spicy food.

But Xiaodie always remembered that Master Chen was from Jiangnan Prefecture and wasn’t accustomed to the cuisine of Shu State.

So, from the moment she became Chen Yi’s personal maid, she couldn’t afford to overlook these small details.

She was, after all, a maid who aspired to become a "head maid."

It had to be said... her ambition was quite grand.

Just as Xiaodie ran upstairs to help Xiao Wuge get dressed, Chen Yi slowly concluded his cultivation.

He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

The long stream of air was a murky white, faintly dotted with specks of black.

Chen Yi knew these were impurities that had accumulated in his meridians, flesh, and organs from long periods of cultivation.

Now that he had achieved success in his Four Symbols Skill cultivation, these impurities were being expelled by the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, making his body purer.

Chen Yi looked around, then stood up and stretched.

Not only did he not feel tired, but he felt refreshed and clear-headed. His mind was clearer than ever before, and his five senses were much sharper.

Needless to say, the True Essence within him had more than doubled compared to last night.

’My cultivation has reached the Upper Stage of the Eighth Grade Realm. Not bad.’

He took a moment to carefully experience the changes.

Chen Yi grinned. ’But the path of Martial Arts has its price.’

What price?

The fact that he could no longer sleep, of course.

Cultivating the Four Symbols Skill could replace sleep, which meant he couldn’t sleep at noon or at night anymore.

To sleep even once would be a sign of disrespect to his cultivation of the Martial Dao.

’It’s just that now I’ve lost another "hobby."’

A happy problem to have.

Chen Yi shook his head, walked out of the study, and sat down at the living room table to slowly eat his breakfast.

Even without trying to listen, Xiaodie’s voice clearly reached his ears.

"Young Master, Master Chen isn’t going to the Medicine Hall today!"

"Really? Then I’m going to learn chess from Brother-in-law today."

"Then the Young Master will definitely be as amazing as Master Chen in the future."

"I think so too, hehe..."

Listening to the conversation upstairs, Chen Yi naturally felt lighthearted and cheerful.

’Looks like I’ll have to disappoint them. I can’t just relax in the mansion today.’

Before, when many things were still unclear, Chen Yi could remain patient, focusing on his cultivation, chess, and the Medical Dao.

But now that he had a general grasp of the Xiao Family’s situation, the sooner he resolved it, the better.

’It’s a shame my wife isn’t here. Otherwise, how would this riffraff dare to show their faces?’

With that thought, Chen Yi finished breakfast with Xiao Wuge and Xiaodie.

Then, under their disappointed gazes, he told them he had some matters to attend to and would be back soon.

Chen Yi spread his hands. "I’m the Shopkeeper of the Medicine Hall now, after all. If I don’t go, Eldest Sister will have something to say about it."

Disappointed as they were,

Both Xiao Wuge and Xiaodie were sensible. "Brother-in-law, then you have to teach me chess next time you’re resting."

Xiaodie chimed in, "Master Chen, teach me too, teach me!"

Chen Yi smiled and nodded, naturally not refusing.

’Although my Chess Dao is only at the Minor Success Realm, it’s more than enough to teach a few beginners.’

After a short rest,

Chen Yi changed into a set of green robes, opened an oil-paper umbrella, and walked out of the Spring Lotus Garden.

He was currently using the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique to hide his aura. Walking alone in the rain, he looked no different from an ordinary person.

But the sight of his figure made Xiaodie a little worried.

Xiaodie glanced at the sky. ’Master Chen is dressed so lightly. He can’t catch a cold.’

With that thought, she made a mental note to prepare ginger tea for Master Chen.

Xiao Wuge came out and looked at where Chen Yi had already disappeared. He could only say, "Looks like I’ll have to go stay with Eldest Sister today."

Xiaodie snapped back to reality and quickly opened an umbrella for him. "It’s livelier over at the Eldest Miss’s place."

Xiao Wuge walked beside her, muttering, "But I have to read..."

Xiaodie smiled but didn’t say anything.

She didn’t dare comment on the arrangements made by the mansion’s Eldest Miss.

If someone overheard, they would think she was ill-mannered.

...

Chen Yi arrived at the front courtyard with his umbrella and called out to an Armored Warrior, "Is Ge the Third around?"

The Armored Warrior replied, "Master Chen, Ge the Third went out early this morning. He said Old Master Chen ordered him to go to the Medicine Hall to pick up some tea."

Chen Yi nodded in understanding. "What about Brother Xing and Brother Si?"

The words had just left his mouth when he remembered that Xiao Wan’er had sent those two to inspect the Xiao Family’s various medicine halls.

"Never mind. No need to prepare a carriage today."

Chen Yi said, not asking the Armored Warrior to prepare a carriage or follow him, and walked out of the mansion on foot.

Just then, a carriage approached from outside the gate, driven by Yan Hong, whom he had met a few times.

"Master Chen, heading out?"

Chen Yi smiled warmly and nodded, stepping aside to let the carriage pass before continuing on his way.

But he could still hear the voices from behind him.

"The son-in-law? Junior Sister, is that General Jinghong’s husband?"

"Yes."

’Shen Huatang? Her senior sister...’

’So she wasn’t in Jiaxing Garden last night because she went to pick up someone from her Sect.’

Chen Yi’s heart stirred slightly, and he slowed his pace. The voices from the mansion grounds carried over:

"He certainly looks like a scholar, so frail and weak. I really don’t know why General Jinghong agreed to marry him into the family."

"Senior Sister, now that we’re at the Marquis’s Mansion, it’s best not to say such things."

"I know, I know. I get the rules. Can’t gossip about the masters and mistresses of the mansion, right?"

"General Jinghong cares for Master Chen a great deal, as does the Eldest Miss."

"Is that so? Then he must have some extraordinary qualities, right? Tell me about them."

"Um... his calligraphy is quite good."

"That’s it?"

As the distance grew, Chen Yi stopped listening.

’Still, "That’s it?"’

’Even if Shen Huatang’s senior sister had a high cultivation, she was clearly uneducated and ill-mannered.’

Chen Yi grumbled internally as he walked farther and farther away.

About an hour later, he finally arrived at the West Market, his eyes sweeping a glance around.

For a fleeting moment, he deactivated the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique within him, allowing all the surrounding sounds to enter his ears.

Instantly, he had a complete grasp of the situation within a twenty-zhang radius.

Pedestrians hurrying by: thirty-two.

People inside the shops along the street: forty-three.

Martial Artists with deep, steady breathing indicating they had cultivation: eight.

And two whose sounds were indistinct.

’If there are no other Martial Artists skilled in techniques similar to the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique, then this is the situation.’

As he thought, Chen Yi walked straight toward Hundred Herbs Hall.

Wang Ji was inside the shop. Upon seeing him, he greeted him with a normal-looking smile, "Shopkeeper Chen, what a rare sight! What brings you to Hundred Herbs Hall today?"

Chen Yi glanced around and saw quite a few people inside buying tea and medicinal herbs. He smiled and nodded.

"I have some matters to discuss with Boss Wang. Shall we speak inside?"

"Please."

Chen Yi followed him inside, but as he did, he raised his hand and made a prearranged signal.

Wang Ji paused for a moment, then nodded with a serious expression. Verbally, he said, "Shopkeeper Chen, I wonder how the Eldest Miss has been recently?"

"Thanks to your good wishes, Boss Wang, Eldest Sister has been in a good mood lately..."