Chapter 266: Chapter 207: Qingzhou Has Passed the Myriad Mountains

With nothing else to do, Chen Yi decided it was time to leave.

"Mr. Yue Ming, you..."

But before Chen Yi could finish, Pei Zhaoye suddenly ran over to him. "Mr. Qingzhou," he said, "your Calligraphy Dao—can you teach it to me?"

Chen Yi frowned slightly, sizing him up without a word. He continued with his formal bow to Mr. Yue Ming.

"Dean, I have other matters to attend to, so I must take my leave."

Mr. Yue Ming glanced at Pei Zhaoye, then smiled and replied, "Of course. When you come to teach the Calligraphy Dao before the Mid-Autumn Festival, I guarantee this exhibition hall will be to your satisfaction."

"As long as you are satisfied, Dean."

With that, Chen Yi said his goodbyes to the others and signaled for Xiao Wan’er to get ready to leave.

Seeing this, Pei Zhaoye, refusing to give up, blocked his path.

"Mr. Qingzhou, I apologize for my previous actions. I hope you can forgive me and teach me the Calligraphy Dao."

Chen Yi glanced at him and shook his head. "Offer my apologies to your grandfather."

Before Pei Zhaoye could say another word, Chen Yi had already led Xiao Wan’er and Shen Huatang straight out of the academy.

Pei Zhaoye stared at his back, completely baffled.

"If he’s going to refuse me, then just refuse me. Why tell me to apologize to my grandfather?"

Just then, Han Zhangping walked over and said in a low voice, "Because you, Pei Zhaoye, are not worthy of his forgiveness."

Pei Zhaoye froze, his expression instantly turning ugly.

"On what grounds? He’s just a live-in son-in-law of the Xiao Family, a disgrace to all scholars! How can he..."

"Shut your mouth!"

Han Zhangping’s voice suddenly sharpened, making Pei Zhaoye jump.

He looked at Han Zhangping’s livid face, his mouth moving wordlessly. He didn’t dare speak again.

Han Zhangping glared at him for a moment before taking a deep breath and bowing to Mr. Yue Ming and the others. "I apologize for today’s disturbance."

Mr. Yue Ming shook his head, his expression calm. "Our hospitality was lacking. Please, see yourselves out."

As he watched Han Zhangping drag the reluctant Pei Zhaoye away, Mr. Yue Ming shook his head.

"No wonder Old Pei sent him to Shu State. With a disposition like that, he’ll never amount to anything without being tempered by hardship."

Mr. Zhuo Ying and the others nodded but said no more.

They knew Mr. Yue Ming’s temperament.

Even if Pei Zhaoye had an impressive background and no lack of talent, he would never allow such a person to enter Guiyun Academy.

Of course, neither would Chen Yi.

While he didn’t care about Pei Zhaoye’s lack of etiquette, that didn’t mean he would accept him as a student.

’After all, forgiving Pei Zhaoye is his grandfather’s business. What does it have to do with me, Chen Qingzhou?’

「On the way back.」

As usual, Chen Yi was chatting and laughing with Xiao Wan’er.

They spent half the day going from North City to the West Market, gathering all the necessary gifts and items for the festival before finally heading home.

By then, Elder Master Xiao had already returned with his men.

Inside and outside the mansion, Armored Warriors stood in rows—a clear display of the Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion’s might.

Chen Yi scanned the area. He saw that while Wang Lixing and the others looked serious, they also seemed relatively relaxed.

He knew then that Elder Master Xiao’s trip to the Governor’s Office must have gone well.

’It makes sense,’ he thought. Liu Wen had died outside Iron Wall Town, and there was evidence of his conspiracy with Xiao Dongchen—the letters and the three hundred thousand taels of silver.

Under these circumstances, if Elder Master Xiao couldn’t make the Liu Family back down and bow their heads, he might as well just stay home and never go out again.

The only thing Chen Yi didn’t know was what conditions the Liu Family had agreed to.

But soon enough. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

When he returned to the Spring Lotus Garden, he heard some rumors from Xiao Wuge about the Old Marquis’s meeting with Liu Hong.

Overall, it was much as Chen Yi had deduced.

The summer grain tax for the Dingyuan Army’s Three Towns was waived. The Governor’s Office claimed it was in accordance with a new Imperial Court decree.

Anyone with eyes could see that was nonsense.

The Jing State Liu Family would replenish the provisions burned at Iron Wall Town at a low price.

There was also some monetary compensation.

No more, no less—five hundred thousand taels.

Adding that to the three hundred thousand taels Liu Wen had previously given, the Xiao Family likely wouldn’t be short on funds or provisions for some time.

After hearing all this, Chen Yi thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know what conditions the Liu Family set?"

Hearing this, the smile on Xiao Wuge’s little face vanished by half. She huffed.

"They said Grandfather can’t reveal Liu Wen’s involvement to outsiders, and in return, they’ll keep Uncle Dongchen’s business a secret."

"Is that all?"

"Also, I think they mentioned something about a marriage alliance."

Chen Yi frowned slightly. "They still want to ask for your eldest sister’s hand in marriage?"

Xiao Wuge shook her head. "Not Eldest Sister."

"I think they said they want to marry the Third Miss of the Liu Family’s main branch over to us. I don’t know who that is... could it be that pretty big sister we saw the other day?"

’The Third Miss... that could only be Liu Zhaoxue.’

Chen Yi muttered to himself, ’Did the Liu Family discover what Liu Zhaoxue did, or do they have some other ulterior motive?’

After thinking it over, he concluded the latter was more likely.

If the Liu Family knew what Liu Zhaoxue had done, she would likely meet a very grisly end.

"Did Elder Master Xiao agree?"

"He did. He said Xiao Ziqi should marry her."

"The one from the second branch?"

Chen Yi let out a stunned laugh. "And Liu Hong would agree to that?"

After this whole incident, the second branch of the Xiao Family had been explicitly exiled from Shu State.

Even though Xiao Ziqi hadn’t left due to his position at the Shu State Capital Commandery, he would find it difficult to ever set foot in the Prefecture City again.

It would be a miracle if Liu Hong agreed under these circumstances.

Xiao Wuge chuckled. "He didn’t."

"Grandfather said the Liu Family is full of vicious ambition and that they’ll stumble sooner or later."

"Perhaps..."

Chen Yi looked at the rain outside the window, certain that there must have been other conditions between Elder Master Xiao and Liu Hong.

Or rather, that the price the Liu Family paid was far greater than just this.

The other details were likely just not suitable to be revealed to the public.

’It seems Elder Master Xiao still chose a conservative approach.’

With this thought, Chen Yi made the excuse that he was tired and returned to his room to practice the Four Symbols Skill.

He didn’t know if Xiao Jinghong had gone to find Pei Guanli, but he hoped that Tiger Girl could keep her mouth shut.

Otherwise...

He’d have to think of a way to fix it.

’Should I say I happened to befriend the "Sword Madman," Liu Lang?’

’I’d probably get cleaved in two by a single sword strike for my trouble...’

...

「Meanwhile.」

On Kangning Street, inside a streetside shop not far from Guiyun Academy.

Lou Yuxue scanned her surroundings, her stunningly beautiful face showing a hint of grinding teeth.

"Cui Qingwu, you are truly infuriating!"

All she needed was a hiding place; any old courtyard that could withstand scrutiny would have been fine.

But what did she get instead? A shop!

Lou Yuxue didn’t even have to think to know this was surely that Miss Cui’s sick sense of humor.

She was waiting to see her make a fool of herself.

"Hmph. Does she really think I wouldn’t dare hide right under the noses of the Xiao Family and the Imprisonment Department?"

Lou Yuxue snorted, then called two of her subordinates over to tidy up the shop, preparing to open for business as usual.

It was a shop, after all.

If the doors remained shut and they didn’t operate, it would only attract more attention.

"My lady..."

"Call me Boss Lady."

"Boss Lady, what kind of business are we running?"

Lou Yuxue thought for a moment, and the thought of that fellow "Liu Wu" suddenly popped into her head. She subconsciously said:

"That bastard..."

"Wontons? I suppose that could work..."