You Promised to Be an Idle Son-in-Law, How Could You Become a Land Immortal?

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Writing Is the Man

RUMBLE... RUMBLE.

A carriage, black with red patterns and shaped like a flood dragon’s head, was pulled by four fine horses. It traveled slowly from the North City gate of the Shu State Prefecture City, heading south along Kangning Street.

Xiao Jinghong listened to the clamor outside. She pulled back the brocade curtain on one of the carriage windows slightly, peeking through the gap at the scenery.

Ten days had passed since the Third Place Scholar, Li Huai’gu, had his ceremonial parade on horseback through the streets, yet the taverns and academies along Kangning Street were still buzzing about it.

Some described the scene with flowery language, embellishing with a phrase like, ”The glory of that day was boundless; we couldn’t even hope to catch up on horseback,” which drew raucous laughter.

Others spoke of Li Huai’gu’s smooth-sailing fortune. First, he became the Third Place Scholar, then he was appointed to a position in the Shu State Civil Government Office, and upon his return, he even won the hand of a beautiful woman.

He had it all, you could say: wealth, fame, and a beautiful woman.

He was the envy of everyone.

And whenever Li Huai’gu was mentioned, these scholars would invariably bring up Chen Yi, spouting curses like ”that live-in son-in-law of the Marquis’s Mansion,” or calling him ”shameless and depraved,” or ”a disgrace to the literati.” In short, there was never a good word for him.

Sifting through the complex web of rebukes, only two compliments could be found hidden among them.

One was, ”That birthday poem of his... we can’t compare,” after which a scholar would occasionally try to sound cultured by reciting a few lines from it.

The second decent remark was: ”The half-verse that the Xiao Family’s son-in-law wrote for the Third Place Scholar has a certain charm, but it’s a pity there’s only half of it. We’ll never get to see the whole thing.”

Although this statement was always followed by denigrating words about Chen Yi, no one denied his poetic talent.

”Gather ye flowers while ye may, lest ye find but empty boughs.”

Xiao Jinghong listened for a moment and understood that this line of poetry had come from Chen Yi himself, personally written on the day he tried to abduct the Third Place Scholar’s wife.

In the words of those scholars from just now: ”That shameless degenerate! To describe the abduction of a woman so elegantly... and I, for one, could never write something like it. How tragic...”

Hearing this, Xiao Jinghong closed the curtain and leaned back silently on the soft couch, which was padded with plush bedding.

’She had to admit—for her husband to have earned the scorn of so many scholars and common folk in Shu State City in just three short months was a talent of its own.’

Xiao Wan’er noticed her strange expression. ”Second Sister, are you tired?”

Xiao Jinghong shook her head gently, the sharpness in her eyes fading. ”Big Sister, you mentioned in your letter that Chen... that my husband has changed for the better?”

Seeing her bring up Chen Yi on her own, Xiao Wan’er chided her playfully. ”You have the nerve to ask? You ran off to inspect the Three Towns without a word, and only now do you think to ask about him.”

”Sister...”

”Alright, alright. Big Sister knows it’s not your fault. It’s all my brother-in-law’s fault.”

Xiao Wan’er teased her for a moment more before recounting Chen Yi’s behavior before she had left the Marquis’s Mansion.

”After you left, our brother-in-law was confined to his room. He spent all day copying the family rules and occasionally read a book, never once complaining.”

”Actually, our brother-in-law isn’t a bad person. Especially his calligraphy...”

As Xiao Wan’er thought of Chen Yi’s calligraphy, she couldn’t help but recall the poem that Xiaodie had recited to her.

Seeing her pause, Xiao Jinghong looked over. ”His calligraphy?”

Xiao Wan’er came back to her senses, took her hand, and smiled. ”Second Sister, the calligraphy reflects the person. Our brother-in-law’s writing is free-spirited and elegant, which shows that he’s a genuine and unconventional person.”

’Genuine and unconventional?’

The gossip she had just overheard surfaced in Xiao Jinghong’s mind.

’Her husband’s reputation seemed to be a mixed bag. The praise for his calligraphy and poetry was likely true, but whether he was ’genuine and unconventional’ or ’shameless and depraved’ was up for debate.’

’Fortunately, she was back in Shu State City now. She would find out the truth once she returned to the mansion.’

”Second Sister, we’ll go see Grandfather first when we get back.”

”Alright...”

Just then, the carriage came to a slight halt, interrupting Xiao Wan’er and Xiao Jinghong’s conversation.

Xiao Wan’er steadied herself and asked in confusion, ”Huatang?”

Outside, Shen Huatang had pulled the carriage over to the side of the road. She called back, ”First Miss, Second Miss, there’s a situation.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghong immediately pulled the curtain open and looked out.

She quickly saw several Armored Warriors, dressed as the Xiao Family’s Personal Guard, gathered outside a mounting shop not far away. In the middle of them, an old man in a simple long gown was struggling with a Xiao Family maid.

’Wang Lixing and Xiaodie?’

Xiao Jinghong recognized the people from the mansion. Then, she took a closer look at the old man and her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Xiao Wan’er couldn’t see what was happening outside and couldn’t help but ask, ”Second Sister, what’s going on?”

”Big Sister, it seems to be Mr. Yue Ming of Guiyun Academy arguing with our family’s Personal Guard and a maid.”

It was noisy with all the people around, and Xiao Jinghong could only make out something about a calligraphy scroll. She then said, ”Sister, wait in the carriage for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

Xiao Wan’er shook her head. ”Mr. Yue Ming has a strong dislike for military folk. I’ll go with you.”

Knowing she couldn’t win the argument, Xiao Jinghong said no more and helped her out of the carriage. They walked over to the mounting shop.

From inside, they could hear Mr. Yue Ming sighing. ”Miss, little miss, this old man is extremely fond of this calligraphy scroll. Could you... could you part with it as a favor?”

Xiaodie clutched the calligraphy scroll and refused to let go. ”Old Sir, this is a birthday gift from the Young Master to the Old Master. How can I possibly give it to you?”

If Wang Lixing hadn’t warned her earlier that this old man was Mr. Yue Ming from Guiyun Academy, the most prestigious great scholar in all of Shu State...

...she would have suspected him of being the one who took the Young Master’s previously lost calligraphy.

But she had clearly told him that the calligraphy couldn’t be given away, yet the old man was still pestering her relentlessly, even reaching out to grab the newly mounted piece. It was making her very angry.

”Young Master? The Xiao Family’s Young Master? Then tell this old man, where did he buy this calligraphy scroll? This old man is willing to purchase it at a high price.”

”Buy it? The Young Master wrote this himself. Old Sir, if you wish to buy it, you can go to the Marquis’s Mansion and find the Young Master yourself.”

Hearing this, Mr. Yue Ming was stunned. ”You’re saying this calligraphy was written by the hand of Chen Yi, Chen Qingzhou?”

Xiaodie watched him warily. ”Of course the Young Master wrote it. Don’t tell me you wrote it? The shop owner already gave you your calligraphy just now.”

Mr. Yue Ming eyed her suspiciously, still in disbelief. ”Miss, this old man only wants this calligraphy scroll or to know its origin. If you are unwilling, then so be it. Why must you lie to this old man?”

”I’m not...”

Before Xiaodie could continue her explanation, Xiao Wan’er spoke up from the edge of the crowd. ”Mr. Yue Ming, please allow Wan’er to say a word.”

Only then did the Xiao Family’s Personal Guard and Xiaodie notice Xiao Wan’er and Xiao Jinghong. They hurried to salute:

”Your subordinates greet the First Miss and Second Miss.”

”Xiaodie greets the First Miss and Second Miss.”

The surrounding passersby and the onlookers who had already gathered were all stunned, only just realizing that the women before them were the two sisters from the main family of Marquis Wu’s Mansion.

Immediately, most of the crowd knelt on the ground. Only a few scholars with official ranks remained standing tall.

Xiao Wan’er glanced around and responded gently, ”Everyone, please rise.”

After the crowd had risen, she, supported by Xiao Jinghong’s hand, approached the old man and curtsied.

”Mr. Yue Ming, what Xiaodie just said is all true. This calligraphy was indeed written by Wan’er’s brother-in-law, Chen Yi, Chen Qingzhou.”

’Although she hadn’t seen the scroll in Xiaodie’s hands, judging from the calligraphy of Chen Yi’s she had seen before, it was certainly possible that it could attract Mr. Yue Ming’s favor.’

Mr. Yue Ming looked at them, completely ignoring Xiao Jinghong, and asked, ”Miss Wan’er, do you know the significance of the writing on it?”

Xiao Wan’er was taken aback for a moment. After a brief thought, she extended her hand toward Xiaodie.

Xiaodie carefully placed the birthday scroll in her hand, glanced at Xiao Jinghong, didn’t dare say anything more, and retreated again.

Xiao Wan’er opened the box, took out the calligraphy scroll, and slowly unrolled it with Xiao Jinghong’s help.

As just the first few strokes of the characters were revealed, a faint fluorescent glow appeared, as smooth and lustrous as warm jade.

Xiao Wan’er’s hands froze instantly. Her eyes widened, and she didn’t dare to unroll it any further.

She quickly looked at Xiao Jinghong beside her. Seeing her sister give a slight nod, her heart filled with both shock and joy.

She was shocked that the calligraphy on the scroll had truly reached the ”Calligraphy Dao Realm.”

And she was joyful that this scroll might truly have been written by her brother-in-law, Chen Yi.