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

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Tiger Girl, Little Traitor

Xiao Jinghong entered the wooden building and closed the door. She glanced at Chen Yi through the latticework, then walked up the stairs to the second floor.

Just as she was about to push open the wooden door to the side room, her ears twitched. She could faintly hear a slow, rhythmic beating.

She glanced down at the empty hall below, considered for a moment, then reached out and pushed open the wooden door. Taking two steps inside, she stood still, waiting for something.

A moment later, Pei Guanli, who was hiding in the study, heard the sound and breathed a sigh of relief.

’Why is Sister Jinghong back now? I didn’t even have time to hide.’

As she thought this, she calmed her pounding heart, pressed a hand over the bell at her throat, and crept barefoot toward the door.

But just as she reached the top of the stairs and looked up to check on the side room, her gaze met a pair of bright eyes peeking from behind Silver Half Armor.

Pei Guanli froze for a second, then broke into a wide grin, her two prominent canines making her look quite cute.

”Sister Jinghong, welcome home... hehe...”

Xiao Jinghong watched her calmly, her unwavering gaze turning Pei Guanli’s grin into an awkward smile. Only then did she speak. ”Come inside and talk.”

With that, she turned and entered the side room.

At this, Pei Guanli’s posture slumped and the smile vanished from her face. ”Sigh... I couldn’t get away after all...”

She glanced at Chen Yi squatting by the pond to wash his hands, but quickly dismissed the thought of asking for his help.

’My brother-in-law’s talent for the Martial Arts is truly high, but given his current cultivation, the two of us combined couldn’t stand up to a single one of Sister Jinghong’s fingers.’

Pei Guanli sighed and walked up to the second floor with her head hanging low, entering the side room.

The moment she closed the door, she immediately put on a playful smile and sidled up to her. ”Sister Jinghong, aren’t you happy to see me? Huh? Huh?”

Xiao Jinghong sat at the table. Her eyes flickered to the messy bed at the side, but she remained silent.

Pei Guanli’s smile froze on her face again. ”Uh, I’m just borrowing the room for a bit... I’ll make the bed right away, I promise!”

Xiao Jinghong stared at her for a moment. ”Don’t bother. The maids in the Mansion will throw it all out.”

”...”

Pei Guanli grumbled to herself, then sat down beside her with a pout, her expression screaming, ’Fine, I’m here. Do what you will.’

Xiao Jinghong had no intention of actually punishing her. She simply asked in a level voice, ”Does my husband know you are here?”

”He knows... No, no, he doesn’t know.”

After saying that, Pei Guanli stuck out her tongue and could only nod. ”Brother-in-law knows I’m here. He’s been bringing me food all this time.”

Xiao Jinghong hummed in acknowledgment. ”Tell me everything you two have been doing.”

Pei Guanli thought about all the things she and Chen Yi had gotten up to over the past few days. Forcing back a smile, she put on a straight face and said earnestly, ”We haven’t done anything.”

”And you expect me to believe that?”

”But we really haven’t done anything! It’s the truth.”

Hearing this, Xiao Jinghong simply continued to watch her calmly.

This time, however, she noticed that Pei Guanli wasn’t nervous or afraid like before. There was even a hint of smugness in her expression.

’Is it because of Chen Yi?’

Xiao Jinghong had originally assumed Chen Yi would suffer at Pei Guanli’s hands, but now it seemed the reality was quite the opposite.

This reminded her of Xiaodie standing up for Chen Yi against Mr. Yue Ming outside the mounting shop, and of Wang Lixing speaking up to explain things, even though he knew her temper.

’It seems my husband has been getting along very well with everyone. Even Pei Guanli has changed a little.’

At this thought, the corners of Xiao Jinghong’s lips twitched. ”Then tell me how you and my husband met.”

”I snuck in, and that’s how I met Brother-in-law.”

”When?”

”A few days after I last saw you.”

”Specifically? Morning, afternoon, or evening?”

”In the evening, of course...”

Faced with this rapid-fire questioning, Pei Guanli’s toes unconsciously curled, gripping the smooth, clean floorboards as she gave herself a silent pep talk.

’Don’t worry, Brother-in-law. I promise I won’t reveal anything else, including your secrets.’

...

Meanwhile, Chen Yi, who was washing his hands by the pond, was not the least bit reassured.

’That Tiger Girl, Pei Guanli... she wouldn’t sell me out, would she?’

In truth, there were only two things he wanted to hide.

One was his Martial Arts Cultivation and talent. The other was Liu Si’er, Uncle Gui, and their group of ”Hidden Guards.”

He wasn’t afraid of Xiao Jinghong finding out about anything else.

After weighing his options, Chen Yi was left with a single, last-resort thought: if Xiao Jinghong really tried to force him to do something he didn’t want to, he could just leave the Marquis’s Mansion.

Although it would be dangerous to travel with his current Martial Arts Cultivation, as long as he was careful, the world was a vast place, and he could go anywhere.

’A living person isn’t going to die from holding their pee, are they?’

After washing his hands clean, Chen Yi looked over at Xiao Wan’er, Xiao Wuge, and Zhang Heng sitting in the pavilion. He thought for a moment, then walked directly toward them.

But as he drew near, he heard Xiao Wuge chattering excitedly.

”Eldest Sister, Brother-in-law is incredible.”

”The poetry he wrote kept Grandfather happy for days, and his calligraphy is incredible, too! I heard the birthday poem he wrote was stolen from the mounting shop.”

”And the things he says! Like when he told the Third Place Scholar that the answer to the imperial exam question was that ’water can support a boat, but it can also sink it.’ Even the Third Place Scholar was impressed!”

”And about how ’man can triumph over heaven,’ and about ’the mountain of prejudice in one’s heart’...”

”That’s all... that’s all I’ve got!”

Hearing this, Chen Yi strode into the pavilion and cut them off with a smile.

”Wuge, your eldest sister just returned to the Mansion and must be tired. We shouldn’t disturb her too much, right?”

’There’s just no defending against this.’

’I didn’t expect this. Pei Guanli hasn’t even caused me any trouble yet, but my own dear Xiao Wuge has already turned traitor.’

’Can’t he see how Xiao Wan’er’s eyes are lighting up?’

’If this little traitor keeps talking, I’m afraid the Marquis’s Mansion will find a way to put all my ’hidden talents’ to use.’

Xiao Wan’er saw Xiao Wuge actually fall silent and nod obediently. She looked at Chen Yi and spoke in a gentle voice.

”Thank you for looking after Wuge these past days, Brother-in-law. I hope he hasn’t been too much trouble.”

”The Young Master has been very good.” Chen Yi patted Xiao Wuge on the head and gestured. ”You were just pestering me about fishing. I got you the worms, so go on.”

Xiao Wuge shot him a look, then complied and ran off to the side to fish.

The Young Crown Prince, Zhang Heng, had a quick thought, grabbed the other fishing rod, and dutifully sat down beside him.

’If it were just my eldest cousin here, I could still mess around a bit.’

’But now that my second cousin is back, I’d better keep my distance.’

’There’s no other reason. I’m just scared of her.’

Seeing this, a smile bloomed on Xiao Wan’er’s pale, delicate face. It seemed her decision to let Wuge spend time with his brother-in-law had been the right one.

If Wuge could be this calm after he went to Jinling, content to just fish and drink tea in the courtyard, it would be a wonderful thing for the Xiao Family.

With this thought, Xiao Wan’er motioned for Chen Yi to sit down. She picked up a brocade box containing the birthday poem and said:

”My second sister and I ran into Xiaodie and the others on our way back to the Mansion. We brought the calligraphy piece back with us and happened upon an interesting little event.”

Chen Yi met her gaze directly and asked with a smile, ”What kind of interesting event?”

Cradling the brocade box, Xiao Wan’er stroked its surface with her pale, slender fingers as she began her story. ”Mr. Yue Ming of Guiyun Academy...”

After listening to her story, Chen Yi couldn’t help but laugh.

He had originally assumed his Cursive Script wouldn’t become known until after the Old Marquis’s birthday banquet. He never expected someone would take a liking to it so soon.

And by none other than Mr. Yue Ming, a great scholar renowned throughout Shu State.

Seeing his reaction, Xiao Wan’er couldn’t resist asking, ”Brother-in-law, this script... was it truly written by you?”

It wasn’t that she disbelieved Xiaodie and the others; she just wanted to hear Chen Yi confirm it with his own mouth.

After all, the calligraphy on this piece was exceedingly rare. The more proficient one was in the art, the more one would take notice.

Chen Yi was direct, nodding in admission. ”I did indeed write it.”

Xiao Wan’er was relieved, her face beaming with joy. ”With such skill in calligraphy, Brother-in-law, your name is sure to be known throughout the Great Wei Dynasty.”

”Perhaps in the future, many people of Mr. Yue Ming’s stature will come to our door, seeking a piece of your treasured calligraphy.”

Chen Yi froze. ’Doesn’t that mean an endless stream of trouble will be knocking on my door?’