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

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Pei Guanli’s Poisonous Hand

Never mind the trivial affairs of the Xiao Mansion.

In North City, Kangning Street was brightly lit. The curfew had yet to begin, and talented scholars and beautiful ladies came and went in small groups.

Some walked in company, others found romantic spots under the moon, taking advantage of the clear night to compose and recite poetry with a scholarly air.

Outside the mounting shop.

On a carriage bearing the red flag of the Xiao Mansion, a coachman leaned against the carriage wall, arms crossed, his eyes darting about.

He glanced from one person to another, almost overwhelmed by the sights.

Just then, a hand landed on his shoulder. ”Old Luo, if you keep gawking like that, you’d better hope the young ladies don’t notice.”

The coachman, Old Luo, jumped in fright. When he saw it was Liu Si’er, he immediately began to grumble:

”Brother Si, why do you move around like a ghost?”

”Besides, who are you to talk? The whole mansion was in an uproar today, and you were nowhere to be found.”

Liu Si’er chuckled, nudged him over with his hip, and sat down on the driver’s bench.

”I had some personal business to handle.”

”And you’re criticizing me? If the mansion was really that busy, how did you manage to get out?”

Old Luo pointed toward the nearby mounting shop. ”I’m on official business. The Second Son-in-Law wrote another piece of calligraphy that needs mounting. He said it’s a gift for...”

He trailed off, his eyes shifting to Liu Si’er as his tone grew suggestive.

”Hey, wait a minute. You didn’t come all this way for a secret meeting with that girl who was in your room last time, did you?”

’The girl from last time?’

Liu Si’er frowned inwardly but asked nonchalantly, ”She’s in there too?”

”That’s right. Miss Xiaodie is in the shop waiting with her.”

Old Luo pressed on relentlessly. ”Come on, Brother Si, tell me. What’s the story with you and that girl?”

”I didn’t realize it before, but now I know she’s from the Mountain Race of Wumeng Mountain.”

”Aren’t you afraid she’ll plant a Gu Insect in you?”

Liu Si’er casually brushed it off as a misunderstanding, but his eyes were fixed on the mounting shop, as if trying to see through its very walls to Pei Guanli inside.

After careful consideration.

Liu Si’er jumped back off the carriage. ”I just remembered something I have to do at the mansion. I need to get back.”

”Huh?”

Before Old Luo could speak again, Liu Si’er had already turned and walked away.

After taking a few steps, he glanced back, pointed at the mounting shop, and made a mysterious gesture to keep it a secret.

Old Luo caught his meaning and swore with a laugh, ”You sly dog! If it really works out, don’t forget to invite me to the wedding feast!”

Liu Si’er didn’t answer, simply waving a hand as he strode off.

But before he was off the street, he quietly doubled back, hiding carefully in the shadows of a tree on the opposite side, his eyes fixed on the mounting shop.

Things had taken an unexpected turn; he would have to play it by ear.

’The Second Son-in-Law’s calligraphy, the Mountain Race girl...’

’Fledgling only just arrived in Shu State. On the few occasions he left the mansion, he never had any contact with the Mountain Race. It’s impossible that he knows that girl.’

’So why would he write a piece of calligraphy for her?’

At that thought, Liu Si’er’s heart skipped a beat.

’The real fear is that the one who knows the girl isn’t Fledgling, but the Second Miss!’

’I hope it’s not the Second Miss.’

’If Xiao Jinghong discovers the existence of the Hidden Guard, it’ll be a disaster.’

...

At that moment, the owner of the mounting shop was feeling much the same as Liu Si’er.

Terrible.

Mounting calligraphy and paintings was an elegant, meticulous craft. Normally, a ten-foot scroll would take three to five days to complete.

Even for a customer in a rush, it would require two days at a minimum.

But when the two young ladies from the Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion arrived, a few simple words were all it took to give him only half a day, demanding to retrieve it that very night.

It was a truly unreasonable demand.

The shop owner wanted to refuse, but upon seeing Miss Xiaodie, the words died on his lips. He had no choice but to call his assistants to help with the rush job.

If he hadn’t previously lost a piece of calligraphy from the Marquis’s Mansion—and if the forgery he’d later commissioned from Mr. Yue Ming hadn’t been exposed—he would have absolutely fought for at least... another half a day.

They worked frantically until the drum for the first watch of the night sounded.

Only then was the calligraphy, clearly meant for a birthday celebration, finally mounted.

Xiaodie accepted it and handed it to Pei Guanli, her smile returning. ”The matter of you losing the master’s calligraphy is now officially forgotten.”

The shop owner put on a smile. ”Yes, yes. Safe travels, ladies.”

He was eager to put the whole affair behind him, and much of his resentment over the rush job faded.

A moment later, Pei Guanli and Xiaodie left the mounting shop.

Recalling the conversation between Xiaodie and the owner, Pei Guanli asked with a smile, ”So, that shopkeeper lost my brother-in-law’s calligraphy?”

Xiaodie hummed in affirmation and was about to call for Old Luo to bring the carriage back to the mansion.

Pei Guanli’s eyes darted. Making an excuse about leaving something behind, she turned right around and went back into the shop.

However, she came back out after only a few moments.

”Silly me. I forgot about something I was wearing the whole time.”

Xiaodie just smiled faintly, said nothing, and helped her onto the carriage.

After spending half the day together, Xiaodie had found that despite Pei Guanli’s strange attire, she had an easygoing personality.

The strange part was, having heard from the master that Pei Guanli was the Second Miss’s sworn sister, Xiaodie had expected her to ask questions about the Second Miss.

But in reality, Pei Guanli was much more interested in asking about the master.

She asked about everything, one by one: his marriage into the Xiao Family, his escape from the wedding, his house arrest, and several other incidents that followed.

Xiaodie couldn’t discern her motives, but it felt wrong to refuse, so she picked and chose a few details to share.

Fortunately, Pei Guanli said nothing after hearing the stories. The only change was that the bell hanging from her neck seemed to jingle a little more often.

With a crack of Old Luo’s whip, the Marquis’s Mansion carriage headed south.

Once the carriage was a good distance away, Liu Si’er emerged from the shadows, his face grim, and stared after it.

’A Mountain Race girl?’

’Damn it, that girl is Granny Shan’s granddaughter!’

’No wonder someone had silently taken down the Armored Warriors along the road with poison. Thinking about it now, it had to be her.’

Liu Si’er’s expression grew even darker as he considered his next move.

The Silver Banner Officer’s order was to find the person hiding in the shadows who knew his identity and kill her.

’I’ve found the person now. But kill her?’

’Just the poisons and Gu Insects she carries, all refined by Granny Shan, are more than an ordinary Martial Arts Powerhouse could handle.’

’Worse, if I actually killed her and provoked Granny Shan, the entirety of Shu State would be thrown into chaos.’

At this thought, Liu Si’er hesitated before pulling a slip of paper from his robes.

He used the light from a street lantern to read the words: ”Tonight at midnight, the back gate of Guiyun Academy.”

’Now, my only option is to seek help from *that* person.’

Just as Liu Si’er was about to head for Guiyun Academy, he heard pained shouts coming from the nearby mounting shop.

”Quick! The latrine! Someone get me some paper!”

”Owner, Owner, I-I-I really have to go too... Let me go first...”

”Get lost! I’m the owner!”

Liu Si’er glanced over, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Even without going in, he guessed the people inside had fallen victim to that Mountain Race girl.

’It was just a laxative. They should count themselves lucky it wasn’t a real poison.’

’It seems the girl is a kind soul who prefers not to kill...’

...

On the carriage heading south.

Pei Guanli, unaware that she was being watched, held the scroll and gazed enthusiastically at the night scenery outside the window.

She was very happy today.

Not only had she obtained her brother-in-law’s calligraphy, but she had also learned a great deal about him from Xiaodie.

’To think that while I was hiding away in the Spring Lotus Garden, he’d been up to so many interesting things.’

’Next time, I’m definitely going with him.’

Just then, Xiaodie let out a soft ”Huh?” as she looked out the window.

”What’s he doing here at Guiyun Academy?”

Pei Guanli snapped out of her thoughts. ”Who?”

Xiaodie hesitated. ”It’s the master’s older brother.”

”The master said they don’t get along, but from the way they were acting when they met this afternoon, you wouldn’t think so.”

”It’s quite strange.”

Pei Guanli’s interest was immediately piqued. While asking Xiaodie to point out the man, she pressed, ”Tell me, why don’t he and my brother-in-law get along?”

Her hand, however, had already slipped inside her robes. ’Which vial of powder should I use?’ she wondered.