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

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: It’s a Deal, I’ll Be a Leisurely Live-in Son-in-law

The verbal edict was announced.

Chen Yi’s world turned upside down.

What had he ever done to deserve the attention of the Emperor of Great Wei, let alone be granted special permission to participate in the imperial examinations?

It wasn’t until Xiao Yuan had Xiao Wan’er arrange seats for Feng Erbao and his retinue, and Xiao Jinghong came to his side, that he finally snapped out of it.

Xiao Jinghong studied him for a moment before asking, ”You seem... unhappy, my husband?”

Chen Yi grunted in affirmation and said bluntly, ”If I told you I don’t want to take the imperial examinations and I don’t want to be an official, would you believe me?”

Upon hearing this, a serious look appeared in Xiao Jinghong’s eyes.

After a moment of thought, she parted her red lips. ”I believe you.”

Chen Yi looked at her, certain this time that she wasn’t being sarcastic.

He couldn’t help but smile. ”I’m serious. If it’s possible, can I just be a carefree, live-in son-in-law here in the mansion?”

Xiao Jinghong’s eyes brightened for a moment. She tilted her head and nodded lightly. ”Alright!”

”So, it’s a deal? From now on, you can’t force me to go out and be an official, or join the military.”

”Alright.”

”And you can’t make me do any hard labor, okay?”

”Alright.”

”And, um, about me helping Eldest Sister...”

Before Chen Yi could finish, Xiao Jinghong held up a hand. ”Husband, Eldest Sister already agreed to this last night and has made arrangements. It’s too late to back out now.”

Chen Yi paused, then said, ”In that case, could I trouble you to pass a message to Eldest Sister for me? The thing is, my scholarship is... rather average.”

Xiao Jinghong stared at him for a moment, then turned, leaving him with a view of her high ponytail.

”Husband, I don’t believe that for a second.”

’My husband is clearly a man of great talent,’ she thought. ’He can compose Poetry, his Calligraphy is excellent, and his insights must be extraordinary to come up with a phrase like ”build high walls, stockpile grain”.’

’How could that be considered a lack of scholarship?’

’His talent is extraordinary, that’s what it is.’

”Er...”

Chen Yi watched her walk away, then glanced at Xiao Wuge, who was grinning beside him. Annoyed, he said,

”If I decide to run for it one of these days, remember to send me off with some travel money.”

Before Xiao Wuge could even shake his head, Xiao Jinghong’s voice drifted back from a distance. ”Husband?”

Chen Yi: ”...Just kidding.”

Seeing his expression, Xiao Wuge burst out laughing.

Chen Yi couldn’t help but smile too.

’In any case, I’ve managed to scrape by for now,’ he thought. ’But I still don’t know the true intention behind this verbal edict.’

’Making a live-in son-in-law from the Marquis’s Mansion take the imperial examinations... forget what the Xiao family might think, the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel alone could drown me in their spit.’

’And then there are all the other learned live-in son-in-laws in the world. Why should I, Chen Yi, be the one to receive the Emperor’s grace?’

’Jealousy always brings out the worst in people.’

With these thoughts, Chen Yi found a corner to retreat to, with no intention of going out for the time being.

He didn’t need to guess what sort of circus was going on outside the gates. He had no desire to be the center of their attention.

And things were exactly as he’d imagined.

Someone must have had incredibly sharp ears, managing to hear Feng Erbao’s hushed words clearly from ten zhang away.

Thus, in less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, all the guests in the central courtyard had heard about the Holy Emperor’s verbal edict for Chen Yi.

As for the specific contents...

Chen Yunfan, seated at a side table near the head table, was animatedly recounting the event:

”’We have brought a verbal edict from the Holy Emperor... If you are willing, the Holy Emperor grants you permission to participate in the next imperial examinations.’”

”Lord Yang, Lord Tang, Mr. Yue Ming... My Brother Yi’s scholarship must be quite something to have made the Holy Emperor personally grant his favor, haha...”

His table companions were none other than Duke Qian, Zhang Xuan; Sun Fu; several teachers from Guiyun Academy; the Governor, Yang Ye; and the Inspector General, Tang Zixing.

Li Huai’gu, the Third Place Scholar who now served as Advisor to the Governor’s Office, was ironically the lowest-ranking person at the table.

Both Yang Ye and Tang Zixing had weathered the ups and downs of official life for many years. Though their expressions flickered upon hearing the news, they didn’t say much.

Duke Qian, looking as if he’d known all along, boasted that Chen Yi’s poetry was excellent. He lamented that if Sun Fu hadn’t interfered, he too might have received a birthday poem.

Sun Fu, for his part, ignored him and simply remarked, ”The Holy Emperor’s grace is an extraordinary honor.”

Mr. Yue Ming, however, upon hearing this, looked at the other teachers, his slightly cloudy eyes revealing a certain... hmm...

It was a look that was hard to describe with words.

The general sentiment was: ’See, you old coots? Now do you believe me? That Chen Yi’s Calligraphy is truly remarkable!’

As for his scholarship?

’The writing reflects the man. One can judge a person by their script. How could a student whose writing can manifest a flourishing Mental Realm possibly lack talent?’

Li Huai’gu was the most direct, nodding with a smile. ”I have long known of Brother Qingzhou’s extraordinary learning. That day at the Fengchun Building...”

He recounted his discussion with Chen Yi about the policy essay topic for the recent imperial examinations.

”’The water that bears the boat is the same that swallows it up.’”

Though everyone had their own interpretation of this saying, they were all, for the most part, full of praise.

Yang Ye and Tang Zixing, the two highest officials in Shu State, had served for many years and mostly interpreted the saying in relation to the common people.

Mr. Yue Ming and the others, well-versed in the classics of the Confucian Dao and history, focused on the aspect of ”guiding the situation to one’s advantage.”

We need not mention Li Huai’gu’s interpretation.

Only Chen Yunfan, after a moment of thought, put on a solemn expression. ”It’s a good thing Brother Yi didn’t take the exams this time. Otherwise, my title as Imperial Top Scholar would have been in jeopardy.”

Hearing this, everyone at the table broke into laughter.

’So that’s his assessment of his own talent?’

But in the presence of the Imperial Top Scholar himself, the others couldn’t very well point out his shortcomings.

However, the people at Chen Yunfan’s table were all learned individuals and remained relatively rational.

The feelings of the other people present were a bit more complicated.

Xiao Wang couldn’t understand. How could a live-in son-in-law of the Xiao Family, a man of questionable character and little learning, receive the Holy Emperor’s grace?

Although Xiao Qiuyun didn’t know the reason either, she tried to console him. ”Father, this is just a verbal edict from the Holy Emperor, not an official decree.”

Xiao Wang shook his head gently and sighed. ”Ah, Qiuyun, Chen Yi marrying into the Xiao Family has imperceptibly changed many things.”

’If he hadn’t married in, Xiao Jinghong would have had to marry out eventually. It’s uncertain if the First Branch could have even held on until Xiao Wuge came of age.’

’In that case, it would have been perfectly logical for the Second Branch to take power.’

Xiao Qiuyun was naturally aware of this. She whispered, ”Father, today is Uncle’s birthday celebration. Let’s talk about this later.”

As for the rest of the guests, their thoughts were a mixed bag. Some were envious, some were jealous, and some were indignant.

Most of them brought up Chen Yi’s history of fleeing his wedding, visiting brothels, and abducting a common girl.

It was a chaotic scene, a true cross-section of humanity.

The clamor didn’t cease until Pei Guanli arrived in a hurry, carrying a calligraphy scroll.

She scanned the crowd, and upon seeing that the birthday banquet hadn’t started yet, she let out a sigh of relief.

But before she could find Chen Yi and the others, she overheard some nearby guests speaking ill of him.

While there were no vulgar curses, the words were unpleasant all the same.

Instantly, Pei Guanli’s eyes narrowed.

”Why are these people such gossips? They’re even chattier than the old crones back in the mountains.”

Her eyes darted around.

A smile played on the lips of Pei Guanli, who was dressed in the grand attire of the Mountain Race.

Then, she began to weave through the guests on her fair, bare feet, flicking her hands continuously as she went.

’This one said something bad about Brother-in-law? Here’s an Energy Loss Pill for you.’

’That one cursed Brother-in-law a few times? How vile. He deserves to be impotent for three days.’

’And I can’t let off the ones who spoke with contempt, either.’

Fortunately, she knew her limits. The medicinal powders she used were not only in small doses but also had delayed effects, so no one noticed, and the banquet wasn’t disrupted.

It wasn’t until she reached Chen Yunfan’s table that the JINGLE JINGLE of her bells drew the attention of those seated there.

Chen Yunfan saw the movement of her hands, and his eyes went wide.

’This girl... this girl is poisoning the guests...’

’Has she gone mad!?’

Chen Yunfan didn’t have time to think, nor could he be bothered with decorum. He immediately shot up from his seat and ran towards the main hall.

”Brother Yi! Come quickly! I have something to tell you! Stop hiding!”

’Now I’m sure of it—this is definitely not something Chen Yi told her to do.’

’Including my tattered robes from last night, it must all be that blasted girl acting on her own initiative.’

’Good heavens, what kind of spell did Chen Yi cast on that girl to make her so protective of him?’

Hearing the shout, Chen Yi looked at him, slightly puzzled. ”Brother, why the hurry?”

”Hurry?”

Chen Yunfan stomped over, muttering under his breath. He leaned close to Chen Yi’s ear and whispered fiercely,

”That girl from the Mountain Race is poisoning the guests!”

Chen Yi blinked. His calm and composed demeanor vanished in an instant as he bolted out of the main hall.

”Pei Guanli!”

Hearing her name, the Tiger Girl weaving through the crowd beamed and stretched out a jade-white arm toward him.

”Brother-in-law, I’m over here!”

”...”

Chen Yi noticed the astonished stares of the other guests, forced a smile, and beckoned to her.

”Come here. Your brother-in-law has something good for you!”