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

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Proving the Dao

Of course, Chen Yi wasn’t crazy.

Not only was he not crazy, but he was calmer at this moment than ever before.

Ever since last night, when he learned that Xiao Dongchen was a member of the Hidden Guard and deduced the role he, the ”Fledgling,” played within the organization, he knew he had to create some camouflage for himself.

The Medicine Hall Master and the idle, live-in son-in-law of the Xiao Family was his first layer of protection—his public disguise.

Wang Ji and Boss Yan were the second layer, a contingency he was preparing for the future.

As for the third layer, that was his Martial Arts Cultivation and progress in his Techniques.

Of course, this was also the most critical layer of protection.

If he possessed Martial Arts Cultivation on par with his wife, Xiao Jinghong, there was no way the Hidden Guard would look down on him like this.

That’s right. In Chen Yi’s eyes, he, the ”Fledgling,” was nothing more than an insignificant pawn in the hands of the Hidden Guard.

He might seem important, but in reality, he was likely inconsequential.

Otherwise, why would the Hidden Guard have allowed him to attempt to flee his own wedding?

They knew the original owner of his body was a frail scholar, yet they offered no protection, letting him develop in a laissez-faire manner...

He guessed they saw him as a spare piece at best.

If he succeeded, it would be a massive return on a small investment. If he failed, he wouldn’t affect the grand scheme of things.

The Hidden Guard, or rather, the ministers in the Capital Prefecture’s Imperial Court, had already drawn their bows and aimed their arrows at the Xiao Family.

’If the original owner were still alive, I’m afraid he’d resent the Hidden Guard too.’

With that thought, Chen Yi took Wang Ji to the back room of the Medicine Hall to discuss future arrangements.

It could be summarized in just a few sentences.

For instance, they would maintain the old system of diagnosing patients and writing prescriptions at the hall, but having them fill those prescriptions at other pharmacies.

Also, the location of the Herbal Medicine Shop had to be changed. It couldn’t be right next to Jishi Medicine Hall; that would be too conspicuous.

”And we need to get a bigger storefront. If we’re going into business, we should go big. What’s the point of playing small?”

”From now on, we won’t just supply Jishi Medicine Hall. We’ll handle the business for the Xiao Family’s other medicine halls and all the large and small clinics in Shu State City.”

”And besides raw medicinal herbs, we’ll also have some prescription drugs for specific ailments. We can cooperate with the medicine halls to sell them and just share some of the profits.”

After listening, Wang Ji understood Chen Yi’s plan.

He thought for a moment, then asked, ”Formulas are a closely guarded secret at any medicine hall or clinic. For regular prescriptions, we can obscure things with pricing.”

”But if someone finds out we’re using another hall’s formula, then...”

Chen Yi grunted in acknowledgment. ”I’ll figure something out for the formulas. You just focus on getting the shop up and running.”

As he spoke, he looked at Wang Ji and said with a smile, ”From now on, you’ll be the boss of that shop.”

Wang Ji naturally understood the implication. After a moment of contemplation, he asked with a complicated expression:

”There is one thing I don’t understand. Why are you doing all this?”

Chen Yi’s smile remained, but his tone carried a hint of melancholy. ”Taking precautions, I suppose. Otherwise, it’ll be hard for me to have even a few peaceful days in the future.”

Even though he said this, he guessed Wang Ji was still confused, but he had no intention of explaining further.

”You just need to remember that, like you, I only want to earn a little money and help those in need later on.”

Hearing this, Wang Ji’s expression softened considerably.

He then stood up and bowed solemnly. ”Since Young Master is willing to trust me, Wang Ji will risk it all to achieve great things with you.”

”From this day forward, if Old Yan and I ever have second thoughts, we will submit to any punishment you see fit!”

’Young Master?’

Chen Yi mused that Wang Ji still considered him part of the Xiao family. ’I guess that makes him a sentimental person.’

If he hadn’t been so short on usable people, he wouldn’t have made Wang Ji and the others sign contracts as leverage.

If you want a kite to fly high, you need to have enough string in your hand.

After all, he wasn’t Xiao Wan’er; he naturally lacked trust in people like Wang Ji.

”As for the physicians, apprentices, and the accountant, you’ll be the one to handle them. Make sure they keep their mouths shut about what happened today.”

”Also, once you’ve collected the silver coins, use them as the initial capital for the medicine shop.”

”But remember, sooner or later, that money has to be returned to Eldest Miss Xiao...”

Chen Yi gave a few more instructions before sending Wang Ji out to reassure the others in the Medicine Hall.

He just watched from the side, occasionally adding a few words to put their minds at ease.

After Wang Ji left the Medicine Hall, Liu Si’er and Ge the Third came in. Seeing the physicians, apprentices, and accountant already preparing to open for business, they were completely bewildered.

The two exchanged a look.

Liu Si’er gestured for him to go and ask.

Ge the Third scratched his head, sidled up to Chen Yi, and asked, ”Young Master, is everything settled?”

Chen Yi nodded while looking at the account book. ”They’ve agreed to return the silver coins they embezzled. We’ll let the matter drop.”

As for *when* they would return it, that was up to him to decide.

Therefore, he didn’t forget to remind them, ”And you two, don’t go gossiping back at the estate. We don’t want someone to overhear and cause trouble for the Eldest Sister.”

Ge the Third glanced at Liu Si’er, saw that he understood, and asked no more questions.

The Young Master was now the master of Jishi Medicine Hall; everything here was naturally his decision.

However, as Personal Guards of the estate, they really couldn’t say anything that might harm the Eldest Miss’s reputation.

Especially since they both knew that the second and third branches of the family were somewhat dissatisfied with Xiao Wan’er managing the estate’s finances.

Chen Yi didn’t care what Liu Si’er and Ge the Third were thinking. Even if Liu Si’er reported this, the Hidden Guard wouldn’t find out what he had truly done anytime soon.

Taking a step back, so what if the Hidden Guard did find out?

Perhaps they would even be pleased with the growth of their ”Fledgling.”

In fact, a similar thought was forming in Liu Si’er’s mind at that very moment.

Although he didn’t know what had just happened inside the Medicine Hall, Chen Yi’s cover-up led him to guess that the ”Fledgling” had made a move.

He just didn’t know what scheme Chen Yi was planning with this medicine hall.

’In the end, he’ll probably have to return to being an official or joining the Dingyuan Army, right?’

After resolving the matter with Wang Ji, Chen Yi stayed at Jishi Medicine Hall until nearly dusk before heading back.

During that time, he took some money from the counter and had Liu Si’er run to a restaurant near the East Market to bring back food, treating the physicians, apprentices, and the accountant to a meal.

This completely put their minds at ease.

In the afternoon, Chen Yi did nothing else but sit beside the physicians and watch them diagnose patients, write prescriptions, and perform Acupuncture.

With every patient that came in, he would rely on the medical texts he had recently studied, combine it with the Medical Dao in his mind, and arrive at his own conclusion internally.

Sometimes his diagnosis matched the physicians’, and even the prescriptions he formulated were identical.

Other times, they didn’t match.

In the end, it was usually his diagnosis that was wrong.

’The Four Examinations of the Medical Dao are inspection, listening/smelling, inquiry, and palpation. I’ve only got the first three down. I haven’t practiced the most crucial part, pulse-taking, so it’s normal to make mistakes.’

Chen Yi comforted himself with this thought.

Fortunately, regardless of whether he was right or wrong, his Medical Dao skill had finally made some progress.

[Medical Skill: Four Examinations successfully practiced. Level: Initial Insight]

[Medical Skill: Acupuncture successfully practiced. Level: Initial Insight]

These two were considered the practical, hands-on techniques of the Medical Dao.

In practice, the entire diagnostic process involved gathering a patient’s information through the Four Examinations, then applying the Eight Principles to determine the ”surface pattern.”

The so-called Eight Principles are: exterior/interior, cold/heat, deficiency/excess, and yin/yang.

The final prescription, as well as Acupuncture and other treatments, were all based on this ”surface pattern” to ”release the exterior.”

And this was only a small part of the entry-level content of the Medical Dao.

Other topics included Yin Yang Five Elements, the zang-fu and meridians, medicinal herbs, and more.

If Chen Yi hadn’t recently read several more medical books, including the *Miscellaneous Discussion of Injury*, he would have struggled just to understand the entire process.

’Thankfully, I have the guidance of the Profound Mysteries of the Medical Dao. Otherwise, this path might be even harder to walk than the path of Martial Arts.’

On the way back, the rain had initially let up, and the bustling Wudong Street was filled with a fresh, fragrant aroma.

However, the good weather didn’t last.

Before Chen Yi, Liu Si’er, and Ge the Third could make it back to the estate, dark clouds gathered once more.

A fine rain began to drift down.

As soon as he returned to Spring Lotus Garden, Chen Yi had Xiaodie fetch water for a bath.

Besides being damp from the rain, the pungent smell of medicinal herbs he’d picked up at the Medicine Hall was even more overpowering.

Xiaodie hurried off to her task.

Xiao Wuge ran over, his little face full of complaint. ”Brother-in-law, you’re finally back! You didn’t even take me out to play.”

Chen Yi didn’t bother explaining, simply covering the boy’s face with his medicine-scented sleeve.

”Take a whiff?”

Xiao Wuge wrinkled his nose. ”What’s that smell? It’s awful.”

”Good, you know it’s awful. We’ll see if you still want to go to the Medicine Hall with me next time.”

”I’ll go! If Brother-in-law can go, so can I...”

In Jiaxing Garden, just a wall away, Xiao Wan’er heard the sounds of laughter and chatter next door, and her heart relaxed.

She knew Chen Yi had gone to Jishi Medicine Hall today and had been worried he wouldn’t be comfortable in that environment.

Now, hearing his cheerful laughter, she knew he had at least taken the first step.

’Second Sister said before that if he performs well, she would arrange for him to go somewhere else...’

Xiao Wan’er watched the fine rain outside, unconsciously tightening the cloak around her shoulders. A complex expression appeared on her pale face as she murmured softly,

”That’s good, too.”

...

「Meanwhile, in a tavern east of Wudong Street, near the Shu State East City Gate.」

Liu Lang, looking as roguish and unrestrained as ever, sat alone in a corner by the window. With a pot of wine and two plates of mutton on the table, he ate and drank by himself.

The long blade that usually hung at his waist now lay flat to his left. Its hilt, wrapped in fine silk threads, faced outward. The scabbard was plain, showing no discernible patterns.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Liu Lang finished the pot of wine, let out a drunken hiccup, and finally spoke. ”You didn’t bring me all this way just to treat me to a meal, did you?”

His voice was soft, almost inaudible.

Unexpectedly, a voice immediately sounded in his ear, ”Naturally, I have business for you.”

”Someone’s paying a high price to have a shipment of goods intercepted.”

”Intercepted?”

Liu Lang frowned. ”What kind of person do you take me for?”

The voice was unmoved and continued, ”They’re the Xiao Family’s goods.”

Liu Lang’s interest was instantly piqued. ”Is Xiao Jinghong the one escorting it?”

”No, but the one guarding the goods also comes from a renowned school.”

”Oh?”

”Shen Huatang, a direct disciple of the Celestial Sect. Her Sword Dao has reached Minor Success. She should be enough to give you a decent fight.”

Hearing this, Liu Lang looked disappointed. He smacked his lips and said, ”After I’m done, can I go find that Xiao Jinghong?”

”I hear her sword and spear are considered the pinnacle of her generation. It would be a perfect chance to test my own blade and spear against hers.”

There was a moment of silence.

The voice then drawled, ”Suit yourself. As long as you’re not afraid to die.”

Liu Lang grinned. ”Jianghu People don’t talk about ’dying.’ We call it ’attaining the Dao.’”

The victor lives, the loser dies.

What could be more exhilarating than attaining the Dao in such a way?