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

[Missing Person Notice: Where at world’s end can I find a kindred spirit!]

On the notice board of the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office, a single line of poetry was written on a large sheet of coarse paper.

It had no beginning and no end.

And yet, it had drawn a sizable crowd.

Among them were many scholars in long robes, pointing and commenting on the notice.

”’Where at world’s end can I find a kindred spirit...’ The imagery is so vast and lonely. The person who posted this must be a scholar skilled in poetry.”

”A pity it’s only half a line. You can’t even call it a fragment—it’s more like a fragment of a fragment.”

”Brother Gu, you’re a student of Guiyun Academy with a reputation for talent. Why not complete the line? If word gets out, it would make for a wonderful story.”

A young man wearing the long robes of a Scholar and a square cap demurred for a moment.

But amid the crowd’s cheerful urging, he began to consider it seriously.

A moment later, a smile broke out on his face. ”I’ve got it.”

”Let’s hear it, Brother Gu.”

”Where at world’s end can I find a kindred spirit? The zither’s strings are broken, with none to know my grieving heart.”

”Excellent! A fine line!”

”Kindred spirits are hard to find. Even with the noblest of melodies, there is no one left to grasp its true meaning. All one’s painstaking efforts become but a fading echo in an empty valley!”

”Brother Gu...”

Chen Yi glanced at the lively scene before closing the carriage curtain and shutting his eyes in thought.

According to the parting agreement he’d made with Lou Yuxue and Cui Qingwu yesterday, the phrase ”Where at world’s end can I find a kindred spirit” was the signal that Du Cang had been found.

But this didn’t align with his own judgment.

It wasn’t that he was overconfident in his deductions. Rather, he had spent days searching for Du Cang to no avail.

And now, after only half a day, the White Tiger Guard had managed to find him?

Either the White Tiger Guard had an incredibly dense network in Shu State City, with Iron and Silver Banner Officers stationed everywhere, allowing them to pinpoint Du Cang’s location by consolidating information.

Or it was a stroke of luck, and Du Cang had turned up right under the nose of a White Tiger Guard member.

Or...

Chen Yi’s thoughts raced. On the chessboard in his mind, several white pieces representing the White Tiger Guard rose and fell.

One of them, a white piece with a more brilliant sheen, vaguely formed an encircling pattern with the other pieces as it moved.

It was the piece representing the ”General.”

’That’s it.’

’The General previously went to the Ancient Tea-Horse Road to find King Landu. By my calculations, several days have already passed.’

’Whatever his objective was, he would surely be affected by Lv Jiunan’s death.’

’Assuming the General went to make some kind of deal with King Landu, then King Landu would certainly use the matter of Lv Jiunan as a bargaining chip.’

’So the General...’

Chen Yi opened his eyes. He looked at the narrow carriage compartment, his brow furrowing slightly.

’Is he trying to use Lou Yuxue to lure me out?’

But after careful consideration, he dismissed this idea.

The General wouldn’t dare.

Or at least, he wouldn’t dare make such a decision so quickly.

The reason was simple.

It was all because of the White Tiger Guard Pavilion Master’s ”personal appointment.”

Even though Chen Yi hadn’t accepted it, the General still shouldn’t dare to act on his own authority.

He could surmise as much from the attitude he’d observed in the White Tiger Guard’s Golden and Silver Banner Officers toward their Pavilion Master.

Therefore, the most likely explanation for the notice at the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office was that Lou Yuxue wanted to meet him to discuss something important.

’The matter of Du Cang?’

Chen Yi’s brow relaxed, and a faint smile touched his lips.

It seemed the White Tiger Guard truly didn’t dare to defy their mysterious Lord Pavilion Master.

Thinking of this, Chen Yi tapped on the front of the carriage. ”I won’t be going to Hundred Herbs Hall.”

Wang Ji was startled for a moment. When he understood, he pulled on the reins and said, ”My lord, I’ll stop the carriage now.”

”No need.”

”You can head back on your own.”

Chen Yi paused, then lowered his voice. ”As for that other matter, go take care of it this afternoon.”

”This afternoon?”

”Haven’t you found the right people?”

”No, that’s not it. I’ve already positioned those men near the grain merchants. It’s just...”

Wang Ji hesitated. ”It’s just that my word alone is no proof. If they don’t believe me, I’m afraid it will affect your plan.”

”Don’t worry, they’ll believe it.”

”Just go and do it.”

”Yes!”

After speaking, Chen Yi shed his clothes, changed into a set of coarse linen garments he had prepared in a bundle, and leaped nimbly from the carriage.

In an instant, he used the surging crowd for cover and vanished into a side alley.

Wang Ji, completely oblivious, drove the carriage on for another half-mile before asking again, ”My lord, perhaps you’d like to stop at Hundred Herbs Hall first?”

For a long moment, there was no reply.

He turned and gently lifted the curtain to peek inside. Seeing it completely empty, he couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief.

He didn’t know why.

But every time Wang Ji saw Chen Yi in his guise as ”Chen Yu,” he felt his heart pound with trepidation.

He was clearly very familiar with Chen Yi by now.

And Mr. Qingzhou was usually so gentle with him.

And yet, when facing ”Chen Yu,” Wang Ji was always on edge, not daring to have a single stray thought or hide anything from him.

’My lord is becoming more and more...’

’Frightening?’

’No, imposing. That’s it.’

With these thoughts, Wang Ji hurried back to Hundred Herbs Hall to carry out Chen Yi’s orders.

...

Chen Yi slipped away just outside the West Market. Peeling off the ”Chen Yu” mask from his face, he concealed his movements, taking a winding path through quiet alleys until he arrived outside the residence on Chuansi Street.

He hadn’t even gotten close when he heard the voices of Pei Guanli and Pei Qian from inside.

”Guanli, you spent all that time at the Marquis’s Mansion. What do you think of that Chen Yi?”

”Brother-in-law... he’s a very nice person.”

”Nice? What do you mean, nice... Huh? Guanli, why is your face so red?”

”I-It’s not!”

Flustered, Pei Guanli’s voice suddenly grew louder. ”Brother, don’t try to turn this on me!”

”I’d say you’re the one who still hasn’t given up on Sister Jinghong, right?”

”I’m telling you, you should just give up.”

”Brother-in-law is a hundred times better than you. No, a thousand times.”

Pei Qian was clearly choked speechless by her retort, unable to say a word for a long moment.

”Then tell me, what’s so good about him?”

”When it comes to looks, your big brother here is just as handsome.”