To avoid disturbing Chen Yi and the others, they moved as quietly as possible, placing the prepared luggage onto the carriage outside the garden.
Wang Lixing and Liu Si’er were waiting by the carriage, chatting idly from time to time.
"I heard first thing this morning that a big fire broke out in the East Market last night. It was just put out."
"Besides a few grain storehouses, several neighboring buildings were also hit, especially the cloth merchants."
"I heard a warehouse storing medicinal herbs was also affected. Most of the herbs are gone."
Wang Lixing watched the entrances to Jiaxing Garden and Spring Lotus Garden as he asked in a low voice:
"Has the price of grain gone up?"
Liu Si’er grinned. "Do you even have to ask? With those bastards’ personalities, after a loss this big, how could they not raise the prices?"
"That’s true..."
As they chatted, Xiaodie, Juan’er, and Cui’er came over, each carrying a few small boxes.
Liu Si’er and Wang Lixing went forward to take them and placed them all in one of the carriages.
Xiaodie wiped the sweat from her forehead and said with a smile, "The Young Master didn’t bring many things, this is all of it."
Beside her, Juan’er and Cui’er also said they were finished.
"Thank you both for waiting. We’ll go back to attend to the Miss and Young Master now."
Wang Lixing nodded, gave the carriage a final check, and locked it.
"Brother Si, the journey isn’t far, but it’s outside the city. Keep a careful watch."
Liu Si’er hopped onto the carriage and said, "With Miss Xie and Miss Shen following, ordinary bandits won’t be able to get close."
"I’m talking about the Second Young Master."
"Don’t worry, I’ll keep a close eye on him."
Just then, Xiaodie, who had just gone back inside, emerged from Spring Lotus Garden with Xiao Wuge.
Wang Lixing said no more. He patted Liu Si’er on the shoulder and led Xiao Wuge toward the Martial Arts Arena.
Liu Si’er watched them walk away, then turned his head and asked with a smile, "Miss Xiaodie, is the Second Young Master awake yet?"
Xiaodie was on her way to the rear kitchen. Hearing his question, she replied, "Not yet. Are you looking for the Young Master?"
Liu Si’er thought of the secret letter he received yesterday and said with a nonchalant smile, "Just asking."
Xiaodie, unsuspecting, hurried to the rear kitchen.
In fact, Chen Yi was already fully dressed and had calmly taken a seat in the living room.
He had naturally heard the voices outside, but his expression didn’t change at all. His eyes were fixed on the screen of light before him:
[Daily Intelligence · Profound-rank Top Grade: In the third quarter of the Si Hour, Chen Yunfan will duel Cui Qingwu in swordsmanship inside Tingyu Pavilion. A small amount of Opportunity can be obtained.]
Chen Yi read it twice and mused to himself.
’They’re dueling with swordsmanship... Tsk. I’m afraid Cui Qingwu has found out that my brother has been hiding his Martial Arts skills.’
’I just don’t know if he’s aware of Cui Qingwu’s identity. He probably is, right?’
In their previous few meetings, although Chen Yi didn’t have a good impression of Cui Qingwu, he could still tell how she felt about his brother, Chen Yunfan.
—In those eyes, there was room for no one but Chen Yunfan.
Under these circumstances, Chen Yi found it hard to believe that his brother truly disliked his fiancée, Cui Qingwu.
’Or maybe Chen Yunfan’s issue isn’t with Cui Qingwu, but with the Cui Family?’
That was also a possibility.
Chen Yi chuckled. "It feels a bit like a case of bickering lovers. A pity I won’t get to see them duel."
He had to accompany Xiao Wan’er outside the city today to look at potential sites for the Medical Dao Academy. He might not even be back by the Xu hour, let alone the Wu hour.
With these thoughts, he closed the screen of light and his gaze shifted to the world outside his door.
The sky was just beginning to brighten as the stars and moon faded. Within Spring Lotus Garden, only the crisp chirping of insects could be heard.
The scenery was quite pleasant.
However, fallen petals and leaves were scattered across the garden.
Chen Yi watched for a moment, and his thoughts inevitably drifted to the events of last night.
A chessboard materialized in his mind, and one by one, Heizi fell onto the board.
They seemed as scattered as the fallen petals and leaves, but no matter where the Heizi were placed, they all surrounded a single, gleaming black piece in the center.
That piece represented none other than the Jing State Liu Family.
Or rather, Liu Hong.
Chen Yi casually picked up a white stone and moved it forward two spaces, placing it next to the white stone representing Elder Master Xiao.
’Yang Ye... If this Right Governor doesn’t act, it will be impossible to deal with Liu Hong.’
As he thought, he added another white stone. ’It just so happens that Li Huai’gu has been facing difficulties from Liu Hong recently, and Mr. Yue Ming is going to visit Right Envoy Yang.’