You Promised to Be an Idle Son-in-Law, How Could You Become a Land Immortal?-Chapter 45: Madam, You’ve Gone Too Far

The next day, before dawn.

The stars and moon were hidden by dark clouds, and a downpour descended, filling the Spring Lotus Garden with the constant sound of SPLASHING rain.

Xiao Jinghong rose early.

After washing up, she sat at her vanity. She glanced over the rouge, powders, and other cosmetics, but only picked up the Silver Half Armor and put it on.

Su Zhenyue, dressed as an attendant and wearing identical half-armor, stood respectfully to the side, holding a set of clothes.

Xiao Jinghong studied her reflection in the Copper Mirror carefully, then stood and asked, "What is on the schedule for today?"

Su Zhenyue shook out the garments and helped her dress. "First, you must go to the Martial Arts Arena. Yesterday, you arranged with the Second Master to test their progress in Martial Arts."

"After breakfast, you are to visit the various residences with the Eldest Miss. I have already prepared the gifts."

"At noon, the Lord Prefect will visit. The Old Marquis will send someone to inform you beforehand. Additionally, this afternoon, General Changqing wishes to..."

Xiao Jinghong frowned slightly. "Postpone it. Tomorrow, I will summon the generals of the Three Towns to meet together."

Su Zhenyue nodded. "I will inform General Changqing shortly."

As they spoke, the two left the side room. When they reached the stairs, Xiao Jinghong glanced at the room opposite hers.

"This morning, prepare some extra meat for her."

"Yes, my lady."

Su Zhenyue knew she was referring to Pei Guanli. After replying, she couldn’t help but recall the "threats" that girl had made back at the Profound Armor Military Town and said with a quiet laugh:

"The Mountain Race sent her out as a messenger? Aren’t they worried she’ll get lost?"

Xiao Jinghong said coolly, "That old woman must believe Pei Guanli is capable of navigating the Jianghu on her own, or she wouldn’t have let her leave the mountains."

"Don’t be fooled by her impetuous nature and low Cultivation. She has plenty of strange and peculiar trinkets on her."

"My lady, are you referring to Witchcraft?"

Xiao Jinghong hummed in agreement as she walked out of the wooden building. "Gu Insects and Poison may be unorthodox methods, but if used well, they can allow one to dominate the Lower Three Grades. On top of that, her Martial Arts cultivation should be on the verge of breaking through to the Eighth Grade Realm."

Su Zhenyue looked at her in surprise. "If I recall correctly, she’s been stuck at the Perfection of the Ninth Grade Realm for many years, hasn’t she?"

"She must have been diligent recently."

As she spoke, Xiao Jinghong glanced toward the third floor of the other wooden building. Seeing no light there, she stepped out into the rain.

Without needing to be told, Su Zhenyue opened the Oil Paper Umbrella she had prepared and held it over Xiao Jinghong’s head, following her step for step.

Noticing Xiao Jinghong’s gaze, she asked hesitantly, "My lady, when we visit the residences later, should we bring the Young Master along?"

"No..."

Before she could finish, Xiao Jinghong recalled their time in the pavilion the previous night and changed her mind.

"There’s no hurry. I’ll ask him when I get back from the Martial Arts Arena."

"Ah..."

"Hm?"

"N-nothing. I spoke out of turn."

Su Zhenyue lowered her head, but beneath her mask, her eyes were wide with shock.

As Xiao Jinghong’s personal attendant, Su Zhenyue considered herself to know her mistress extremely well.

Since childhood, Xiao Jinghong had always been very independent. She never needed the mansion’s elders to intervene in her affairs, whether it was her Martial Arts cultivation, her literacy studies, or her training in Military Strategy.

After she joined the Dingyuan Army, even with the support of generals like Li Changqing and various military advisors, she was the one who made the final decision on all matters, no matter how significant.

Yet now, Xiao Jinghong was going to ask for Chen Yi’s opinion on such a trivial matter.

’This...’

Su Zhenyue was utterly bewildered. ’Why is my lady so concerned about the Young Master?’

「 」

While the rain pattered against the banana leaves in the Spring Lotus Garden, Chen Yi was, for once, enjoying a peaceful sleep.

Partly because of the rain, and partly because Wang Lixing knew the Second Miss had returned and couldn’t come and go as he pleased.

Thus, it wasn’t until a quarter past mao hour that Xiaodie, carrying a basin of hot water with a towel draped over her shoulder, gently pushed the door open.

CREAK. Xiaodie peeked her head in. Seeing Chen Yi still sound asleep, a look of reluctance appeared on her pretty face.

Ever since the Young Master began practicing Martial Arts, he hadn’t slept in this late.

But then she remembered that Shen Huatang had just informed her that the Eldest Miss had prepared breakfast, so she had no choice but to step forward and wake the Young Master.

"What time is it?"

Chen Yi’s breathing hitched. He opened his eyes, sat up, and asked the question.

Xiaodie placed the basin by the bed, wet the towel, and wrung it out. As she gently wiped his face, she replied:

"Young Master, it’s already mao hour."

"Just now, the Eldest Miss had Sister Huatang ask you and the Second Miss to come over for breakfast."

"But the Second Miss went to the Martial Arts Arena early this morning and hasn’t returned yet. Will you wait for her, or go over first?"

After washing his face, Chen Yi got out of bed, changed his clothes, and said, "Let’s wait for my wife."

As Xiaodie straightened his clothes, she said with a smile, "Young Master, you and the Second Miss sat in the pavilion talking for a long time last night."

"You were still awake then?"

"I was. I couldn’t hear what you were saying, but Xiaodie can tell that you and the Second Miss are a perfect match."

Chen Yi couldn’t help but tap her on the forehead. "What do you know about being a perfect match?"

Xiaodie winced and rubbed the spot, grinning. "Like the Third Place Scholar and Lady Yun! You and the Second Miss are just like them."

"Not even close."

’Li Huai’gu and Lady Yun are childhood sweethearts,’ Chen Yi thought to himself. ’I’ve met Xiao Jinghong twice, at the absolute most. What love and affection could there be?’

’If anyone else thought they saw love between us, calling it ’false affection’ wouldn’t be an exaggeration.’

Before she could continue, Chen Yi asked, "Why are you using honorifics again? Are you afraid the misses will punish you now that they’re back at the mansion?"

Xiaodie stuck out her tongue. "I have to follow the mansion’s rules."

A short while later, the two of them left the wooden building and stood under the eaves, listening to the rain and chatting idly.

It was mostly Xiaodie talking and Chen Yi listening, occasionally responding with a flat "uh-huh," "ah," or "oh."

"Young Master, why aren’t you surprised?"

"That was Mr. Yue Ming from Guiyun Academy! If the Eldest Miss and Second Miss hadn’t arrived in time to stop him, he was about to snatch your calligraphy copybook."

Chen Yi replied perfunctorily, "I’m surprised, I’m surprised."

’What’s so surprising about a shameless old man obsessed with Calligraphy?’

But Xiaodie took him at his word and continued chattering with a giggle about yesterday’s events. She recounted what happened when the two misses returned from visiting the Old Marquis: they ran into General Li Changqing of Iron Wall Town, along with the Second Master and the Duchess.

This time, Chen Yi’s interest was piqued. "Is that Li Changqing very familiar with the Old Marquis and the Duchess?"

Xiaodie nodded. "Very familiar. General Li was the Old Marquis’s student. Before he became the Garrison Commander of the Iron Wall Military Town, he was a frequent visitor to the Marquis’s Mansion."

Chen Yi understood. He continued to ask, "And what happened after my wife shut down the Second Master and that Duchess?"

He knew that each of the three military towns in Shu State had a Garrison Commander, all of whom were under the command of the Duke Dingyuan and could be considered the Old Marquis’s right-hand men.

Now that Xiao Jinghong was temporarily acting as the commander-in-chief of the Dingyuan Army in the Old Marquis’s stead, it was only natural for her to be familiar with them.

"Nothing happened after that, Young Master. You should have seen the looks on their faces... it was so scary."

"That just means they’re narrow-minded."

Putting aside everything else, he was already displeased by Xiao Qiuyun’s suggestion that he take up a post at the Shu State Governor’s Office.

’So, my wife was right. A daughter from the second branch who has married out of the family should meddle less in the Xiao Family’s affairs.’

Before long, Xiao Jinghong and Su Zhenyue returned. Chen Yi greeted them with a few pleasantries, and then they all headed to Jiaxing Garden together.

Chen Yi and Xiao Jinghong walked side-by-side in the front, making small talk.

Thinking of the day’s schedule, Xiao Jinghong asked, "Husband, later my sister and I will be going to the various residences to deliver some gifts. Would you like to come with us?"

Chen Yi thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

"Then... would you be willing to help Eldest Sister?"

"Alright... hm?"

Xiao Jinghong turned her head to look at him. "Eldest Sister currently manages the Medicine Halls, fields, and several shops, both inside and outside the mansion. If you agree, you could go and help her out a bit."

Chen Yi was speechless.

’Wife, you’re going a little too far.’

’We’ve only just started to get to know each other, and you’re already planning to work your husband like a horse?’