Chapter 359: Chapter 238: If the Second Brother-in-law Were the Eldest, Then...

Then she realized, and her smile grew even wider as she said:

"Once I’m back at the mansion, I’ll go discuss this with Grandfather. I hope he won’t refuse."

"Unlike my own condition, Grandfather’s poor health is due to injuries accumulated from his years on the battlefield. Perhaps someone out there can truly heal him."

Chen Yi nodded. "The world is a vast place, full of talented and extraordinary people. I’m sure a Divine Doctor exists somewhere."

He had mentioned the Elder Master for this very reason.

In fact, he had once used his Qi Observation Skill to examine Elder Master Xiao’s physical condition—and the outlook was not optimistic.

Beyond his old wounds and ailments, the most critical factor was the Elder Master’s advanced age; he didn’t have much time left.

An ordinary Medical Saint Hand would likely be helpless in this situation.

Unless, of course, he took action himself.

Even if he couldn’t completely cure the Elder Master either, he could still extend his life, ease his suffering, and make it easy for him to live another ten or twenty years.

Two hours later, the sky had long since grown dark. Chen Yi, Xiao Wan’er, and the others finally returned to their residence in town.

They washed up, changed their clothes, and had dinner.

The group settled in for the night.

However, since this residence was much smaller than the Marquis’s Mansion, Chen Yi’s room was directly across from Xiao Wan’er’s.

Shen Huatang, along with Juan’er and Cui’er, kept watch from the antechamber inside Xiao Wan’er’s room.

Liu Si’er was simply assigned a servant’s room next to the stables.

With nothing else to do, Chen Yi lay down on his bed early.

Worried that Shen Huatang might notice any disturbance, he didn’t even practice his Four Symbols Skill.

But before he could drift off to sleep, a knock sounded at his door.

"Brother-in-law, are you asleep?"

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow. ’Xiao Wan’er?’

He sat up, called out in response, and went to open the door. Standing there were Xiao Wan’er and Shen Huatang.

They were both fully and neatly dressed, unlike Chen Yi, who was only in a light, comfortable robe.

Xiao Wan’er glanced at him, then lowered her head slightly. "I... My apologies for disturbing your rest."

Seeing the paper and brush in her hands, Chen Yi guessed it had to do with the Medical Dao Academy. He stepped aside and invited them in.

"Still awake so late? Eldest Sister, you’re truly losing sleep over the Medical Dao Academy."

Xiao Wan’er was a bit embarrassed that he had seen right through her, but with her straightforward nature, she didn’t just turn and leave.

Instead, she placed the paper she was holding on the table and spread it out. "I sketched a rough draft. Please, take a look."

"This quickly?"

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and took the paper for a look.

Xiao Wan’er was a skilled painter.

With just a few strokes, she had outlined the general layout of the Medical Dao Academy.

The layout of the mountains and streams, the courtyards, and the residences she drew were identical to the scenery they had seen outside Monkey Mountain that day.

After looking it over, Chen Yi thought for a moment before picking up a brush and beginning to make his own modifications to the drawing.

Xiao Wan’er was taken aback. She moved to stand beside him, her bright eyes fixed on the paper without blinking.

Shen Huatang, standing nearby, paid no mind to the Medical Dao Academy. Her gaze was fixed solely on Chen Yi and Xiao Wan’er.

As she watched them, she couldn’t help but sigh to herself.

She found herself recalling the conversation she had overheard between Chen Yi and Xiao Wan’er earlier that day.

Their talk of an "incurable disease" made it impossible for her not to feel a sense of sympathy for Xiao Wan’er.

’If he were the Eldest Miss’s husband instead of the Second Miss’s, he and the Eldest Miss would be quite a good match.’

’What a pity...’

But whether it was a pity or not, neither Chen Yi nor Xiao Wan’er was concerned. At that moment, their minds were focused solely on the Medical Dao Academy.

Before long,

After a few strokes from Chen Yi’s brush, the simple sketch on the paper was completely transformed.

The academy was still built against the mountain, but compared to Xiao Wan’er’s drawing, his version was a clear step up in both layout and configuration.

He had, in particular, connected the study halls for the Medical Research Institute to the nearby waterway, making the academy’s layout far more practical.

Furthermore, Chen Yi had added several pavilions and terraces, as well as plans for the academy’s future expansion.

He looked at the sketch on the paper and explained to Xiao Wan’er:

"You won’t need too many people at the start. About a hundred students should be enough to get the academy up and running."

"Four study halls, twenty dormitories, and a small courtyard for the instructors will be more than enough."

Xiao Wan’er nodded instinctively. She looked from the layout on the paper to Chen Yi, then suddenly asked:

"Brother-in-law, are you an expert painter as well?"

Chen Yi blinked. "Eldest Sister, shouldn’t you be focusing on the academy?"

He didn’t deny it, though. With a smile, he continued, "My Painting Dao is merely at the entry-level. I still have a long way to go."

This wasn’t false modesty.

His Painting Dao had indeed reached the Minor Success Realm, but since he had only been studying it for a short time, his proficiency with techniques like ink wash painting wasn’t high. It was only a small step above the Initial Insight level.

But that wasn’t how it sounded to Xiao Wan’er.

She said with a look of admiration, "Brother-in-law, you’re truly incredible."

Although she had long known Chen Yi was a master of Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting, she had only witnessed his skills in Calligraphy and Chess—and his atrociously bad Zither Dao.

Now that she saw him demonstrate his skill in the Painting Dao, she felt an inexplicable sense of joy.

Chen Yi chuckled, at a loss for words. "Let’s just focus on the blueprint and see if anything else needs to be added."

"No, I think it’s perfect. You’ve been much more thorough than I was."

"How about this—once the Medical Dao Academy is built, I’ll invite you to be an instructor."

"Me? I don’t know the first thing about the Medical Dao. What would I teach? Surely you don’t expect me to teach them Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting."

"Why not..."

’That’s not a good idea at all.’

If Chen Yi had any intention of getting deeply involved with the Medical Dao Academy, he wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of cultivating Ma Liangcai; he would have recommended himself long ago under the guise of "Chen Yu."

Besides, he had other matters to attend to.

Matters like Guiyun Academy, Jishi Medicine Hall, Hundred Herbs Hall, and other, even more important affairs.

After a few more moments of small talk, Xiao Wan’er remembered the painting she had mentioned earlier and led Chen Yi to the chambers where her parents once lived.

With a CREAK, the door opened.

Shen Huatang lit the oil lamp inside.

As the flame illuminated the room, Chen Yi’s gaze immediately fell upon the painting hanging in the center.

It depicted Xiao Fengchun in a fine brocade robe, Fu Wanqing in a long pink gown, and two children with brilliant smiles.

Chen Yi studied it for a moment and thought with a sigh, ’No wonder Xiao Wan’er, Xiao Jinghong, and Xiao Wuge are all so strikingly beautiful.’

Even though it was only an ink-and-wash painting with less-than-refined brushwork, he could still tell that Xiao Fengchun had been a handsome man, and Fu Wanqing was a peerless beauty, truly worthy of her title as one of the Four Celestials of the Jianghu.

Xiao Wan’er’s gaze also fell upon the painting, and the faint smile on her face slowly faded, replaced by a touch of sorrow in her eyes.

"So many years have passed, and I’ve still never been able to forget..."

She trailed off, not finishing her thought.

But Chen Yi knew she was speaking of Xiao Fengchun and Fu Wanqing. After a moment’s thought, he bowed deeply toward the painting.

"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, your son-in-law, Chen Yi, courtesy name Qingzhou, pays his respects."

Xiao Wan’er froze, tilting her head to watch him. The sadness on her face instantly dissipated, and she covered her mouth to hide a smile.

"You really should be bowing."

"When you fled your wedding to Second Sister, you missed the ceremony with her."

Chen Yi smiled. "I seem to recall us redoing it later in the Punishment Hall, no?"

Xiao Wan’er shot him a look. "How could that possibly count?"

After a pause, she looked back at the painting, her voice softening slightly.

"If Father and Mother were still alive, they certainly wouldn’t have let you off so easily."

"If they were, perhaps I never would have been able to join the Xiao Family."

Chen Yi was well aware that the only reason he had been able to marry into the Xiao Family was due to their decline and their lack of a new generation of talent.

If Xiao Fengchun and Fu Wanqing were still alive, neither Xiao Wan’er nor Xiao Jinghong would have ever needed to recruit a man to marry into the family.

Given the Xiao Family’s legacy, the sisters would have likely been able to choose ideal husbands for themselves.

At the very least, they would have found someone of Chen Yunfan’s caliber.

It certainly wouldn’t have been his turn, a mere concubine’s son from the Jiangnan Prefecture’s Chen Family.

After a few moments, Xiao Wan’er took the painting down from the wall. She began rolling it up carefully as she said with a smile:

"Brother-in-law, when you have a free day, would you be able to help me create a copy of this painting?"

"I’d like to have one for Second Sister and another for Wuge."

Watching her, Chen Yi nodded. "Let me practice my Painting Dao a little more first."

He knew Xiao Wan’er couldn’t move on from the memory of her late parents, so he had no intention of refusing.

It was just that his skill in the Painting Dao was genuinely unrefined at the moment; any copy he produced would lack the proper spirit.

If he waited a few more days, he was confident he could achieve a much better result.

After a few more words, the three of them returned to their respective rooms.

Chen Yi glanced at the room across from his, a faint smile gracing his otherwise calm expression.

’Good night, Xiao Wan’er.’

Just then, midnight arrived, and a flash of golden light appeared—

[Daily Intelligence · Profound-rank Top Grade: At the sixth quarter of the Hai hour, the Hidden Guard, Lady Tiger, will meet with a person from Poshisu Country at the Spring Rain Building in Yanhua Lane. A small Opportunity can be obtained.]

’Lady Tiger... Lou Yuxue?’

’Someone from Poshisu Country... one of King Landu’s people?’

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