Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 202 Complex Situation, Self-Preservation

Inside the Zichen Hall.

With Chen Wan'er gone, the entire palace returned to a deathly silence.

The Empress was the only one left in the empty hall.

She didn't look at the memorials again, but slowly stood up from the dragon throne and walked to the window.

She pushed open the window, and the cool moonlight streamed in, illuminating her exquisitely beautiful but slightly pale face.

She gazed silently at the night sky outside the window, her usually majestic phoenix eyes now revealing a hint of bewilderment and reminiscence.

A moment later, a smile suddenly appeared on the Empress's face. "Still the same as when you were a child, both infuriating and adorable."

At this moment, the empress's charming and alluring expression was enough to drive any man crazy.

Unfortunately, the hall was empty at the time, so no one else could witness this touching scene.

A moment later, the smile on the Empress's face gradually faded, and her eyes regained their coldness and rationality.

Besides that precious memory, there was also a political consideration behind her decision to promote Chen Ye to the Xuanjing Division today.

The Mysterious Mirror is the most important weapon in her hand, but it is not sharp enough yet.

Most of the people in the department were transferred from the Imperial Guard and the Ministry of Justice. Although they were loyal, they lacked a sharp edge and were divided into factions that hindered each other.

Therefore, she needs someone with a clean background, who is fearless and daring to fight, to stir up this stagnant pool.

Chen Ye happens to be the most suitable candidate.

He came from a fallen noble family, had no factional background, and was a spoiled brat who acted without restraint.

Most importantly, his sister is Chen Wan'er, who is also the person he trusts the most.

So she gave Chen Ye this opportunity.

It is both a test and an investment.

If he can seize this opportunity, establish himself in the Xuanjing Division, and become a qualified sword, then she wouldn't mind giving him a higher status and glory.

If he's hopeless and can't be helped... then so be it. I'll just support him for the rest of my life.

Thinking of this, the Empress turned around and returned to her desk, continuing to bury herself in reviewing the memorials.

The next day, just as dawn broke and the palace gates opened, Chen Wan'er hurried towards the Chen family mansion.

When Chen Wan'er arrived at the Chen family mansion, the entire mansion was still shrouded in a quiet stillness, as if she hadn't yet woken up from a hangover.

Last night's welcome banquet was extremely lively.

Chen Fangshi was overjoyed and drank a lot of wine with his son. In the end, he was carried back to his room.

Chen Ye also drank quite a bit, but with his cultivation level at the Sea Condensation Realm, this amount of alcohol was nothing.

He was in his own courtyard, shirtless, practicing a set of powerful and unparalleled boxing techniques.

The force of the punch was so strong that it sent the fallen leaves in the yard flying everywhere.

His muscles were clearly defined, exuding an explosive sense of power. Sweat slid down his bronze skin, radiating a strong masculine aura in the morning light.

When Chen Wan'er pushed open the courtyard gate, this was the scene she saw.

She stopped in her tracks, momentarily stunned.

Is this still her frail younger brother who couldn't lift a finger or carry anything?
"Sister? Why are you here?"

Chen Ye stopped his punching stance and was somewhat surprised to see Chen Wan'er standing at the door.

He casually picked up a coat from a nearby stone bench, put it on, and walked over with a smile.

"What? You don't welcome me?" Chen Wan'er snapped out of her daze, rolled her eyes at him, and stepped into the courtyard.

"How could that be? I was just worried that you were working too hard and hadn't rested enough." Chen Ye chuckled, pulled her to sit down on the stone bench, and then picked up the teapot on the table and poured her a cup of hot tea.

Chen Wan'er felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at his attentive manner.

She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then fixed her gaze on Chen Ye, asking bluntly, "Alright, stop with the joking around. Tell me, what exactly happened yesterday?"

"What? What happened?" Chen Ye pretended to be confused even though he knew the answer.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Chen Wan'er glared at him angrily. "How did you kill the One-Horned Thunder Tiger?"

She couldn't believe that her younger brother had suddenly become a master capable of taking on such a strange beast single-handedly.

There's definitely something fishy going on behind this.

Looking into his sister's eyes, Chen Ye knew he couldn't fool her anymore.

Moreover, he didn't intend to hide it from his older sister.

Some secrets, such as the system and time travel, must never be revealed.

But telling her some things can actually make her feel more at ease and help her cover up for herself.

So Chen Ye touched his nose, lowered his voice, and recounted in detail how he used the terrain, how he used the sleeping incense to distract Lei Hu, how he scaled the walls to pick the Drunken Dragon Fruit, and finally how he used the Drunken Dragon Fruit to paralyze Lei Hu and then killed him with a single blow.

Of course, he cleverly glossed over the part about his strength by mentioning his family's internal energy cultivation since childhood and his recent sudden enlightenment.

Chen Wan'er was stunned as she listened, her beautiful eyes widening in disbelief.

The whole process sounds thrilling and extremely dangerous; a slight misstep could result in certain death.

But I must say, this plan is absolutely brilliant!
The plan was meticulously crafted, making the most of favorable timing, location, human factors, and even the habits of the Thunder Tiger.

"You...you're telling the truth?" Chen Wan'er still couldn't quite believe it after hearing it.

"Of course it's true, why would I lie to you?" Chen Ye shrugged. "If you don't believe me, ask your father. Doesn't the book 'A Study of Yunzhou Customs' in our study record the habits of the Drunken Dragon Fruit and the One-Horned Thunder Tiger?"

Chen Wan'er thought about it carefully and realized that there really was such a thing.

She also enjoyed reading those miscellaneous books when she was a child, and it seems that she did indeed see relevant records.

So the younger brother wasn't lying.

He truly accomplished this hunt through his own wisdom and courage!

Having figured this out, Chen Wan'er suddenly reached out and pinched Chen Ye's arm hard.

"Ouch—Sis, what are you doing! It hurts!" Chen Ye winced in pain.

"You deserve to be in so much pain!" Chen Wan'er's eyes were red. "Do you know how dangerous that was! What if you had slipped? What if the Drunken Dragon Fruit hadn't worked? Have you thought about the consequences?!"

She was genuinely terrified.

The thought of her younger brother scaling walls and leaping across rooftops amidst a hail of bullets sent shivers down her spine.

"Nothing's wrong, is it?" Chen Ye muttered under his breath, rubbing his arm. "Fortune favors the bold, sister. If I don't make a big fuss, how can I get His Majesty's attention? How can I save face for you and our Chen family?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Wan'er froze.

Looking at her brother's face, which held both innocence and seriousness, all her anger instantly dissipated.

Instead, there was an indescribable bitterness and emotion.

Yes.

The reason he works so hard is for her and for this family, isn't it?
As the older sister, what right do I have to blame him?
"You..."

Chen Wan'er sighed, raised her hand, and gently stroked Chen Ye's cheek, her eyes filled with tenderness and doting.

"You've really grown up and know how to share the burden of this family. Well done!"

She patted Chen Ye on the shoulder, her face full of praise and pride, "As expected of my brother, Chen Wan'er! He's so smart! Much better than those idiots who only know how to use brute force!"

Her younger brother made a name for himself at the autumn hunt, and she, as the older sister, was also very proud!
"That's right!" Chen Ye puffed out his chest proudly. "Your brother is going to become a man of great stature... cough cough, a dragon among men!"

"What a jerk!" Chen Wan'er was amused by his smugness and scolded him with a smile.

The siblings laughed and joked for a while, and the atmosphere became incredibly warm.

This long-lost intimacy made both of them feel very comfortable.

After the laughter subsided, Chen Wan'er's smile gradually faded, and her expression became serious again.

She looked at Chen Ye seriously and said, "Alright, enough of the small talk. I've come to see you today because I have something important to tell you."

"Sister, go ahead and say it." Chen Ye also put away his playful expression and listened attentively.

He knew that what his sister was about to say was something very important.

"You are now an inspector of the Xuanjing Division. Do you know what this position means?" Chen Wan'er asked.

Chen Ye thought for a moment and said, "The Xuanjing Division is His Majesty's eyes and ears, specializing in monitoring officials and investigating illegal activities, so the power of the inspectors must be considerable, right?"

"It's more than just significant!" Chen Wan'er's expression grew serious. "The Xuanjing Division has the independent power to handle cases, make arrests, and interrogate. They can bypass the Three Judicial Offices and report directly to His Majesty. In emergencies, they can even execute first and report later! Wouldn't you say that's a lot of power?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye's mind also tightened.

He had guessed that the Xuanjing Division wielded considerable power, but he hadn't expected it to be this great. To act first and report later—this was practically an imperial edict!

“The Xuanjing Division is a weapon His Majesty uses to deal with those disobedient court officials,” Chen Wan’er continued. “So, by entering the Xuanjing Division, you are essentially placing yourself on the opposite side of the court officials. Your every word and action will be scrutinized under a magnifying glass, and the slightest mistake could be seized upon, leading to your impeachment and death!”

"And the Xuanjing Division is no good either. Everyone there is ruthless and vicious, a real menace! As a newcomer, you'll find countless people waiting to laugh at you and use you as a stepping stone to be trampled down!"

"The commander of the Xuanjing Division is a trusted confidant promoted by His Majesty from the Imperial Guard. His name is Shen Lian. He is cold and ruthless, never smiles, and only obeys His Majesty's orders. He has two garrison commanders on the left and right, four commanders of a thousand, and then you patrol commanders."

“You are currently just a seventh-rank inspector, temporarily in charge of a hundred households, with about a hundred men under your command. These men are recruited from various local garrisons and from all walks of life. They are a mixed bag, and none of them are easy to deal with! So if you can’t control them, you won’t be able to establish yourself.”

Chen Wan'er told Chen Ye everything she had found out about the internal situation of the Xuanjing Division.

"Sister, what should I do?" Chen Ye asked humbly.

"Remember these eight words," Chen Wan'er said, extending her finger and emphasizing each word: "Keep a low profile and protect yourself wisely."

"Don't stand out before you've established yourself, don't offend people easily, and don't touch those hot cases. Just do what the commander tells you to do, observe more, listen more, and speak less."

"Your advantage lies in His Majesty's high regard for you and my relationship with you in the palace. So most people wouldn't dare to openly harm you, but there will definitely be no shortage of obstacles in the shadows. Therefore, you should be more careful and think twice before you act."

"Also, you must subdue those hundred or so men under your command as soon as possible. You can be a little tough on them, but you must also know how to use both kindness and severity! Only by keeping these people firmly in your hands can you have a foothold in the Xuanjing Division."

Chen Ye nodded secretly, because what Chen Wan'er said was exactly what he had thought.

It's clear that Chen Wan'er is incredibly devoted to her younger brother.

She would break down and explain the ins and outs of officialdom to her younger brother, fearing that Chen Ye might suffer even the slightest injustice.

"I understand, sister, don't worry," Chen Ye said very solemnly.

"Mm." Seeing her younger brother's serious expression, Chen Wan'er nodded with satisfaction.

She believed that with her younger brother's intelligence, as long as he was willing to put in the effort, he would be able to adapt to the environment of the Xuanjing Division very quickly.

After explaining all this, Chen Wan'er felt half relieved.

She glanced at the sky and prepared to get up and leave.

After all, she was still on duty and couldn't linger outside the palace for too long.

But just as she was about to get up, she suddenly remembered something else that was even more troubling.

Her expression suddenly turned somewhat strange as she looked at Chen Ye, hesitant to speak.

"Sis, what's wrong? Is something the matter?" Chen Ye keenly noticed the change in her expression.

“Um…” Chen Wan’er hesitated for a moment, but decided to give him a nudge, “What’s going on between you and Miss Wu from the Grand Tutor’s mansion…?”

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat.

Wu Mengwei?
How did my sister know about this?

Chen Ye's mind went blank for a moment, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Did Wu Mengwei reveal it herself?

No, that girl would never dare.

So... my sister planted a spy next to me?

Seeing Chen Ye's face change in an instant, Chen Wan'er immediately understood what was going on.

She was both angry and anxious, and she pointed her finger hard at Chen Ye's forehead.

"You brat! You've got some nerve, going and messing with whoever you want!"

"Do you know who Wu Daofu is? Do you think you can just touch his daughter like that? If word gets out, not only will your newly acquired official position be ruined, but our entire Chen family will be destroyed along with you!"

Chen Wan'er was genuinely furious.

She felt her heart was just too tired.

I just solved one problem, and now an even bigger one pops up.

"Sis, don't get agitated." Chen Ye rubbed his forehead and said with a wry smile, "It's not what you think."

"It's not what I think, then what is it?" Chen Wan'er said irritably, "A lone man and a lone woman, meeting in the woods in the middle of the night, what else do you expect?"

Chen Ye was speechless.

Well, it seems my sister has even found out where they meet in secret.

Now there's no way to clear my name now, even if I jumped into the Yellow River.

"There's really nothing between us... I just had to bite the bullet and explain. We knew each other before and exchanged a few words. When I ran into her at the hunting grounds, she asked me out, but she just wanted to ask how I was doing lately. We haven't even held hands!"

This is half true and half false.

They did hold hands, but that was all.

Chen Wan'er looked at him suspiciously, clearly not quite believing him.

"Really?"

"More real than real gold!" Chen Ye raised three fingers, almost swearing to the heavens.

Seeing her younger brother's confident expression, Chen Wan'er's anger subsided somewhat.

As long as things don't escalate to that point, there's still room for redemption.

"Even so, you are not allowed to have any contact with her again! Do you hear me!" Chen Wan'er commanded in an unquestionable tone.

"This..." Chen Ye hesitated.

He was even hoping to upgrade his playboy career by relying on Wu Mengwei.

"What do you mean, 'what'? You still want to maintain a connection with her?" Chen Wan'er's eyes widened again.

"No, no, that's not what I meant!"

"Remember this: I won't stop you from going out and having affairs, but you have to be selective about who you go with. Ordinary girls are fine, but you absolutely can't mess with a woman like Wu Mengwei. If you can avoid her, then avoid her."

"Yes, yes, I understand, sister!"

"Huh, that's pretty much it!"

After saying that, Chen Wan'er turned to leave, just then, a clear, cold voice came from the courtyard gate.

"elder sister."

Chen Wan'er was taken aback, then turned her head and saw Xie Weining standing there gracefully in a moon-white long dress.

"Oh, it's Wei Ning." Chen Wan'er immediately changed her expression, smiling gently.

Chen Wan'er's feelings towards her younger brother and sister-in-law were actually somewhat complicated.

She knew that Xie Weining was well-educated, resilient, and capable; she was a good girl who could manage a household well.

That's why she took a liking to this girl, thinking she could help her younger brother settle down, so she racked her brains to bring them together.

So she actually felt a little guilty towards Xie Weining.

"Why did you come so early, sister?" Xie Weining stepped in, carrying a tray with several plates of delicate breakfast on it.

"I came to see A-Ye," Chen Wan'er said with a smile, "and to give him some official business."

"Mm." Xie Weining nodded, then pushed a plate of osmanthus cake in front of Chen Wan'er. "Sister, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? This is what I just made. Try it."

"You're so thoughtful." Chen Wan'er picked up a piece, took a bite, and her eyes lit up immediately.

"It tastes really good, Wei Ning, your cooking skills are getting better and better."

"I'm glad you like it, sister." Xie Weining's lips curved into a slight smile, revealing two small dimples, which was very endearing.

Chen Wan'er and Xie Weining chatted for a while, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

This made Chen Ye, who was standing to the side, feel like an outsider.

He touched his nose, wisely refrained from interrupting, and silently picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and put it in his mouth.

Well, it tastes really good.

Sweet but not cloying, it melts in your mouth.

I never expected my icy wife to be such a good cook.

Chen Wan'er sat for a while longer, then, seeing that it was getting late, she got up to say goodbye.

"Alright, I should go back to the palace now," she said to Chen Ye. "Did you remember what I just told you?"

"I've got it, I've got it." Chen Ye nodded repeatedly. "Keep a low profile and protect yourself."

"Good to know." Chen Wan'er glared at him, then turned to Xie Weining, her expression instantly softening. "Weining, I'm leaving now. If Chen Ye doesn't listen to you, you can deal with him. Don't worry, I'll back you up."

Xie Weining blinked upon hearing this, glanced at Chen Ye, and then smiled and nodded, saying, "Okay, sister, I understand."

(End of this chapter)