Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 194 Analytical Ability, Impressive

In a side courtyard of the Marquis of Anyuan's residence, Hou En and Qian Yi met up again, but this time the atmosphere was completely different from the last time.

There were dishes and drinks on the table, but no one touched them much.

Hou En picked up his wine glass and took a big gulp, his handsome face showing a hint of annoyance. "You made another trip in person today, and what was the result?"

"The result?" Qian Yi was furious when he thought of the humiliation he suffered at the Chen residence today. "I didn't even get inside their gate! That old steward stood there like a wooden post, repeating the same sentence over and over again: 'Young Master Qian, my master said that he will be studying diligently behind closed doors before the autumn hunt and will not see any guests.'"

Qian Yi imitated the butler's tone, which amused Hou En.

"Haha, he really said that?"

"That's right!" Qian Yi said angrily, taking another swig of wine.

Hou En's smile gradually faded.

He and Qian Yi exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of confusion and bewilderment in each other's eyes.

"Could this guy be serious?" Hou En couldn't help but mutter.

Qian Yi leaned back in his chair, his large frame slumped. "Who the hell knows what's wrong with him! Do you think he's really provoked by his icy wife and is trying to put on a show to save face?"

“It doesn’t seem like it.” Hou En shook his head and analyzed, “If it were just for show, it would only last three to five days at most, how could it last ten days? And he even turned us away, which doesn’t make sense. Even when Uncle Chen locked him up before, he would still find a way to sneak out and drink with us. This time, however, he locked himself up.”

"Then what's the point?" Qian Yi truly couldn't understand. "Just for that damn autumn hunt? Can Chen Ye even draw his bow?"

"This..." Hou En was also stumped by the question.

Yes, Chen Ye's character is something his cronies know all too well.

He's the kind of person who's obsessed with saving face and suffers for it. He's not very capable, but he has a big temper and is most afraid of losing face in front of others.

"I don't care anymore!" Qian Yi waved his hand irritably. "Let him read his books! I'll see how he handles things during the autumn hunt. He'll make a fool of himself and come crying to us for drinks!"

"Let's drink! Let's drink!" Hou En was too lazy to think anymore, picked up his glass, and said, "Let's not wait for him, let's drink, just the two of us!"

Although they spoke toughly, they couldn't shake off the awkward feeling in their hearts.

Chen Ye was completely unaware of Hou En and Qian Yi's confusion, and didn't bother to care.

He had just come out of the study.

In one afternoon, he finished another book, "A Study of the Customs and Scenery of Yunzhou," gaining a deeper understanding of the world.

Chen Ye was a little tired at this point, so he decided to go out for a walk to clear his head and find something to eat.

Just as I turned the corner of the moon gate, I happened to see a group of people returning from outside.

The one leading them was Xie Weining.

She seemed to have just returned from the shop outside, her face showing a hint of unconcealed fatigue, but her back was still ramrod straight, exuding a cool and capable air.

At this moment, Xie Weining also saw Chen Ye and paused slightly.

Today, Chen Ye was not wearing the gorgeous silk robes that spoiled young masters often wore, but rather a simple blue cloth robe, with his hair simply tied up with a wooden hairpin.

The pungent smell of alcohol was gone, replaced by a faint scent of ink.

He looked clean and refreshing, and coupled with his already outstanding appearance, he was a sight to behold.

Xie Weining's eyes flickered for a moment, but quickly returned to their icy expression.

Pretend.

She snorted inwardly, then prepared to walk past him without looking at him, as usual.

However, Chen Ye spoke quite naturally as she approached.

"came back?"

His voice was calm, as if he were greeting an ordinary person.

Xie Weining looked up at Chen Ye in surprise.

Chen Ye looked at her, his face expressionless, and continued in his calm tone, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Why don't you eat together?"

Want to have dinner together?
Six months into their marriage, this man not only refused to eat with her, but sometimes he would even avoid her if they bumped into each other at home.

So what happened today?
Her maid, Qing'er, was so shocked that her mouth dropped open, unable to believe her ears.

The son-in-law... actually invited the young lady to have dinner together?
Just then, Xie Weining frowned, trying to discern some clues from Chen Ye's face, but his eyes were clear and bright, calm as a deep pool, without any extraneous emotions.

I just looked at her calmly and waited for her answer.

A sense of absurdity suddenly arose in Xie Weining's heart.

Her instinct was to coldly refuse and then turn and leave.

But before she could finish speaking, she nodded as if possessed.

Chen Ye didn't seem surprised. He simply instructed the maid beside him, "Go, tell the kitchen to add two more dishes and send them to the flower hall."

"Yes!" the maid replied and quickly went to prepare.

The food was quickly served; the dishes weren't luxurious, but they were very well prepared.

This small flower room, which had not been used for a long time, was now brightly lit.

However, the atmosphere was somewhat strange.

Chen Ye sat in the main seat and calmly served himself a bowl of rice.

Xie Weining sat opposite him, expressionless, her cold eyes scrutinizing the food on the table as if checking for poison.

Her personal maid, Qing'er, stood like a wooden stake behind her mistress, not daring to breathe loudly.

Her eyes kept sneaking glances at Chen Ye, her mind in turmoil.

Is this still the same good-for-nothing son-in-law who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun, and who acts like a mouse around a cat when he sees a young lady?
The only sounds on the dining table were the occasional soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks.

Xie Weining didn't touch her chopsticks, just sat there quietly, waiting for Chen Ye to make the first move.

She didn't believe he would go to such lengths just for a meal.

However, Chen Ye disappointed her.

Because Chen Ye was really just quietly eating his meal, and when his bowl of rice was almost empty, he looked up at Xie Weining across from him. Seeing that she hadn't touched it, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why aren't you eating?"

Xie Weining sneered inwardly, then said indifferently, "I don't have much of an appetite."

"Oh," Chen Ye replied without asking any further questions. He then picked up another piece of greens with his chopsticks and asked casually, "Are you still busy with things at the shop lately? You don't look well; you must be very tired."

These caring words, spoken by someone else, can be very heartwarming.

But what Chen Ye said sounded like hypocrisy and probing to Xie Weining.

She decided to stop beating around the bush with Chen Ye and give him a taste of his own medicine, letting him know his place and that he shouldn't bother her anymore.

"It's alright," Xie Weining said coldly. "I've been thinking about taking a trade route outside the Great Wall recently, but it's quite complicated."

She deliberately mentioned the trade routes outside the Great Wall, a huge business that sounds extremely complicated and involves a wide range of people.

She wanted to see what kind of bewildered expression Chen Ye would have after hearing all this.

To her surprise, Chen Ye's face did not show any of the expression she had expected after listening. He simply nodded calmly and then asked, "North? Are you planning to go out from Yumen Pass and take the grassland route?"

Xie Weining's pupils contracted slightly.

"How did you know?" she asked instinctively.

"Just a guess," Chen Ye said slowly after taking a bite of his food. "Of the official trade routes heading north in our Great Chen Dynasty, there are only a few that can handle large quantities of goods."

"Although the Yumen Pass route is a bit far, it is safe and secure. The tribes along the way have all been pacified by the imperial court, so as long as things are handled properly, there won't be any trouble. If it were me, I would also take this route."

He spoke casually, but Xie Weining's heart was in turmoil.

Because these are things that a spoiled brat like you wouldn't know!
She suppressed her shock and continued to probe, "It seems the books you've been reading lately have actually been somewhat useful."

"Just flipping through it casually." Chen Ye didn't care, then frowned as if he remembered something, and said, "However, there's a place called Black Wind Pass three hundred miles north of Yumen Pass. You'd better have your men go around it."

"Why?" Xie Weining's heart jumped.

Chen Ye put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then slowly explained, "I read in the official gazette a couple of days ago that the Northern Frontier Army recently wiped out a group of bandits near Black Wind Pass, but the bandit leader escaped with a small group of people."

"The official gazette says it was a great victory, but I think the government always reports good news and not bad news in these kinds of situations. Those bandits who were able to escape from the border army's encirclement must not be good people. In addition, they know that area well, and there's a high chance they'll go back after they escape. So if your caravan passes through there, it could be troublesome if you run into them."

Xie Weining was shocked.

Because what Chen Ye said was almost exactly the same as the secret report she had bought from outside the Great Wall at a high price!
Chen Ye's analysis based solely on a vague official report was even more detailed than the secret report!

How could he have such keen analytical skills?
"You...you figured all this out from the official gazette?" Xie Weining's voice trembled slightly.

“Yes,” Chen Ye said matter-of-factly. “Although the official gazette is full of nonsense, you can still find a lot of useful information if you look closely. Then, if you combine it with a map, many things will become clear.”

Is that clear?
Xie Weining smiled bitterly to herself.

Easier said than done! The official gazette of the Great Chen Dynasty is incredibly complex, with a huge stack every day, filled with all sorts of official articles praising the emperor. The truly useful information is often hidden in a small, inconspicuous paragraph.

Let alone Chen Ye, even her shrewd and capable managers would have to put in a lot of effort to figure things out.

How could he possibly glean so much from that?

Xie Weining looked at the man in front of her and felt a sense of unfamiliarity for the first time.

He still had the same face and the same figure, but the feeling he gave off had completely changed.

In the past, Chen Ye always had shifty eyes, carrying the frivolity and insecurity of a spoiled brat.

But now, his eyes are clear, his demeanor is composed, and his speech exudes an unfathomable confidence and calmness.

"I'm stuffed."

Just as Xie Weining was feeling emotional, Chen Ye stood up.

He didn't say anything more, nor did he look at Xie Weining's shocked expression. He simply nodded slightly, then turned and walked out of the flower hall.

The figure appeared exceptionally tall and straight under the lamplight, even carrying a hint of... nonchalance.

Xie Weining sat blankly at the table, staring at the food spread out before her, unable to come to her senses for a long time.

Qing'er was so frightened that she dared not move.

Although she didn't quite understand the conversation between the young master and the young lady, she could clearly see that her young lady's expression changed repeatedly.

It was a complex expression she had never seen on the young lady's face before, a mixture of shock, doubt, and confusion.

After a long while, Xie Weining finally let out a long breath.

She looked in the direction Chen Ye had left, her eyes flickering uncertainly.

She had to admit that she was indeed tempted for a moment.

This man is top-notch in both looks and demeanor; otherwise, he wouldn't have become a well-known playboy in Yunzhou City.

But she quickly became wary.

No, I can't let him fool me.

As the saying goes, it is easy to change the country but difficult to change one's nature.

How could someone who is rotten to the core be transformed in just over ten days?

So this must be one of his new tricks!
He must have heard this news from somewhere and was deliberately showing off in front of me, trying to impress me so that I would look at him with new eyes, and then plotting something nefarious!

Yes, that must be it! Xie Weining repeatedly told herself.

Chen Ye was of course unaware of Xie Weining's thoughts at that moment; in fact, he couldn't be bothered to care what this woman was thinking.

To him, that meal was nothing more than a simple experiment.

After all, they are husband and wife in name only, and they see each other all the time. It's not good for them to always act like enemies.

It would be best if we could ease the tension, but if not, it doesn't matter.

His reason for pointing out Xie Weining's problems in her business was purely out of a habitual exchange of information.

Whether Xie Weining believes it or not, and what she thinks, is her business.

Chen Ye now has more important things to think about.

He closed the door, sat down at the table, and his mind calmed down.

"strangeness……"

"It's been more than ten days since I transmigrated, why hasn't my job panel been activated yet?"

In the past, when someone transmigrated, their career panel would activate almost as soon as they settled down.

But this time, the professional panel has remained completely silent.

It should be noted that Chen Ye was not idle during this period. He first consolidated his Sea Condensation Realm cultivation brought from the main world. Although this body had been depleted by wine and women, its foundation was excellent. After the meridians were unblocked, the flow of true essence was unimpeded, and his strength recovered very quickly.

Secondly, Chen Ye practiced martial arts, integrating his martial arts experience with his new body, so that both his fist and foot techniques and his weapons skills had recovered to a certain level.

Finally, he kept reading, and now he has a general understanding of everything from geography and local customs to historical anecdotes and the general overview of various cultivation schools.

However, whether he was cultivating, practicing martial arts, or reading, nothing made a ripple on his career panel.

"Could it be... that the activation conditions for professions in this world are different from others?"

Chen Ye frowned and pondered for a long time, but due to a lack of useful information, he ultimately came up empty-handed.

Forget about that for now.

Chen Ye let out a breath and stopped dwelling on it.

You have to eat one bite at a time, and you have to go step by step.

The most urgent matter is still the autumn hunt that my sister mentioned in her letter.

This was not only his first formal appearance in front of many powerful figures in Yunzhou City, but also a crucial step for him to reverse his image as a good-for-nothing and pave the way for what's to come.

Moreover, this autumn hunt might just be the opportunity to activate one's profession.

With that thought in mind, Chen Ye no longer hesitated.

He got out of bed, pushed open the door, and walked into the yard.

Night had fallen, and the moonlight, like water, spilled onto the stone slabs in the courtyard.

Chen Ye walked around the flowerbed and came to the training room in the corner of the yard.

This was where the original owner practiced martial arts when he was a child, but it was later abandoned.

Pushing open the wooden door, Chen Ye took a heavy iron-framed bow from the weapon rack.

This bow was made for him by his father, Chen Fangshi, when he was fifteen years old. Unfortunately, the original owner complained about the difficulty and exhaustion after practicing for less than three days and never touched it again, so this fine bow has been gathering dust here ever since.

Chen Ye weighed the bow in his hand, then took a horse stance, holding the bow in his left hand and drawing a wolf-tooth arrow from the quiver beside him with his right.

Nock the arrow and draw the string.

creak-

A sharp scraping sound rang out, and he slowly pulled back the long-forgotten animal sinew bowstring.

Chen Ye channeled his true essence from the Condensing Sea Realm into his arms, and the moment the bowstring was drawn to its fullest extent, he abruptly released his grip.

Whoosh!
With a twang of the bowstring, the wolf-tooth arrow shot out like a bolt of lightning.

The next instant, a fallen leaf in the distance was precisely pinned to the wall, the arrow fletching still trembling slightly.

Chen Ye put down his bow and nodded slightly.

very good!

This body has good coordination and strength, and with a little practice, it can unleash powerful combat capabilities.

In the days that followed, Chen Ye spent his time reading in his study and practicing martial arts and horsemanship.

All of this was witnessed by the servants of the Chen household, who were shocked and astonished.

Because in their eyes, this young master, who was originally considered a good-for-nothing, seemed to have become a completely different person overnight.

He no longer slept until noon, no longer hung out with his cronies, and never stepped out of the mansion.

Instead, he would get up before dawn every day and either read books in his study or sweat profusely in the training ground.

This transformative change left everyone stunned.

The Chen residence, study.

Chen Fangshi sat in a grand chair, holding a cup of hot tea in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the outside of the window.

Outside the window, on the training ground, a lithe figure is galloping on horseback.

It was Chen Ye.

He was dressed in a sleek black outfit, riding a magnificent chestnut horse, holding a longbow, and practicing archery.

He firmly gripped the horse's belly with his legs, his upper body rising and falling with the horse's movements, yet he remained as steady as a mountain.

As his warhorse charged to the center of the training ground, he suddenly drew back his bowstring, and an arrow shot out with a whoosh, hitting the bullseye a hundred paces away!
it is good!
Chen Fangshi slapped his thigh excitedly, spilling the tea in his hand. The hot tea made him shiver, but he didn't care. His eyes were fixed on his son's figure, and his face was full of undisguised excitement and joy.

Seeing this, Chen Zhong, the old butler standing behind him, quickly handed him a handkerchief and whispered, "Master, be careful not to burn yourself."

Chen Fangshi took the handkerchief, wiped his hands haphazardly, but his gaze couldn't leave the window for a moment.

(End of this chapter)