Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 222 The Prodigal Son Reaches Max Level and Begins Job Change (10,000 words, seeking subscriptions)

Chen Ye overheard Xie Weining's doubts and chuckled inwardly.

He did do something.

Just yesterday, he sent Hou En and Qian Yi to the Wang and Li families respectively.

The two of them did nothing more than have a drink with the young masters of the Wang and Li families under the guise of the Drunken Cloud Society.

At the dinner table, Hou En and Qian Yi subtly revealed several inside details.

For example, although Chen Ye was suspended from his post, it was because the Empress and Shen Lian were protecting him. He would be reinstated in a few days, or even promoted.

For example, Li Chengfeng's case was actually handled by Chen Ye, who also had more dirt on high-ranking officials in the court.

For example, Chen Ye may seem gentle, but he is actually ruthless and vindictive. Anyone who offends him will definitely suffer a terrible fate.

These words are a mixture of truth and falsehood, a blend of reality and illusion.

However, coming from the mouths of Hou En and Qian Yi, two top noble scions, greatly increases its credibility.

Although the Wang and Li families were wealthy merchants in Yunzhou, they were nothing in the face of true power and wealth.

When they heard that Chen Ye had such a strong background and such a solid backing, how could they dare to oppose the Xie family again?

If they really offended Chen Ye, he could easily destroy them with a flick of his little finger.

So this morning they eagerly sent someone to deliver a visiting card, hoping to ease tensions.

"Go back and tell your master," Chen Ye finally put down his teacup and spoke.

"There's no need for a banquet. My wife hasn't been feeling well lately and needs to rest."

The two butlers felt their hearts sink when they heard this.

This means they are unwilling to reconcile.

“However…” Chen Ye changed the subject, “business is still negotiable.”

“From now on, my Xie family will take 50% of the fabric business in Yunzhou City, and the remaining half will be taken by your Wang family and Li family each.”

"If you agree, sign the contract and send it over; if you don't agree..."

Chen Ye looked at them and smiled, "Then let's each rely on our own abilities."

The two butlers broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.

He just blurted out 50%!

This isn't business negotiation, it's outright robbery!

But they dared not refute him, because Chen Ye's last sentence, "It depends on your own abilities," was full of threat.

"Yes, yes, we will definitely convey your message." The two men bowed and scraped as they retreated in a disheveled manner.

After they left, Xie Yi and Xie Weining were still in shock and hadn't come to their senses.

"My dear son-in-law, is this...is that all?" Xie Yi murmured.

"It's over." Chen Ye nodded.

"Will they agree?" Xie Weining still couldn't quite believe it.

“They will,” Chen Ye said with certainty, “because they have no other choice.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Weining looked at Chen Ye with sparkling eyes.

Adoration, love, curiosity... a mix of emotions.

She found herself increasingly unable to understand her husband, but she also knew that she was becoming more and more dependent on him.

The Wang and Li families acted swiftly.

That afternoon, the heads of the two families, Wang Defa and Li Fugui, personally paid a visit.

Both men carried generous gifts and adopted extremely humble postures, bowing and apologizing to Xie Yi and Chen Ye as soon as they entered.

"Thank you, Brother Xie, Lord Chen. I was blind to your greatness before and offended you greatly. I hope you will forgive me!"

"Yes, yes, we were confused for a moment and believed the rumors outside, which led us to do some wrong things. We apologize to both of you!"

Xie Yi felt incredibly pleased to see his two old rivals, who had been so arrogant just a few days ago, now acting like grandsons.

He then glanced subconsciously at Chen Ye, who was sitting calmly drinking tea beside him, and felt a surge of emotions.

At this moment, Chen Ye remained calm and composed, as if none of this concerned him.

Wang Defa and Li Fugui felt even more uneasy when Chen Ye remained silent.

The two exchanged a glance, and then Wang Defa gritted his teeth and pulled out a pre-prepared contract from his pocket.

"Lord Chen, this is what our two families have agreed upon. From now on, the cloth business in Yunzhou City will be entirely under the Xie family's control. Our two families are happy as long as we can get a share of the profits."

Chen Ye took the contract, didn't even look at it, and handed it directly to Xie Weining.

"Take a look, and if there are no problems, sign it."

Xie Weining took the contract and read it carefully.

The terms above are even more favorable than what Chen Ye mentioned earlier.

Not only did they relinquish 50% of the market share, but they also offered to escort the Xie family's caravans for a portion of the goods they transported back from beyond the Great Wall free of charge.

This is practically begging to be a lackey.

"Husband, no problem," Xie Weining said softly.

"Ah."

Chen Ye nodded, then looked at Wang Defa and Li Fugui.

"My wife has accepted the contract."

“From now on, we’ll all be eating from the same pot. I hope you two will behave yourselves and not have any more crooked ideas.”

"No, no, we will definitely follow Lord Chen's lead!" the two quickly replied.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can go back now." Chen Ye waved his hand, dismissing them.

Wang Defa and Li Fugui, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, bowed and scraped as they left.

After they left, Xie Yi breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling completely refreshed.

The heavy weight that had been pressing on my heart for days has finally been lifted.

"My dear son-in-law, thank you so much for today!" Xie Yi said sincerely.

"Father-in-law, you're too kind. We're family," Chen Ye said with a smile.

Having resolved the Xie family's internal and external troubles, Chen Ye and Xie Weining did not linger. They politely declined Xie Yi's invitation to dinner and returned directly to the Chen residence by car.

Inside the carriage, Xie Weining kept her head turned to look at Chen Ye, her eyes filled with infatuation.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Chen Ye felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze.

"Husband," Xie Weining called softly.

"Ok?"

"you are great."

Her voice was filled with adoration.

Chen Ye smiled and reached out to pull her into his arms.

"Now you realize how good your husband is?"

"Hmph, no way." Xie Weining said arrogantly, but her body betrayed her by snuggling closer to him.

He was so charming today.

Like those omnipotent heroes in folk tales.

I think I'm... liking him more and more.

Hearing these sweet words, Chen Ye's mood also improved greatly.

By the time they returned to the Chen residence, it was already dark.

The steward greeted them as soon as they disembarked from the carriage.

"Young Master, Young Madam, Young Master Hou and Young Master Qian have arrived and have been waiting for you in the living room for a while."

"Oh? Tell them to wait for me in the study." With that, Chen Ye led Xie Weining back to the courtyard.

"Go wash up first, I'll go see them," Chen Ye said.

"Okay." Xie Weining nodded obediently.

Chen Ye entered the study, where Hou En and Qian Yi were sitting uneasily, drinking tea.

Upon seeing Chen Ye enter, the two immediately stood up.

"Brother Chen!"

"Sun Demao has made a new discovery!"

Chen Ye's eyes narrowed.

"explain."

"We found out that Sun Demao is secretly keeping a concubine in Cui Liu Lane in the south of the city!" Qian Yi blurted out.

"He did this very discreetly; even his wife didn't know."

"Oh? Is that so?" Chen Ye was somewhat surprised.

Didn't the case file say that Sun Demao had a very strict family style and was not interested in women?
"Why would he keep it secretly? Why not just take it home?" Chen Ye asked.

“Brother Chen, you don’t know this,” Hou En explained. “This Sun Demao is a famous henpecked husband. His wife is the daughter of the great Confucian scholar Zhou Fuzi. She has a very fiery temper, and Sun Demao is like a mouse in front of a cat in front of her.”

"So he only dared to keep her secretly outside, and didn't even dare to let her leave the house."

"I see." Chen Ye nodded.

An iron-tongued censor who is afraid of his wife is quite interesting.

“But that alone won’t bring him down, will it?” Chen Ye said. “He just secretly took a concubine. At most, the censor will impeach him for lax household management and fine him a few months’ salary. It’s nothing serious.”

“Yes.” Hou En also frowned. “That’s what we thought too, which is why we came here to discuss with you and see what to do next.”

Chen Ye's fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.

Sun Demao is his only breakthrough point at present, so this concubine has become the only variable.

Why would an incorruptible and upright censor risk offending his wife and damaging his reputation by keeping a mistress outside the marriage?
There must be something fishy going on here.

"What's that concubine's name? What's her background? Have you found out?" Chen Ye asked.

“I’ve found out.” Qian Yi took out a piece of paper from his pocket. “Her name is Bai Jie. She was originally a courtesan at Tingyuxuan in Pingkang Lane. A year ago, Sun Demao secretly redeemed her and settled her in Cuiliu Lane.”

"Tingyuxuan?" Chen Ye raised an eyebrow.

He knew this place well; wasn't that where Bai Yingluo used to stay?
So things seem to be getting more and more interesting.

"Brother Chen, what's the next step?" Hou En asked. "Should we send someone to arrest Bai Jie and torture her severely?"

"Nonsense!" Chen Ye glared at him.

"She's Sun Demao's concubine, not a criminal. What right do we have to arrest her?"

"Moreover, if we alert Sun Demao, we won't be able to find anything."

"Then... what should we do?" Hou En scratched his head.

Chen Ye said meaningfully, "You don't need to worry about that, I have my own way."

Chen Ye planned to meet Bai Jie in person.

After all, with his playboy profession at his disposal, dealing with these women is a piece of cake.

After seeing Hou En and Qian Yi off, Chen Ye returned to his own courtyard.

Xie Weining had finished showering and changed into a light silk nightgown. She was sitting under the lamp reading a book.

Under the light, her skin was as white as jade, radiating an alluring glow.

Seeing Chen Ye enter, she put down her book, a charming blush spreading across her face.

"Husband, you are back."

"Ah."

Chen Ye walked over, hugged her from behind, buried his head in the crook of her neck, and took a deep breath of her pleasant fragrance.

"Are you exhausted today?"

"Not tired," Xie Weining said in a soft, sweet voice.

I'd do anything to be with him.

Hearing her heartfelt words, Chen Ye felt a surge of emotion, then he picked her up and carried her to the bed.

"Then let me treat you well today."

"Hey, you...you put me down..."

Xie Weining's exclamation quickly turned into a soft murmur.

More than an hour later, Xie Weining had fallen into a deep sleep in Chen Ye's arms, and a golden prompt appeared in front of Chen Ye's eyes.

[The Prodigal's profession level has been upgraded to LV5 (maximum level)]

[Your current job level is maxed out. Would you like to change jobs?]

finally come!

Chen Ye looked at the prompt in front of him and felt a surge of excitement.

He had long sensed that the "wanderer" profession was nearing its maximum level.

Today, after helping Xie Weining resolve her family crisis and making her completely devoted to me, this last wave of experience points has finally arrived.

At this moment, Chen Ye finally understood that in order to maximize his career advancement, he not only needed to possess a woman's body, but also to win her heart completely.

Only by fostering absolute worship and dependence on oneself can one gain the most experience.

Chen Ye did not hesitate and immediately selected "confirm".

The next moment, three brand-new career options appeared before his eyes.

【Class Title: Ranger】

[Job Description: A lone swordsman who kills one man in ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles. After the deed is done, he dusts off his clothes and departs, concealing his identity and name. You will become a solitary knight-errant, using your sword to right all injustices.]

[Profession Talent: Soloist - When you are alone, your speed and stealth are greatly enhanced]

【Job Title: Detective】

[Job Description: With keen insight and unparalleled clarity, evil has nowhere to hide before you; you will be the embodiment of law walking in the darkness.]

[Professional Talent: Keen Eyes – Your eyes can detect subtle clues that ordinary people cannot, and you have an extremely strong ability to identify disguises, poisons, traps, and more.]

【Job Title: Casanova】

[Job Description: You flit among flowers without a single petal clinging to you! You are the master of love, the catcher of hearts! Your words are both honey and poison, your eyes both abyss and heaven. All women will lower their guard before you, becoming infatuated and madly in love with you.]

[Professional Talent: Master of the Heartstrings - You can listen to the deepest voices of a woman's heart and subtly implant your thoughts into her soul, gradually changing her memories and beliefs.]

Three completely different career paths, like three forks in the road, lay before Chen Ye.

He became engrossed in the task, quickly analyzing the pros and cons.

Ranger, a pure combat class, focuses on enhancing individual combat capabilities.

In this world where the strong are respected, having more combat power is always a good thing. However, Chen Ye is well aware that the enemies he faces, whether they are high-ranking officials in the imperial court or the Nine Nether Sect lurking in the shadows, cannot be defeated by mere brute force.

While the Divine Catcher is good, he leans towards observation and reasoning, and doesn't actually contribute much to the growth of this world.

The only exception is the "Love Saint," who is essentially a fully enhanced version of the "Playboy" class. In particular, the "Master of Heartstrings" talent allows him to not only listen to a woman's heart but also interfere with her thoughts, subtly changing her perspective.

If used properly, this is simply a divine skill.

After all, the most unpredictable thing in this world is the human heart, and the most terrifying thing is also the human heart.

If one could manipulate people's hearts and minds, what a terrifying power that would be!

With that in mind, Chen Ye no longer hesitated and made his choice directly.

"I choose the Casanova."

A warm current surged from the job panel, instantly flowing through his limbs and bones, and finally merging into the depths of his soul.

Chen Ye felt that his perception had become more acute than ever before, especially on an emotional level.

He lowered his head and looked at Xie Weining, who was fast asleep in his arms.

Her breathing was even, her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyelids, and a satisfied smile played on her lips.

In the past, Chen Ye could only hear her fragmented thoughts through Fang Xin Ru Ting.

But now he doesn't need to listen, because he can feel it.

A pure and intense sense of attachment, trust, and love emanated from Xie Weining like a warm tide, enveloping him tightly.

This is an emotional resonance that transcends words and thoughts; it is so genuine and so moving.

"Is this the Lord of Heartstrings...?" Chen Ye was shocked.

This ability is too domineering.

He tried to trigger the active effect.

A barely perceptible wisp of spiritual energy gently plucked at Xie Weining's heartstrings, then implanted a thought into her.

"Tomorrow will be a good day."

Xie Weining's brows gradually relaxed as she slept, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, as if she were having a good dream.

Chen Ye then withdrew his mental energy.

He could sense that the idea had been successfully implanted into Xie Weining's subconscious.

When she wakes up tomorrow, she will inexplicably feel that today will be a good day, and her mood will become pleasant as a result.

Although it was just a trivial thought, it proved how terrifying this talent was.

Dripping water wears away a stone, and countless grains of sand build a tower.

If he instills the same idea day after day, he will eventually be able to completely change a person's mindset.

It even led her to worship him as a god.

Sure enough, when the next day dawned, although the weather was a bit gloomy, Xie Weining felt that the weather was exceptionally comfortable and beautiful, so much so that she was in a very pleasant mood all day.

Seeing this, Chen Ye took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and then secretly warned himself that he must use this ability with caution.

Otherwise, if one becomes addicted to the pleasure of manipulating people's minds, one will eventually turn into a real devil.

……

Two days later, Chen Ye was in his study reviewing files about Sun Demao.

The brothers of the Drunken Cloud Society were very efficient. They not only found out that Sun Demao was afraid of his wife, but also found out all the details about his concubine, Bai Jie.

Just then, the butler reported from outside the door.

"Young master, Miss Yuan, the tofu seller from the south city, has arrived. She said... she specially brought you some freshly made tofu pudding."

Chen Ye raised an eyebrow.

Bai Yingluo? What's she doing here?

But her arrival is just in time; it's a good opportunity to use her to test my new talent.

Thinking of this, Chen Ye nodded and then stepped outside the mansion gate.

Sure enough, Bai Yingluo was standing gracefully in front of the door, with a wooden bucket behind her.

Today, she was wearing a faded coarse cloth dress, her hair simply tied up with a wooden hairpin, and her face was bare, which made her look even more pure and lovely.

"This humble woman greets Your Excellency." Upon seeing Chen Ye, she hurriedly curtsied, her voice soft and weak.

"My lord said a few days ago that my tofu pudding is delicious. I have kept that in mind, so I made extra today to bring to you so you can try it."

"I heard that you have been staying at your residence these past few days. You must have encountered some troubles. I don't know anything about such important matters. I only hope that you can eat on time and take care of your health."

These words were incredibly thoughtful and showed great care.

Coupled with her pure and innocent expression, she could easily charm any man.

But Chen Ye wasn't buying it at all, because he had already heard Bai Yingluo's true feelings.

[Little one, have you missed me after a few days?]

You look so worried, are you in trouble?

Do you want me to help you? Beg me, and I'll help you.

Listening to these playful thoughts, Chen Ye sneered inwardly, but his face revealed a perfectly measured expression of emotion and a hint of weariness.

"Thank you for your concern, Miss Yuan."

He then sighed, "It's just a few minor troubles, nothing to mention."

(End of this chapter)