Peace Order
Chapter 611 - 49: Shuangtao’s Note, Academy’s Appointment

Chapter 611: Chapter 49: Shuangtao’s Note, Academy’s Appointment

These letters, stacked thickly, were stored in a box. The person in charge of Changfeng Building in Jiangnan knew the importance of these letters but did not dare to linger, so he simply bowed and then backed away.

Li Guanyi cradled these letters, sitting under the pavilion in the courtyard he was in at that moment, placing the wooden box beside him. This was the backyard of Changfeng Building, next to the pavilion was a lotus pond, with water babbling through.

Next to the pond, there was a plum tree, but since it was midsummer, naturally, there were no plum blossoms to be seen. Li Guanyi sat in the shade, picked up the stack of letters, and pulled one out to start reading. This letter was not the first reply from Xue Shuangtao to a young girl’s letter.

It dated back to last winter.

Upon opening it, the letter paper seemed to be dyed a light pink, and the handwriting was delicate and elegant.

Ancient people often said, "Seeing the writing is like seeing the person." Li Guanyi felt as though he could see the young girl who wrote these words, and thus his expression also calmed as he flipped through the letter.

"Guan Yi, I hope this letter finds you well. It’s deep winter now, and the weather in Guan Yi City is warm. There was only a small snowfall. However, Changqing is very happy; he ran outside on his own, opened his mouth to the sky hoping to taste the snow."

"My aunt’s child was born, becoming the Crown Prince, and she became the Empress."

"But grandfather and I discussed how with the Xue Family’s growing influence, there is a risk of collapse, a fact I am also aware of, though I do not know what grandfather plans."

"Changfeng Building is gradually developing."

"Following your plan, we’re gathering intelligence everywhere, cracking down on human trafficking markets, and rescuing the kidnapped people. For those who want to leave, we provide them with some money to go back to their hometowns. For those who either don’t want to or can’t leave, we let them stay in Changfeng Building to do whatever work they can, to earn a living."

"Grandfather is gradually handing over the business operations of Changfeng Building to me."

"He says he’s betting on the future, betting that Chen Dingye will not emerge victorious from among the heroes."

"He says that even if he loses the bet, he will still leave us a way out."

"He says that you might reach the Jiangnan Eighteen States, so I also built a Changfeng Building there that might help you."

"I am still at Huichun Hall, where I saw the former shopkeeper. His spirits are good, and he’s very happy when I mention you."

"He still likes to drink at that place where one can have a pot of poor wine for just a Big Money."

"I heard you had left him a pot of drink money there."

"The old man is reluctant to drink it, only occasionally when he hears news of you does he go there, pour a cup, and drink. But the stored wine will slowly reduce, so I added some more for you, hoping it would keep bringing him little joys."

"It’s winter, and I’ve planted a plum tree in the courtyard. Thinking of you heading to far places, I wonder if the plum blossoms there are different from those in Guan Yi City? Walking through the mountains on the border of Ying Country and Chen Country, the snow must be heavy and the scent of the plum blossoms even more intense."

"The plum blossoms are small in Jiangnan, growing up in such a warm place."

"They’ve never seen the world, lacking that sharp plum fragrance."

"Yet, the flowers here are unique, nowhere else can such bloom be found. I wanted to send you such plum blossoms. I picked the petals and crafted this letter from them, and sent it over to you. The color is beautiful; take a sniff and see..."

The young general lowered his gaze, as if seeing the young girl in the previous winter, hands cupping the letter, eyes closed, gently sniffing its fragrance, stubbornly stating how good Guan Yi City was, with its plum blossoms, its affairs.

Li Guanyi held the letter close to his nose, his eyes slightly downcast, the faint fragrance of plum blossom wafting up.

Li Guanyi put this letter down then picked up another. Each letter was of different color, speaking of mundane matters, mentioning what was happening in Guan Yi City, discussing the balance between the Elder Xue and Emperor Chen, and among the aristocratic families.

Discussing how the Regent King’s military edge was fierce, continually taking over the lands of the Dangxiang people, and how the King of Dangxiang married a daughter from the Chen Country royal family and sought help from Jiangnan to face the Regent King but was blocked by Chen Dingye, leading the King of Dangxiang to angrily declare that Chen Country had broken the alliance.

Talking about the affairs of Guan Yi City and Jiangzhou City, discussing the changes in Chen Country.

She seldom spoke of herself but mentioned Xue Changqing even more, even more than Li Guanyi’s few friends. The young general sat under the pavilion of Changfeng Building and lifted his eyes towards the sky. Changfeng Building was the first building of its kind in Chen State Jiangzhou, originally used by Li Zhaowen as an intelligence organization.

But Li Zhaowen, being a son of the Duke from Ying Country, took his team with him after the great ceremony, and the subsequent Changfeng Building turned into just another teahouse and tavern for listening to zither music, but then under the power of the Xue Family, it again became a place of intelligence.

Then the second time, Li Guanyi caused a major disturbance in Zhenbei City.

[Flowing Wind Returning Snow Pavilion] became the second Changfeng Building.

And although Jiangnan Eighteen States were where the Murong family resided, naturally, there was no Changfeng Building here, but before Li Guanyi needed this trap, it had been established and had become the largest, top-tier teahouse in the state city of the Jiangnan Eighteen States.