Chapter 35: Little Schemes

The next morning, Xiao Yan, who had spent the whole night restoring his husbandly dignity, felt a little weak, but still walked out of his room with a swagger.

After instructing the servants to send the prepared breakfast to the Little Fairy Doctor, Xiao Yanran into the elder responsible for guarding the Xiao family treasury.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, these are the medicinal herbs you requested."

"Mm." Xiao Yan did not stand on ceremony; he took them directly, and only after checking that there were no issues did he nod and speak.

At Xiao Yan's current level, even an alchemist could not keep a large supply of herbs for refining low-grade pills on their person, so the herbs for refining first and second-grade pills for sale had to be provided by the Xiao family treasury.

"By the way, how are the preparations for selling pills at the family shops coming along?"

"Reporting to the Young Master, the shops began preparations yesterday after receiving your order. If things go quickly, we can start selling pills to the people of Wutan City by tomorrow. At this point, we are just waiting for you, Young Master Xiao Yan," the elder replied.

"Mm, in that case, tell them to speed it up. I have no interest in wasting too much time on the other two families. Take this Storage Ring; the pills inside should be enough for the people of Wutan City to buy for ten days or half a month." As he spoke, Xiao Yan removed a Storage Ring from the finger of his left hand. This was one of the rings he had obtained from the Mo family members, and it contained all the first and second-grade pills from that time.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, this is!" The elder took the Storage Ring and looked inside, his heart jolting in shock. He had never seen so many pills in his entire life, and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

"This is compensation given to me by someone who offended me earlier. That's enough; this matter is hard to explain in a moment, so don't ask. Just take these down and get the stalls set up first." Xiao Yan said: "By the way, is Father in the study right now?"

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the elder was still somewhat agitated. He took a deep breath to calm himself and said: "He should be. Usually, at this time, the Patriarch is in the study. I haven't seen the Patriarch anywhere else from this morning until now."

"Good, I understand. You may go now."

After saying this, Xiao Yan stepped toward Xiao Zhan's study.

Before entering the study, Xiao Yan saw two silhouettes reflected on the window paper inside.

Walking in, he discovered that it was not just Xiao Zhan, but the Great Elder was also there, seemingly discussing something.

Seeing Xiao Yan walk in, a layer of joy appeared on Xiao Zhan's face, while the Great Elder stood up directly, a complex expression appearing on his face.

Although as an elder of the Xiao family, he should be considered Xiao Yan's elder and could sit with Xiao Zhan while waiting for Xiao Yan to pay his respects, he dared not truly sit like Xiao Zhan. The man was his father, and what was he? In this world where strength is respected, even if Xiao Yan stepped on his face, no one would speak up for him.

However, he could not bring himself to bow to Xiao Yan based on the status of their strength, so he could only stand there awkwardly.

Xiao Zhan naturally knew the awkwardness in the heart of the Xiao family's Great Elder, but it was not easy to comfort him directly, so he could only silently signal to Xiao Yan with his eyes.

Xiao Yan smiled slightly. He naturally would not let his elder lose face; come to think of it, the Great Elder had been quite good to him when he was young.

With his right hand cupped over his left, Xiao Yan tilted his body slightly and performed a standard cupped-hand salute: "Father, Great Elder."

Seeing this, the Great Elder took a deep breath and immediately felt relieved. The more he looked at Xiao Yan, the more pleasing he found him, feeling that Xiao Yan was not only powerful and exceptionally talented, but also polite and respectful to his elders.

The Great Elder stroked his long goat beard, his thoughts inevitably wandering.

Come to think of it, with Xiao Yan's talent, he would certainly go higher in the future. Their branch was not very close to Xiao Yan's family, and as time went on, gradual estrangement would be hard to avoid. But how could that be! He had to think of a way.

Come to think of it, the annual enrollment time for Canaan Academy was almost here. According to the family letter from that girl Yu'er, she would be returning with the Canaan Academy recruitment team this time. It would be the perfect time to play matchmaker.

What? You say Xiao Yan has already brought back a Little Fairy Doctor and has a marriage contract with the Nalan family? What does that matter? It's nothing strange for a great man to have three wives and four concubines. They were all family; even if Xiao Yan wronged others, he couldn't possibly wrong Yu'er.

In fact, he had had this thought as early as last night, but he had never made up his mind, fearing that Xiao Yan would not show him enough respect and he would be met with a cold shoulder, making it impossible for him to get along in the Xiao family in the future!

"Young Master Xiao Yan is too polite. Come to think of it, Young Master Xiao Yan has something to discuss with the Patriarch here, right? In that case, you two chat, and this old man won't interfere." Since Xiao Yan had given him face, he naturally wouldn't be so ignorant as to get in the way of the father and son's conversation.

"Wait, Great Elder. I am the junior; logically, it should be the junior waiting for the two elders to finish speaking first." Xiao Yan stopped the Great Elder, who was intending to leave, and said.

Listen to that! What a refined gentleman—that is what he is! At this moment, being flattered by Xiao Yan, the Great Elder felt as if he were flying to the heavens, and even his bones felt a few ounces lighter.

"Actually, it's nothing major. It's just that the juniors in the family hope you can spare some time to give them more guidance, which is why they pestered this old man to come and speak for them. Honestly, they need to cultivate, and don't you need to as well? Young Master Xiao Yan, you don't need to worry about them; just follow your own pace. If anyone pesters you, just tell this old man. It's not convenient for the Patriarch to step in on this matter, but this old man certainly can." The Great Elder patted his chest and promised Xiao Yan, leaving both Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan stunned.

Xiao Yan: What's wrong with this old man? Did he change his personality during the two years I was away?

Xiao Zhan: No, didn't you just say you hoped Xiao Yan would spend more time leading the young people of the clan? Why did you change your tune as soon as he arrived?

What Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan did not know was that, in that very instant, the Great Elder's impression of Xiao Yan had completed the transformation from a heaven-defying child of a relative to his own prospective grandson-in-law.

What Xiao Yan knew even less was that because of the one cupped-hand salute he performed today, he would gain an extra wife in the future.

"Cough, cough, Great Elder, there is no need for that. I returned this time specifically to help the family advance further, so I naturally won't be stingy about helping my fellow family members. I have also thought of a way," Xiao Yan said.

"Is that truly so?" The Great Elder's eyes lit up. After all, he still had a grandson; if Xiao Yan was willing to guide the younger generation of the family, that would be best.

"Of course. I have already thought of a way. Great Elder, just tell them to wait a little longer; there will be results in a few days," Xiao Yan said with a smile.

"That's wonderful! I'll go tell everyone this good news right now. I won't disturb you two any longer; you father and son go ahead and talk." As he spoke, the Great Elder walked out of Xiao Zhan's study, beaming with joy.