All Chapters of Daily Dossier: Secrets of a Lazy Husband: Chapter 41
- Chapter 50
96 chapters
41
Celeste stepped into the elegant wooden pavilion, the door clicking shut behind her with a soft, final sound. Through the intricate lattice of the window, she caught a fleeting glimpse of Caelum standing by the pond before she turned and ascended the stairs to the second floor. Her movements were as silent as a shadow, a testament to her high-ranking martial cultivation. However, as she reached the landing, her ears twitched. Her heightened senses picked up the faint, rapid thrumming of a heart beating in an irregular rhythm, coming from behind one of the side doors.She glanced down at the empty hall for a moment, contemplating the presence. With a swift, decisive motion, she pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside. She didn't search the room; instead, she stood perfectly still, waiting for the hidden occupant to reveal themselves.Inside the study, Beatrice—the fierce and spirited girl who had been hiding there—felt a wave of relief wash over her as she heard the footsteps st
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After a long period of careful deliberation and strategic thinking, Caelum reached a firm conclusion: his 'Running Script' and 'Cursive' styles would no longer be displayed to the public so easily. He understood the fickle nature of the scholarly world; as long as his original manuscripts did not circulate, the words of Master Julian would eventually be dismissed as mere senile exaggeration by the envious masses. No one would be foolish enough to travel thousands of miles to challenge him without seeing concrete proof of his talent first.Turning toward Evangeline, Caelum chose his words with the precision of a diplomat. "Eldest Sister, in my humble opinion, that particular scroll was created solely for the Grandfather’s birthday celebration. It should be kept as a private family heirloom and protected from the prying eyes of outsiders." Evangeline nodded in agreement, her sharp eyes catching a glimpse of Celeste on the second-floor balcony of the adjacent wooden building. Seeing tha
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Evangeline and Celeste entered the 'House of Serenity' together to pay their respects to the Grandfather, the Old Marquis. Immediately upon their entry, a strict security perimeter was established, ensuring no one could approach within ten meters. Even high-ranking figures like Duke Terence and the retired official Solomon were politely asked to wait outside. The maids, Butterfly and Eric, placed the gifts brought by the sisters inside the residence before taking their positions as sentries at the gate.Outside, Duke Terence sat by a pond in the central courtyard, engaged in a game of chess with Solomon. The board was only in its opening stages. Terence glanced toward the closed doors of the residence and sighed, "I would be lying if I said I didn't envy Old Xiao." Solomon spared him a glance and chuckled, "Your Ducal estate is teeming with heirs; why on earth would you envy him?"Terence retorted, "A large number doesn't mean high quality. My son, Edward, has courage in spades but la
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Evangeline struggled to find a valid reason to refuse Celeste’s suggestion, but she realized that none of her excuses would satisfy her sister’s ironclad logic. In the end, she could only insist that Celeste ask for Caelum’s opinion first. After all, based on her understanding of him, Caelum was a talented man, but he was also fundamentally lazy and preferred a life of leisure. Even if he wasn't... she desperately hoped he would be!Unaware of Evangeline’s inner turmoil, Celeste planned to find time to talk to Caelum. She understood her Grandfather’s purpose for this marriage and had never intended to reject it. However, with the Dingyuan Army’s affairs and the upcoming trade zone project with the mountain tribes, she hadn't found the time or the emotional capacity to define her relationship with Caelum. Sending him to help her sister seemed like the perfect solution: it would give him a purpose and free her to focus on the border crises.At lunch, the family gathered: Caelum, the two
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The following morning, before the first sliver of dawn could pierce the horizon, the sky was already choked with heavy, obsidian clouds. The stars and the moon were swallowed whole by the gloom, replaced by a relentless, driving rain that turned the 'Spring Lotus Pavilion' into a theater of rhythmic splashing against the leaves and tiled roofs. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of wet earth and ancient stone.Celeste rose with the disciplined punctuality of a general. After washing her face with ice-cold water, she sat briefly before her bronze mirror. Her eyes swept over the array of delicate rouge, fine powders, and feminine trinkets that sat untouched and gathering dust. Without a second thought, she reached for her silver half-mask, fastening it securely. The cold metal against her skin felt far more natural than any silk or cosmetic.Her loyal attendant, Pelagia, dressed in a matching armored surcoat and mask, stood by with a set of fresh official robes. "What is our itinerar
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Caelum understood perfectly well why a person becomes a "plowing ox" for others. It was never truly about their immense talent or their unique capabilities; it was a matter of failing to master the art of refusal. If you accept every task thrown your way and jump at every bit of praise like it’s a vital fuel, you are essentially volunteering to be exploited. So, when Celeste inquired if he was willing to assist Evangeline with the family business, Caelum’s immediate instinct was a resounding 'no.' Sensing his reluctance, Celeste didn't push him immediately. She simply said with a calm, military-grade composure, "There’s no rush to answer me. You can decide after the Grand Marquis’s birthday banquet is over."Caelum felt a temporary wave of relief, but the thought of a life tethered to ledgers and trade accounts haunted him. He decided to put up a fight. "My wife, to be honest," he started, his voice dripping with forced humility, "aside from showing off a bit of learning, practicing
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Despite Alaric’s persistent and increasingly desperate attempts to persuade him, Caelum remained as immovable as a mountain. His refusal was not born of spite, but of a profound indifference to the vanity that fueled the scholarly world. Dejected and carrying a heavy heart, Alaric was forced to lead Claire out of the sprawling Xiao estate. The weight of his failure to secure the guest of honor hung visibly on his shoulders as they walked toward their waiting carriage.As the carriage began to rattle through the rain-slicked, cobblestone streets of the city, the rhythmic sound of the horses' hooves against the wet ground filled the silence. Claire, observant as ever, noticed that Alaric was miles away, his gaze fixed vacantly on the passing scenery obscured by the mist. She reached out, her fingers touching his hand with a soothing warmth. "Alaric," she began softly, her voice barely a whisper against the drumming rain, "are you truly that worried about how
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Regarding that half-brother of his, Caelum had originally harbored no intention of paying him even a moment of his attention. In his mind, Vincent was a relic of a past he had long since outgrown—a life of quiet desperation and confinement within the cold walls of the Chen family estate. However, fate, it seemed, had a peculiar way of nudging him toward the very things he sought to avoid. Just past the stroke of midnight, a sudden, sharp golden radiance flickered within his vision, cutting through the darkness of his room and heralding a new piece of divine intelligence. [Daily Intelligence - Earth Grade: At exactly half-past the hour of the Rabbit, Vincent, the newly crowned Top Scholar of the Imperial Examinations, will arrive via the northern highway on horseback. He will be greeted with great fanfare by high-ranking officials from various departments of Shu Province and representatives of several prestigious noble houses. At
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Perhaps because of the consecutive days of torrential rain, the interior of Shu City felt significantly fresher today. On Kangning Street in the north of the city, the bluestone pavement had been washed so clean that one could clearly discern the lotus patterns carved into each stone. These carvings symbolized "Lotus born with every step," a favorable omen that scholars adored, whether they were seeking success in the Imperial Examinations or chasing fame and fortune in their official careers.Kangning Street was the most refined and elegant area in the entire city. It stood in stark contrast to the red-light districts in the south, where the stone carvings were far less subtle, as if the city planners were afraid people wouldn't know exactly what kind of business was being conducted behind those doors. Caelum, however, paid little attention to these details. No matter how exquisite the decorations were, in his eyes, they only earned a rating of "quaint and ancient."Lately, though, h
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The hour of the Rabbit had just passed, and the sun hung high in the sky. Waves of heat and brilliant radiance ascended from the earth, drying the morning dew. On either side of the long northern highway, the shadows of the lush trees cast stark, contrasting lines of gray and white upon the stone. In the distance, one could catch the subtle swaying of leaves—not from a gentle breeze, but from the violent vibration caused by galloping horses and racing carriage wheels approaching the relay station.Caelum watched the horizon from a distance, a soft murmur escaping his lips. "They say the prestige of a Top Scholar is immense, and it seems they weren't exaggerating." An elite vanguard of cavalry led the way, followed closely by standard-bearers holding high the official flags. Behind this protective escort rolled a massive, crimson-bodied carriage drawn by four magnificent stallions. Despite its thundering speed, the carriage moved with an eerie stability, its wheels gliding over the un