Chapter 84: Whetstone

Chapter 84: Whetstone

The mountain breeze was cool.

Xiang Ling stood on Meng Yuan's shoulders, peeling an eggshell and taking a few bites of the egg white before extracting the yolk and stuffing it into Meng Yuan's mouth, "Eat an egg yolk and sleep well!"

The two descended the mountain together, and she kept chattering and chewing, never idle in her speech as she discussed the art of poetry with Meng Yuan, and it seemed she truly understood it.

The two half-baked scholars chatted for a while before finally reaching the foot of the mountain, and Xiang Ling was about to take her leave, saying she had to go to class.

"Next time you come, let's start a poetry society called the Old Turtle Pit Poetry Society, and you can be the vice president!" Xiang Ling declared with great enthusiasm and ambition.

Poetry societies were for the refined, but when combined with the name "Old Turtle Pit," it sounded awkward.

Meng Yuan couldn't help but sigh, thinking that Du Gukang wanted him to be the vice president, and Xiang Ling also wanted him to be the vice president. It was clear that talented individuals would shine wherever they went, and it was impossible to hide their brilliance!

"I will follow your instructions," Meng Yuan smiled and agreed, thinking that he should ask the Empress Consort if she wanted to start a poetry society when he returned.

"Hehe, you're so nice to talk to!" Xiang Ling was easily flattered, and she was delighted, "Then I'm off to class."

She jumped off Meng Yuan's shoulders and ran forward a few steps, as if she had remembered something, then quickly turned back. She stood up on her two legs, her upper limbs outstretched, her eyes wide, and said, "Wet Nurse, it's good to be alive, but I still think it's best to be alive! You must not die out there, little Castrate Master! If you're going to fight, remember to come find me first, I'm really fierce!"

"Okay," Meng Yuan smiled and agreed.

"Remember to come find me!" Xiang Ling repeated, and without bowing, she happily waved goodbye and rushed off to class.

Meng Yuan, seeing that she was out of sight, then returned to the ranch.

He led his horse leisurely and returned home. Meng Yuan closed the door, intending to open more energy points, but Jiang Tang had come looking for him.

"Sister Xun Mei is looking for you," Jiang Tang said.

Didn't she just say she was taking five days off? Was she here to urge him to write the demon-slaying notes? Meng Yuan stood up and asked, "Did she say what it was about?"

"A teacher came yesterday, and it's probably related to that teacher," Jiang Tang said.

At that moment, Meng Yuan remembered the Confucian scholar he had seen yesterday, leading a donkey.

In this world, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism coexisted, and Meng Yuan had encountered Taoists and monks, but he had never interacted with a proper Confucian scholar.

Of course, that guest, Wang Xiushuai, was also a Confucian scholar, but Meng Yuan had never discussed scholarship with him; they only occasionally mingled.

Since that was the case, Meng Yuan didn't want to waste time and immediately went to find Xun Mei.

Xun Mei wasn't in her office either. Jiang Tang led him to a pond and a pavilion where a person in plain clothes, with red ropes tying their hair, was making plum wine.

Xiang Ling, despite being a country bumpkin, always kept herself tidy and presentable, but the Empress Consort was very casual, as if she had just stepped out of a bath.

Meng Yuan approached the pavilion's steps and first bowed to the Empress Consort, who didn't acknowledge him. Xun Mei then emerged from the pavilion, smiling as she explained the reason for her visit.

It turned out to be related to the Confucian scholar they had met yesterday.

The scholar was named Chen Shouzhuo, and his wife was the former Empress Consort's old acquaintance.

Chen Shouzhuo's wife had passed away, and when he examined her belongings, he found that she had kept some of the Empress Consort's old poems.

As he had been serving in various places, he couldn't deliver them. This time, Chen Shouzhuo was heading to Donghe County, and as he passed through, he wanted to return the belongings to the Empress Consort.

"Mr. Chen is an honest and incorruptible official, but he has been unable to advance in his career due to the political climate. He has been stuck as a county magistrate in various places for many years."

Xun Mei spoke with great seriousness, "The Empress Consort is grateful for his kindness, and seeing that he has no one to accompany him, she wants to send someone to assist him in his new appointment."

Meng Yuan understood; the Empress Consort was giving him a task.

Moreover, this task wasn't particularly difficult. Donghe County was just south of the Canglang River, and after crossing the river and traveling for about two hundred miles, they would arrive.

"Since the Empress Consort has given me this task, I naturally cannot refuse," Meng Yuan immediately agreed.

"He is unfamiliar with the area, so when you arrive in Donghe County, stay for a few days to help him with his affairs," Xun Mei said with a smile.

This was a hint, but Meng Yuan still asked, "Sister Xun Mei, when I'm in a different place, should I act freely or follow Mr. Chen's instructions?"

Meng Yuan wasn't afraid of work and was willing to do it, but he didn't want to be restricted. He wanted to make it clear that if he killed someone or caused trouble because of Chen Shouzhuo, would the Third Miss take responsibility for wiping his buttocks?

After all, this was the first time he was doing something for the Empress Consort. If it were Teacher Nie, Meng Yuan wouldn't even ask.

Xun Mei heard these words and turned to look at the Empress Consort.

The Empress Consort picked up a plum and looked at Meng Yuan, saying, "You're capable in both literary and martial arts. Whether you listen to him or not is up to you."

Meng Yuan understood that the Third Miss had agreed to take responsibility for wiping his buttocks, but that one sentence about being capable in both literary and martial arts was clearly meant to belittle him!

She was born with heavenly beauty and elegance, yet she loved to bully the honest ones.

Meng Yuan was an honest man and only bowed in response.

"Go and rest well tonight, and we'll set off tomorrow," Xun Mei said with a smile as she took out two hundred taels of silver and handed them to Meng Yuan. "Mr. Chen is frugal and doesn't accept travel expenses. Take this as travel funds."

Meng Yuan took the silver and left the pavilion.

Xie Shen was the second son of the governor, and although he was arrogant and domineering, he would never dare to kill someone in the imperial mansion.

And Meng Yuan wouldn't kill him either.

(End)

At least, not right now.

Therefore, as long as they were in Songhe Prefecture's city, neither side would dare to make a move.

But now, since Meng Yuan had to go out on official business, there was an opportunity to take action.

Xie Shen's murder was a clear demonstration, and it was obvious that the matter was far from over. Meng Yuan had no intention of letting it go.

Meng Yuan believed that if Xie Shen knew he was going out, he would definitely come looking for him.

Upon reaching Guo Accountant's residence, Meng Yuan handed over a note and pondered on how to protect Chen Shouzhuo and deliver the news to Xie Shen.

"Why are you here, kid? You made it easy for me to find you!" After receiving the silver, Nie Yanian excitedly came over and snatched the silver ticket.

Meng Yuan didn't mind; at worst, he could always borrow it back from Nie Qingqing. He was used to being a kept man.

Seeing that Meng Yuan wasn't anxious about the silver, Nie Yanian felt that snatching the ticket wasn't as satisfying. He asked, "What windfall did you get?"

"The Empress Consort has assigned me a task," Meng Yuan replied truthfully.

After listening to Meng Yuan, Nie Yanian threw the silver ticket back and stroked his chin. "I was planning to give you a task in a few days, but I didn't expect it to be this fast!"

He pulled Meng Yuan towards the exit of the Imperial Mansion, saying, "Donghe County is on the south bank of the Great River. It wasn't affected by last year's refugee crisis. We can make some silver there. I'm not very familiar with that place; I only know it's a central county, neither big nor small, and not a major thoroughfare. There aren't any experts there; an eighth-rank warrior can stand out. There are probably very few seventh-rank warriors, or maybe none at all. As long as you're careful, there won't be any major issues."

After the incident of exterminating demons outside the city, Nie Yanian had great confidence in Meng Yuan. He knew that this young man was strong and fierce, capable of defeating ten opponents with his strength, and skilled in using the sword. He wasn't a brute; even two or three opponents of the same rank weren't a match for him.

Nie Yanian increasingly felt that Meng Yuan had an extremely high talent in martial arts, and his future was limitless. If he encountered more opportunities in the future, he could even reach the fifth or fourth rank.

He patted Meng Yuan's shoulder and, seeing the boy's obedience, became even more satisfied. "Qingqing always carries a feather duster with her. Was it you who gave it to her?"

Meng Yuan smiled and nodded.

"He's finally opened his energy points!" Nie Yanian laughed.

"Teacher Nie, what about Xie Shen's matter?" Meng Yuan asked.

"I came to tell you about this. It's all been taken care of," Nie Yanian said with a hint of seriousness. "That dog thing isn't human, but his brother is a gentle and polite man. Once we talk it out, it'll be over."

Meng Yuan knew that Xie Shen would never let go of his desire to kill.

"Knowing that we're people from the Empress Consort, they were much more polite. Anyway, no one was injured. It's normal for young people to argue a bit." Nie Yanian pulled Meng Yuan out of the Imperial Mansion and nodded towards the distance.

They saw a man leading a horse beside the stone lion; it was the middle-aged attendant who had mediated that day.

Nie Yanian stopped Meng Yuan and spoke in a low voice, "I know you're not satisfied, but there's no need to rush. Wait until your rank increases, and we'll strike back! What's a mere county governor? Later, in front of everyone, slap him twice! He has several concubines, doesn't he? Sleep with them in front of him!"

Meng Yuan had just been thinking about how to notify Xie Shen, and here the man came.

However... Meng Yuan turned to Nie Yanian and asked, "Teacher Nie, he came personally. Is this a big enough face-saving?"

"It's not that you have a big face, nor that I have a big face. His brother, Xie Ping, is an upright gentleman who personally came to mediate." Nie Yanian was a bit annoyed.

So that was the case, but could it be mediated? The person was already dead.

There was no need to say more; Meng Yuan immediately smiled and stepped forward.

"Oh, Brother Meng!" The middle-aged man laughed and stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting.

"I dare not call you brother." Meng Yuan returned the greeting with a bow and smiled, "I still don't know your esteemed name."

"My humble name is Xie Zhongliang, a servant of the Xie family, just a nameless small fry." He smiled and said, "I didn't know you were from the Imperial Mansion earlier; I almost made a joke of it."

"It was my fault for being a bit rash," Meng Yuan smiled.

"So they say, you don't know each other until you fight. Now we know each other, right?" Xie Zhongliang laughed heartily and said, "I don't know how that family of three is doing. If not for them, we wouldn't have met. I gave away some silver money then; now I see it as a gift of gratitude."

As he spoke, he carefully stared at Meng Yuan's eyes.

"That's right," Meng Yuan smiled. "I came back in a hurry and forgot to go back to take a look. When I have time later, I really want to go back and check."

Xie Zhongliang saw that Meng Yuan seemed ordinary and didn't show any abnormalities, as if he hadn't encountered the three corpses on the road.

Looking at Nie Yanian, he was yawning and didn't seem to care, as if he knew he was just there to walk through the motions.

"Today, I've prepared a banquet. I wonder if Brother Meng would grace us with his presence?" Xie Zhongliang asked.

"I shouldn't refuse Young Master Xie's kindness."

Meng Yuan smiled helplessly, "I just got assigned a task. I have to go to Donghe County for official business tomorrow and will probably stay there for some time. After I return, I'll host a banquet and invite Young Master Xie to get drunk together. How does that sound?"

"So that's the case. It seems I came at the wrong time," Xie Zhongliang smiled apologetically. "Then I'll wait for Brother Meng to come back, and we'll get drunk together."

After a few polite exchanges, Xie Zhongliang rode away on his horse.

Nie Yanian chatted a bit more and then left as well.

Meng Yuan returned home, drew water from the well, and brought over a whetstone.

As night fell and the stars became scarce, Meng Yuan began sharpening his knife.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end