Stability

Xun Mei's assigned residence was right next to the Training Field, a simple small courtyard with two rooms.

The area around the Training Field was on the outskirts of the Royal Residence, not far from the stables, making it convenient to come and go.

The rooms had been tidied up. Meng Yuan left Zhao Datou and Old Man Jiang to talk while he took Jiang Tang out to buy things.

The Royal Residence provided food and lodging, but Meng Yuan had higher requirements for his meals now, so he planned to set up a small stove.

He didn't expect to cook separately for every meal, but at least once a day.

Moreover, Old Man Jiang wasn't in good health and needed to boil medicine to recuperate, and the little girl also needed to eat well.

After buying pots, bowls, and bedding, Meng Yuan also bought ten catties of lamb and half a catty of sesame candy, as well as some preserved fruits and candied fruits.

"Today is also considered a housewarming celebration. Uncle Datou and Tie Niu are here, and we also have two new friends. Let's eat something good at home." Meng Yuan pinched a piece of sesame candy from the oiled paper bag and put it into Jiang Tang's mouth, asking, "Is it delicious?"

"Delicious!" Jiang Tang chewed lightly, her round eyes brightened, and she asked with a satisfied look, "Brother, what is a housewarming celebration?"

"It's moving." Meng Yuan put the paper bag into Jiang Tang's hand and tapped her forehead, "Tonight, you'll study and learn characters with me."

As he said this, Meng Yuan was determined and went to buy brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and several collections of primers.

Returning to their residence, after a brief tidying up and putting the lamb on to boil, Meng Yuan called Zhao Tie Niu, Wu Changsheng, and Hu Qian over.

Zhao Datou saw that Hu Qian was beautiful and tall, and her background wasn't bad either. She clearly had the air of a young lady. He used to be quite talkative, but now that he saw a noble person, he was very polite and humble, offering her a toast.

"Miss Hu, my Tie Niu is dull and doesn't know how to talk. I trouble you to look after him. If you know any suitable girls, please keep an eye out. We don't care about background or appearance, as long as they can live a steady life." Zhao Datou said with a smile.

Now that Tie Niu had a place to learn martial arts and didn't have to worry about food and drink, Zhao Datou had no desires and only wanted to arrange a marriage for Tie Niu as soon as possible.

Poor people were all like this. When they were young, they worried about getting married and having children. When they were old, they worried about their children's marriages. They worried their whole lives.

It was like this generation after generation, until a certain generation couldn't survive, their bloodline was cut off, and they didn't have to worry anymore.

Hu Qian, however, was well-mannered and didn't look down on the commoners at all. She only said, "I will help him keep an eye out."

After the ten catties of lamb were cooked, only seven or eight catties remained. A group of people sat around and ate.

Fermented chives with lamb was the most delicious, but it was a bit spicy. Hu Qian ate a few bites and saw that everyone was uncomfortable with her presence, so she said she was going back to wash clothes and then took her leave.

After Hu Qian left, Zhao Datou finally relaxed a bit, and Wu Changsheng also dared to eat meat in large bites.

"Little Meng is sensible and capable. How could Teacher Nie not like Little Meng? He even made him your leader? Come, Brother Wu, I'll toast you. You also help worry about Tie Niu's marriage."

"Uncle Datou, cheers!"

The two of them chatted endlessly. Meng Yuan didn't say much, just buried his head in eating with Tie Niu.

Wu Changsheng and Zhao Tie Niu had already been reminded by Meng Yuan not to mention the fight or going out on official business.

After a long time, the lamb was finished. After chatting for a while longer and sending off Tie Niu and Wu Changsheng, Meng Yuan went to Jiang Tang's room to teach her to read.

"Brother, you and Grandpa both have jobs, what should I do?" Jiang Tang asked while writing her name.

"Wait and see for now." Meng Yuan hadn't decided yet and planned to let the girl stay at home and read for the time being, and then make arrangements later.

Of course, if he were to arrange a job, he would look for Xun Mei. But Meng Yuan didn't want the girl to do jobs like serving tea and water. Anyway, he had money now, so he would support her for now.

The next day, after sending off Zhao Datou, Meng Yuan took Old Man Jiang and his granddaughter to the medical clinic to see a doctor.

When they arrived, they saw many people already waiting, and the doctor was inside taking pulses.

This medical clinic was called JiMin Medical Clinic. It was recommended by Hu Qian, who said it was very famous and that her mother came here every month to have her pulse checked for peace of mind.

Meng Yuan had experience dealing with bar hosts and liked to ask for prices first in everything, so he directly stopped an apprentice and asked for the price.

"Consultation fee is five taels, medicine and prescriptions are extra. House calls depend on the distance, ten taels for South City, twenty taels for North City, extra for rainy or snowy days, and double for midnight calls. No credit." The apprentice said.

"Just taking a pulse and consulting costs five taels?" Meng Yuan wanted to change professions.

Yesterday, he bought wine and meat, and various other things, and the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were also very expensive, costing over eight taels, leaving only twenty-one taels.

But since they were already here, let it be expensive. Money was borrowed, not saved.

After waiting for more than half an hour, it was finally Old Man Jiang's turn.

The three of them went inside together and saw that the doctor was a white-bearded old man, like an immortal. He looked reliable at first glance.

"You suffered hardships when you were young, and recently you've injured your body. As you get older, how can you not have many ailments? Go back and don't do heavy or tiring work. I'll prescribe some medicine for you to recuperate." The old doctor quickly wrote the prescription, very efficiently.

Meng Yuan thought to himself, since they were already here and had spent the money, he might as well let the doctor check his pulse too.

"Your pulse is strong and powerful, and your Blood Qi is vigorous. It's not a bad thing to train your muscles and bones when you're young. Hmm, get a wife early to vent your fire." The old doctor gave his diagnosis.

Next was Jiang Tang.

"The little girl has no major problems, she's just a bit thin. It seems she's been hungry before, otherwise her first period would have come earlier. Go back and eat more good food, and talk more with your aunts and uncles." The old doctor was old and didn't shy away from gynecology, saying whatever he thought.

Meng Yuan saw that what the doctor said was not bad, which showed that he was indeed capable, so he quickly thanked him sincerely.

After coming out and getting the medicine, along with the consultation fee, it cost eleven taels.

Old Man Jiang and his granddaughter were heartbroken, but Meng Yuan, as the head of the family and the pillar of support, couldn't show weakness and acted as if it was nothing.

Although he felt the pinch of the money, Meng Yuan still bought two bolts of cloth, planning to make two new outfits for the little girl.

Now he only had seven taels of silver left.

The three of them returned to the Royal Residence together. Jiang Shuanyou also had the responsibility of being a horse doctor, so he specifically went to the stables to find the manager and introduce himself.

After a busy time, things finally settled down.

Returning to the Training Field, Meng Yuan resumed practicing the Gale Wind Saber Technique, building up his strength.

Teacher Nie didn't show up until dark, and Meng Yuan couldn't borrow money from anyone, so he could only immerse himself in training.

When he returned to his residence late at night, Jiang Tang was still working at her desk by candlelight, which made Meng Yuan very happy.

But when he opened the door, he saw the girl sewing clothes, specifically his inner garment.

"Brother," Jiang Tang stood up with the inner garment when she saw Meng Yuan, "How did this shirt get torn?"

She didn't seem to feel bad about the clothes, but she circled Meng Yuan curiously a couple of times, as if checking if he was injured.

It seemed the girl wasn't stupid and had noticed something.

"The dog from the medicine manor ran away, and I went into the mountains to look for it. It got torn, it's nothing," Meng Yuan said.

"Then you must be careful, there are many wolves in the mountains!" Jiang Tang didn't believe him. She grabbed Meng Yuan's hand, rolled up his sleeve to look inside, and then reached in to feel around. Only when she saw that there was indeed nothing unusual did she relax.

"There's still mutton stewing on the stove, I'll bring it over for you." She went out happily and came back in a flash.

Since he still had money, Meng Yuan planned to supplement his diet with meat every night. Old Man Jiang and Jiang Tang also needed meat for nourishment.

With this daily supplement, and not neglecting the food at the Training Field cafeteria, Meng Yuan estimated that his Essence Flame would be complete again in at most a month.

Five days passed in a row, and Meng Yuan was engrossed in practicing martial arts and opening his acupoints. The acupoints in his right arm were already fully opened.

Teacher Nie hadn't shown up, and Meng Yuan didn't go out to look for him.

Before, Zhang Guinian had hinted that he should try to hook up with Teacher Nie's wealthy widowed daughter, but Meng Yuan only had a slight thought about it in the morning. Once he started training, he didn't think about anything else.

What female beauty? No matter how good-looking, how fragrant, or how warm their bodies were, they weren't as refreshing as practicing the Gale Wind Saber Technique twice!

I couldn't put down the two-hundred-pound Stone Roller, but I scoffed at an eighty-pound beauty!

Besides, hooking up with women requires Pan, Donkey, Deng, Xiao, and Xian. Pan, Donkey, and Xiao were naturally present, but Deng and Xian were not.

Moreover, Meng Yuan considered himself a righteous gentleman. Seducing a young widow was not advisable; focusing on martial arts was the right path!

This morning, Meng Yuan got up before dawn.

The spring wind in February was like scissors, still a bit chilly.

"Brother," Jiang Tang had already come out of her small room, "Getting up so early to practice martial arts every day is even more tiring than shoveling cow dung at Pasture Manor!"

"Without the bitter cold to the bone, how can the plum blossom be fragrant?" Meng Yuan squeezed her hand. Seeing that it was warm, he pulled her hand into the room and wrote this phrase for her, "You have to learn this today."

As he spoke, Meng Yuan also braided her hair.

"Brother, are we still eating mutton tonight?" Jiang Tang asked.

Currently, Meng Yuan ate two pounds of mutton every day, which he supplemented as a late-night snack after returning from the Training Field in the evening.

Meng Yuan gave Jiang Tang five taels of silver, and the little girl became the housekeeper. Every day, besides practicing calligraphy and reading, she went out to buy groceries and had already learned to use an abacus.

"Brother, the money is almost spent," Jiang Tang whispered.

"..." A single penny can stump a hero. Meng Yuan's expression didn't change. He squeezed her little face, "Don't save money, I'll give you more when it's spent. You can't miss your daily pig trotters, understand?"

Jiang Tang obediently rubbed her face against Meng Yuan's hand.

Now that Teacher Nie hadn't been at the Training Field for several days, he couldn't even find anyone to borrow money from! Meng Yuan decided that if Teacher Nie didn't come today, he would go to the Drunken Moon Pavilion and eat and drink for free!