Inheritance

Nie Qingqing stood by the railing, seeing the warm midday sun and the flow of people on the street.

The young man walked along the road with his hand on his saber, not rushing back in a panic. This showed his calm mind, and he even had time to buy a few green tangerines, squeeze the peel juice onto himself, and then eat both the peel and the fruit. It was clearly to cover up the smell of alcohol.

"No wonder my father told me not to talk to him too much." Nie Qingqing smiled, supporting her forehead, and then called someone to clean up.

She personally delivered a pot of wine to each table of guests who hadn't left the second floor. With familiar guests, she even chatted for a few minutes.

After a little over half an hour, she heard the sound of horse hooves outside, and then Nie Yannian and Zhang Guinian came upstairs together.

"Uncle Zhang, Father." Nie Qingqing invited the two into the private room.

"What happened?" Nie Yannian was busy at the Martial Arts School. When he received the message saying someone was causing trouble at the Drunken Moon Pavilion, he rushed over.

Zhang Guinian also had a stake in the Drunken Moon Pavilion, so he came along.

Nie Qingqing was not in a hurry. She first served tea before explaining what had happened.

After listening, Nie Yannian didn't think that hurting the Young Lord's face was a big deal. He just smiled and said, "Old Zhang, look, some people are so used to comfortable lives that they think a peaceful world is supposed to be like this, and whoever is in power is the one who is厉害 (powerful). They've forgotten that status and power are the surface, and swords and fists are the core. These people are like children playing house, but people can't play house forever, otherwise they're stupid, destined to be slaves for life!"

He spread his hands and smiled, then continued, "Little Gelder, you say he has insight, but he's always thinking about those few taels of silver with me. You say he has no insight, but he knows who to rely on. He saw early on that the Princess Consort and Prince Xin were not getting along, and I am the Princess Consort's man. He wasn't foolish enough to switch allegiances like Liu He, nor was he foolish enough to stand by and do nothing. Instead, he knew who to curry favor with."

"Father, judge by actions, not by intentions. If you judge by intentions, there are no good people. I think Young Master Meng is a kind and honest person." Nie Qingqing spoke up for Meng Yuan.

"If he's kind and honest, I'm a saint!" Nie Yannian said irritably, then continued, "Also, you've only known him for a few days and he's already 'Young Master Meng'? He hasn't been freed from his status, and he comes from a gelder background. How is he a young master?"

Nie Qingqing smiled sweetly and said, "Acting righteously, helping the weak and aiding the distressed, he has the style of an ancient侠客 (chivalrous hero). How can he not be called a young master?"

"You should talk to him less!" Nie Yannian was very angry seeing his daughter constantly speaking up for an outsider.

Nie Qingqing smiled and said, "Father, I have already agreed on your behalf to let Young Master Meng help you with your work and supplement the household expenses. Don't make things difficult for me."

"Which of us is the father? You even agreed on my behalf?" Nie Yannian said angrily, "Is it easy for me to earn money? Opening a Martial Arts School requires giving money away in a circle, and there are a few dogs waiting to split the money. I don't get much of it myself!"

"Anyway, I agreed. If you don't need the help, then I'll figure something out myself."

Nie Qingqing bowed gracefully to Zhang Guinian and said, "Uncle Zhang, please persuade my father not to cheat people out of their money anymore. It's quite pitiful."

After speaking, Nie Qingqing left.

Zhang Guinian then spoke up and asked, "Did you cheat someone out of money?"

"It was bounty money. Besides, that money was originally earned by me taking him along. He insisted on treating me to show off his generosity, who's to blame?" Nie Yannian said.

"You also said that the bounty money was earned by Little Gelder risking his life. Even if he treated you to drinks, he wouldn't use it all up, right? Old Nie, look, you cheated him out of some bounty money, don't end up losing your precious daughter in return!" Zhang Guinian mocked.

Nie Yannian remembered his daughter's words just now, and he indeed fell silent.

"Old Nie, what are you thinking?" Seeing Nie Yannian silent, Zhang Guinian smiled again and said, "I can see that you like that child. This time he stood up for Qingqing and for you. Hurting that foolish Young Lord's face is not a big deal. You went through life and death with the Princess Consort's brother, and the Princess Consort is nostalgic. One word from her will settle the matter."

"Such a small matter doesn't require bothering the Princess Consort."

Nie Yannian sighed and said, "I was thinking of finding someone to take over my position. In a few more years, we won't be able to lift a saber. I only have one daughter and no clan members. I'm afraid she'll be helpless and alone then, so I need to find someone to protect her."

"Are you planning to pass on your True Skill? Let him take over your position?" Zhang Guinian asked curiously.

"Damn it, the gelder is too good at climbing the ladder. I've already passed on my True Skill!"

Nie Yannian smiled helplessly, "I had planned to choose one from Ren Debiao and Wu Changsheng before, and I observed them carefully. Both of these kids are good. Ren Debiao's martial arts progress is fast, he's almost Eighth Rank in just over two years; Wu Changsheng is flexible in handling things, has good judgment, and his aptitude is not bad either. I actually favor Wu Changsheng more. If this child is properly trained, even if he doesn't achieve great fame in the future, he can still take over my business. If he has a noble person to support him, he might even live more comfortably than me."

"Then who did you choose?" Zhang Guinian asked curiously.

"Didn't the gelder come?" Nie Yannian spread his hands, "As soon as this kid came, he immediately surpassed Ren Debiao and Wu Changsheng. Not only is his martial arts aptitude excellent, he reached a rank in just over a month, and he's even more diligent in practicing martial arts than I was back then! Not to mention his character, he's very determined, treating other people's gossip as farts!"

Nie Yannian pointed to the south and continued, "Last time we went to Peach Blossom Ridge to kill the Buddhist Demons, after I crippled Great Tail Venerable, I quickly went to check on the two of them. As a result, Wolf One fought desperately, and Little Gelder was even more ruthless than Wolf One, which is why he killed Wolf One. Ren Debiao had been practicing martial arts for so long, but when Wolf Two fought desperately, he actually flinched and didn't dare to fight."

"This shows up in a fight. Ren Debiao isn't as daring and willing to fight as Little Gelder, and he's also narrow-minded. If Wu Changsheng had been in today's situation, he probably wouldn't have dared to throw a punch directly. Didn't Little Gelder surpass them both?"

Nie Yannian said, then smiled, "Little Gelder knows what he wants in his heart. He also reads and studies, wanting to follow the path of being skilled in both literary and military arts!"

When Zhang Guinian heard this, he also laughed and said, "The Princess Consort's family are all full of knowledge. The gelder has also been influenced by literary refinement."

"I don't think he's the type for studying. Maybe his poems aren't even as good as the Young Lord's!" Nie Yannian mocked.

"It's always good to read more." Zhang Guinian said cheerfully, "According to you, his character is not bad, his aptitude is good, and he's also sensible and motivated. How is he in dealing with people? If he takes over your business in the future, he can't just rely on his saber."

"He's alright, he knows what to say to whom!" Nie Yannian kept laughing, "The Princess Consort told me to teach those kids, saying I could just teach them casually. Out of so many kids, only he was shameless enough to dare to ask me to borrow money! I was already teaching him too much. He got the bounty money and bought a bunch of wine, just so I would teach him more. Afterwards, he even dared to shamelessly come to my daughter to borrow money. I've never seen such a shameless person!"

"He doesn't treat you as an outsider, and didn't you also deliberately cultivate him?" Zhang Guinian saw through it clearly, "As long as he's not an ungrateful person and not unkind and ungenerous, it's fine. You teach him skills, and he knows to mourn at your grave, then it's acceptable."

"Let's wait and see. Young people's temperaments haven't settled yet, who knows what they'll be like!" Nie Yannian sighed, "There's no rush. The Princess Consort is good at judging people. I'll take him to see her later and let the Princess Consort take a look."

"Alright, it's your business anyway." Zhang Guinian stood up, "I have to go back. Aren't you going back to clean up his mess?"

"Clean up his mess?" Nie Yannian smiled, "You know Xun Mei, right? The Princess Consort's personal little accountant! He's charmed Xun Mei, and Xun Mei has always thought he was a kind and honest person! Do you believe me, he's already charmed Xun Mei again by now, it won't be up to me to clean up his mess!"