He calmed his mind and focused his spirit. True Qi emerged from his dantian, traveled along his meridians, and slowly reached his left arm.
Before long, he sensed an obstruction ahead, like a river channel blocked by a dam.
Meng Yuan remained unhurried. His True Qi struck it slowly—nine slow strikes and one swift, nine shallow and one deep—then gradually increased in force until every strike was both deep and swift.
After who knew how long, Meng Yuan felt the blockage suddenly open wide. The first acupoint in his left arm had opened, located on his upper arm.
Meng Yuan opened his eyes. Evening was already approaching.
After dinner and a brief rest, Meng Yuan led the students in continuing their night training.
Sweat scattered everywhere. Only when they were exhausted beyond endurance did they finally call it a day.
As the senior disciple, Meng Yuan made a special round through the Male Dormitory and Female Dormitory. Seeing that everything was fairly clean, he spouted some nonsense about bathing often and airing out their bedding, then returned to his residence beside the Training Field.
Old Man Jiang had long since gone to sleep, but candlelight still shone from Jiang Tang's room.
Meng Yuan pushed open the door and saw the little girl reading with great concentration.
Every day, she cleaned the rooms, read and practiced writing, brewed medicine and cooked meals. She had even made several pairs of new shoes.
"Brother!" Jiang Tang was delighted to see Meng Yuan back. "I'll bring you a late-night meal!"
She dashed out in one breath and returned carrying a clay pot filled with lamb that had been slowly simmered over a low flame.
His Essence Flame was growing slowly now, so Meng Yuan never skipped his nightly extra meal.
"Eat with me." Meng Yuan sat down and began eating at once, not minding the heat.
"I'm not hungry." Jiang Tang sat opposite him, attentively poured him some tea, then rested both elbows on the table and cradled her face in her hands. She watched Meng Yuan with a silly smile and whispered, "Brother, Sister Xun Mei came this afternoon."
"What did she come for?" Meng Yuan asked as he ate.
"She just asked about you."
Jiang Tang stretched out her right hand, tilted her head, and tucked the hair by Meng Yuan's temple behind his ear so it would not get stained with meat grease. "Sister Xun Mei saw that I was reading and learning characters, so she asked whether I wanted to go work for her."
Meng Yuan understood. Xun Mei truly was a very good person. Worried that he had offended the Young Lord and Steward Liu, she wanted to offer this girl her protection.
This debt of gratitude truly could never be repaid.
"What did your grandfather say? What do you think?" Meng Yuan asked.
"Grandfather told me to listen to you." Jiang Tang's voice was soft. "Sister Xun Mei said I could go to her place during the day. I could still brew medicine for Grandfather morning and evening, and it wouldn't delay me making your late-night meal at night."
So she wanted to go! It made sense. Though Xun Mei was a maid, she was little different from her mistress. She was courteous and gentle, poised and graceful, skilled at managing money, and had an excellent temperament. It was only natural for the little girl to admire her.
"Then go." Meng Yuan smiled. "Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to buy some hair ornaments. No need to pierce your ears—we'll get some bracelets and hairpins."
"Mm!" Jiang Tang's eyes lit up in an instant. "I've saved several taels of silver. This time, I'll use my money!"
Meng Yuan took out a hundred-tael banknote and handed it to her. "Use this."
Jiang Tang was dazed, then hurriedly asked where the money had come from, but Meng Yuan would not say.
The next morning, Meng Yuan first went to the Training Field for morning practice before taking Jiang Tang out with him.
The two had a fine meal, wandered around all morning, and commissioned bracelets and hairpins at the Silver Ornament Shop. They also bought a Bronze Mirror and a Jewelry Box. Only then was everything complete.
Seeing how happy the little girl was, Meng Yuan felt even more free of worries. He plunged headfirst into the Training Field, intending to open all the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens as soon as possible.
By the time he reached the Training Field and trained until the evening dismissal, another acupoint had opened in Meng Yuan's left arm.
He had planned to return and ask the little girl how her first day at work had gone, but Wu Changsheng ran over to ask why Meng Yuan had not led them in chants today. Tie Niu also thought that shouting a few times every day was the only way to express their loyalty to the Princess Consort.
"Loyalty isn't shouted out. It's shown through action!" Meng Yuan rejected them with great solemnity.
Over the next several days, Master Nie still did not show himself, and Meng Yuan did not go looking for him either.
With no worries weighing on him, Meng Yuan threw himself fully into striking open his acupoints. He did not even leave the estate. He could not be bothered to inquire about Liu He, much less visit the Drunken Moon Pavilion.
Flirting with women—especially widows—was an utterly boring affair! With that bit of spare time, Meng Yuan would rather hug the Stone Roller and play with it!
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. It was already late February.
As the morning sun rose, Meng Yuan first performed a set of the Embracing Stake Nourishing Essence Art, then chose a spot to sit in meditation and visualized Great River Water.
He mobilized his True Qi again and again, time after time. Unlike before, when he used nine slow strikes and one swift one, he now struck the acupoints heavily every time.
In a daze, Meng Yuan suddenly felt the blockage vanish without a trace.
Thus, after diligent day-and-night training, all the acupoints in his limbs had opened, and the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens were completely open.
Just as Meng Yuan was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly felt his entire body tremble faintly. The True Qi in his dantian actually showed signs of instability.
Master Nie had never mentioned such a situation. Meng Yuan hurriedly calmed his mind and focused his spirit. Only after a long while did he finally settle it down.
"According to Master Nie, the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens lie within the skin and flesh, while the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens lie within the tendons and bones. Their positions correspond to one another."
"Ninth Rank means fully opening the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens, and they are now completely open. What should I do next to perfect the breakthrough?"
Meng Yuan was a novice brother. He truly could not make heads or tails of it.
"Master Nie always says he should find a madam to teach me. But when it comes to martial arts, he's the madam."
Meng Yuan was an honest man. Seeing that noon was nearing, he went to find someone right at mealtime, intending to mooch a meal while he was at it.
He hurried all the way to the Drunken Moon Pavilion, familiar with the route.
"Why haven't you come to see me for so long? Do you find this place too noisy?" Nie Qingqing wore a slightly thin spring dress that revealed her lush figure. Her jade hairpin and buzhuyao complemented one another, and a smile rested on her lips. She truly looked like a gentle yet alluring older sister.
Meng Yuan's heart stirred, but he still put on a proper expression. "Sister Qingqing, is Master Nie still busy with the Martial Arts School?"
Seeing that the youth brought up serious business as soon as he arrived, Nie Qingqing withdrew her smile. "The Martial Arts School is nothing much. Uncle Zhang has had matters to attend to lately, so he borrowed my father away."
"The Demon Suppression Division's Songhe Prefecture garrison?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.
"That's right." Nie Qingqing folded her hands together. "He should probably return in two or three days."
"I see." Meng Yuan had made his calculations and did not ask further. He merely said, "Sister, I ran all the way here and am terribly thirsty. Could I trouble you for a cup of tea?"
Meng Yuan had not abandoned his intention of mooching a meal.
"You came to see Master Nie, not me. Why should I provide you with tea?" Nie Qingqing beckoned, and a servant brought over a jar of wine. "I dare not forget the favor you rendered before, Young Master. A humble jar of wine shall serve as my token of thanks."
With that, Nie Qingqing left directly. The servant stuffed the wine jar into Meng Yuan's arms and did not forget to send him away. "Young Master, please return."
Eh? Women really were strange. When I acted proper, she thought I wasn't flirtatious enough. But if I started flirting, she'd say I played too wildly!
Having failed to mooch a meal, Meng Yuan carried the wine jar back.
When he returned to the Prince's Estate, he saw someone waiting at the Training Field entrance. It was Zhao Datou.
Zhao Datou saw Meng Yuan as well. He hurried over, glanced at the wine jar in Meng Yuan's arms, and asked with great solemnity, "Little Meng, tell me honestly. Did Grandmother sleep with you?"
What did that have to do with anything? Meng Yuan said helplessly, "I've been at the Prince's Estate the whole time. Where would I have gone to sleep?"
Zhao Datou did not believe him. He grabbed Meng Yuan's wrist and found it warm. Meng Yuan had no dark circles beneath his eyes and was full of vitality, clearly not looking as though womanly charms had drained him dry. Only then did Zhao Datou relax slightly.
"Grandmother came looking for me. She said she wanted to see you." Zhao Datou spoke quietly.
"How did she find you? She shouldn't know we work at the ranch." Meng Yuan asked curiously.
"She said the cow-dung smell at our ranch was the strongest and best-smelling. She found me as soon as she arrived." Zhao Datou said helplessly.
Meng Yuan smiled and asked, "Did she say why she wanted to see me?"
Zhao Datou stared at Meng Yuan and whispered, "She said you untied her ropes. After she returned home, she thought about her godmother and thought about you too. She also wanted to repay you."
It seemed she wanted to repay his life-saving grace. That little Xiang Ling truly was not very quick-witted, but her character was passable.
"How did she say she wanted to repay me?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.
"How else could she repay you?" Zhao Datou grabbed Meng Yuan's arm and refused to let go. "Little Meng, I know you have prospects and your own firm ideas. The Jiang Family Girl is indeed still young. Young men have blazing passions, but you can't go looking around recklessly. Even if you visit prostitutes, well, prostitutes—it won't cost much!"
Having said that, Zhao Datou hurriedly added, "But don't take Tie Niu with you. He's still a child."
"..." Meng Yuan rubbed his brow and smiled helplessly. "Did she personally say she wanted to sleep with me?"
"Not exactly. She only said she wanted to see you. She set it for tomorrow morning, outside the ranch." Zhao Datou still seemed shaken. "Grandmother was awfully pleased with herself. She said she would definitely make you immensely happy!"
Immensely happy? How immensely?
Meng Yuan had not the slightest interest in sleeping with a little yellow weasel, and he knew Xiang Ling definitely was not coming to sleep with him.
But with all the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens now open, he still had no clue how to advance to Eighth Rank. Master Nie was away as well. It would not hurt to go out for a walk. The round trip would only take a day anyway.
Before you continue