Having made up his mind, Meng Yuan did not waste words. He planned to set out at once and spend the night at the ranch.
After delivering the wine to his quarters, he went to find Xun Mei and told her he was returning to the ranch for a while, asking her to take extra care of Jiang Tang.
Meng Yuan then returned to the Training Field and instructed Hu Qian and Wu Changsheng to lead the students in drills. Only then did he sling the Five-Stone Bow and his long saber over himself, then head to the stables to lead out Little Red Horse.
"I'm going back to the ranch to have a look." Meng Yuan did not explain much to Old Man Jiang.
Once everything was ready, Meng Yuan rode while Zhao Datou drove the donkey cart. They bought some meat and braised delicacies along the road, eating and chatting as they went.
In truth, Zhao Datou did all the talking, most of it words of persuasion.
This time, as they left the city again, the greenery seemed deeper still. Grass and trees flourished along both sides of the road, farmers worked diligently, and lush green seedlings spread in sheets.
It was past mid-afternoon before the ranch came into view.
Meng Yuan did not hurry back to the ranch. Instead, he first circled around it and investigated the surroundings.
Though Xiang Ling was a scatterbrain, she had come from the ranks of spirits after all. One could not afford to let down one's guard.
Meng Yuan carefully inspected the place he had arranged to meet Xiang Ling before returning to the ranch.
When Manor Head Sun saw Meng Yuan had come again, he laid out an Agricultural School feast. He beat around the bush for quite some time, trying to discover Meng Yuan's reason for coming.
But Meng Yuan had come for a secret meeting with a little yellow weasel, so he could only spin some nonsense about missing his old stomping grounds to brush him off.
"Brother, take this." When Manor Head Sun heard that the Jiang Family Girl had gone off with Xun Mei, he took out ten taels of silver to give him.
"I really only came to clear my head. Xun Mei didn't say anything." Meng Yuan was not in the habit of extorting money.
After dinner, Meng Yuan could not sleep, so he practiced his saber technique in the courtyard.
Following the True Qi circulation method and breathing technique taught by Master Nie, the Gale Wind Saber Technique truly grew stronger. His movements became swifter, and his strikes faster.
The bright moon hung overhead as he practiced it again and again. Meng Yuan discovered that although Master Nie's method did indeed increase the Gale Wind Saber Technique's power, it always carried a trace of sluggishness. It could not become one seamless whole, as though something were missing.
At first, Meng Yuan thought he was simply unfamiliar with the method of circulating True Qi. Yet by midnight, that feeling of stagnation remained.
It was like paying for a meal, only to be served vegetarian fare.
"Qi joins with strength, intent joins with qi. Is it because I lack the 'minute detail' Master Nie spoke of? Or is there another reason?"
Meng Yuan had accumulated a whole heap of questions, not only about the Gale Wind Saber Technique, but also about breaking through to Eighth Rank.
If he could reach Eighth Rank sooner and accompany the Princess Consort on her spring outing, that would be far better than huddling together with Xiang Ling and smelling cow dung.
Besides, the food had been especially good lately, and the essence fire had absorbed abundant nutrients. It could now cover more than half his body. Another half month or so, and it would likely reach completion.
Once he tempered his body again, his progress toward Eighth Rank would surely be faster as well.
After practicing the Gale Wind Saber Technique for half the night, Meng Yuan slept soundly.
The next morning, after breakfast and another round of saber practice, Meng Yuan tucked two boiled eggs into his clothes and left the ranch on foot.
Heading west, he found all things sprouting in spring, the grass and trees tender green.
Just as he reached the foot of the mountain, he felt a few traces of winter's biting chill still linger. Weeds grew amid dead leaves, carrying a vigorous upward thrust.
With a saber at his waist and a heavy bow on his back, Meng Yuan calmly stepped forward.
After looking around, Meng Yuan spotted a pile of dead leaves beneath a locust tree and slowly walked over.
"Ah, ah, Miss Xiang Ling said she wanted to see me, but why is there no sign of her?"
Meng Yuan sighed, making as if to untie his belt. "Forget it, I'll take a piss first!"
"Ah!" A brown-furred yellow weasel instantly sprang out from the pile of dead leaves.
Xiang Ling shot three feet into the air in a single jump, then spun and landed with her back against the locust tree.
A little floral bundle was tied around her neck, and a floral headscarf covered her head, leaving only her two small ears exposed. She looked every bit the country girl.
Her two hind legs supported her slender body, and her black nose glistened with moisture. She actually looked rather capable.
Xiang Ling quickly brushed the scraps of leaves from herself. Clearly, she was someone who liked to keep tidy, but her mouth did not stop moving. "You clearly knew I was hiding under the leaves, yet you still wanted to pee on me!"
Her round, bright eyes were full of spirit. Her two forelimbs seemed to want to rest on her hips, but they were a little too short and could only reach beneath her armpits. Then she tilted her head back and snapped angrily, "Little Gelder, bad!"
Meng Yuan was an honest man. Knowing he was in the wrong, he clasped his fists and smiled. "I was presumptuous. I ask Miss Xiang Ling to forgive me."
"Ah, you're actually quite polite!" Xiang Ling immediately turned her head back, her anger already gone. Her two huge eyes stared at Meng Yuan as she said happily, "Hehe, then I forgive you."
She stopped trying to put her paws on her hips, straightened her little bundle and headscarf, then happily added, "Little Gelder, you sure speak nicely!"
That's only because you've never heard any nice words before! Meng Yuan smiled but said nothing.
"Don't I look fashionable?" Xiang Ling stretched out her two forelimbs and spun in a circle, plainly asking for praise.
"Very fashionable. The noble ladies in the city all dress like that." Knowing Xiang Ling was a country bumpkin, Meng Yuan humored her, then asked, "Are you preparing for a matchmaking meeting? Has that matter been settled?"
"Alas, Xiang Ling has no mother. It's a long story." At the mention of marriage, Xiang Ling sighed. "After my godmother died, the Old Matchmaker vanished too. Maybe Peach Blossom Ridge has been causing such a stir that it scared the old lady into not daring to leave home!"
This foolish Xiang Ling!
Meng Yuan smiled. "Did the matchmaker go to the Peach Blossom Fair?"
"No." Xiang Ling shook her little head. "The matchmaker said Big Tail Bro didn't study proper Buddhist teachings. The more he listened, the more of a bastard he became, and he could never cultivate great freedom. He might as well learn more of the abilities of Eating Clouds and Drinking Dew. That would be True Freedom!"
That Green Fur Fox has some insight! Great freedom is a Buddhist saying, while True Freedom is a Daoist saying.
Hearing this, Meng Yuan felt that the fox was quite extraordinary. Xiang Ling and her mother had indeed been deceived by the fox because the pair of them were foolish, but on the other hand, the fox truly did possess some skill.
"How did your matchmaking go?" Xiang Ling unexpectedly wanted to exchange matchmaking experiences again.
When did I ever say I was matchmaking? Meng Yuan smiled helplessly. "She hasn't divorced yet. I have to wait a little longer."
"You can't keep waiting! Look how old you are already!" Xiang Ling grew serious again, looking as though she were passing on the wisdom of life.
Meng Yuan rubbed his brow, realizing he had gotten so caught up in bantering nonsense with this yellow weasel that he had forgotten the important matter.
"You called me here. What is it?" Meng Yuan asked.
At those words, Xiang Ling immediately became serious. "My godmother said that if you give me one peach, I give you two apricots. If you snatch one egg from me, I have to steal two slices of meat from you!"
Isn't this roe deer quite sensible? Why is she so greedy over a few eggs?
Meng Yuan smiled. "It means repaying every favor and avenging every grievance. A gentleman keeps favors and grudges clearly separate."
"Eh!" Xiang Ling exclaimed in amazement. "Little Gelder, you know so much!"
She happily hopped forward twice. "I came to repay your favor!"
Xiang Ling crossed her short little forelimbs, pretending to fold her arms, and said proudly, "I went to find Sister-in-law Pig. She has the most children. So I told her, you give birth every month, you have too many children, and they squeal and squeal all day, making a racket. The whole mountain is full of your children. Why not have them all gelded? I'll find you someone to do it, cheap and good at the work! In the end, Sister-in-law Pig told me to get lost!"
At this point, Xiang Ling stomped her foot in anger. "Sister-in-law Pig was so rude!"
The fact that she only told you to get lost already makes her extremely polite!
Meng Yuan was an honest man, so he said, "I used to work as a gelder, but I've changed trades now. You don't need to find work for me anymore."
"I know! You're following a big shot from the Demon Suppression Division now!" Xiang Ling said with perfect logic, then continued, "But you still aren't married, so I've arranged several matches for you."
What does that even have to do with anything? Several matches?
At such a young age, she's already acting as a pimp! Is this what great happiness means?
Meng Yuan raised his head to the sky and could not help asking himself: What exactly did I come here for?
But Xiang Ling did not notice. She kept rambling on, counting on her claws. "I found several for you. After much coaxing and pleading, six agreed to meet you. Some others said you humans are terribly bad and wanted to get to know you first. Some demanded bride prices that were too high, so I turned them down for you. But Cow Widow said she wanted to sleep with you first..."
What kind of chaotic nonsense is this?
Meng Yuan reached out and pinched Xiang Ling's mouth shut, then pulled a boiled egg from his sleeve. "I'll remember your good intentions, but you needn't worry about my marriage. From now on, stay properly in your Old Turtle Pit. Don't associate with that fox matchmaker, and don't go to the ranch again."
He stuffed the boiled egg into Xiang Ling's arms, turned, and left.
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't go, Little Gelder!" Xiang Ling caught up in a few quick bounds, grabbed the hem of Meng Yuan's clothes, and looked up at him without letting him leave. In a pitiful voice, she said, "My family has a great medicine. My godmother left it for me as dowry. Do you want it?"
"Oh? Tell me more." Meng Yuan was finally interested.
Before you continue