Scatterbrain and Grumpy

Since he had made up his mind, Meng Yuan didn't waste any time and planned to set off immediately to stay at Pasture Manor for a night.

He delivered the wine to his residence, then went to find Xun Mei, telling her he was returning to Pasture Manor for a trip and asking her to help take good care of Jiang Tang.

Afterward, Meng Yuan returned to the Training Field, instructed Hu Qian and Wu Changsheng to lead the students in training, and only then did he sling the Five-Stone Bow and long saber over his shoulder and go to the stable to fetch Little Red Horse.

"I'm going back to Pasture Manor to take a look," Meng Yuan didn't explain much to Old Man Jiang.

With everything ready, Meng Yuan rode his horse, and Zhao Datou drove the donkey cart. They bought some meat and braised food on the way, and the two of them ate and chatted as they went.

Actually, it was mostly Zhao Datou talking, mostly words of persuasion.

Leaving the city again this time, the greenery was even deeper. Grass and trees grew on both sides of the road, farmers were diligent, and the seedlings were green in patches.

It was past midday in the afternoon when Pasture Manor finally appeared in their sight.

Meng Yuan wasn't in a hurry to return to Pasture Manor. Instead, he circled around it first to investigate.

Although Xiang Ling was a Scatterbrain, she was still a spirit creature by origin, so he couldn't let his guard down.

Meng Yuan carefully checked the spot he had agreed upon with Xiang Ling before returning to Pasture Manor.

When Manor Head Sun saw Meng Yuan return, he set up a farmhouse feast. He beat around the bush for a long time, trying to figure out the purpose of Meng Yuan's visit.

But Meng Yuan was there for a private meeting with the Little Weasel, so he could only make up some nonsense about missing the old place to prevaricate.

"Brother, take this." After Manor Head Sun heard that the Jiang family girl was following Xun Mei, he took out ten taels of silver to give him.

"I really just came to relax. Xun Mei didn't say anything." Meng Yuan didn't have the habit of extorting money.

After dinner, Meng Yuan couldn't sleep, so he practiced his saber technique in the courtyard.

Following the True Qi circulation method and breathing technique taught by Master Nie, the power of the Gale Wind Saber Technique indeed increased. His movements were faster, and his saber strikes were quicker.

The bright moon was in the sky, and he practiced it over and over again. Meng Yuan found that although the power of the Gale Wind Saber Technique increased according to the method taught by Master Nie, there was always a sense of stagnation, unable to be completely natural, as if something was missing.

Meng Yuan initially thought he was unfamiliar with the True Qi circulation method, but even after practicing until midnight, this sense of stagnation still existed.

It was like spending money but eating a vegetarian meal.

"Qi and strength combine, intention and qi combine. Is it the 'subtlety' that Master Nie mentioned that's missing? Or is it some other reason?"

Meng Yuan had accumulated a pile of questions, not just about the Gale Wind Saber Technique, but also about the method to break through to the Eighth Rank.

If he could reach the Eighth Rank earlier and accompany the Princess Consort on the spring outing, it would be much better than being with Xiang Ling and smelling cow dung.

Moreover, the food has been excellent recently, and the Essence Flame has absorbed a lot of nutrients. It can now cover more than half of his body, and it is estimated that it will be complete in another half a month.

At that time, after refining his body again, his progress to the Eighth Rank should also be faster.

After practicing the Gale Wind Saber Technique for half the night, Meng Yuan slept soundly.

The next day, after breakfast and practicing his saber technique once, Meng Yuan tucked two boiled eggs into his pocket and walked out of the manor.

Walking west, everything was sprouting in the spring, and the grass and trees were tender green.

Just as he reached the foot of the mountain, he felt that the winter chill still lingered a bit. Weeds grew among the dead leaves on the ground, showing a vigorous upward trend.

Meng Yuan had his saber at his waist and a heavy bow on his back, and he walked forward calmly.

Looking around, Meng Yuan saw a pile of dead leaves under a locust tree, so he walked over slowly.

"Oh dear, Miss Xiang Ling said she wanted to see me, but why isn't there a shadow?"

Meng Yuan sighed, making a gesture to untie his belt, "Forget it, I'll just take a piss first!"

"Ah!" A brown-skinned weasel instantly jumped out of the pile of dead leaves.

Xiang Ling jumped three feet high in an instant, then turned around and landed, leaning against the locust tree.

She had a small floral cloth bag tied around her neck and a floral headscarf covering her head, revealing two small ears, dressed like a village girl.

Her two lower limbs supported her slender body, and her black nose was moist, looking quite capable.

Xiang Ling quickly brushed off the broken leaves clinging to her body, showing that she was still a tidy person, but her mouth didn't stop, "You clearly knew I was hiding under the leaves, and you still wanted to pee on me!"

Her round eyes were very spirited, and her two upper limbs seemed to want to put her hands on her hips, but they were slightly short and could only reach her armpits. Then she tilted her head back slightly and said angrily, "Little Gelder, bad!"

Meng Yuan was an honest person and knew he was in the wrong, so he cupped his fists and smiled, saying, "It was my recklessness, please forgive me, Miss Xiang Ling."

"Ah, you're quite polite!" Xiang Ling immediately turned her head back, her anger gone. Her two big eyes stared at Meng Yuan, and she said happily, "Hehe, then I forgive you."

She no longer put her hands on her hips, straightened her small bag and headscarf, and said happily again, "Little Gelder, your voice is quite pleasant!"

Then you haven't heard anything good! Meng Yuan smiled and didn't speak.

"See if I'm dressed fashionably?" Xiang Ling spread her two upper limbs and turned in a circle, clearly wanting praise.

"Very fashionable, city noblewomen dress like this." Meng Yuan knew Xiang Ling was a bumpkin, so he coaxed her with words, and then asked, "Are you preparing for a blind date? Is there any news about the blind date?"

"Alas, Xiang Ling has no mother, it's a long story." When the topic of marriage came up, Xiang Ling sighed, "As soon as my godmother died, the old matchmaker disappeared. Maybe the Peach Blossom Ridge is causing too much trouble and scared her old self into not daring to go out!"

This silly Xiang Ling!

Meng Yuan smiled and said, "Did the matchmaker go to the Peach Blossom Fair?"

"No, she didn't." Xiang Ling shook her little head, "The matchmaker said that Big Tail Bro's Buddhist teachings are not proper, the more you listen, the more idiotic it gets, and you can't cultivate to great freedom. It's better to learn more about Eating Clouds and Drinking Dew, that's true freedom!"

This Green Fur Fox has insight! Great freedom is a Buddhist saying, and true freedom is a Daoism saying.

When Meng Yuan heard this, he felt that the fox was quite extraordinary. And while it was true that Xiang Ling and her mother were foolish to be tricked by the fox, it was also true that the fox had some real ability.

"How did your blind date go?" Xiang Ling actually wanted to discuss blind date experiences again.

When did I ever say I went on a blind date? Meng Yuan smiled helplessly and said, "She hasn't divorced yet, I have to wait a bit longer."

"You can't wait any longer, look how old you are!" Xiang Ling became serious again, looking like she was imparting life lessons.

Meng Yuan rubbed his temples, realizing he had been so caught up in this nonsense with the weasel that he had forgotten the main point.

"Why did you call me here?" Meng Yuan asked.

Hearing this, Xiang Ling immediately became serious and said, "Godmother said, if you give me a peach, I'll give you two apricots. If you snatch one of my eggs, I have to steal two pieces of your meat!"

Isn't this roe deer quite reasonable? Why is she so greedy for those few eggs?

Meng Yuan smiled and said, "This means repaying kindness and avenging grievances, a gentleman is clear about favors and grudges."

"Oh!" Xiang Ling exclaimed, "Little Gelder, you know a lot!"

She happily hopped forward and said, "I'm here to repay your kindness!"

Xiang Ling crossed her two short upper limbs, assuming a posture of folded arms, and said smugly, "I went to find Sister-in-law Pig, she has the most children. I told her, you give birth every month, you have too many children, you're constantly grunting and annoying everyone, the whole mountain is full of your children, why not just geld them all? I can find you someone, it's cheap and the work is good! As a result, Sister-in-law Pig told me to get lost!"

Speaking of this, Xiang Ling stomped her foot in anger and said, "Sister-in-law Pig is too rude!"

She just told you to get lost, that's already very polite!

Meng Yuan was an honest person, so he said, "I used to be a gelder, but now I've changed professions, so you don't need to find work for me anymore."

"I know! You're now following the big shots from the Demon Suppression Division!" Xiang Ling was very reasonable, and then said, "But you're not married yet, I've already arranged a few marriages for you."

What is this all about? A few marriages?

Pimping at such a young age! Is this the great joy?

Meng Yuan looked up at the sky and couldn't help but ask himself: What did I come here for anyway?

Xiang Ling didn't notice, and continued to chatter, counting on her claws, "I found several for you, after much persuasion, six are willing to meet you. Some said you humans are very bad and want to get to know you first. Some had too high a bride price, so I pushed them away for you. As for Cow Widow, she said she wants to sleep with you first..."

What is all this nonsense?

Meng Yuan reached out and pinched Xiang Ling's mouth, then took out a boiled egg from his sleeve and said, "I remember your good intentions, but you don't need to worry about my marriage. Stay in your Old Turtle Pit from now on, don't associate with fox matchmakers, and don't go to Pasture Manor anymore."

He stuffed the boiled egg into Xiang Ling's arms and turned to leave.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't go, Little Gelder!" Xiang Ling caught up in a few steps, grabbed the hem of Meng Yuan's clothes, and looked up, not letting him go, saying pitifully, "My family has a great medicine, it's the dowry Godmother left for me, do you want it?"

"Oh? Tell me more." Meng Yuan finally became interested.