The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun

Page 24

Jiang Ning nodded.

The inn where Yue Buqun and his companions were staying was not far from Jiangning; they arrived there in no time.

Before even entering the inn, Jiang Ning heard a familiar voice.

"Five champions, six six six..."

As soon as Jiang Ning entered the inn, he saw four or five people gathered around a table on the first floor. They were Linghu Chong, Lu Dayou, Gao Genming, and Ying Bailuo. The four of them were gesturing and talking around the table, which was filled with bowls of wine. Yue Lingshan stood next to Linghu Chong, watching them play.

The voice just now was made by Linghu Chong.

"Senior Brother, Junior Sister Ling Shan~"

Du Lanyin called out.

The group of people who were playing the game turned around and spotted Jiang Ning.

"Junior brother, you've come to Xiangyang too?"

Linghu Chong and the others asked in surprise. Then Linghu Chong beckoned to Jiang Ning and said, "Come on, we're playing a drinking game. Junior Brother, why don't you join in?"

Besides drinking, Linghu Chong also used to gamble. Half of the pocket money Yue Buqun gave him was spent on buying alcohol, and the other half was spent on gambling dens.

When Yue Buqun found out, he was furious and punished him severely several times, but to no avail. It wasn't until Jiang Ning's strength caught up with his that he began to cultivate diligently again and gradually gave up gambling. However, he did not change his love of alcohol. Yue Buqun strictly ordered him to drink less, but he still couldn't change. In his words, without alcohol, it would be better to be dead than alive.

Now that Yue Buqun has gone to visit friends at the inn, Ning Zhongze has gone with him. Linghu Chong is so bored at the inn that he plays a drinking game with Lu Dayou and the others, and the loser has to drink.

"No, senior brother."

Jiang Ning smiled and shook his head.

Linghu Chong curled his lip and said it was boring.

"Wow, what a big donkey."

Lu Dayou saw the edamame outside the inn and exclaimed in surprise.

"It's called edamame, and my junior brother bought it in Huayin County."

Du Lanyin answered first.

"Junior brother, didn't you go on a training expedition? Why are you in Xiangyang?"

Gao Genming asked.

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "It was on my way. I thought that Master, Mistress, and all the senior brothers and sisters were here, so I came to take a look."

"Oh."

Gao Genming nodded.

Yue Lingshan said, "My father and mother are not here; they went to visit friends."

Ying Bailuo asked curiously, "Where did you go on your trip down the mountain? Was it fun?"

Jiang Ning shook his head: "There's nothing fun about it."

"Junior brother, you have no idea, Master has been mentioning you all the way here, using you as an example to scold me. It's driving me crazy."

“You’ve only been down the mountain for a short time, and your master’s wife is already talking about you. She tells us every day that it’s your first time coming down the mountain, and she’s worried that you won’t have enough to eat or wear, and that you’ll be bullied. My fellow disciples and I are tired of hearing it.”

Linghu Chong shook his head and sighed, "My master's wife never cared about me this much when I went down the mountain."

"How not."

Yue Lingshan covered her mouth and laughed, "Every time you go down the mountain, your mother worries about you, you just don't know it."

"Really? My master's wife still dotes on me."

Linghu Chong chuckled, his eyes lighting up when he saw the clothes Jiang Ning was wearing.

"Wow, junior brother, you look really good in that outfit! Where did you buy it?"

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "I bought it in Xi'an Prefecture. If you like it, I'll buy you a set next time."

"Alright, junior brother, I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

Linghu Chong's eyes lit up, and he gave Jiang Ning a thumbs up.

"By the way, where's my second senior brother?"

Jiang Ning asked about Laudenuo.

"My second senior brother went to Sichuan. Before he went down the mountain, Father wrote a letter to Yu Canghai of the Qingcheng Sect and asked my second senior brother to deliver it to him."

Yue Lingshan said.

Jiang Ning nodded, then smiled.

He remembered what Yue Buqun had said before: he would make Lao Denuo do all the dirty and hard work, and he wouldn't take him out to play.

"Junior brother, why don't you come with us? Master and the others will be back after visiting their friends."

"Imperial said."

"it is good."

Jiang Ning nodded; he had come to see Yue Buqun after all.

After having his servant lead Maodou to the backyard to feed the animals, Jiang Ning waited for Yue Buqun to return at the inn.

While waiting, Linghu Chong and the others started playing drinking games again. Du Lanyin initially asked Jiang Ning about his experience going down the mountain out of curiosity, and then went to the backyard to check on Maodou.

As dusk approached, the senior brothers and sisters from Mount Hua returned from their stroll. They were both surprised and delighted to see Jiang Ning. After chattering and asking around, they were so hungry that they went to the innkeeper to order food, while some of the senior brothers went out to eat.

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze returned when it was already dark.

"Master, Master Wife."

When Jiang Ning appeared before Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze, both of them wore expressions of astonishment.

Ning Zhongze looked at Jiang Ning happily and asked, "Ning'er, when did you arrive in Xiangyang? Why didn't you tell me?"

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "I just arrived and was about to look for you when I ran into Senior Sister Du."

Yue Buqun remained silent, but with a smile on his face, asked, "During this trip down the mountain for training, have you slacked off in your cultivation?"

Jiang Ning nodded and smiled, "Thank you for your concern, Master. I will not slack off for even a day."

Chapter 40: How come you can cause even more trouble than Linghu Chong?

Upon hearing Jiang Ning's words, Yue Buqun nodded, indicating that he trusted Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning then picked up the package from the table where he had been sitting, opened it, and presented the two pieces of clothing he had bought in Xi'an Prefecture to Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze with both hands, saying, "I am deeply grateful for the nurturing grace of my master and mistress. I have no way to repay them but to offer this small token of my appreciation. I humbly wish my master and mistress a long and healthy life."

Ning Zhongze was stunned for a moment, then a smile appeared on her face.

"You kid."

Ning Zhongze reached out and took the clothes. After touching the fabric, she exclaimed in surprise, "These two pieces of clothing must be expensive!"

The texture, the workmanship, and especially the gold silkworm pattern embroidered on that black dress all indicated its preciousness.

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "Whether the gift is valuable or not is not important, as long as Master and Mistress like it."

Yue Buqun nodded and said, "Ning'er is right, you've put your heart into it."

When Linghu Chong, Lu Dayou, and the others saw the two pieces of clothing that Jiang Ning had taken out, they were all astonished and their eyes widened. Looking at the exquisite patterns on the clothes and then at the clothes they were wearing, Linghu Chong and the others' eyes were sore, and Lu Dayou even exclaimed.

"Alright, junior brother, no wonder you hid that package so well and didn't want us to see it. You wanted to give Master and Mistress a surprise."

Ying Bailuo, Gao Genming, and other Huashan disciples surrounded Jiang Ning, chattering amongst themselves.

"What about ours, junior brother?"

"Master and Mistress already have them, have you bought some for us?"

"You're being biased, junior brother!"

Even several senior female students couldn't help but join in the chorus of condemning Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning was pulled and tugged around by them, and his clothes were stretched out a bit.

"All right!"

Finally, Yue Buqun stopped his disciples from playing around, and then said to Jiang Ning, "Since you've arrived in Xiangyang, why don't you stay here for a few more days? Afterwards, you can either continue your training or return to Mount Hua with us."

Jiang Ning straightened his loosely undone clothes and headdress, and after hearing Yue Buqun's name, he cupped his hands and said, "Yes, Master. I have experienced some things after going down the mountain for training, which may cause trouble for you. I need to report to you."

Yue Buqun was taken aback.

He's only been down the mountain for a short while and he's already getting trouble?

"What trouble?"

Jiang Ning replied, "I massacred the residence of a former third-rank official of the imperial court in Xi'an Prefecture."

"What???"

Yue Buqun's eyes widened, and his hand trembled slightly.

The other Huashan disciples who were gathered together were also speechless with astonishment.

Yue Buqun wanted to ask what was going on, but seeing that this was not the place to talk, he frowned and said, "Come with me to the room and tell me what's going on. Chong'er, all of you come along too."

"Yes."

Jiang Ning said, and then followed Yue Buqun back to his room. The Huashan disciples who had gone out to eat were also called back.

The room that Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze booked was very spacious and could accommodate everyone from the Huashan Sect, though it was a little crowded.

"What's going on? Tell me."

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze sat in the main seats, frowning as they asked Jiang Ning.

Since Jiang Ning said that this matter might bring trouble to Mount Hua, then the disciples of Mount Hua have the right to know.

"Yes."

Jiang Ning nodded, and then recounted how he saw Xu Yaozu forcibly abducting a woman in the street in Xi'an Prefecture, how he threatened him, how the people responded to him after he went to Xu's residence, and the children and women he rescued from the woodshed and cellar, without holding back.

Yue Buqun frowned and remained silent.

"Good kill!"

Ning Zhongze was the first to stand up, her eyebrows raised in anger.

"These people should be killed, regardless of whether they are government officials or not. They oppress the people and abduct women and children, so they should all be killed!"

"You did a great job. If I had seen it, I would have massacred that Xu family too!"

Ning Zhongze usually appears to have a gentle temperament, but in reality, she has a fiery personality. Before marrying Yue Buqun, she was also a female knight-errant. After hearing Jiang Ning's words, she was already unable to suppress her anger.

If Jiang Ning, after learning of these disgusting things, hesitates to act out of fear of the government's power and the trouble it might cause the Huashan Sect, then she should be disappointed in Jiang Ning.

"What's there to be afraid of causing trouble? When we encounter these people who harm the common people, are we going to let them continue to act arrogantly and domineeringly?"

Ning Zhongze said angrily, she was already furious just hearing Jiang Ning say these things.

"Good job, Junior Brother! These corrupt officials do nothing but harm the people and allow their disciples to poison the populace. They deserve to be killed!"

"Don't be afraid of causing us trouble, we're not afraid of that kind of trouble!"

Linghu Chong and a group of Huashan disciples also spoke with great enthusiasm.

They were initially alarmed when they heard that Jiang Ning had done such a horrific thing so soon after descending the mountain, but after hearing the whole story, they all wished they could take action themselves. Some even felt that simply massacring a wealthy family's mansion was too lenient, and that the officials of Xi'an Prefecture and those officials and nobles were in cahoots and should also die.

His words showed absolutely no respect for the government.

Yue Buqun raised his hand to stop his disciples from speaking, then stood up and said to Jiang Ning, "What's done is done. You did nothing wrong, and you did the right thing."

"I am aware of this matter, you don't need to worry."

"Yes, Master."

Jiang Ning nodded and said.

Although Yue Buqun told Jiang Ning that everything was fine, he was still a little alarmed.

Given his disciple's ruthless methods, if he were to continue training alone, and if similar incidents were to occur again, wouldn't he kill wherever he went?

Through the two incidents—the Wang family steward's plot to seize the family property and Xu Yaozu and his family in Xi'an Prefecture—Yue Buqun had gained a basic understanding of his disciple's mentality.

He shows no mercy to evil; once he encounters it, he will wipe it all out.