Chapter 1607: Chapter 59: A Happy Family! (Part 2)

Upon hearing this, Liuu Wanwan showed a look of surprise on her face.

She seemed a bit incredulous at her own ears.

Because in her understanding, women of official families almost all stayed in the boudoir, learning music, chess, painting, calligraphy, embroidery, and martial arts.

Nobody learned cooking.

Her current excellent cooking skills were due to Jiang Li, Jiang Yiming, and this family; she enjoyed this feeling.

And who was Ji Mingyue?

She was the princess of the Imperial Family, the apple of the Holy Emperor’s eye, and the most favored princess of the Imperial Family.

She never imagined that Ji Mingyue would step into the kitchen and could make stewed beef noodles for Jiang Ning.

She looked at Ji Mingyue with a sigh in her eyes, then nodded.

"Ah Ning is truly fortunate to have you!"

Then, she agreed to Ji Mingyue’s request.

Just at this moment.

"Dad!"

"Mom!"

A young man’s voice came through.

Several people turned their heads.

They saw a tall and straight young man with a bit of heroic spirit in his brows and eyes, walking with steady steps, bearing some resemblance to Jiang Ning in his features.

The approaching person was indeed Jiang Yiming.

At this moment, Jiang Yiming was wearing a simple practice outfit, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, evidently just finished with his morning training.

"Uncle!"

"Greetings, Seventeenth Princess!"

Jiang Yiming walked up, greeted Jiang Ning, and respectfully saluted Ji Mingyue.

Jiang Ning scrutinized him, nodded slightly: "Your aura has become much more solid than before; it seems you haven’t been slacking lately."

A flash of light crossed Jiang Yiming’s eyes, but he still maintained the composure of a young man: "I dare not slack."

"Come, practice with me a bit!" Seeing the calm expression on Jiang Yiming’s face, Jiang Ning became somewhat interested.

"Then I’ll have to offend you, Uncle!" Jiang Yiming clasped his fists toward Jiang Ning.

"Sister-in-law, let’s go roll out the noodles! I must learn a bit of your cooking skills!" Ji Mingyue said.

Seeing her attitude, Liuu Wanwan no longer refused and replied with a smile: "Then, Princess, follow me to the kitchen, but be careful not to dirty your clothes later."

As the two of them left, the courtyard immediately resounded with the thumping sounds of martial arts practice.

At the same time.

At the corner of the courtyard entrance.

Zhong Ling’s eyes were dim.

The scene just now had all fallen into her eyes.

In her eyes, there was only envy, realizing she had no chance to interject.

And at this moment, Lv Yi was beside her.

"Sister Zhong Ling..." Lv Yi began, but didn’t know what to say.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew past.

And a new presence emerged beside her.

Zhong Ling turned her head and saw Su Qingying in a plain white long dress, shoulders slender like a blade.

"Greetings, State Preceptor!"

"Is this the feeling of love between a man and a woman?" Su Qingying asked.

"Yes!" Zhong Ling nodded: "The Marquis and the Seventeenth Princess indeed share the love between a man and a woman."

"I’m not talking about the two of them!" Su Qingying shook her head, then turned to glance at Zhong Ling: "I’m talking about your feelings for him."

Hearing this, Zhong Ling was taken aback.

Then she shook her head, with a bitter smile on her face.

"The State Preceptor jests! The Marquis is a mighty midday sun, illuminating the Nine States, while I am but a mere speck of dust."

Meanwhile.

In the courtyard.

"Not bad!" Jiang Ning looked at Jiang Yiming, whose face was flushed red, and nodded in satisfaction: "It truly seems you haven’t relaxed this period."

"As your nephew, I cannot afford to bring shame upon your name when I am outside." Jiang Yiming said.

"That kind of thinking is erroneous!" Jiang Ning shook his head: "Practicing martial arts was never about face; you must understand why you practice martial arts, what are you truly practicing for! You must realize your source of motivation! The dedication in practicing martial arts never relies on self-discipline or self-restraint. Those are mere superficial covers. You need to find your true inner drive to maintain a consistent practice for ten years as if it were a day, only then can martial arts truly bear fruit."

"Thank you for your teachings, Uncle!" Jiang Yiming nodded earnestly.

He looked at Jiang Yiming for a few moments, then waved his hand.

"Go back and think it through: why do you practice martial arts, what are you practicing for?"

"Yes, Uncle!" Jiang Yiming bowed and then took his leave.

Subsequently.

Jiang Ning turned his head, looking towards the corner of the courtyard entrance, then began to walk.

"Zhong Ling." "Qingying." Jiang Ning said.

"Brother Jiang Ning!" Zhong Ling said softly.

She then continued: "Since Brother Jiang Ning has returned, I’m preparing to take my leave, heading back to the Five Mountains Prefecture."

Hearing this, Jiang Ning frowned slightly.

"Is it because your Grandpa Xuan sent a letter summoning you back?"

Zhong Ling shook her head: "No! These days, I have received no letter from my Grandpa Xuan. I’ve just been feeling a bit homesick!"

"Indeed!" Jiang Ning nodded, indicating his understanding.

Five Mountains Prefecture is farther from the Royal Capital than Guangning Prefecture is from the Royal Capital.

Being away from home for so long, with no relatives in sight, the only people she’s truly familiar with are him and Lv Yi.

"Being away for so long would indeed make one miss home." Jiang Ning said, and then continued: "After my matters in the Royal Capital are settled, when the situation is stable, I’ll take you back to the Five Mountains Prefecture! How does that sound?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Jiang Ning, but it’s not necessary!" Zhong Ling shook her head: "Brother Jiang Ning doesn’t need to worry about me; I can return by myself! Brother Jiang Ning has his own matters to attend to, there’s no need to waste time worrying about me."

"That’s not acceptable!" Jiang Ning shook his head: "The areas outside the Royal Capital are not very safe nowadays, and you, a woman who is also beautiful, being alone outside isn’t safe."

At this moment, a sweet smile appeared on Zhong Ling’s face.

Seemingly joyous at Jiang Ning’s compliment.

"Brother Jiang Ning need not worry, I’m not completely defenseless!" Zhong Ling said, then raised her slender arm a bit: "I also have martial arts to rely on, ordinary bandits have no right to approach me."

"Wait half a month to a month, during this time, I’ll be at the National Master Mansion, then I’ll escort you back, which will be faster than if you depart now." Jiang Ning said.

"Alright... okay!" Looking at Jiang Ning, Zhong Ling slowly nodded.

Seeing Zhong Ling not insisting anymore, Jiang Ning finally let out a silent sigh of relief.

Zhong Yue entrusted Zhong Ling to him, and he truly didn’t want Zhong Ling to encounter any danger.

If anything happened to Zhong Ling, he wouldn’t be able to explain.

He didn’t want anything to happen to Zhong Ling either.

"How are things recently?" he then looked at Su Qingying, in a plain white dress, with slender shoulders.

"Not bad!" Su Qingying nodded: "Nowadays, the influence of divinity on me is getting weaker and weaker, I’ve also read many stories of human love, and I can better understand human emotions."

"That’s good!" Jiang Ning nodded.

Then, she looked at Jiang Ning again: "I also understand now, that the way I used to sleep with you before, I can’t get pregnant; we have to embrace each other with no clothes on."

Jiang Ning: "..."

He immediately sweated a lot, looking at Su Qingying.

At this moment, Zhong Ling looked dumbfounded at the two of them.

Her gaze lingered on Jiang Ning’s face for a moment, then on Su Qingying’s face for a moment, her mouth slightly agape.

"Brother Jiang Ning, you and Sister Su Qingying...?" Zhong Ling swallowed her saliva, speaking with some disbelief.

"Don’t overthink it, it’s not what you think!" Jiang Ning patted her head, indicating she should stop thinking wildly.

Then, he added: "I’m a bit hungry, so I’ll go to the kitchen to see if there’s anything to eat!"

After saying this, he turned and headed towards the kitchen.

Having only just set out, he was taken away by Little Dumpling, who wanted him to help meet Sister Linglong together.

Hearing Linglong, Jiang Ning’s heart stirred.

After bringing Linglong here, he hadn’t paid much attention to her since.

Previously, nurturing Linglong was to protect his family.

Currently, in the National Master Mansion, there’s almost no place safer than here in the Royal Capital.

And as this is Su Qingying’s residence, with her presence, there’s no danger to speak of.

If there’s any danger that even Su Qingying can’t withstand, further nurturing of Linglong would be futile.

Moreover, after Linglong became a thousand-year Great Demon, her continued growth requires significant resources.

Feeding her his essence blood also has a considerable impact on him.

The loss of essence blood cannot be replenished out of thin air.