The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

The firewood in the stove was burning brightly.

Wang Long stood in front of the stove, his cleaver flying up and down, slicing the meat on the cutting board into thin, even slices.

Qin Jiaojiao squatted by the stove, her chin resting on her hands.

He stared intently at Wang Long's movements.

"Grandpa, your knife skills are amazing!"

She exclaimed in amazement.

"You're even better than the chef in our college cafeteria! Are you a professional cook?"

"no."

Wang Long told the truth.

"I used to raise horses."

Qin Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"A horse breeder? Grandpa, you're just kidding. How could a horse breeder have such good knife skills?"

Wang Long didn't explain, he just smiled and continued chopping vegetables.

Xu Wanyun was squatting in front of the stove adding firewood when she heard this and looked up.

His gaze fell on Wang Long, his eyes filled with a thoughtful expression.

A ninth-rank martial artist would be willing to work as a stable boy?

Xu Wanyun's curiosity about Wang Long grew even stronger, and she began to speculate.

"Could this be some kind of special training?"

In order to achieve a certain state of being, Confucian scholars would temporarily give up reading.

Go and study the principles of things.

Xu Wanyun believed that Wang Long was raising horses to become stronger!

Soon, eight dishes and a soup were laid out on the stone table in the courtyard.

Qin Jiaojiao sat on the stone bench, her eyes shining as she looked at the table full of dishes, and silently swallowed her saliva.

Wang Long smiled and sat down opposite her, picked up his chopsticks, and placed a piece of braised pork on her plate.

"Try it and see if it suits your taste."

Qin Jiaojiao couldn't wait to pick up a piece of braised pork and stuff it into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out like a little hamster.

She chewed it a couple of times and it tasted absolutely delicious!

Xu Wanyun sat next to Qin Jiaojiao, holding a bowl in her hand.

He didn't touch his chopsticks, but just quietly watched Qin Jiaojiao eat, a gentle smile on his lips.

"Mr. Xu, you should try some too."

Wang Long pushed the stir-fried vegetables in front of her.

Xu Wanyun nodded slightly.

"Thank you, sir."

She picked up a piece of green vegetable, took a small bite, and chewed it carefully.

The greens are crisp and refreshing, with a moderate level of saltiness, retaining their natural aroma without being overpowering by excessive seasoning.

Xu Wanyun's eyes lit up slightly.

She usually eats light food and doesn't like greasy food. Although the food in the academy's canteen is not bad, it is still mass-produced food with a strong flavor.

And this chopstick of greens was just what she wanted.

"The old gentleman's culinary skills are superb."

Xu Wanyun sincerely praised it and picked up another piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks.

The meal took almost half an hour to finish.

The dishes on the table were all eaten clean, and even the soup was eaten by Qin Jiaojiao by dipping her steamed buns in it.

She leaned back in her chair, patted her round little belly, and let out a satisfied burp.

"Hiccup~~~"

She only realized what was happening after she burped, her face flushed slightly, and she secretly glanced at Wang Long.

Wang Long pretended not to see it, picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Qin Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief and returned to her usual carefree demeanor.

"Grandpa, could you come and cook for me more often in the future?"

Her voice carried a hint of coquetry, and her eyes were full of anticipation.

Wang Long put down his teacup and shook his head helplessly.

"I will be leaving soon."

Qin Jiaojiao's smile vanished instantly.

"Go? Where to?"

Xu Wanyun looked at Wang Long and spoke slowly.

"Is the old gentleman a ninth-rank martial artist?"

"Is it also for participating in this year's War of the Dynasties?"

Wang Long nodded with a smile.

"Mr. Xu guessed correctly."

Qin Jiaojiao became excited upon hearing this.

"Grandpa, are you here to participate too?"

Wang Long looked at Qin Jiaojiao with some confusion, wondering why she was so excited.

Qin Jiaojiao was so excited that she grabbed Xu Wanyun's arm and shook it hard.

"Master! Did you hear that? You can hide together; that way you can look out for each other!"

She spoke in a deliberately mature tone, acting like a little adult.

"That puts my mind at ease! Otherwise, Master, if you went alone, I would be worried sick all day and couldn't sleep well!"

Xu Wanyun felt dizzy from Qin Jiaojiao's shaking, so she reached out and pressed her head down, gently patting it.

Although she didn't express her opinion, she was still pleasantly surprised to be able to participate.

Wang Long looked at Xu Wanyun.

She's already a half-step Grandmaster, so she's definitely looking for an opportunity to break through.

Qin Jiaojiao looked at Wang Long seriously and gave him instructions.

"Grandpa, promise me you'll take good care of my master and never let her get hurt."

Wang Long looked at her serious little face.

"Alright, I agree."

He nodded, his voice solemn.

"Mr. Xu."

Wang Long politely cupped his hands in greeting to Xu Wanyun.

"We can't let Jiaojiao worry!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, sir."

Xu Wanyun tacitly accepted the result of the two forming a team.

Wang Long smiled, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.

He never expected that coming to see Qin Jiaojiao would bring him such an unexpected reward.

Xu Wanyun is a gentle person, and she is very compatible with Wang Long's temperament.

He was happy to become his companion.

The afternoon sun shone through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, casting dappled light and shadow across the courtyard.

The three people sat around the stone table, chatting and drinking tea in a warm and pleasant atmosphere.

Qin Jiaojiao chattered on about the interesting things that happened at the academy, and who was punished by being made to stand.

She was caught stealing food, and someone fought with her but lost.

She spoke with great enthusiasm, gesturing wildly, and occasionally standing up to demonstrate.

Wang Long listened, smiled, and occasionally chimed in with a few words.

He discovered that although this girl was clever and quirky, she had a sharp tongue.

But he is kind-hearted, loyal, and devoted to his friends.

In this respect, she is exactly the same as her aunt, Qin Minglan.

Xu Wanyun sat quietly to the side, a faint smile always on her face.

Her gaze occasionally fell on Wang Long, lingered for a moment, and then looked away.

The ripples in my heart have not yet completely subsided.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the courtyard.

Shouts and footsteps filled the air, as if something big had happened.

Qin Jiaojiao jumped off the chair, ran to the gate of the courtyard, and peeked out.

"What happened?"

She stopped a passing senior student and asked curiously.

The senior brother was beaming with excitement, and his voice rose an octave.

"Junior Sister Jiaojiao, don't you know yet? The Dean and two instructors are going to hold a poetry recital in the square to encourage learning, and they're collecting poems on the subject!"

Qin Jiaojiao was very interested.

She turned her head, looked at Xu Wanyun and Wang Long, and shouted excitedly.

"Master! Grandpa! Let's go join the fun!"

Xu Wanyun stood up gracefully, straightened her skirt, and nodded slightly.

"It would be good to go and take a look."

Wang Long also stood up; he was quite interested in the kind of activity organized by Wenxin Academy.

"Let's go!"

The three of them walked out of the courtyard and followed the crowd toward the square in front of Minglun Hall.

Hundreds of people have already gathered in the square.

The place was bustling with people and incredibly lively.

In the very center of the square stands a huge stone statue.

He was an old man with white hair and beard, a thin face, and wearing a loose Confucian robe.

Holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his left hand and a writing brush in his right, his gaze was deep and far-reaching, as if he were gazing at the ultimate truth of the universe.

The stone statue is about ten zhang tall and is carved entirely from white marble. Its lines are smooth and lifelike.

Wang Long stood at the edge of the square, looking up at the huge stone statue, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

The feeling was indescribable, as if something was awakening within him, resonating with him under the pull of the stone statue.

Wang Long's eyes widened suddenly, his heart filled with horror.

"This is?!"