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

Jiang Ning chuckled.

"I insist on doing it this way."

Chapter 544: Re-entering the Capital

Bu Jie was speechless for a moment, then burst into laughter.

Yes, isn't that what he insisted on? Isn't that what he was so devoted to Yilin's mother? Even though she disappeared for so many years, he kept searching for her and never gave up. Now their family is finally reunited. Isn't that what persistence is all about?

"That's all I know. Now that the old monk is dead, no one in the entire Southern Shaolin Temple knows about this. Even if you and the Huashan Sect go to the Southern Shaolin Temple again, you won't find any clues."

After Bu Jie finished speaking, he prepared to leave, while Linghu Chong came over after seeing that the conversation had ended.

"Master, are you leaving?"

Bu Jie looked at Linghu Chong, then at Jiang Ning, and laughed, saying to Linghu Chong, "Stupid boy."

Linghu Chong scratched his head, looking puzzled.

Bu Jie didn't say anything more, and turned to leave.

"I've been gone for so long, Yilin's mother must miss me. Goodbye."

Watching Bujie's figure disappear into the night, Linghu Chong scratched his head and laughed, "Master Bujie is truly a remarkable person."

Jiang Ning smiled and nodded.

"Ah."

"Oh dear, it's getting late, I should get some rest."

After glancing at the sky, Linghu Chong prepared to go to sleep.

Linghu Chong wasn't interested in the private conversation between Jiang Ning and Bu Jie, nor did he bother to ask.

Looking at Linghu Chong, who was already lying on the ground with his legs crossed and a blade of grass in his mouth, Jiang Ning suddenly laughed.

"I've heard that Fenjiu from Shanxi is very famous, but I haven't had the chance to try it before."

Oh?

Linghu Chong's eyes snapped open and lit up instantly. He sat up abruptly and looked at Jiang Ning.

"Junior brother, are you also interested in Fenjiu?"

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "We can give it a try. After all, it's not easy to come to Shanxi, so we should at least try it."

Linghu Chong's eyes lit up.

If Jiang Ning wants to drink, then can't he drink too?

Seeing the barely suppressed smile on Linghu Chong's face, Jiang Ning gave him some instructions.

"Don't get drunk."

Linghu Chong nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"Don't worry, don't worry."

Having received Jiang Ning's promise, Linghu Chong lay down comfortably, humming a tune.

"When sober, I sit before the flowers; when drunk, I sleep beneath them..."

……

As February arrived, Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong finally reached the capital.

"As expected, you really have to come to Shanxi to drink Fenjiu. The Fenjiu I drank at the restaurant in Xi'an Prefecture is nothing compared to what I drink now."

Linghu Chong lay half-reclined on the oxcart, muttering a sigh.

Jiang Ning sat to the side, looked at his intoxicated expression and the several jars of wine beside him, and shook his head, but didn't pay any attention to him.

After Linghu Chong confessed that night, Jiang Ning stopped interfering with his drinking, treating it as a reward for his contribution. Linghu Chong drank to his heart's content this time, enjoying himself immensely every day.

The old man driving the oxcart turned around and looked Linghu Chong up and down.

"Are you two gentlemen from Shanxi? Your accents don't sound like it."

"Oh? Grandpa, you can understand the Shanxi accent?"

Linghu Chong asked curiously.

The old man chuckled and said, "I did some business in Shanxi a few years ago, so I know a bit about it."

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "We are from Shaanxi."

The old man asked in surprise, "Shaanxi? That's so far! Have you two come to the capital to visit relatives?"

"That's it."

Jiang Ning said something brief and didn't say anything more.

"That's really far."

The old man smacked his lips.

The capital was not far away, and the oxcart arrived in the afternoon.

"Gentlemen, we have arrived in the capital."

Looking at the city not far ahead, Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong got out of the carriage.

Thank you.

Jiang Ning took some copper coins and handed them to the old man.

Linghu Chong took the wine from the oxcart, leaving only one jar.

"Grandpa, this jar of wine is for you."

The old man, who was already beaming with joy at the prospect of making some money along the way, quickly refused when he heard Linghu Chong say that, but Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong had already left.

"These two gentlemen are truly kind people."

The old man couldn't help but show his delight as he looked at the wine on the oxcart.

……

"Wow, is this the capital? It's huge."

Before even entering the city, Linghu Chong was astonished by the sheer size of the city.

People were coming and going at the city gate, and the soldiers guarding the gate were checking people entering the city.

"stop!"

When Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong finally got to the front of the line after waiting for half a day, the soldiers stopped them.

"What's your name? What brings you to the capital? Do you have a travel permit?"

"What travel permit?"

Linghu Chong had never needed a travel permit when he went to other places; he could go wherever he wanted, and the local governments couldn't interfere. When Linghu Chong heard about the travel permit, he subconsciously asked a question.

No travel permit?

Upon hearing this, the soldiers were about to take action when Jiang Ning, who was already experienced, handed over the gold medal.

"The Great Hero of Guanzhong?"

Just like when Jiang Ning first came to the capital, these soldiers had never heard of any Guanzhong hero. After carefully verifying that it was indeed issued by the imperial court, their attitude immediately became upright. They hurriedly escorted Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong into the city, without even checking Linghu Chong's travel permit.

Linghu Chong looked bewildered.

"Your gold medal has this function?"

Jiang Ning laughed and said, "That's all it's good for."

"I'll get one someday."

Linghu Chong was very interested.

Jiang Ning smiled but remained silent.

The capital city hadn't changed much since his last visit, which Linghu Chong found quite novel, looking around curiously.

Jiang Ning hadn't visited Chen Qingyuan's residence when he last came to the capital, but he knew where it was. After asking a passerby for directions, he headed towards Chen Qingyuan's mansion.

The Chen residence.

Looking at the magnificent mansion before him, Linghu Chong exclaimed.

"Prefect Chen's house is even more luxurious than his house in Hanzhong Prefecture."

Jiang Ning stepped forward and knocked on the door.

The gate was opened, and a servant opened it, looking at Jiang Ning and his companion with a puzzled expression.

Who are you?

"Please inform Minister Chen that Jiang Ning from the Huashan Sect has come to visit."

Jiang Ning smiled.

The servant looked puzzled: "Huashan Sect? Jiangning? What...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the servant's expression changed from confusion to shock.

"You must be Master Jiang?"

Jiang Ning nodded.

The servant quickly opened the door and invited Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong in.

"Master Jiang, please come in, please come in. Last year, our master instructed us to invite you into the mansion immediately if you arrived. I didn't remember this just now, so please forgive me."

The servant was very respectful to Jiang Ning.

Chen Qingyuan had previously told them that if a man named Jiang Ning ever came to their door, they must treat him with utmost respect, even more so than they would treat Chen Qingyuan himself. Now, upon seeing Jiang Ning in person, the servants dared not show the slightest negligence.

"My master hasn't finished his mission yet, Master Jiang. Please wait a moment, and I will send someone to the Ministry of Revenue to inform my master."

The servant greeted Jiang Ning as he entered the room.