Starting from the steel of the heart, slaying demons and monsters.

Chapter 41 Jiang Ning

"head."

Zhou Zheng leaned closer, his voice low, "Do you think we should let him in?"

Zhang Ping remained silent for a moment.

There was nothing unusual about this person. If he were to rashly drive him away and something untoward were to happen to him, he would probably feel guilty.

After all, he has a kind heart.

"Let him in. We are law enforcement officers, and our job is to protect the people. We can't just stand by and watch people in trouble or die."

As he spoke, he gripped the knife hilt again. "If they're human, we'll help them; if they're not, we'll deal with them later."

As he spoke, he stepped out of the main hall and stood on the steps, bowing towards the courtyard gate.

"This dilapidated temple in the mountains is an unclaimed place, and there is no need for us to disturb you. If you don't mind, please come in and take shelter from the wind and cold."

The figure at the courtyard gate immediately straightened up, his voice filled with obvious joy. After taking a few steps in, he looked at Zhang Ping's official robes, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir."

Then he came in and stepped into the area illuminated by the firelight.

Zhang Ping could see it more clearly now.

This was a young man dressed like a scholar, around twenty years old, of medium height and on the thin side.

He was wearing a gray-blue long gown, the fabric of which was old and faded from washing, patched up in many places, and his shoes were also worn out with one or two small holes.

With a tattered bamboo box on his back, he looked every bit the poor scholar.

What caught Zhang Ping's attention was something stuck diagonally next to the bamboo box.

That was a sword.

The scabbard was made of wood, and most of the paint had peeled off, revealing the wood underneath. The hilt was wrapped with a dark blue rope, but judging from its appearance, it wasn't a very good sword.

The scholar walked to the entrance of the hall, first bowed deeply to Zhang Ping, and then raised his head.

The firelight illuminated his face, revealing his well-proportioned features and delicate eyes.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Ping raised an eyebrow. Wasn't this just a pretty boy?

The scholar bowed once and then again, his tone sincere, "I am truly sorry for disturbing you."

Zhang Ping raised his hand to indicate that there was no need to be polite, then stepped aside to make way for the doorway. "Come in and talk, it's dewy outside."

The scholar thanked him, bowed his head, and walked into the main hall.

He walked to the fire, took the bamboo box off his back and placed it beside him. He then warmed his hands by the fire and exhaled heavily.

After a while, he seemed to have recovered and then said, "I am from Ningyuan County, Muzhou, and my name is Jiang Ning."

His voice was soft, carrying the refined elegance characteristic of a scholar: "I lost my way on the road tonight, but fortunately I saw a fire. I apologize for disturbing you gentlemen."

Muzhou.

Zhang Ping was slightly startled when he heard those two words.

Muzhou is more than a thousand miles away from Qingzhou.

Looking at the map, there's a whole state, more than a dozen cities, and countless mountains and rivers in between.

Even traveling at full speed on horseback, it would take several months, let alone a scholar walking all the way.

In the world before the time travel, this distance would have taken only two or three hours by plane and a day by train.

But in this world, a thousand miles is measured step by step with your own feet.

Moreover, even if one were to travel to the capital for the imperial examination, one should depart from Muzhou and head northwest towards the capital of Dayu.

Fenggu City is located southeast of Muzhou, which is the exact opposite direction.

This is not just a little bit different, it's a world of difference.

What brings a scholar from Muzhou who has traveled all this way here?

Zhang Ping was curious, but he didn't rush to ask.

Zhou Zheng ignored all of that and spoke directly, his tone filled with undisguised surprise, "Muzhou? That's a thousand miles away. Mr. Jiang, are you really from Muzhou?"

Jiang Ning nodded. "Indeed, I set off from Muzhou and have been traveling eastward for almost eight months, stopping and starting along the way."

He then added, "Sir, there's no need to address me as 'sir'."

"To my shame, I have studied diligently for over a decade, yet I have never achieved any official rank, not even a Xiucai degree."

As he said this, a faint blush rose to his face, not because he was burning from the heat, but because he was genuinely embarrassed.

Zhang Ping didn't respond, but his curiosity only grew stronger.

After studying hard for more than ten years, he still didn't pass the county-level imperial examination. Most people would have gone home to farm long ago.

This person is quite something; not only did he not go back, he actually moved further and further away from home.

He then asked, "May I ask what brings Young Master Jiang here?"

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "As the saying goes, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

"I travel far from home to collect the beautiful scenery of famous mountains and rivers in various places."

After saying that, he turned around and opened the bamboo box.

When the lid of the bamboo box was lifted, Zhang Ping saw several scrolls neatly stacked inside.

Jiang Ning pulled out a scroll, untied the rope, and walked to Zhang Ping.

"Sir, please take a look."

The scroll unfolds.

Zhang Ping's pupils suddenly contracted upon seeing this.

It was a landscape painting, depicting towering mountains and overlapping peaks.

The distant mountain peaks are hidden in the clouds and mist, appearing and disappearing intermittently. The texture of the rocks in the foreground is clear, and the pines and cypresses are verdant. A waterfall cascades down from the mountainside, splashing water as if it were about to land on your face.

The ink in the painting is used in a good balance of light and dark, and the lines are both strong and soft. It captures the grandeur of the mountains, the fluidity of the water, and the changes in the clouds, making them lifelike, as if a real mountain has been brought to life on paper.

Although Zhang Ping wasn't an expert, he could tell good from bad.

The quality of this painting is absolutely top-notch.

He couldn't help but take a few more glances, and almost blurted out, "Awesome!"

But just as he was about to speak, he swallowed his words and said, "Sir, your painting skills are truly exceptional."

The scholar before me is certainly worthy of the title "sir".

Jiang Ning blushed even more after being praised like that. She quickly put the scroll away, rolled it up again, and put it back in the bamboo box.

"You flatter me, sir. I merely sketched the scenery I saw; it's nothing special."

At this moment, Zhou Zheng noticed the sword that was stuck diagonally in the bamboo box.

He stared at the sword for a while, then looked at Jiang Ning's frail, scholarly appearance, and couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Jiang, you have a sword on that bamboo box? Do you also know swordsmanship?"

Jiang Ning followed his gaze and saw the sword, then smiled.

"Since I was going to be traveling, I found a martial arts school before I left and studied there for a few days."

His tone also carried a hint of self-deprecation, "But in the end, it's not something that can be considered high art. I know a few fancy moves to fool people. If I really encounter bad people or monsters, I'm afraid I won't even have time to run away."

The group then chatted around the fire for a while.

Jiang Ning speaks very slowly, as if she has already thought through each sentence before uttering it.

He didn't ask Zhang Ping and the others why they came here or what they were going to do.

He only talked about what he saw and heard on the road, how high the mountains were, how deep the water was, where the people were simple and honest, and where the scenery was the best.

His eyes shone brightly.

"I truly envy you, sir."

Zhou Zheng felt refreshed and his thoughts drifted away as he listened to the words.

"If the official wants it, the path is right under his feet."

Zhou Zheng waved his hand, "If I were like you, sir, I'm afraid my wives would break my legs."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning laughed heartily.

The monkey, who had been listening for a while, immediately interjected, "Sir, have you encountered any demons or monsters?"