After walking for so long, her legs were starting to ache. Rubbing her sore legs, Feng Jin suggested.
The capital was so vast; if they continued to wander aimlessly like this, when would it end? She was truly at her limit.
Old Master Ling glanced at Feng Jin with a hint of disdain. "How old are you, yet so delicate and frail? You've barely walked and you're already complaining about being tired. Back then, when I led troops into battle, I marched a hundred miles a day and never uttered a word of fatigue. You young people live too comfortably, which is why you're always whining about being tired. You should be sent out for more tempering, to experience hardship..."
The string of reprimands fell upon Feng Jin's ears. Already feeling low due to exhaustion, being lectured like this only made her mood even more somber, her entire being exuding weariness.
She now finally understood how Ling Wan and Chu Qing must have felt when she had forced them to keep walking, burdened with bags no less.
A wave of guilt washed over her. Feng Jin decided she would find an opportunity to properly compensate Ling Wan and Chu Qing, and perhaps quell her guilt.
"Young people should indeed undergo tempering. Get up quickly and keep moving."
Old Master Ling, after scolding Feng Jin unceremoniously, continued to walk ahead on his own.
Feng Jin sighed helplessly, her intestines twisting with regret. All she wanted now was to find a place to rest.
"Grandfather, there's a storyteller ahead. Shall we go sit there and have some tea?"
"Or perhaps we could go to the opera house ahead and listen to a performance? I heard there's a new one about Liang Zhu that's quite spectacular. Grandfather, let's go watch."
Feng Jin tried every conceivable way to suggest activities that involved sitting down, but each was met with Old Master Ling's rejection.
"What's so good about those flashy things? It's precisely these things that have confused you into indulging in pleasure. With that much time, you could read a couple more books..."
"Then, Grandfather, can we go buy a couple of books ahead?"
Old Master Ling continued to shake his head. "No. Those books are all reprints, and many of the contents are incorrect. They aren't the originals. The Ling family's library has every kind of book. When we return to the manor, I'll have someone select a few for you."
"No, Grandfather. Ling Mo Han's study has quite a few books; that should be enough for me."
Feng Jin instinctively refused. The books Ling Mo Han had given her were enough to kill her. Worse still, she couldn't recognize most of the characters on the pages, so how could she read or learn them?
She was helpless in the face of such cultural differences and could only resign herself to it.
"No desire for knowledge at all. My dear grandson wouldn't be like you."
Old Master Ling looked at Feng Jin with an expression of exasperated disappointment, worried that his dear grandson would turn out like her in the future.
"Then, Grandfather, you'll have to worry from now on. Because my sons will naturally take after me, and reading books won't be their strong suit."
"Nonsense. They'll take after Han'er, of course. Han'er was very intelligent as a child; he had a photographic memory for any book and was skilled in both literary and martial arts. My grandsons will naturally be just as exceptionally intelligent."
He refused to believe that the two children would be as incapable as Feng Jin. Er Bao's temperament was exactly like Han'er's, and he would surely be the same as Han'er in the future.
As for Da Bao, his mischievousness, restless nature, and cleverness were more akin to Feng Jin's. He wasn't worried about the children's intelligence, only that Da Bao might, like Feng Jin, not be diligent in his studies, which would be quite taxing.
"That's not necessarily true. If they're like Ling Mo Han, who can condense three sentences into one, then I really wouldn't want the children to take after him."
Ling Mo Han's temperament was already troublesome enough. Having one such person by her side was sufficient; she didn't want another. Otherwise, she might truly be driven mad.
"That's called being steady and composed. What do you know!"
Old Master Ling retorted immediately. His grandson was, naturally, perfect in every way. Even if there were flaws, no one else was allowed to point them out.
Feng Jin pouted in dissatisfaction. The way their whole family protected their own was truly identical.
"What's up ahead? It's so lively!" Distracted by the noise ahead, Old Master Ling joined the throng to investigate.
"Grandfather..." Feng Jin called out to Old Master Ling's retreating figure and then hurried to catch up. He was truly a handful, always running off randomly. She definitely wouldn't accompany him next time.
Feng Jin stayed close behind Old Master Ling, her hands held protectively, as if afraid someone might bump into him. She truly worried herself sick over him.
"Girl, I'm fine. They can't touch me. You don't need to follow so closely behind me. Let's go take a look."
After walking a few steps further, they realized it was a martial arts competition for marriage. Old Master Ling's interest was piqued, and he took a couple of steps forward, only to have Feng Jin pull his sleeve from behind.
"Grandfather, they are holding a martial arts competition to select a groom. You pushing your way in to watch the excitement might be a bit inappropriate."
Feng Jin said tactfully. At Old Master Ling's age, it was clearly quite unsuitable to be in such a situation. If any misunderstanding arose, it wouldn't be good.
After speaking, Feng Jin tugged and pulled, dragging Old Master Ling away.
"What's inappropriate about it? If they're holding a martial arts competition for marriage in a public place, then naturally everyone can watch and participate. Besides, I'm just going to watch the fun. What's inappropriate about that?"
Old Master Ling was unfazed. A buried memory was suddenly unearthed, and he began to reminisce about the past.
"Back then, I was also a handsome and heroic young man. Your grandmother and I met because of a martial arts competition for marriage. Your grandmother was the most beautiful woman in the capital back then, and just like this, she held a martial arts competition. She stood on the embroidered building in a red wedding dress."
"The number of people who came to vie for the embroidered ball back then was more than double the current number. Your grandmother chose me from among everyone and threw the embroidered ball steadily into my hand..."
Old Master Ling's lips curved upward as he recalled the past, his smile undeniable.
Recalling those times, he seemed to grow younger again. It was a pity that the past could not be recaptured, and those fleeting years could never be returned.
"So, it seems Grandmother fell for Grandfather at first sight back then."
"Of course. You have no idea how many people proposed to your grandmother back then; they almost wore down the threshold. Yet your grandmother was deeply devoted to me, all because I was exceptionally good-looking and had captivated your grandmother to the point of doting."
Speaking of this matter, Old Master Ling's face was filled with pride. It was all thanks to his outstanding appearance that he could so easily win the beauty's hand.
"Is that so?"