Outside the county prison.
The morning breeze from the mountains was slightly chilly.
Jiang Ning stepped out of the county prison, feeling somewhat dazed.
Calculating the time.
He had been in this prison for a full seven days.
The time spent was far longer than he had anticipated.
He originally thought with Zhao Yulong, the grandmaster, stepping in, along with County Governor Wang.
Plus, Xiao Mingyue’s death wasn’t directly related to him; Xiao Mingyue had framed him through suicide, and he figured he could be out in two or three days at most.
Unexpectedly, this matter involved the nobility, causing him to stay a few more days in prison.
"The environment in prison was quiet enough that I could focus entirely on practice, and my skills improved significantly."
"And I unexpectedly gained something from Long Xingyun!"
The heavy iron gate ahead slowly opened.
The metal bearings turned, emitting a piercing sound.
"Gentlemen, please!" Zhao Dai spoke.
"Brother Jiang, let’s go, let’s get out!" Bai Luoyu spoke.
"Alright!" Jiang Ning nodded.
"Brother Jiang, are you curious why Mr. Xiao didn’t come today?" Bai Luoyu suddenly asked.
"Did something happen to Mr. Xiao?"
"Indeed, something happened, but how did Brother Jiang know?" Bai Luoyu was even more surprised.
Jiang Ning said, "Three days ago, I saw him enter the fourth layer of the county prison! After that, I never saw him again! Since Mr. Xiao did not come today, and Brother Bai specifically asked, it seems something happened!"
"Jiang Ning is impressive!" Bai Luoyu praised, continuing: "Commander Xiao is dead!"
"Dead?" Jiang Ning paused, slightly stunned, feigning surprise.
"He was ambushed and killed with three strikes by a grandmaster! It was likely the grandmaster who was previously imprisoned on the fourth layer of the county prison! But since there are no records, we do not know who this grandmaster is." Zhao Yulong also spoke at this time.
"I see!" Jiang Ning’s expression was pensive: "No wonder that day I saw Mr. Xiao enter the fourth layer of the county prison and never come up again!"
It seemed Brother Jiang truly didn’t know! Bai Luoyu secretly observed Jiang Ning’s demeanor and reached this conclusion.
In his view, Jiang Ning wasn’t very old and hadn’t had many experiences.
If he knew, he couldn’t feign it so realistically.
Then, the group walked out of the iron gate in the front yard of the county prison.
Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan’s family had been waiting there for some time.
Lv Yi was extending her swan-like neck.
Seeing Jiang Ning appear, her gaze met his, and her eyes instantly shimmered with watery light.
At this time, Jiang Ning walked out from the county prison gates, his black hair loose, appearing slightly disheveled.
His clothes were also visibly stained.
She knew at a glance that Jiang Ning had suffered much in prison.
Previously, under her care, Jiang Ning’s clothes were clean and tidy, his hair well-groomed, looking like a noble young master.
But at this moment, he reminded her of a savage from the wilderness.
Jiang Ning saw the watery light in Lv Yi’s eyes, the smiles in Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan’s eyes, and Little Dumpling jumping in place.
He couldn’t help but show a faint smile.
"Uncle!!" Seeing Jiang Ning’s smile, Little Dumpling immediately let go of Liuu Wanwan’s hand and ran towards Jiang Ning.
"Little Dumpling, slow down!" Liuu Wanwan said with a full smile from behind.
Jiang Ning also half-squatted his body and caught the incoming Little Dumpling in his arms.
"Doo doo, you smell stinky!" Little Dumpling snuggled in Jiang Ning’s embrace, sniffed with a little nose, then wrinkled it and said.
Jiang Ning chuckled: "Why not... want to get down?"
"No!" Little Dumpling shook his head repeatedly, clinging tightly to Jiang Ning’s collar.
Jiang Ning couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to rub Little Dumpling’s head.
"Commander Jiang, we shall leave first, see you tonight!" Zhao Yulong spoke.
"Alright! Master Su, take care!" Jiang Ning said.
"Brother Jiang, farewell!" Bai Luoyu folded his fan.
"Brother Bai, take care, I’ll bring good wine tonight!"
Hearing this, Bai Luoyu’s eyes lit up, recalling the good wine he had drunk at Jiang Ning’s place before.
"It’s a deal!" Jiang Ning smiled.
"Commander Jiang, I’m just a woman, I won’t be going tonight!" Su Zhi spoke.
"Then I won’t insist, Master Su, I’ll visit another day!" Jiang Ning said.
"Alright!" Su Zhi nodded.
After seeing off Zhao Yulong and the others, Jiang Ning embraced Little Dumpling and approached Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan.
"Big brother, sister-in-law, these days I’ve made you worry!" Jiang Ning spoke.
He could see that Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan had become somewhat thin.
Clearly because of his imprisonment.
"There was no worrying!" Jiang Li patted his chest: "Eating well every day, with those gentlemen stepping in, I believed Ah Ning would be fine!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but smile.
"Ah Ning, returning home now?" Liuu Wanwan asked.
"Going home!" Jiang Ning said.
"Home!!" Little Dumpling’s laughter was joyful.
Jiang Ning sat cross-legged in the bathing tub, lying against its edge.
"Master, your skin is truly nice!" Lv Yi was vigorously scrubbing Jiang Ning’s back, full of envy.
"Practice well, once you reach fourth grade in the future, your skin will improve too!"
"I know, that’s called Immortal Muscle and Jade Bone!" Lv Yi spoke.
"Indeed!" Jiang Ning smiled.
Soaking in the comfortably warm tub, enjoying the scrub, made him feel waves of inner peace.
Lv Yi began lathering and washing Jiang Ning’s hair.
A little over an hour later.
"Master really is still so handsome!" Lv Yi admired her work after styling Jiang Ning’s hair, eyes full of accomplishment.
Jiang Ning looked in the bronze mirror at himself.
He was dressed in silk undergarments, all white.
His previously messy hair was tidily styled by Lv Yi, tied up in a topknot.