“So this is the famous Ning Chen—Ning the Silver Coat?”

Chen Chong’s wife came over and looked at Ning Chen with stars practically coming out of her eyes.

She had already met Pan Yucheng, Feng Qizheng and Gao Ziping… so this handsome young man had to be Ning Chen.

Chen Chong hurried to make the introductions. “My dear, this is Ning Chen.”

“Ning Chen, this is my wife, Lin Ying. She’s your biggest admirer!”

Ning Chen bowed with his hands folded. “Ning Chen greets his sister-in-law!”

Lin Ying was all smiles, and she stared straight at Ning Chen. “A fine figure of a man, sure enough—and a dashing young one!”

As she said it she walked twice around him, reached out and patted him on the shoulder. “Only a little thin, that’s all.”

A cold sweat came out all over Ning Chen’s forehead.

Chen Chong’s wife really did not stand on ceremony. She was nothing at all like an ordinary woman.

“Don’t stand out here being bashful. The food’s ready. Come in, all of you.”

Lin Ying’s hospitality was too much. She caught Ning Chen by the sleeve and towed him along.

Ning Chen smiled bitterly and looked back at Chen Chong.

Chen Chong gave him a look that said he would help if he could.

Feng Qizheng and Gao Ziping were openly pleased at another man’s misfortune. In the past, whenever the two of them came, they were sure to get a scolding from Lin Ying… now they were fine. Lin Ying had no attention to spare for them at all.

Inside, the food was already set out on the table.

Lin Ying called out, “Sit wherever you like, everyone. Treat it as your own house—no ceremony!”

They all sat down.

Lin Ying had the maid pour for everyone, then raised her own cup. “Welcome, all of you. I’ll drink to you first!”

And with that she drained it!

The others had only just set their cups down when Lin Ying had the maid hurry around and fill them again.

“One more from me, to thank you all for looking after my husband day in and day out.”

Everyone raised their cups. There was no refusing that one.

They had barely put the cups down when the maid, at Lin Ying’s word, had already filled a third.

Lin Ying raised her cup. “This third cup I have to drink to the hero of our Great Xuan, Ning the Silver Coat… ‘Ning the Silver Coat’ is too distant. How about I call you Little Chen from now on?”

Ning Chen raised his own cup and smiled. “Whatever makes you happy, sister-in-law. Call me whatever comes easiest.”

Three cups down, and Ning Chen wanted to throw up.

Last night’s drinking had not entirely worn off, and three more on top of it was more than he could hold.

“Come on, come on… pick up your chopsticks, everyone. We’re all family here. No need to be stiff about it.”

Lin Ying went on calling out, and did not forget to put food in Ning Chen’s bowl. “Little Chen, eat more. Try your sister-in-law’s cooking.”

Ning Chen smiled. “You made all of this yourself, sister-in-law?”

Chen Chong took up the thread. “Your sister-in-law knew you were coming to the house today, and she started getting ready yesterday… every dish on this table is her own work.”

“Thank you, sister-in-law. In that case I’d better eat a lot…” Ning Chen said, and put a mouthful of stir-fried tomato and egg in his mouth. “Wow… this is really good. Your cooking is out of this world, sister-in-law.”

Feng Qizheng and the others: →_→

Bootlicker. Does he have to lay it on that thick?

Lin Ying was delighted, and kept putting more food in his bowl. “If you like it, eat more. Any time you want it, just come—your sister-in-law will make it for you.”

“Thank you, sister-in-law!”

Lin Ying gave the maid her orders. “Quick, bring everyone their rice… Little Chen needs the big bowl. Look how thin he is.”

“Never mind. I’ll go myself!”

And Lin Ying got up and went.

In no time at all Lin Ying was back, with the maid carrying the rice.

“Little Chen, this one is yours.”

Ning Chen went completely blank. He stared dully at the basin in front of him, heaped so full the rice came to a peak.

He had assumed the basin was for everyone to share. It had never occurred to him it was for him alone.

“This… I can’t eat all this.”

Lin Ying said, “Why can’t you? You’re still growing—eat more… Old Chen at about your age could put away two of these in one sitting.”

Ning Chen was ready to cry. You call that a bowl?

“Here, Little Chen, eat more. If it isn’t enough there’s more in the kitchen…”

Lin Ying said it while putting still more food in his bowl.

Ning Chen was badly startled and said quickly, “That’s enough, that’s enough…”

“How old are you this year, Little Chen?”

“Sixteen.”

“Are you married?”

Ning Chen shook his head and was about to explain when he saw Lin Ying’s eyes light up. “Then wait a few more years and I’ll marry Xiaocao to you.”

Ning Chen was curious. “Who’s Xiaocao?”

“My daughter!”

Ning Chen went numb all over and clapped a hand over his mouth—he almost sprayed out what he was chewing.

Lin Ying said, “Xiaocao is nine this year. Wait another six years and it’ll be fine.”

Sweat came out on Ning Chen’s forehead, and his back was soaked through.

Good God. I take you for an older sister and you turn around and want to be my mother?

Feng Qizheng looked at the stiffness in Ning Chen’s face and nearly died laughing.

Chen Chong stepped in to rescue him. “Stop playing matchmaker at random. His Majesty has already granted Ning Chen a marriage. He’s about to take the Ninth Princess to wife—he’s the future consort of a princess.”

“Xiaocao and Ning Chen aren’t even the same generation. If he married Xiaocao, wouldn’t he have to call me Dad?”

The corner of Ning Chen’s mouth twitched, and he rolled his eyes at him.

Lin Ying looked thoroughly disappointed. “All right then! Forget I said anything.”

“What are you two doing over there with your mouths hanging open, grinning like fools? Eat your food. Is my cooking not good enough for you?”

Gao Ziping and Feng Qizheng, in the middle of grinning like fools, pulled their necks in and straightened their faces at once, and their chopsticks moved fast, praising the food between mouthfuls.

That gave Ning Chen something to laugh at. It seemed these two clowns really were afraid of Lin Ying.

Then again, thinking of the way Lin Ying beat Chen Chong—picking him up by the legs and throwing him down—it really was frightening.

Lin Ying pointed at Feng Qizheng and Gao Ziping. “Little Chen, don’t you ever learn from these two… these two are off in the pleasure quarter every day of the week. They’ve led my husband astray. They’re not good men.”

The corner of Ning Chen’s mouth gave a small twitch. Put that way, he was even less of a good man… he had all but made the courtesans’ quarter his home.

Feng Qizheng and Gao Ziping felt badly wronged!

What do you mean we led your husband astray? He was never any good to begin with. Say the word “courtesans’ quarter” and he runs faster than anybody, and half the time he doesn’t pay—free food, free drink, free women.

Ning Chen sweated his way through that meal.

He forced down half of that basin of rice, and the rest he simply could not get down.

Full of food and wine, the group said they had urgent business and left as though they were escaping.

On the way out Ning Chen did not dare ride. He felt one jolt would bring it all back up.

He led Diaochan and shuffled forward one step at a time.

Too much hospitality can be a real burden on other people.

Feng Qizheng said, in that snide voice of his, “Wow, this is good, this is so good… Ning Chen, do you still think your sister-in-law’s cooking is good?”

Ning Chen glared at him. “Don’t talk to me. I might throw up on your face.”

They waited a while at the end of the street, and then Chen Chong came galloping up.

Pan Yucheng asked, “Everything settled at home?”

Chen Chong grunted, then looked at Ning Chen. “Your sister-in-law says come and eat at the house again when you get back.”

Ning Chen’s face twitched. “Do me a favor and tell her I’ll be very busy when I get back. I may not have the time!”

“By the way, she doesn’t seem as frightening as you two made her sound.”

Feng Qizheng grinned wickedly. “That’s only with you… You haven’t seen her beat Old Chen. Good God, nobody beats a son like that.”

Chen Chong swore at him, laughing. “Get lost! Most of the time your sister-in-law is very gentle.”

Pan Yucheng spoke up, cutting off the nonsense. “It’s about time. Let’s move out!”

The five of them rode out of the city gate light and fast, took the back roads, and headed straight for Xiuzhou.

(End of Chapter 301)