Chapter 49: A Secret Promise in Her Heart

  After hearing Huang Rong's reply, Ling Muyun shrugged and said nothing more. Huang Rong had made it clear that she was very displeased with the Four Ghosts of the Yellow River, and he wanted to teach them a lesson. Although he was somewhat reluctant to see the four extreme goods die like this, it wasn't worth offending the beauty for their sake.

  Huang Rong rowed the small boat to the center of the lake, and at this time it was already far from the riverbank. The shouting voices of the four ghosts of the Yellow River could no longer be heard. Huang Rong took out several delicious dishes and a jug of fine wine from the cabin, and smiled: "Yun brother, shall we drink wine and enjoy the snow here?"

  "Good! Such a beautiful scene and good weather, with a lovely lady to drink wine and admire the snow together, is truly one of life's greatest pleasures."

  "Glib tongue!" When Ling Yun heard that she was a beauty, Huang Rong's pretty face turned slightly red, and she whispered softly, but the faint joy on her face revealed her true thoughts.

  Ling Yun was, after all, a man of two lifetimes, and he understood the emotions of his daughter's family. He knew that women often spoke with forked tongues and didn't take it to heart. With an appreciative gaze, he looked up and down at Huang Rong, chuckling as he asked: "Rong'er, you're so beautiful now - even if it's just for convenience while traveling the jianghu, dressing as a man is one thing, but why must you disguise yourself as a little beggar girl? It's simply a waste of the beauty Heaven has given you."

  Huang Rong turned her head and smiled: "Yun Gege, you mean I'm very pretty?"

  "Of course it's very good-looking, 'born with beauty and can't bear to abandon' is the most suitable description for you." Ling Mu Yun nodded in agreement.

  "You think I'm Yang Guifei!" Huang Rong said with a pout, "I won't be like Yang Yuhuan, first with this one then that one. Either I don't choose or if I do choose, it's someone I love. And once I fall in love with someone, I'll follow him for the rest of my life. No one can separate us unless I die!"

  The phrase "born with a beautiful appearance, hard to abandon oneself" used by Ling Yun to describe Huang Rong is from the poem "Chang Hen Ge" by Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi, which describes the beauty of Yang Guifei Yang Yuhuan. Yang Yuhuan was originally the wife of Shou Wang Li Mao, but later caught the eye of Li Mao's father, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, and was summoned into the palace to be made a noble consort. Because she had served both father and son in succession with her body, Yang Yuhuan, although an eternally famous beauty, did not have a good reputation among scholars and writers, which is why Huang Rong would pout in dissatisfaction after hearing Ling Yun's words.

  Ling Yun also heard a hint of determination in Huang Rong's words, knowing that although Huang Rong was still young now, girls usually mature psychologically early and have already begun to understand love. From the firmness in her tone and her personality, it can be known that she did not say this casually, but seriously.

  "It's not like I'm wrong, is it? You're a good girl from a good family, why are you talking about life and death for no reason, it's so inauspicious." Ling Mu Yun said with a smile, trying to ease the atmosphere a bit.

  "Cloud Brother, I know you're genuinely good to me, regardless of whether I'm a boy or a girl, beautiful or ugly." Huang Rong suddenly spoke seriously, "I wear these clothes and anyone can see that I'm beautiful, everyone will fawn over me, what's the big deal? You were good to me when I was a little beggar, that's true goodness."

  After hearing Huang Rong's words, Ling Muyun couldn't help but feel secretly ashamed. Although he couldn't see her true appearance when they first met, he had already known from the original story that she was an extremely intelligent and beautiful girl, which was why he treated her so well. If it were just an ordinary little beggar who came, Ling Muyun might have given some alms out of pity, but he would never have treated them like he did Huang Rong.

  From this point of view, he is much worse than Guo Jing, and only because of understanding the plot will he be exceptionally good to Huang Rong. It's just that this matter is too mysterious, even if it's as clever as Huang Rong, it's absolutely unexpected, which makes him lucky to get the favor of the beauty.

  Huang Rong did not know the thoughts that had flashed through Ling Yun's mind. At this moment, she was in a very good mood and smiled at Ling Yun, asking: "Brother Yun, with wine, dishes and beautiful scenery here, it would be a pity if there is no music to add to the fun. Shall I sing a song for you?"

  "Great, Rong'er your voice sounds so good, the tune you sing must be extremely pleasant to hear. I'm lucky to have heard it, and that's the best."

  "Now I'll sing a song, listen to it." Huang Rong was delighted by his praise, her heart full of joy, smiling brightly, but she slightly turned her head, leaning against the side of the boat, and a clear voice emerged from her tongue: "Wild geese bring frost, protecting the light cloud, thin ice still fragile. Creek banks reflect the comb... Leaning on the east wind, one smile, and millions of flowers fall. Lonely! Where is my hometown, snow-covered gardens, water's edge pavilions? The old appointment at Jade Pool, who will entrust the unicorn and phoenix again..."

  Ling Muyun didn't know whose lyrics Huang Rong was singing, nor could he fully understand the meaning of the words, but he clearly heard the soft and gentle voice, low and melodious, although there were no musical instruments accompanying her, just a cappella, yet to Ling Muyun's ears it sounded far better than those popular songs he had heard in his previous life. As he listened, he couldn't help but feel his heart racing, his soul enchanted, this intimate and tender scene was something he had never experienced since birth.

  As the music ended, Huang Rong asked in a low voice: "This is Mr. Xin's 'Rui He Xian', which describes plum blossoms after snow. Do you think it's well done?"

  "Mr. Xin?" Ling Mu Yun couldn't help but pause for a moment, then reacted and said: "Is it Xin Qiji?"

  Huang Rong nodded and said, "Minister Xin is indeed Xin Qiji. My father said he was an official who loved the people. The north has fallen into the hands of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty, and Grandfather Yue and the others were all harmed by treacherous officials. Now only Minister Xin remains, striving to recover the lost lands, but unfortunately the emperor is dull and the officials are incompetent, with few people supporting him. Relying on him alone to rush about and call out for help is also powerless."

  Ling Muyun couldn't help but sigh as he recalled the history he had learned in his past life. He knew that the Southern Song Dynasty would not only fail to regain its lost territories, but would also be destroyed by the rising Mongol Empire in a few years' time, bringing an end to the Han people's regime and rendering the efforts of patriots like Xin Qiji futile. If Ling Muyun had truly grown up in this era, he might have dedicated himself to changing the course of history for the sake of his nation and future generations, sparing no effort to resist the foreign invasion. But he didn't belong to this time and space; he was just a passerby in this world, lacking the courage to defy the heavens.

  Huang Rong seemed to have sensed the atmosphere was a bit low, so she didn't bring up those heavy topics again. Instead, she talked about pleasant and amusing things, and Ling Muyun also didn't want to waste such a beautiful day, so he opened his heart and followed Huang Rong's lead in chatting and laughing. Huang Rong told stories of how they hung the four ghosts of the Yellow River from trees, and how they teased Hou Tonghai, while Ling Muyun also tried his best to come up with funny things to say. The two of them frequently clapped their hands and laughed loudly, enjoying themselves immensely.

  Unconsciously, the sky had darkened, and the dusk was deepening all around. The white snow, lake water, and plum blossoms gradually merged into a hazy blur. Huang Rong slowly stretched out her hand and grasped Ling Yun's palm, whispering: "Now I'm not afraid of anything."

  "What's wrong, Rong'er? What are you afraid of?"

  Huang Rong said: "Yung Brother, even if Father doesn't want me, you will still want me to follow you, right?"

  A wave of tenderness surged in Ling Yun's heart, and he stretched out his hand to pull Huang Rong into his arms, saying: "That's natural, Rong'er, you're so good, so intelligent and beautiful, so kind and gentle, with so many good qualities, even if you let me go, I still wouldn't be willing to give you up."

  Huang Rong leaned gently against Ling Yun's chest, her body curled up as close as possible, like a cat afraid of the cold, murmuring softly: "This feeling is so good, Cloud Gege, from now on I'll stay by your side and never leave again, wherever you go, I'll follow, for a lifetime we won't be apart..."

  A beauty in his arms, Ling Mu Yun only felt a sweet fragrance surrounding his body, surrounding the lake water, and surrounding the entire sky and earth. He didn't know if it was the refreshing scent of plum blossoms or the fragrance emitted from Huang Rong's body. A feeling called happiness quietly rose to his heart.

  Ling Muyun, who had been a human for two lifetimes, thought he was rich in experience, but when this familiar yet strange feeling truly arrived, he couldn't help but become infatuated with it. It was familiar because he had seen many such romantic entanglements in his past life, but it was also strange because he was experiencing it personally for the first time.

  However, whether familiar or unfamiliar, he couldn't help but immerse himself in the beauty of this feeling. Previously, if someone had told him that he would fall for a 15- or 16-year-old girl, he would have thought it was a joke, but at this moment, he felt it was so natural and reasonable.

  He often heard people say that love knows no age and no borders, he scoffed at it, thinking it was just an excuse for some people's behavior, a complete nonsense.

  But now, he's somewhat convinced! Although in terms of physical age, he's still just a young man, but psychologically speaking, he's already moving towards being an "uncle". But now he seems to have fallen into a love trap woven by a young girl, could this be the legendary magic of love?