Insufficient balance

  Women love beauty, ancient and modern. Unexpectedly, the threat of death couldn't wake her up, but a sentence about fat meat actually made her excited like a fighting cock. After a good explanation, Ma Lian'er finally understood.

  After waking up, she felt even colder and her teeth were chattering. At this moment, her shoulder sank, and she reached out to touch something, unable to help but exclaim: "Give me the cloak, what are you going to do?"

  Yang Ling sighed, "I'm afraid I won't make it till dawn", as soon as the words fell, that robe returned to his body, and a pair of hands tightly wrapped around him. Ma Lian'er trembled and whispered: "We... get closer, maybe we can hold on, things... are urgent, right?"

  As they drew closer, it indeed became warmer. Silently, Yang Ling also hugged Ma Lian'er tightly and wrapped the two of them in his long robe. Perhaps due to tension, both people's breathing was somewhat labored. Yang Ling thought of Yu Niang and recalled the scene where the two of them had hugged each other for warmth on that cold winter night, and for a moment, he felt a little dazed with emotion.

  After a while, a vague voice in his arms said: "Didn't you say you wanted to chat? Why aren't you talking?"

  "Huh? Oh...... I heard you've been living abroad since you were a kid, where's your hometown?" Yang Ling composed himself and randomly found a topic to talk about.

  After initial shyness and awkwardness, Malan had adapted to the intimacy between the two. She gently twisted her waist, making her posture more natural and comfortable. "My hometown...", she yawned, leaning against his warm chest and said: "My hometown is in Kyoto, but I've never been there, only knowing that my uncle and grandfather still live there."

  "Kyoto? Are you from Beijing?"

  "What's this, you're still a scholar?" Ma Lian'er chuckled: "Jinling is called the capital city, Beijing is called the imperial capital."

  "Oh!" Yang Ling wiped the sweat and asked: "Jinling? The land of prosperity since ancient times, why did our great Ming dynasty move the capital to this place, it's close to the Tartars and also a cold and barren land.

  Ma Lian'er hummed a sound from her nose: "My scholar, if you want to tease me into talking, don't have to pretend like this, are you trying to test me? The Son of Heaven guards the national gate, do you know that?"

  She didn't notice that her tone towards Yang Ling was getting more and more intimate, and continued to say: "For a thousand years, the threats to the Central Plains have mostly come from the north. Outside the wall, the Great Xiongnu is approaching, and the capital Yanjing is located in a strategic position, with the majestic mountains to the north and the Central Plains to the south, connecting the Yangtze and Huai rivers, and stretching to the desert. Moreover, it is too close to the Khitan outside the pass. The Chengzu emperor moved the capital here, so that the Son of Heaven can guard the gate of the country!

  "You think, the capital is here, the court can't help but pay attention to the north, otherwise why would they station heavy troops on the nine borders? Why did the Embroidered Uniform Guard send so many secret agents to lie in wait outside the pass for years?"

  Yang Ling still thought it was Zhu Di who moved the capital from Yanjing to Beijing, but he didn't expect there was another reason. Upon further reflection, the emperors of the Ming dynasty, no matter how incompetent they were, mostly fulfilled their promise as the Son of Heaven to guard the country's gate. Even when the last emperor Chongzhen's own life was in danger, he did not mobilize the elite troops at Shanhai Pass, and when all was lost, he refused to surrender and hanged himself on Coal Mountain, ultimately not disgracing the dignity of the Han people, and until his death, he did not betray the promise of "the Son of Heaven guarding the country's gate".

  Ma Lian'er said sorrowfully: "Father joined the Brocade Guard and was sent to do reconnaissance outside the pass, enduring for half his life before finally returning inside the pass. Now I don't know how my brother is doing either." As she spoke, she couldn't help but sob.

  "Don't worry, although it was chaotic at the time, Brother Ma will be fine as long as he stays by Bi Du's side. We'll get through tonight and head back to the city tomorrow, and Brother Ma will definitely have returned to the city."

  "Hmm...", Ma Lian'er wiped away her tears and said: "I hope we can get through this night, will you tell me a story? Listening to it will keep me awake".

  Yang Ling racked his brains for half a day, enduring the pangs of hunger that made his stomach contract and relax spasmodically, before saying: "Once upon a time, there was a mountain called Five Fingers Mountain, where a group of bandits lived. The leader of the bandits was called Zhī Zūn Bǎo..."

  Don't people know the book "Journey to the West" at this time? Yang Ling was very depressed, he had just started and had to start from Dongsheng Shenzhou Huaguo Mountain Water Curtain Cave, after introducing Sun Wukong's origin, he had only talked for a while and had to talk about Tang Monk's experience from Jin Chanzi to Piaoliu.

  Ma Lianer was lying comfortably on his chest, listening quietly to him. However, Yang Ling felt very embarrassed because he thought the funny and humorous jokes would make Ma Lianer laugh, but she didn't. Did women in ancient China not have a sense of humor?

  When it came to the Purple Fairy, Ma Liang'er finally regained her spirit. When she heard that the Purple Fairy was asking the Great Sage for a kiss, she suddenly thought of the unintentional kiss between the two when they escaped from the mountain, and her lips hurt even more at this thought, but her heart felt a little itchy.

  She couldn't help but say: "Why doesn't the Great Sage accept her? Bai Jingjing is a demon, he is the Great Sage's mortal form, they were never meant to be together anyway, Zi Xiaojie is an immortal and what the Great Sage said was right, this fate was arranged by heaven.

  "What heaven has arranged is still not enough...still not enough for his arrogance, haha!" She always thought that Yang Ling's line was a crude phrase, but also found it interesting, and couldn't help but laugh out of embarrassment when she said it.

  "Huh? This is the first time I've heard someone use 'door as a house' to explain 'Journey to the West'. In the end, Ma Liang asked: "Who did Sun Wukong like in the end?"

  "Uh...Zixia Fairy."

  "Hey! Men, words are not in line with the heart!" Ma Lianer said with a pout. Yang Ling's face turned hot and he explained: "Maybe what you said is right, even if it's Qitian Dasheng, can't fight against heaven, the fate predetermined by heaven, he can only follow the arrangement of fate".

  She nestled in his arms like a small quail, and after a while, she suddenly said with a smile: "Then... do we count as a match made in heaven?"

  She felt like she had used up all her energy, and her face burning with shame, she buried her head in his chest and refused to come out. Yang Ling was taken aback, and after a moment of stunned silence, he said: "You... don't think nonsense, we may be close but not that close, besides... even if you didn't say it, I wouldn't say it, and no one would know."

  "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know. You've already taken me in your arms and held me close. How can I still marry another man?" Under the cover of night, Ma Lian'er spoke with a "just and confident" tone, but her heart was racing as she said: "Regardless of whether this time is a victory or defeat, Minister Min has killed a prince, his official position is secure. You are his trusted aide, young and promising. Perhaps in another two or three years, you'll be able to become the magistrate of a county. I...I may be the daughter of a low-ranking official, but I'm also well-read and know etiquette. When you become an official, you'll need a wife who is worthy of you."

  She said with a self-deprecating smile: "I, Ma Lian'er, have always been proud and arrogant. Now I'm so shameless as to recommend myself like this. And still want to instigate others to divorce their wives, it's just like being the most shameful bad woman... but who doesn't have a little selfishness?

  Yang Ling heard her hinting that he would divorce his wife and remarry, a surge of anger rose to his head. He straightened his waist and said coldly: "Miss Ma, you grew up in the wilderness since childhood, what I admire most is your frank and generous personality, and I don't believe you care about those foolish things. If I can divorce her for you today, won't I divorce you for someone else tomorrow?

  Zi Xia Xianzi said it well: 'If I couldn't be with the one I liked, even if they made me the Jade Emperor, I wouldn't be happy.' Me too, if you wanted me to give up my little daughter and make me an emperor instead, I still wouldn't do it!

  Ma Lian'er was so ashamed by his accusations that she said with a mixture of shame and guilt: "Then... I... I am willing to be your concubine, will you agree to this?"

  Yang Ling was stunned, feeling a mix of emotions and helplessness. He smiled bitterly and said: "Lian Er, why must you torture yourself? I, Yang Ling, cannot bear the depth of your feelings."

  Ma Lian'er suddenly left his arms, staring at him angrily and said: "Are you dissatisfied with my beauty or do you think I don't have the virtue of a woman?"

  "Ling, you are beautiful and lovely, I also believe that you are a self-respecting and strong girl. You look down on those men who treat women as playthings, despise their so-called husband-wife virtues. That's right, once you like someone, you will be even more unrestrained. Thank you for your favor, Yang Ling is really grateful."

  "It sounds good, I'd rather be inferior to others now, just because I believe you'll really treat me well, why are you still... In your heart, there's no one in this world who can compare to YOUNG DAUGHTER, is that right?"

  Yang Ling said with a sigh, "You're wrong. In my heart, Young Niang is just an ordinary girl. She's not the most beautiful, nor necessarily the most lovable. The world is vast, and no one has seen all its scenery. Who dares to say that what they've seen is the most beautiful?"

  But the scenery you can go to every place to appreciate, choose the most beautiful one as your residence, you have the ability to even occupy all of it, but women are different, love is not just appreciation and possession, there is also a responsibility to each other, since we love each other, we should keep our promise to grow old together.

  "In the vast sea of people, there are many lovely women. Should I fall in love with one and then abandon her when I find someone better? Wouldn't that mean I'm only after their physical appearance? As you said at Hongyuelou, treating a wife like an object, without genuine feelings or sincerity, what right do I have to expect her to treat me with true affection?"

  Ma Lian'er quietly stopped for a while, then suddenly burst out laughing and said: "Xiucai Gong's lengthy and grandiose speech is impressive, I must admit. But when others are just joking with you, why get so worked up?"

  Yang Ling was taken aback, unsure whether she was joking or covering up for herself. Unfortunately, the night was as dark as ink, and he didn't see the strange colors flashing in Ma Lian'er's eyes, nor the deep and meaningful smile on her lips, which was a smile that saw the prey that had to be obtained.

  Ma Lian'er savored Yang Ling's words, wondering if she was indeed an outcast as a woman who had returned from the border. But this scholar was truly one of a kind; in the vast sea of people, he might not be the most stunning scenery, but he was the most suitable for her. Heaven had brought him before her eyes, and if she didn't seize him tightly, wouldn't that be a sin? Hehe, there's still a long way to go, isn't there?"

  After a while, she calmed down and smiled slightly as she recited the lines Yang Ling had just spoken: "The long night is endless, I have no intention of sleeping, Brother Yang might as well tell me another more wonderful story".

  Yang Ling also laughed silently: Who says that the women of the Ming Dynasty don't understand humor? He perked up and said, "Alright, I'll tell you a story to lift your spirits. This one's called 'Painted Skin'!"