Chapter 56 Tonight's Soul Devouring

  The young scholar couldn't help but laugh and say, "After half a day's effort, it's still just the Jiangzhe way. How can your place allow women to be national leaders? She married someone, and even the country can be given away as dowry?"

  Yang Ling smiled at him: "Western countries can have women as monarchs. Don't look down on Franco's country, it may be small, but their navy is very powerful and can be said to dominate the four seas, and there are not many countries that can compare with them."

  The most famous activity there is bullfighting, which is much more interesting than you kids playing with fighting roosters or crickets. A skilled matador can pierce the heart of a 1,000-pound bull with just one sword.

  Shasi became excited and said repeatedly, "It's too unbelievable! Have you been to our country? The Great Ming rarely understands things about our place. God bless, some people even say that we are cannibals." He shrugged his shoulders innocently and said, "Heaven knows, on our way east, we were most afraid of encountering man-eating savages."

  Yang Ling burst out laughing, and the middle-aged scholar looked at him with great interest, smiling but not speaking. The young scholar heard Yang Ling praise the strength of the Frankish navy, and he felt unconvinced in his heart. He had wanted to bring up the mighty fleet of Zheng He's seven voyages to the Western Ocean during the Ming dynasty, but suddenly hearing something about a "matador", he became interested and hastily asked: "What matador? Tell me quickly, is it fun?"

  Yang Ling was about to answer when he suddenly saw Nian Niang standing beside him, curiously listening to his words. He couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. As a scholar from the mountains, how did he know so much about foreign affairs? Although he wasn't afraid that Nian Niang would suspect anything, if she were to ask more questions, it would be troublesome to explain. So, with a smile, he said: "Bullfighting isn't a game for kids, it's very dangerous. If you're interested, come visit these Western monks during your free time and ask them about it. I have things to attend to with my wife, so we can't stay too long. We bid you farewell."

  The young bookworm rolled his eyes and muttered to himself: "Is bullfighting that great? Wait till I grow up a bit, I'll go fight one too. And it's not just bulls, I'll also fight tigers! Hmph! Look down on me?"

  "Wait a moment, noble guests," said Sha Si hastily. "I have some small gifts for you." He quickly picked up his own small box, rummaged through it and took out several things, holding them in his hands and saying: "Thank you very much for your help today. Here are a few small things as gifts for you."

  He held in his hands several delicate glass crafts and a prism, the young scholar was very curious, and without being polite, picked them up to play with. The middle-aged scholar obviously had not seen such things before, his expression was full of curiosity, but he just smiled and stood beside his son, watching him fiddle.

  Sha Si smiled and told the young scholar about the use of the triangular mirror and pocket watch. The young scholar listened and then took the triangular mirror to a side, facing the lamp light to observe, jumping for joy and telling his father about the new and strange scenes he saw.

  Yang Ling thought to himself: These missionaries are mostly well-versed in philosophy, physics and chemistry. If the Ming court were to take them seriously and use them as a medium to strengthen cultural and scientific exchanges between East and West, perhaps we wouldn't have ended up with a closed-off and isolated country, leading to the Manchu invasion, the death of tens of millions of Han people, and the suffering of 40 million compatriots at the hands of others. Since the emperor dotes on the crown prince, who is also quite indulgent, I might as well take advantage of this and spread some "rumors" in the palace tomorrow.

  Thinking of this, he said to Shasi in a low voice: "Mr. Shasi, I am so bold as to ask you for a crucifix. I have some knowledge of your country and your teachings. When the time is right, I will speak to the imperial court, hoping to draw attention to it, allowing you to build churches and spread your teachings."

  Shasi was both startled and delighted, and trembled as he asked: "Are you an official of the imperial court or a noble? Can you see the Emperor?"

  Yang Ling hastily said: "Speak softly, hehe, Mr. Sha Si doesn't need to suspect, tomorrow I will enter the palace to see the emperor."

  Shasige was overjoyed, beaming with delight, and hastily removed the cross from his neck. He then rushed to fetch some handicrafts from a box, revealing that they too knew that sugar-coated bullets were more easily accepted than "God loves humanity". They had brought many gifts on their way here.

  Sha Si solemnly handed the gift over to Yang Ling and said: "You are our noble person, sincerely hoping to get your help".

  Yang Ling smiled and nodded, saying loudly to Xiao Shu Sheng: "Little brother, we'll meet again someday."

  That young scholar was curiously playing with the new toys brought from the West, and upon hearing the sound, he waved his hand at him. Yang Ling turned around and took two steps before turning back to face Sha Si, laughing: "Right, Mr. Pastor wants to spread the doctrine, might as well start by telling the old ladies in the neighborhood, perhaps it'll be easier to succeed".

  "Shā Sī said strangely: "Why?", Yang Ling learned from him and shrugged, laughing: "National conditions are different, these feudal puzzles... uh, these things, in our place, women always believe first, haha, goodbye".

  Yang Ling and Young Niang walked out of the Temple of National Protection, strolled along the main street for a while. Suddenly, Young Niang pulled his sleeve, looked back at the temple with a bashful expression, and whispered: "Sir, shouldn't we... shouldn't we burn incense to the Buddha?"

  Yang Ling saw her plucking up the courage to speak, and her shy expression was very touching. He couldn't help but tease her: "Forget it, it's late, let's go another day."

  Han Youniang tugged at his sleeve again, pouting and hanging her head, muttering under her breath, looking like a pitiful little thing. Yang Ling was amused and couldn't help but chuckle softly: "Little wife, you're so eager to be bullied by your husband? Hehe, let's go home, the Buddha...I mean, your husband has been found."

  Han Youniang brought the foot washing water to Yang Ling's side, squatted down to help him take off his boots and asked: "Master, tell me quickly, when did you get that Buddha statue?"

  Han Youniang dipped his feet in the water, gently massaging them while looking up at him. Yang Ling took out the silver cross from his bosom, holding the chain and swinging it back and forth in front of her pretty face with a smile, Youniang's eyes lit up, she quickly wiped her hands on her clothes and picked up the cross to take a look.

  She blinked her long eyelashes, carefully examined for a while, frowned and said strangely: "Master, what...what Buddha is this? It's so strange, why wear so few clothes?"

  Yang Ling's eyes rolled around and he casually replied, "This... look at the arhats in the temple too, many of them are also topless, this Buddha is just big-legged".

  "Oh...", The young woman tilted her head and examined it for a while, worriedly saying: "Master, is this bald-legged big-bearded Buddha effective? Has it been consecrated?"

  Yang Lingdao said: "It's all gone, how can it not be gone, if it's all gone, it'll be completely stripped. This god, called Christ, you see our Jin Yiwei has the highest official called Ti Du, Ti Du is in charge of supervising the Jin Yiwei, isn't that powerful? This Christ, of course, is also in charge..." He said to this point, suddenly chuckled and didn't dare to make any more jokes.

  He used to be an atheist, but since his rebirth, he has become more cautious and no longer dares to make jokes about it.

  Yang Ling lowered his head and saw Han Youniang lowering her head to carefully wash his feet, with a virtuous wife's demeanor on her pretty face, her red lips slightly curled up, looking enchanting.

  This young beauty, no matter how bitter and poor, has always followed him closely, regarding him as her heaven, her life, never complaining. She herself has been muddled and drifting with the tide, only managing to reach today's position, but if it weren't for Nong Yao's tender spine supporting him uncomplainingly from behind, he wouldn't know whether he would have long since become a pile of rotten bones. Twirling the silver chain in his hand, looking at the pure silver cross, Yang Ling suddenly thought of the solemn vows people make when they get married:

  "I am willing to be your wife, in this life, whether joyful or sorrowful, whether rich or poor, whether sick or healthy, I will be faithful to you, never leave you, and always be by your side!"

  Many people have said so, but I don't know how many of them really did it. Yang Ling didn't doubt at all, and the naive girl who didn't understand or say anything was doing it, and she would continue to do so.

  Yang Ling secretly vowed in her heart: Young Niang, we once shared a humble life together, and I will never leave you nor abandon you. Young Niang, you will be my most treasured wealth.

  He suddenly felt a rush of heat, lifted his foot and stepped on the soft shoes, then bent down to pick up the young woman. The young woman let out a soft cry and said in a flustered tone: "Husband, what are you doing?"

  Yang Ling put her on the kang, and said softly: "Sit well, you have suffered so much for your husband, and endured so much hardship. Until today, it is our true wedding night after you married me, but there is no joyful character, no red candles, no guests coming to congratulate us. When we just entered the house, I had to ask you to lift the veil yourself, tonight, let me wash your feet and serve you as an apology."

  "What?" The young woman's face was filled with fear, and she hastily struggled free, saying: "No, husband, you... absolutely cannot. A woman serving her own man is proper, it's her duty. Husband, washing my feet will bring bad luck."

  Yang Ling grasped her feet tightly, soaking them in water, and said in a tone that brooked no argument: "Sit still! Don't spout nonsense. Young Mistress's feet are so beautiful, it's the Master's good fortune to be able to wash them for you. This isn't bad luck, but rather good luck."

  The young girl's feet shrank back slightly, her toes lightly curled up, letting him gently caress them. Those slender and delicate jade-like feet were extremely beautiful, with a soft and gentle curve to the soles, thin but not bony.

  A low sobbing sound came from above, and tears fell one by one into the water basin. Yang Ling said helplessly: "Yu Niang, why are you crying? Today is our happy day, we should be happy, otherwise it's so unlucky?"

  "Oh", the young lady hastily wiped away her tears and said with a tear-stained face: "Husband, what time do you go to court tomorrow morning? I'll make sure to wake you up".

  Yang Ling thought for a moment and said: "It's three quarters past the hour of the tiger, hehe, silly girl, now is our spring little moment, you still think about those things."

  The young girl bit her lip and smiled awkwardly, only to have the sole of her foot lightly scratched by Yang Ling, causing her toes to curl up and let out a soft cry. Yang Ling looked up to see her curved eyebrows and slightly raised cherry lips, with an expression that was both joyful and sulky, charming and captivating, and couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat, finally understanding what it meant to be completely enchanted.

  Night, it has already begun...

  PS: I'm asking timidly, 4000-5000 words a day, is it really slow for a writer who can only code at night? Now whenever I see the word "update", it's like having a fly buzzing around me all day... no, not one, but a swarm of flies surrounding me, buzzing in my ears, save me!!!

  So I just grabbed...

  Hehe, I swear, up until now, there's no draft for this chapter, heaven and earth are my witnesses!

  By the way, this chapter is called Tonight's Soul Sold, don't you think it's a bit too little? If you think it's too little, tell me in your dreams and I'll continue to supplement it for you in my dreams, dream after dream until dawn... ^_^