Chapter 50: A Harmonious Whole

  Han Youniang heard the news of her husband entering the capital to take office, like a happy magpie, Yang Ling saw her joyful and carefree appearance, and he couldn't help but open his heart, temporarily putting aside his worries. He could feel Youniang's delight and share that sweet feeling.

  Han Youniang's face was flushed like a red apple, and she said with joy: "I knew it, my husband is the most promising scholar, he will definitely become a high-ranking official. When Father comes back, I'll tell him, he'll be overjoyed."

  Yang Ling smiled and pulled her into his arms, saying softly: "Look at how excited you are, speak a little softer, just tell your father-in-law later, the official letter from Beijing specifically stated that it's not suitable to spread the news for now, the fewer people who know, the better."

  Han Youniang also said that this was the rule for being an official in the Brocade Guard, although she felt that her husband had become a high-ranking official but couldn't bring glory to their hometown, which was somewhat regrettable. However, since he said not to let anyone know, she cleverly said: "Hmm, then I'll go back and inform Father about it, and just won't mention it."

  Han Youniang was all the more gentle and obedient, Yang Ling felt that his heart was not at ease. Although the blank check he gave to Ma Lian'er was just an illusion, he still couldn't bear to hide it from Youniang. He sighed, buried his head in Youniang's neck, stroked her delicate skin, and carefully said: "Youniang, there is one more thing..."

  Han Youniang's body trembled with a jolt, her face suddenly flushed like fire, and she felt uneasy all over. After witnessing the terrifying weapon of her husband last night, Youniang couldn't help but think about what those bold aunts had told her when she got married. Who says girls don't have romantic thoughts? Yang Ling slept for a long time, but this little girl still supported her fragrant cheeks and dazedly gazed at him for half the night.

  At this time, she was held in Yang Ling's arms with such a familiar posture, and heard his ambiguous words. Suddenly, she thought crookedly, and Nongniang's body hair all stood up. She said shyly: "Lord... what's the matter?"

  Yang Ling stuttered and told about what he had heard that Ma Ang was going to marry his sister off to Bi Du as a concubine, and how he himself had made a three-year agreement with her. After finishing, Yang Ling sneaked a peek at You Nang, only to see the little girl's shoulders slumping, her small face clearly showing a few hints of despair.

  Yang Ling said with a guilty conscience: "Niang, this is all my fault... but that Bi Du Shi...... I... my current three-year agreement was just a casual remark, didn't think of marrying a beauty after meeting her, having you, Niang is really satisfied, don't be angry anymore, okay?"

  Han Youniang had just heard the news and was a bit sad, but thinking about her husband's temperament, he wasn't that kind of man who would take concubines lightly. Who among high-ranking officials didn't have multiple wives and concubines? According to custom, if he wanted to take a concubine, he wouldn't need her consent. Now, being so cautious and afraid of making her unhappy, she should be content with that.

  Father said it's right, the more husband loves me, the more I should reflect on myself, must not be arrogant because of his favor, besides... Alas! Who let husband spend a night with someone else? Put yourself in others' shoes, if it were you, from now on you can't marry anyone else either, how can we ruin Miss Ma's whole life?

  Thinking of this, the young woman plucked up her courage and said to Yang Ling: "Husband, I am not a jealous person. This is also the fate between your sister and you. Since it's like this, let's ask a well-known elder in the county to mediate and settle this matter with the Ma family first."

  Yang Ling let out a sigh of relief and said, "It's not something that can be said now, but Miss Ma has made up her mind. Bi Du is a man of status, he wouldn't dare to force her into marriage. Soon, Miss Ma will return to her hometown in Jinling, where there are many talented young men from noble families. In three years' time, who knows which outstanding young talent they might take a liking to? Why tie her down unnecessarily?"

  Han Youniang didn't want anyone to share her husband's love, but she also couldn't bear to hear him belittle herself. In her small heart, her husband was the most capable and considerate good husband. If one day Ma Lian'er really fell for someone else, that would be blind foolishness.

  Hearing Yang Ling say this, she threw away her vinegar and said with some resentment: "Hmph, if it's really like that, then she's not lucky enough. Who has a husband as good as mine?"

  Yang Ling was warmed by her words and couldn't help but tease her, saying: "Since husband is so good, how about I find a few more sisters for you to bring back?"

  "Don't, don't, don't! Our pot can't cook for that many people!"

  Yang Ling heard her hastily come up with this reason, and couldn't help but laugh loudly. Unexpectedly, the young woman added another sentence: "Besides, husband's body is not good, you don't worry about me yet."

  Yang Ling's laughter stopped abruptly, and after a while, he said "angrily": "What? You think I'm weak? Is Master's body very weak?"

  "Not, not, not", Han Youniang smiled and cooed in a gentle voice, like coaxing a child: "Master wrongly accused me, I was saying you're just fine physically, hmm... yeah..."

  Before she could finish speaking, Yang Ling suddenly kissed her little mouth shut, thinking to himself: "This little girl has been spoiled by me, and now she's even teasing me. Today I have to discipline her, or else the husband will be ruined in no time".

  Unexpectedly, after just a brief kiss, Yang Ling felt something swelling up and couldn't help but gaze at You Nang's small mouth with a lewd expression, pitifully begging: "Good wife, husband can't hold on anymore, won't you help husband out? You Nang, be good, You Nang..."

  Han Youniang burst out laughing and quickly jumped off his knees, escaping outside. All that could be heard was a loud clang, followed by Youniang's voice drifting in from outside: "Spring days are prone to fiery tempers, sir, so drink some more tea, okay? While the sun is still shining, I'll go wash... wash the bedding."

  A hardworking little bee!

  This is Yang Ling's evaluation of his beloved wife. Don't let him take action, the reason being that men shouldn't be messing with these things. Because she was spoiled and becoming more and more arrogant, the little girl added: "Men cleaning up, rough hands and feet, saying they're helping, but actually making more trouble. My husband, you'd better just sit there quietly."

  Yang Xianggong sat for a while, seeing Han Youniang rummaging through boxes and cabinets, picking out things to bring to the capital. He thought to himself that he should also settle his accounts and sort out the confidential letters of the Brocade Guard, in case they needed to be handed over when entering the capital, so as not to be flustered at the last minute. He said a word to Youniang and hurried back to the office.

  Yang Ling combed through the letters, just locked them in the cabinet with a golden fish lock, when he suddenly heard a dull kicking sound from outside. Yang Ling hastily put on his shoes and ran to the door, pulling it open to see Ma Lian'er standing at the entrance with a towel wrapped around her hand, holding a small iron pot emitting hot steam.

  Yang Ling was taken aback and hastily invited her in. Ma Lian'er placed the iron pot on the table, blushing as she said: "I... I saw you were still handling official business at night, so I made some food, but I don't know if it suits your taste".

  Yang Ling was no longer as muddle-headed as when he first came to this era. A woman taking the initiative to cook for a man meant something, and his heart was like a clear mirror. "Three days in the kitchen, washing hands and making soup", Ma Lian'er was now serving him with the demeanor of a new bride.

  Yang Ling had eaten this dish when he attended a banquet in the county, and he knew that what they called "Da Bian Lu" was actually a hot pot. He lifted the lid of the pot and saw the steaming green mountain vegetables, black mushrooms, pink venison, scallions, ginger slices... it really looked appetizing. Yang Ling couldn't help but praise: "The aroma is so good, even better than what the master chef at Hongyan Building makes."

  Ma Lian'er was delighted by his praise, and she immediately pulled out a pair of chopsticks from her sleeve, just about to let him taste some, when Han Youniang's excited voice came from outside the door: "Master, Big Brother has brought back some rare treasures from the prefectural city, this is......".

  As the sound came, Han Youniang stepped in at the door and caught sight of Ma Lian'er also being there. She couldn't help but pause for a moment. Although Ma Lian'er had already been given a token by Yang Ling, she was still an outsider after all. Now that she had been caught red-handed by Youniang, her face suddenly turned bright red with embarrassment.

  This sudden encounter, Yang Ling was also unprepared, the three of them stared at each other in a daze for a moment, Han Youniang suddenly smiled and said: "Linger sister, you're here too."

  Ma Lian'er let out a sigh of relief and said with some embarrassment: "Young Niang, I...I made some fried dough sticks tonight, please ask Yang Da Ge to try the flavor, my craftsmanship is not as good as yours, if you don't mind, you can also come and try one."

  Yang Ling saw Nian Niang holding several things in her hands, avoiding the lamp light and couldn't see clearly, and asked: "Nian Niang, what are you holding?"

  "Master, this is something that Big Brother brought back from the provincial capital. I heard it's a sweet potato passed down from the barbarian tribes to our Great Ming Dynasty. It tastes sweet when cooked. Try some, Ah Liang, you try some too."

  Yang Ling saw what she was holding in her hand and couldn't help but ask, "....pumpkin?" After taking a closer look, it indeed turned out to be two pieces of pumpkin.

  "Does the master recognize it? This is something that was transmitted from a foreign country, I heard my brother say that someone in the south grows it, and it's a rare thing here, but it's not expensive, let's buy some back to taste the freshness."

  Yang Ling hastily covered up, saying: "I... oh, I saw this thing when I went to the prefectural city for the imperial examination." He smiled and said: "Looking at it like this, it's probably been stored for a winter, with less moisture, and roasting it makes it even sweeter. Right, this thing is easier to grow and has a higher yield than our local grains, why not plant more of it? One mu of land can probably produce a lot more grain."

  Han Youniang looked at the thing in her hand with curiosity and said, "This thing doesn't have seeds, how can it be planted? Moreover, we don't know if it's suitable for cultivation here. The villagers all rely on the harvest to make a living, who dares to take the risk of planting it?"

  Yang Ling only then remembered the corn, sweet potatoes and potatoes that were suitable for farming in the north. He had never seen these crops in Jiming before, and the crops here were still mainly wheat, millet, beans and sorghum. It seems that with maritime trade, these foreign things have already been introduced to the Ming Dynasty, but they have not yet been promoted. If these crops are promoted, what a great boost it will bring to the agricultural production of the entire Ming Dynasty!

  Yang Ling knew that farmers valued their own land the most. If they were suddenly asked to give up the crops they had planted for hundreds of years and replace them with unfamiliar ones, it was likely that no one would dare take this risk. This time in Beijing, he might as well find an opportunity to mention it to the imperial court. If it could attract attention, and if the imperial court took the lead in promoting it on a large scale, then he would have done something beneficial to the country and the people.

  Yang Ling was overjoyed, knowing that he hadn't moved and Nong Niang definitely hadn't eaten a bite. He happily took a large piece of pumpkin from Nong Niang's hand, affectionately stuffed it into her small mouth, and said: "Try some, see if it tastes good?"

  With a glance, he saw Ma Lian'er's face full of envy, thinking she was also eyeing the rare thing she had never seen before. He stuffed the pumpkin into her hand and smiled: "Come on, you try it too, it's very sweet."

  Ma Lian'er hummed in agreement, gazing at him with deep affection. Just as she was about to take a bite of the sweet potato, Han Youniang let out a strange noise and her expression changed. It turned out that Yang Ling had stuffed a large piece into her mouth, and Han Youniang found it too embarrassing to have puffed-out cheeks, so she ate hastily and ended up choking.

  Ma Lian'er saw this and hastily put down the calabaza, supporting Nong Yao in a chair. Then she picked up Yang Ling's teacup and handed it over, saying: "Younger sister Nong Yao, have a sip of tea."

  The young girl took the cup and drank two mouthfuls, moistening her throat and clearing her airway. She glanced at her with a seemingly profound meaning, looking somewhat embarrassed, saying: "I made fun of you, but this thing is really sweet, Lian'er sister, you try some too."

  Ma Lian'er responded with a sound and took over the sweet potato, but handed the chopsticks to You Niang's hand, saying softly: "Sister also tastes my craftsmanship, my cooking skills are not good, don't laugh at me".

  Two women, one eating sweet potatoes and the other savoring hot pot, suddenly became harmonious and joyful. Yang Ling stood by, completely unaware that the two parties had just reached a certain consensus on national sovereignty and joint governance.