Han Youniang watched as Madam Ouyang's sedan chair turned around a fence and was about to return to the courtyard with Gao Wenxin when two horses, one white and one red, galloped out from behind the fence.
That small path was not considered wide. Perhaps to avoid the Yan family's wife, the two horses galloped quickly through the snow on the side of the road. In front of the narrow path was a meandering stream that had already frozen into ice. The rider on the horse pulled on the reins and the two strong horses reared up, making a nearly ninety-degree turn in the air as they came over.
In the past, Han Youniang had only seen Ma Lian 'er with such a brilliant rider during the Cock Crow Festival. Now that she saw it, her eyes could not help but light up. On the white horse was a charming and charming woman with dark clouds covering her temples, pink face and rosy cheeks. On the red horse beside her was a burly man in yellow robes.
Gao Wenxin whispered to Han Youniang, "Sister, they are our guests."
Han Youniang grunted. The two horses had already galloped in front of them. The man on the horse laughed and said, "Miss Gao, we meet again!" He didn't hold onto the saddle and jumped down from the horse. He was very agile.
The woman in red smiled and landed lightly on the saddle. She took two steps forward and cupped her hands, saying, "Doctor Gao, my wife and I have come to thank Doctor Gao and Mr Yang for saving our lives."
Gao Wenxin hurriedly said, "This is Madame Yang." Yang Hu and his wife cupped their hands in greeting. Han Youniang had already heard about them. Ever since she came to the capital, the people she met were all officials. This couple's forthrightness and generosity suited her taste. Han Youniang hurriedly went forward and said, "Brother Yang, Madame Yang, my Prime Minister hasn't returned yet. Young-niang has long heard of your names. Please come in."
Yang Hu and his wife didn't expect a noblewoman to speak so straightforwardly. They were surprised and felt cordial. The four entered the courtyard and happened to be greeted by Yutang Chun and Sheridan. Behind them was Wu Hanchao who looked like he had lost his parents.
When Yang Hu brought Yang Quan, Wu Hanchao, and the others into the capital, Wu Hanchao was in and out of consciousness. They could be considered to be familiar with each other. When Yang Hu saw him, he pounced on him and punched him in the shoulder. He laughed and said, "Brother Wu, you've recovered too?"
Yang Hu practiced external martial arts, his pair of iron palms could break stone tablets and crush stones. This punch was very powerful, but Wu Hanchao's reaction was extremely fast. As soon as the fist reached his shoulder, Wu Hanchao slightly lowered his body and his shoulder collapsed, dispersing most of Yang Hu's strength.
Yang Hu felt his punch hit empty air, as if he had hit a piece of cloth suspended in the air. It was empty and he didn't have any strength. While he was slightly stunned, a soft force bounced up and the punch slid past Wu Wenchao's shoulder. Wu Wenchao stood there as if nothing had happened. He only smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Yang, be gentle. I'm not ready yet."
Cui Ying 'er had never met the evil Taoist Li Fuda, but Li Fuda had three sons, Daren, Da Yi, and Dali. These three were still young men in their twenties. Cui Ying' er had sparred with Li Dayi in Bazhou last autumn. Their martial arts skills were equally matched.
Cui Ying 'er thought highly of herself and didn't believe that this scholar could actually injure Li Dayi's father. She had instructed her husband to test the depth of his martial arts. As the saying goes, an expert will know when he shows his hand. Now that she had tried Wu Hanchao's move, Cui Ying 'er could already see that this scholar's martial arts were indeed excellent. Even she might not be his match.
Cui Ying 'er rolled her pretty eyes and rolled her eyes at Yang Hu. She said angrily, "You're always so rough. This Brother Wu's injury hasn't healed yet. Don't hurt him again." As she said that, she welcomed Sheridan and Yutang Chun with a smile. Holding one in each hand, she praised, "Madame Yang is dignified and magnanimous. The two younger sisters are also peerless beauties. Elder sister is very envious when I see you."
Yutang Chun's face was like a full moon. Her eyes were like autumn waves. Her bright eyes and white teeth made her look around. She naturally had a romantic charm. Because tomorrow was the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. It was time to sweep the house and offer sacrifices to the kitchen god. This was the first official New Year's Day that Yang Ling celebrated after he got married. Under the care of Young-niang, the whole residence attached great importance to it.
Yutang Chun wore a festive pink pleated dress with a light blue checkered bikini. A white jade hairpin was used to hold her beautiful hair in place. She had a slim and slender figure and a slender waist. She was indeed the most beautiful among the group of women.
Sheridan wore a gold-green silk jacket and a bright yellow embroidered skirt. She had a small mouth, white teeth, and red lips. Although she looked a little petite and tender, she was still a lively little beauty.
The two of them didn't know Red Lady's identity. However, Cui Ying 'er had almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks. She was as beautiful as a ball of raging flames. Seeing that she was so generous in her praise, the two women couldn't help but feel elated. They hurriedly smiled and greeted her.
These women gathered together. One praised the other's hairstyle, and the other praised the other's exquisite matching of clothes. They chatted happily, leaving Yang Hu and Wu Hanchao to the side. The two of them looked at each other and smiled bitterly. They could only slowly follow behind and enter the central hall.
Seeing that there were guests, Steward Gao had already ordered the maids to serve fragrant tea and melon seeds. Everyone then chatted in the main hall. Just as they were talking, the sound of a horse's neigh could be heard from outside the door. A moment later, Yang Ling, wearing a large cloak, led two foreigners into the courtyard. He shouted from afar, "Housekeeper, is Miss Cheng at home?"
Steward Gao hurriedly pushed the door open and went out to welcome them. He whispered, "Master, there are guests in the residence. Madam is entertaining them."
Yang Ling was startled and asked, "Who is it?" While speaking, he raised his eyes and saw that Han Youniang and Yang Hu had already walked to the door. Yang Ling quickly hid his anxious expression and put on a smiling face. He said, "So it's Brother Yang and Madame Yang. Sorry for not welcoming you."
Sheridan laughed and quietly whispered into Yutang Chun's ear, "This is Madame Yang, and that is also Madame Yang. If I close my eyes, I would think they are calling me Madam."
Hearing this, Yutang Chun couldn't help but smile. She was afraid of being heard, so she secretly pinched this naughty girl. Sheridan was laughing when she suddenly felt an itch on the tip of her butt. She turned her head to look and was surprised to be found.
Yang Hu and Wu Hanchao both saw Cui Ying 'er's movements. She didn't even turn her head. She just flicked her finger and a melon seed flew backward. It drew an arc and accurately hit Xue Li Mei's butt. The two of them looked at each other and tacitly turned their heads away again.
When Yang Ling returned from the palace, he happened to run into Minister Gao's housekeeper at the village entrance. Minister Gao was one of the six landlords of the seven Imperial Plantations. Yang Ling got off his horse and chatted with him.
He didn't want to disturb the people. In fact, even with his power, it was impossible for him to forcibly occupy the land of these landlords. But after the Little New Year was the beginning of spring. He wanted to plant new crops near the capital, produce a batch of good seeds, and train a group of farmers who were familiar with the new crops. He wanted the court officials to bow their heads in the face of reality. But he didn't have enough land, so all this was empty talk.
Yang Ling tried to ask the old housekeeper about the possibility of renting and buying land from Minister Gao. He didn't expect the old housekeeper to be surprised. From him, Yang Ling found out that of the six Minister Gao, except for Li Jimeng's family, the other six's land had all been owned by Cheng Qiyun. This matter was discussed between this young master Cheng and Master Gao. Even the old housekeeper didn't know the details.
Yang Ling and Cheng Qiyun had been together for more than two months. He already knew that this Miss Cheng was willful and arrogant. She only cared about likes and dislikes, and didn't distinguish between good and evil. Yang Ling was actually older than Cheng Qiyun by two years. How could he not see her intentions of flattering him?
Usually, he just pretended to be stupid. Now that he heard the news, he didn't know how Cheng Qiyun had used unscrupulous means to get these six landlords to obediently hand over their land. She didn't even dare to say anything, so he hurried back to the mansion to find out.
He didn't expect Yang Fu and his wife to visit at this time, so he could only relax and entertain the two guests first. When the male master returned home, it wasn't appropriate for the women to stay by his side. Han Youniang accompanied Cui Ying 'er, and the group of women went to the back of the mansion. Yang Ling accompanied Yang Hu and Wu Hanchao to chat in the central hall.
The three of them chatted for a while, and gradually the topic turned to martial arts. Wu Hanchao and Yang Hu talked about their experience with the old Taoist that day, and at the same time, they sparred in the hall. The two of them wanted to have a match.
There were trees and flowerbeds in the front hall, so it wasn't suitable to fight. Yang Ling also wanted to see what these real martial arts masters looked like when they fought, so he stood up and said with a smile, "The two of you, my backyard is spacious. Since you want to have a match, let's go there. Hehe, but the two of you have just recovered from your injuries, so let's not go too far."
The three of them chatted and laughed. When they arrived at the backyard, they went straight to the courtyard. Yang Ling saw that the left side was the inner study where Cheng Qiyun was staying, so he said to the upper management, "The two of you, my wife is also a person who loves martial arts. Hehe, I'll let them come and broaden their horizons. Housekeeper, accompany the two honored guests to the backyard first. "
Yang Ling excused himself and hurriedly turned into the inner study. When he lifted the curtain, he saw Cheng Qiyun sitting on the chair with her head slightly tilted to the side. Her white hand was holding a weasel brush and writing something on a light cloud-colored Xue Tao paper. Seeing Yang Ling come in, Cheng Qiyun was a little surprised, but also a little happy. She smiled lightly and put down the brush. She stood up gracefully and went around the desk, saying, "Daren, how come you have time to visit me today?"
Yang Ling saw that she was wearing a light green home style dress with a lake-green bikini on the outside. She was simple and clean, elegant and beautiful. But her dress was well-tailored and was softer than the bikini, accentuating the undulating curves of her waist and buttocks. Her figure was graceful beyond compare.
Unexpectedly, Yang Ling recalled the day when she first came to the Yang House. Her small waist was tied with a golden bell, her skin like water, and her enchanting appearance like the bones of a snake. His anger subsided slightly. He calmed himself down and slowly walked over. Sitting on the chair, he said, "Let me ask you, eight or nine out of ten of the seven Imperial Plantations are now under your name? How come I don't know about this? "
Cheng Qiyun was stunned, her eyes slightly widening. Then, she sneered and sweetly said, "Daren is busy with official work. Naturally, this lowly one will be able to help with such a small matter. It's good that you know. Otherwise, I was going to tell you today. After the New Year, we should start preparing early. Ploughing cattle, grain seeds, farming tools, and also the matter of appeasing the tenant farmers. There's quite a bit of preparation to do."
Yang Ling furrowed his brows and said, "I'm not asking about that. I'm asking how you managed to get those landlords to give up their land?"
Cheng Qiyun lowered her eyes submissively, but the smile on her lips seemed to be faintly discernible. She secretly glanced at Yang Ling and charmingly said, "Daren can't guess, right? Hee hee, with the golden signboard of the Inner Yard, lowly one … "
When Yang Ling heard this, his heart thumped. He couldn't help but slam the table and angrily say, "It's as I expected. You … you used the Inner Yard to threaten and coerce. Do you think the Inner Yard is like the Dongchang Imperial Bodyguard?"
He was so angry that his face turned green. Flicking his sleeves, he stood up and said, "Fortunately, this official found out early. Otherwise, in a few days, the imperial censors would all start to impeach me. This official has been in charge of the Imperial Plantations for less than a year and has already occupied all the land. How can I get rid of this crime? Immediately return the land to me. You really can't do anything right, but you're lucky to spoil things! "
Cheng Qiyun stood there in a daze. Her hands trembled slightly in her sleeves, causing them to rustle. Her pair of bright and beautiful eyes blinked a few times and a mist quickly formed. She walked step by step to the side of the table and stared at Yang Ling for a long time. Suddenly, she nodded her head and said with a sad smile, "Good, good. So this is how you see me."
She trembled as she stretched out a hand and picked up a stack of paper from the table. She slowly extended it in front of Yang Ling. Her five fingers opened and the stack of paper sadly fell to the ground.
Yang Ling was stunned as he picked up the stack of paper. The one at the very top was the contract for the sale of land by Gao Yuanwai. On it were the signatures and fingerprints of both parties, as well as the testimonies of the head guard and the country squire. It stated that Gao Yuanwai had sold the 830 mu of land under his name to her for 9,000 taels. The date of the contract was the first day of the twelfth month of the 18th year of Hongzhi.
This price was very fair and was even slightly higher than the market price. However, Yang Ling knew that even if the price was several times higher, these country squires and landlords would definitely not sell their land unless they could no longer make ends meet. He flipped over this piece of paper and looked at the next one. He couldn't help but be stunned. The next page also had a bunch of fingerprints, but the contract was the contract for Cheng Qiyun to sell the land.
It stated that Cheng Qiyun had sold the 830 mu of land to Gao Yuanwai for the price of 7500 taels. Yang Ling was baffled. When he looked at the date, he suddenly realized that it was the first day of the twelfth month of the first year of the Zhengde.
It turned out that Cheng Qiyun had used a generous offer to entice the big landlords to sign a post-dated cheque. The annual net income of the land was no more than a thousand taels. Now that they didn't have to worry about it, they would be able to get a guaranteed harvest of 1500 taels for free. With the contract in hand, they would be able to reclaim the land after the new year. Only an idiot wouldn't agree to such a good deal.
Yang Ling hurriedly stood up. Seeing her pouting, looking like a pitiful child, he felt both guilty and somewhat amused. Stamping his feet, he sighed and said, "You … you should have told me earlier. There was no need to be so secretive."
Feeling wronged, Cheng Qiyun said, "I was the one who thought of the idea, but I wasn't sure if they would agree or not. Why did I tell you first? If I don't become a landlord, those farmers and tenant farmers won't be easy to pacify, they would have to fork out their own money to work for you … Ever since they came to seek refuge under your tutelage, they have exerted themselves for you, they have even sold their lives for you. Have they ever done anything to let you down? Why do you think of me as such an unbearable person? "
The more Cheng Qiyun spoke, the sadder she became, two streams of clear tears flowed down her smooth, creamy cheeks and dripped down, landing on the half-written Xue Tao letter, immediately wetting the ink.
Yang Ling only felt his whole body was hot and dry. He said awkwardly, "This … this … yes, yes, yes, I was wrong. I will apologize to you. Aiya, why did you cry as soon as you saw me?"
Cheng Qiyun continued, "Isn't it all your fault?" When these words left her mouth, she felt it was a little too warm and her cheeks couldn't help but warm up.
Yang Ling didn't dare to look at her delicate and pitiful appearance. He lowered his eyes slightly and saw that the words on the wet paper looked a little familiar. He couldn't help but turn it around. His tears had wetted a few lines of words and the ink had already faded, but the first two lines could still be seen clearly. The delicate and elegant handwriting said, "You are like the bright moon, I am the fog, the fog follows the moon and hides in the sky, only by chance can I feel you …"
Yang Ling only read up to this point before Cheng Qiyun snatched the paper away and curled it up in her hands. Her face flushed red as she angrily said, "I have never seen an adult like you, how … how can you look at other people's things so casually."
In all her life, this was the first time she had fallen in love with someone. Unfortunately, it was seen by Yang Ling. Momentarily she couldn't restrain her embarrassment, her pretty face was as red as a red cloud, but she still had to force herself to say something. Yang Ling would rather not have seen it. He was so embarrassed that he didn't know what to say when he heard footsteps outside the room. Han Youniang's voice called out, "Xianggong, Miss Cheng."
Yang Ling was afraid that she would see Cheng Qiyun's tearful appearance, so he quickly turned around to welcome her. He saw Han Youniang coming over with Gao Wenxin. She happily said, "Xianggong, you are here. Yang Dage and Wu Gongzi are going to have a martial art competition. Does Miss Cheng also want to watch?"
She approached Yang Ling and pulled his arm. In a low voice she said, "Xianggong, Wu Gongzi's martial art is very good. You are the Governor of the Internal Execution Hall, and your subordinates are all warriors who wield spears and sticks. Later when you have the opportunity, you should worship him as your master and learn from him.
Yang Ling laughed and said, "You, you always want to take advantage of Xianggong. Most people in the Wulin world cherish their secret skills, don't they? If you open your mouth and they don't teach you, won't you be making a fool of yourself? "
A voice behind him chuckled and said, "Daren, it should be Wudang who is eager to have a disciple like you. Wudang is the family temple of Ming Destiny's imperial family. Zhangjiao Zhenren is a sixth-pin instructor in the imperial court. All along, the Department of Rites is in charge of Jiangxi's Mount Longhu, Hubei's Mount Wudang, and Shandong's Yuhuang Taoist Temple's affairs. If you open your mouth, do you think Wudang Zhangjiao won't do his best to curry favor with you? "
While speaking, Cheng Qiyun had already arrived. She put her hands on her waist and gracefully bowed to Han Youniang. She said, "Greetings Madam. Just now I was discussing with Daren about the matter of planting new crops in the beginning of spring. I have spoiled everyone's mood."
Yang Ling took a glance. Just a moment ago Cheng Qiyun's eyes were blurred with tears. In this short moment, her face was tender and flawless, her eyes were as clear as the autumn waters. Her faint smile did not show any trace of crying. This kind of calmness and pretentiousness made Yang Ling wonder if his eyes were playing tricks on him just now.
The four of them returned to the courtyard. Yang Hu, Wu Hanchao, Hong Niangzi, Cui Ying 'er, Yu'Er, Cher, and their family members were all waiting in the courtyard. A group of people came to the rear courtyard to watch the two of them compete in martial arts.
Yang Ling only thought that he would be able to see extraordinary scenes like those seen in movies. He did not expect that when they really fought, the moves and movements were not interesting at all. The two of them also rarely leaped off the ground.
Yang Hu was tall and sturdy. His external martial arts had reached perfection. His punches and kicks were like a tiger. Yang Ling, who was an amateur, still found it to be a little lively. However, Wu Hanchao seemed to be soft. After watching for a while, Yang Ling lost interest.
Han Youniang and Cui Ying 'er, on the other hand, watched without blinking. Han Youniang stared closely at Yang Hu's punches and kicks. Her lips moved as if she was eager to learn. Cui Ying' er also practiced internal martial arts. She paid special attention to every move of Mount Tai, Big Dipper, and Wudang disciples that originated from internal martial arts.
While the fight was in full swing, Yang Ling was looking around. He saw someone coming out of the warm cellar in the distance. He hurriedly took two steps away from the crowd and waved to the man.
The old man was a farmer who had been hired by the local people to take care of and learn how to grow potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and other crops. He was carrying a basket and was about to take some compost back. When he saw Yang Ling calling him, he quickly put down the basket and hurried over.
Yang Ling asked with a smile, "Old Liu, I've been busy these past two days. I haven't had time to go into the cellar to take a look. How are the seedlings? Don't attract pests. "
Old Liu laughed and said, "Master, don't worry. We've been very careful. We've taken care of those seedlings like treasures. The tomatoes have already turned red. According to Master's instructions, we've moved them to a place where they can see the sun. And the red persimmon has already bloomed."
Yang Ling was overjoyed when he heard this. At this time, there were two crisp cheers behind him. Yang Ling turned his head and saw Yang Fu blushing slightly. He was cupping his hands and saying something to Wu Hanchao. Then they walked over arm in arm. It seemed that Yang Fu had lost.
Only then did Han Youniang see that her husband had gone to one side to chat with the old farmer. She followed him and said with both anger and amusement, "Husband, you've always said that you want to find a famous master to learn martial arts. Brother Yang and Master Wu are both first-class masters, but you've run away from such a wonderful competition."
Han Youniang said this intentionally for Wu Hanchao to hear. Yang Ling said with a smile, "Unfortunately, I'm a layman. I can't understand anything after watching for a long time, so I came to take care of my own crops, hahaha …"
Hong Niangzi was surprised and asked, "Crops? Where are the crops? Daren … With your status, do you still need to care about some harvest? "
Han Youniang explained, "Madame Yang, my husband found a few crops that came from the Western Ocean. Those potatoes and sweet potatoes can yield several times more per mu than the current crops. There's also a kind of corn, which can produce thousands of kinds of crops. It's drought-resistant and barren. Husband said that he wants to promote it so that there won't be so many people starving to death in the world."
As she said this, she looked at Yang Ling with adoration. Cui Ying 'er and Yang Hu looked at each other in astonishment. Yang Hu had been oppressed and exploited by the government and it was difficult for him to make a living, so he angrily entered the Lulin Forest. Since Cui Ying' er's grandfather's generation, she had suffered from exorbitant taxes and moved her entire family deep into the mountains. She occupied the mountain and became a bandit in the Lulin Forest.
It could be said that the two of them did not have the slightest favorable impression of officials. How high was Yang Ling's official position? If he was fishing for fame, giving relief to the disaster victims and dealing with a few corrupt petty officials, the effect would be direct and obvious. Was there a need to put in so much effort?
Yang Ling laughed and said, "These past few days I've been busy with the war at the border and haven't had the time to take a look at these crops. Yang is really concerned about them. If everything goes well, next year this kind of high-yield crops can be popularized all over the world in Ming Destiny. Would the three of you be willing to take a look first? Hehe, please! "
Yang Ling brought them to the warm cellar and introduced all kinds of crops to them one by one. Together with the old farmer who had just returned from the Southern Ocean, he explained the characteristics of these crops to them one by one.
Yang Ling knew that crops at this time were very delicate. Droughts, floods, heavy pests, and harvests would be greatly affected. If the weather was good, it would be considered a first-class farmland if one worked hard to produce three to four hundred catties of grain per mu in a year.
As for sweet potatoes and Ma Ling potatoes, they were suitable to be planted from the south to the north. They could produce at least two thousand catties per mu. In the south, they could even plant three crops a year. Corn did not compete for good farmland, but its yield was also far better than the original crops. Thinking that these crops could save countless disaster victims in the future, Yang Ling stroked the green seedlings and his heart was filled with a sense of achievement.
As Cui Ying 'er listened to Yang Ling's eloquent description of the harvest, her bright eyes quietly watched him. Her heart was filled with curiosity: this official was very different from the official she remembered. He was willing to think for the people. Scholars all regarded farming as a lowly thing, but he seemed to be very passionate about farming.
In Cui Ying 'er's mind, all kinds of rumors about Yang Ling were intertwined together. The high and mighty Emperor's favorite official, the cold-blooded and murderous Supervisor of the Inner Factories who eradicated Dongchang in one night, the infatuated and righteous scholar who dared to defy the imperial edict for his beloved wife, the awe-inspiring general who defeated the Wokou pirates, and all of these could not be connected to this young master in front of her who talked about crops with such exuberance and did not have the slightest bit of prestige as an official.
She looked at the various crops planted in the shed that she had never seen before and thought: "Does this person really have the ability to save the people of the world? These strange crops can save a lot of people from starvation and poverty every year during floods? "
She had never been educated and grew up in a bandit's nest, but she understood the human heart best. She could see that what Yang Ling said was the truth, but she was very doubtful of the use of these crops.
In the world, the rich were heartless and the officials were dishonest. Even if there was a bumper harvest everywhere, didn't it still fall into the hands of those corrupt officials? The people in his hometown did not have food and clothing, they were forced by the government to raise horses, and they were also punished in all kinds of ways. How many people had broken up their families and died? Could he save these poor people?
But … Cui Ying 'er looked at Yang Ling and smiled. She thought: "This young master Yang is a good person, a good official. After we kill the dog emperor and rise up to take over the world, we can give him a high-ranking official position."
Yang Hu was secretly shocked when he heard this. He had already accumulated a considerable amount of wealth and talent, and was only waiting for the time to rise up and rebel to take over the world. He firmly believed that the people everywhere had no food and clothing and were oppressed. As long as he called out to them, they would definitely respond. At the very least, he would be able to gather an army of ten thousand people in his hometown of Bazhou.
But he was originally a small colonel in the army. It was because the field had been annexed by the general, and he could not live any longer, that he had turned to the Lulin Forest. He knew that if those people had a way to live and could eat, it would be very difficult to pull them along. He could not let them follow him to conquer the world.
Yang Hu's initial hatred for the court of Ming Destiny was much simpler. He wanted to overthrow Ming Destiny and rebuild a government that was honest and loved the people. However, as his hidden power grew, his personal ambition and greed also gradually expanded. Now that he wanted to rebel, it was more so that he could become the emperor and rule the world for himself. This greedy thought had gradually replaced his desire to fight for a way to live for the people in the world.
"I can't let him succeed!" Killing intent appeared in Yang Hu's heart, and his sharp gaze landed on Yang Ling. He thought: "This dog official must die!"
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