Yang Ling accompanied Ma Ang and his sister out of the house. Sure enough, they saw a large carriage parked at the door. The small official did not go overboard and did not take the carriage back. Yang Ling accompanied Ma Ang and his sister to buy coffin flags and gold and silver baskets. They loaded all of them onto a large cart and dragged them to the Courier Station, where they ordered people to clean up the room and set up the mourning hall.
When the minor official on duty heard that the deputy had arrived, he hurriedly ran over to meet him. Yang Ling could not help but frown when he saw his cheeks swell up. He was a modern person, and he did not have the mindset of being superior just because he had the dignity of a superior. If Yang Ling was in his place, he would probably fall out with someone if he was slapped in the face.
Therefore, he didn't scold him for defending the siblings, but kindly asked him to call a few people to help set up the mourning hall. Seeing that it was his superior, the small official could only embarrassedly find a few courier soldiers to help his lord.
There weren't many good offerings in this season. There were only a few simple things placed in front of the incense burner. Beside the coffin were elegiac couplets, white banners, and paper ingots burning in a pottery basin. Two white candles were burning on the spiritual table. Ma Ang and Ma Lian 'er were guarding the spirit, burning paper money while crying.
Yang Ling couldn't stand the desolate and anxious atmosphere. After consoling him, he left. Someone called out from behind him,""Brother Yang."
Yang Ling turned his head and saw Ma Lian 'er slowly walking over from the corridor. The light from the lamp that swayed in the wind reflected her white clothes. She was wearing a filial belt around her waist, and her slender figure was about to ride the wind. Yang Ling's gaze couldn't help but focus.
Ma Lian 'er walked to Yang Ling's side and said softly,"" Brother Yang, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Lian 'er thanks you," Yang Ling said as he bowed." Miss Lian 'er, you're treating me as an outsider. Uncle is my elder, and this small matter is my responsibility. I can't use such a big bow."
Ma Lian 'er stood up gracefully and smiled bitterly."I'm thanking you on behalf of myself. My brother has no other strengths other than brute strength and a strong desire to fight. I'm also a woman. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been able to fulfill our filial piety as children.”
She choked and sighed,"" I've always hated Father for forcing Mother to die. I've always hated him, so although I'm sad, I'm not heartbroken."
She giggled and turned to Yang Ling, asking,""Am I being disrespectful again by saying this?”
In his previous life, video communication was very advanced, and Yang Ling had seen many beautiful women. Even the current emperor might not have the ability to see all the beauties in the world. Logically speaking, with his knowledge, he wouldn't be charmed by Ma Lian 'er.
However, as the saying goes,'A woman must be pretty and filial,' and 'When you look at a beauty under a lamp, the more you look at her, the more you look at her.' Ma Lian 'er was already very beautiful and charming. Now that she was wearing a plain mourning dress, she had a lively and flawless temperament. At this moment, her starry eyes were covered with a layer of tears. She looked so pitiful that she was indescribably moving. Yang Ling did not dare to look her in the eye.
"I'm sad," Ma Lian 'er said faintly,"I'd rather say that I regret it more." "Because only now did I know that if it wasn't for Father, I wouldn't be able to live like this without a care in the world. No matter what, Father is good to me. I shouldn't have been so disgusted with him and made him angry all the time."
Yang Ling sighed silently. Could this be considered another explanation for the son wanting to raise his parents but not his parents? Why did it always have to be lost before it felt like it should be cherished?
A bitter smile appeared on Ma Lian 'er's face." When my father got the post of deputy, there were originally two vacant posts in the county. I felt that this place was closer to the outside of the pass and I preferred the life outside the pass, so I begged my father to come here. I've actually harmed my father. If I could have predicted everything that was going to happen in advance, perhaps…"
"Who can predict the future?" Yang Ling consoled. Miss Lian 'er, this isn't your fault.”
What's so good about predicting the future? If I didn't know that I only had two years left to live, I wouldn't know how happy I would be with my young mother now. Yang Ling said sadly," If you can't predict the future, then you should live seriously in the present. You should seize what you should cherish now so that you won't regret it in the future. What do you think, Miss?"”
Ma Lian 'er saw Yang Ling staring at her intently, his gaze containing complicated emotions, and her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know that Yang Ling was so sad because he thought of Young Lady Han, and she couldn't help but think in a different direction."Grasp what you should cherish now? He... Are you hinting at something? But he's already married."
Ma Lian 'er felt her face heat up. She was flustered by his stare and stammered,"Seize the moment…What should be cherished? What can I catch? My family doesn't have any permanent assets, and there's no land. Although my father has some savings, he can't just sit there and eat. My siblings don't have any relatives here, so maybe in a few days, my brother and I will carry the coffin back to our hometown."
"Will he keep me?" she asked, her heart racing. If he asks me to stay, what should I do? I can tell that he really likes that young lady and will never divorce her for me.。。。。。Am I, Ma Lian 'er, going to become someone else's concubine?”
Ma Lian 'er was not ashamed to be someone else's concubine, but she was also attracted to Yang Ling's elegant temperament. She was especially interested in her own views that were deemed unforgivable by the women of the Central Plains. Only this man could understand and tolerate them.
Now that his family's decline was a foregone conclusion, and he was not even twenty years old when he sat in the position that his father had worked hard for the court for half his life. It could be said that his future was limitless. Was she a choice he could make? Ma Lian 'er was so flustered that she didn't want to face it, but a trace of emotion quietly rose in her heart. It was really contradictory and extremely nervous.
Yang Ling still did not know how to repay Young Lady Han's deep affection, which was as heavy as a mountain. How could he be in the mood to get himself into a debt of love? Even though Ma Lian 'er's outstanding beauty was admired by every normal man, he did not understand that Ma Lian' er's tactful and reserved expression was just an excuse for him to keep him.
Yang Ling thought about it seriously from the perspective of his friends. He also felt that this border town was not suitable for them to live in, so he said,"" This small border city is always in chaos. It's good to leave or return to our ancestral land. It's good to have friends and family to help."
Ma Lian 'er's tensed heart relaxed, and her clenched fists relaxed. However, a look of disappointment flashed in her eyes.
When Yang Ling bade farewell and left, he did not notice the bitterness in Ma Lian 'er's eyes. He asked for a horse from a minor official and went straight to the county office. He found the head of the night shift and told him that the lords would come the next morning and invite them to the post office to pay their respects to Ma Lian.
Among the county officials, County Deputy Huang held the highest position and had always taken care of him. The others had always been respectful to him because he was Lord Min's advisor. Yang Ling was confident that he had the ability to rally people with his special status.
After giving his instructions, Yang Ling was about to return home when he remembered that Lord Min had already moved back to the county office. He did not know how his condition was, so he decided to go in and take a look. He came to the back of the yamen. In the main room, two servants were sitting on the kang drinking wine. There was a plate of fried peanuts and a plate of pig ears on the table. When they saw that Advisor Yang, who was the most trusted by the Lord, had come, the two of them quickly got off the kang. Old Li smiled and said,"Private Advisor Yang, you came to visit Old Master?”
" Yes." Yang Ling nodded and asked," How is the lord?"”
Old Li walked up to him with his shoes and took his robe. He smiled and said, Old Master's fever has subsided, but he hasn't woken up yet. I'll accompany you in."
Yang Ling waved his hand and said," Don't worry about it. It's the new year, and it's rare for the two of you to take a break for a while. Take a rest. I'll leave after seeing the adults."
He lifted the cotton curtain and walked into Min Wenjian's bedroom. There was an oil lamp on the small table on the bed. Lord Min was lying on the edge of the bed, sleeping soundly with a blanket wrapped around him. Yang Ling sat in front of the bed and saw Min Wenjian sleeping on his back with his beard facing the sky. He couldn't help but chuckle.
He looked at Magistrate Min carefully. His tanned face had regained some color. He touched his forehead gently. The fever had subsided. It seemed that the poison in his body had been cleared. He should be safe. Yang Ling couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. He stood up and was about to leave when Min Zhixian suddenly moaned and muttered,"" Water, water, I want to drink water."
Yang Ling was delighted, and he quickly went to the table to get a pot of tea. The moment the spout of the pot came close to his mouth, County Magistrate Min was like a whale sucking in water, and it was out of control. Only after half of the pot of water had gone into his stomach did Big Beard Min slowly open his eyes.
Squinting his eyes for a long time, he finally saw that it was his advisor, Yang Ling, standing in front of him. County Magistrate Min blinked and looked around, muttering,""I'm at home? How is the military situation now?"
Yang Ling smiled." Sir, you've already slept for a day and a night. Today, the army of Yongning has arrived, and the Tartars have already retreated into the mountains. The siege of Cockcrow has been resolved, so there's no need for you to worry."
Min Zhixian's face lit up when he heard that. He closed his eyes for a while before opening them again. He looked around and sighed,""Only you? A long journey tests a horse's strength, and a long time tests a person's heart. Damn it, do you all think that I'm dead for sure?”
Yang Ling couldn't help but feel embarrassed. There were too many things to do today, and a few high-ranking officials had to accompany He Can. Everyone knew that Min Zhixian's life wasn't in danger, so they didn't have the time to visit him. If it wasn't for the Ma Family's matter, Yang Ling wouldn't have thought of coming to the county office tonight. Yang Ling didn't expect that a boorish person like Min Zhixian would be so sensitive. It seemed that the saying that one couldn't blame others for being too polite was true. The ancients valued etiquette, and Yang Ling should pay more attention to it in the future.
Yang Ling quickly explained for everyone, and Lord Min finally felt relieved. But when he opened his eyes on the bed, he felt very gratified that Yang Ling was the only one there. He felt that he hadn't misjudged Yang Ling by trusting him as his trusted aide.
Yang Ling recalled General He's temporary appointment and told him about it. Min Zhixian glared at him and said,""How can that do? If you leave, who will manage my yamen?”
He thought about it and felt that he should not treat his own people badly, so he said,"That's good. This way, you can be considered to have officially entered the officialdom. My brother-in-law is the prefect of Datong. I'll send someone to inform him tomorrow to help you get an official post. It's very convenient for you to become an official agent in less than two days.”
He laughed sinisterly and said,"Hehe, don't underestimate this post. It's not a big position, but it's very lucrative. It's good that this position is given to you. If it's taken by someone else, I won't be satisfied."
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。