Chapter 7: The Beautiful Woman Approaches
As the delicate figure swept by, Yang Ling caught a faint, exquisite, and intoxicating fragrance.
Although the young girl is a beautiful girl, her features carry a stronger air of heroism, and her facial features are not as delicate as those of a more charming girl. Moreover, the rustic charm of a village girl cannot be compared to the elegance and nobility of this girl. Upon seeing the alluring eyes on the young girl's oval face, one can truly understand what a so-called seductress should look like
Yang Ling and Han Yoniang rented a small room in the Jiang family's oil mill. They had lost all their property and only had about ten taels of silver on them. Han Yoniang was unwilling to sit idly by and waste away, so she did some sewing work at a tailor shop on the street.
The robust man, as agile as a leopard, fixed a fierce gaze on Yang Ling and let out a heavy grunt before striding away after his sister. Yang Ling was neither a person who sought out fights nor did he possess the means to do so. He smiled faintly and, seeing the two of them run off into the distance, continued to stroll forward at a leisurely pace
She was dressed in men's clothing, with a water-lake green cloak draped over her shoulders, revealing a pair of deerskin half boots below. Her willow-like brows were furrowed, and she angrily shouted at Yang Ling. Upon seeing him turn around, he was clad in a dark blue cotton robe, topped with a green long shirt. He had a tall and slender figure; although his appearance was refined, his features were quite handsome. Most notably, his eyes were particularly expressive, making him quite pleasant to look at, and her anger immediately subsided somewhat.
This person struck without warning, exhibiting extreme violence. Yang Ling was caught off guard, fearing that this whip would mar his face. Instinctively, he raised his hand to shield his face. The young girl leaned forward, her right hand flicking the horsewhip, the tip shooting out straight like a line, swiftly entangling his brother's whip. With a pull backward, the strike was thus prevented from landing.
The girl's bright eyes displayed a wealth of expressions; she seemed accustomed to the astonished looks men gave her upon first meeting. When she saw Yang Ling, her eyes sparkled with admiration, yet she did not reveal the disgusting, greedy expressions that some men exhibited. A hint of a smile passed through her eyes as she fixed her gaze on him for a moment, then turned to the man beside her and said, "Brother, let's go; we still need to buy gifts." As she spoke, she squeezed her legs against the horse's belly and smiled at Yang Ling, saying, "Scholar, make way; I don't want to bump into you again." Amidst her peals of laughter, the chestnut horse galloped past, showcasing the girl's remarkable riding skills.
Walking helplessly, Yang Ling saw a musical instrument store and strolled inside. At a glance, he noticed the pair of siblings standing inside as well. When the girl saw someone enter, she turned her head to take a look. This made it inconvenient for Yang Ling to leave, as he would inevitably be ridiculed for being timid and avoiding trouble.
The young girl giggled, her legs wrapped around the horse's belly, as she approached Yang Ling's side, smilingly saying: "Alright, brother, considering that I am a scholar, how could my delicate skin withstand your whip? Hey, scholar, don't be scared; I will let you off this time, hehe." Her voice was charmingly sweet and very pleasant to hear, laced with a hint of good-natured mockery.
The young girl was bowing her head, gazing at the guqin. From her appearance, it was indeed a masterpiece among guqins, antique in style, with a luster that resembled gold yet was not gold, and its patterns were exquisite, crafted from the finest ancient paulownia wood
"Eh? Is there still a reason to argue after bumping into someone?" Yang Ling felt a surge of anger as he looked up. The hood of his jacket was lifted, revealing a delicate and smooth face with a rosy glow. Her softly arched eyebrows were slightly lighter near the center, but darker and thicker towards the ends. Beneath her bright, sparkling eyes was a nose as smooth as jade, complemented by a rosy, cherry-like mouth.
In Yangling's memory, he had only heard the name of Tumu Fort. He recalled that a Ming Dynasty emperor, leading an army of five hundred thousand, was defeated there by the leader of the Wala, Yeshen, becoming one of the rare emperors in history to be captured alive. This knowledge was acquired from reading Liang Yusheng's "The Shadow of the Floating Footsteps".
Yang Ling lowered his hands and looked up to meet her delicate face, which was as radiant as a peach blossom. Despite Yang Ling's experience over nine lifetimes and having encountered countless beauties in his life, he found his heart racing at the sight of this naturally enchanting light beauty.
The girl’s eyes revealed a look of surprise as she extended her delicate fingers, lightly plucking the strings, and a series of melodious notes immediately filled the room. "Hehe, the pitch is quite good," the girl said joyfully, her finger striking and flicking the first string, filling the entire room with a powerful and majestic sound.
Even in his own time, lamb skewers could hardly be considered a dish of high status. Those of social standing would engage in drinking and socializing; who would bother to gnaw on a few skewers of meat? As for those without money, asking them to spend a penny on just a few morsels of meat would likely make them reluctant to part with it.
This is the throat connecting the capital and the northwest, characterized by prosperous commerce and convenient transportation, thus it can be considered quite bustling
Yang Ling also wanted to go out and see if there were any opportunities to make money. At the very least, he needed to find a job, as it was difficult for a 15-year-old girl to support him. He truly could not feel at ease about this. However, Han Youniang insisted that he stay at home and study diligently. With no other choice, Yang Ling could only agree verbally. When she was not around, he learned from the students who skipped classes and secretly slipped out to wander around.
"Good instrument, boss, how much is this instrument?" The over sixty-year-old boss, with a face full of sly smiles, replied: "Miss, you have a good eye; this instrument is an antique from a previous dynasty. If you like it, you can take it for twenty taels of silver"
Thus, this bustling street, lined with numerous shops, actually has only a sparse flow of pedestrians, which is not particularly large. Suddenly, a rapid sound of hooves echoed behind him. Accustomed to yielding only when he heard a horn, Yang Ling seemed oblivious, continuing to walk in the center of the road. Abruptly, something scraped forcefully against his right shoulder, causing him to stumble forward and nearly fall to the ground. The rapid sound of hooves echoed behind him again, and still, Yang Ling, who was used to yielding only to the sound of a horn, remained unaware, continuing to walk in the middle of the road. Suddenly, something scraped hard against his right shoulder, causing him to lurch forward and almost fall to the ground.
The post station, the horse-drawn carriage shop, the pawnshop, and the temple—where could he find a suitable job among these places? Yang Ling racked his brains but could not think of any way to make a fortune. After wandering for quite a while, he looked up and saw a small tavern. He went in, ordered a few slices of marinated beef, and a small pot of distilled liquor. After tasting it, he found that this pure grain brewed and fermented liquor tasted even better than the expensive wines he had tried at high-end hotels, which cost over a hundred yuan a bottle. Even if it were not good, the poor Yang Ling did not understand the art of brewing.
In his impression, the only places that could be considered cities were Xuan De and Da Tong, but it was only when he began to travel that he realized how inconvenient transportation was at that time. Although Ji Ming Post Station was a small town, it had all the necessary establishments such as shops, pawnshops, oil stores, tea houses, and restaurants.
The young girl opened her mouth in surprise and said, "Twenty taels? This lute is indeed nice, but twenty taels is rather expensive. I think... it is only worth about ten taels."
An ancient saying goes: "Those who travel to the capital must pass through Juyong Pass, and the road to Juyong Pass must go by Jiming." Jiming Post and Tumu Fort, located 60 li away, form a strategic angle, and together with Yulin, they constitute the three major passes guarding the capital.
Yang Ling entered the shop and wandered around aimlessly, hoping to spark some profitable ideas from the books. Unfortunately, he could not think of any knowledge that was suitable for ancient people, applicable with current technological capabilities, and that he happened to understand. Just as he finally recalled the idea of candied hawthorn, he saw two old men standing at the street corner, each carrying a pole filled with candied hawthorns.
"Hey!" Next to him, a person skilled in horseback riding was clearly not as adept as the beautiful young girl. He abruptly pulled on the reins, causing the horse's head to rise and let out a long whinny. The hooves struck the ground, sending snow flying. He lifted his rear, steadied himself, and shouted loudly: "What’s wrong, girl? Hey, you blind fool, did you bump into my sister?"
Imagine oneself wearing a blue and white striped long coat, standing beside a smoky iron rack with a fake mustache, rolling one's tongue to impersonate a Uyghur while luring customers, grilling meat skewers. Han You-niang sits behind, skewering dead rat meat with bamboo sticks. Yang Ling couldn't help but shiver: Can one really make a fortune in this era relying on this? I wouldn't believe it even if I were killed.
Yang Ling's eyes lit up as he exclaimed, "What a beauty!" This beauty was indeed the first stunning woman he had encountered since arriving in ancient times. Her delicate features, with graceful eyebrows, exquisite nose, and cherry lips, were captivating in every aspect. She embodied a true feminine charm, and at the age of around fourteen or fifteen, she was already a beauty in the making. If she were to grow a little older, how remarkable would she become?
Yang Ling and Han Youniang moved out of the mountain hollow and first went to visit her father-in-law, whom they had never met before. Coincidentally, Han Laoda had taken his son up the mountain to hunt and had not yet returned. Han Youniang knew that due to the heavy snow, the mountain was closed off, and her father would not return for at least ten days or half a month after going deep into the forest. Therefore, she informed the neighbors about their move to the city and then came to Jiming Post Station with Yang Ling
The young girl had removed the headdress from her head, revealing a charming face that was both delightful and pouting, with features as picturesque as those in a painting, captivating and enchanting. Her hair was styled in a three-part bun. Upon turning her head and seeing him, the girl couldn't help but smile sweetly, then turned back to adjust an ancient zither on the table.
Sigh, when I read novels back then, those people who traveled through time and space would have someone rushing to deliver silver if they wanted to get rich, the emperor would immediately cry and plead for them to take an official position if they wanted to become an official, and even if they just made a polite request, they could encounter two or three beautiful women. Am I being too cowardly?
This man is quite robust, dressed in a long, loose-fitting coat, wearing a purple felt hat with a six-part design. He appears to be in his early twenties, with bronze-colored skin, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, exuding an imposing presence. His face is filled with an air of arrogance, making him look fierce and strong. As he spoke, he charged forward, raising the whip in his hand, and with a swift "whoosh," he struck at Yang Ling.
Yang Ling did not understand musical instruments, but it was not appropriate to turn around and leave upon seeing someone. Therefore, he pretended to pick up a flute and examined it, though his gaze inevitably drifted quietly towards the young girl.
Yang Ling thought sadly: "I wonder if the lamb skewers from the Western Regions have made their way to the Central Plains. If not, that might be the only thing I can truly showcase. But even if I sell skewers, how can I become wealthy? In ancient times, the presentation of food was far more important than the taste itself; otherwise, the three elements of food—'color, aroma, and flavor'—would not prioritize color above all else"
Steadying himself, he turned his head to look, and a chestnut-colored tall horse stood beside him, snorting. Immediately, a delicate voice came from it: "Are you deaf?"
Yang Ling helplessly finished his drink, paid 7 wen, and walked out of the tavern, his hands tucked into his sleeves, trudging through the snow, the crunch of the snow beneath his feet echoing in the stillness. This city was actually quite prosperous, with a significant flow of population, but you must not imagine it as it is now, bustling with crowds; at that time, there were definitely not so many people.