Chapter 10: A Devious Scheme
Yang Ling pondered for a long time, carefully contemplating, yet he could not find any provisions in the book that would be advantageous to Ma Ang. It seems that the solution must rely on those grandiose and self-serving skills of 'Tai Chi' that he learned from later generations.
Han Youniang hurriedly said: "Miss, there is no need to be polite, please take a seat quickly. Both of you, please have a seat."
Yang Ling received the approval of two yachai, and his courage unexpectedly grew stronger, while his mind became more agile. He slowly said: "Although this plan can delay the Wang family from actively withdrawing the lawsuit, thus saving Young Master Ma's life and preventing any damage to the reputation of the respected official of Min County, however... if the Wang family cannot swallow this grievance, it is possible that the matter could drag on for a year and a half. Therefore, I have another plan, Miss Ma..."
Her fingers deftly tied a knot in the thread, and with a lick of her tongue on the end of the thread, she passed it through the needle. She rested one leg on the kang and carefully sewed the garment, occasionally casting a gentle glance at her husband, who was intently flipping through a book.
At that time, the working hours of ordinary shops were not as tight as they are now. The lunch break was quite long, resuming work around two o'clock in the afternoon, so Yang Ling sipped hot water while flipping through a book, and Han Yoniang sat on the edge of the kang doing needlework
The gentle and serene temperament she displayed was something she had never revealed before, showcasing a feminine softness. Outside, snowflakes fell silently, leaving no trace. Han Youniang's heart felt incredibly at ease, as the tender emotions within her stirred up ripples in her heart. The fears and hardships she had endured for over half a year seemed to drift far away in that moment.
Miss Ma, upon hearing their praise, couldn't help but smile broadly. However, after listening to the final words of Class Leader Wu, she began to hesitate. Biting her lip, she pondered for a moment and sighed, "After all, that m.hetushucomcom is a matter of a human life. If it is merely a matter of spending more time in prison, then being able to enter prison safely is already a rare fortune. My brother is usually rough and reckless; experiencing some hardships to temper his spirit would be beneficial."
"Not painful!" The voice was quite alluring. It was only then that Yang Ling noticed her eyes were slightly lowered, her expression shy, with a hint of sweet smile at the corners of her mouth. Her pretty and youthful face exuded an extremely gentle and serene aura, a demeanor that only a mature woman would reveal in front of her beloved.
Yang Ling hurriedly opened the door and said: "Two officers, please come in quickly. Ah! Miss Ma, please come in."
Yang Ling glanced around and finally understood why ancient people would suck their wounded fingers; it was not that they knew saliva could disinfect, but rather that there was simply nothing available to wipe away the blood. After all, one couldn't use their clothing for that purpose, could they? Thus, he imitated them and placed Han Youngniang's finger in his mouth, gently sucking on it. As soon as his tongue touched her finger, Han Youngniang's body trembled violently, her face instantly flushed with a rosy hue, and warmth enveloped her.
Han Youniang, with her delicate and dense eyelashes, obediently allowed him to gently press her fingertip, and timidly said: "The New Year is approaching, and you still do not have a decent robe. I thought you are a person of status; going out like this would surely invite ridicule. Therefore, I hurried to make you a new robe."
The Great Ming Code stipulates that women may marry at the age of sixteen; however, this is rarely observed in society. While some laws of the Great Ming are quite strict, often resulting in the death penalty for minor offenses, the authorities turn a blind eye to this particular regulation, as if they are oblivious to it.
Yang Ling focused his gaze and saw two constables standing at the door with their hands resting on their waist knives, their bodies already covered with a thick layer of snow. Behind them was a young girl, draped in a white cloak, holding a yellow oil umbrella. The upper part of the cloak was adorned with a fluffy white fox fur collar that encircled her neck, revealing only a delicate face as pure as a water lily, appearing like a fairy descended to the mortal realm amidst the falling snowflakes
After pressing his finger for a while, and estimating that it would no longer bleed, Yang Ling gently pinched his finger and smiled, saying: "Alright, does it still hurt?"
He lifted his head and let out a long sigh, just in time to see Han Yoniang bringing the cotton robe to her lips, biting off the thread with her teeth. However, her eyes were sweetly gazing at him, and as soon as their eyes met, she immediately looked away in a flustered manner.
Miss Ma was unsure whether this method would be effective. She turned her gaze to the two constables, and the one with the yellowed teeth, Big Li, exclaimed, "What a brilliant strategy, this 'dragging the knife' tactic! A dull knife slicing flesh, bit by bit. Hehe, the county magistrate handles cases fairly, neither lenient nor unjust. The Wang family has no faults to pick at. If he can be relied upon, this lawsuit will surely lead to their ruin."
After listening to the two officers recount the situation of the Wang family, Yang Ling pondered carefully and felt that he could not find any loopholes in the "Great Ming Code" to exonerate Ma Ang. The only tactic he was adept at was the strategy of "delaying" in insurance claims, but he was unsure if it could be applied in this case. Thus, he nervously expressed his idea.
Upon entering, she saw a stunning beauty, more eloquent than flowers. Han You-niang's large, dark eyes were filled with wariness. When she heard that the woman regarded herself as her husband's sister, her face immediately showed displeasure. However, since her husband did not speak, she felt it inappropriate to interject with words about pictures and books.
This small room suddenly accommodated five people, which made it a bit crowded. Ma Lian'er casually tugged at the strap under her chin, unfastening her snow-white cloak. With a turn of her bright eyes, she saw the petite Han Youniang and couldn't help but smile sweetly, saying: "Is this young lady... Yang Xiong, is she your little sister?"
Ma Lian'er smiled, revealing two charming dimples on her cheeks. She tightened her grip on her cloak and stepped in first. Two constables followed her into the room and casually closed the door behind them
Yang Ling touched his nose, awkwardly returned to his chair, and feeling extremely bored, suddenly recalled the events of the day. He quickly rummaged through his book box, and indeed found the thick "Great Ming Code" among the books, so he picked it up and began to read it carefully.
In this room, there were only two chairs, so the two constables had no choice but to sit on the kang. Yang Ling had just moved in not long ago, and due to limited conditions, he usually drank tea from large bowls. Han Youniang quickly took out four bowls to brew the tea, and the two constables naturally expressed their gratitude profusely
Yang Ling let out a deep sigh; the longer they spent together, the more he felt he owed her a great deal. That feeling of heartache seemed as if he had owed her affection for several lifetimes. He silently tightened his grip, and the profound and tender emotions enveloped their entire being.
Looking at this charming young girl, merely fifteen or sixteen years old, with the demeanor of a little housewife, even though Yang Ling had resolved to regard her as a dear and lovable little sister, he could not help but feel a stir in his heart. This warm sensation was something he had never experienced in his nine lifetimes of reincarnation. In the presence of such a gentle and considerate wife, with a slow and leisurely pace of life, was it not precisely the life he had longed for? Was it not the warmth he had desperately pursued and should cherish?
These two constables were indeed the ones who had taken Ma Ang to the yamen, so they recognized Yang Ling. Upon seeing that it was indeed him who opened the door, they quickly clasped their hands in salute and said: "Haha, it is indeed Scholar Yang. I am honored to meet you. I have been sent by the esteemed magistrate of Min County to escort Miss Ma to see you."
Another slightly older individual, surnamed Wu, served as the class leader. Unlike Da Li, who was exuberant and animated, he merely smiled slightly and said: "Although Young Master Yang is not very old, he is indeed well-versed in the law and full of clever strategies. Even a top-notch litigator might not conceive such a brilliant plan. If we proceed according to this plan, it is likely that the aggrieved parties from the Wang family will rush to withdraw their lawsuits and settle. However... if they remain uncooperative, Young Master Ma will inevitably have to spend a bit more time in prison."
A hint of pride flashed in Han Yoniang's eyes as she cast a challenging glance at Ma Lian'er. She slightly bowed and said softly, "My husband, who is this young lady...?"
Yang Ling smiled awkwardly, feeling a sense of guilt for harming the seedlings of the motherland. He stammered, "Uh... she is my... this is my wife."
He leaned in closer, covering his mouth with his hand as he whispered a few words to Ma Lian'er. Ma Lian'er, upon hearing this, cast him a sidelong glance that seemed to be a smile yet not quite, and said with a charming demeanor: "As expected of a scholar, truly a clever scheme."
Yang Ling gently stroked the small hand of the fifteen-year-old girl, feeling a surge of emotions within. At this age, she should still be carrying a school bag and attending classes, yet she has already become a gentle and virtuous wife. This wicked old society... It is truly moving
The magistrate of Min County has sent someone to thoroughly investigate the matter concerning the Wang family at the musical instrument shop. Lord Ma, concerned for his son, although under the care of Lord Min, is still worried about any potential issues in the prison during this cold winter. Miss Ma is also worried about her brother, so she urged the magistrate to send two officials responsible for investigating the Wang family to accompany them to the Yang family.
Han Youniang lowered her head, stitching quietly. She sensed that the man had been watching her intently, causing her heart to race uncontrollably. In her fluster, her hand slipped, and with a cry of "Oh no," the needle pricked her finger. Yang Ling quickly set aside the "Great Ming Code" and rushed over to grasp her small hand, noticing a drop of bright red blood welling up on her index finger
Her glance was exceedingly charming, and in that moment, the allure she revealed caught Yang Ling's attention, causing him to fixate. Ma Lian'er noticed this and a faint blush appeared on her delicate cheeks, which made Han Youniang, who had been focused solely on the two of them, feel a twinge of jealousy.
Yang Ling hurriedly said: "This Miss Ma is the second daughter of the station master, Master Ma. She and her two elder brothers have come to discuss some matters with me."
Ma Lian'er expressed some surprise, saying: "So Brother Yang has already started a family; I have met Mrs. Yang."
Yang Ling was also captivated, gazing foolishly for a while. This tranquil and sweet atmosphere was ultimately shattered by a loud shout from outside the door, where a man's voice called out: "Is Young Master Yang Ling residing here?"
Han Youniang let out a soft "ah" as she finally awoke from her reverie, hurriedly retracting her hand. Yang Ling smiled faintly, turned, and walked to the door to pull it open. Flurries of snowflakes drifted in with the wind, and in the brief moment it took to return for dinner, the outside had already turned into a vast expanse of white.
Yang Ling said with a hint of reproach: "Look at you, working outside in the morning, and not resting at home. What is it that you are doing now?"
As she was translating the regulations concerning litigation, Han Yoniang brought over a steaming cup of tea. Yang Ling couldn't help but sigh deeply, saying: "Men in feudal society were truly men; where can one enjoy such treatment in modern society?"