MLMD -Chapter 90 Gentle and Intelligent Hailanzu

Even the liveliest banquets come to an end. By the time this welcome feast reached the hour of hai (around 9–11 p.m.), it finally concluded—at least on the surface.

The next day, when Yue Yang woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Rubbing his still slightly dizzy head, he felt a parching dryness in his mouth. He grabbed the teapot beside him and gulped down half a pot of tea, which finally made him feel somewhat better.

Just as Yue Yang set down the teapot and was about to wash up, the thick curtain of the tent was pulled aside. A bright shaft of light spilled inside, and a slender figure stepped in, accompanied by a clear, crisp voice.

“Look at the time! And you’re just getting up? Don’t forget—you still have to present the gift list and betrothal gifts to my father!”

Of course, in the Korqin tribe, the only person who could speak to Yue Yang like this was Hailanzu.

Yue Yang could only let out a wry, silent smile. His fiancée certainly wasn’t holding back—already thinking about her betrothal gifts! He could only smile helplessly and say, “Why did you just come in? We’re not married yet, you know!”

Today, Hailanzu wore a pale white long dress, her hair tied into many thin braids, giving her a lively and charming beauty. She walked gracefully to Yue Yang and gave him a playful glare.

“So what if we’re not married? Mongolian girls aren’t like your Han women, with all those rules about fiancés not seeing each other or having to rely on servants just to pass messages—it’s so annoying!”

Having said that, Hailanzu didn’t hesitate to step aside, helping him fetch water and handing him a towel.

Yue Yang had to admit: this fiancée of his acted more like a modern girl. Perhaps that was part of her charm. Even though they hadn’t known each other long, Yue Yang found that being with this straightforward, kind-hearted girl made him completely relaxed. Things he normally wouldn’t share with anyone else, he was willing to share with her.

He placed the towel on a nearby wooden rack and glanced sideways, noticing Hailanzu sitting at the edge of the bed, folding several pieces of clothing he had changed out of. Her movements were so natural, as if she had done this countless times before. The morning sunlight filtered through the curtain, illuminating her fair, slightly flushed face, even highlighting the fine down on her cheeks. At this moment, Hailanzu was so beautiful and virtuous that Yue Yang found himself staring, completely captivated.

After a while, Hailanzu noticed he had gone quiet. Looking up, she caught his gaze and let out a small, amused laugh.

“What’s wrong? Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“No!” Yue Yang shook his head, then asked seriously, “I want to ask you something. Will you answer me honestly?”

Hailanzu lifted her delicate face and smiled gently. “Of course. Ask away.”

Yue Yang hesitated briefly, then asked, “Hailanzu… look, we’ve known each other for less than a few months. We’ve hardly met, and we don’t really know each other well. Given that, are you truly willing to marry me and spend your life with me in a place that is completely unfamiliar to you?”

“Eh… why would you ask that?” Hailanzu said, surprised. She set the folded clothes aside, lifted a hand to smooth her hair from her forehead, and after thinking seriously, said:

“That’s quite a strange question. But I don’t see a problem with it. You know, my younger sister Bumu Butai married Huang Taiji ten years ago—she was only twelve. Actually, it should have been me marrying him then, but my father loved me too much to part with me, so my sister went in my place. My aunt and my sister—two women from our Borjigit clan—married Huang Taiji, which brought great benefits to our Korqin tribe. Today, our tribe is one of the strongest among the Mongol tribes.

“My father arranging for me to marry you also has his reasons. You’re a merchant from the Ming, bringing the supplies our tribe desperately needs—grain, tea bricks, salt, and so on. That’s why he proposed this match and asked for my opinion. After spending time with you, I realized we get along fairly well, so this marriage came about. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I do…” Yue Yang nodded seriously.

Yue Yang was not someone who believed in love above all else, or that a whirlwind romance was essential to a fulfilling life. Even in the modern era, many couples do not meet through love—they are introduced by family, friends, or matchmakers, meet briefly, then marry quickly, and live together for life. For many, love is a luxury.

If that was true in the 21st century, it was even more so in the Ming Dynasty four or five centuries ago. Yue Yang deeply understood Hailanzu’s feelings. He took her small hand earnestly and said, “Hailanzu, trust me—I will do my best to make you happy. I promise!”

Hailanzu smiled, her snowy face glowing in the morning light, making her even more stunning.

“Come on, I’ll show you the betrothal gifts I brought for you!” Yue Yang took her hand and ran eagerly outside.

Time always flies when lovers are together. As Hailanzu and Yue Yang enjoyed themselves, Yue Yang’s father-in-law, Zaisang, was also in high spirits. Watching the hundreds of carts unload grain, tea bricks, salt, and cloth—the tribe’s most needed goods—into neat piles, his wrinkled face broke into a broad smile.

He stroked his beard and said to Yue Yang, “Son-in-law, you’ve brought so many things—thank you for your effort. Don’t worry, I won’t let you lose out. I know what you need. A father marrying off his daughter can’t be stingy. So here’s what I’ll give you: one thousand cattle, two thousand sheep, and four thousand fine warhorses. I want everyone to know—I, Zaisang, am giving my daughter in marriage!”

“Thank you, Father-in-law!” Yue Yang was overjoyed. With these four thousand horses, he could form a cavalry of at least two to three thousand men. His father-in-law was incredibly generous.

But some people couldn’t resist boasting. Just as Yue Yang finished speaking, Zaisang came forward, slinging an arm over Yue Yang’s shoulder with a sly smile.

“Son-in-law, now that I’ve accepted your betrothal gifts, we’re officially family. You Han have a saying: ‘One family doesn’t speak like two families.’ So I’ll be frank—hope you don’t mind.”

In a great mood, Yue Yang nodded. “Go ahead.”

Zaisang grinned mischievously. “I want to ask if you could get me a batch of your firearms—like the ones your men use.”

“Firearms?” Yue Yang shook his head firmly. “Impossible.”

“Why not?” Zaisang frowned. “I’m not asking for free. I can trade you anything—horses, cattle, furs. We can exchange!”

Yue Yang looked at him seriously for a long moment before answering meaningfully:

“Father-in-law, think about it—if I give you these firearms, can you really keep them safe?”

Zaisang was momentarily speechless.

Seeing him frozen, Yue Yang said sincerely: “Sometimes, having too much military power may not be good for the Korqin tribe, unless it is strong enough to match all others around you.”

After speaking, Yue Yang patted Zaisang on the shoulder, then took Hailanzu’s hand and walked away, leaving Zaisang dazed.

Hailanzu walked alongside Yue Yang across the grasslands, their shadows close together, almost as if they were leaning on each other.

They walked in silence for a while until Yue Yang suddenly asked with a smile: “Hailanzu, don’t you want to ask why I refused to sell your father the firearms?”

Hailanzu smiled softly, pressing her lips together. “Why ask? My father is simply too close to the situation. True, your firearms are valuable. If our tribe had them, it would greatly increase our military strength. But would the Later Jin agree? If we really used them, before we even got the chance to utilize them, their army would be at our gates.”

Yue Yang nodded appreciatively. “Good. I’m glad you see that. I thought you might be upset with me.”

Hailanzu giggled, tapping his forehead lightly with her delicate fingers. “You really underestimate me. Mongolian women aren’t as bound by family rules as Han women, but now that I am betrothed to you, I prioritize my husband’s interests. Besides, I don’t want to interfere between you and my father. If anything like this happens again, just handle it however you need—no need to consider my opinion.”

Yue Yang stared at Hailanzu for a long moment, then wrapped his arms around her slender waist and kissed her gently on the cheek. Only then did he say sincerely: “Thank you.”

At that moment, Yue Yang finally understood why, in another timeline, Huang Taiji doted so deeply on this woman, even abandoning tens of thousands of troops during a critical battle just to see her one last time in Shengjing. Such a naturally beautiful and understanding woman—it was impossible not to love her.