Chapter 126 The White-Haired Maid Who Was Accepted

Actually, Wei Lai doesn't always sleep in like a lazy pig every morning.

He was even later than him.

The little girl does get up early sometimes.

For example, this morning.

Ouyang Rong opened his eyes, then closed them again.

He reached out and touched the empty bedding on the left side, his palm feeling the embroidered sheets that still held the warmth of the young girl.

He turned over, lifted the bed curtain, and peeked out from the half-closed window beside the bed.

The room was still quite dark, even darker than the view from the courtyard outside the window.

It rained for half the night, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily, and sometimes sparsely until the latter half of the night.

Don't ask Ouyang Rong why he knows so much.

I'm a little tired.

Before dawn, the sky after the rain was as if draped in a dark blue-green curtain, gloomy and overcast.

The setting moon is still faintly visible, but the rising sun, which may be in the east, is not clearly visible from this angle.

I don't know if it's because she didn't get up like Ouyang Rong, or it's just the angle.

"That silly girl, what has she been busy with again?"

Ouyang Rong muttered to himself, stretched in the bedding, then covered his face with the blanket as if he were giving up, closed his eyes and lay flat, not wanting to move.

It's not that I was too tired from last night's activities, but rather that I woke up a bit early.

I don't know what to do now that I've gotten up. I went to the county government office too early, and my junior sister and the others haven't started their shifts yet.

Yesterday, he inspected the completed first phase of the Zheyi Canal. In the two days leading up to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, things were calm and things suddenly became easier, which made Ouyang Rong, who had been working at a high intensity, feel somewhat uncomfortable.

If Ouyang Rong hadn't roughly known what the Liu family was going to do at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the arrangements he had made, and had been regularly informed by Ashan and Liulang, he would have truly believed that Longcheng County was indeed as peaceful and idyllic as it was.

It was just the calm before the storm.

Ouyang Rong told himself this as an explanation for the vague unease in his heart.

And once you have some free time, your abundant energy will naturally shift to another area.

So last night, halfway through his sleep, Wei Lai, whom he had neglected for many nights, clung to him for a while. Ouyang Rong had no choice but to turn around and, to the little girl who was eagerly hugging him and looking up at him, solemnly expound a series of sage principles.

Unfortunately, the white-haired maidservant didn't listen to the wisdom of the sages; she only wanted another kind of grand philosophy belonging to her master.

She was more interested in the overwhelming righteous energy emanating from her master. Finally, her little face was filled with a holy white light. Bathed in the afterglow of the righteous energy, she tasted the true meaning of life.

In the quiet inner room, on the bed.

Ouyang Rong silently inhaled the unique virgin scent of the unmarried girl on the bedding.

Thinking back to how he was forced to submit to the intense entanglement of the white-haired maid last night, and how he imparted his knowledge of flood control in Butterfly Creek, using a method similar to the first phase of the Broken Wing Canal, he completely eradicated the flooding in another part of Butterfly Creek.

A look of helplessness slowly appeared on Ouyang Rong's face.

I couldn't help but close my eyes and sigh deeply:

"Your righteous spirit is leaking out; you will receive another major demerit."

Unfortunately, this secret resolve, without witnesses, vanished like smoke, just like the many whispers overheard by the bed beneath him from its past owners…

Seeing that it was getting a little brighter outside, Ouyang Rong lifted the blanket off his face and sat up.

He was woken up by Wei Lai in the morning.

I don't know what the little girl was busy with, but she was so determined today to break free from his warm embrace and get up early to go out.

Ouyang Rong propped himself up on his arm, moved off the bed, and sat on the edge of the couch. Suddenly, his left hand touched something in the bedding.

This thing is soft and gentle.

He grabbed it and felt it was a thin piece of cloth.

Hold it up close and take a closer look.

Ouyang Rong was speechless.

Why does this little girl leave her bib lying around everywhere?

Without a word, his fingertips felt a dampness on the fabric of the bodice, in addition to its soft texture, so he coughed, put it down, and put it away.

I was going to just shove it under my pillow.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the shape of the diamond-shaped bib.

By now, the sunlight in the courtyard outside had brightened considerably, and it was still possible to see things roughly inside the house.

The diamond-shaped bib is peach-pink in color, with a semi-circular collar at the top and rounded corners at the bottom.

The workmanship was exquisite, but the embroidered patterns on it made Ouyang Rong more and more curious.

Ouyang Rong's expression turned strange, and he muttered to himself:

"Why is there a black mongrel dog embroidered? And a doll riding on the dog's back? Is this a custom from Wei Lai's hometown?"

Just then, the door creaked open, and a series of footsteps and the sound of the door being pushed open came from outside.

Ouyang Rong subconsciously turned his head to look.

Wei Lai walked into the house carrying a copper basin of water. She stood there, stunned, staring at him, her face flushed.

She must have noticed his strange behavior of holding the bellyband close to examine it closely.

"Uh, I didn't..."

Ouyang Rong put down the peach-colored bodice and opened his mouth to explain, but before he could speak, Wei Lai blushed and stepped forward, placing the washbasin on the wooden shelf beside the bed.

She wiped her small hands on the towels drying on the rack, glanced quickly at Ouyang Rong, and whispered:

"It's dirty, master, don't use this."

After saying that, Wei Lai took the peach-colored bodice from Ouyang Rong's hand and threw it into the clothes basket next to her.

"Use...use a new one, something warmer."

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, her tone a mixture of shyness, infatuation, and joy.

Ouyang Rong was taken aback. "Huh?"

Wei Lai turned her back to him, ignoring the morning chill, and with a pull, untied her belt, shrugged her shoulders, and took off her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). She raised her hands, met them at the back of her neck, and untied the knot of the ribbon on her bodice.

The garment she was wearing was a pink and white embroidered bodice with lotus leaves.

It seems that they were going to let Ouyang Rong use his new clothes to warm them up.

Ouyang Rong's eyelids twitched, and he moved like a rabbit, jumping off the bed and coming behind the white-haired maid with a back as white as snow and a slender, smooth body. He grabbed the ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and draped it over her shoulders.

He didn't forget to give her a pat on the back for her little head with her hair tied up in two sideburns.

"What are you thinking about? Put it on so you don't catch a cold."

Ouyang Rong reprimanded him with a stern face.

Wei Lai rubbed her forehead, then couldn't help turning around and hugging the tall, warm body of her owner, who was almost two heads taller than her.

She looked up and saw that her master wasn't angry. Suddenly, she tiptoed and tried to peck at his chin, which still had a light stubble. Well, she couldn't reach his mouth.

Ouyang Rong pressed Wei Lai's white-haired head down, pretending to be disgusted, and said:

"You haven't even cleaned your mouth, aren't you dirty? Go get me a coat, where's the willow branch? I'm going to wipe my teeth and wash my face..."

Wei Lai ran quickly to help him wash up.

A short while later, Ouyang Rong finished washing up and dried his face, and couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Wei Lai, why is there a mongrel dog and a baby embroidered on your clothes?"

The white-haired maid, who was kneeling on the bed tidying up the bedding, suddenly froze.

Ouyang Rong was taken aback: "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

Wei Lai turned around, her face contorted in a pained expression, and pouted as she said:

“It’s not a mongrel, that…that’s a Qilin that Nu’er embroidered. It’s a Qilin bringing a child, which I learned by imitating my sisters’ embroidery. Nu’er embroidered it stitch by stitch.”

"..."

Ouyang Rong fell silent instantly.

He couldn't help but turn his head and glance at the wad of wrinkled, peach-colored fabric in the clothes basket not far away.

The little Qilin has a rather unique appearance.

Ouyang Rong thought to himself.

At this moment, he saw the white-haired maidservant by the bed with tears welling up in her eyes, her hands unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes.

Ouyang Rong remained calm and immediately said:

"Of course I know it's a Qilin bringing a child, I was just teasing you. Look how fooled you are, you're so stupid."

After a pause, he sighed:

"You, don't you even use your brain to think about it? How could your master, who is so powerful, not recognize a Qilin?"

"Yes, there's a huge one painted on the mural in the main hall of the county government office. I see it every day when I pass by. I'd recognize it even if it were ashes."

Ouyang Rong spoke with absolute certainty, almost as if he were about to pound his chest and swear an oath to the heavens.

Well, I'd recognize him even if he were ashes, but it's hard to say if he were a dog.

Wei Lai's face froze for a moment, she tilted her head slightly, and asked in a clear voice, "Really?"

Ouyang Rong blinked and said, "How could it be fake? This Qilin delivering a child is used to pray for many children and blessings, right? No one should not know that."

He then noticed that the white-haired maid, who was lying on the bed looking back, had her originally cute, frowning face suddenly break into a smile.

"My master is so kind~"

She turned her head, humming a little tune again, her face beaming, and continued making the bed.

Although the little girl is clever and quick-witted, she is easy to coax, but only to Ouyang Rong.

Wei Lai rolled up her sleeves to her upper arms. Before making the bed and folding the blankets, she changed the bedding and quietly cleaned up some traces left from the previous night.

Wei Lai was still a little weak, and after a while, her two pink lips parted slightly, and she was panting heavily.

She was a little tired from all the activity, and perhaps because she hadn't fully recovered from what happened last night, even Ouyang Rong, who was not far away, could hear the girl's delicate breathing.

But the girl didn't complain at all.

Ouyang Rong turned around to help, but Wei Lai pushed him away with a gentle yet firm gesture, and she said coquettishly, "Master, please don't."

In fact, she could have left these chores to the maids outside after her master left.

However, Wei Lai was reluctant to let any other maids step into the plum grove courtyard unless absolutely necessary.

This is her cozy little home with her owner.

The little girl is like a lioness, with a very strong sense of territory.

Because her master's life wasn't entirely hers, but her life was entirely her master's.

Of course, Wei Lai is also aware of her own limitations regarding certain things and fates.

But at least for now, in this "little cage," a certain white-haired maid secretly harbors a very bold and presumptuous little thought: to temporarily monopolize her master.

Seeing the little girl's happy and cheerful figure disappear into the distance, Ouyang Rong breathed a sigh of relief.

Immediately afterwards, the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

It seems that the image of "Qilin delivering a child" inspired something.

Ouyang Rong fell silent.

Half an hour later, Ouyang Rong finished washing up and getting dressed, and Wei Lai also finished tidying up the house. Ouyang Rong took her out to the front hall for breakfast.

After walking along the corridor for a while, Ouyang Rong asked without turning his head:

"Wei Lai, that Qilin delivering a child... who asked you to embroider it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed that the girl behind him quieted down.

After a while, Wei Lai's soft voice came:

"It's Madam. Madam said this embroidery is auspicious... Does Master not like it? Or... is he showing pity for me in that matter?"

Ouyang Rong did not respond, but silently walked forward with his hands in his sleeves.

He actually realized something.

Some things must be planned for early; there can be no more hesitation or procrastination.

Moreover, it seems quite opportune that he's bringing this up now...

Behind them, the white-haired maid gazed at her master's quiet back, her small face showing a mixture of confusion and anticipation.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was not uncommon for personal maids or favored concubines to bear children for their male masters.

Even daughters of noble families who were married through proper channels, or even noble ladies of the five surnames and princesses of the royal family, might have their dowry maids go and sleep with their husbands before consummating their marriage... The customs of the Zhou Dynasty were quite open.

However, Wei Lai and Zhen Shi were unaware of Ouyang Rong's true intentions.

Fifteen minutes later.

The breakfast hall at Meiluyuan.

As usual, Ouyang Rong and his aunt, Zhen, sat around the small round table for a meal.

Wei Lai, Ban Xi, and a group of maids served him at his side, ready to attend to him at any time.

Today, Madam Zhen wore a green shirt and red skirt, with a white silk shawl draped over her shoulders, and her hair adorned with pearls and jade. Her gaze fell upon her beloved nephew, who was calmly sipping his porridge.

"My lord, how does this almond porridge taste?"

Ouyang Rong didn't lift his eyelids, staring at the tablecloth, seemingly preoccupied with something:

"New cook?"

"no."

Ms. Zhen, with a faint mole on her lips, turned up at the corner of her mouth and asked in return:

"How come you don't even know that your personal maid in your room has cooked porridge? Have you been too busy these past few days?"

"Made by Wei Lai? You have that skill?"

Ouyang Rong was slightly surprised and looked at the white-haired maid who was silently stirring the honey syrup for him with her delicate hands.

Mrs. Zhen smiled:

"It seems the cook has some family matters to attend to and has taken the past two days off. Wei Lai learned a lot of skills from the cook in the back kitchen before, without saying a word. I only recently found out about this."

She glanced at Wei Lai, who was honest, dutiful, and attentive to Tan Lang, and her eyes showed a hint of approval.

"The almond porridge, mung bean cake, and several spicy dishes that Tanlang likes were all made quite well by Wei Lai. It seems that Tanlang didn't taste any difference."

Ouyang Rong smiled but didn't say anything.

His aunt rarely praised Wei Lai, so he couldn't find fault with her and was too busy helping her out.

Zhen wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said slowly and deliberately:

"Wei Lai, this personal maid, is doing a good job and can take good care of Tan Lang."

After speaking, she glanced at Wei Lai's silver-white hair, her brows furrowing imperceptibly, but ultimately she didn't show any more disdain.

Beside the table, the other maids, including Banxi, all glanced at Weilai.

The maids' expressions were somewhat complicated.

The white-haired maidservant maintained a calm expression until she noticed her master's gaze upon her, at which point her grey-blue eyes trembled slightly with shyness.

Ouyang Rong put down his bowl of porridge and gazed at Wei Lai.

I felt a pang of melancholy.

Now it seems...

This personal maid, whom he acquired in exchange for five bushels of rice, didn't actually need his protection.

So intelligent, studious, and adaptable, she could even handle the usually harsh and strict Zhen Shi towards her maids.

He still worries too much.

However, Ouyang Rong also felt a little regretful, wishing that Wei Lai were a man.

If he were to leave in the future, he could offer her a bright future, such as having his junior sister take her to Bailudong Academy to become a disciple, or having the Ouyang family support her studies.

But Wei Lai is a girl, and now that she has become Ouyang Rong's personal maid, he can only continue to make arrangements along the path he had always envisioned.

The young magistrate sighed inwardly.

There was something he could no longer wait to discuss, and he decided to tell Mrs. Zhen today.

(End of this chapter)