Chapter 463 Xingzi Lake, Daily Affairs

After hearing Ouyang Rong's reminder, the young woman in Confucian robes jumped up from her pillow.

With her hands behind her back, she paced around the bed like a little adult, then sat on the edge of the bed, dangling her short legs, propping her chin up with her hand, and stared blankly for a while.

Miao Si suddenly complained:

"However, that Yuan fellow, although he is quite cultured, is stingy. He always writes poems and lyrics secretly, I don't know why, he's like a thief. Is he trying to prevent me from stealing his food? Humph, how rude."

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but chuckle.

However, after a short while, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face...

The next morning.

Ouyang Rong first sent Miao Si to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.

The little ink spirit transformed into a broken ink stick, which he stuffed into his sleeve and carried out, traveling through streets and alleys until it finally reached Xie Lingjiang's boudoir.

Ouyang Rong planned to come and pick her up again in a few days.

Anyway, he has already made a red and black talisman as a backup, so he doesn't need her help for the time being.

Let's have this little ink spirit help our junior sister break through her cultivation level by turning the pages of the book.

Miao Si expressed strong protest and deep condemnation of Ouyang Rong's initial infatuation followed by abandonment.

But when Ouyang Rong flicked his sleeves and indicated that he could eat as much Hanlei ink sticks as he wanted every day at the Prince's Mansion and with his junior sister, the young woman in Confucian robes quickly changed her expression and beamed with joy.

Compared to a certain poor but honest official, Miao Si could trust the nutrition of the food provided by Xie Lingjiang's side.

After all, the junior sister herself is very convincing.

Ouyang Rong nodded.

After leaving the Prince's mansion, Ouyang Rong first summoned Liu Lang and asked him, as usual, about the movements of Xue Zhongzhu and the group of Yue women.

Ouyang Rong was restless and unable to eat or sleep until he found them or confirmed that they had left the city.

Yan Liulang came to report, and the final result, of course, was that there was no news. On Longcheng Aqing's side, everything was calm.

Inside the main hall, Ouyang Rong squinted and thought for a moment before slowly turning his head to look at the empty seat that belonged to a certain Jiangzhou Sima.

Fifteen minutes later, Ouyang Rong, fully prepared, went out again, leaving the Jiangzhou main hall and heading towards Xingzifang.

Ouyang Rong once again came to the ruins of the old courtyard.

This courtyard is now in ruins; neither the people nor the objects remain.

Ouyang Rong wandered around the ruins for a while, then turned and headed towards Chengtian Temple, a temple located in the bustling city center, not far from here.

In a side courtyard, he found Yuan Huaimin, who had "asked for leave due to illness".

Last time in the old courtyard, Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen were right; Grand Marshal Yuan did indeed live near this courtyard.

"Um, why is Brother Huaimin sitting so high up?"

"Obviously, to enjoy the scenery."

Why not enjoy the scenery without leaving the city?

"I don't have money, but my courtyard has beautiful scenery."

"It seems he is indeed quite ill."

Ouyang Rong, who was standing at the door, chuckled and walked into the courtyard.

Instead of staying quietly inside, Yuan Huaimin climbed up a rockery in the pond in the courtyard, gazing into the distance with his stubble-covered face.

Yuan Huaimin had several miscellaneous books at hand, a pot of yellow wine in his hand, and a package of pastries wrapped in a handkerchief on his lap.

Ouyang Rong glanced at it, his expression unchanged.

I knew that old guy was just slacking off by taking leave.

A while ago, under his supervision, Yuan Huaimin worked diligently. These past two days, he must have secretly calculated that his salary for this month was enough, so he immediately asked for leave and slacked off, determined not to waste a single opportunity to take leave.

Watching Ouyang Rong walk calmly into the courtyard, Yuan Huaimin, who had been gazing into the distance with a sigh of regret, put down his wine jug and let out a melancholy sigh:

"Brother Lianghan, what brings you here?"

"Brother Huaimin has been taking leave frequently. Well, isn't it because he's worried that he might really die far from home? He came to check on things, just in case, so that we can collect his body."

As Ouyang Rong spoke earnestly, he rolled up his sleeves, nimbly climbed the artificial hill, and sat down next to Yuan Huaimin.

"It's rare to receive such kindness from Brother Lianghan..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Huaimin's expression immediately changed, but his speed was not slowed down at all. Before Ouyang Rong could come up, he put away the bag of mung bean cakes.

At the same time, he lifted the wine pot and shook it; there was still a little yellow wine inside, so he didn't hide it.

Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly when he caught a glimpse of his friend's subtle action out of the corner of his eye.

If I'm not mistaken, this bag of mung bean cakes was made by Ye Weilai herself. Yuan Huaimin had taken it from her when he went to the mansion in Huaiye Lane for a free meal a few days ago.

Ouyang Rong pretended not to see anything, and after sitting down, he casually picked up the miscellaneous books next to Yuan Huaimin and flipped through them. At the same time, his eyes followed Yuan Huaimin's gaze to the distant lake view.

"What are you looking at, Brother Huaimin?"

"nothing."

“There’s nothing wrong with standing up so high and spacing out.” Ouyang Rong nodded: “Hmm, you’ve got the air of a great poet.”

Yuan Huaimin immediately gave a wry smile: "A great poet who can't compose a single poem in half a year?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "This is called accumulating strength for a late bloom; if you don't make a sound, you'll be a sensation when you do."

Yuan Huaimin couldn't help but look at Ouyang Rong, and after a moment, he showed an embarrassed expression:

"Brother Lianghan understands me best."

Ouyang Rong suddenly pointed with his index finger to a sizable lake in the distance outside the courtyard and asked;

"What kind of lake is this? It's quite big."

The lake in front of us is located within Chengtian Temple, not far from the courtyard where Yuan Huaimin lived.

Or rather, most of the side rooms and main halls of Chengtian Temple were built around this lake.

The lake was calm, reflecting the sunlight in a shimmering way that resembled the scales of a giant dragon, a truly beautiful sight.

In particular, in the center of the lake, there seems to be a raised stone base, and a pavilion sits right in the middle of the lake.

“The lake is called Xingzi.” Yuan Huaimin explained, “Speaking of which, Xingzifang’s name also comes from it.”

"Oh? Is that so?"

Yuan Huaimin recited them with great familiarity:

According to locals, long ago, a star fell from the sky and created a crater here. Over time, this crater formed the lake. The people of Xunyang lived by the water in ancient times, and gradually the bustling urban area we see today was formed.

"Well, this must have happened a long time ago. According to local records, in a certain dynasty, the 'Star Stone' in the middle of the lake was mined and sent to the capital as an auspicious offering. It's all ancient history."

"I don't know if there are still any Xingzi stones in the lake right now, but this lake has become one of the ten scenic spots of Xunyang. Speaking of which, Chengtian Temple is located in the center of the old town of Xingzifang. It has a long history and is full of the style of ancient temples in Jiangnan."

Yuan Huaimin nodded in praise.

Ouyang Rong laughed:

"Brother Huaimin, you managed to rent such a nice place with a lake and a view for such a small amount of rent. It's really great."

Yuan Huaimin looked somewhat embarrassed after his past was exposed.

There must be a reason why the rent at Chengtian Temple is so cheap. If you had spare money and a choice, who would want to live here and squeeze in with bald monks?

But so be it, finding joy in hardship is a kind of open-minded and cheerful ability, isn't it?

He was thick-skinned, and quickly composed himself, tilting his head back to drink the wine with a leisurely air.

"Brother Lianghan, would you like a bite?"

Ouyang Rong extended his hand without ceremony, and Yuan Huaimin immediately made a face.

"There's only a little left. I just asked politely, Brother Lianghan, don't you drink this stuff much?"

Ouyang Rong, who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, ignored him, snatched the wine pot, took a sip, and then handed it back to him.

However, his words were anything but forgiving:

"When I first came in, I thought that Yuan Sima was reminiscing about his good friends Li Zhengyan and Du Shuqing."

Yuan Huaimin's hand, which was holding the wine pot, paused.

Under Ouyang Rong's gaze, he sighed:

"That's not it. Everyone has their own destiny. I stopped caring about what happened over there a long time ago."

"Oh? You've heard about it too, Yuan Sima?"

"Yes, the monks serving breakfast in the dining hall this morning were all talking about it. They heard that the Kuangfu Army seems to be at a disadvantage on the front lines, and they couldn't even hold Hongzhou City."

Ouyang Rong remained calm, and Long Xiu touched a newly released intelligence report hidden in his sleeve.

He was going to the medical office later to see a certain cold, aloof girl dressed in palace attire. He had sent the latest intelligence from Xunyang and the frontline battle reports from the expeditionary army to Rongzhen for her to review.

Good news has recently come from the front lines: Qin Jingzhen has captured Hongzhou City, and the defeated troops of Cai Qin, Teng Wang, and others have retreated from Hongzhou territory, joining Li Zhengyan's restoration army which was heading north.

Moreover, according to the intelligence this morning, Qin Heng, as the vanguard, seems to have made quite a few contributions...

Ouyang Rongchao shook his head and sighed, while Yuan Huaimin directly said:

"General Qin is a renowned general of our time. It's only a matter of time before he takes Hongzhou City. There's nothing surprising about it. The real decisive battle is yet to come. Once Li Zhengyan's main force arrives, there will be a decisive battle between the two sides' main forces. This war will be difficult to stop for the time being."

"However, now that Hongzhou City, which served as a bridgehead, has been lost, Li Zhengyan is in considerable trouble."

Yuan Huaimin couldn't help but glance at him a few more times:

"Brother Lianghan, you trust General Qin so much... Well, that's true. I remember when General Qin was in the city, he didn't even give face to the governor and refused to see anyone else, but later he made a point of meeting you, Lianghan, and having a meal together."

"It seems that the conversation went very well back then. No wonder Brother Lianghan has not been asking or worrying about the front lines much lately in the Jiangzhou Hall. Instead, he has been focusing on dealing with the Donglin Buddha. Ah."

Ouyang Rong remained noncommittal, instead asking a question in return:

"Brother Huaimin, didn't you say you wanted to compose a poem that would be famous throughout the world? How's your progress lately? You've been writing in your notebook every day, have you had any inspiration?"

Yuan Huaimin, looking dazed and drunk, asked, "Is that so? Where did you hear about it, Brother Lianghan?"

Where did you hear that? You told it to yourself, right in front of your aunt and Wei Lai and all the other girls, when you were eating at Huaiye Lane last time.

Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly; he wasn't too keen on paying attention to this guy who was pretending to be confused.

Yuan Huaimin tilted his head back, took a sip of wine, wiped his beard and mouth, and said:

“Brother Lianghan, I used to be very arrogant. As my friends would say, I was arrogant because of my talent and no match for human relationships.”

"Then what."

"Then I got a real beating from God."

"Reasonable."

He suddenly said:

"Actually, Xunyang City is quite nice. Although it doesn't have the prosperity of Chang'an, it also doesn't have that kind of restlessness and noise, which allows people to calm down and think about many things."

"Excuse."

"The truth."

"Now that an imperial decree has been issued ordering you to pack your things and return to the capital, will you go back?"

"Go back!"

"That settles it."

“It’s different. When you leave your hometown for a long time, you feel uneasy if you don’t go back, regardless of your promotion or demotion. I really like my life in Xunyang now, where I can do what I love.”

"for example?"

"For example, I've always wanted to collect and organize the poems and articles I've read or written. Before, I just thought about it, but now I have plenty of time to do it."

"For example, I could draw a secondary illustration for Dongmei, or write a book called 'Record of the Thatched Cottage' to briefly discuss some of the distinctive garden landscapes I've seen in Xunyang. It seems there weren't any books like this on the market before..."

"For example, I'd like to study the Buddhist principles of the Pure Land School. Back in Chang'an, I was obsessed with Zen Buddhism, but now I've discovered that the Pure Land School also has its merits. Last month, I had a chat with the eminent monk Shandao, who truly deserves to be called a patriotic monk..."

Yuan Huaimin rambled on and on, while Ouyang Rong listened silently without urging him on.

A short while later, when the sun was high in the sky, Ouyang Rong glanced at his friend, whose lips were dry from talking, and took his leave.

Yuan Huaimin watched the handsome chief secretary's departing figure, sat alone for a while, and then sighed softly.

He touched a small yellow booklet in his pocket, then took out the mung bean cake bag again, picked up a cake, tilted his head back, and prepared to put it in his mouth.

In the next instant, a figure returned from below. Yuan Huaimin felt a gust of wind brush past him, and then his hands were empty; the pastries were gone.

Yuan Huaimin stared blankly down at the scene.

"I forgot to have breakfast this morning, thank you very much for the drinks and pastries, Brother Huaimin."

Someone waved goodbye, seemingly chewing something, but his words were indistinct.

"..." Yuan Huaimin.

Half an hour later, Ouyang Rong arrived at the medical office with the latest intelligence.

The door was ajar, but he pushed it open and went into the ward.

Rongzhen was nowhere to be seen on the bed in the inner room.

He turned his head and looked.

A cold, aloof young woman dressed in palace attire stood by the window, basking in the golden morning sun. Seemingly bored from her illness, she held a watering can and watered a pot of unidentified white chrysanthemums.

"Is Your Excellency able to get out of bed now?"

Ouyang Rong walked over out of curiosity.

Rongzhen turned around, her long, narrow eyes with lowered eyelashes, and a glint of starlight in her eyes as she looked him over.

Only then did Ouyang Rong notice that she had a new cane beside her, indicating that she still had difficulty moving around.

Rongzhen glanced at him, then at the door, and frowned slightly.

He seemed somewhat displeased with Ouyang Rong's overly familiar manner of entering the house and his disrespectful lack of knocking.

Ouyang Rong, seemingly unaware, reached out as if to offer a helping hand:

"Ms. Shi, be careful."

Rong Zhen remained silent with a cold expression, casually waving her hand to signal him to move aside, and then walked towards the table in the center of the room, leaning on her cane.

Upon seeing this, Ouyang Rong took out a intelligence report and went to meet him.

Just then, Rongzhen's embroidered shoe suddenly tripped her, and her body swayed forward.

Ouyang Rong instinctively reached out, then, as if realizing something, his movement slowed a beat, and he even pulled his hand back slightly. This prevented the beauty from falling into his arms in a dramatic fashion, but instead…

With a cry of "Ah!", her upper body bumped into Ouyang Rong's right thigh, and she instinctively grabbed it.

Rongzhen's entire posture looked like she was bending over and hugging his thigh.

Moreover, from Ouyang Rong's perspective, looking down, one could vaguely see the thin rope of Rong Zhen's bodice, which was hidden by the collar of her palace dress at the back of her neck.

It was that faded purple undergarment that had been washed so much that it had actually been worn back... someone thought to themselves without making a sound.

At this moment, the posture between the two was truly strange.

A man and a woman, one standing and one kneeling, the latter clinging to the former's leg.

The atmosphere inside the room immediately quieted down.

Happy Lantern Festival!

(End of this chapter)