Chapter 532 I owe Lady Historian a poem (Seeking monthly votes~)

"Why is Lady Rong walking so fast? Is something urgent?"

"Lady Rong, your shawl has fallen off."

"Ms. Rong, hey, Rong Zhen, can you slow down? I can't walk fast in this outfit. Are you alright now that the poetry gathering is over? If you're alright, then I won't follow you anymore. I'm going back to Huaiye Lane..."

Rongzhen, who was ahead, suddenly stopped.

A few strands of her dark hair fluttered in the river breeze and clung to her rosy lips.

I don't know if it's because it's slightly protruding.

The young lady, with her graceful figure, turned to the side, glancing sideways at the young man in a scholar's robe and turban who was quickly chasing after her.

Her face was cold.

In the distance, the sun sets on the horizon.

The golden afterglow reflected on the shimmering river surface casts a faint yellow hue over the riverside walkway and classical buildings, like an old, dusty book in an attic.

Judging from Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen's attire, they seemed to have just returned from a poetry gathering at Xunyang Tower. They were walking on the bluestone walkway along the riverbank, heading towards Xunyang Ferry.

Ouyang Rong caught up with Rong Zhen.

Rongzhen didn't speak, but instead held out one hand in his direction.

Ouyang Rong handed the crumpled, dark green gauze shawl to her small hand.

Rongzhen immediately grabbed the shawl back, turned around and continued walking.

It was getting dark, and you couldn't see people's faces clearly from ten steps away, but the passersby around could still make out what they were looking at.

Some experienced people glanced sideways and cast strange looks at the young couple chasing each other on the riverbank.

The two of them certainly sensed it.

Ouyang Rong immediately covered his mouth and coughed, his steps hesitant, unsure whether to chase or not.

Rongzhen was even more direct, stopping abruptly and glancing around at the passersby.

His eyes were icy cold, as if emanating a chill.

The authority of the Lady in Colorful Robes, cultivated by being second only to the emperor, was quite intimidating.

The pace of passersby noticeably quickened, hurrying past.

They dared not provoke this cursed beauty.

Ouyang Rong also took the opportunity to catch up with Rong Zhen.

Muttering to himself:

"Rongzhen, you're not angry, are you?"

“Angry? What are you angry about? Ouyang Lianghan, I’ve noticed that you’ve been talking nonsense lately, and you’ve even started to be disrespectful.”

Rongzhen's tone was surprisingly calm, but she became serious and competitive:

"Remember to address me by my title, not by my personal name."

"You still say you're not angry? Junior Sister used to be like this too. How come all women are the same when they're unhappy..."

"What did you say?"

Ouyang Rong, who had been muttering under his breath, immediately shook his head honestly: "He didn't say anything."

Rongzhen turned her head and continued forward.

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at her slender back, clad in an elegant and noble ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

Just this afternoon, the two of them went to a romantic poetry gathering that required couples to attend.

Something definitely isn't right.

That's a bit too much of a womanizer.

Aside from literary figures, it seems that most of the attendees brought their lovers or female companions.

When Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen arrived, they were actually a little embarrassed.

Because it's simply impossible to keep a low profile.

Both were handsome and beautiful. Even though Rong Zhen looked like a young girl, Ouyang Rong had to admit that she was the most beautiful woman among the female companions of the literati who participated in the romantic poetry gathering.

Not to mention, Rongzhen was dressed somewhat differently today, with a pale yellow dress, rosy cheeks, and a lady's makeup... a departure from her usual plain and simple style.

Many people were either admiring them or secretly glancing at them; how could such a handsome man and beautiful woman be so low-key?

If it were just awkwardness, that would be fine.

However, halfway through, the organizers of the poetry gathering, for reasons unknown, held an unexpected little event.

The male scholars present were asked to each compose a short poem, read it aloud in public, and present it to their female companions.

Ouyang Rong, of course, did not do it. He took Rong Zhen with him and hid at the back, pretending to be ignorant and uninformed.

As a result, all the female guests except Rongzhen received love poems from their male companions.

Everyone's gazes were subtly drawn to the shameless, antisocial individual.

Even Rongzhen beside him was one of them.

Her eyes were fixed on him.

That scene was incredibly awkward.

But... a real man has to be as proud as a city wall.

Ouyang Rong pretended to be stupid, didn't write any poems, and managed to get through it.

The organizers of the poetry gathering certainly couldn't force anyone to do that.

But shortly after the poetry recitation session for the women ended, Rongzhen turned and left.

They didn't even wait for the lavish dinner that followed.

At this moment, Ouyang Rong, who had been chasing after them along the riverbank, followed along somewhat embarrassedly.

"I'm sorry, I'm not knowledgeable enough, and I made a fool of myself. That occasion was indeed quite unpleasant," he said apologetically.

"What are you saying? I don't understand. I'm not angry."

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but ask, "Then why did you leave before the poetry gathering was over?"

Rongzhen, walking ahead and whose expression was obscured, spoke in a measured tone:

"All the male guests have already composed poems, but none of them have the literary flair of the host of Butterfly Loves Flowers. This is a boring poetry gathering, there's no need to stay any longer... Oh, no, not all of them. Ouyang Sima is a bit different; he disdains to compose one."

She paused, then smiled again: "Or perhaps, Ouyang Sima is the master of Butterfly Loves Flowers and is afraid of revealing his literary talent? Fine, I understand."

"Yes, sorry, I didn't bring my sword today... cough, just kidding. I wish I did, so it would be less awkward."

Ouyang Rong coughed and said helplessly:

"It's really not very interesting to write a doggerel. I have a bad habit of striving for the best in everything I do, otherwise I won't do it. Poetry is the same, so I'm really sorry this time."

"oh."

Rongzhen nodded, her expression unchanged, and said:

"I understand. What I mean is, this boring poetry gathering is nothing to worry about, just go through the motions."

Ouyang Rong: "..."

No, you're doing reading comprehension exercises.

He changed the subject:

"Lady Rong looks quite beautiful today, it's the first time I've seen her like this..."

“That Ouyang Sima was quite perfunctory.”

"Where is the perfunctory attitude?"

Ouyang Rong glanced down at his own attire:

"I used to wear this scholar's robe and turban when I was studying at the academy before I became an official. I dug it out today, but the downside is that the hem is too long, making it difficult to walk. I have to walk in a square shape, and I couldn't keep up with you just now."

Unexpectedly, Rongzhen suddenly interrupted: "Where is that sachet?"

Ouyang Rong was taken aback, not reacting for a moment; "A sachet?"

Before he could explain, Rongzhen suddenly asked:

"Did your junior sister take it? I haven't seen it since the Cold Clothes Festival. I guessed it long ago. Heh, she's quite strict with you."

"No, no..."

Rongzhen interrupted his explanation and threw out another sentence:

"I heard someone mention something. About half a year ago, didn't the Xie family of Chenjun publicly declare that although they were not engaged, they had designated you as their son-in-law? Do you also want to marry the junior sister from the Five Surnames?"

Ouyang Rong nodded, as if to say, "Yes, that's true..."

Just then, as the two were passing by the Xunyang Ferry dock, a questioning voice came from a boat waiting to depart:

"Young Master Ouyang?"

Ouyang Rong turned around and immediately blurted out:

"Miss Qin?"

...

Qin Ying was admiring the scenery on the deck, and became somewhat silent as parting approached, but unexpectedly she saw an acquaintance.

Her gaze, looking down, also fell on the cold, aloof young woman next to Ouyang Rong on the boat.

The girl's face was youthful and beautiful, suggesting she was from the north. She lacked the gentle features of a southern woman, had fair skin, and perhaps had some northern blood. Her features were deep and sharp, making her seem unapproachable. In the words of the Taoist priest, she was too fierce to be controlled.

Qin Ying glanced at him a few more times, then looked at Ouyang Lianghan beside her, and sighed softly.

The relationships between men and women in this world are sometimes so cruel; some suffer from drought while others are flooded with water.

However, Qin Ying, being a woman herself, thought about it carefully and understood why this young man was so popular.

Because women generally have a set of selection logic in their subconscious.

He subconsciously cast his gaze toward the men that the other women were vying for.

Subconsciously, he felt that being noticed and fiercely contested by other women meant he must be a special and scarce resource.

It can be considered a kind of natural competition among females, vying for a strong and superior mate.

Qin Ying herself was not immune to the common practice. Back in Luoyang, she had long heard of Ouyang Lianghan's great reputation among the ladies of the court. After arriving in Xunyang City, she was eager to see him for herself... Later, the facts proved that he was indeed well-deserved of his reputation, and even more unexpectedly so.

Seeing that Ouyang Lianghan and that cold-faced young lady were about to ignore the crossing, Qin Ying snapped out of her daze and, as if possessed, shouted something.

Ouyang Lianghan turned around and saw her.

He seemed to have calmed the somewhat quarrelsome young lady down, telling her to wait below the boat while he boarded and greeted her.

"Where is Miss Qin going?"

"I'm going to the southwestern front to visit my grandfather. I heard some things happened in the military camp a few days ago."

No wonder.

"Young Master Ouyang, who is this young lady below the boat...?"

Ouyang Rong immediately explained the relationship between colleagues.

"Colleagues in the Control Yuan... I understand."

Qin Ying smiled and nodded, then said something seemingly superfluous:

“Young Master Ouyang, there’s no need to worry too much. Sister Xie should be at the Xunyang Prince’s Mansion right now. The ship is about to depart, and I won’t be able to return to Xunyang City for a while. Even if I do return, I’ll probably forget about her; my memory isn’t very good.”

Ouyang Rong: ...

Qin Ying added:

"Actually, there's nothing wrong with a man being a bit of a womanizer, he can take responsibility, but he has to consider the feelings of the ladies, prioritize, and manage the relationships between them... But I believe that Young Master Ouyang can handle it well."

At this moment, the two people on the deck saw that the cold-blooded girl waiting below the ship seemed to be getting impatient and was about to leave.

Qin Ying looked at Ouyang Rong, who vehemently denied the allegations, with a half-smile.

"Perhaps Young Master Ouyang should go down; he's clearly getting impatient."

After saying that, he prepared to call the boatman and urge them to set sail.

"Please wait a moment, Miss Qin."

Ouyang Rong suddenly looked up and called out to Qin Ying.

The latter asked in confusion, "What is it?"

"I'd like to retrieve something, and I don't know if you still have it... Also, do you have any writing brush, ink, paper, or inkstone here...?"

Qin Ying's expression grew increasingly curious...

Not long after.

Ouyang Rong disembarked from the boat.

They found Rongzhen, who had been impatient for most of the day and still hadn't left.

"Why don't you spend more time catching up with your lover?"

"Not lovers, but friends."

"Oh."

"The truth."

"But this woman seems to like you."

How do you know?

"intuition."

"I hope that Ms. Rong's intuition will be used more for important matters."

Ouyang Rong shook his head helplessly, took out an orange-red sachet that emitted the fragrance of osmanthus, and put it on his waist.

Rong Zhen's expression shifted: "This is..."

Ouyang Rong nodded solemnly:

"Actually, I brought it with me, but I was too embarrassed to take it out before. Today's incident was indeed my fault, causing Lady Rong to lose face in public. I am truly sorry."

"How about this, I'll give Lady Rong an extra gift."

Without hesitation, he took off the orange-red sachet again and handed it out.

Rong Zhen's face tightened, her tone icy: "Borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha? Or are they my own flowers?"

Ouyang Rong pouted and said, "You can open it when you get back and see if it only has your flowers..."

"Playing tricks and deception."

Before Ouyang Rong could slip away, Rong Zhen snorted coldly, opened the sachet on the spot, took out a folded piece of paper from the osmanthus fragrance, and was stunned when she opened the small piece of paper.

"An IOU...?" Rong Zhen's starry eyes widened slightly.

Looking at the four large characters "Owes a poem" on the paper, and the signature of someone in black and white below, her little face showed a somewhat incredulous expression.

Is this even possible?

"Ahem, I'll repay you with a poem another day, you can owe me one for now."

Ouyang Rong calmly tossed out a sentence and turned to leave.

This pale yellow osmanthus sachet was a gift from Rong Zhen during the Cold Clothes Festival. He later hid it in his sword box, but it was betrayed by [Craftsmanship] and questioned by his junior sister.

Fortunately, Qin Xiaoniangzi came to the rescue.

However, to make the best of a mistake, under the watchful eye of his junior sister, he "returned" the orange-red sachet to Qin Ying...

On the riverbank, Rongzhen held a sachet in one hand and a shameless IOU signed by Ouyang Lianghan in the other, her small face slightly dazed as she watched his hurried, somewhat disheveled figure as he ran away.

It seems that ever since they met, he has always managed to surprise her, no matter how big or small the matter is.

At one moment, the cold, aloof girl gazing into the distance in the dark, howling evening wind chuckled, then quickly suppressed a smile.

Like a snow lotus blooming on a cliff in the dead of night, it's a pity that no one was fortunate enough to witness this unprecedented scene.

With a gentle movement, Rongzhen carefully put away the orange-red sachet and walked away with a cold expression.

"Hmph, you have no manners whatsoever, what kind of behavior is this?"

...

They left Rongzhen and came to a secluded place.

Ouyang Rong breathed a sigh of relief.

The little ink sprite in his sleeve jumped out immediately, poked his nose, and solemnly rebuked him:

"Ouyang Lianghan, why do you keep giving people IOUs? Now, you've even given an IOU to the Fairy Face who owes you money. Don't you think you're going to die? You even dare to owe her money. What if she comes back and asks you for it back? Aren't you afraid of losing face?"

"They might already have suspicions, or they might have suspicions later, which is why it's even more important to write an IOU. This is a delaying tactic to buy time and prevent suspicion from arising later."

Ouyang Rong shook his head and calmly analyzed:

"As for the poem I owe, I'll go back and have Dalang and Liulang compose one, and I'll hand it over in a few days, okay? It's not my style, as long as I don't have her supervising me on the spot."

"The worst guy ever, bar none!"

At this moment, Ouyang Rong suddenly stopped and frowned as he looked around.

"What are you looking at? Is there a pretty young lady? Where? Where? This fairy wants to see too!"

The young girl in Confucian robes playfully jumped onto Ouyang Rong's shoulder and, mimicking him, began to look around curiously.

Ouyang Rong didn't answer or even look at her. He raised his hand and stuffed Miaosi back into his sleeve, then pressed down on her little head that was trying to struggle out.

After observing the surroundings for a while and finding nothing, Ouyang Rong quickly turned around and returned to his residence in Huaiye Lane.

Throughout the journey, a fleeting purple light would occasionally flash in his eyes. He frowned deeply, and at one point murmured:

"A new blessing? Why now at this critical juncture? Strange, how was this triggered?"

(End of this chapter)