Chapter 561 Does the Lady Historian Want Me to Express My Personal Desires? [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]

morning.

Xunyang City, West Gate.

On the heavily guarded city wall, two figures, one tall and one short, stood side by side.

Together we watched as a massive, imposing procession carrying the Buddha's head slowly passed through the West Gate bridge beneath our feet.

The two people, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, stared intently at each other.

The man was tall and slender, with a white jade hairpin inserted in his crown. He wore a crimson fifth-rank official robe, and his face was gentle and calm as he stood with his sleeves tucked in.

The girl had a naturally fox-like face, without any makeup, yet exquisitely beautiful like porcelain. Her eyes, as black as lacquer, combined with the cold and aloof porcelain face of the young girl, made her look like a rag doll placed in a girl's room.

Paired with her simple, plain white white dress and the orange-red sachet tied at her waist, she looks even more like a delicate rag doll.

Especially when the golden morning sunlight shines on the girl's cheeks, the fine, tiny downy hairs are visible, and her long eyelashes flutter.

At least that's how Ouyang Rong perceived it.

But most people who come into contact with her don't dare to look at her so closely.

Because this cold, aloof palace-dressed girl is His Majesty's most favored lady-in-waiting, and she looks unapproachable, with an icy aura that lowers the mood by three degrees.

At that moment, a constable in blue jogged up the city gate and handed a piece of paper to the two people standing side by side in the sun on the city wall.

The silence was broken.

Ouyang Rong took the draft notice, glanced at it once, and handed it to Rong Zhen.

The latter frowned as he finished reading.

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Her icy expression surprisingly showed a hint of hesitation as she asked.

"Is there something wrong with it?"

Ouyang Rong had no concept of the Dao.

"I just feel it's a bit... disrespectful to the deceased. Putting aside personal likes and dislikes, they were, after all, loyal martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the emperor and the court..."

"Ms. Rong is absolutely right. The dead are the greatest, but the living are even greater. The deceased are gone, but the living remain."

“This…” A hint of hesitation flashed across Rong Zhen’s dark eyes.

"I believe that if Young Master Wei, Brother Lin, Lord Wang, and Vice President Shen knew this in the afterlife, they would all agree. If we can truly catch the real culprit, it will not have been in vain that you all sacrificed your image and reputation... Ms. Rong, don't you think so?"

"Alright... fine, let's post them first. I'll inform the Wei Prince's residence, Wang Lengran's family, and Senior Song's place. I'll also go to the Censorate to inform them."

Rongzhen nodded slowly and folded the notice.

"good."

Ouyang Rong's eyes showed praise, and he said with emotion:

"Ah, I'm sure His Highness Prince Wei and the others will understand when they find out. The princes still prioritize the greater good. Hmm, so does Deputy Supervisor Song. The mourning hall at Xingzi Lake was dismantled quite quickly today..."

Rongzhen didn't know what to say, and glanced at the sincere expression on someone's face.

The first draft of the notice in her hand featured portraits of Wei Shaoqi, Lin Cheng, Wang Lengran, and Shen Bingqiang.

After the initial draft of this proclamation was reviewed and approved by her and the Supervisory Yuan, it would soon be posted in most parts of Jiangnan, east of Hongzhou and west of Yangzhou, on the streets, alleys, city gates, and post stations of all the prefectures and counties...

They are closely associated with the Yunmeng Queen, who is currently wanted for using martial arts to disrupt the law, and the chivalrous heroes of the Tiannan Jianghu.

Moreover, this newly released wanted poster is placed alongside the infamous Yunmeng Empress Xue Zhongzhu, vying for the top spot in terms of exposure.

The wanted person is named Butterfly Lover.

A head, a reward of three thousand taels; a clue, a reward of three hundred taels... He was happily certified as a rebel by the government.

On the city tower, Ouyang Rong, enjoying the sun's breeze, quietly gave a thumbs up, except for the fact that his handsome face wasn't shown up, which was a slight pity.

"Who painted these portraits? They're quite lifelike."

Rongzhen asked curiously.

Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly:

"Chief Clerk Yuan was familiar with these four people, so he took it upon himself to paint their likenesses. After finishing the painting, he said to those around him with a touch of melancholy, 'Seeing their likenesses again makes me miss Governor Wang.'"

Rong Zhen's pretty face remained tense, her words hitting the nail on the head:

"They probably miss the good old days when Governor Wang was alive, when he could be a hands-off manager and lead the way in slacking off."

Ouyang Rong suddenly slapped his forehead:

"Hmm, that makes sense. Doesn't this mean they're complaining that I've been too strict during my term? Well, Yuan Huaimin, you're using the past to satirize the present. Let's go to Xunyang Grottoes together tonight and work overtime until the wee hours."

"agree."

She nodded in the wind, pressing her lips to the floor.

The two quickly discussed and agreed on their daily tasks for persecuting Yuan Huaimin, and smoothly moved on to the next task.

“Ouyang Lianghan, I have a feeling that this thief is still in the city.”

"Then we should search according to the wanted posters and make sure he has nowhere to hide."

Ouyang Rong raised a finger, speaking slowly and deliberately, his logic running smoothly:

“According to your new clue last time, this person has learned the evil magic of sorcerers and can use bronze masks to disguise himself as the faces of those who died by his sword. Therefore, these faces, including the faces of Longcheng Wei Shaoxuan, Liu Zilin and others that have already been painted, may be the faces he shows to others, and we must restrict them.”

"Um."

Rong Zhen nodded slightly, then her clear eyes turned to Ouyang Rong's profile as he spoke earnestly. At that moment, she whispered:

"You are so thoughtful and logical, you even put yourself in the thief's shoes and thought about things from his perspective, filling in the gaps."

"Furthermore, you also contributed greatly to this manhunt and deployment, even sending the experienced Military Advisor Yan to assist. The results were indeed remarkable, and these were originally the tasks of myself and the Censorate..."

At this point, she turned her head away, averting her flickering gaze, and focused it back on the procession carrying the Buddha's head below, quietly asking:

"Ouyang Lianghan, why are you so concerned about... about me?"

If I don't provide 24/7 care, I'm afraid you might bring people to arrest me one day.

Ouyang Rong muttered to himself, but on the surface he remained serious and righteous, saying:

“Aren’t we brothers and colleagues? Besides, after cleaning up the mess in Xingzifang, I promised you that I would continue to look into the collapse of the Buddha statue and the murder of Brother Lin. A gentleman’s word is as good as his bond.”

Rong Zhen glanced at this upright gentleman who valued his promises above all else, and after a while, said in a low voice:

"I'm sorry to have troubled you... I was a little worried that you wanted something from me, and I felt a bit pressured... Well, I don't like owing favors."

"What do you want?" Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback.

"Yes, what is it that I ask for..." she murmured to herself.

As he listened, Ouyang Rong noticed a hint of melancholy in Rong Zhen's tone. Turning his head, he saw her beautiful profile, gazing down at the city walls, murmuring softly:

"Everyone has their own selfish motives, even colleagues... they wouldn't do things for no reason, right?"

"I think so."

Ouyang Rong glanced sideways, observing her expression out of the corner of his eye, and then echoed her words.

Um, what do you want? Please forget about the incident with the bellyband at Dagushan, oh well, I can't forget... or please stop obsessively chasing me, okay? What, you can't? Then what are you even saying...?

He has a lot of complaints.

Unfortunately, it cannot be said.

She suddenly turned around and asked, "Are you worried that our current working relationship might not be able to withstand your personal desires? Is that why you're hesitant to speak up?"

"Ah, maybe...no, no, I have no selfish desires. What selfish desires could I have?"

She pressed further, "You said it was possible before, why did you change your mind?"

"Because... it's hard to say, well, let's call it a personal desire. I won't hide it anymore. I just hope that Lady Rong can put in a good word for me with His Majesty in the future."

Ouyang Rong spoke helplessly, hesitated for a moment, and then continued:

"Well, you are His Majesty's favorite, everyone is trying to curry favor with you... Since Lady Rong says so, I will not hold back anymore, I hope Lady Rong will not laugh."

Rongzhen's resolute tone:

"No, you are different. You are not that kind of person. They may think that way, but you don't. I can sense that."

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but point to his face: "What's different about me...?"

“You never fawn over anyone, and you even contradicted His Majesty before. You are not the kind of person who covets fame and position. Don’t try to fool me.”

Ouyang Rong noticed that the lady of the house seemed to be getting more and more energetic. Before he could finish speaking, her small face, tilted up in the sunlight, seemed to radiate an indescribable glow as she spoke, word by word:

"Actually, Ouyang Lianghan... if you have any requests, you can tell me. Don't feel embarrassed. Everyone has selfish desires, I understand, and there won't be any..."

"What is it?" Ouyang Rong asked instinctively.

She gazed intently at the handsome face before her, and said with unusual seriousness:

"I won't feel disgusted... I won't feel angry or ashamed after being kept in the dark by someone close to me... I'm actually very easy to talk to, just don't... go too far."

After listening, Ouyang Rong looked confused and scratched his head, asking:

"Has something happened to Ms. Rong these past few days? Has someone said something to her? Why has she suddenly become so melancholic? She wasn't usually this talkative..."

"It's nothing, don't overthink it." She looked away again, her eyes cold, and said impatiently, "Just answer the question, don't change the subject."

Seeing her voice rise, Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and then tried speaking softly:

"Okay, actually, there is a little bit of selfish desire."

"What? Tell me, I'm listening."

She immediately turned around, her stern expression vanishing in an instant, and stared intently at him.

Ouyang Rong: ...

However, what's said can't be taken back... He pointed to the orange-red sachet at her waist:

"Your Excellency, could you please stop wearing this?"

After these words were spoken, the air on the city wall became somewhat quiet, so quiet that it made one's heart uneasy.

After a while, Ouyang Rong cautiously asked the motionless palace-dressed girl:

Why is Your Excellency silent?

Rong Zhen remained expressionless: "That's it?"

Ouyang Rong sensed a hint of disappointment in her tone.

"Isn't that offensive enough?" he asked, puzzled.

"Oh, how offensive! How dare you bring this up with me? Ha!"

Rongzhen nodded.

Ouyang Rong noticed that Rong Zhen, who had just been speaking very politely, had visibly turned cold.

The same goes for aura.

Under the blazing sun, the temperature around him seemed to drop by three degrees.

Before Ouyang Rong could change his tune or try to make amends, Rong Zhen sneered:

"Isn't it enough that I returned the IOU to you last time? This is my only hobby, wearing a sachet, and you have to tell me what to do? Who are you to me, meddling in my affairs? What, is someone telling you that you're in their way?"

“What’s in the way? No…” Ouyang Rong denied it outright.

Rongzhen calmly said, "It's alright, it's not impossible to take it off, but you can exchange it for something else."

What needs to be replaced?

She tilted her head slightly, her cool eyes fixed on a white jade hairpin on Ouyang Rong's headdress.

He immediately shook his head: "This won't do. It's a memento from my mother, and it has certain special meanings."

Rong Zhen lowered her eyes: "Then mine won't do either. There are rules about sachets."

“What’s the big deal? How can they be the same?” Ouyang Rong shook his head, then, quick-witted, reached out to her and asked seriously, “How about this, if you have any of your mother’s belongings on you, give them to me, so we can exchange them.”

Rong Zhen was quiet for a moment, then subconsciously lowered her head, seemingly looking at her chest. The next instant, she froze, and her fox-like face flushed red, as if dyed by the morning glow above her.

This was the first time Ouyang Rong had seen the Lady Historian with this expression, and for no reason, a line of poetry came to mind... "The gentleness of that lowered head is like a water lily shyly trembling in the cool breeze."

"Dream on!"

Rongzhen left those words behind and hurriedly ran downstairs.

Ouyang Rong called out with concern, "Lady Rong, the outhouse is to the right, inside the city gate. That's the way down."

Her petite figure darted away even faster.

"Not feeling unwell? That's strange. Could it be some kind of keepsake that's inconvenient to give away?"

Ouyang Rong was curious, but after a moment, his expression returned to calm, his eyelids drooped, and he reviewed the situation:

"Then let's not make jokes like that next time... But she insisted on having a heart-to-heart talk today, which made people a bit bolder in their speech..."

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the convoy escorting the Buddha's head safely passed through the west gate. Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen also rejoined the team and together escorted the Buddha's head to Xunyang Grottoes.

Along the way, the two rode at the front of the procession, seemingly unaware of each other, without exchanging glances, as if their conversation on the city wall had never happened.

Rongzhen went to talk to Granny Song about using Lin Cheng's portrait to issue a warrant for his arrest.

To Ouyang Rong's surprise, the deputy supervisor remained silent after hearing this, tacitly agreeing.

Suddenly, Granny Song glanced at him and asked, "Where is the string of Buddhist prayer beads that His Majesty bestowed upon you to grant you immunity from death?"

“It is enshrined in my humble abode,” Ouyang Rong replied politely.

"This is a gift from His Majesty, how can we neglect it? Quickly take it and keep it close to your body."

After glancing at her, Ouyang Rong's expression remained calm. He sent someone home to fetch the prayer beads, and once he had them, he held them in his hand and played with them.

The old woman rolled her eyes, nodded slightly, and snorted, "This is for your own good."

In the afternoon, the head of the Donglin Buddha was safely transported to the Xunyang Grottoes.

The following day, Rongzhen came to tell him that all the corresponding wanted posters had been distributed and sent to various prefectures and counties.

That evening, Ouyang Rong finished his shift and did not immediately return to his residence in Huaiye Lane. Instead, he bent down to get into his car and instructed Ali, "Go to Xingzi Lake."

"Yes, sir."

Before long, the carriage passed by the Xingzi Lake construction site. The blue-black curtain was lifted slightly, and Ouyang Rong glanced at the Xingzi Lake construction site, where all the female officials had been evacuated.

The Control Yuan has officially returned this place to Jiangzhou Hall, and the entire Xingzifang area has been completely opened up.

They wouldn't have retreated so quickly otherwise, but Rongzhen and the others knew that Ouyang Rong still had to deal with Wang Lengran's "mess," so they were returning the favor.

Ouyang Rong's gaze fell on the nearby Xingzi Lake, his expression peaceful and serene, lost in thought.

He muttered to himself, "Okay, I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush me, you're being so noisy..."

He glanced at the still considerable crowds on the surrounding streets, but remained seated, letting the carriage pass over Xingzi Lake.

Halfway there, Ouyang Rong was about to close his eyes and rest when he suddenly heard a series of wooden fish sounds.

The sound of the wooden fish lasted for a long time, and it wasn't a single type. At first, it was a dull sound, and then a crisp sound was added later.

In the end, looking at the overall picture, the rise and fall have strangely balanced out; well, it's still a slight increase, around two hundred merits.

[Merit: 1,809]

"Strange, how could there be such a big fluctuation? One moment it's plummeting, the next it's surging. Is it a coincidence, or... is someone talking about me..."

Ouyang Rong rubbed his confused face.

(End of this chapter)