Chapter 596 A recluse like Tao Yuanming, a worldly gentleman like Liang Han [Seeking monthly votes!]

"Brother Lianghan? You, what brings you here so early in the morning? Xingzifang is so far away, what are you doing coming all the way from Xunyangfang..."

Early morning, in a courtyard of Chengtian Temple.

Yuan Huaimin was bent over, busy working in the courtyard.

Hearing the sound of the door being pushed open, he turned around warily and saw Ouyang Rong's figure appear at the courtyard gate. Yuan Huaimin's expression changed slightly, and he blurted out a question.

Ouyang Rong walked into the courtyard with an air of nonchalance, ignoring Yuan Huaimin, who was bending over, sticking out his buttocks, and looking back in an odd posture. He looked around, went to the back kitchen, and scooped up a mouthful of spring water from the vat to drink.

Their movements were so practiced, as if they were at home.

"Good morning, Brother Huaimin, up so early to sunbathe... your butt?"

Ouyang Rongping carried the water ladle out of the kitchen, drinking water as he casually remarked.

"Early? What's early?"

Yuan Huaimin, with a stern face, corrected him very seriously:

"It's getting late, and I'm about to go to my shift. Brother Lianghan, have you eaten yet? If not, there's nothing I can do. I haven't eaten either; there's really nothing to eat here. Brother Lianghan, don't wander around anymore. Hey, don't go in."

Ouyang Rong strolled around without stopping, looking here and there, smiling and nodding at the same time:

"It's really getting late, hmm, the sun's already high in the sky."

"..."

Yuan Huaimin spoke with a melancholy tone, stepping aside slightly and pointing to the bamboo slips and ancient books lying on the ground in the sunlight, then sighed:

"What do you mean by 'showing off your butt'? I'm showing off my books. Brother Lianghan, don't talk nonsense and ruin my reputation."

Ouyang Rong waved his hand:

"It's okay, it's fine if your butt and the book are exposed to the sun together."

Yuan Huaimin helplessly spread his hands: "Can we not talk about butts?"

The morning sun was cool yet warm. Yuan Huaimin took advantage of the sunshine to air his books in the courtyard. He had been busy all morning, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat. He raised his sleeve to wipe them away.

A handkerchief was handed to him.

Yuan Huaimin first looked down at it, then looked up at his friend Ouyang Rong, who was smiling and handing him a handkerchief.

He didn't take it, continuing to wipe his sweat with his sleeve, while saying expressionlessly:

"This is what I use to wipe my feet after soaking them every day. Please put it back."

Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged as he nodded: "Actually, they're all the same."

"?"

Yuan Huaimin was speechless for a moment, then asked curiously, "When did Lianghan return to Xunyang City?"

Ouyang Rong, with his hands behind his back, circled Yuan Huaimin and the pile of books on the ground twice. Looking up at the not-too-bright morning sun, he squinted and said:

"If you don't come back soon, Brother Huaimin's vacation will be longer than his annual leave."

Yuan Huaimin chuckled and said, "Brother Lianghan, you're joking. I was really feeling unwell the other day, so I asked for two days off. I also asked Lady Historian for permission, and she personally approved it, so it can't be considered fake."

Ouyang Rong nodded: "I can see that. No wonder the sun was shining so brightly on his backside. He was feeling unwell. That makes sense."

Yuan Huaimin scratched his head: "I'm much better today. I was just about to go out to the Jiangzhou Hall when Lianghan showed up. Haha, what a coincidence!"

Ouyang Rong saw through it but didn't say anything, speaking in a calm tone:

"Alright, hurry up and change your clothes, get ready to go out. I really didn't eat, don't worry, you don't need to treat me to anything today, I'll pay."

Yuan Huaimin looked puzzled: "Huh, why is Lianghan being so nice to me today?"

"Haven't things always been like this?" Ouyang Rong asked seriously.

Yuan Huaimin's lips twitched slightly.

He swallowed his words, deciding to wait until after he finished this breakfast before saying anything.

"Okay, wait for me."

Being able to eat, drink, and freeload off his friend, Yuan Huaimin dashed back to his room, quickly dressed, not wanting to waste a single moment.

Ouyang Rong curled his lip, thinking to himself that if everyone had a motto, then Yuan Huaimin's should be easy to guess:

Every day you don't slack off or take advantage of others is a day you betray life.

"Hey, what have you been watching lately?"

Ouyang Rong originally intended to go to the courtyard gate to wait, but his peripheral vision caught sight of the words on the books on the ground. He squatted down in the morning sun, lightly flipped through a few pages, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and ask a question.

"The collected works of Tao Yuanming, his life and deeds, biographies of Tao Yuanming compiled by literati of the Sui and Qian dynasties, as well as some unofficial histories and anecdotes, including his own biography of Mr. Five Willows..."

Yuan Huaimin's voice came from inside the room, answering casually as if reciting a familiar story.

Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and flipped through the pages, remaining expressionless:

"Why are you interested in Tao Yuanming, Brother Huaimin?"

"I've always admired Master Tao, but lately, well, it's because you all keep asking me questions that I've gotten interested too."

The sounds inside paused for a moment, and Ouyang Rong saw Yuan Huaimin walk out of the room while tidying his official robes.

Yuan Huaimin twisted his wrist and casually said:

"By the way, Brother Lianghan, Tao Gong also served as a county magistrate in Longcheng. Haha, you two are the same. Moreover, the more I look at you, the more I feel that you and Tao Gong are very similar."

Does it look like it?

"picture."

Ouyang Rong looked calmly at Yuan Huaimin and asked:

How is it similar?

"I don't know how to describe it either. Let me put it this way: you two both have a contradictory and mixed temperament. You have both the elegance of a hermit and the melancholy of someone who is engaged in the world to save people. It's interesting, very interesting."

Ouyang Rong picked up a copy of "Biography of Mr. Five Willows" from the ground and waved it around:

“Then Brother Huaimin has misunderstood. Tao Yuanming himself said in his autobiography that he had only three great interests in life: reading, drinking, and writing. There was no interest in saving the world or helping the people among them.”

"No, no. Brother Lianghan, you shouldn't look at Tao Yuanming's collected works or what he wrote."

Yuan Huaimin shook his head, spouting a series of plausible arguments:

"Instead, we need to look at the era in which he lived and what he did in that era. These things can only be found in official and unofficial histories, not in his collected works."

"If you only look at his poems and essays, you might think he was a hermit who longed for the pastoral landscape."

"But if you look at the era he lived in, the Northern and Southern Dynasties were in opposition, with the Southern Song Dynasty in the south and the Northern Wei Dynasty in the north."

"When the Southern Song Dynasty was first established, Emperor Wu of Song promoted many poor scholars. Later, the Yuanjia Northern Expedition took place, which was a war between the Southern Song Dynasty and the Northern Wei Dynasty that could destroy the entire nation."

"This is the Yuanjia mentioned casually by Brother Lianghan before, in the phrase 'Yuanjia hastily launched, sealed the wolf's lair, and won a hasty retreat northward.' The Northern Wei Dynasty won all three of Yuanjia's Northern Expeditions, and the newly established Southern Song Dynasty suffered a great loss of strength..."

"Tao Gong lived in such an era of war and chaos, with both the hope of a northern expedition to recover the Central Plains and the danger of national defeat and destruction. I ask you, Brother Lianghan, could scholars in this era truly indulge in nature and live a carefree life in seclusion?"

"That's not entirely true. Besides, if he was going into seclusion, why did he go to be an official in the first place? Why did he serve as a county magistrate in Longcheng for eighty-one days? Was it just for a pittance? I don't believe it."

Ouyang Rong listened patiently, then raised an eyebrow:

"You, surnamed Yuan, whose ancestors were the Tuoba clan, the Xianbei royal family of the Northern Wei Dynasty, say such things as lamenting the failure of the Southern Song Dynasty's northern expedition. It sounds really strange."

“Hey, that’s not important. Three hundred years ago I was called Tuoba Huaimin, and three hundred years later I am called Yuan Huaimin. I am a citizen of the Great Zhou Dynasty who has long been bathed in the glory of the sage. Hey, Brother Lianghan, you’re still talking about me. You have a compound surname. Maybe you were also a barbarian from beyond the Great Wall three hundred years ago.”

"Brother Huaimin, please don't be so harsh. My family's genealogy records from Nanlong Ouyang show that we can trace our lineage back to the King of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period..."

Yuan Huaimin muttered, "Isn't that also a southern barbarian?"

"What did you say?"

"nothing."

Yuan Huaimin waved his hand and chuckled. He walked over, took the copy of "Biography of Mr. Five Willows" from Ouyang Rong's hand, and laid it out on the ground to bask in the sun.

As he straightened up, he said earnestly:

"In any case, like Brother Lianghan, Tao Gong has a contradictory temperament that is a mixture of worldly and otherworldly qualities."

"However, Tao Gong's temperament leaned more towards detachment from the world and reclusion, and less towards concern for the people and the world."

"Brother Lianghan, your temperament is more focused on being involved in the world and caring for the people, and you have relatively less of a reclusive and otherworldly air."

Yuan Huaimin stroked his chin, looked at his friend, and said with a smile:

"However, I always feel that this is related to the life trajectories of the two of you. Tao Gong should have been a scholar who entered the world at the earliest time. Like the scholars of that era, he may have worked hard with passion and effort, and only chose to withdraw from the world and live in seclusion after failing. Therefore, he has a stronger temperament in this regard."

"And you, Brother Lianghan, are one of the most outstanding scholars. In terms of worldly affairs, you are clearly superior to Tao Yuanming. You have achieved successive victories in helping the people and have such a steadfast will, which is admirable and enviable."

"As for Brother Lianghan's relatively weaker detached and otherworldly temperament..."

Yuan Huaimin paused, staring at Ouyang Rong for a moment, a hint of doubt in his eyes, before shaking his head and saying:

"Having known Brother Lianghan for so long, his personality and conversation often give me a very novel feeling, as if he comes from a cultural atmosphere that I have never been exposed to before. Brother Lianghan's hometown, Luling Nanlong, must be an interesting place, like a paradise, which can cultivate such an otherworldly temperament."

Ouyang Rong listened attentively with his eyes lowered, remaining silent.

After making a casual comment, Yuan Huaimin clapped his hands and laughed, pointing at him and saying:

"What's interesting is that Tao Yuanming may have spent the rest of his life searching for a Peach Blossom Spring, while Lianghan came from a Peach Blossom Spring and went down to the mortal world. One was a person within the world who gradually became obsessed with the detached world, while the other was a person outside the world who actively tried to engage with the world. Moreover, both of them were poor scholars. Brother Lianghan, you still say that you are not like Tao Yuanming. Your temperament is truly amazing."

"When I get old and retire to my hometown, I'll see if I can write biographies for both of you, haha."

Under the sun, Ouyang Rong squinted, paused for a moment, and then slowly said:

"You're spouting rhymes all the time, are you preparing for graduate school?"

"Postgraduate entrance exam? What is that? What does it involve studying?" Yuan Huaimin asked, puzzled.

Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly, but he offered no explanation.

However, after hearing these words, he looked at Yuan Huaimin with new respect. Although this guy was unreliable, lived a sloppy and casual life, and was carefree and optimistic, he was very accomplished in literature and history, and he was very observant. There were some angles that he had never thought of.

In a sense, Ouyang Rong was indeed an "outsider" actively engaging with the world; he wasn't wrong.

As for Tao Yuanming, one of his hidden identities was that of a legendary swordsman from humble origins. In the era of the struggle between the Northern and Southern Dynasties, could the master of a "Ding Sword" be a completely otherworldly person? How did he become the master of the sword? The "Humble Scholar" was born in the Southern Song Dynasty.

Ouyang Rong suddenly pointed to the books on the ground: "You can take a look at these things. If you have any new discoveries or insights about Tao Yuanming, you can discuss them with me."

Yuan Huaimin scratched his head: "Brother Lianghan, aren't you afraid I'll neglect my official duties?"

Ouyang Rong wanted to say, "Does it matter to you whether it's delayed or not?" but he said in a serious tone, "This is also part of official business. It involves important court affairs that I and Lady Rong are in charge of. I can't tell you the specifics for now."

Ouyang Rong was only joking, but he didn't expect Yuan Huaimin to nod so seriously.

"I understand now. It seems that Master Tao is indeed no simple man," he suddenly muttered.

Ouyang Rong glanced at Yuan Huaimin.

At this moment, the latter also finished getting ready, patted his stomach, and looked at him expectantly. Ouyang Rong turned around and went out, and Yuan Huaimin followed. The two of them went to have breakfast together.

As he walked down the street, Ouyang Rong turned around, his expression somewhat serious:

"By the way, since we've brought up Tao Yuanming, there's actually another favor I need. When we were discussing the rebel Li Zhengyan, didn't you mention that your Yuan family of Jingzhao has a copy of Tao Yuanming's original poem 'Peach Blossom Spring'?"

"Where is it now? May I borrow it to read? It's alright. If it's far away, I can wait. If you don't have a convenient way to send a message, I can also help you find someone to deliver the letter home back to the capital..."

Ouyang Rong was speaking sincerely when he noticed Yuan Huaimin's strange expression, and he stopped himself from saying anything more.

"What's wrong? Just say what's on your mind."

"Lianghan, there's no need to go back to the capital to retrieve it. The original copy of 'The Peach Blossom Spring' is currently in Xunyang City."

"What's the meaning?"

"Um, didn't Lady Rongzhen tell you? She asked me for it a long time ago. It was someone from their Censorate who took my family letter back to get it. It was delivered the day before yesterday and should be in Lady Rongzhen's hands. Hey, I haven't even seen it yet, and I haven't asked her what she wants it for."

At this point, Yuan Huaimin scratched the back of his head and chuckled:

"But Lady Historian was quick to grant leave... Hey, Lianghan, where are you going? Why are you running so fast? Didn't we agree that you'd treat us to breakfast? A gentleman's word is as good as his bond! A true man keeps his promise!" he shouted urgently.

"What's there to eat? Go take the postgraduate entrance exam."

Yuan Huaimin: ...

...

"What brings you here, Scholar Ouyang?"

"You flatter me, Lady Rong. This is my duty, of course I have to come and check on things often. I keep an eye on the progress of the Buddha statue every day, and I know it better than anyone else. The things that Wang Caozhi and the others are doing are all arranged by me. Although they are in Chengdu, it does not delay the progress."

"Oh, so the progress isn't delayed, then your heart is back with us?"

"Please stop teasing me, Lady Rong."

"How dare I make a joke?"

Ouyang Rong came directly from Xingzifang to Xunyang Grottoes.

Rongzhen's request for the original manuscript of "The Peach Blossom Spring" from Yuan Huaimin beforehand caught him somewhat off guard.

However, it's not surprising. Rong Zhen certainly wouldn't overlook the unusual clues about the rebels. Previously, Li Zhengyan's people brought a painting of Peach Blossom Spring by Wu Daozi to Yuan Huaimin and inquired about the contents of "The Peach Blossom Spring"...

Beside the Buddha construction site, in a pavilion, after chatting for a while, Ouyang Rong smiled and said:

"Your Excellency, this morning Yuan Huaimin asked how your examination of his family's original copy of 'The Peach Blossom Spring' was going..."

Do you want to see it?

Rongzhen directly countered with a question.

Ouyang Rong paused, not expecting such a direct approach.

Before he could reply, Rongzhen waved her hand, turned around and walked out of the pavilion: "I remember now, when you received the imperial edict before, you asked the Xiuwen Hall if they had any of these famous scholars' original works. Are all you scholars interested in this stuff?"

"Indeed, Wen Hua is not bad at all, she just keeps a low profile. I underestimated you before... You wait here, I will go and get it for you. Don't leave, I have something to discuss with you later."

"Huh?" Ouyang Rong didn't expect Rong Zhen to be so straightforward and understanding, or perhaps she was just imagining things.

The aloof, palace-dressed girl had only taken a few steps out of the pavilion when she suddenly stopped, turned back, and asked:

"Where is your icy white jade hairpin?" Her cold gaze fell on the wooden hairpin that held his crown.

Ouyang Rong clenched his fist and covered his mouth: "At home, I wasn't wearing one."

Rong Zhen tugged at the corner of her lips, then turned and left, her sleeves tucked behind her. Ouyang Rong saw her retreating figure and waved his hand.

"It's best not to wear them. They make a lot of noise, and they're definitely not suitable for men to wear..."

Ouyang Rong was speechless. He wanted to say, "Then why did you ask for it?" but her next sentence shut him up.

Ouyang Rong watched Rong Zhen's back as she walked into a nearby forest. The leaves were still sparse in early spring, and a corner of a roof could be vaguely seen peeking out from the depths of the forest, which looked like a house.

The faint sound of a zither could be heard from there.

Is the original copy of "The Peach Blossom Spring" kept here? Rongzhen and the others have already finished checking it...

He frowned slightly.

A sudden realization dawned on him... Was his visit to demand the money too obvious? Was Lady Rong perhaps testing him?

However, he didn't give himself away; Rongzhen gave it to him without saying a word.

Ouyang Rong stood quietly in the pavilion, his sleeves tucked in. He looked around and glanced at the carriage driven by Ali not far away. Under the seats of the carriage, a zither case was quietly placed...

He observed the situation discreetly.

Just then, a plaintive voice, like that of a woman confined to her boudoir, came from the side:

"Good brother-in-law, you've finally arrived! You have to be my judge, I can't stand being in this cave for another day..."

Ouyang Rong frowned and turned to look.

It was Wang Caozhi who rushed over.

——————

P.S.: I only managed to write 5,000 words in this chapter, so it doesn't count as an extra chapter

Another 3,000 votes! I'm currently 20 chapters behind. This seems a bit bad. My monthly votes are about to overflow! (whispering)

(End of this chapter)