Chapter 821 Rong Zhen: Ouyang Lianghan Takes Full Responsibility

Short women who always have a grumpy face.

A short woman? And she always has a sour face?

It is undoubtedly referring to someone.

As Xie Lingjiang finished speaking, everyone looked at Rong Zhen with strange expressions.

Rong Zhen suddenly became furious, her almond-shaped eyes glaring fiercely at Xie Lingjiang, who was dressed in fiery red men's clothing:

"I am blessed with a natural ability to preserve my youthful appearance, which is better than you, a tomboy, or a crude and uncouth warrior."

Xie Lingjiang chuckled softly:

"Your Excellency is quite quick to identify yourself in this situation."

Ouyang Rong had a bit of a headache and advised:

"Keep your voices down, there are a lot of people on the other side, and Miaozhen and the others are watching."

He then whispered to Xie Lingjiang:

"I was just about to tell you this. I promised to do something, and I'll tell you about it tonight."

Before Xie Lingjiang could speak, Rong Zhen sneered:

"Where are you two going at night, alone together? Is there anything you're saying that no one else can hear?"

Ouyang Rong quickly gave her a look, signaling her not to interrupt.

He couldn't help but glance at his junior sister out of the corner of his eye.

Actually, when his junior sister pointed this out in public, he felt both embarrassed and relieved.

Ouyang Rong knew his junior sister best. She was always sensible and protected his reputation as her senior brother in public. There were only two possibilities for her to say something in public:

One type is when one is truly unable to bear it any longer, feeling deeply betrayed and utterly devastated.

One type is genuinely venting anger, simply letting off steam without actually wanting to die.

The latter is clearly the case right now.

Ouyang Rong understood his junior sister's actions, but unfortunately Rong Zhen didn't, seemingly thinking it was a declaration of war.

The Lady Historian, with her rebellious nature, pursed her lips and held her chin high:

"Xie Lingjiang, don't underestimate him. I'm only here to teach him sword techniques. The old musician passed on the sword techniques to me, and Ouyang Lianghan needs them."

"However, during the process of teaching him, an unexpected incident did occur..."

She suddenly turned her head and said to Ouyang Rong, who sensed something was wrong, word by word:

“Ouyang Lianghan, there’s nothing to hide between us. It’s all aboveboard. What did you do that night? Don’t try to cover it up. What’s wrong with letting her know?”

After the girl in palace attire finished speaking with an arrogant expression, she turned her head away, but raised her right hand and silently touched her lower abdomen.

Hearing this, everyone was stunned, especially Rong Zhen's action.

They all looked at Ouyang Rong.

Hmm, what does this mean? Could it be that...?

Is she pregnant?

Li Xian and the others were lost in their fantasies, mainly because they hadn't expected things to be so exciting; they had thought it was just the initial stage between a man and a woman.

Ouyang Rong was speechless: "What do you mean, what did you do? You've misunderstood. I was just joking with you that night. Nothing will happen..."

Rongzhen firmly refuted:

"Are you kidding? It's so close, just a thin layer of paper separating us. I don't believe your nonsense, especially not at a time like that. You ask others if they believe it or not? Do you think I'm a three-year-old girl?"

Ouyang Rong: "..."

The atmosphere around them was utterly silent.

Xie Lingjiang slowly turned her head and looked at Ouyang Rong.

Li Xian, Li Dalang, and the others stared wide-eyed, glancing at Tan Lang and Rong Zhen from time to time, as if they had stumbled upon some juicy gossip.

Ouyang Rong looked at the Lady Historian, who was stroking her belly and speaking with righteous indignation, and was speechless.

Noticing the strange looks he was getting, he couldn't hold back any longer and blurted out:

"No, how can you get pregnant just from a hug? Besides, there were clothes in between, and nothing else happened..."

At this point, he noticed that the people around him were not relieved, but rather looked increasingly strange.

Seeing the look in everyone's eyes that said, "So you really did it."

The junior sister looked over:

"So, Senior Brother really touched it?"

Li Xian stroked his beard and sighed, casting a knowing look at Ouyang Rong.

It's like saying it was just a simple cuddling and hug, nothing more. Who would believe that? We're all men, we're all family, so please stop acting.

Li Dalang shook his head and muttered under his breath, "Tanlang is still too impulsive..."

Wei Mei pinched her eldest son's arm, trying to speak up for Ouyang Rong: "Don't talk nonsense, boy. This is not Tanlang's fault. No man in the world could resist."

She turned her head and whispered to comfort Xie Lingjiang, "Wanwan, please understand, he's a man, but what he did was indeed inappropriate. Your aunt will give him a stern reprimand..."

Ouyang Rong's face froze slightly, then he suddenly realized what was happening and looked at Rong Zhen.

Rong Zhen's face remained unchanged, and her voice remained cold and indifferent:

"Then what else do you want to do? Wasn't what you did that night enough? You said it yourself back then, a woman gave you everything she could. Actually, I had no choice. Hmm, Ouyang Lianghan, it's all your fault."

Ouyang Rong: ...

He didn't know whether Rongzhen was truly misunderstanding or just making a misunderstanding.

Why does it feel like she's in the atmosphere?

"Ahem, you guys chat first."

Seeing this, Li Xian and the others prepared to retreat.

Xie Lingjiang suddenly said:

"Let's finish discussing the important matters first."

Everyone paused, and out of the corner of their eye, they noticed that Xie Lingjiang didn't seem very angry; her expression was somewhat indifferent.

I don't know if it's because I'm good at maintaining my composure, or if I'm really not angry.

Rong Zhen also glanced sideways at Xie Lingjiang, who had returned to normal.

Ouyang Rong forced a smile and said, "Yes, let's get down to business, Junior Sister..."

Xie Lingjiang suddenly said, "Don't gossip. Senior Brother, you're always meddling in other people's business and delaying the Prince's important matters."

Ouyang Rong was speechless.

Xie Lingjiang's pretty face remained unchanged. She pointed to the luminous pearl in Li Xian's hand and asked earnestly:

"Uncle, is this cauldron and sword simply to be offered up?"

Ouyang Rong immediately suggested: "It would be best if one of our people became the sword master."

Xie Lingjiang didn't look at him, and said softly, "How about Guo'er becomes the sword master?"

Li Xian and Wei Mei spoke almost simultaneously:

"no!"

"No!"

Ouyang Rong asked, "Why not?"

Although he didn't have many opinions.

Li Xian said earnestly:

"Disciples of the Li family should not easily practice Qi cultivation."

Wei Mei was also unusually serious:

"Once we return to the capital, Guo'er can live a life of luxury. We'll oversee things and make sure she marries into a good family. Even if she doesn't marry, she can live a free and independent life, but we can't let her get involved in these things; it's too dangerous."

Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment.

Li Guo'er turned her head to look at her father and mother, but did not say anything.

Xie Lingjiang pondered for a moment:

"But it would be best if one of our people became the master of this sword, so that it would be in our hands and the saint would have to use us."

Ouyang Rong lowered his voice:

"Junior Sister is right. I have the sword technique. I can try using that character for my real name. Now I'm just one rank short of the ninth. As for finding a strong person to replace someone at the ninth rank, that's too difficult."

Xie Lingjiang, Ouyang Rong, and Rong Zhen are no longer at the ninth rank, so they cannot easily dissipate their cultivation and start over.

Li Guo'er suddenly asked, "How about the colorful ribbon?"

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then turned to look at the chubby-faced maid who was dozing off not far away.

The latter seemed to sense the sharp gazes of everyone, slowly woke up, turned around, met everyone's eyes, jumped up in fright, and hurriedly got up and went to continue packing his luggage, keeping his eyes straight ahead, looking like a diligent and dutiful little guy.

Seeing this, Ouyang Rong was speechless.

This chubby-faced maid seems just as unreliable as that little ink spirit.

Wei Mei pondered for a moment:

"Cai Shou is indeed capable, but what about her talent in Qi cultivation?"

Xie Lingjiang nodded: "I'll go check it out tonight."

"So, we'll tentatively choose her?"

The crowd looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

Li Dalang pointed to the opposite bank:

"Then we'll continue our journey back to the capital tomorrow, but what about these people? Should they come along?"

Rongzhen suddenly spoke:

"I can return to the capital with you. Let Miaozhen escort these surrendered White Tiger Guard generals back to Xunyang City and let Commander Yi handle them. She will make proper arrangements for them."

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Okay."

Rong Zhen said in a low voice, "I will write a letter to Commander Yi and ask her to cooperate with you. You will report on the situation in Xunyang. With the Dingjian, the Emperor will be very pleased. The blame for Xunyang can be shifted to the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Liang."

Ouyang Rong seemed to have been prepared, and nodded directly: "Mhm."

Xie Lingjiang glanced at the palace-dressed girl trying her best to cooperate with Ouyang Rong and pursed her lips.

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Alright, I'll talk to Miaozhen tomorrow morning. By the way, Your Highness, would you like to come along...?"

Under Wei Mei's watchful gaze, Li Xian decisively refused:

"No need, haha, Tanlang, you can handle the communication."

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly.

Just then, Zhang Shixiu and Lu Ya arrived and handed Ouyang Rong a letter.

Lu Ya opened his mouth:

"This was just delivered by Miss Qin. She said it was an urgent message from Hanyang County, sent from Longcheng County to Governor Ouyang."

Ouyang Rong took the letter, opened it, and his expression gradually turned silent.

Li Xian asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips:

“My aunt and Wei Lai didn’t leave. They turned back halfway back to Nanlong and came to find me. Magistrate Diao found them and sent someone to bring them here. They are currently in Hanyang County and are preparing to set off. They should arrive tomorrow morning.”

Everyone was speechless.

Xie Lingjiang turned her head and said somewhat seriously:

“Aunt Zhen is concerned about you. Don’t say she’s not thinking about the bigger picture. Sometimes, in a woman’s eyes, national affairs are not important as much as you, her family. Please bear with her.”

Ouyang Rong remained silent.

Rongzhen suddenly suggested:

"I recommend Wei Lai as the master of this new Ding Sword; she is also a suitable candidate."

Li Xian and the others were taken aback.

Xie Lingjiang was also taken aback, turned her head to look at Rong Zhen, and realized what was going on.

She immediately replied, "Wei Lai is indeed suitable. She's mature enough; we can let her give it a try."

Ouyang Rong glanced at the two women.

I had a vague feeling that they might be trying to win over Ye Weilai.

But he remained silent.

Li Xian also suggested, "How about Miss Ye from your room?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "Let's prepare for both possibilities. She may not have enough talent for Qi cultivation. Now that you need to go north back to the capital, you need to find the Sword Master as soon as possible. Let Wei Lai and Cai Shou try it together and teach them Qi cultivation together. Whoever reaches the ninth rank first will become the Sword Master."

Li Dalang prepared to persuade him again: "But..."

Ouyang Rong waved his hand: "It's settled then."

He then laughed and said, "Besides, that real name might not even be correct."

Everyone had no choice but to nod.

A moment later, they all dispersed.

The Li family left quickly, while Ouyang Rong remained where he was.

Rongzhen and Xie Lingjiang did not move.

Li Guo'er was a beat behind and suddenly asked Ouyang Rong:

"You have several sword techniques, more than one, right?"

Ouyang Rong looked at her: "Why are you asking this?"

Li Guo'er said softly:

"Just curious, are you planning to give it all to the new sword master?"

Ouyang Rong pondered:

"Give me a test first to verify my real name."

Li Guo'er asked:

"Which one? Tao Yuanming's solitary poem, 'Returning Home'?"

Ouyang Rong frowned slightly: "How did you know? That's the [Humble Scholar] sword technique."

Li Guo'er's expression remained unchanged:

"Didn't you mention it before? But when I asked you then, you gave a vague answer."

Ouyang Rong thought about it and realized that there might be such a thing.

"Hmm." His expression softened a bit, then he remembered something and asked, "By the way, do you have a copy of 'The Return'?"

Li Guo'er nodded: "It was a birthday gift you gave me back then."

Ouyang Rong glanced at her again, but didn't speak immediately.

Li Guo'er turned to look at the night sky, a smile playing on her lips, yet her expression was serious.

“Ouyang Lianghan, look, the things you gave me are indeed very important, they are not ordinary items. It seems that the dream was true, you are my benefactor.”

"She's not exactly a noble person, but the princess is a lucky one and is blessed by heaven."

Ouyang Rong turned to look at Xie Lingjiang and He Rongzhen, who remained in place, each seemingly distracted, and offered a compliment.

Li Guo'er glanced at his profile.

The young man in the scholar's robe suddenly asked:

"Your Highness, the Prince and Princess won't let you practice Qi cultivation. Will you be unhappy about that?"

Without answering, Li Guo'er turned and left.

"We were just discussing the Sword Master's matter. I'll talk to Cai Shou about it tonight, and also..."

Ouyang Rong waved his hand as he saw the pretty back of the little princess with plum blossom makeup:

"I will keep the 'Return to Home' poem you gave me a secret and won't tell anyone. Okay, go ahead and fool them."

Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment, then looked away and glanced at the two women.

Xie Lingjiang and Rong Zhen stood still, each gazing at the distant scenery. If they were at that distance, they should have heard what he and Li Guo'er had just said.

Ouyang Rong smiled slightly, breaking the silence first:

"Junior sister, how about we keep watch together tonight..."

Xie Lingjiang suddenly turned and left:

"If you want to learn the zither, then go ahead and learn it, with your lady-in-waiting."

Ouyang Rong dared not learn it and quickly waved his hand:

"It won't make a difference if it's just a little while longer. I'll keep you company tonight..."

Xie Lingjiang disappeared, and it's unknown whether she heard it.

Helpless, Ouyang Rong prepared to speak to Rong Zhen.

He looked back and saw that the girl in palace attire had already turned and left, walking in the opposite direction from Xie Lingjiang.

Her tone was cold:

"You go keep her company at night. I'm tired, my fingers are sore, and I don't want to play the zither tonight."

Ouyang Rong: "..."

He stayed where he was, looking around.

A gust of cold wind swept by, carrying away a sorrowful sigh...

After an incense stick had burned, Ouyang Rong returned to his tent and quickly washed up.

Instead of going to sleep immediately, he went out to find Rongzhen.

He made a plan: he would spend the first half of the night learning the zither from Rongzhen, and then spend the second half of the night keeping watch with his junior sister.

Upon arriving at Rongzhen's tent, they found no one there. After asking around, they discovered that Lady Xi had taken a bath and then crossed the river to the camp on the other side to find Miaozhen.

In the latter half of the night, Ouyang Rong put on his clothes and came to the campfire. Lu Ya and Zhang Shixiu, who were keeping watch, looked at him strangely.

Ouyang Rong coughed and relieved the two Taoist priests, taking their place to keep watch by the campfire.

The junior sister, who was supposed to keep watch at night, was nowhere to be seen.

A small black shadow slipped out of his sleeve, mumbled something, and then took off running.

"Oh ho, a bachelor, is he? Sorry, this fairy doesn't hang out with bachelors."

Miao Si, clutching her small blanket and barefoot, ran to Xie Ya Tou's tent.

He never suffers hardships with his subordinates; he enjoys life the most, without exception.

Ouyang Rong sat alone by the fire, glancing around at the dark night wind from time to time.

In the distant mountains and forests, the nightingale sings its heart out, as if calling for companionship in its loneliness.

The young man, wrapped tightly in his scholar's robe and quietly tucking his sleeves in, sat there until dawn.

(End of this chapter)