Chapter 127 Returning Home to Pay Respects to Ancestors, Parting from the Zhen Family
On the breakfast table.
Zhen glanced sideways and silently observed Ouyang Rong's silent expression.
A look of concern involuntarily appeared in her eyes.
While Wei Lai was serving Ouyang Rong a new bowl of porridge.
The woman in the silk skirt asked indirectly:
"Why are you eating so slowly today, my lord? Is the county office not busy anymore? Didn't Wanwan just say that the affairs of the sluice gate and the new canal are very heavy?"
Ouyang Rong came to his senses and let out a long breath:
"I'm almost done with work. I'll take a break today and tomorrow. There's a very important ribbon-cutting ceremony the day after tomorrow... There's a lot going on that day."
Lady Zhen inquired, "So, when will Tanlang come home for dinner? Do you want me to wait for you?"
Ouyang Rong did not reply.
He seemed a little confused, and Zhen Shi glanced at him a few more times.
Just then, Wei Lai walked up to Ouyang Rong, carefully held the rim of the porridge bowl with both hands, and bent down to put it down.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and glanced at it.
Wei Lai is wearing a moon-white ruqun today, with a short ru on the top and a long skirt on the bottom, and the skirt waist is quite high.
Whether it was because the ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) was too small or because the little girl was deliberately being careless, the long skirt she wore was too tight and looked very form-fitting.
Especially the narrow waist and hips, the taut fabric perfectly outlined her slender waist and the rounded curves below it.
Wei Lai's hips weren't very big, but her figure was well-proportioned, and the gourd-like curves between her curves complemented each other perfectly.
The firmness of her buttocks and the youthful, voluptuousness of her flesh were something only one person in this hall knew about, having experienced firsthand during a time when family discipline was being enforced.
But at that moment, he didn't have time to think about any of that.
Wei Lai put down the bowl of porridge, slowly withdrew her hand, her fingers, which were slightly red from the heat, and wiped them on the hem of her short jacket before turning to leave.
Ouyang Rong suddenly reached out, grabbed a slender waist, pulled her into his arms, and embraced her.
The white-haired maidservant cried out in fright and, caught off guard, fell into her master's lap.
For a moment, Wei Lai was still dizzy and confused, her pert buttocks pressing firmly onto Ouyang Rong's legs.
In her panic, she looked around and felt a series of swift, arrow-like gazes coming from all around her.
In an instant, a blush, like rouge, quickly appeared on Wei Lai's face.
This was a first for her, as she was leaving the Meilin courtyard and embracing and getting close to her owner in public.
After all, night is night, and day is day.
Wei Lai knew very well that she could be as clingy and affectionate to her master in private, but she had to restrain herself in public during the day.
She was envied and secretly accused of seducing her master, and was thus labeled a vixen.
But what if we accidentally ruin the reputation of our master as a virtuous and upright person? That would be a huge problem!
She deserves to die a thousand deaths for her crimes.
However, at this moment, someone seems completely unconcerned about the collapse of their gentlemanly image.
He casually wrapped his right arm around Wei Lai's waist.
All the women of the Zhen family focused their attention on the young man and his personal maid.
Wei Lai had remained calm and composed despite the praise from the Zhen family and the envy of her companions.
Nestled in its owner's arms, it buried its face in his chest in embarrassment, its ears turning bright red.
She wanted to push him off her chest with both hands, but she couldn't bear to resist her beloved, nor could she bear to go against his wishes in the slightest.
But being intimately embraced by the male homeowner in broad daylight like this seems a bit inappropriate, too blatant.
So, in utter helplessness and shyness, Wei Lai trembled as she pleaded, "Master...Master...someone...someone..."
Early in the morning, in front of everyone in the hall, Ouyang Rong held Wei Lai in his lap, turned his head, and said to her in a serious tone:
"Don't call him master, just like your aunt, call him Tanlang."
Wei Lai caught Ouyang Rong's focused and serious gaze, and her face froze for a moment.
Upon hearing this, the other women in the hall, apart from Madam Zhen, looked at the white-haired maid with eyes full of envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Seemingly realizing something, Wei Lai whispered in a trembling voice, uttering the title in front of everyone: "My beloved..."
However, Ouyang Rong didn't look at her anymore. He turned around and looked at Zhen Shi, who hadn't said a word the whole time, across the table.
The woman in the silk skirt seemed completely unsurprised by her nephew's unusually high-profile declaration of a certain intimate relationship.
Zhen's lips, adorned with a faint mole, twitched slightly as she glanced sideways at Ouyang Rong, who was embracing Wei Lai.
With a smile, her eyes held a profound meaning.
The beautiful woman in the silk dress had eyes that seemed to speak volumes.
It seemed to be addressed to Ouyang Rong:
Good, my dear, you've finally come to the point. Before taking a concubine and marrying your principal wife, you're first securing a guarantee for the Ouyang family's lineage.
Seeing this, Ouyang Rong swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and asked instead:
"Why is Aunt looking at her nephew like that?"
Madam Zhen scoffed, "Isn't Tanlang also looking at his aunt?"
“Then my aunt saw it too.”
"Auntie isn't blind."
Madam Zhen gave a reproachful remark, but she was in an unusually good mood today and nodded in satisfaction:
"Besides cultivating himself and governing the country, Tanlang has finally remembered that he also has the responsibility of managing his family and continuing the family line."
Ouyang Rong smiled but remained silent.
Zhen tilted her head slightly, not caring that Wei Lai was right in front of her, and asked somewhat impolitely but frankly:
"Is Tanlang really fond of this white-haired girl?"
Ouyang Rong looked at her with his phoenix eyes and said:
“Even my aunt likes her, how could I not like her?”
"Hmph, you're making your aunt sound like some old stubborn woman from a play who tries to break up a marriage. Isn't all of this for you? If you like it, then so be it. Your aunt has no objection."
Madam Zhen rolled her eyes at Ouyang Rong, shook her head, picked up the small celadon bowl, and took a small sip of porridge.
The main hall of Meilu Garden was quiet. The maids, including Wei Lai and Ban Xi, held their breath and listened intently. Only the conversation between the master and the mistress could be heard in the hall.
In just a few words, the two of them verbally agreed on the new status of a personal maid as a concubine.
Like the other maids who envied her, Wei Lai, who had strange foreign blood, understood the meaning of Ouyang Rong and Zhen Shi's conversation without missing a single word.
She straightened her back, her blue eyes widened, and for a moment she forgot all about being shy. She hugged Ouyang Rong tightly around the waist, murmuring repeatedly, "My love, my love..."
Ouyang Rong gently patted her back and put her down. Wei Lai clung to him tightly, reluctant to let go.
However, the clever little girl immediately realized Ouyang Rong's hint. Wei Lai broke free from his warm embrace, touched the ground with her toes, and excitedly turned around.
The newly appointed white-haired maidservant knelt down to serve tea to the beautiful woman with a mole on the corner of her mouth sitting opposite her, bowing obediently.
After the formalities were completed, the atmosphere was joyful and harmonious, and the other maids offered their congratulations.
And next to the small round table, beside Ouyang Rong, there was now an embroidered stool.
Ouyang Rong watched with a smile throughout, but after finishing the last mouthful of porridge, he suddenly put down the bowl and said:
"Auntie, is the 'Ghost Festival' in our hometown coming soon?"
Madam Zhen was taken aback, thought for a moment, and nodded: "That's right, it should be next month. Why, is Tanlang willing to take the time to go back to his hometown in Nanlong to pay respects to his ancestors?"
The "July 15th" mentioned by Ouyang Rong is the Ghost Festival, a folk name used in the Jiangnan region.
It was also an official festival of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
This is because the predecessor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Liqian, had Taoism as its state religion. As a result, the three Taoist festivals of Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, and Xiayuan were given special attention, and even the royal family would set up Taoist temples and hold grand sacrifices.
People also attach great importance to this, especially the Ghost Festival, which is a day to worship ancestors and mourn the wandering souls, particularly in southern counties and prefectures with a strong clan atmosphere.
Ouyang Rong is currently serving as the magistrate of Longcheng. Under special circumstances, he naturally does not need to make a special trip back to his hometown of Nanlong, thousands of miles away, to burn incense and worship his ancestors.
In addition, the Ouyang family of Nanlong can only be considered a local commoner clan. There are many such local commoners in Jiangnan Circuit, such as several families in the towns and villages of Longcheng County under Ouyang Rong's current jurisdiction.
They couldn't compare to the powerful Jiangzuo clans that had been rooted in the Jiangnan region for hundreds of years, and they weren't too particular about such things.
In addition, the branch of the Ouyang family that Ouyang Rong belongs to, which is a single-lineage lineage, is not currently the head branch of the Ouyang family in Nanlong, but it holds a relatively superior position.
It was all because of the nurturing of him, a scholar who became a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) at a young age.
He is considered the most accomplished scholar among the many sons of the Ouyang family, who have a tradition of combining farming and scholarship. He is the hope of the entire village.
The other members of the Ouyang clan still hoped that Ouyang Rong would become a high-ranking official. Naturally, his branch of the family held a superior position in their hometown, and the other branches of the family all subtly revolved around him.
Therefore, it's not a big deal that Ouyang Rong doesn't go back for the Ghost Festival. His relatives back home understand and will enthusiastically prepare the necessary blood offerings for his ancestors.
Just as Madam Zhen was wondering why her husband had suddenly brought this up.
Ouyang Rong remained calm and said softly:
"I've been resting recently, and I often dream about my deceased relatives and the scenery of my hometown. When I wake up, I realize that we've been separated for a long time, and I miss them terribly... Unfortunately, I have duties to perform and cannot return to my hometown to pay respects to my ancestors for the time being."
“Aunt, please go on my behalf. The clan members are holding a ancestral worship ceremony on the Ghost Festival (July 15th of the lunar calendar), and it would be really awkward if none of our branch of the family went.”
Mrs. Zhen frowned slightly:
“I am just a woman. Even if I go back to Nanlong to celebrate the Ghost Festival, I won’t be able to offer incense. My dear, what you men do, I, a woman, cannot do. At most, I can only burn some paper money on the side. Why don’t we stay in Longcheng and wait until the Ghost Festival, then find a suitable riverside to burn paper money and offer a distant sacrifice?”
Ouyang Rong shook his head and insisted:
“Aunt, please go back to my hometown for me. It would be a way to show my respect to our ancestors. Just bring it with you. Actually, to be honest, I’ve been feeling a bit restless and empty lately, and I don’t know why.”
"After thinking about some important matters around me, it seems that the Ghost Festival ancestor worship is one of them. It's better to believe it exists than not to believe it doesn't. Aunt, please go back to your hometown and perform the ancestor worship for me. That way, I can feel more at ease."
A slight smile appeared on his face as he looked intently at Madam Zhen.
The latter hesitated, seemingly reluctant to leave. However, the woman in the silk skirt was ultimately perceptive. After pondering for a moment and observing Ouyang Rong's expression, she asked softly:
"Is it because your aunt is in Longcheng that you're causing some inconvenience to your nephew's work?"
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment, then thought of another reason and said calmly:
"That's one of the reasons, Aunt. To be honest, the situation in Longcheng has been quite unstable lately, and I'm worried that it might involve you."
"While things are calm these next few days, you should go back to your hometown for a while. After the Ghost Festival, I will send a letter home depending on the situation, and then you can return to Longcheng."
After listening quietly for a while, Lady Zhen nodded and sighed.
"I see... So Tanlang has been worried about these things lately..."
Ouyang Rong noticed that his aunt still had some hesitation and confusion on her face.
He forced a smile and waved his hand in a relaxed manner, saying:
"Don't worry, Auntie, I'll be fine staying here alone. Just leave some cooks and helpers to cook and do laundry."
"It's just... well, a month or two apart. Anyway, I still have three years left in my term in Longcheng. After the Ghost Festival, if you really miss me, you can go back directly. There's still a long way to go. It's just a temporary separation, so don't worry."
Madam Zhen hesitated, glancing at her nephew's face several times before her hesitation vanished. She forced a smile at Ouyang Rong and nodded in agreement.
"Alright then, go back for the Ghost Festival. Tanlang, be careful. While your aunt is away, take good care of yourself and remember to eat three meals a day. I'll leave some maids to take care of you. Oh, and Weilai is here..."
Before Zhen could finish speaking, Ouyang Rong raised his hand to interrupt her:
“Wei Lai is going back to pay respects to our ancestors with her aunt, so she doesn’t need to come with me.”
The white-haired maid, who was still immersed in the joy of gaining recognition, suddenly changed her expression: "Master... my love, I'll stay and keep you company. If I leave, who will take care of you? I don't want to go back, okay?"
Without turning his head, Ouyang Rong gazed at the drifting clouds above the eaves outside the door, his tone leaving no room for argument:
“Go back with your aunt. Next month, on the Ghost Festival, you should also go and burn some paper money. The ancestors of the Ouyang family are buried under those mounds. After you burn paper money and kowtow, they will bless you. From then on, you will be considered a member of the family.”
"besides……"
He paused, then turned his gaze from the drifting clouds to meet Wei Lai's sorrowful, grey-blue eyes. The man frowned and instructed:
“When I’m not around, you should stay close to your aunt and listen to her in everything. She may have a sharp tongue but a kind heart, and sometimes she might be too harsh, but she’s really good to her own people. As long as you’re obedient and filial, she’ll treat you well too, understand?”
Wei Lai's small mouth agape, as if she had a thousand words to say, but in the end, under Ouyang Rong's serious and earnest gaze, she slowly closed her mouth.
The white-haired girl lowered her head in dejection, her brows furrowed in sorrow.
We've just settled our relationship, and now we have to part ways. How swiftly life's ups and downs can change!
She stared at the floor, muttering, "Two months apart all at once..."
Madam Zhen couldn't help but glance at her nephew's calm expression.
For some reason, the perceptive woman in the silk skirt felt that his words to Wei Lai sounded like a prelude to a long separation...
Although the discussion at breakfast was just a minor episode in the day, its impact was significant.
That day, after Ouyang Rong left, the entire Meilu Garden became bustling with activity.
It's like a lazy bum who suddenly gets up and shakes himself up.
Early the next morning.
The atmosphere outside the gate of Meilu Garden was lively. Liu Ashan, along with eight men, each drove a horse-drawn carriage and stopped in front of the steps.
The gates of the Sika Deer Park were open.
With Wei Lai, whose little face looked listless, behind her, Madam Zhen directed the maids and servants to pack the gifts one by one, load them onto the carriage, and prepare for their departure.
(End of this chapter)
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