Chapter 145 Ouyang Rong: Some People Are Already Dead
Just as a young woman surnamed Xie was catching up with the large boat and boarding it on Butterfly Creek.
At the foot of Dagushan Mountain to the east, Ouyang Rong, with a flash of inspiration, had already buried his head and was running wildly towards Songlin Ferry to the north.
Ouyang Rong didn't know if the method that flashed through his mind could allow him to reach Di Gongzha ahead of time, stop Liu Ziwen's conspiracy, or catch up with the "female fairy" who was impersonating him in time.
But right now, he has no choice but to take a gamble.
In fact, Ouyang Rong felt that it wasn't really important who the so-called "female fairy" was impersonating him.
What is fake is ultimately fake and cannot withstand the light of day. What truly worries Ouyang Rong is the conspiracy behind the ribbon-cutting ceremony orchestrated by Liu Ziwen.
The three strategies he proposed when he came down the mountain were truly designed to destroy a person's spirit.
Because this can turn the fake into the real, completely sealing his fate, even though Ouyang Rong is currently alive and well, and hasn't died yet.
However, if they had arrived at Di Gongzha a step too late, a grave mistake would have been made, and Liu Ziwen's conspiracy would have succeeded.
Even if Ouyang Rong were to appear at the scene later, facing countless pieces of evidence and witnesses, as well as the Liu family's attack, he would find it difficult to resolve the situation.
Just as Ouyang Rong was panting heavily and running wildly towards Songlin Ferry.
What he didn't know was...
Shortly after he left, a group of even more hurried figures appeared at the foot of Dagushan Mountain.
Leading the group was a constable in blue, who anxiously led a squad of constables up the mountain.
It seems to be extremely urgent.
...
Yue Nu Gorge, Di Gong Sluice Gate.
From the moment the morning sun began to fall on the newly built dam.
The campsites on the riverbank near Digong Gate gradually became lively.
Local gentry, powerful and wealthy merchants, scholars with official titles, officials from Longcheng County and several surrounding counties, and so on.
People from all directions filed into the Di Gong Gate to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Like a cold, desolate furnace, it is gradually transformed from a small flame into a blazing furnace by shovelfuls of charcoal being added.
The atmosphere at the scene gradually heated up.
Digong Sluice Gate is located in a crucial position in the upstream Yunmengze Marsh, and it is always the first to be affected by the floods every time the Yunmengze Marsh rises.
The completion of this sluice gate will benefit the entire Jiangzhou area, not only Longcheng, but also several counties such as Xingzi, Jishui, and Hukou.
Therefore, the Longcheng County government and the Liu family, who jointly repaired the sluice gate, not only invited people from their own county, but also sent invitations to prominent gentry groups from other counties.
These guests have arrived as scheduled to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In addition, there were of course the craftsmen who repaired the sluice gate and the jubilant people of Longcheng who watched the spectacle.
The expenses for food and drink at today's ribbon-cutting ceremony were all covered by the Longcheng County Government and the Liu family, which can be considered as sharing the joy with the people.
Before noon, nearly a thousand people had gathered at the riverbank camp near Digong Gate.
Of course, the most important guests today are the two officials from Jiangzhou.
Inspector Shen and the newly appointed Prefect of Jiangzhou, Lord Wang.
The guests were already aware of this.
It was nearly noon, and Magistrate Ouyang and his entourage, who had gone to pick up the two officials from Jiangzhou, had not yet arrived.
However, among the many guests, artisans, and ordinary people waiting in the camp, few expressed any complaints.
Being late is Shangguan's specialty.
Ouyang Rong was not present, so this morning County Magistrate Diao presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony and entertained the guests.
Under the enthusiastic guidance of Magistrate Diao, the atmosphere in the camp was harmonious and joyful.
On the riverbank of the camp, a platform decorated with colorful ribbons and wreaths has been erected.
This is the platform that the temple keepers of the Dragon King Temple erected last time for the gate-washing ceremony. It has been renovated and is now being used for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Below the platform, rows of tables were neatly arranged, and almost all of them were currently occupied.
County Magistrate Diao stood on the high platform and looked down at the crowd of people, their voices clamoring.
However, being a man of many talents and adept at social maneuvering, he seemed quite at ease with the gazes directed at him from below, appearing almost as if he were in his element.
However, today, Magistrate Diao is not entirely free to act.
At one point, the old county magistrate secretly touched a spot in his robes, where he found a piece of yellow hemp paper folded into a square.
It was handed to him in the morning by Liu Ashan, a taciturn man under the magistrate.
The above contains some of the ribbon-cutting ceremony arrangements made by the Ming government.
Although Magistrate Diao found a few things slightly strange after reading the procedures arranged by the Prefect, he adhered to the principle of asking fewer questions and doing more, so he didn't say anything and just did what his superior instructed...
With this thought in mind, Magistrate Diao took a handkerchief from his subordinate and wiped the sweat from his forehead under his official hat.
He looked up at the sky, then turned and clapped his hands at the audience, laughing:
"Please be patient and wait a little longer. According to the procedure, if there are no delays on the way, the Prefect and his two superiors should be arriving soon."
"Lord Shen and Lord Wang are upright and just, and they have rushed here without having lunch."
"Once they arrive, we'll immediately start a luncheon to welcome our two superiors. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be in the afternoon, so let's eat our fill first. We can't let you all go hungry, or people will say that our Longcheng County government is stingy when we get back."
"Haha, today I've specially invited the head chef from Yuanminglou Restaurant in the county. Friends from other counties, you must try the specialties of Longcheng County..."
The old She Niu Diao County Magistrate spoke eloquently on the stage.
Many of the audience members listened intently and joined in the laughter.
However, some people weren't so accommodating.
"A load of nonsense."
At a table on the left side of the first row closest to the platform, Liu Zilin curled his lip, too lazy to listen.
He frowned, turned his head, and said with some concern:
"Big brother, second brother, why haven't they arrived yet? Could something have happened to Jade Cup Fairy and the others? Is that swordsman named A-Jie reliable? I have a bad feeling about it."
Compared to the third young master of the Liu family, Liu Ziwen and Liu Zian, who were sitting at the same table, appeared much calmer.
Liu Zian turned his head and silently watched Magistrate Diao speak on the stage, without replying.
Liu Ziwen sat upright in the sunlight, eyes closed, resting, and muttered:
"You need to change your impatient nature. You get as agitated as a monkey when something happens, and all your emotions are written on your face. How will you accomplish anything great in the future?"
Liu Zilin said nonchalantly, "With my eldest and second brothers around, I can just follow you guys. I don't need to use my brain."
Liu Ziwen shook his head slightly, seemingly having nothing to say.
Just then, a large ship slowly docked at the ferry crossing in the distance outside the camp, and a group of people disembarked.
Even though they were still quite a distance apart, a clerk trotted up to the high platform of the camp and reported to Magistrate Diao:
"Lord Diao, Magistrate Ming has arrived with Lord Shen and Lord Wang. Have a safe journey."
County Magistrate Diao's eyes lit up, and the guests listening intently below the stage also became restless.
Liu Ziwen slowly opened his eyes.
"Please follow me, everyone."
County Magistrate Diao led the guests below the stage to welcome Ouyang Rong and his entourage.
Liu Ziwen also stood up with his two younger brothers and silently followed.
Ahead, County Magistrate Diao led his men to meet up with the weary County Magistrate Ouyang, Lord Shen, and Lord Wang at the camp gate.
The three Liu brothers stood quietly at the back of the crowd, not looking up.
I listened silently to the introductions, greetings, and pleasantries exchanged between the two groups ahead.
The topic naturally turned to bureaucratic jargon and flattery of superiors.
When Liu Ziwen and the others heard this, they naturally found it boring. They deliberately stayed in the back row so they wouldn't have to smile and fawn over the people in the front.
The three Liu brothers all silently focused their gazes on the county magistrate Ouyang, who was dressed in a light green official robe, in the center of the crowd.
Their faces and calm expressions were still the same ones they knew so well.
However, the face that they used to beg for now evoked a different feeling in the eyes of Liu Ziwen and his two companions today.
Today, Magistrate Ouyang seemed quieter than usual, his gaze occasionally sweeping across the surrounding crowd, seemingly lost in thought.
Furthermore, he didn't really join in Lord Diao's sycophancy towards the Jiangzhou official.
Liu Ziwen and Liu Zian exchanged a glance, then looked away.
Just then, Liu Ziwen and his two companions noticed that Magistrate Ouyang, standing in the center of the crowd, turned and glanced in their direction.
Then... Magistrate Ouyang raised his hand and touched his face and chin. He silently turned his gaze away from Liu Ziwen and the others.
Magistrate Ouyang's actions went unnoticed by others.
However, Liu Ziwen, Liu Zian, and Liu Zilin all relaxed upon seeing this.
The three brothers exchanged glances, their eyes unconsciously revealing a relaxed and joyful expression.
This familiar chin-resting motion.
It is undoubtedly the Jade Cup Fairy in disguise.
Even Liu Ziwen, who had maintained a calm demeanor and seemed very patient from the beginning, couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at that moment.
The fist that had been clenched under the sleeve loosened at some point, and he quietly grabbed the fabric of the cuff to wipe the sweat from his hands.
It's no wonder he acted this way.
After all, even someone as proud as Liu Ziwen had to admit that Ouyang Lianghan was indeed a very qualified and even excellent opponent.
The pressure they had exerted on him and the Liu family before was too great; they were simply pushing their luck and relentlessly pressuring him.
Otherwise, Liu Ziwen wouldn't have gone to such lengths to devise this vicious scheme today.
Now, the three Liu brothers have finally confirmed that the person who came is Ouyang Lianghan, who has been switched at birth.
Therefore, it seems that the Jade Cup Fairy and the Swordswoman A-Jie's killing scheme at Dagushan has succeeded.
The real Ouyang Lianghan should have already been beheaded.
Compared to Liu Zilin, who couldn't suppress the upturn of his lips, Liu Ziwen's expression was a bit complicated.
The young master of the Liu family looked both relieved and regretful, as if he felt a sense of sympathy for this excellent whetstone that had already been decommissioned.
However, if Ouyang Rong were present, he would probably laugh and say, "Crocodile tears."
And indeed it seemed so. Liu Ziwen quickly composed himself, his expression turning somewhat dull.
Liu Zilin couldn't hide his joy and reached out to tug at his elder brother's sleeve, but when he turned around and saw his brother's expression, he couldn't help but chuckle.
Liu Zilin, who knew his elder brother well, knew this.
The eldest brother, who has already completed his plans, probably has little interest in what will happen next as scheduled, or perhaps he feels there is no challenge left.
Liu Zilin couldn't help but admire his elder brother.
Compared to his second brother, who often spoke coldly to him, his eldest brother, Liu Ziwen, was the person closest to him, and was always willing to patiently teach him...
At present, the sudden joy and relaxation of the three Liu brothers has not attracted much attention.
From the moment Magistrate Ouyang in the center of the crowd secretly revealed his identity to the moment they composed themselves, the entire process took only a few breaths.
Up ahead, the welcoming work for Magistrate Diao is still ongoing.
Immediately afterwards, County Magistrate Diao, who was in charge of today's ribbon-cutting ceremony, made arrangements for a luncheon.
The guests, including Liu Ziwen, returned to their seats below the platform to eat.
Meanwhile, the host, Magistrate Ouyang, along with Lord Shen, Lord Wang, and other officials from the neighboring county, went to a luxurious tent in the camp for a meal to welcome them back.
The two groups ate separately. This arrangement by Magistrate Diao was not surprising in the current situation, given the distinction between officials and commoners.
It would be good enough if Lord Shen, Lord Wang, and others came out at the end of the luncheon so that the guests could have a chance to offer a toast.
The three Liu brothers were about to return to their seats when they noticed that the "Magistrate Ouyang" in front of the crowd was secretly looking at them.
Liu Ziwen looked over silently and met his gaze.
Magistrate Ouyang turned his eyes slightly and gestured to Liu Ziwen to the figure of a quiet woman following behind him.
There were many people crowded at the camp entrance, and Liu Ziwen and the others were focused on the fake Ouyang Rong, so they didn't get a clear look at him.
Right now, they immediately saw Xie Lingjiang following closely behind Ouyang Rong, who was disguised as the Jade Cup Fairy.
She stayed close by, following Ouyang Rong into the large tent in the distance to welcome the officials.
Liu Ziwen frowned slightly, but still followed the crowd back to the original table below the platform.
Servants brought out the dishes, and the luncheon officially began.
Liu Ziwen, Liu Zian, and Liu Zilin showed no inclination to touch their chopsticks or pick up any food. The three of them sat in their seats with somewhat cold expressions.
Liu Zian frowned and spoke first:
"What should we do, brother? Why did Xie Lingjiang come here too? And she's following the Jade Cup Fairy closely. What if she makes a move during the ribbon-cutting ceremony? Won't that be risky?"
Liu Ziwen remained silent.
Liu Zilin was also speechless:
"How did this Jade Cup Fairy do things? Instead of asking her to work with the Chang'an swordsman to get rid of the man surnamed Xie, why didn't she find a pretext to get rid of him? Isn't this man surnamed Xie very obedient to Ouyang Lianghan?"
"Why did she bring her along? Does she think our plan is a joke? She's just causing trouble."
Liu Ziwen frowned slightly and interrupted:
"Alright, there's no point in complaining now. Jade Cup Fairy has already asked us for help. Let's think about what to do... If she really had a solution, she wouldn't have brought this troublesome Xie woman here and asked us for help."
The three of them looked thoughtful.
A moment of silence fell over the table.
However, what the three Liu brothers, who were gathered together brainstorming, did not see was that a travel-worn figure slowly appeared at the entrance of the camp not far away.
The exhausted figure, hands on knees and panting heavily, rushed into the riverside camp without stopping, skillfully passing through tents. However, as he passed the lively open-air luncheon below the platform, he seemed to notice something, and his steps faltered...
On the other side, at the table below the platform.
Liu Ziwen pondered for a moment: "I need to find an opportunity to give that item to the female immortal."
Liu Zian realized what was happening and whispered, "Big brother, you mean... the lovebirds?"
Liu Ziwen glanced at him, but before he could nod, his expression froze, and he looked ahead with some surprise.
"What's wrong?" Liu Zian and Liu Zilin followed their elder brother's gaze and turned to look curiously.
They were all stunned... Just then, the young county magistrate, who should have been at the other end of the tent welcoming his superior, slowly walked toward their table.
The young magistrate, dressed in a light green official robe, met the gazes of the three brothers, walked to the table, and unceremoniously sat down opposite them, his eyes seemingly sizing them up.
The three Liu brothers realized what was happening. They first exchanged glances, then looked around nervously.
Finding that not many people were paying attention to them, Liu Ziwen turned around and immediately lowered his voice, saying, "Why are you here? Weren't you with Shangguan? Why are you running around?"
Ouyang Rong remained silent, glanced at their expressions, and suddenly nodded, humming in agreement.
He then picked up his chopsticks to eat, and took a sip of wine, as if he were starving and thirsty.
Seeing this, Liu Ziwen shook his head and frowned, saying, "But it's good that you slipped out... Wait, where's Xie Lingjiang? Why didn't she come with us? Did you shake her off for now?"
The young county magistrate paused for a moment as he picked up some food from the table, then continued to eat. He chewed it calmly and nodded slightly.
(End of this chapter)
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