Chapter 215 I have nothing to offer but a 'craftsman'
The second phase of the Zheyi Canal has been completed.
When Magistrate Diao rushed into the main hall to announce the news, Ouyang Rong was engrossed in writing an important letter.
"Finished today?" Ouyang Rong paused, rubbed his temples, and looked up, slightly surprised.
He glanced out the window subconsciously; it was another bright and sunny morning.
Since the plum rain season ended and the summer solstice arrived, Longcheng County has enjoyed sunny weather every day.
The recent sluice gate collapse crisis caused by the rising water level of Yunmengze seems as if it never happened.
Ouyang Rong's eyes were also a little dazed. He put down his pen and said:
“These days, with the project starting and stopping repeatedly, everyone has really had a tough time. Let’s go take a look.”
Ouyang Rong didn't get up immediately. He lowered his head and quietly put away the letter he had almost finished writing on the table. After tidying it up, he got up and left his seat.
Magistrate Diao didn't pay attention to these small details. The magistrate had indeed been spending a lot of time writing letters in the county government hall lately, and had Liu Ashan send them to him frequently. Perhaps he was writing letters to contact his friends from the same year.
County Magistrate Diao was quite understanding.
If he were to achieve the same success in water management as Ouyang Rong and become famous in the region, he would also make connections and cultivate relationships to try and get a better official position. Ideally, he would be transferred directly back to the capital to become a prestigious official and experience the prosperity and splendor of Luoyang, the heart of the empire.
Ouyang Rong smiled gently, in a good mood, and left the county government office with Magistrate Diao...
As evening approached, the two returned happily to Luming Street, surrounded by a group of clerks.
"Your Excellency, the canal dredging this time is truly magnificent! I have never seen such a grand scene in my life."
On the road, inside the carriage, Magistrate Diao smiled broadly, reminiscing with great relish.
The scene of the canal being cleared that afternoon, where "water flowed naturally into the canal," still seemed to leave a deep impression on him.
Ouyang Rong nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.
Magistrate Diao then said, "This is a matter that benefits the present and future generations. How about we write a letter to the Jiangzhou government and report to the imperial court?"
Ouyang Rong turned his head and asked curiously, "Didn't we already report this before?"
“My lord, you don’t understand. When you have made contributions to governing a region, you can’t keep quiet about it. Even if you have already mentioned it, you should write to the emperor several times, emphasizing how important the matter was. Only then will the people above remember your contributions. Otherwise, they will forget about it as soon as they turn around, and all your efforts will be in vain.”
Magistrate Diao stroked his beard and leaned closer:
"We can write another letter to Governor Wang, asking him to recommend us for credit. After all, this was done under his jurisdiction, so it's part of his achievement. Of course, Your Excellency's contribution is the greatest, and I am only secondarily assisting you..."
Ouyang Rong turned to look at the old county magistrate, who was eloquently sharing his experience; the latter had a radiant expression on his face.
Surprisingly, Ouyang Rong wasn't annoyed or angry today. He nodded and casually waved his hand.
"Alright, let Lord Diao handle this matter. Just don't exaggerate or make things too complicated."
He paused, then turned his head and said:
"By the way, what I said yesterday may have been a bit offensive, Lord Diao, please don't take it too seriously. I think you are quite reliable in your work, and it is indeed a waste of your talents to stay in this small county town."
"However, I've been quite happy to be able to manage the county government with Lord Diao these days."
The young magistrate smiled sincerely, lifted the curtain with his fingers, glanced at the twilight streets outside, and said.
Magistrate Diao was taken aback at first. "What did you say? Oh, you mean what you said at the dock yesterday? I've forgotten..."
The old county magistrate chuckled and waved his hand.
I don't take anything to heart.
Ouyang Rong chuckled, then suddenly lowered the curtain and said without turning his head:
"Oh, right, Lord Diao, I forgot to mention that I might need to take a day off tomorrow or the day after to go back to my hometown to pay respects to my ancestors. Please report this to Jiangzhou as well... At that time, I will entrust the affairs of the county town to you temporarily."
"Is the magistrate going back to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors?"
County Magistrate Diao asked curiously, then realized what he meant and said in a daze:
"No wonder I saw Liu Ashan handling the matter of renting an official boat the other day; it turns out it was for this."
"It's alright, it's alright. The Ghost Festival is a matter of human ethics and morality. The Jiangzhou government above will not deny it. Your Excellency can pack your things and return home with peace of mind. Leave the affairs of the county government to me! Your Excellency's orders and arrangements will remain as before."
The county magistrate, Diao, pounded his thin, bony chest with a deafening roar.
Ouyang Rong nodded slightly.
"Oh, right."
The smiling Magistrate Diao seemed to remember something and asked:
"Just this afternoon, didn't Liu Zian suggest holding a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the canal on the fifteenth of this month, inviting some merchants and powerful figures to come and make the Zheyi Canal famous in Jiangzhou's water transport area, so that the new canal can be bustling with trade as soon as possible? What does Your Excellency think?"
"Liu Zian's suggestion..."
The image of Liu Zi'an, who had been respectfully accompanying him at the Zheyi Canal not long ago, flashed before Ouyang Rong's eyes. After a slight hesitation, he nodded gently.
"This time, Liu Zian and the Liu family have indeed contributed a lot to the early completion of the Zheyi Canal... Alright, let's do it his way. However, all the expenses will be borne by Liu Zian. The county government will just step in to make a show of it."
"Anyway, the Liu family also has some shares in the new ferry crossing on the new canal. It would be good for them if the new ferry crossing became lively sooner."
Before leaving, Ouyang Rong decided to once again demonstrate his frugality and squeeze the Liu family, this unfortunate and wealthy family, dry.
Thinking of this, he smiled sheepishly.
Whether it was because he had been disciplined by the dismemberment of the Liu family back then or not, Liu Zi'an was indeed much more honest than Liu Ziwen so far. Ouyang Rong looked quite satisfied. This was a law-abiding citizen. Other local tyrants and bullies should learn from him. Even if they were just pretending, they should behave like ninja turtles for him.
Although the things Liu Zi'an did would surely make the dead Liu Ziwen turn in his grave.
"This humble official understands."
County Magistrate Diao nodded, then earnestly inquired:
"By the way, Liu Zian would like to invite you, Your Excellency, to grace us with your presence on the fifteenth and give a speech, so that everyone may have the honor of seeing the benevolent face of the city's magistrate."
"Three...four...five...do we have to wait five days?"
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong shook his head immediately and said:
“May Magistrate Diao, please speak on my behalf. I will be returning to my hometown in the next day or two, and I will not live to see the fifteenth.”
Having been given a chance to show off his power for free, Magistrate Diao's face lit up with joy, and he readily agreed.
A short while later, the carriage arrived at the county government office. The two men got out of the carriage and went back to their respective offices to work.
Ouyang Rong entered the courtroom, dismissed everyone, took out the unfinished letter he had left for his junior sister, and began writing it down before the sun had completely set.
Perhaps it was because of the successful completion of the Zheyi Canal that he was in a good mood.
Perhaps it's because I've been writing on and off these past two days, and my melancholy mood has been repeatedly interrupted, that it has faded quite a bit.
Ouyang Rong silently filled in his signature, stamped his seal, and put the letter into the envelope.
He glanced at the sky, put the envelope in his pocket, got up, finished his shift, and went home.
Upon returning to the Melu Garden, Ouyang Rong first went back to his study, took out a bronze animal mask from a box, put it in his sleeve, and then left the courtyard directly, heading towards a certain courtyard in the Melu Garden.
When they knocked on the door and entered the courtyard where Liu Ashan's family lived.
Liu's mother, Liu Ashan, and Aqing, whom they hadn't seen in a long time, were having dinner around the table.
When the family saw Ouyang Rong, they quickly stood up and bowed to greet him.
Ouyang Rong waved his hand and pressed them back onto their stools. He then went to the kitchen, grabbed a pair of bowls and chopsticks, and returned. He rolled up his sleeves and sat down to eat with Aqing's family.
Liu Ashan felt a little awkward, so he got up and lit a few more oil lamps.
The east room was a bit brighter.
Liu's mother silently went to the back kitchen and took out some jars of pickled radishes and pickled mustard greens, placing them on the table not far from Ouyang Rong.
Ouyang Rong felt a little embarrassed and quickly pulled them aside. At the dinner table, he asked about Liu's mother's health and recent life with concern.
While eating, Aqing, who was sitting next to her, kept turning her head to take a closer look at Ouyang Rong's gentle face as he spoke with her mother.
The little girl's big eyes were clear and bright, like a spring, even brighter than the candle next to her.
There is a hidden light inside.
Ah Qing even forgot to pick up any food; she just stupidly ate her rice.
It was only when her older brother reached out with his chopsticks and put a bite of food on her plate that the little girl realized what was happening.
When she bumped into her brother Liu Ashan's calm yet inquisitive gaze, Aqing buried her face in her bowl and ate her rice even more diligently.
Seeing this, Ouyang Rong followed Ashan's lead and served Aqing a few bites of food before turning back to chat with Liu's mother and Ashan with a smile.
The little girl's ears seemed to be red, but it wasn't very noticeable in the orange candlelight.
Regardless, she must have been quite happy about Ouyang Rong's unexpected visit and dinner.
Later in the evening, Aqing voluntarily jumped off her stool to serve Ouyang Rong a bowl of hot rice.
Of course, she also took her brother Liu Ashan's empty bowl.
"Ah Qing is so good."
Ouyang Rong glanced at A Qing's small figure heading towards the kitchen, then turned to Liu's mother and A Shan and asked with a smile:
"By the way, Aqing should be about the same age as Weilai, which isn't considered young in this area. Madam, Ashan, when are you going to find her a good match? Should I help arrange it?"
After a pause, Ouyang Rong asked in a daze:
"By the way, someone must have come to propose marriage, right?"
Liu Ashan had always followed Ouyang Rong, and even though they didn't have the formal title of master and servant, he was already a well-known and respected figure in the county government.
These days, while helping Ouyang Rong with his work, he also broadened his social circle. In addition, being a local of Longcheng County, many local officials and wealthy families naturally took the initiative to befriend him. It was only natural that some people would consider marriage alliances with him.
After all, Liu Ashan's family has a beautiful young woman of marriageable age. Even though she has the character "Yue" tattooed on her forehead, it's not much of an obstacle. It's not like she's disfigured. In Ouyang Rong's words, she should still be a hot commodity in the marriage market of a small county in Jiangnan.
Sure enough, Liu Ashan and his mother exchanged a glance. The latter nodded slightly, then sighed and forced a smile, saying:
"To be honest, sir, some well-off and honest families came to hint at marriage proposals, but none of them came to fruition."
"Why is that? Why are they still being so picky about Aqing? Aqing is a good girl, it's a blessing to marry her, she has the appearance of bringing good fortune to her husband and children." Ouyang Rong frowned slightly.
“It’s because my sister doesn’t like it,” Liu Ashan suddenly said in a muffled voice.
Ouyang Rong was taken aback: "Aqing is picking? Well, that's true, if you don't like it, then forget it..." His expression hesitated, and the sudden change in his expression made him seem a little hypocritical.
“It’s not that I don’t like them, they’re all honest and good young men.” Liu Ashan hesitated for a moment, then looked at Ouyang Rong and said, “But my sister said she doesn’t want to get married yet.”
Ouyang Rong chuckled and shook his head, not thinking much of it, and said directly:
"That means the little girl is homesick. As her older brother, you have to set an example. You should find her a sister-in-law as soon as possible. Once she sees you two living happily together, she'll realize she's an 'outsider' in the family."
He spoke in a half-joking tone.
The taciturn man in front of him didn't laugh; perhaps he was used to being a silent gourd. He stared at Ouyang Rong's expression for a while.
There was a hint of hesitation in Liu Ashan's eyes.
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and picked up some food: "So, Ashan, how are you doing? I heard last time that your mother arranged a good girl for you. How are things going?"
Liu Ashan snapped out of his reverie, and upon hearing Ouyang Rong mention it, a rare smile appeared on his gaunt face:
"Thank you for your concern, sir. I... I like her, and she likes me too!"
Halfway through his sentence, he hurriedly picked up the wine jug, tilted his head back, and gulped down three mouthfuls of yellow wine, almost choking on his own face.
Ouyang Rong blinked: "Aren't you going to talk to me about this?"
Liu Ashan was taken aback. "Does the master like to hear these things?"
Ouyang Rong remained calm and composed: "What kind of question is that? Do you think I'm any different from ordinary people?"
Liu Ashan blurted out curiously, "I thought the master didn't like romantic relationships and only focused on official duties, like Master Xie..."
Just then, Ah Qing appeared outside the door, and the man stopped talking.
The little girl returned with two large bowls of hot rice in one scoop and one spoon, and nimbly and lightly handed them to Ouyang Rong and Ashan.
"Hoo hoo... What are Master and Brother talking about?" Ah Qing sat back on the wooden stool, blowing on her slightly red fingertips as she asked in a low voice.
"It's nothing," Liu Ashan shook his head.
Ouyang Rong teased, "We're talking about marriage."
Aqing's movements suddenly stopped, her small body tensing up.
Fortunately, Ouyang Rong didn't pause, and his voice came again:
"Your brother was a little embarrassed to bring this up."
"oh oh."
Aqing nodded like a chick pecking at rice. She patted the smooth forehead with the "Yue" character tattoo and looked away.
Deep within her clear eyes, it was hard to tell whether she felt relieved or disappointed.
Dinner ended halfway through the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
"Ah Shan, come out here for a moment."
Ouyang Rong stood in the courtyard, called out once, and waited quietly.
Liu's mother went to the kitchen to wash the dishes without her noticing. Liu Ashan, who was tidying up the table with his sister, put down his work, went out, and met up with Ouyang Rong, who seemed to have something to say. Together they walked silently to the pavilion under the shade of trees not far away.
But then, Aqing ran out the door, clutching a small blue cloth bundle in her arms, and caught up with the two of them. She said timidly:
"My lord, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?" Ouyang Rong immediately stopped and asked, "Did someone bully you?"
No.
Aqing's face also showed doubt as she presented the blue cloth bundle in her arms:
“During the day, someone from the sword shop came to see me. It was Sister Cheng, who used to run a breakfast stall and had always taken care of me. She gave me this item.”
She said it was the old craftsman who liked to drink yellow wine and had a bad temper who asked her to send it to me as a gift.
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly: "Why would you send a gift out of the blue?"
Ah Qing recalled for a moment and repeated, "It seems the old gentleman said that this was a return gift for me buying wine for him, and that I should keep it safe."
"What gift was given? If it's too valuable, please return it."
Aqing lowered her head, opened the bundle, reached in with her small hand, pulled out an item, and handed it to Ouyang Rong.
She tilted her little face up and said:
"The old gentleman said that this gift has a name, called 'Craftsmanship,' and said something like, 'I have nothing to offer, so I am giving you this craftsmanship...' and that I must never forget this name."
"Oh, right, the old gentleman also said that strange women might come to me in the future to ask for this item. At that time, I can decide for myself whether to hand over this gift called 'Craftsmanship' in exchange for some other conditions and benefits."
Ouyang Rong was stunned.
Upon closer inspection, a blue paper butterfly was quietly resting on the delicate, fair hand of the girl in front of him.
It looks incredibly familiar.
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly and said:
"Last time we raided the sword shop, the old gentleman wanted to return it, but I refused on your behalf. Why is it being sent again, and with such a strange name..."
"Craftsmanship?"
Ouyang Rong's face showed a hint of curiosity, and he murmured something as he chewed:
"Craftsmanship... Aside from being a general term for ordinary craftsmen, in dictionaries, this word seems to refer to the rigid, lifeless works made by ordinary craftsmen, full of craftsmanship but lacking spirit..."
"Is this old man playing an April Fool's joke on Ah Qing? Is he still a child at heart?"
(End of this chapter)
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