Chapter 270 Clothes are better new than old, but people are better old.
"Who awakens first from the great dream? I know myself best. In the plum hut, I doze off in summer, while the sun lingers outside the window... How interesting."
By the study window, the young woman with plum blossom makeup, who had leaned her upper body into the room, nodded, her pretty face thoughtful.
"Guo'er, come back quickly. You can't just go into Lianghan's study. It would be bad if he came back and saw us. We are guests, and we must not be impolite when we visit."
Behind Li Guo'er, Li Xian's stern voice came.
“I didn’t go inside. He opened the window himself. It’s only natural that I would just glance at it as I passed by.”
Li Guo'er leaned almost entirely out the window, glancing at a piece of calligraphy casually written on Ouyang Rong's desk. Beneath her veil, her pink lips parted slightly as she spoke.
Feeling the gazes directed at her from behind, the young woman in plum blossom makeup gracefully turned and jumped down, her delicate eyebrows lowered, muttering softly:
"Alright then. Father and Mother have been talking about Ouyang Lianghan all the time lately, treating him like a son, while their daughter and brother have become outsiders."
“Sister, Lianghan has been ignoring us. It’s probably because we’ve been impolite in the past. I think Father is right. Let’s wait outside and not be impolite.”
Li Dalang interrupted with a worried remark.
Li Guo'er: "..."
Okay, okay, you do it too, right?
The young woman, who had already deeply experienced the feeling of being an "outsider" before even getting married, said unhappily:
"What if he did it on purpose? Who knows where he's off having fun with Sister Xie, deliberately keeping us hanging on?"
"Hmph, even three visits to the thatched cottage wouldn't be this difficult to invite. There's not even any shade in the courtyard. What if they get heatstroke in this blazing sun? You'll have to wait."
Li Guo'er frowned and turned to leave the plum grove courtyard.
Seeing this, the people in the courtyard hesitated, looking troubled.
But a short while later, the veiled young woman reappeared at the courtyard gate.
Li Guo'er returned with her maid Cai Shou, each carrying a parasol.
She stepped forward and handed an umbrella to Li Dalang, who was standing next to Li Xian, in a rather irritable manner. She then silently opened a parasol for herself and stood next to Wei Mei to shield herself from the sun.
Li Xian turned his head and smiled with satisfaction, while Li Guo'er turned her face away, refusing to look at them.
In the sweltering heat of summer, at the Meilin Courtyard.
Under the midday sun, the four family members stood in the courtyard, sweat dripping from their temples, silently waiting for someone.
In front of each of the four people was a food box, sealed, from which faint wisps of icy mist and cool air emanated, resembling refreshing and delicious treats to beat the summer heat.
However, the four people who had left home, sweating profusely, did not move an inch.
Instead, they carefully protected them, and frequently sent people to the cellar to fetch fresh ice.
When the maids and servants of the surrounding Meilu Garden saw this, they tried to step forward to serve and help, but were all refused.
At one point, Li Xian wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, looked up at the scorching sun, and couldn't help but sigh:
"Hey, it's normal that my nephew Lianghan was busy with official duties the past few days, but why isn't he home today, his day off? Could it be that there's an emergency at the county office?"
This middle-aged scholar, who was "no less wealthy," looked worried.
For ten consecutive weeks, Li Xian warmly invited Ouyang Rong to dine at the Li residence every day. Later on, he and his wife, Wei Mei, even came over in person every day, sometimes waiting for most of the day.
Unfortunately, each time he was politely refused by a certain young county magistrate.
Although there are currently no maids or servants to take care of Ouyang Rong at the Meilu Garden, he handles all of Ouyang Rong's daily needs by himself.
But he simply refused to go to the luxurious and hospitable Li family mansion next door.
The Plum Grove Path, which connects the Plum Grove Courtyard to the back residence of the Li family mansion via a shortcut, has been worn clean and is no longer desolate due to the constant flow of people from the Li family mansion these days.
Unfortunately, the falling flowers are full of affection, but the flowing water seems indifferent.
Ouyang Rong was always polite and courteous, but he just couldn't get him to leave the mansion.
During my time away from home, I've noticed a significant increase in the amount of gray hair on my forehead.
Today, they learned that it was a day off for the county government.
I also learned from Miss Xie that Ouyang Rong should be resting at home; Miss Xie even went to look for him this morning.
But just after dawn, in the early morning sun, Li Xian, Li Dalang, Li Guo'er, and Wei Mei each prepared a refreshing treat and rushed over.
Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang have both disappeared without a trace.
Actually, Li Guo'er was right when she said something: even three visits to the thatched cottage wouldn't have been this difficult to persuade...
Moreover, no matter how bad they are, they are still a member of the Li royal family.
Although he suffered a setback and was demoted, his status as a descendant of Emperor Taizong was still a valuable asset in an era when the imperial examination system was just beginning and family lineage was still highly valued.
As the saying goes, Emperor Taizong's strategy was truly brilliant, making even heroes grow old in vain. Ouyang Lianghan, after all, entered officialdom through the imperial examination.
In terms of the blessings that people valued in the past, the blessings of a virtuous person would last for five generations. However, we have not lived to see five generations. Even the poor families of the country, such as the Ouyang clan of Nanlong from which Ouyang Lianghan came, have benefited from the blessings of Emperor Taizong.
According to worldly standards, Emperor Taizong's descendants should be treated with some courtesy and respect.
This is probably why Li Guo'er, who is always proud and aloof, was a little annoyed while waiting in the courtyard under the scorching sun.
However, Li Xian, Li Dalang, and Wei Mei, who were with her, showed no displeasure whatsoever.
Instead, they reflected on themselves, wondering if they had done anything wrong, and waited cautiously and humbly.
"Don't worry, Qilang. It's probably just that your nephew Lianghan has some unexpected matters to deal with."
Wei Mei patted her husband's hand, whose expression was filled with fear and trepidation, and comforted him, saying:
"We've endured so much hardship over the years, so what's one more time? I've always felt that my nephew Lianghan is a meticulous and reasonable person, and that there's a reason behind everything he does."
Upon hearing this, Li Guo'er pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and quietly reflected on whether she had offended Ouyang Lianghan in any way.
Does it count as him frequently bickering with his junior sister? But Sister Xie doesn't seem like the type to tattle...
"Father, Mother, your child is going out to look for Lianghan."
Li Dalang suddenly spoke up, stepping forward to say:
"You all rest here. Sister, take good care of Father and Mother and be careful not to get heatstroke."
The young man, who had run away from home, handed the umbrella to the maid, picked up a food box, and turned to leave the plum grove courtyard.
Li Guo'er lifted her foot to follow, but he gently refused.
The people in the courtyard couldn't help but watch his figure disappear into the distance.
Li Dalang carried the food box and went to the Longcheng County Government Office as soon as possible. Finding no one there, he looked around and turned to walk towards the outskirts of the city.
Along the way, Li Dalang was surprised to find that the county town had become somewhat different.
Compared to the county town before the Zheyi Canal was completed and the Liu family still lived there, Longcheng County is now full of vitality.
Many closed shops have reopened, and abandoned buildings affected by the floods are being rebuilt.
Sword shops, fertile fields, and houses—all the properties of the Liu family on the west bank were confiscated by the county government, either auctioned off or returned to the people who had been forcibly taken from them.
The Liu family, who had always been the largest landowners in Longcheng, had all their thousands of acres of fertile land reclaimed by the county government.
Along the way to Dalang, I saw many county clerks registering land and making new records at every street corner and household.
With the loss of the leading landlord Liu family, the other gentry became obedient and cooperated with the county government's land equalization census.
With a renewed reserve of fertile land, the county government seems to be reviving the equal-field system and allocating land to new households.
If this kind of "reform" had been implemented in the past, the resistance and backlash would have been enough to easily force a county magistrate to resign.
But now, in the face of the young magistrate who has brought down Liu Wei's prestige and the hearts of the entire city, he is like a clay chicken or a tile dog, easily demolished and rebuilt, though not effortlessly.
The people on the street were talking about it with great interest.
Everything is thriving.
Upon arriving outside the city, Li Dalang saw that the twenty-four disaster relief camps had now been completely dismantled.
Indeed, the people of the city no longer have to worry about floods. The Zheyi Canal has completely changed the millennia-old internal problems of Longcheng County and made up for the shortcomings.
This has an immeasurable impact on the county's position and status within Jiangzhou.
The most noticeable change is that there are many more strangers in and around the county town.
They were all merchants and tourists from other places.
The original Butterfly Creek and Penglang Ferry were not able to handle such a large flow of visitors.
If Li Dalang's guess is correct, they should have all poured into the county town from the new ferry crossing of Zheyi Canal outside the city.
Butterfly Creek is located between Yunmeng Marshland and the Yangtze River, and is the only passage, but it was previously winding and difficult to pass through.
The Zheyi Canal is not only a water conservancy project that fundamentally solves the problem of flooding.
It also became an unseen shortcut for water transport.
It intercepted a portion of the passenger flow from the vast Yangtze River.
For a remote county town nestled in impoverished mountains and rivers, the resulting commercial benefits are immeasurable.
The word "prosperity" is appearing at a visible speed.
Furthermore, although the new canal has been completed, the new ferry crossings at both ends of the canal, which hold enormous business opportunities, have not yet been fully built.
The Longcheng County government, together with Wang Caozhi and more than a dozen other large grain merchants, is eagerly pouring massive amounts of money into the project for construction.
It is estimated that Wang Caozhi and other grain merchants who invested in the project never expected that the Zheyi Canal, which Ouyang Rong strongly promoted for construction, would have such a good effect after its completion and operation.
There was no exaggeration; in fact, the figure was lowered.
No, everything you said is true, you're not just making empty promises.
The establishment of the new ferry crossing created a large demand for workers and stone, stimulating the economy of Longcheng County, which is the closest county.
Li Dalang even saw many young and middle-aged people from the surrounding counties coming to make a living.
Inside and outside the county town, a bustling scene unfolded.
This was the most direct feeling I had while leaving the city.
"His merits benefit the present and future generations... Lianghan is truly a national hero," Li Dalang muttered.
He gazed at the broken-winged canal in the distance, and seemingly inspired, his spirits lifted.
This broken-wing canal, like a powerful stimulant with minimal side effects, will inevitably bring new prosperity to Longcheng County.
Li Dalang sincerely believed that Lianghan's achievements in flood control deserved all the praise he could receive.
Only by seeing it with your own eyes can you know what it means to change the world.
These vibrant scenes at the grassroots level can only be witnessed and experienced by leaving the affluent and tranquil Luming Street.
Li Dalang, who hadn't left the house in a long time, sighed:
"It turns out that Lianghan has been busy with these important matters lately, leaving early and returning late. Perhaps, in Lianghan's eyes, these matters are more meaningful than the rise and fall of our family or our private affairs. No wonder he has been putting them off."
He carried the food box, made a guess, and his expression was a mixture of joy and worry.
But for some reason, even though such speculation and explanation would make one feel slighted and ignored, Li Dalang felt inexplicably happy.
Looking around, Li Dalang suddenly felt an even stronger urge to see Lianghan.
Where does he go on his days off?
Li Dalang looked thoughtful. On the way, unfamiliar with the area, he honestly asked passersby for directions. Half an hour later, he was the first to arrive at Liu Ashan's residence in the suburbs.
Entering a simple-looking house, Li Dalang saw the slender and pitiful Aqing, as well as Liu's mother lying unconscious in bed.
In addition, he saw a young, unfamiliar woman dressed in mourning clothes, carefully taking care of the old woman at her bedside; she seemed to be Ah Shan's widow.
Li Dalang stepped forward to offer words of comfort and greetings.
Aqing quickly greeted him, but Li Dalang did not see Ouyang Rong, whom he had guessed, here.
"Is Brother Lianghan not here?" he asked.
“The master has not come,” she replied, bowing her head.
Li Dalang noticed that the girl, Aqing, had a somewhat complicated expression in her delicate eyes.
Li Dalang was about to take his leave when he suddenly froze at the door, noticing Yan Liulang and the others dressed in plain clothes.
The latter was leading a group of men, carrying or carrying medicine, rice bags, furniture and other items into the hospital. Behind them was an elderly doctor with a serious expression, carrying a small medicine box on his back.
As Yan Liulang approached, he noticed Li Dalang's figure and looked up in surprise, asking:
"What are you doing here, Dalang? Have you come to visit Aqing?"
Li Dalang nodded, then couldn't help but ask, "Sixth Brother, do you know where Brother Lianghan is?"
Yan Liulang paused for a moment, then glanced at A Qing's house behind Li Dalang.
"Please wait a moment, Dalang. I'll settle you in here first, then I'll take you there."
Li Dalang nodded and waited patiently, glancing back curiously in the meantime.
Inside the house, the blue-clad constable and his entourage carefully placed the various daily necessities that had been delivered, despite Aqing's anxious waving and refusing gestures.
They visited Liu's mother at her sickbed, introduced the doctor they had brought with them, and then spoke a few words to Aqing, who was wiping away tears with her head down, before slowly leaving. Before leaving, they left two people to watch over and take care of her.
"Let's go. If nothing unexpected happens, the Ming family should be there."
Yan Liulang walked past Li Dalang and led the way.
"Where?" Li Dalang glanced back in the direction of the new canal, curiously asking, "Isn't he over at the Zheyi Canal? There's nothing here, I was planning to go there to look for him."
Yan Liulang shook his head and silently led the way.
When Li Dalang realized they were heading towards the county town, his expression became increasingly curious. He first asked:
"How is Aqing's family doing now? What happened to Liu's mother?"
Yan Liulang sighed and said:
"On July 15th, he fainted due to a shock. In the days since, he has been in and out of consciousness, but when he is awake, he is confused and talking nonsense. He even thought that Brother Ashan was still there and said he wanted to see him..."
"After the doctor examined her, he said she was fine, but warned us that we must not tell the old woman about Ah Shan, as it might cause her heart and lungs to become aggravated, which would be bad for her... So, including Ah Qing, no one dared to say anything, and we didn't even mention the funeral."
Li Dalang hesitated, then asked, "Judging from what Miss Aqing said, why hasn't Lianghan come to visit?"
Yan Liulang said in a low voice: "On the fifteenth, before the magistrate went to rescue Brother Ashan, he swore in front of Mother Liu and Aqing that if he couldn't bring Ashan back, he would have no face to see them..."
“During this period, the Prefect has been reminding us every day to come and take care of him. Even though he is busy with official duties, he still inquires about him every day and never comes himself.”
"In other county government affairs, the magistrate makes decisive decisions, but when it comes to Ashan's family matter, he paces back and forth in the courtroom, giving instructions in a hesitant and halting manner..."
"Let's go. Today is a day off, no need to work. It's not easy for Magistrate Ming to get a day off, he's probably off somewhere again."
Li Dalang immediately fell silent.
A moment later, following Yan Liulang, he suddenly realized that he had crossed the river and arrived at the ancient Yue sword shop on the west bank of Butterfly Creek.
Arriving at an ancient, high platform, Li Dalang saw Miss Xie standing gracefully with her sword in her arms in the shade of a tree below.
Upon seeing Li Dalang and Yan Liulang arrive, Xie Lingjiang remained silent, merely glancing briefly at the food box in the former's hand before calmly turning back to look.
Li Dalang followed her movements and looked up.
Finally, on the ancient platform above, a familiar, slender figure came into view.
Under the sun, Ouyang Rong sat casually on the ground, surrounded by seven or eight dark-skinned old craftsmen who sat with him, smoking their pipes and talking occasionally.
The young magistrate tilted his head, as if listening intently to something, the river wind blowing his dark sideburns in gusts.
I slept like a madman, I slept on the sofa for eleven hours... Oh right, there's more! But guys, go to sleep first, we'll see when you wake up!
(End of this chapter)
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