Chapter 28 Tanlang Has Gone Bad
“My love.”
"Um?"
"Is there... something you want to say?"
"Is it that obvious?"
What do you think?
Zhen put down her bowl and looked at Ouyang Rong across the table, both amused and exasperated. One of his chopsticks was even held upside down.
To be honest, Tanlang has been a bit down these past two days, it seems to have started when he came back the night before last.
These past two days, he's only been eating the dish closest to him. At first, Banxi ran over to tell Zhenshi the good news, saying that her husband really liked her Silla-style meat rolls. But the next day, Zhenshi replaced them with a plate of plain tofu, and he "didn't like" it anymore, not even touching the Silla-style rolls with his chopsticks... This completely baffled the Silla maid, who looked dejected for a long time.
Not only during meals, Tanlang also seemed absent-minded while walking in the Plum Deer Garden. Sometimes Zhen Shi had to call him three times before he would respond, and his first answer would always be "Oh... okay."
Madam Zhen was a very traditional and beautiful woman who stayed at home, devoted to her husband and children, and focused solely on managing household affairs. She was doing the same at Meilu Garden, taking care of Ouyang Rong's three meals a day, washing up, and sleeping. In her spare time, she didn't have any social activities with her girlfriends or go on spring outings. She never showed her face in public.
She would spend her time sunbathing and eating melon seeds in the courtyard, occasionally scolding the maids. She might sometimes reminisce about her youthful days of playing with swords and spears, but as the mistress of the house, she could no longer do such undignified things in front of the maids.
As for embroidery, needlework, and housework, she no longer needs to do them. The slightly more interesting thing is to personally clean Tanlang's private study. The important study is not left to the maids, but to her. She can also curiously touch and look at his paper, ink, brushes, calligraphy, paintings, and other books. Although Zhenshi doesn't know many characters except for her and Tanlang's names and can't understand these things, it doesn't hinder her womanly interests.
Besides that, the time when Zhen was in the best mood and looked forward to the most each day was probably when she ate with Tanlang, during which she could listen to him talk about some interesting things happening outside.
However, apart from marriage, she never inquired about any of Ouyang Rong's official or private affairs. She would sit quietly to the side and listen, while eating with her head down, her clever and charming phoenix eyes would carefully observe the subtle expressions on her lover's face.
This is one of the few pleasures I have each day.
Therefore, Madam Zhen was very observant and paid close attention to her beloved nephew; no unusual behavior from him could escape her keen eyes. So, as the two sat around the table for dinner, noticing Ouyang Rong's hesitant expression, she immediately asked him a question.
"Sir, just say what you have to say. You can't possibly kick your aunt out, can you?"
Zhen snorted and reached out to correct the chopsticks he was holding upside down.
Ouyang Rong said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'd like to borrow some money from my aunt..."
"borrow?"
"Yes, nephew will definitely pay it back, once he receives his salary."
Madam Zhen smiled enigmatically: "Isn't all the money here yours? Take it if you want, don't call it a loan. Your monthly salary is also sent by the government, and I manage your rice and land income. Have you forgotten, my love?"
Ouyang Rong was taken aback, but immediately nodded, "Alright, nephew... take some, and auntie can continue to hold the rest for me to manage household expenses."
"How much do you want? We can't take it all. I'm planning to go to the horse market in the West Market in a few days to pick out a beautiful maid for you. It'll probably cost quite a bit. Western Region beauties, Bodhisattva maids, and Silla maids are all very expensive these days. Those brainless rich merchants are just driving up prices."
"Why buy beautiful maids? Nephew doesn't need them. Aunt, don't waste money following the trend of keeping slaves. Those slaves are all pitiful people."
Madam Zhen nodded: "They are pitiful children, so we should buy more of them so that our beloved son can cherish them and give them a warm bed."
"..." That makes perfect sense, but it's a bit too much for the kidneys.
"We'll talk about this later." Ouyang Rong was speechless, waved his hand to brush it off, and then said seriously, "How about you give me ten strings of cash, Aunt?"
After only a moment's hesitation, Madam Zhen immediately nodded, "Okay, I'll get it for you after I finish eating."
At this time, silver was not widely circulated; most transactions in the market were conducted using copper coins and silk. One string of copper coins was equivalent to one thousand coins, which already had strong purchasing power.
A strong adult slave in a horse stable costs about six or seven strings of cash. Of course, the value has definitely decreased in this year of local disaster. Ten strings of cash could buy nearly two hundred bushels of rice before the flood. The rather elegant Plum Deer Garden where Ouyang Rong and Zhen Shi are currently living only costs forty or fifty strings of cash.
However, there is no concept of real estate speculation at present. Buying a house also depends on household registration and identity. It is not something that can be bought just because you have money. The strict hierarchy makes it impossible to buy and sell freely, which can be regarded as a disguised restriction on housing prices.
As for Ouyang Rong's salary, since Longcheng County had a population of more than 6,000 households, it was a superior county, and he was a seventh-rank county magistrate, so his monthly salary was more than two strings of cash.
However, an official's salary was not only a salary in silver, but also included rice and allocated land, as well as some miscellaneous items such as year-end bonuses. When all that was added up, it averaged out to about four strings of cash per month.
Overall, the salaries of officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty were decent, but if they lived in Luoyang or Chang'an, they wouldn't be enough.
Ouyang Rong dipped his finger in water and scribbled on the table, then lowered his head and did some mental calculations.
After thinking for a moment, Madam Zhen still asked, "What does my son need so much money for?"
The young magistrate, without even looking up, said, "Go to Yuanming Tower."
Madam Zhen was taken aback, and the maidservants beside her also looked at her strangely. They had been living in Longcheng County for some time and knew that Yuanming Tower was not only the largest restaurant in the area, but also a place for girls who were poorly clothed but virtuous and talented, and who were targeted for poverty alleviation.
Okay, actually it's a brothel, but in the current Great Zhou Dynasty, brothels are still relatively formal places. Many of them sell their art but not their bodies. Seeking pleasure is not their main business. They are mainly elegant places for literati, scholars, and wealthy merchants to socialize, and they are quite popular among literati.
But... is a gentleman's lover going to a brothel?
Zhen and Banxi recalled the strange hobby that Tanlang had accidentally "exposed" that day.
The beautiful woman said solemnly, "My dear, it's better not to go there. Your aunt will give you more money. Tomorrow, go to the West Market and buy a gentle and beautiful maid. You can choose whatever you like. If it's expensive, so be it. There are some things... Your aunt understands. We can't keep it bottled up."
“???” Ouyang Rong.
...
The next morning.
Longcheng County Government Office.
A young county magistrate, his pockets bulging, straightened his back, walked into the county magistrate's office in the west wing, and knocked on the table towards County Magistrate Diao, who was dozing off at work early in the morning.
"Ah... Your Excellency, what brings you here? My apologies, I'm getting old and a bit sleepy." Magistrate Diao quickly got up to greet him.
"It's nothing, just a small matter. I'll leave after I finish speaking." After a pause, Ouyang Rong nodded again: "But Lord Diao is truly vigorous for his age, coming to catch up on sleep so early in the morning."
"..." Magistrate Diao said helplessly, "Your Excellency, please don't joke with me. I only have one wife who has shared my hardships, and I only have five sets of clothes for all four seasons... By the way, what do you need me to tell you? Please speak."
Ouyang Rong calmly said, "The day after tomorrow, at Yuanming Tower, Lord Diao, please invite all the local gentry, wealthy merchants, and scholars with official titles that you know in this county. It's best not to leave anyone out."
Magistrate Diao was only stunned for a moment before exclaiming with delight, "Very good, very good! I'll arrange it right away. Tell them to quickly prepare a banquet to welcome you back, Your Excellency. Haha, Your Excellency, they have long admired you and have wanted to pay their respects to you for a long time. They've asked me to do this for a long time, but I declined many requests because it was inconvenient for you..."
Ouyang Rong, who was turning to leave, suddenly interrupted:
"You've got it wrong. It wasn't them who invited me; it was I who hosted the banquet for them. Go ahead and call them all over. They're all citizens of this county. I can't show favoritism to any of them. I have to take good care of them."
County Magistrate Diao, who wore no more than five sets of clothes throughout the four seasons, paused.
...
(End of this chapter)
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