Chapter 315 The Source of Chaos (Please vote!)
"My love, how much longer are we going to wait in Xunyang City?"
"It depends on when the Wei family reaches a consensus, whether to fight back or accept their fate. The truth will come out soon."
"So how should we deal with this?"
"To respond to all changes with constancy, it is better to remain steadfast than to make more mistakes by doing more."
Late at night, in the study of the Xunyang Prince's mansion, Ouyang Rong looked into Li Xian's eyes and said earnestly:
"You've endured so many years, Uncle, can't you even wait a little longer?"
Li Xian, who greeted guests with a smile during the day, showed a hint of fatigue and sighed:
"The recent arrival of batches of envoys from Luoyang has made me somewhat apprehensive. The Xunyang Prince's Mansion has also been quite unaccustomed to such a lively New Year's celebration for many years."
Wei Mei interjected, "Qilang has woken up from nightmares three times in the past few nights. In previous years, every time the envoy from Luoyang arrived, it was bad news, leaving many lingering traumas."
Ouyang Rong glanced at Li Xian, whose face was quite red, and encouraged him:
"Uncle, rest assured, things are different now. The days when cruel officials and female bureaucrats abused their power to reach the emperor and commit evil deeds against Prince Li are over."
"Many people in and out of the court are watching the situation in Xunyang City closely."
"Okay." Li Xian breathed a sigh of relief, then, remembering something, asked:
"I heard that at Miss Xie's banquet a few days ago, Wang Lengran and you, Tanlang, had another falling out?"
Seeing Li Xian's worried expression, Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"Don't worry, Wang Lengran is just a knife, while the Wei family is the arm. The knife can't control the Wei family's choices, so Uncle doesn't need to worry."
Li Xian shook his head and said gently:
"I am worried about Tanlang. After all, he is my superior. He is indeed powerless to do anything with a knife, but he can still bully people by taking advantage of his power."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "I will be careful."
"That's good."
Li Xian was relieved. "As long as Tanlang knows what's going on, that's fine."
Ouyang Rong looked around the study.
This is Li Dalang's study, and also the agreed-upon location for their nightly trysts.
The candlelight on the desk illuminated the faces of Li Xian, Wei Mei, and Li Dalang.
Besides Xie Lingjiang, there is one less person tonight.
Ouyang Rong hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Where is Her Highness the Little Princess?"
Li Xian and Wei Mei exchanged a glance and smiled bitterly.
Li Dalang replied:
"There's a poetry gathering with a New Year theme in Chaisangfang tonight, which Amei needs to host. It's inconvenient for her to come back due to curfew, so Amei informed me in advance and is staying overnight at a private residence in Chaisangfang."
"Why is she everywhere..."
Ouyang Rong subconsciously opened his mouth, then closed it again, and nodded to indicate that he understood.
He didn't say much.
If Li Xian or Li Dalang did this, Ouyang Rong would immediately advise them against it and say a few words of righteous indignation.
During this time, Li Xian and his son always treated him with the respect due to a teacher, even more so than the old Mr. Yuan who had followed them for many years.
Ouyang Rong was quite satisfied with the two men's kind, benevolent, and receptive nature.
However, Li Guo'er is different; Ouyang Rong has no control over her.
Moreover, her father and brothers don't care about her, so how can he, who only has the title of "Advisor of the Su Family", take care of her?
She is a princess of the Great Zhou royal family, and a beautiful young princess still unmarried.
Ouyang Rong is an outsider, so it's inconvenient for me to interact with him; it could easily lead to misunderstandings...
He has no desire to be a gigolo.
What? You mean Junior Sister is living off the Chenjun Xie family?
That was a last resort. Ouyang Rong felt that this was the most he could ever live off a woman in his life, so he didn't think about it any further.
Therefore, regarding the departure of the child...
Besides being afraid that his junior sister would overthink things, he also kept his distance from other women.
Out of the fundamental principle that strategists should not easily meddle in their master's private affairs, Ouyang Rong's attitude remained rather cold, and he kept his distance with a respectful distance.
They no longer engage in the same activities they used to share, such as appreciating music and having pleasant conversations, which they did when they first met in Longcheng.
Of course, this also means that Li Guo'er is now often outside his plans.
Tonight, he even took the day off and didn't come.
Most of the matters were discussed by Ouyang Rong, Li Xian, and Li Dalang. Li Guo'er seemed somewhat indifferent, though she might inquire about them from her father and brothers afterward.
However, this does not mean that she looked down on Ouyang Rong. After all, not long ago, she personally chose a white fox fur shawl for Ouyang Rong as a promotion gift.
However, Ouyang Rong discovered that this young princess in plum blossom makeup was quite proactive, and seemed to have quite a few ideas of her own...
He couldn't very well stop them.
As long as we do not cause trouble or give others a handle to use against us, and as long as we do not harm the interests of everyone in the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, that's fine.
This was an unspoken understanding between Ouyang Rong and Li Guo'er.
In this regard, given Li Guo'er's intelligence, she has grasped the appropriate measure quite well, and has indeed done so well so far.
A young strategist curled his lip.
Sometimes, two overly intelligent people are naturally incompatible, making one plus one less than two.
Ouyang Rong remained silent. Li Xian and Li Dalang exchanged a glance, and the former spoke first:
"Guo'er has nothing to do lately, so she attends literary gatherings and makes friends with famous scholars from Kuanglu and talented men from Xunyang. They have established a Juhua Poetry Society. She said that the society is small but excellent, and they would rather have fewer members than accept inferior ones."
"Tonight is actually the first poetry gathering of this poetry society. She couldn't get away, so she had to be absent tonight. Guo'er is quite apologetic about it. Please don't be angry, my love."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong nodded.
Li Dalang explained:
"Actually, my sister also wanted to do her part for my husband. There are some things that my father and I are not comfortable doing, but my sister is very suitable in this regard."
"For example, forming a poetry society to help us win over people in Xunyang and search for talented individuals would be beneficial, so I wouldn't object. If you have any objections, you can tell me, and I will speak to her."
Looking at the serious-looking Li Fusu, Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"I have no objection; perhaps it's one way out."
He curled his lip: "Chrysanthemum Poetry Society? That's a weird name."
Li Dalang pondered the two words for a moment, puzzled: "What's strange about it?"
Ouyang Rong waved his hand: "It's nothing. It's normal for scholars to love chrysanthemums, starting with Tao Yuanming's chrysanthemum picking. I'm overthinking it."
Only after these things were explained to them were Li Xian and his son relieved.
After discussing it for a while, Ouyang Rong stood up and prepared to leave.
"By the way, Tanlang," Li Xian suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "I received some invitations to banquets from nobles today. I don't know if I should go."
Ouyang Rong retorted bluntly, "Does Uncle think now is a good time to go?"
Li Xian thought for a moment with a serious expression, then shook his head: "Since Tanlang said to wait quietly, it's best to ignore these social interactions."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Uncle, now is not the time to consolidate your power. His Majesty may be observing you. How can you 'have a wide circle of friends'?"
Li Dalang nodded: "Tanlang is right. The more we do now, the more mistakes we will make."
Li Xian hesitated, "But there is a distinguished guest among them with a special identity."
"who?"
"Zhu Lingxu, Governor of Hongzhou".
Ouyang Rong was speechless.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had about a hundred prefectures, but only twenty-four of them had the position of governor. These prefectures were all strategic locations and battlegrounds, with several military command posts located there, where a large number of troops were stationed.
Hongzhou, which is next to Jiangzhou, is one of them. It is located in the heart of Jiangnan Circuit and can control the waterway of Jiangzhou. It is a military powerhouse in the south.
The governor of Hongzhou had more power than the prefect of a prefecture, especially in the power to mobilize troops.
Ouyang Rong pondered, "What brings this Commander Zhu to see my uncle?"
Li Xian shook his head and explained:
“It is his eldest son. A few days ago, he came to Jiangzhou to attend his niece Xie’s birthday banquet. He was caught in a heavy rain and stayed in Jiangzhou. He has been sightseeing in Xunyang City for the past few days. He said that he heard that the snow scenery of Mount Lu is amazing and wanted to invite his eldest son to accompany him.”
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong nodded slowly. He vaguely remembered this young master Zhu, who seemed to be tall, strong, and powerful.
He was also one of the young talents who pursued his junior sister at the birthday banquet, but he didn't have much of a presence at the time.
However, I've heard that the Zhu family initially rose to prominence through military achievements, so it's a family trait...
Li Dalang chimed in, smiling as he said:
"This young master Zhu also brought a letter from Governor Zhu to my father. In the letter, he expressed some regret and indignation about the fate of our family over the years."
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly and said directly:
"So what is this implying? Is it an attempt to get closer to us? Is it a gesture of goodwill? Is it a preemptive move to warm the fire?"
Li Xian smiled wryly: "I'm not quite sure either. This Governor Zhu's words were so respectful that I was somewhat flattered. Most importantly, he also mentioned Prince Teng, saying that Prince Teng had a similar attitude to him, saying that he had long admired and sympathized with my uncle..."
Ouyang Rong immediately frowned.
Wei Mei suddenly said, "Indeed, I had heard people say before that this Governor Zhu was close to the Prince Teng's Mansion."
Ouyang Rong nodded solemnly, indicating that he had heard of it before.
The title of Prince of Teng is hereditary. It originally belonged to the Li clan of Daqian. The first Prince of Teng was the younger brother of Emperor Taizong. His fief was Hongzhou, and the title has been passed down to this day.
The previous Princes of Teng were honest and low-key in their conduct. In addition, they were not direct descendants of the Li clan of Emperor Taizong. When Empress Wei attacked the Li clan in the country, the Prince of Teng's lineage was not affected.
In addition, Jiangnan Circuit was far from the emperor's reach, and the aristocratic clan mentality inherited from the Southern Dynasties was still deeply ingrained, making it even more difficult to restrain the imperial relatives and princes.
From the first Prince Teng after the founding of the dynasty to the present day, the people have been deeply rooted in this prefecture, resulting in the Prince Teng Mansion having a profound influence in the local area.
This was especially true during this term.
I've heard that the current Prince Teng is a young prince of similar age to Ouyang Rong, who has just inherited the title. He is young and ambitious, and having inherited such a family fortune, he is considered one of the top nobles in Jiangnan Province.
However, the impact of a change of dynasty still exists.
Originally, Prince Teng, who was born in the early years of the Daqian era, concurrently held the position of Governor of Hongzhou, wielding considerable power.
Later, when Wei Zhao became emperor, he reformed the system, one of the changes being the removal of the governor of Hongzhou from office and its replacement by appointment by the imperial court.
However, it is rumored that Zhu Lingxu, the current governor of Hongzhou, had received favors from the old Prince Teng before he went to the frontier to make meritorious contributions and rise to prominence.
Therefore, since taking office, he has turned a blind eye to some things concerning the Prince Teng's residence.
However, these rumors were all unfounded and baseless.
Upon hearing what Li Xian said, both Ouyang Rong and Wei Mei realized that it was true.
This Governor Zhu actually relayed a message on behalf of Prince Teng.
Li Xian tentatively asked, "Young Master, should we try to win over this Prince Teng?"
Why should we try to win him over?
Ouyang Rong rubbed his forehead, feeling a bit of a headache, and asked Li Xian in return:
“Uncle, our goal in coming to Xunyang City is very clear: to return to the capital and seize the throne, not to expand our influence or plot a rebellion.”
"What's the use of getting acquainted with the Prince of Teng or the Governor-General? If Uncle wants to rebel, are you sure you can outmaneuver His Majesty, who is an expert in civil wars and... even more so in foreign wars?"
Li Xian suddenly realized and quickly shook his head, "Even my beloved doesn't dare, how could I dare?"
"That's right. Uncle, these two's attempts to befriend us are like chicken ribs—useless."
Ouyang Rong had a stern face, but his thoughts were clear:
"Furthermore, it is inappropriate for princes to exchange letters, especially for these deeply rooted regional princes. This is ten times more serious than you exchanging family letters with your younger brother, the Prince of Xiang, since neither of you has any real power or authority."
He couldn't help but reprimand him:
"But this Prince Teng is a de facto prince, with close ties to the governor of Hongzhou, and he even dares to correspond with the deposed emperor. How could he be so bold?"
Li Xian was startled: "Don't worry, my lord, I will never reply to Prince Teng."
Ouyang Rong pressed further: "Has Zhu Lingxu's letter been replied to?"
Li Xian nervously replied, "I only replied with one letter, all of which were polite and did not mention Prince Teng."
"It's alright." Ouyang Rong wiped away a bead of sweat, pondered for a moment, and then reached out his hand, saying:
"Give me Zhu Lingxu's letter, and I will handle it."
He then turned to Li Dalang and instructed him, "Don't accept that young master Zhu's invitation. Find a reason to refuse."
"Yes." Li Xian and his son nodded quickly.
After a short while, Ouyang Rong took the letter, glanced at it, looked up, and waved the thin sheet of paper between his two fingers:
"It's fine when things are peaceful, but once something goes wrong, that's the source of chaos."
Everyone stared blankly at the tall, solemn-looking young man.
"It's not an exaggeration. As the rear area of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Jiangnan is too rich and peaceful, and discipline is too lax."
He lowered his arm, pointing to the envelope, and sighed:
"According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Governor of Hongzhou is responsible for supervising and restraining the princes and nobles within his territory, just like the Prefect and the Chief Secretary. How could he have such a private relationship with them?"
"Fortunately, this is still a peaceful era. In special circumstances, this would be a path to death."
Li Xian and his son sat up straight and solemnly.
Wei Mei glanced sideways at Ouyang Rong.
Ouyang Rong was both angry and amused, and spread his hands, saying:
"Who knows what His Majesty was thinking when he transferred me to be the Chief Administrator of Jiangzhou."
“But we are different from them. The Xunyang Prince’s Mansion has no real foundation. I am just the Chief Secretary, and I am checked by the Governor. I do not command a single soldier, so my help is limited. At most, I can be paired with an uncle and then ‘go around in circles’.”
"Although Wang Lengran is a clown, he is not someone to be trifled with. He keeps his supervisory and military powers tightly under control."
The crowd chuckled.
Ouyang Rong looked around, his expression returning to calm, and said, "Let's leave this matter here."
Li Xian replied, "I will follow your advice."
Shortly afterward, the night's plot ended, and Ouyang Rong departed.
On his way back, he touched the thin letter in his sleeve and thought of Li Guo'er, Prince Xiang, and other things.
"Uncle, oh uncle, the emperor's sentimentality and soft heart may not necessarily be a good thing. For us close confidants, it may be a great benefit, allowing us to live an easy life without worrying about being discarded after the fact."
"But it's of no benefit to the country or its people, especially since I have several troublesome relatives around me..."
A murmur was shattered by the night wind and scattered into the night of Xunyang.
Late at night, in the study of Yinbingzhai.
After bathing, Ouyang Rong sat at the table, let out a long sigh, and then turned to look in the direction of Jinling, his face blank.
"They won't be back for another half month?"
Ouyang Rong immediately got up, took out bamboo, wood, and various tools, and began to work busily...
He promised to make her an umbrella to shield her from the wind and rain.
(End of this chapter)
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