Chapter 316 Another Romantic Blessing
Ouyang Rong understood why Li Xian had been so restless lately, even almost carelessly communicating with the real prince.
The following morning, at the entrance of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, Ouyang Rong, dressed in a crisp crimson official robe, watched another group of envoys from other regions depart.
After the New Year, at the end of the year, what was sent to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion included not only the Empress's bestowal from the Luoyang Palace, but also gifts and favors from nobles of Guanzhong, the Five Clans and Seven Families, and the Jiangnan nobility.
There are so many options, and they can always find a suitable reason to give a gift.
Ouyang Rong's eyes were opened to new possibilities.
Yes, this is the normal social behavior of a prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The fact that Longcheng was previously ignored and deserted when it was belittled is a rare and precious thing.
Anyone would be thrilled by such a stark contrast, and some idle, irrational thoughts would inevitably arise.
Fortunately, Ouyang Rong was there and drew a red line for Li Xian in time.
Aside from this incident, Ouyang Rong generally felt that Li Xian and his son were not bad, at least they listened to advice.
After concluding his morning inspection tour of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, Ouyang Rong returned to the main hall of Jiangzhou in the afternoon and walked into the main hall with a normal expression.
As expected, Yuan Huaimin wasn't in the main hall; I wonder where he'd gone off to fool around.
Ouyang Rong didn't pay any attention. Since there was no one in the main hall, he sat down and took out a blank memorial.
"It would be best to report this matter and go through the proper procedures."
After a moment's thought, Ouyang Rong buried himself in writing.
A short while later, a memorial was written and lay quietly on the table.
He put down his brush, glanced at the calligraphy, and nodded gently.
The memorial contained very little.
On January 17th of the second year of Tianyou, Prince Li Xian of Xunyang took the initiative to deliver a letter from Zhu Lingxu, the governor of Hongzhou, to the Jiangzhou Prefect, who was responsible for supervision. His attitude was respectful, and so on.
In fact, Ouyang Rong had written many similar reports on supervision before.
This is a routine report.
Officials like Wang Lengran also wrote many such memorials in private.
For example, records can be made of which guests Prince Xunyang met on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year, whose banquet he attended, and what he said while drunk at the banquet.
It's not just about recording the story of King Xunyang.
In Xunyang City of Jiangzhou, there were also some censors or palace servants from Luoyang who would silently record the actions of Ouyang Rong, Wang Lengran, and other officials in Jiangzhou.
Even the smallest, most insignificant thing can be reported on.
Anyway, Ouyang Rong didn't need to guess to know that Wang Lengran must have given him a lot of tattletales.
LOL.
Anyone can write, right? He does too.
Ouyang Rong smiled sheepishly.
He usually just wrote a few letters praising Wang Lengran at the end of the month and that was it, as these routine reports were a waste of his energy.
Today is the exception.
Ouyang Rong glanced through the memorial again, polished it with his pen, and then attached Zhu Lingxu's letter.
The memorial was completed.
Ouyang Rong stood up, picked up the memorial, and personally delivered it to an old censor stationed in Jiangzhou at the Jiangnan Circuit branch of the Censorate.
These kinds of memorials would be sent to Luoyang by fast horse.
After quickly completing this procedure, Ouyang Rong continued with his official duties.
In the days that followed, Ouyang Rong paid special attention to the movements of the Censor and Luoyang.
Everything was calm and peaceful.
According to procedure, his memorial should be delivered to Fengge on schedule.
Below the Chief of the Phoenix Pavilion are several Secretariat Attendants, and below them are Attendants.
A memorial to the throne would travel along this line, being reported up the chain of command.
If the memorial involves a minor matter or has a minor issue, the Fengge Pavilion can resolve it on its own. If it is serious, it will be presented to the Emperor.
If there is still no response, it is most likely that it is stuck at a certain level.
That's normal. With thousands of local officials from all ten provinces submitting memorials to the imperial court every day like snowflakes, only a handful actually attract attention.
Ouyang Rong nodded slightly, quickly forgetting about the matter.
...
On the second floor of a restaurant with the sign "Yunshui Pavilion" on Xingzifang, a riverside street in the west of Xunyang City.
Sitting by the window, Ouyang Rong put a bite of food in his mouth, squinting as he surveyed the bustling Xingzifang street outside. He would occasionally turn his head to glance at the staircase leading to the third floor.
On the table in front of them, besides Ouyang Rong's set of bowls and chopsticks, there were two extra sets.
At this moment, there was no one in front of these two sets of bowls and chopsticks.
It was noon, and Ouyang Rong leisurely picked up some food, not in a hurry, as if he was waiting for something.
A moment later, two male figures appeared at the top of the stairs ahead. They went down to the second floor and quickly walked towards Ouyang Rong, sitting down at the table.
"call……"
When Ouyang Rong heard Li Fusu and Yan Liulang in front of him exhale a long breath, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
As Li Fusu and Yan Liulang walked down from the third floor, they exchanged a silent glance before subtly looking away.
Their eyes were fixed on the dishes in front of them, a hint of satisfaction on their faces, but they didn't pick up their chopsticks, seemingly lingering or savoring something...
Ouyang Rong, without looking up, said, "Aren't you two going to eat? Are you going to fill your stomachs?"
Yan Liulang clenched his fist and covered his mouth: "Cough cough, I'm a little full."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "A feast for the eyes, right?"
Li Fusu explained, "No, no, I'm just full from drinking tea."
Yan Liulang chuckled.
Ouyang Rong's expression was strange. He glanced at Li Fusu, who had already been subtly influenced by Liu Lang, thought for a moment, and then gave a word of advice:
"Brother, please pay attention to hygiene."
Li Fusu blushed immediately and stammered, "My lord, you've misunderstood. I just tend to drink water when I'm nervous, and I've just finished drinking."
"Still nervous?" Ouyang Rong couldn't help but chuckle.
Today, Ouyang Rong took a half-day off. The three of them hadn't been together for a long time, so they dressed casually and went to Yunshui Pavilion for a meal.
However, before all the dishes ordered by Ouyang Rong had arrived, the scantily clad waitresses of the restaurant had already caught the eye of the two friends. Liu Lang pulled Li Da Lang upstairs to drink health-preserving tea.
Speaking of which, coming to Yunshui Pavilion for a meal has become a regular activity among the three of us.
It's a habit I developed after getting to know Longcheng.
However, back then, Liu Ashan was with him.
Now that one person is missing, Ouyang Rong and the other two sometimes come here for a meal when they miss each other, which is a tacit understanding.
Of course, going upstairs to drink some health-preserving tea doesn't count.
Li Fusu couldn't help but ask, "Won't you go up for some tea, my lord?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head and brought up the serious tea ceremony: "Their tea skills are not as good as mine. They are clumsy and it gives me a headache just watching them."
Yan Liulang interjected, "The Prefect is afraid that Miss Xie will check up on him."
Ouyang Rong glared at him, while Li Fusu chuckled, "Miss Xie hasn't returned yet, there are still a few days left, what is there for my lord to be afraid of?"
His eyes were filled with envy. "Besides, Tanlang isn't in my family's situation, where we can have three wives and four concubines..."
"Not interested."
Ouyang Rong immediately changed the subject, asking in a helpless tone:
"Why don't you ask your uncle to find you a marriage partner? Or you could take a concubine, so that Liu Lang won't lead you astray. It doesn't matter if he's fooling around; he's only one person to feed, so the rest of the family isn't hungry."
“You’re different, Dalang. You need to be careful. Your identity is too sensitive. You should avoid places like this with all sorts of shady characters.”
Yan Liulang raised his hand in protest:
“You can’t say that, Your Excellency. What do you mean by ‘messing around’? This is just relaxing in a comfortable way. It’s not like I’m going to some brothel or den of iniquity. I, Yan Liu, don’t gamble or do drugs. I’m just having some tea.”
"My lord, you have no idea how much pressure we are under in our daily jobs involving swords and spears. We must enjoy ourselves while we can."
"Oh." Ouyang Rong turned around: "Is this your excuse for following behind and freeloading off Da Lang?"
Yan Liulang: "..."
Ouyang Rong looked at Li Fusu and continued with the previous question, to which Li Fusu quickly waved his hand:
"My mother asked me before, but I refused. Let's talk about it later."
Ouyang Rong glanced at the hesitant and embarrassed Li Fusu and sighed, "Is it because Aunt Wei and your younger sister are putting too much pressure on you? Don't you want to find another ancestor?"
Li Fusu smiled bitterly, unable to admit it.
However, upon reflection, Ouyang Rong realized that the men in Li Xian's family all seemed to have inherited a fear of their wives, which he could understand.
As Li Fusu surveyed the familiar Yunshui Tower, a look of nostalgia filled his eyes.
“Every time I come here, I can’t help but think of the time I was in Longcheng last year, when I had just met Tanlang and Liulang, and Brother Ashan was also there.”
"It was our first time in a place like this, and everything was new and exciting. We were both nervous and excited. Even now, when we think back, the health teas there can't compare to those here, but it's still unforgettable..."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Good, good, you've even developed feelings for each other while drinking together, right?"
Li Fusu blinked.
"Your Highness?"
Just then, a young man in a written shirt who had been looking around for a long time suddenly got up and walked over from a nearby dining table.
He walked to the table and looked at Li Dalang with surprise, as if he recognized the young master of Xunyang Prince's Mansion in his casual clothes.
"Why did the young master leave the manor alone? Also, the eldest young master just came downstairs?"
Ouyang Rong and Yan Liulang frowned as they looked over, only to see the young man in the scholar's robe with an incredulous expression, questioning Li Fusu with righteous indignation.
Fortunately, there were few customers on the second floor at the moment, so it didn't attract too many onlookers.
But Li Fusu's face remained flushed, and his expression was extremely awkward.
It seemed they knew the young man in the paper shirt.
Li Fusu hurriedly waved his hand: "Brother Zi'ang, please don't be offended. I was just having a meal with a friend."
"Young Master, don't think I don't know what the third floor is for. Does the Prince know you've come to such a place? Does the Princess know? Does Teacher Yuan know?"
Yue Ziang became more and more agitated as he asked, his brows furrowing deeply as he said:
"It doesn't matter if it's the others, but the young master is the great-grandson of Emperor Taizong, and he has a mission to fulfill. How can he come here and let his will be eroded? If the prince and the little princess find out, they will be utterly disappointed. Young master, come back with me now!"
As he spoke, he tried to pull Li Fusu away, but Li Fusu refused, saying:
"Alright, alright, I know, I won't come again next time. After I finish this meal, Brother Ziang, please keep your voice down, my friend is still here."
After saying that, he turned to Ouyang Rong and explained with a bitter expression:
"I apologize for offending you, Brother Zi'ang. You were a disciple of Mr. Yuan in Luoyang many years ago. You have only recently arrived in Jiangzhou and are also staying at the Prince's Mansion."
Ouyang Rong nodded.
"What friends? You actually brought the young master here," Yue Zi'ang said righteously, pointing his finger at Ouyang Rong and his companion. "Young master, you're better off without these kinds of fair-weather friends. Come with me!"
Li Fusu's eyes widened instantly, and his breathing became rapid.
"Ha, where did that barking come from?" Yan Liulang put down his chopsticks, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and said with a sneer:
"Since you're staying at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, aren't you just begging for food? Is this how you usually speak to the lord? It seems that you've been too polite to me, Eldest Brother."
"Who are you, daring to bark like dogs!"
Yan Liulang directly slapped out his waist token: "I am the Judicial Advisor of Jiangzhou. And who are you? What are you barking about?"
He rattled off a string of words: “I’m here on a case. Someone reported that this place is harboring a suspect. I’m investigating undercover, and you, you brat, suddenly jumped out and interrupted my business. Do you believe I’ll arrest you and fine you right now?”
Yue Ziang choked, his face turning red, and he stammered angrily, "You you you..."
Yan Liulang curled his lip, "What do you mean 'you'? If you don't get out of here, you'll have to bear the consequences."
Yue Zi'ang glared angrily, his eyes wide, then suddenly turned to look at Ouyang Rong, who had been picking up food with his chopsticks.
"He's a judicial officer in the military, so you must be Ouyang Lianghan?"
Ouyang Rong picked up some food without looking up or saying a word.
Yan Liulang suddenly stood up.
"What a shame... I used to admire you as a gentleman, but I was wrong about you!"
The young man in the paper shirt hurriedly left a sentence and angrily turned away.
Yan Liulang turned his head indignantly: "This kind of poor and desperate situation needs to be dealt with by intimidation like this. Your Excellency and your eldest son are still too kind-hearted."
"My dear." Li Dalang looked a little embarrassed and explained.
It turns out that the Xunyang Prince's Mansion has recently received many staff members who have come to join them, some directly and others through the channels of Mr. Yuan and other old friends from Longcheng.
There were also those who got in touch with the Xunyang Prince's Mansion through Li Guo'er's Chrysanthemum Poetry Society. Li Guo'er also used this poetry society to recruit many "frustrated and unsuccessful" people. After all, there were many demoted officials in Jiangzhou, and the Xunyang Prince's Mansion was currently showing signs of recovery, which naturally attracted scholars and officials to join them.
According to Li Dalang, Yue Zi'ang is also a member of the Juhua Poetry Society.
During the day, when Ouyang Rong was not around, Yue Zi'ang and his literary advisors often gathered around Li Xian's family, seemingly proficient in everything from poetry and songs to strategies and decision-making.
It's just that Li Xian and Li Fusu didn't adopt these ideas much; they mostly just focused on cultivating talent.
He especially disliked Li Dalang, a member of the Juhua Poetry Society.
Ouyang Rong hadn't paid much attention to these things before. On the contrary, he felt that if any talented people emerged among those who had come to his aid, it would benefit everyone. He wasn't worried about jeopardizing his position; the capable should take over.
"When you get back, Dalang, you should take the initiative to talk to your uncle and aunt. Don't be too passive. Just say... say that I brought you here to eat. I will explain to them later."
"Alright," Li Dalang sighed.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and glanced in the direction Yue Ziang had left.
He's even more radical than he was back then.
...
"Isn't my love going to sleep yet?"
"Go to sleep later, I have things to do. Wei Lai, you should rest first."
"Why is Tanlang making umbrellas again?"
"Calm your mind."
Ye Weilai whispered, "It's because Miss Xie likes it, isn't it?"
Ouyang Rong smiled.
After a short while, Ye Weilai had no choice but to obey and go to the inner room to sleep.
At the table, Ouyang Rong glanced at the finished oil-paper umbrella, on which he had written some cheesy sentences.
Ouyang Rong planned to find an opportunity to give it to his junior sister.
"If he came back and saw this, he would be quite happy," he muttered.
Suddenly, a blessed bell rang in my ears.
Ouyang Rong was taken aback. He closed his eyes and went inside. Inside the Merit Pagoda, the Blessing Bell was continuously emitting purple mist, with a faint hint of peach pink mixed in.
Is one thousand merit points worth it?
But this color of good fortune seems a bit off?
After digesting the information, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but ponder.
How was this triggered...? Could it be related to my junior sister?
He began to have doubts.
(End of this chapter)
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