Chapter 333 Old Friends of Dragon City
"Commander Qin is not attending Lord Wang's luncheon?"
As they left the Jiangzhou Prefectural Governor's Mansion, Sun Yu, the Chief Clerk of the Third General's Office of Jiangzhou in Jiangnan Circuit, grabbed the sleeve of a young general with a cold face and asked curiously.
"You're not feeling well, go back and rest. Chief Secretary Sun, go with General Yang and Coach Du. Don't neglect the Prefect and Chief Secretary Lan."
Qin Heng, the Right Commandant of Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefecture, replied calmly, pulled out his sleeve slightly, and walked down the steps in front of the governor's mansion.
Sun Yu thought about Qin Heng's taciturn attitude during the meeting in the main hall not long ago, and sighed:
"Coach Du is newly transferred from Yangzhou and is not yet familiar with our Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefecture. Some of his ideas are a bit unreasonable. General Qin, please bear with him."
"Anyway, it's only a one-year extension, and the Third Regiment can be rotated out and transferred back from Guizhou. We've waited this long enough, so a little more won't make a difference. There's no need for General Qin to offend him..."
"Understood, Chief Secretary Sun, you should go early."
Watching Qin Heng's figure disappear without a backward glance, the Chief Clerk of the General's Office shook his head.
"With that kind of temperament, no wonder he doesn't get along well with General Yang and the others..."
He muttered something to himself, lowered his head to straighten the sleeves of his official robes, and went back to change before attending the banquet…
As the rear area of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Jianghuai region in the southeast had relatively few Zhechong Prefectures, with only six in the entire Jiangnan Circuit.
There is one in Jiangzhou, the Third Zhechong Prefecture; and the nearest one, Hongzhou Prefecture, has two, the Fourth and Fifth Zhechong Prefectures respectively.
Each prefecture shall be headed by one Commandant of the Vanguard, one Commandant of the Left and One Commandant of the Right, and one Chief Clerk, one Deputy General, and one Instructor.
Qin Heng, as the Right Commandant of Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefecture, held a high rank among military officers, being a sixth-rank official.
After leaving the Jiangzhou Prefectural Governor's Mansion, Qin Heng rode his horse away from Chaisangfang, along the main road by the river, through Xingzifang, preparing to leave the city and return to the military camp.
After passing Xunyang Ferry, Qin Heng patted his belly, glanced at the bustling restaurant on the street with the plaque "Yunshui" (Clouds and Water), hesitated for a moment, and then spurred his horse to ride there.
The summons from Governor Wang arrived in the morning, but the generals of the Zhechong Prefecture left too early and had not eaten breakfast.
Qin Heng randomly picked a corner seat in the lobby on the first floor and ordered a few dishes of stir-fry.
He sat upright on the stool, glancing sideways at the song on stage, waiting silently.
His posture seemed somewhat out of place compared to the boisterous and cheering spectators in the hall.
There were quite a few guests at lunchtime, but Qin Heng's dishes were served quite quickly.
Moreover, delicious food and fine wine were served one dish after another.
"etc."
Qin Heng called out to the restaurant maid who was carrying an empty tray and preparing to leave, pointing to the dishes on the table and saying:
"Did you serve the wrong dishes? I didn't order these, and this jar of osmanthus wine too. I don't drink alcohol."
The restaurant maid shook her head with a smile:
"No mistake. It was a treat from a regular customer of this restaurant. He said he was your friend and ordered the dishes for you, saying that you should like them."
"who."
The restaurant maid pointed to the dishes and said, "Our esteemed guest said that you will understand once you taste the dishes. These are local specialties from over there; you should have tried them before."
Qin Heng frowned slightly.
Before he could ask any more questions, the restaurant maid quietly slipped away.
Qin Heng glanced at the osmanthus wine and several plates of local specialty stir-fries from Longcheng County, and pursed his lips.
After a moment of silence, his brows relaxed, and he took out a pair of chopsticks and rinsed them with tea.
He then buried his head in eating the lunch that an acquaintance had treated him to.
After two sticks of incense had burned, most of the dishes were empty.
The osmanthus wine, however, remained untouched.
After finishing his meal, Qin Heng sat in his seat for a while. Seeing that no one was around, he got up to leave.
Suddenly, a blue-clad constable with a sword at his side walked in, passed by Qin Heng's table, went to the counter, gave his name, and a waitress enthusiastically led him upstairs, her voice quite loud:
"Distinguished guest, please enter the Qinghe Private Room for a health-preserving tea ceremony..."
Before following the maid up the stairs, Yan Liulang turned around, seemingly glancing around the hall, before continuing upstairs with a normal expression.
Qin Heng glanced around, his expression hesitant for a moment.
He got up and followed him upstairs.
Arrive at the understated yet luxurious third floor of Yunshui Pavilion.
At noon, the corridor was deserted and quite quiet.
The familiar-looking constable from Longcheng was nowhere to be seen.
Qin Heng turned his head, looked at the doorplate, walked along the corridor, and stopped in front of a private room with the sign "Qinghe".
creak—
He pushed the door open and entered.
A wisp of pale white tea mist wafted towards me.
Along with it, a young man in a white fox fur coat sat on the floor in the center of the private room, brewing tea with his eyes downcast, with a small tea table in front of him.
The wisps of steam rising from the pot of freshly brewed tea in his hand were coming from there.
Ouyang Rong lowered his head, picked up the long-spouted teapot, and poured a cup into a porcelain cup on the empty seat opposite the small tea table.
"General Qin, it's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. The tea has just been brewed."
Ouyang Rong said with a smile.
He turned and met Qin Heng's gaze, whose expression was rather complicated, then nodded slightly, displaying remarkable conversational skills.
"This cup is Yunwu tea from Kuanglu, brewed with the clear spring water from a waterfall on the mountain. Not long ago, a wealthy merchant from Yangzhou served me this tea, but I did not want to drink it."
"I've heard that this tea is served by the famous scholars of Kuanglu to their close friends. I would be embarrassed to drink too much tea from a wealthy merchant in Yangzhou if I'm not a close friend. Is General Qin right?"
Qin Heng glanced at the empty room, paused for a moment, then unfastened his sword and hung it in front of the door.
Finally, he strode over and sat down opposite Ouyang Rong.
He sat up straight, picked up his teacup, and glanced at the swirling, floating tea leaves.
Ouyang Rong picked up his cup and took a sip.
Qin Heng immediately tilted his head back and drank the so-called tea from his close friend in one gulp.
Seeing the martial artist in front of him swallowing the date whole, Ouyang Rong just smiled and ignored him.
"General Qin, it's been a long time."
“Lord Ouyang, it’s been a long time.”
Qin Heng changed his words, subtly observing the composed Ouyang Rong before him, his expression becoming somewhat reserved.
The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.
For a moment, the room became quiet.
Just then, someone pushed the door open and entered.
Ouyang Rong and Qin Heng immediately turned to look and found a scantily clad young woman serving tea.
"Honored guest, we've kept you waiting..."
Two sharp, piercing gazes startled the scantily clad young woman who had just entered the room. She hesitated, her words caught in her throat, and first looked at the two of them from side to side before blushing and saying:
"Why...why are there two guests? The tea ceremony in the warmth of winter is meant for one person only."
Ouyang Rong and Qin Heng were both taken aback.
The young woman, seemingly a little frightened, took a step back. Her gaze couldn't help but fall on Ouyang Rong's frowning face. After a pause, she gritted her teeth and said:
"Even if you bring someone with a fair complexion and extremely handsome looks, we can't make an exception. If it's two people, we'll have to... we'll have to pay extra."
The young woman spoke with great conviction, insisting on her point.
Ouyang Rong and Qin Heng were both stunned.
"No, how did you just wander in here? Didn't I tell you the name of the private room? How did you end up in the wrong place?"
Suddenly the door to the private room opened again, and Yan Liulang rushed in somewhat flustered and speechless, dragging the ever-dedicated, cool young woman out the door.
"Ahem, Prefect Ming, General Qin, please continue, we won't disturb you."
Yan Liulang apologized, quickly closed the door, and pulled the young woman away.
A young woman's questioning voice could be faintly heard from outside the door: "Isn't this Qinghe Private Room? If I'm not mistaken, it's as familiar as home."
Yan Liulang said helplessly, "Can't you take a look at the door number? The one across the street is Qinghe now."
"...?" Cool young lady.
The sounds of arguing outside gradually faded away.
The blunder has been cleared.
Inside the private room that was originally labeled "Qinghe," Ouyang Rong and Qin Heng exchanged a glance.
After a short while, they all suddenly smiled.
Qin Heng looked around and sighed.
"It seems that Chief Secretary Ouyang is a regular customer."
"No, I'm not. I don't understand what she's talking about. It's so weird."
Ouyang Rong, with a straight face, denied it three times in a row.
"Hahaha."
The previously silent atmosphere was thus broken.
The awkward and reserved atmosphere that had just been there since they last met vanished instantly.
Qin Heng looked at the serious and talkative young man in the white fox fur coat and sighed:
"Prefect Ouyang is still the same as he was in Longcheng, full of righteousness, yet also kind and understanding, making people feel like they are bathed in a spring breeze."
Ouyang Rong chuckled and waved his hand: "General Qin is the same. It has been almost a year since we parted ways when we were investigating the grain case in Longcheng. General Qin is still as dashing as ever."
"What heroic bearing? Just a common soldier." Qin Heng waved his hand, hesitated for a moment, then clasped his hands in apology.
"After we parted in Longcheng, the reputation and deeds of Prefect Ouyang spread far and wide, becoming widely known. Later, I learned that you were serving as Prefect in Xunyang City..."
"Unfortunately, I am busy with military duties and am rather shy, and not good at cultivating relationships, so I have not come to visit you. Please forgive me."
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "General Qin did the right thing. A local official should avoid suspicion. General Qin protected me because he was thinking of me."
Qin Heng smiled and did not deny it, glancing at the cloud-mist tea: "I did not expect Lord Ouyang to be so fond of old feelings, so sincere and warm."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong went straight to the point:
"To be honest, General Qin, I am the Chief Clerk and you are a general. I was embarrassed to approach you before to avoid suspicion, but I have come here today because I have encountered a difficult situation and had no choice but to meet you secretly. I hope General Qin does not think that I am seeking personal gain."
Qin Heng looked at Ouyang Rong, who was being sincere, with some surprise. Instead of feeling displeased, he felt a sense of goodwill towards him for directly stating this unspoken understanding.
"I have always kept in mind and deeply admire Chief Secretary Ouyang's dedication to the well-being of the people of Longcheng. His work in disaster relief, flood control, eliminating local tyrants, and advocating for the people has been truly admirable..."
"I believe that Chief Secretary Ouyang would not mention any petty or despicable matters, so please feel free to speak up if you have any difficulties. As long as it does not violate principles, I will do my best to help you."
Ouyang Rong nodded vigorously, his gaze intense as he asked:
"I would like to know what Governor Wang and Chief Clerk Lan from Guizhou summoned the generals of the Zhechong Prefecture to discuss today?"
Qin Heng was somewhat surprised. He glanced at Ouyang Rong's serious expression and repeatedly asked, "Is this all Chief Secretary Ouyang wants to ask?"
"Yes, it's just this one matter, not some kind of factionalism, so I'm sorry to trouble General Qin."
Ouyang Rong said frankly.
Qin Heng pondered for a moment:
"Actually, it's not that difficult, and this matter isn't exactly a military secret..."
He sighed, and with a sip of hot tea, began to recount his story...
Inside the smoke-filled room, Ouyang Rong listened intently, and after a stick of incense had burned, his expression turned somewhat surprised.
The incident originated six years ago in the western border region of Lingnan Province, where a local chieftain, a barbarian, had stirred up trouble.
Guizhou was the most important core prefecture in western Lingnan, and the imperial court immediately provided assistance.
The capital ordered all the southern provinces to send troops to aid the capital. Each province dispatched a portion of its Zhechongfu soldiers to quell the rebellion and then stationed them in Guizhou to maintain stability.
Upon receiving the order, Jiangnan Circuit initially dispatched soldiers from the fourth and fifth Zhechong Prefectures of Hongzhou, which were relatively close by, to provide assistance.
Approximately five regiments of elite soldiers.
A regiment has a staff of three hundred people.
A total of 1,500 soldiers from Hongzhou Zhechong Prefecture.
The officials of Gangnam Province initially announced a three-year term, after which the officials would be transferred back.
Three years later, affected by the Yingzhou Rebellion, the military commanders of Jiangnan Circuit issued another order from afar.
The extension will last for one more period.
They also declared that there would be no further delays.
In addition, to appease the troops, three hundred soldiers from one regiment were allowed to return to Hongzhou.
At the same time, a regiment was transferred from the neighboring Jiangzhou Third Zhechong Prefecture to fill the gap.
Subsequently, this newly recruited 300 Guizhou soldiers had no choice but to remain stationed in a remote and desolate land thousands of miles away for another three years.
With the second term nearing its end, the soldiers dispatched by Hongzhou and Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefectures have begun preparing to return home.
But Lan Changhao, the governor of Guiyang, began to make efforts.
First they came here, then went to Hongzhou, and then to Jiangzhou.
They contacted Governor Zhu of Hongzhou and Prefect Wang of Jiangzhou to discuss issuing a second order to extend the order.
Because of the recent tragedy in Guizhou, there was a need to maintain local stability, and Lan Changhao had plenty of reasons to do so.
He came with a clear conscience to discuss jointly submitting a memorial to the imperial court.
Another year's delay.
Currently, Lan Changhao has reached an agreement with Hongzhou.
Meanwhile, in Jiangzhou, the meeting at the governor's office this morning has also been largely resolved.
Commander Yang, the head of the Zhechong Prefecture, and Instructor Du both had no objections.
After all, even Hongzhou, which had the largest population, had agreed to this, so Jiangzhou, with only three hundred soldiers stationed outside, naturally had little reason to object.
Governor Wang Lengran and General Yang, the Commandant of the Vanguard, discussed it casually and then waved their hands, allowing for another year's extension.
Lan Changhao, the Prefect of Guiyang, returned home satisfied.
"General Qin seems unhappy about this matter?" Ouyang Rong suddenly asked.
Qin Heng hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself.
"The soldiers of the Third Regiment who were sent by the General's Office to replace the troops three years ago were soldiers I once commanded. Most of them are good men from Jiangzhou, and I naturally hope they can return soon."
"After all, Guizhou is a thousand miles away, located in the western part of Lingnan. I have heard that it is full of swamps and poisonous miasma. I have also served as a border guard and understand the feeling of melancholy and longing when one is deep in the night, with cold armor and gazing at the moon over one's hometown."
He paused, then suddenly tilted his head back, gulped down the tea in his cup, and roughly wiped his mouth.
"Besides, there is no joking in the army. How can we break our promise to our soldiers?"
Ouyang Rong nodded: "I see."
Qin Heng suddenly asked, "Your Excellency is a high-ranking official, the Chief Secretary, and also the governor of this prefecture. How could you be unaware of this matter? In terms of military affairs, was no one informed or discussed with you beforehand?"
Ouyang Rong smiled, his tone praising and commending:
“Our Lord Wang must have been an old bricklayer in his past life. He was very skilled and built the walls so tightly that they were airtight.”
As if recalling the rumors about the two of them in Xunyang City, Qin Heng's expression turned thoughtful.
(End of this chapter)
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