Chapter 407 The Tooth Mark on the Neck
Whether this can be considered a meeting or not, the "butterfly-tied Yue maiden" was so graceful and stunning that one could hardly grasp the hem of her dress.
Ouyang Rong, wearing a mask, stood in front of the door for a while before turning around.
“Brother, let me handle this.”
"fine."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, squatted by the well, and buried himself in washing the chamber pot.
A warm current seemed to flow subtly through the meridians of my body.
The medicinal effects of the second Rejuvenation Pill swallowed at dawn were taking effect, and the hidden wounds caused by the original snow-white sword energy were slowly healing.
But Ouyang Rong's mind wasn't on that.
Instead, it fell into a mysterious state.
I don’t know if it was just my imagination, but the spiritual energy flowing through my limbs and meridians suddenly seemed to flow faster.
It's like a camel carrying a heavy load suddenly shedding its baggage and walking with a lighter step.
This strange feeling was not unfamiliar to Ouyang Rong.
At the end of last year, as he was about to leave Longcheng to take up his post in Jiangzhou, he went to Aqing's house feeling uneasy. After answering Liu's mother's question about Yong, he felt much more at ease, and his spiritual energy flowed faster.
This is a symbol of heartfelt expression and continuous self-cultivation.
He had reached the ninth rank of perfection back then, but what about now?
The Swordholder's eighth-grade "Craftsmanship" skill was somehow partially digested this morning.
"From the initial entry into the eighth rank, to the advanced stage of minor mastery...?"
Ouyang Rong squatted by the sink, washing his hands while silently introspecting and sensing.
It must have been the sense of loss that arose from the unavoidable brush with the embroiderer that caused the bottleneck to suddenly break through.
However, it's possible that the enlightenment he gained last night regarding the craftsman's innate spiritual power, "dependent origination and emptiness," also played a part.
Ouyang Rong remained silent.
Despite making further progress in his cultivation, he didn't seem particularly happy.
As the eighth-rank swordsman, he entered the realm of craftsmanship with the true essence of a master craftsman, thus choosing the path of "craftsmanship."
Only by mastering this path can one break through this level and enter a higher realm.
First, what does it mean to "get through"?
According to Ouyang Rong's current estimation, only by summarizing the sword technique can one be considered to have mastered it and reached a significant milestone; otherwise, he will remain trapped in this state for the rest of his life, hesitating and struggling.
Secondly, what is the path of "craftsmanship"?
According to the secrets revealed by the junior sister, among the major forces on the mountain, the name of each grade is a cultivation direction summarized by predecessors.
Similarly, what is the true meaning of craftsmanship?
Craftsmanship, the work of artisans, is a mundane creation lacking spirit and distinctive features... Based on what I saw and heard in Longcheng, I concluded that craftsmanship is the creation of myths in the mortal world.
Therefore, the path of craftsmanship is also an ordinary path, or more precisely, an ordinary path leading to mythology.
It seems somewhat contradictory when you try to understand it.
Having just experienced being so close yet unable to meet, Ouyang Rong was also feeling somewhat melancholy and confused.
"Wearing masks and identities, hiding oneself, moving forward in a low-key manner, and finally reaching the other side and achieving that ultimate goal... it's like playing a role."
Ouyang Rong muttered to himself.
Just then, Aqing came over, squatted down beside him, handed him something, and whispered:
“Brother, this jade…”
Ouyang Rong said softly, "Take it. You're not a child anymore; there are some things you need to decide for yourself."
"oh."
Aqing didn't mince words; she put away the jade, lowered her head, and fell into thought.
After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Is my brother's injury caused by them...?"
Ouyang Rong turned and glanced at her.
The latter immediately fell silent.
The two understood each other and stopped talking. After cleaning the chamber pot, they went back to their room together.
Ouyang Rong neither removed his mask nor left immediately.
After returning to his room, he dutifully fed Liu's mother her medicine and then ate breakfast.
In the morning, Ouyang Rong continued to work in the Sanhui Courtyard, still disguised as Liu Ashan.
She would do housework for Aqing one minute and cook for Yunniang the next.
Thus, half a day passed.
At noon, the family ate lunch in silence again.
After the meal, Ouyang Rong and A Qing went to the water trough in the yard to wash the dishes.
Suddenly, Ouyang Rong vaguely heard a clear bell sound. Without looking up, he caught a glimpse of a white shadow flashing past on a tree that was taller than the wall outside the southeast courtyard.
A woman in a white dress with a red string and bell tied around her ankle seemed to leap down from the treetop and drift away.
I don't know when she arrived, or rather, whether she ever left at all.
It was obvious that they had been monitoring the Sanhui Academy for quite some time, and it was only after they left empty-handed that the meticulous Ouyang Rong noticed a slight sound, whereas there had been no indication of it before.
This woman's spiritual cultivation is definitely much higher than Ouyang Rong's.
It's just unknown who this white figure, whose footbells only slightly rang out when the guard was lifted and before leaving, is, and what their ranking is in the Yunmeng Sword Marsh Queen's Palace.
Inside the courtyard, by the sink, a taciturn man, his expression unchanged, continued washing dishes in silence.
He continued like this, spending another afternoon with Aqing, Liu's mother, and Yunniang.
During this time, the group of female cultivators from Wu and Yue were not seen again.
After dinner, Ouyang Rong washed the dishes again and returned to the main room. He, along with Aqing and Yunniang, coaxed Liu's mother to sleep. Only then did he stand up and, in the dimly lit room with only one lamp lit, dispel the illusory image of Liu Ashan.
Temporarily lift the alert.
Aqing and Yunniang were not afraid when they saw the ancient, blood-stained bronze mask on his face that he hadn't removed.
Seeing Ouyang Rong's actions, they roughly understood what he meant.
Yunniang glanced at her quiet aunt, then silently turned around to fetch the long wooden box that her departing husband had hidden.
Ah Qing asked in a low voice, "Is brother safe?"
"Well, we managed to get away with it. Thanks to you all, you've worked hard."
"Brother is the one who has worked the hardest."
Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Aren't you curious, Aqing, what did I do last night?"
Aqing didn't answer, but went over and stuffed the bundle containing the remaining two new undergarments into Ouyang Rong's hands. The girl brushed a stray hair from her forehead behind her ear with her little finger, and smiled sweetly in the orange candlelight:
“Brother, you look really good in this black outfit.”
Ouyang Rong was somewhat speechless. Looking at the girl's smiling face, his mood brightened a bit. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then asked the questions that were on his mind:
"When you went out this morning and called for Huanyu, did you see clearly the person standing next to that Hu woman? Wasn't there a girl with a bow tied at the back of her head? Do you remember her?"
"I remember. The bow..."
Aqing nodded:
"It's the one standing to the right of the Hu woman. She's thin and quiet, carrying a sword on her back. She's standing with her head down, looking at something. Everyone else turned around when I called out, but she didn't move. She had her back to me, so I couldn't see her face clearly. But judging from her back, she must be quite pretty..."
At this point, she glanced at her brother, who was deep in thought with his eyes down.
"Didn't you turn around..." Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.
Ah Qing suddenly said, "Brother, you know her, right? You seem to know her quite well."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but ask, "How do you know... and why do you ask that?"
Ah Qing said softly, "The bow she tied, brother taught me how to do it. Don't you remember, brother? When we first met last year, it was also at the temple, and you stayed for dinner..."
As she spoke, the pretty young girl lowered her head and silently lifted the hem of her short top, revealing the bow tie on her slender waist to the surprised Ouyang Rong.
The atmosphere was silent… Although it wasn't exactly undressing, the act of facing a man and lifting her upper garment to subtly reveal her undergarment still made Aqing, bound by the strict etiquette of the era, blush. She looked away from Ouyang Rong and spoke earnestly:
“I’ve never seen anyone else use it before, only my brother knows how, so he must have taught her, since he’s very familiar with her.”
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips, not bothering to explain. This must have been taught to him by that girl, Ye Weilai.
He was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is there anything unusual on her neck?"
Aqing paused for a moment, her face showing a gesture as if she were trying hard to recall, and then answered softly:
"There seems to be a faint red mark, but I don't know if it's a wound or a birthmark..."
Ouyang Rong fell silent in an instant.
"What's wrong, brother?" Aqing asked with concern.
Before the bed, the scholar wearing a fox-face mask shook his head and did not answer.
He really wanted to answer that it might not be a birthmark, but a tooth mark, a very deep tooth mark from being bitten.
He swallowed the words back, his mouth filled with an indescribable feeling.
In this light, Ouyang Rong's initial guess was correct. The mute embroiderer and the volunteer in the Sanhui Courtyard who took care of him under the alias Zhao were the same person. And the "deceiving people in dreams" that Ouyang Rong vaguely remembered may have actually happened, right here in this very courtyard.
I am having difficulty calming down.
A moment later, Yunniang returned carrying a sword box soaked in well water.
With a heavy heart, Ouyang Rong bid farewell, bowed his head to accept the sword box, and plunged into the pitch-black night wind outside the door.
Aqing and Yunniang watched them go in silence.
...
The following morning.
The convoy of Jiangzhou's Prefectural Governor and the Chief Secretary of Jiangzhou, which had come down to inspect the counties, arrived at Longcheng County.
Magistrate Diao and other officials from Longcheng County personally went ten miles outside the city to greet them.
Ouyang Rong appeared in the convoy as scheduled. He got out of the car with Li Dalang and Xie Lingjiang, and dealt with the welcoming luncheon hosted by the officials of Longcheng with a normal expression, as if he had just returned.
After the banquet, I learned from Magistrate Diao that several female officials from Xunyang City were investigating a case in the marketplace.
Li Dalang and Ouyang Rong showed interest and were taken over by Magistrate Diao to take a look in the afternoon.
After meeting the female officials investigating the case, Ouyang Rong subtly inquired about Rong Zhen's whereabouts.
A female official replied that the Lady Historian had gone out last night and returned in a hurry this morning. She seemed to be in a bad mood and returned to Xunyang City alone this morning without waiting for the others.
Ouyang Rong nodded without changing his expression.
The inspection tour concluded early the next morning, marking the end of the visit to Longcheng.
The group immediately boarded a boat and returned to Xunyang City.
The ship arrived at Xunyang Ferry that afternoon. Ouyang Rong thought Rong Zhen would come to "greet" them, after all, she had the responsibility of supervision. Previously, she had strictly controlled the entry and exit of people from the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
Unexpectedly, no one came at all. There was no sign of the cold, aloof young woman in palace attire. Only the officials in the Jiangzhou main hall were there to welcome her.
It seems the female officials investigating the case in Longcheng were right. Rongzhen's mood does indeed seem very bad. I wonder what important matter she is busy with or thinking about. She is too lazy to even pay attention to Ouyang Rong and Li Dalang, and is sparing her energy.
Thinking of this, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but feel a little guilty, glancing at a sword box with a lot of battle spoils in the luggage behind him.
A moment later, his expression remained unchanged.
Ouyang Rong returned to the main hall of Jiangzhou and took a stroll around.
During my absence, nothing major happened in Xunyang City; everything remained the same.
The most important thing that Jiangzhou Hall is currently preparing for is the banquet to welcome Qin Jingzhen the day after tomorrow.
A messenger from Yangzhou arrived ahead of time to deliver a message that the Grand General of the Jiangnan Road Army, appointed by His Majesty, would arrive in Xunyang City the morning after tomorrow.
Ouyang Rong, returning weary from his journey, summoned Liu Lang to inquire about his whereabouts. Finding nothing of importance to do, he then went to the Xunyang Prince's residence to report that he was safe and sound...
As evening fell, Ouyang Rong finished his business and leisurely returned to his residence in Huaiye Lane.
Ouyang Rong exchanged pleasantries with the elated Zhen Shuyuan, and brought her some local specialties that Magistrate Diao, Master Shandao, and others had given her. After a while, he made an excuse to go back to his room to rest.
Upon returning to Yinbingzhai, Ouyang Rong immediately dismissed Ye Weilai and the other maids.
He placed the zither-shaped sword case on the desk, leaned back in his chair, and quietly gazed at the empty study ahead.
He silently reviewed the events in his mind, muttering to himself:
"To be able to stand so close to Xue Zhongzhu, she doesn't seem to be an ordinary Yue woman. Could she be a titled Queen of the Queen's Palace? Her status is no less than that of the Chief Queen Xue Zhongzhu and the legendary Yue Maiden..."
"Leaving aside the reason why she disappeared and left incognito at Dagushan back then, whether it was a sect rule or not... Just this time, I not only intercepted the old swordsmith's cauldron sword, but also fought with her senior sister and accidentally disarmed her, thus seriously offending the Bo people... Why do I feel like Yunmeng Jianze and I are getting more and more at odds?"
"Do her senior sisters know me? They probably do, but they definitely don't know my identity as Dingjian or the Swordholder. If they knew my identity, Xue Zhongzhu would probably kill me with one blow. Just in case, I don't know if Xiu Niang's influence would be of any use. Forget it, Ouyang Lianghan, just don't drag her down... You're really expecting her to be in a difficult position and plead for you?"
Ouyang Rong rubbed his face hard.
"No, next time something happens, we can't shift the blame to Yunmeng Jianze. Even without mentioning Xiu Niang, doing this is still a bit unethical. Before, when we weren't familiar with each other, we could just make things up."
"As for a direct confrontation like that night, we should avoid it if possible... Ah, what a mess."
Someone sighed, pondered for a moment, and nodded to themselves:
"But speaking of which, aside from the favor I owed the embroiderer, I don't owe them anything in Yunmeng Sword Marsh. This time, I was seriously injured by that woman's sword energy. Her senior sister came over making a scene, looking like she wanted to tear me to pieces. I had no choice but to fight back. It was really an accident that I disarmed her... Let's just consider it a clean break, and we're even now..."
After a moment, he shook his head helplessly, pulled himself out of his thoughts, and turned his gaze back to the sword box on the desk.
Ouyang Rong then took out a bulging bundle and closed the door to take stock of his gains from the trip to Dragon City, including... the equipment dropped by the Little Hamster Cauldron Sword.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
