Chapter 421 Senior Brother? Sorry, we're really not familiar.
Taoist priests of the Shangqing sect?
Upon hearing the Taoist priest surnamed Lu chanting his Taoist name, a thought immediately flashed through Ouyang Rong's mind.
In the Southern Sanqing Taoist sect, Taoist priests from different mountain gates chant different Taoist names.
The Yuqing Taoist priests chant "Boundless Blessings Heavenly Venerable"; the Shangqing Taoist priests chant "Boundless Salvation Heavenly Venerable"; and the Taiqing Taoist priests chant "Boundless Merit Heavenly Venerable".
The origins of the Three Pure Ones Taoist priests can be discerned from the chanting of their Taoist names as they walk down the mountain.
"Are we really just going to wait? Master Lu, how come you haven't inherited any of Master Yuan's flexibility and adaptability?"
Li Guo'er's voice rang out, sounding like she was pouting.
Yes, it's the excellent style that Ouyang Rong is familiar with: "never reflecting on oneself and always questioning others."
Immediately afterward, Ouyang Rong heard his junior sister outside the courtyard wall chuckle softly:
"Fellow Daoist Lu is indeed patient and can keep his composure."
Ouyang Rong, who was in the courtyard, suddenly felt that the pickled radish in his mouth had no taste.
The next instant, the young man eating his rice at the stone table stood up, held the bowl of porridge level, walked to the door, and pushed open the courtyard gate.
Sitting idly by and waiting for death, or eavesdropping and making wild guesses, is not his style.
"Oh, everyone's back? Have you eaten? There's still some porridge in the pot in the kitchen. The pickled radishes are quite crunchy and go well with vegetables. Want some?"
Ouyang Rong looked surprised, greeting everyone while subtly surveying the crowd.
Not far from the door, Li Guo'er and Xie Lingjiang walked at the front, followed by a young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, carrying a peach wood sword and wearing an earth-yellow Taoist robe.
He looked like he had rushed over a long journey; his Taoist robe was covered in dust, and his hair, tied up with a Nan Hua scarf and a wooden hairpin, was greasy, clearly indicating that he hadn't bathed or washed in a long time.
The young man had a long face, was not good-looking, had droopy eyelids, and seemed to have facial paralysis. His expression was calm and still, as if he had no interest in anything.
Just now, Li Guo'er and Xie Lingjiang walked ahead and asked questions, and he followed behind, giving mechanical replies.
Ouyang Rong hadn't noticed it when he was listening in the courtyard, but now that he saw it in person, he realized that this expressionless young man carrying a peach wood sword looked just like someone being called on by a teacher in class.
"Who is this Taoist priest?"
Ouyang Rong walked out the door with a bowl of porridge in his hand, his tone as if he had just noticed the sword-wielding Taoist priest.
"Ouyang Lianghan?" Li Guo'er looked him up and down curiously. "When did you arrive?"
"What are you eating...you..." Xie Lingjiang's almond-shaped eyes widened slightly when she saw the bowl of porridge in someone's hand and the jar of pickled radishes that was vaguely open in the yard.
However, upon seeing the smiling face of that inhuman, utterly despicable senior brother, she snorted softly in the next instant, her pretty face quickly calming down as if she weren't angry at all.
Xie Lingjiang remained calm.
Ouyang Rong saw this and replied with a smile, "I just arrived a little while ago."
He glanced sideways again: "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
Xie Lingjiang remained silent, while Li Guo'er stepped aside to introduce:
"You've come at the right time. This is Yuan Yazi of the Shangqing Sect, the third disciple of the Shangqing Sect's Celestial Master Yuan. His secular surname is Lu..."
"Lu Ya," the sword-wielding, expressionless young man announced.
Ouyang Rong nodded in greeting: "Ouyang Rong, courtesy name Lianghan, just call me by my courtesy name."
Li Guo'er continued her introduction:
"Master Lu is a 'walking disciple' of Shangqing Maoshan in this generation. There are few people in Maoshan, so Master Lu's ability to become a walking disciple is a testament to his talent. He is a beloved disciple of the highly respected Master Yuan of Maoshan. The last time he came was eight years ago on New Year's Day, when he visited with Master Yuan. At that time, we were still in Longcheng."
"Master Yuan had a very close personal relationship with my father and mother. Back when my grandfather, Emperor Gao, was in power, he invited Master Yuan to the palace to perform physiognomy..."
Ouyang Rong's heart stirred slightly. This Master Yuan should be the old fortune teller that Uncle Li and Li Dalang often mentioned. He had even given a reading to Wei Zhao, who was then the Empress of Daqian, in the palace.
"Master Lu, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Ouyang Rong wanted to clasp his hands in greeting, but he was holding a bowl of porridge, which made it a bit inconvenient. So he simply tilted his head back and finished drinking the porridge, then casually clasped his hands in greeting.
Lu Ya politely clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute.
Li Guo'er seemed oblivious to Xie Lingjiang's unusual behavior and spoke up:
“My brother went out today and recognized Master Lu. He had been waiting outside for several days, so he quickly invited him in.”
“My brother has already gone to inform our father and mother, and they also want to call you. It’s good that you’ve come; it saves you the trouble of running around.”
"I see."
Ouyang Rong nodded and glanced at his junior sister: "Indeed, arriving early is not as good as arriving at the right time."
He suddenly turned his head and gestured to Lu Ya with the bowl of porridge:
"Master, would you like a bowl? Junior Sister, where is Her Highness the Princess?"
Xie Lingjiang said very politely, "My father said that when you're out and about, you shouldn't eat things that others give you or things you find on the ground."
“…” Ouyang Rong.
Li Guo'er also shook her head: "We don't need it..."
Before she could finish speaking, the young woman with plum blossom makeup noticed Lu Ya's figure passing by her.
He stepped forward without hesitation, extended his hand, and nodded: "Okay."
Ouyang Rong smiled, turned around and went to the kitchen to get two bowls of hot porridge. As he passed the stone table, he scooped up two spoonfuls of pickled radish and stirred them into the porridge... He walked out of the courtyard again and handed one bowl to Lu Ya.
The sword-wielding Taoist priest, with a stoic expression, accepted the bowl without hesitation and, like Ouyang Rong, squatted down on the steps in front of the courtyard, eating with relish.
"Master, is this porridge alright?"
"Um."
Before Li Dalang, Li Xian, and the others arrived, the Taoist priest and the scholar each took a bowl of porridge, squatted on the steps, and started chatting idly.
"Taoist Master, take a bite of the pickled radish. This is also a masterpiece. My junior sister and I have absolutely no problem with our taste."
"It smells good." Lu Ya paused for a moment, then said, "But... it smells like vegetarian food."
"Huh, you can taste that?" Ouyang Rong leaned back slightly: "But it is indeed pickled in the temple."
"Hmm." Lu Ya nodded, his tone slightly embarrassed: "I often eat monks' food."
“Good.” Ouyang Rong smiled and praised, “Me too. These bald monks have a lot of good stuff. I’m so envious. If I don’t take a bite out of them, my conscience won’t allow it.”
"That's right."
"Hey, eat up, eat up. Anyway, Her Majesty the Queen has already paid for us."
That makes sense.
The Confucian scholar and the Taoist priest exchanged a glance, seemingly recognizing each other as kindred spirits.
"..." Li Guo'er, Xie Lingjiang.
The two women stared wide-eyed at the oddly-matched, overly familiar duo, speechless.
Has Her Majesty the Queen paid?
Li Guo'er frowned, chewed for a moment, then suddenly realized what she had done, and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Are you saying that the grandmother favored Buddhism? Since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, she has bestowed many gifts upon Buddhism, which has enriched it.
Ouyang Rong and Lu Ya were enjoying their porridge and exchanging experiences on how to freeload, seemingly ignoring Xie Lingjiang and Li Guo'er who were standing nearby.
Xie Lingjiang's pretty face regained its composure. Without even glancing at the unfamiliar person who had stolen her porridge and acted improperly, she walked past them, entered the courtyard gate, and closed it with a soft "bang," as if she were going to clean up the dishes.
Li Guo'er smiled, put her hands behind her back, and returned to the courtyard to change her clothes.
Ouyang Rong, who was squatting on the steps without caring about his image, heard the door close behind him and said calmly:
"Junior Sister sometimes speaks and acts impulsively, not intentionally, but just when she's angry. Master Lu, please don't take it to heart."
Lu Yawan paused, looking at him strangely: "It's not directed at me, why are you explaining to me?"
“…” Ouyang Rong.
After a moment of awkward silence, he quickly finished the porridge in his bowl, then bid farewell to Lu Ya.
"Fellow Daoist, please continue eating. I'll go in and bring you a bowl."
Lu Ya took a sip of porridge, glanced back at the handsome young man in white fox fur who had been speaking in a tone of "my wife is making a fool of herself" the whole time, and shook his head.
Ouyang Rong pushed the door with his palm; it wasn't locked.
He entered the courtyard and saw his junior sister clearing the dishes, her face expressionless the whole time.
Ouyang Rong glanced at her and thought that his junior sister's stern and serious appearance made her frosty face exceptionally beautiful, even more so than when she usually smiled and scolded him.
He was immediately tempted.
"Who let you in? Men and women shouldn't touch each other. Didn't your father teach you that?"
Xie Lingjiang didn't turn her head and coldly told them to leave.
Ouyang Rong nodded, but his steps did not stop as he approached: "Why don't I just bring you a bowl? I can't trouble a woman like that; it's a gentleman's courtesy."
"Excuse me, no need for formalities. Please leave it on the ground by the door. No need for you to come."
The woman washing dishes with her eyes down made a strange noise:
“Prefect Ouyang is a very busy man. Millions of people in the city rely on him. Instead of drinking health tea and discussing important national affairs, why did you come here to waste time bringing me a bowl? You are really too kind to me. Please leave quickly and don’t waste any more of my time.”
"What do you mean by long history or short history?"
Ouyang Rong, disregarding whether there were people outside enjoying the commotion, walked to the kitchen doorway, leaned against the wooden door frame, and solemnly corrected them:
"I am your senior brother. To a senior brother, nothing is more important than his junior sister. Junior sister, you are not allowed to call me Chief Secretary anymore. It's too formal. People who don't know us might think we're not familiar with each other, haha."
Xie Lingjiang, with her back to him, was washing dishes at the kitchen sink, her head bowed, her tone calm:
"What senior brother? I'm sorry, we're really not that close. I have many senior and junior brothers. My father has students all over the world, not me. I don't have so many senior brothers. How could I possibly know them all? I can't possibly accept such a great favor."
Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
Xie Lingjiang initially thought he was being honest and knew he was in the wrong.
But the next second, she suddenly felt a warm breeze coming from behind her, and she felt as if she had fallen into a furnace.
Inside the kitchen, the young man in the white fox fur coat stepped forward and hugged the slender waist of the woman washing dishes in front of the sink from behind.
"You, you let me go!"
Xie Lingjiang realized what was happening, her face flushed red, and she hurriedly struggled to get up.
"I won't let go. I'm afraid if I do, you'll run away. Well, I admit I can't bear the consequences, so I won't let go. Could you please understand?"
"You, you... what kind of rogue logic is this!"
She cried out urgently, but despite being a seventh-rank book reader, she couldn't break free from the arm of a weak eighth-rank man who was holding her waist.
Xie Lingjiang suddenly turned around and glared at him angrily: "Didn't you not like to look for me? Every time I'm the one who obediently looks for you. Why are you clinging to me now? Go away, I don't need you to accompany me. Without you... I can still eat well without you."
Ouyang Rong could hear the slight sob in her voice, but he forced a firm tone and shook his head: "But I can't eat well. I've been thinking about you these past few days, and I know I can't live without you. I won't leave."
"You...you're selfish, you lecher, let go."
Xie Lingjiang didn't dare to look at him, and turned her head to slap the hand that was holding her waist hard.
Ouyang Rong said gently:
“I won’t let go. I’ve been thinking about it carefully lately. The day you let me and Pei Shisan Niang go to talk things out was already the most magnanimous thing you could do. I didn’t cherish it and instead wasted time. After we finished talking, I didn’t come back for a long time, leaving Yunshui Pavilion to deal with Da Lang’s matter, making you wait outside and feel uncomfortable… I won’t make excuses for this, and I won’t blame Da Lang. It’s all my fault. I ignored your feelings. You can scold me or hit me now, but I won’t let go. I’m afraid you’ll run away.”
The logic is sound and well-founded, gentle yet firm.
Xie Lingjiang trembled and scolded, "You..."
Ouyang Rong grabbed her hand, not minding the dirty water, wiped it on his sleeve, and then took a bundle of red cloth from his sleeve and stuffed it into her palm:
"Do you remember this? Open it and take a look."
"I don't want to see it!"
Xie Lingjiang pretended to throw it, and Ouyang Rong quickly covered the delicate hand, only to find that it seemed to be just a prank.
"Don't try to get away with it by smiling and joking. I didn't say I'd accept it."
Xie Lingjiang reluctantly stuffed the red cloth that wrapped the luminous pearl back into Ouyang Rong's hands and turned her face away.
Ouyang Rong had no choice but to hold back for the time being, and was about to speak again.
Just then, Dalang's shouts came from outside.
Once everyone had arrived, the two had no choice but to separate temporarily and each went out of the courtyard.
Half an hour later, in a certain study, Li Xian's family, Ouyang Rong, Xie Lingjiang, and the newly arrived Lu Ya gathered together to discuss matters behind closed doors.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone took their seats.
Li Xian asked in a gentle voice:
"How is Mr. Yuan doing lately? The last time I saw him, he was over 100 years old and still in good health, which was truly enviable."
Lu Ya remained silent, his face expressionless, as he took out a crumpled envelope from his robes and handed it to Li Xian.
"This is……"
Li Xian paused for a moment, took the envelope, unfolded the letter, and began to read it. As he did so, his eyes gradually widened:
Has Mr. Yuan really passed away?
“A month ago, on the day of the White Dew solar term, my master passed away in the side hall of Maoshan Yuanfu Palace. He left at sunset.”
Lu Ya nodded, his tone devoid of sadness:
"At that time, I was traveling in Huainan Road, dealing with a matter of a witch causing trouble in the backyard of a wealthy family. My master was dying and did not want to call me back. However, my uncles and elders from Longhu Mountain took it upon themselves to have a senior brother from Gezao Mountain send a message to summon me back to the mountain."
“When my master passed away, my fellow disciples from Longhu Mountain and I were all by his bedside. He passed away peacefully.”
"Did he die of old age or from illness?" Xie Lingjiang suddenly asked.
Lu Ya didn't lift his eyelids: "Master was fond of face reading and divination throughout his life. He performed spirit writing 108 times, revealing too many heavenly secrets. It can be considered... that he died of old age. Uncle-Master Chongxu was also by his bedside. He did his best."
Xie Lingjiang remained silent.
Li Dalang nodded: "At the age of one hundred, for a Maoshan Taoist priest who is dedicated to exorcising demons and protecting the righteous path, it is a happy death."
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "The concept of 'joyful funeral' is a Confucian one; the concepts of Taoism and Buddhism are naturally different."
Li Dalang was speechless.
Li Xian was in low spirits: "I am deeply regretful that the old gentleman has passed away. I am currently unable to travel to Maoshan to pay my respects."
“My master is optimistic, viewing life and death equally, and is happy to die and live well. We have followed his will to have a simple burial, so Your Highness need not be so polite.”
Lu Ya shook his head, his expression unchanged, as if he regarded matters of life and death as commonplace:
"Before my master breathed his last, he cast a divination... and then ordered me to follow the instructions of the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhu Mountain and come to Xunyang to protect the Prince and the Heir Apparent."
Li Guo'er asked, "The Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain?"
Lu Ya nodded: "Yes, news of the dangerous incident that happened at the Prince's Mansion some time ago has been sent back, and Taiqing and Yuqing are not at ease with the Prince's Mansion."
"Thank you for your trouble." Li Xian said softly, still immersed in the news of the old Celestial Master's passing, his face filled with sorrow.
The group chatted for a while longer, offering condolences to Lu Ya. Shortly after, the meeting ended, and everyone dispersed.
Xie Lingjiang went out first, her face calm, but everyone noticed that she seemed a little absent-minded today.
Ouyang Rong followed Xie Lingjiang out the door, ignoring everything else.
Li Dalang and Li Guo'er parted ways, their courtyards in opposite directions.
After saying goodbye to Li Xian, Lu Ya looked at the backs of the brother and sister, hesitated for a moment, then turned around and followed Li Guo'er.
Xie Lingjiang ignored Ouyang Rong the whole way.
Ouyang Rong followed quietly.
Aren't you annoying?
“Annoying.” Ouyang Rong nodded: “I’m annoyed myself, I can’t be the only one annoyed, I have to follow your lead.”
"You're not allowed to follow me, and you're not allowed to bother me."
"Whether I follow you or not is my freedom, whether you find it annoying or not is your freedom. The Prince's Mansion isn't your home. Even if I follow you, you don't have to..."
Xie Lingjiang interrupted, "Were you jealous just now? Did you think I didn't notice?"
"I was jealous," Ouyang Rong readily admitted.
"You even get jealous of Taoist priests with bull-nose noses?"
"Taoist priests can also get married."
"You...you have no shame! That's a Yuqing Taoist priest. What kind of marriage does a Shangqing Taoist priest have? What girl would want to marry him? Besides, what kind of person do you take me for?"
Xie Lingjiang quickened her pace and walked away in shame and indignation.
"Of course you'll be one of my people."
Ouyang Rong smiled and said to her.
Arriving at a secluded spot, he gazed at her retreating figure for a while, then his expression suddenly turned curious:
"Oh, what brings the teacher here?"
Xie Lingjiang was startled and turned around, but the next second she bumped into Ouyang Rong's arms, and their mouths "accidentally" collided—relying on the fact that Xie Lingjiang could not detect the approaching aura by hiding her wind and gathering her qi, Ouyang Rong was quick-witted and spoke up.
The beauty was immediately dumbfounded.
When dealing with a woman, no matter how angry she is, don't try to reason with her. Just hug her and give her a kiss, a big kiss to wake her up!
Ouyang Rong, a master of both theory and execution, gave himself a mental thumbs up. He felt a lingering fragrance in his mouth, as if he were holding rose petals. But the next second, his tongue stung, and he suddenly woke up, a faint taste of blood spreading between his lips and teeth.
It's a rose with thorns.
"Mmm..." Ouyang Rong's eyes widened as the beauty secretly bit him with her sharp teeth. He subconsciously prepared to lean back and get away from her lips and teeth, but Xie Lingjiang grabbed him in the blink of an eye.
Just a moment ago, the beautiful woman was flustered and confused. She reached out and hugged his head. Her autumn eyes were filled with his image. Her eyes were fierce and her teeth were fierce... Xie Lingjiang took the initiative and bit the man and wouldn't let go, as if she wanted to devour him.
Ouyang Rong: "Ugh... Ugh???"
(End of this chapter)
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