Chapter 430 There are bad people among the common people
"Is Madam Pei really from Yangzhou? She seems to know everything about Xunyang, and she knows my itinerary perfectly."
Ouyang Rong smiled and praised him.
Pei Shisan Niang's eyes showed a hint of embarrassment, which she concealed with a smile:
"Not at all, not at all. I am not an expert, nor do I have any knowledge of routes. I would never dare to do such a thing as following someone."
"However, the Chief Secretary's dashing figure can be seen from afar, standing out like the bright moon in the night sky amidst the traffic and crowds, making it difficult for us and the common people to ignore him."
At a street corner not far from the main hall of Jiangzhou, Ouyang Rong rode back from Hanlei Mozhai. As he turned the corner, he encountered Pei Shisan Niang's carriage, which was waiting for him. Pei Shisan Niang had been waiting for a long time with a smile, so Ouyang Rong pouted and teased her a few times. Pei Shisan Niang quickly denied it.
"Speak, what is it? I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. If it's still about what we discussed at Yunshui Pavilion last time, then forget it. Let's not waste each other's time. Madam Pei must be very busy with her business."
Ouyang Rong shook his head.
Pei Shisanniang apologized and smiled:
"The Chief Secretary is truly witty and humorous. Last time, on the second floor of Yunshui Pavilion, I listened to a bit of your teaching amidst your busy schedule, and I benefited greatly, as if enlightened by a sudden awakening."
"I have noted down what the Chief Secretary said. After returning home, I thought about it carefully, carefully considering the wording, and I have gained some insights. Now, I have some new ideas and plans..."
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and touched the side of Dongmei's face as she ate the roadside grass, calmly counting: "Half an incense stick's worth."
Pei Shisan Niang immediately stopped talking, pursed her red lips, and then extended an invitation:
"I have another matter to discuss with you today. I have been asked to invite you to a luncheon."
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "The luncheon is unnecessary; I won't bother you..."
"It was the family of the young lady who helped Lord Changshi and the Xie family yesterday. They wanted to express their gratitude properly."
Ouyang Rong paused, his dark eyes glancing sideways at the elegant lady in a shawl who was smiling gently with her head tilted back on the ground.
"Oh." He nodded.
With just one syllable, Pei Shisan Niang heard two different tones, the latter cold.
"Your Excellency has misunderstood."
Her tone was helpless, and without any concern for getting dirty, she took the loose rein that was dangling from Ouyang Rong's hand. Her voice was so soft that it even had a hint of coquetry:
"When I returned from admiring the autumn leaves yesterday, I happened to pass by and discovered this story of how the Chief Secretary loves his people like his own children. After the Chief Secretary and the noble lady of the Xie family bought the red leaves, the young lady looked lost and sad. I noticed that she had a wound on her hand and couldn't bear it, so I had someone help her bandage the wound."
"But the young lady is kind-hearted and reluctant to part with her benefactor. She wants to express her gratitude and repay the kindness. Even when she was injured, she kept muttering about it... Ah, my heart softened, so I decided to go with the flow and help her. That's why I'm planning to set up a banquet in Xunyang City to invite her benefactor on her behalf."
The noblewoman, her well-maintained round face upturned, looked longingly at the pursed-lipped young man on horseback and said with a wronged expression:
"But to be honest, Chief Secretary, I do have my own ulterior motives for doing this. I also want to take this opportunity to see you more often and strengthen our relationship..."
"However, please rest assured, Chief Secretary, what I mean by enhancing our relationship is a proper friendship, a close bond between officials and the people, and absolutely nothing improper."
"Since that incident at Xunyang Tower, I have deeply reflected on my actions and sincerely repented. I will never do such messy things again. There will be no more shameless young ladies at this luncheon. Everything will be done openly and honestly."
"Moreover... hey, with the Xie family's noble lady around, I wouldn't dare even if I had eight hundred lives. If that Madam Xie from Yangzhou found out, she would tear me apart."
"Therefore, I hope that the Chief Secretary and the noble lady of the Xie family will give me a chance, which can also be considered as a chance for that little girl named Huang Xuan and her father who wants to offer a toast to express their gratitude."
An incense stick's time had passed, and Ouyang Rong remained seated on horseback, his eyes fixed on Pei Shisan Niang for a while.
The latter, after being stared at for a while, began to chuckle awkwardly.
Aside from the fact that one shouldn't hit a smiling face, if it weren't for the favor that Pei Shisan Niang and Wang Caozhi did for him at his junior sister's birthday banquet by raising the price together, Ouyang Rong wouldn't really want to pay attention to her. What's the point of talking to a merchant who reeks of money?
In the quiet atmosphere, as sweat trickled down Pei Shisan Niang's neck and tension grew, Ouyang Rong finally spoke softly:
"Only this once."
"After we finish our shift, at 1:45 noon, Wanwan and I will meet at Xunyang Tower. Let's stop with all that messy stuff. Keep it simple. We'll just have a meal and chat, understand?"
"I understand, I understand."
Pei Shisan Niang breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a bright smile: "I will definitely make proper arrangements to welcome the Chief Secretary and the noble lady of the Xie family."
Ouyang Rong turned to leave, but Pei Shisan Niang added:
"By the way, Chief Secretary, seeing your generosity yesterday, my companions and I were deeply moved and decided to offer something as a donation..."
His tone was somewhat ingratiating.
Ouyang Rong waved his hand:
"This is your own business and has nothing to do with me. I support spontaneous civilian organizations in principle, as long as they follow the proper channels. Just remember to register at the Jiangzhou Hall yourself."
"Very well, very well. We will be at Xunyang Tower at noon to welcome Lord Chief Secretary and Miss Xie."
Pei Shisan Niang watched him leave with a smile, and Ouyang Rong walked into the Jiangzhou main hall without looking back.
After the person left, the noblewoman's smile gradually faded slightly. She turned around, climbed back into the carriage, and gave an order:
"Return to Xunyang Tower."
Judging from his tone, he seemed to be in a good mood.
When the carriage arrived at Xunyang Tower, Pei Shisan Niang gracefully alighted and was immediately surrounded by a group of merchants in fine clothes, who warmly welcomed her.
They were all wealthy businessmen from the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce.
"President Pei, how is things going with the Chief Secretary?" a wealthy merchant asked expectantly.
Pei Shisan Niang smiled slightly. The noblewoman who had recently fawned over a young man of about twenty stood on the rosewood stool where she had stood on tiptoe after getting off the carriage, and glanced indifferently at her companions:
"The Chief Secretary said he would arrive precisely at noon."
The wealthy merchants all showed their delight and began to flatter him.
"Madam Pei is truly remarkable; she managed to invite that esteemed person."
"President Pei, you've worked hard."
Pei Shisan Niang waved her hand, leaving behind the words: "Just perform well today, and don't say anything you shouldn't. I'll speak for you..."
Yes, yes, yes.
Amidst a flurry of compliments, Pei Shisan Niang entered the building with practiced ease.
Along the way, the surroundings were bustling with people.
Today, Xunyang Tower is unusually crowded with visitors, and even the owner is at the door to greet the distinguished guests.
Looking around, one would find that there were wealthy merchants from Jiangzhou, famous scholars and gentry, as well as scholars with official titles... all invited to Xunyang Tower, as if to attend a grand luncheon.
This is hardly a simple affair; it's clearly a grand feast.
Pei Shisan Niang calmly went upstairs, asking the maid beside her on the way:
"The father and daughter have arrived?"
"In the Narcissus cabin."
The maid's expression suggested she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Pei Shisan Niang glanced at her and said, "Speak quickly if you have something to say."
"They didn't stay in the big house that Madam gave them last night; they stayed in the same small courtyard."
"Heh." Pei Shisan Niang chuckled softly.
The little girl is quite vigilant.
She shook her head, unconcerned.
The die is cast. Now that everyone has been invited and the opportunity has been successfully seized, the father and daughter are no longer of much use. However, before the toasts are made in public, it is still necessary to keep them calm and make them cooperate obediently.
To be honest, she had no intention of harming the father and daughter. She had indeed given away the house without asking for it back, and she was too lazy to ask for it back.
Pei Shisan Niang suddenly felt that she truly deserved the title of a great philanthropist.
Therefore, this luncheon with the Chief Secretary can be considered a win-win-win situation. It is beneficial to everyone present. Even if the Chief Secretary comes, there is no reason to blame her or be annoyed that she invited so many people.
She can just offer a toast and apologize later. Besides, so many people came spontaneously because of her reputation, so it wasn't really her treat...
Pei Shisan Niang nodded and turned to look at the bustling scene downstairs, where distinguished guests had come to show their support upon hearing of the Chief Secretary's name.
This is the power of the Chief Clerk of Jiangzhou. Right now in Xunyang City, who doesn't know that even the governor's words may not carry as much weight as those of the Chief Clerk, who has the trust of the King of Xunyang?
As long as she could get the Chief Secretary to come, that would be fine. She had already thought of all the explanations and excuses to make sure the Chief Secretary wouldn't get so angry that he stormed off. Pei Shisan Niang would know how to strike the right balance.
This is actually an advantage of women who are good at social maneuvering; they are well-suited for such occasions, acting as a lubricant and giving men the opportunity to discuss "important matters."
"We didn't do anything messy, it was just a meal, and there were a lot of people..." she muttered to herself. "Since the Chief Secretary doesn't like beautiful women and jewels, surely he likes a good reputation? Wealth, beauty, and fame, he must love one of them, right?"
A moment later, Pei Shisan Niang entered the Narcissus private room and gently comforted the Huang family father and daughter.
"Madam Pei, is it really just a toast?"
"right."
"Aren't there just a few of us? What's with all those people outside?"
"I don't know, maybe it's someone else hosting a banquet."
"Will a distinguished person really come?"
"Of course, I am acquainted with Your Excellency, and they have already agreed to come over at noon. When they arrive, we will discuss some matters first, and then someone will call you out. You can go out and offer a toast to thank the Chief Secretary for his help. Just say whatever you need to say."
"oh……"
"Why is Xiaoxuan carrying an inkstone?"
"Newly bought."
"Oh, I thought you were going to give something to the Chief Secretary. Actually, you don't need to give anything. The Chief Secretary lacks nothing. You might as well not give anything. The sentiment is enough. Sincerity and honesty are the right way to treat important people. Do you understand?"
"Understood, it's not a gift for a distinguished guest."
"That's good, he's a promising young man."
Pei Shisan Niang chatted casually with Huang Xuan in the private room.
What she didn't know was that in the lobby downstairs, there was a young man in a Taoist robe with a blank expression. Ever since Huang Xuan and her father arrived at the building, he had been sitting at a table in the corner of the lobby, drinking tea and listening to music. He had been drinking tea for almost two hours.
It's like spending a whole morning on a cup of tea, barely breaking even, and never paying a single extra penny.
If it weren't for the owner's constant emphasis on manners and politeness, and the prohibition against driving away any paying customers, the waiter in charge of this area of tables on the first floor would have really wanted to kick this poor, slovenly, expressionless old man out.
Just as noon was approaching and the luncheon at Xunyang Tower was about to begin, the waiter finally got an excuse to clear the hall. He turned around, grabbed a menu, and ran over excitedly, ready to chase people away. But when he returned and saw it, his expression froze instantly.
The figure of the expressionless young man in the Taoist robe had vanished without a trace.
Looking around at the empty seats, I couldn't help but mutter:
"You've got some sense... Hey, why don't you just swallow the tea leaves too? Ugh, so shameless."
The teacup on the table was completely empty, with only a few chewed tea leaves remaining. The tea shop waiter picked it up with a look of disgust.
The action was swift, because today, the wealthiest group of Yangzhou merchants in Xunyang City were going to host a banquet for the renowned Prefect of Jiangzhou. Apparently, it was a charity banquet, as the Yangzhou merchants had been impressed by the Prefect's personal charm and earnest teachings and decided to donate money to the poor people of Xingzifang to specifically address their dire living conditions.
Although the waiter didn't understand why these stingy merchants had suddenly become so enlightened and made such a generous donation, it didn't stop him from earning a small tip today. Even a single drop of oil from these wealthy merchants would be enough to feed an ordinary family for half a year.
News of the charity luncheon seems to have spread throughout the west of the city, and distinguished guests are flocking to the event. Today, the lobby will be cleared out to set up tables and fill the seats for the guests.
The waiter quickly put the idea of freeloading out of his mind and sped up his work, not daring to slack off on the important guests who were about to arrive...
After finishing his official business for the morning, Ouyang Rong went straight to the back door of the Jiangzhou main hall.
A carriage from the Xunyang Prince's Mansion was quietly parked at the entrance, seemingly having been waiting for a long time.
Having just arranged a lunch banquet with Pei Shisan Niang that morning, Ouyang Rong immediately sent someone to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion to inform his junior sister and invite her to come over for the gathering.
Ouyang Rong boarded the carriage and saw his junior sister sitting by the window with a familiar bamboo basket on her lap containing poems, red leaves, and a folding fan.
Before he got into the car, she seemed to be looking down at the poems on the red leaves, the autumn sun shining on her flawless profile, giving her a sense of tranquility.
"Senior Brother."
"Have you been waiting long? Didn't the messenger tell you to come later?"
"It's nothing, I came early on my own, and I happened to be free this morning."
"oh."
The two chatted for a while, and then the carriage slowly started moving, heading towards Xunyang Tower on the riverbank.
They all traveled light to the banquet.
Ouyang Rong wore a felt hat, and had changed out of the scarlet official robes he wore in the morning. He dressed the same as yesterday, keeping everything simple.
On the moving carriage, he explained the matter of the morning banquet to Xie Lingjiang, who didn't mind and let him make the arrangements.
Just as the carriage approached a street not far from Xunyang Tower, it suddenly braked. The coachman spoke up, and the carriage seemed to have been stopped. Ouyang Rong frowned, lifted the curtain, and looked outside.
"What happened... Fellow Daoist Lu?"
Lu Ya boarded the carriage without changing his expression and sat down unceremoniously in front of Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang. Suddenly, he asked a question that surprised the two of them:
"Young Master Ouyang, Fellow Daoist Xie, what is the background of Pei Shisan Niang, who invited you to lunch, and what kind of business does she run?"
Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow.
(End of this chapter)
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