Chapter 471 Even a straight body can cast a crooked shadow.
"What are you waiting for, my love? Why aren't you coming out yet?"
"Auntie, Wanwan didn't come?"
"What is she doing here so early in the morning?"
"Okay, it's alright now."
"Hey, Tanlang, wait a minute, won't you have some black chicken soup before you go? I thought you were waiting for soup, so I specially asked Weilai to get you a bowl. Anyway, you've already waited, I was originally planning to have it delivered at noon..."
"No, I'm going to be late."
"Alright, then I'll have Wei Lai deliver it at noon."
Ouyang Rong stopped in his tracks, turned around, and reached out to ask for it, his expression unchanged.
"No need, I'll just take it over. There's a kitchen in the lobby of Jiangzhou, let them cook it... Auntie, please take a larger food container, it was a bit too hot last time and some leaked out."
"good."
Zhen Shuyuan turned and gave Ye Weilai and Banxi a few instructions, then turned back and asked curiously:
"Did Tanlang give the pot of black chicken, yam, and red date soup he made last time to Wanwan before he finished it?"
Ouyang Rong immediately became alert, shaking his head without changing his expression:
"No, it was originally meant for Wanwan, but I ran into the Prince at the Prince's residence. He's been short of supplements lately, so I asked for some and we shared it together."
No wonder.
Zhen Shuyuan glanced at Ouyang Rong again and casually said:
"I was wondering why she said she didn't know when I sent someone to ask Wanwan if it tasted good the other day, now I see..."
She paused, and before Ouyang Rong could speak, she held up a finger and instructed:
"This time you can't give it away; you have to finish it if you take it with you..."
"Okay, okay."
Ouyang Rong readily agreed, took the newly dried crimson official robe coat, put it on, and walked out the door.
After leaving the house, he immediately let out a breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and turned back speechlessly.
His aunt's check-up skills were practically maxed out; luckily, he was incredibly quick-witted and adaptable, which allowed him to outsmart her.
"Wait, Tanlang!"
At this moment, Zhen Shuyuan, who was in the hall, led her maids out the door.
"What's wrong, Auntie? Is there anything else?"
As Ouyang Rong asked curiously, a carriage that had exited through the back door passed through the alley next to it and slowly came to a stop in front of the mansion in Huaiye Lane, right in front of Ouyang Rong.
Zhen Shuyuan, clutching her handkerchief, pointed to the carriage and a somewhat unfamiliar, burly coachman inside, and smiled:
"Ache, who used to drive you around, recently lost his mother and went back to his hometown of Nanlong by boat last night. He'll probably be observing mourning for a few months."
“You’re always out and about, and you’ve recently been injured and can’t ride a horse all the time, so we need to find a reliable coachman.”
"Just the other day, some elders and respected villagers from your hometown of Nanlong who care about you gathered a group of able-bodied young men from the village and came here specifically to see if you needed any help or anything."
"I think that since we are all from the same hometown and clan, those who know us well are definitely more reliable than those who are recruited from outside the clan. Besides, when we are away from home, it is better to take care of fellow villagers. After all, there are no two Ouyangs. Don't you think so, my love?"
"The driver now, Brother Ali, was personally chosen by me. He is honest and upright, and has already started a family and had children in his hometown. His family used to live right next to our old house in Nanlong, on the same street. I know Ali's mother and wife. Their ancestors were farmers for three generations. They are a kind and honest family, with a clean and upright reputation."
"When you were admitted to Bailudong Academy, on the day you left, his family even gave you a basket of twelve free-range eggs..."
"His child is also quite old and is in school. My dear son, you are now a model of education for children in the surrounding villages of Nanlong. Every household with a little means sends their children to private schools."
“That Nanlong Private School was built with money donated by me. I mentioned it to you before, and you supported it.”
"I remember when Tanlang was studying, he had to get up early every day to go to the county. Now the private school is right next to the Nanlong Ancestral Hall, and a teacher has been hired, which makes things much more convenient for the children in the clan."
"The elders of the Nanlong clan all praised him, saying that Tanlang practiced what he preached, studied hard and made a name for himself, educating the villagers and bringing honor to his ancestors!"
"Alright, alright, Auntie has a good memory. I understand. He'll be the one. Brother Ali, right? Auntie, you should go back now; it's chilly outside."
"What a good memory! You have to remember the gifts people give you and return them during festivals. Remember how your fellow villagers and clansmen helped you, even if it was just a drop of kindness. You must keep it in mind and repay your hometown. This is the family tradition of a family that accumulates good deeds and observes etiquette... My dear, remember to drink the soup to nourish your body. I've given the food box for the soup to Ali. It's in the carriage."
"OK."
After seeing Zhen Shuyuan into the house, Ouyang Rong turned around and boarded the carriage.
"Let's go to the Jiangzhou main hall."
“Yes, sir,” the stableman Ali nodded.
This was a strong and powerful driver with a long face, wearing a short brown jacket. He wasn't afraid of the cold on this late autumn morning, even though the sun had just set.
He looks like a sturdy farmer.
After getting on the bus, Ouyang Rong casually gave a destination and then closed his eyes to rest.
They didn't go to see the groom Ali again throughout the entire trip.
When the carriage had traveled halfway through its journey, passing Xunyang Ferry Street, a street it passed every morning, the young official, who appeared to be asleep with his eyes closed, suddenly spoke:
"You just arrived yesterday, how do you know about Datang Road in Jiangzhou?"
Ali was stunned for a moment.
"Reporting to the master, the mistress chose me to be her coachman. I was afraid I wouldn't know the way, so I asked her for permission. Last night, I drove the empty carriage out and strolled around Xunyangfang. I memorized a few archways and alleys and became more familiar with the roads."
Ouyang Rong did not open his eyes:
"So you only know the roads in Xunyang Ward, right? You're not familiar with Xiushui Ward or Xingzi Ward?"
"Yes, sir. But I can learn anything."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Then let's not change our route to Xunyang Prince's Mansion, let's continue to Jiangzhou Main Hall."
"Yes, sir."
"What is your full name?"
"Dali, Ouyang Dali, call me whatever you like, Master."
"Hmm, a good name."
"Thank you for the compliment, sir."
"It's just a polite gesture."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"It's alright now."
Ouyang Rong still didn't open his eyes, seemingly sitting on a soft cushion, feeling the slight swaying of the carriage beneath him. He asked again:
"Don't you have a wife and children, and an elderly mother at home? It's better not to travel far while your parents are alive. I heard from my aunt that you seem to have some land at home, so why did you come all this way to help?"
After a moment's hesitation, the groom Ali told the truth:
"Reporting to you, sir, my son isn't as clever as you; he's a bit slow like me. Buying pens, ink, and books requires money, so I have no choice but to..."
"Understood."
Ouyang Rong nodded.
He immediately fell silent, and the car became quiet except for the sound of the wheels rolling.
After a short while, the carriage slowly came to a stop.
We arrived at the main hall of Jiangzhou.
Ouyang Rong lifted the carriage curtain, bathed in the morning light of the new day, and Long Xiu walked into the main hall of Jiangzhou. Ali prepared to drive the carriage to the stable at the back gate to feed the horses.
"master."
Ali, carrying a food box, said, "The soup that Madam asked you to bring, you forgot?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head and said softly:
"There's a bowl in the food box. Your stomach is rumbling, so you probably haven't eaten. Scoop out a bowl to drink and fill your stomach. Put the rest in the car and I'll take care of it."
"Thank you, sir, but... but Madam instructed me..."
Ouyang Rong stopped, interrupting Ali's conflicted words:
"There are two pieces of silver on the seat inside the carriage. After you feed the horse, take them and buy a thick coat. This is not Nanlong. Xunyang City is by the river and the wind is cold. Don't wear the short coat that doesn't cover your body properly anymore."
He suddenly turned around:
"besides."
The stunned coachman saw the stern and aloof Chief Secretary pat him on the shoulder:
"The affairs of the private school are managed by my aunt and the clan head, and it is not convenient for me to interfere. However, I will personally send a batch of scriptures to your child. They are the ones I used when I was studying, and they also have some annotations."
"Also, if your child needs any writing materials like pens, ink, paper, or inkstones for school, you can tell Wei Lai and ask Yin Bing Zhai to send some. If there's anything they don't understand about studying, they can also send a letter to ask. A child this age should be able to read and write letters, right?"
Yes, yes!
Ali nodded hurriedly, his face flushed, and he was at a loss for words: "Master, I...I will definitely repay you..."
"No need for repayment, well, it's good that you can keep it in your heart."
Ouyang Rong smiled, waved, and stepped through the door, leaving behind a single sentence:
"By the way, Dali, don't call me 'Master' anymore, just call me 'Tanlang'."
"And... from now on, you'll listen to everything I say, but not everything Madam says, understand, Ali?"
"I understand, I understand!"
Ouyang Rong glanced at the chicken soup jar in Ali's hand, then walked into the Jiangzhou main hall.
He walked along the corridor, greeting his colleagues and subordinates as he passed by, and silently looked inward before entering the main hall.
Upon entering the Pagoda of Merit, I first glanced at the cyan-gold characters above the small wooden fish.
In the short time it took to ride in a carriage, I gained almost two hundred merit points.
Ouyang Rong let out a long breath.
Although the position of the accompanying groom is small, it is very important because it is necessary to know his general itinerary. Therefore, it must be guarded against and must be done by someone from one's own faction.
Although Zhen Shuyuan had already investigated Ali's family background and knew him well, and in this era, people from the same clan or family had a relatively deep and reliable relationship.
However, Ouyang Rong also needs to verify it once, and not only today's test, but in the days to come, he will have to be careful and conduct several more tests...
As Ouyang Rong stepped into the main hall after leaving the Merit Pagoda, a beautiful figure in red came into view.
Unexpected.
Xie Lingjiang was sitting in his seat, looking down and curiously flipping through a book.
"Junior Sister, I thought you slept in. I couldn't find you this morning. What are you doing here?" Ouyang Rong asked in surprise.
“It’s obvious they’re waiting for you,” Xie Lingjiang said calmly, without looking up.
"You came alone. How did you get in? You don't have a pass from the Jiangzhou main hall."
Xie Lingjiang closed the book, lifted her ponytail, and smiled:
"I ran into Liulang, and he brought me in."
Ouyang Rong chuckled. He had thought his junior sister was sleeping in late at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion or Jingyi Pavilion. Plus, the new groom Ali didn't know the way to the water repair shop, so he hadn't gone to call her. But he didn't expect that his junior sister had already come by herself.
"Okay, wait for me. I'll go find someone to register you so it'll be easier for you to come and go. You can't always freeload off other people."
"Do I need to register? What kind of identity do I need?" she asked.
"Of course, it's a private advisor."
Ouyang Rong coughed, and without waiting for his junior sister's reply, he turned and left.
As soon as he stepped out of the gate, he had only taken a few steps down the corridor when he bumped into a cold, aloof girl in palace attire.
Ouyang Rong frowned at first, then realized that he didn't seem to have anything to be ashamed of.
It's not like the gossip and rumors Yan Liulang said, so why is he panicking?
A person with a straight body has nothing to fear from a crooked shadow.
Ouyang Rong walked forward as if nothing had happened.
This time, Rong Zhen didn't need to call out at the lobby entrance; the two met directly in the corridor.
“Ouyang Lianghan”.
"Good morning, Lady Rong. What are your instructions for today?" Ouyang Rong asked in a businesslike manner, her face stern.
The main focus is on a quick and decisive victory.
Rongzhen suddenly asked, "Have you eaten?"
"ah?"
This unconventional opening line left him momentarily stunned.
Shouldn't such casual conversation be asked by a colleague like Yuan Huaimin, who's just slacking off? How could it possibly come out of the mouth of this dignified and aloof lady-in-waiting?
"Ouyang Lianghan, what are you daydreaming about again?"
Rong Zhen shook her head, and without waiting for Ouyang Rong's reaction, she took out a wad of oiled paper from her sleeve, handed it over, and lowered her eyelashes slightly, saying:
“I heard your stomach rumbling. Here, I saw a pancake stall on the street and bought one because I was hungry. I remembered that you used to eat them often. I was too lazy to get change, so I asked the stall owner to pack an extra one. Hmm, you gave me some blood-nourishing chicken soup before, so this is a way of returning the favor. But Ouyang Lianghan, don’t flatter yourself.”
While Ouyang Rong was still in a daze, Rong Zhen casually stuffed the oil paper package containing the sesame cakes into his hand.
Their fingers accidentally touched.
Rong Zhen withdrew his hand as if unaware, and Ouyang Rong's expression changed slightly.
I don't know if the pancake was too hot, or if Rongzhen's fingers were pricking someone.
He shuddered and subconsciously turned to look at the faintly visible red figure in the main hall.
The junior sister was sitting in his seat, curiously browsing the official documents he had written, seemingly unaware of what was happening here.
"Ouyang Lianghan, what are you looking at?"
Rong Zhen was curious and followed his gaze to look behind him, but was quickly blocked by Ouyang Rong, who turned around.
He waved his hand, trying to maintain a smile:
"No, it's nothing! Wait, let's talk outside..."
"Why is that? Can't we do it here? It's not a private matter."
“It’s definitely not a personal matter, but… but it’s not convenient to eat here. Why don’t you put the biscuit away? Actually, I’m not hungry. I don’t like eating before work because I tend to get sleepy in the morning. Why don’t you eat it yourself? Then we can talk about work here.”
"You've touched the cake, so I won't eat it. But you can throw it away, or I can help you throw it away."
Rong Zhen's face was tense as she spoke in a serious and methodical manner.
"You've already said that, what else can I do?" Ouyang Rong sighed helplessly. He suddenly felt the sesame seed cake in his hand was burning hot, like a hot iron. If he held it any longer, it would peel off his skin.
Before Rong Zhen's friendly gaze could turn icy, Ouyang Rong immediately made a decisive statement:
"Eat, of course we'll eat. We can't be rude to others' kindness. Thank you, Lady Rong. But... eating here is easy to be seen. We are, after all, the superiors, and we should set an example... How about this, let's go outside to eat. See that side path over there that leads to the back gate stables? There aren't many people there, perfect for us to sneak a bite. Let's go."
Rongzhen nodded: "That makes sense. You have more experience in this area."
“…” Ouyang Rong.
(End of this chapter)
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