Chapter 505 A Word That Will Shock and Shock
"Is something troubling you, my love?"
At Yinbingzhai, autumn insects chirped outside the window at dawn.
In front of the bronze mirror in the master bedroom, Ouyang Rong sat quietly with his knees supporting him, letting Ye Weilai behind him help him tie his hair and put on a crown. At this moment, she suddenly asked.
Ouyang Rong looked up and saw the worried and concerned expression on the girl's somewhat blurry face in the bronze mirror.
He didn't speak.
Ye Weilai reached out from behind.
She gently rubbed his handsome, arched eyebrows, which had been slightly furrowed since he returned last night, with her two slender fingers together.
"My lord, there's no need to say anything. I won't ask anymore."
After gently rubbing it for a while, Ye Weilai lowered her head slightly and gently shook her little white head:
“Tanlang said before that he would not bring official business home unless it involved me, like last time… I was just meddling again, please don’t be angry, Tanlang. I just felt sorry for you.”
Ouyang Rong looked at the mirror in front of him, then reached out and grabbed the silver-haired girl's ten slender fingers that were tucked together on his shoulder.
Ye Weilai was rather short, only about half a head taller than Ouyang Rong, who was sitting down.
Ouyang Rong turned around, clasped his large hands together, and rubbed her slightly cold, delicate hands.
The autumn morning was a bit chilly. He breathed on his palms, and the warm mist instantly warmed the heart and eyes of the person holding his delicate hands.
"It'll be in the next couple of days. After we see off the inspectors from Luoyang, we can rest for a while. Then I'll take you and Junior Sister out of the city for a trip and see if we can revisit Dragon City to relax."
Ye Weilai was suddenly overjoyed:
“Alright, Nu’er will wait for her beloved! Let’s go back to the Plum Deer Garden. Nu’er misses the swing in the yard and the grapevines in the southeast corner…”
After finishing her hair and makeup, Ye Weilai was about to go out to fetch hot water when Ouyang Rong suddenly asked:
"Where's the little one?"
Ye Wei glanced at a wardrobe with her blue eyes and twitched her nose in acknowledgment.
After she left, Ouyang Rong took an ink stick from the desk, walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and peered inside.
"Hey, wake up! If you keep sleeping, the sun will be shining on your butt."
"Buttocks? What buttocks?"
Wearing only a small undergarment and panties, Miao Si groggily sat up, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and looked around.
The next instant, she looked down at her clothes, crossed her arms, and her face flushed bright red.
Before Ouyang Rong could speak, the cabinet door slammed shut with a loud bang.
"Ouyang Lianghan! You are the most despicable and shameless person, without exception!"
Ouyang Rong pouted: "Who knew you liked to sleep naked?"
"You're the one who's naked! This fairy isn't!"
"That's right, you said you didn't see anything, so you didn't see anything, it wasn't like you were exposing yourself, why are you making such a fuss? Besides, even if we accidentally bumped into each other, I'd be the one who loses out, since I'm only about eighteen, while you're a hundred and eighty..."
"You still dare to talk!"
A moment later, after a flurry of noise inside the wardrobe, the door finally opened again.
Before anyone could see inside clearly, a golden alms bowl flew out of the darkness inside the wardrobe and flew straight at someone's face.
Ouyang Rong held his hand in front of his handsome face and steadily caught the golden bowl that was thrown from the sky as a sneak attack, as if he had expected it.
Miao Si crossed her arms and glared at him angrily.
Ouyang Rong asked, "I heard that you plucked all the feathers off the geese that Junior Sister's family raised, and gave them random nicknames, including some of mine."
Miao Si stood proudly with his arms crossed, while Dao Guan looked around with his small head darting about, not wanting to speak.
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, then frowned and asked:
“In the past few days, people from the Imperial Observatory have repeatedly gone to the ruins of Huang Xuan’s old residence to investigate clues. Yesterday, someone even went to Yuan Huaimin, the prefectural magistrate who also lives in Xingzifang, to ask him for a piece of calligraphy. What do you think of this matter?”
Miaosi puffed out her cheeks and kept humming without saying a word.
"Here." Ouyang Rong handed her the Hanlei Inkstone, which her eyes had been glancing around, to her side. He nodded, offering her a way out:
"Please have breakfast, my lady. Hmm, you are very generous."
"No, I am a villain."
"Yes, it is indeed quite small." He nodded in agreement.
"Ouyang Lianghan, say that again!"
Miao Si spoke loudly, his eyes bulging with anger.
Ouyang Rong blinked: "But although he's small in stature, he has a big heart. He can hold a whole boatload of inkstones in his belly. Don't you think so?"
Miao Si tilted her head, squinted at his face, and after observing him for a while, her anger subsided slightly.
She looked disgusted and pushed him away several times before finally reluctantly hugging the Hanlei inkstone he insisted on giving her.
"Hmph, next time you need two. One isn't enough for breakfast, not enough at all. Xie is so generous. I won't pluck the tuft of feathers from her goose next time."
The young woman in Confucian robes, with her braids practically sticking up to the sky, spoke with unbridled arrogance.
Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly.
"From this perspective, the people from the Imperial Observatory are still looking for your literary talent. Speaking of which, that Sima surnamed Yuan is indeed a man of profound literary talent. If it weren't for you, who is even more hidden, I would have almost thought he was the most talented person in Jiangzhou."
He recounted his brilliant ideas with great familiarity:
"That day in the courtyard of Huang Xuan's old house, you killed a person with a poem and a red leaf, and even I have to admit that you were just like a celestial being banished from heaven. With such mastery of both poetry and swordsmanship, it's no wonder they have doubts about this and that. Yuan Sima was also an innocent victim."
Ouyang Rong frowned and asked:
"So, there shouldn't be any calligraphy works in Xunyang City that involve my literary style anymore, right? The oil-paper umbrella I gave to my junior sister has already been destroyed by you, and the red leaves from that day have all been used up... Could you help me fill in the gaps?"
Miao Si nodded her little head:
"It's all gone, completely gone, but Ouyang Lianghan, you have to be careful. You're a man of great ambition, not only prone to speaking out against injustice, but also too poetic and talented. Who knows, one day you might not be able to resist a burst of poetic inspiration, write something, leave evidence, and get caught red-handed, hmph."
"No, I'm not you, I keep my mouth shut."
"That's not necessarily true. It has nothing to do with whether your mouth is sealed or not. Hmph, I've seen plenty of young lackeys like you."
Ouyang Rong pointed to his serious face: "You've seen plenty of handsome men like this? No wonder you're a female immortal."
"Pah! Shameless!"
Miao Si spat, tapped her chin with her index finger, tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said:
"It's no use that you keep your mouth shut and never reveal your literary talent. Right now, it's only because your reputation doesn't involve your talent in poetry, and because you've managed to fool that debt-ridden fairy, that the Qi cultivators from the Imperial Observatory are already looking for you like they're looking for that Yuan Sima."
"But you have to be prepared. What if, after all this, the debt-ridden Fairy and the others come to you asking for your calligraphy? How will you handle that? You can't just say you can't write any poetry or songs, can you? Even if you just write a doggerel that rhymes, it will still lack literary quality."
Ouyang Rong sighed and said, "That's what I'm worried about. Although I just explained that Wei Lai knows the Yue Nu Sword Technique, I can't guarantee that Rong Zhen won't ask me for the calligraphy again someday. Given our current relationship, it's hard to refuse. If I hesitate for even a moment, it will easily arouse suspicion."
He paused, then asked seriously, "Didn't you say before that you had a way to help me cover it up?"
"It's not about covering it up, but about using other people's cultural knowledge as a smokescreen."
Miao Si corrected.
"What's the meaning?"
Ouyang Rong was curious.
Miao Si waved his hand:
"I'm too lazy to explain, you'll find out when the time comes."
After saying that, she counted on her fingers and bargained:
"Alright then, from now on, this fairy will reluctantly go out with you to prevent you from losing your literary talent."
"Well... you're definitely doing this for our great friendship, so you won't ask me for any reward, right?"
"Great my ass, full of nonsense. Can friendship feed you? Give me the inkstone."
With a shrug, she declared she loved no one.
Ouyang Rong, embarrassed by his lack of money, said, "What am I going to do if I don't have enough ink sticks? You know how low the salaries are for civil servants in the Great Zhou Dynasty... local officials. And I'm from a wealthy family, so supporting my family is a bit of a struggle."
"But we need to be clear about the accounts." She said sternly, "You're not trying to get something for nothing, are you?"
"No freeloading, I'll lend it to you." He nodded vigorously.
"You deserve to die. You need to write an IOU, sign it, and put your fingerprint on it!"
Miao Si's little face was full of vigilance:
"But don't be like that old bastard from hundreds of years ago, who had money to buy wine but no money to pay his debts, and kept owing me this fairy maiden. Just thinking about it makes me angry. He really went too far in bullying this female immortal!"
Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow. Before he could ask any more questions, Miao Si jumped down from the wardrobe, crawled into his sleeve, and shouted.
"Wuhu, let's go!"
The hem of his crimson official robe brushed against the dew on the grass in the courtyard. Ouyang Rong went out and met up with Ali.
A short while later, they left the mansion in Huaiye Lane by carriage.
Instead of immediately going to the Jiangzhou Hall to take his duty, he turned around and ordered Ali to drive to the Supervisory Commission.
Ouyang Rong got out of the car at the entrance of the Supervisory Commission, but did not go inside. Instead, he turned and walked towards the breakfast stall outside the Supervisory Commission.
Sure enough, I saw a cold, elegantly dressed girl quietly eating breakfast at the stall.
Ouyang Rong asked directly, "Lady Rong, do you have any conflicts with Lin Cheng? Or is there competition between you within the Imperial Observatory?"
Rong Zhen frowned, put down the bowl of porridge, and said, "No, at least I didn't notice anything. What's wrong?"
Ouyang Rong then asked, "Isn't he also a sixth-rank official? Is he trying to take your place and seize your current position overseeing the construction of the Great Buddha in Jiangzhou?"
Rong Zhen shook her head: "He doesn't have the guts to snatch it. Wait, Ouyang Lianghan, did you hear something from someone else?"
She looked at him with suspicion.
Ouyang Rong remained silent, waved his hand to refuse the familiar proprietress's inquiry, got up and left. Before leaving, he calmly uttered a sentence:
"Be careful of Lin Cheng. I always feel that his behavior and words are a bit strange."
Rongzhen frowned, watching the tall, slender figure of the young, twenty-year-old chief secretary depart...
Ouyang Rong arrived at the main hall of Jiangzhou and ran into his junior sister.
Xie Lingjiang sat at his desk in the main hall, resting his chin on his hand, staring longingly at the doorway.
"Senior Brother, why are you so late!"
Upon seeing Ouyang Rong enter, Xie Lingjiang immediately stepped forward and grabbed his arm.
Without waiting for Ouyang Rong to explain, Xie Lingjiang leaned close to his ear and whispered:
"Last night, my sister Guo'er and I subtly inquired about it, and it turns out that no members of the Qin family have come to Xunyang City recently. At least, Miss Qin is absolutely unaware of it. As for Old Master Qin... according to Miss Qin, he hasn't taken a concubine or remarried for many years. Since Miss Qin's grandmother passed away, the gluttonous Old Master Qin has regularly observed a vegetarian diet and chanted Buddhist prayers on the anniversary of her death every year. For many years, he has remained unmarried, living a solitary life..."
After listening to Xie Lingjiang's story with furrowed brows, Ouyang Rong was about to speak when a report from the doorway interrupted him.
"Your Excellency, Envoy Hu and Lin Lingtai have arrived! They are waiting for you over in the council hall with tea."
Outside the door, Yan Liulang clasped his hands and reported.
Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang exchanged a glance, exchanged a few words, and then turned and went out to the council hall with Yan Liulang.
Inside the council chamber.
As soon as Ouyang Rong entered, he noticed that Hu Fu and Lin Cheng were dressed in formal official robes, and there were also many palace servants from Luoyang standing at the entrance of the council hall.
Everyone must have realized the importance of this morning's communication and conversation, hence the gathering.
"Good morning, Envoy Hu and Lin Lingtai."
Ouyang Rong warmly poured tea and greeted him.
"I apologize for disturbing Chief Secretary Ouyang."
Hu Fu accepted the teacup, and the group chatted and laughed.
Ouyang Rong had just sat down and hadn't even drunk his tea for a short while when Lin Cheng suddenly put down his teacup and said:
"Prefect Ouyang, the Donglin Buddha is still very good overall, but I have been wandering around for many days and have a small suggestion. I don't know if I should say it."
Ouyang Rong, sitting upright, reached for his teacup and, as if listening intently, said:
“Of course I should speak, Mr. Lin Lingtai, please speak.”
Lin Cheng smiled, his words sure to be startling:
"Could Chief Secretary Ouyang please change the location of the Donglin Buddha?"
Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged, and his movements did not stop. He lowered his head, blew on the teacup, took a sip, and then slowly put it down.
He looked up, his face showing a patient expression as he asked for guidance:
"Where does Lin Lingtai Lang want to move to?"
Lin Cheng's expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice as he slowly offered his advice:
"Why don't we rebuild one in Xingzifang? It'll be much less troublesome than Xunyang Grottoes. After all, it's closest to Xunyang Ferry, and we can start construction on-site within the city. Let's take advantage of the winter to speed up the work and stop being lazy and taking a break. Xunyang Grottoes is in the middle of nowhere, and it's really difficult to start construction in winter, but it's different in the city. It's much more convenient, and we can make the most of the time..."
"I've done the math these past few days. If we start now, there's still time. As long as it's not as complicated as the Xunyang Grottoes, the construction period will definitely be on time... And most importantly, without the cumbersome supporting constructions of the Xunyang Grottoes, simply erecting a headless Buddha statue made of bronze and iron in Xingzifang will significantly reduce costs. It might even be less than the subsequent investment in the Xunyang Grottoes."
The hall gradually fell silent, with only the voice of a certain Xia Guanlingtai Lang, who was bowing with his hands clasped, speaking eloquently.
"Prefect Ouyang, I greatly admire your ingenious plan for the Xunyang Grottoes, a truly brilliant idea. However, you must not forget that the primary mission of the Jiangzhou Grand Hall is the construction of the statues, not flood control or city expansion. These are secondary. As long as the statues can be completed on schedule, avoiding the so-called three-month delay, Her Majesty the Empress will be delighted, and the Princes of Wei and Liang will have no objections. Lady Rongzhen should also be happy to see it succeed. What do you think…"
Not quite understanding these things, Hu Fu put down his teacup and couldn't help but turn his head to look. He found that Ouyang Lianghan was staring intently at Lin Cheng, who was offering a sincere suggestion. His expression was surprisingly calm.
(End of this chapter)
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