Chapter 510 Even a grain of dust is a mountain
How much does pork cost per pound?
"Ten coins per pound, thank you for your patronage."
"Boss, two pounds, please."
"Okay."
In a corner of the vegetable market in the eastern part of Xunyang City, a carriage was parked next to a butcher's meat stall. Ye Weilai and Banxi Qiao stood there, each wearing a light black veil. After politely asking the price, the two little heads huddled together and discussed it. Ye Weilai then took out a light green purse from her bosom.
The coachman, Ali, immediately jumped off the carriage, stepped forward, and reached out to take the two pounds of pork that the butcher had precisely cut off.
"etc."
A man's voice came from inside the carriage.
Ye Weilai, Banxi, and Ali immediately stopped and turned around to look.
The three noticed that Ouyang Rong, who had been lost in thought in the carriage since they left in the morning, had lifted the curtain and was looking at them.
"Wasn't pork in the East Market always eight qian per jin before? It hasn't changed for more than half a year. Why has it gone up two qian today?"
The butcher, with his burly face, couldn't help but look up and glance at the refined young man with his jade-like face and slow, deliberate speech.
"Young master, this is the listed price in the East Market today. All the other meat stalls are charging the same price. Young master and young lady, go and ask. I'm not overcharging you."
“I know, but why has the price of pork suddenly increased?” Ouyang Rong asked seriously.
The fat butcher and Ouyang Rong stared at each other for a while with calm and profound eyes.
He seemed to be an honest man by nature; his dark face turned slightly red as he rubbed his hands together and explained:
"I heard that the largest pig farm in Xunyang, near Chengtian Temple in Xingzifang, has closed down. Apparently, the owner sold the pig farm."
"It seems a group of extravagant Yangzhou merchants bought them. I don't know why these rich people want to raise pigs... Now we have to buy pigs from farmers outside the city, which not only increases losses, but some villagers are also raising prices on the spot, saying take it or leave it. We can't do anything about it... To be honest, young master, you should buy more pork. Who knows, the price might go up again tomorrow. I'm also a bit confused about the prices of some goods in the East Market lately. The price changes every day..."
Seeing Ouyang Rong remain silent, Ye Weilai asked softly, "My lord, do you still want this meat...?"
"It's okay, just pay. It's only two pounds, that's enough for us."
Ouyang Rong waved his hand absentmindedly.
The fat butcher next to him continued to pour out his grievances.
Until he left, Ouyang Rong couldn't remember what he said afterward. Ouyang Rong kept his head down the whole way, as if he was lost in thought.
Ye Weilai and Banxi, who were out shopping for vegetables and meat for their household, were very perceptive and did not disturb them, and did not even whisper to each other.
Ah Li drove the carriage steadily and slowly away from the East Market, returning to his residence in Huaiye Lane.
Today is a day off, so Ouyang Rong will take a day off.
With nothing to do early in the morning, he accompanied Ye Weilai and the others to the East Market to buy groceries. They planned to take advantage of the holiday to personally cook some Dongpo pork for their relatives and friends to try, so they needed to buy pork.
More than half a month has passed since Lin Cheng's confrontation and the joint memorial submitted by Ouyang Rong and Xunyang Prince Li Xian.
There has been no reply from Luoyang yet, but based on past experience with the back-and-forth transmission of imperial edicts, it should arrive within the next couple of days.
During this period, the city appeared calm on the surface, and Lin Cheng could not be found anywhere.
They were currently in a waiting period, and everything that needed to be discussed had already been discussed. There was no point in saying anything more. Ouyang Rong hadn't gone to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion for the past two days. However, he heard from his junior sister, who came to the Huaiye Lane residence for dinner, that the eldest son seemed to have been beaten quite badly.
Well, with his father, mother, and sister all ganging up on him, Ouyang Rong could only offer his condolences.
"Tanlang, it's rare for you to cook today, let's call Wanwan over for dinner, and Liulang too, let's call him over as well..."
Back at the Huaiye Lane residence, Zhen Shuyuan was eagerly waiting at the door to greet him. She immediately took Ouyang Rong's arm as he got out of the car with his head down, and offered her suggestions with a smile.
Ouyang Rong got off the carriage and was lost in thought with his eyes down.
Upon hearing this, he looked up at Zhen Shuyuan.
"Auntie, pork prices have gone up in the East Market."
Ouyang Rong's sudden words startled Zhen Shuyuan, who instinctively replied:
"Huh? It's gone up... how much has it gone up..."
Ouyang Rong said with a serious expression, "The price has increased by two qian per jin."
Zhen Shuyuan couldn't help but laugh:
"Silly child, let the price go up. It's worth it if it makes my beloved cook. Both Wanwan and I love to eat it. It's alright, even if the price doubles, it's worth it."
Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment, then shook his head. With a calm expression, he rolled up his sleeves, picked up two jin of pork, and walked towards the kitchen: "Tell them to come over for lunch. I'm going to Xingzifang this afternoon, so I probably won't be back for dinner."
"Why are you going to Xingzifang? You finally have a day off, why don't you stay home and rest more?" Zhen Shuyuan asked curiously.
“Going out for a walk is also a way to relax,” he said.
Zhen Shuyuan sighed, then, remembering something, asked, "Should we call that old bastard Yuan Huaimin?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "No need, I'll bring some over this afternoon."
"My dear, this is such a hassle, and you have to deliver it yourself. It's too good for him..." But before Zhen Shuyuan could ask any more questions, Ouyang Rong had already buried himself in the kitchen cooking.
Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weilai, Banxi, and the others exchanged glances. Ye Weilai shook her head slightly, indicating that she didn't seem to have encountered anything important when she went out this morning.
Seeing this, Zhen Shuyuan sighed helplessly. These days, Tanlang had been absent-minded at home, but he was always accommodating to their requests, never complained about being nagging, and was very family-oriented... Sometimes the women felt embarrassed to interrupt his contemplation, and felt very sorry for him.
"Strange, it's just a two-coin increase, and it's the cheapest pork, why is Tanlang so nervous? More nervous than when the gate of Longcheng was about to collapse..."
The noblewoman in her flowing skirt watched her beloved nephew's retreating figure, muttering to herself with a hint of confusion in her expression.
...
"Brother Lianghan is truly loyal!"
As evening fell, in a guesthouse at Chengtian Temple in Xingzifang, Yuan Huaimin opened the lid of the food box in front of him. Upon smelling the fragrant aroma of scallions and meat, his eyes lit up.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong turned his gaze away from the direction of the commotion inside the temple outside the courtyard gate. He glanced at Yuan Huaimin and remained silent.
Yuan Huaimin clasped his hands together, rubbed the two chopsticks together, and then started eating, picking up a piece of cooked meat with alternating layers of fat and firmness and putting it into his mouth.
They wolfed down their food.
"Good, good, good, it's still warm. Brother Lianghan is truly my dear friend." His words were mumbled, but he was full of praise.
Has Lin Cheng come to see you recently?
Ouyang Rong asked earnestly.
"That Xia Guan Lingtai Lang from the capital?" Yuan Huaimin shook his head: "No, he hasn't been seen since he asked for that piece of calligraphy. Hmm, why haven't he and Envoy Hu returned to the capital to report back yet?"
Ouyang Rong didn't explain, but spread out one hand, indicating that he should continue eating, "I'm full, you can eat, no need to save any."
It seems that Yuan Huaimin truly had no interest in the officialdom of Xunyang.
After Yuan Huaimin slurped down several mouthfuls, he glanced at Ouyang Rong's expression across from him. Ouyang Rong was still holding his bowl, bent over, and chopsticks, still eating. He muttered, "Brother Lianghan, are you preoccupied today? How come you have time to cook and even bring me food?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head.
"I had to find something to do. I treated my junior sister and the others to lunch today, and I had nothing to do this afternoon, so I came over to check on things."
Yuan Huaimin nodded thoughtfully, then coughed and asked:
"Why didn't you call me for lunch?"
Ouyang Rong didn't even lift his eyelids and said:
“Your aunt only allows you to come once every three days. If you come today, you won’t be able to come tomorrow. I brought Dongpo pork so you can have another good meal.”
Yuan Huaimin was stunned for a moment, and then tears welled up in his eyes:
"Brother Lianghan, you really are..."
Ouyang Rong ignored all of this, suddenly reached out towards the door, and asked in a serious tone:
"What's all the noise in the temple? It just won't stop."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Huaimin, who had been happily eating, immediately became dejected, and even the Dongpo pork in his mouth seemed to lose its flavor.
"The abbot said that all the guesthouses and courtyards in the temple will not be renewed after this rental period, and that we tenants should find a new place as soon as possible, pack our things and leave. This has made some of the other students who also rent courtyards in the temple very unhappy, and they have all gone to the abbot to argue with him. They have been arguing for two days now..."
"Why isn't this temple being rented out? It's not... it's not a good location." Ouyang Rong asked calmly.
"It's not that we won't rent it, but the abbot said that continuing to rent it is not impossible, but the rent must be increased. I asked and it has almost doubled. I don't know where these bald monks get their confidence. By the way, do you think we can dig up gold in the grounds of the guesthouse?"
"However, I heard from the abbot today that these guesthouses are actually intended to be sold to a large merchant guild in the city. They seem to be buying them at high prices. The temple is very interested in this windfall and is gathering the monks to discuss it. Anyway, even if they don't sell now, the rent will have to double in the end. These bald monks are still complaining, saying that the temple has no surplus grain and asking us scholars to understand..."
Yuan Huaimin sighed: "Hey, I'm definitely broke, and the other guys don't seem to have any money either, but they're all hot-tempered and have gone off to cause trouble."
"What a pity, this is already the cheapest and most affordable rental in Xingzifang. I need to tidy up these next few days and think about where I'll stay next time. I need to find a more comfortable place to live. It's a shame I've only just gotten used to this place. There's even a small vegetable garden in the east corner of the courtyard. I guess I won't be able to harvest the vegetables in the spring to share with Brother Lianghan with his drinks..."
"Hey, to be honest, if I were younger and more impetuous, I would have protested too. But now... let's just eat... Forget it, let's not talk about these sad things. Eating is the most important thing." Yuan Huaimin's expression was calm and content, emphasizing living in the moment.
Ouyang Rong listened without speaking, silently watching his friend, who was drinking Dongpo pork with wine and burying his head in his rice... After the meal, the two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and Ouyang Rong did not linger any longer. He took an empty food box and left the courtyard.
As he walked through Chengtian Temple, he passed by many guesthouses and courtyards similar to Yuan Huaimin's residence. He saw many dejected scholars packing their belongings in the courtyards, seemingly resigned to their fate. Among them were many scholars from Jiangzhou Prefecture who looked quite familiar to him.
After all, studying is very expensive these days, but it is the only legitimate way out for poor families besides joining the army. Many scholars from poor families, like Yuan Huaimin, live in cheap temple lodgings... Of course, Yuan Huaimin is just lazy, always late and slacking off, and has almost been deducted so much that he has to work for the Jiangzhou government office with zero salary.
Upon seeing familiar scholars, Ouyang Rong grew increasingly silent. He remembered how these scholars had once joined Yue Zi'ang in protests and disturbances, but now they were worried about rent, harshly battered by life, and no longer had the spirit they once possessed…
Ouyang Rong's pace quickened.
He wore a felt hat when he went out this afternoon.
But at this moment, I was in a hurry, subconsciously choosing to walk in the shadows of the buildings at dusk where there were fewer people.
Even though hardly anyone saw him, Ouyang Rong felt as if a million eyes were staring intently at him.
Just like back then at the Temple of the Sage Confucius, when Ouyang Rong faced the grief-stricken scholars and the trusting and expectant people of Xunyang below, he made a righteous promise amidst the millions of eyes below.
He had nowhere to escape.
Originally, Ouyang Rong had planned to visit Huang Feihong in the low-rent housing area on the outskirts of the city, but now he had completely lost the mood... Half an hour later, he returned to the Huaiye Lane residence with a dazed expression and saw a red dress lingering and waiting at the gate in the distance.
"Senior Brother, news has come from Luoyang. Uncle Li requests that you go there immediately."
Xie Lingjiang hurriedly stepped forward, her pretty face quite serious.
Let's go.
The two immediately went out.
Half an hour later, they arrived again at a study in the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
Everyone was present.
As soon as he sat down, Li Xian excitedly waved a stack of secret letters in his hand:
"My lord, the messenger from Luoyang is still on his way and will probably arrive at Xunyang Ferry the day after tomorrow morning... Prince Xiang and Chang Le sent someone to inform me in advance so that we can make good preparations."
"Uncle Li, what did they say over there?" Xie Lingjiang asked.
"With the help of Master Fu and Lord Shen arguing with reason, and with the assistance of Prince Xiang and Chang Le, the Wei family and Lin Cheng's evil scheme was finally thwarted. At the imperial meeting, the final decision was that Xunyang City would remain largely unchanged, with no changes to official positions. However, His Majesty disliked delays and decided to temporarily put the Xunyang Grottoes on hold. He appointed Lin Cheng as an adjutant to assist Tan Lang in preparing for the new statues in Xingzifang. It seems His Majesty trusts Tan Lang and believes he can manage things well."
After a pause, Li Xian nodded with some satisfaction:
"Therefore, my lord, and I, as the supervisor of the Jiangnan Circuit, remain in charge of this statue-making project in Xingzifang! The Wei family cannot interfere, so there is no need to worry. The situation in the city is still under our control."
Upon hearing this, some people in the study breathed a sigh of relief, while others frowned slightly.
"That's good, that's good, what a scare," Wei Mei said, patting his chest to ease the tension.
Li Guo'er didn't speak, but immediately turned her head to observe Ouyang Rong's expression as he drank his tea.
"Senior Brother?"
Xie Lingjiang was also paying attention to Ouyang Rong. Before Li Guo'er could speak, she called out with a worried expression:
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"oh."
Ouyang Rong put down his teacup, staring at the steaming teacup in front of him, and asked:
"Is the news... accurate?"
Li Xian nodded vigorously and patted his chest to assure him:
"Of course it's accurate, there's a letter from Mr. Xie in the capital to corroborate it. Don't worry, my love, I've been very cautious about any news from the Prince Xiang's residence since that incident."
Ouyang Rong took a deep breath, as if the sip of tea he had just swallowed was a little too hot for his stomach.
(End of this chapter)
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