Chapter 53 What about my great fortune?
Ouyang Rong once again arrived at the ancient and simple Merit Pagoda in the clouds.
Before the flood control was successful, he didn't actually want to set foot there.
Moreover, at the beginning, Ouyang Rong did not intend to exchange for this new blessing. He lacked nothing at the moment, and the progress of flood control was going smoothly. Right now, he only wanted to accumulate 10,000 merit points to exchange for the great blessing that might send him home at the Pure Land Palace. There was no need to waste merit points to exchange for anything else.
However, the new blessings that were inexplicably triggered on the Dragon Boat Festival kept reminding him with the faint buzzing of the blessing bell.
It was like a phone buzzing and vibrating on the table after the sound was turned off—and it was from my girlfriend calling.
Ouyang Rong deliberately ignored it for two days, but it was still buzzing. The auspicious bell in his mind, swirling with purple energy, relentlessly reminded him: You rascal, it's time to answer your "girlfriend's call".
Go pick up your sister.
You've become clingy to me, haven't you?
Ouyang Rong was helpless.
Perhaps they fear that new blessings will block the redemption of old blessings, or perhaps they want to test the power of the blessing clock.
With the situation outside temporarily stabilized, he took some time to enter the Tower of Merit in his sea of consciousness tonight.
It's the same old place again, with endless white mist, the little wooden fish that's been banned, and oh, and the three-stage vibrating bell above.
Ouyang Rong first glanced at the line of cyan-gold clerical script above the small wooden fish:
[Merit: 9,361]
"Soon."
His expression softened slightly, and he looked up at the ancient clock, which seemed restless and eager to pique its owner's interest. A slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth.
You weren't like this before. You used to be so aloof, never moving an inch. Even if I bumped into you with all my might, you wouldn't utter a sound. Why are you trembling like this now? Do you want your master to satisfy you?
Ouyang Rong looked at the dark purple aura slowly flowing down from the bell with a strange expression. He reached out and grabbed it. The purple aura was formless and intangible, but then a divine message from an unknown source appeared in his mind.
Um, a thousand merit points are enough for you?
"So it's so easy to satisfy you now..."
Ouyang Rong sighed, "I still prefer the way you used to ignore me. So... let's get back to normal."
As if sensing the command, the line of cyan-gold clerical script below shone brightly, and the merit value that was originally displayed quickly dropped from "9,361" to "8,361". At the same time, a cluster of light of the same color flew out from the cyan-gold clerical script, transformed into a lifelike "swimming carp", and shot towards the Blessing Bell!
This time, the "swimming carp" was not bounced back, but exploded into a dazzling firework. At the same time, the Blessing Bell stopped vibrating... and it rang.
Ding~
This is the first time the Blessing Bell has rung.
This was also the first blessing that was redeemed.
The chimes weren't loud, yet they were deep and melodious, as if they pierced through time and space, spreading into the boundless void.
Ouyang Rong stood in the pristine white space inside the tower, waiting expectantly for a while until the lingering chimes faded away, before looking around in slight surprise.
The pagoda of merit returned to silence.
The small wooden fish, the cyan-gold clerical script, and the blessing bell... everything returned to its original state, and the timeless tranquility returned.
After waiting for a while, it remained quiet.
"Is it exchanged in real-world transactions?"
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment, then turned and left the Pagoda of Merit, returning to reality.
In the back room of the study in Meilu Garden, on a dark bed, the young county magistrate propped himself up with his hands behind his back, holding the quilt, and curiously looked around.
The house was quiet, save for the chirping of insects in the yard that drifted in through the cracked window, making the silence even more profound.
"Hmm, it feels like nothing has changed."
Ouyang Rong frowned in confusion, threw back the covers, and got out of bed, pacing back and forth.
He would open the windows and push the gate, and even in the middle of the night, he would put on his clothes and run to the gate of the mansion to look around, which aroused the curiosity of Zhen and others to get up in the middle of the night and ask Tanlang if he had arranged to meet a girl over the wall in the middle of the night.
"..."
Ouyang Rong gave some evasive answers and returned to his room just before dawn, filled with doubts.
Where has my good fortune gone? Where has all my great good fortune gone?
However, once the agonizing night ended, the morning ended, the afternoon ended... and the whole day was over, Ouyang Rong finally stopped having doubts.
Be confident, remove the "feeling," and there's no change at all!
The next day, at eight in the morning, the young county magistrate, expressionless, stepped into the county government office.
"Senior brother... why do you have such dark circles under your eyes?" the junior sister asked curiously as she waited.
"No, it's nothing." He shook his head. "I'm fine."
It was just that I was tricked out of a thousand merits by the scumbag clock...
Wait a minute, is it planning to scam another ten thousand another day?!
Ouyang Rong suddenly felt bored.
...
"My dear, has the price of rice dropped significantly? Wasn't it still twenty coins a bushel before the Dragon Boat Festival?"
"It seems...so it is."
The man who had been dragged along for the shopping trip seemed rather uninterested today, but the beautiful woman walking beside him appeared oblivious, continuing to laugh and chat.
"Tsk tsk, twelve coins a bushel is really cheap. Luckily I didn't buy it before the Dragon Boat Festival."
The Silla maid, who followed closely behind the beautiful woman and the handsome young man, said happily:
"Madam, the price of rice changes every single day these days!"
"oh?"
"I heard that every morning when the East Market opens, people sell grain at low prices, with a dou of rice costing only five qian."
"Such a good thing? Could it be that old grain is being sold off cheaply?"
"No, it's the finest white rice."
Banxi shook his head and said, "But I heard that this 'five-qian rice' is only sold for one fixed hour every morning, and each household is limited to buying half a shi per day. Now, many people are going to wait for the rice every day."
"It's like doing charity, but the methods are really impressive."
Madam Zhen nodded and smiled knowingly: "No wonder the price of rice in these grain shops has dropped, changing every day."
"Madam, should we have the servants go to the squatting area tomorrow as well?"
Zhen didn't even bother to turn her head:
“Who are we? Don’t we have any dignity in queuing up for rice? Besides, Tanlang is the magistrate of a county. How can he compete with the people for profit? Let’s give it to the people who need it.”
Banxi was taken aback: "Oh, Madam is so thoughtful and generous in managing the household!"
Beneath the black veil covering her face, Zhen shook her head slightly. In her heart, she gave the Silla maid behind her an evaluation that, in addition to "admiring the strong but cowardly, quick-witted but indecisive," also included "seeking petty gains but forgetting the greater good."
But thinking about it carefully, it's normal for a foreign slave girl from the Eastern Barbarian lands who yearns for the king's rule and is uneducated to have long hair and short wits. Could we really expect her to be knowledgeable, reasonable, and understanding of righteousness? She's not some princess from a fallen Goguryeo kingdom in a historical novel…
So as long as you're well-behaved, pretty, and have a graceful figure, that's all that matters, because the most important thing is to please the male owner.
This was the bare minimum standard in Zhen's mind; as long as her beloved liked her.
Unfortunately, her beloved son seems to have some rather peculiar tastes. Besides, he's always lukewarm towards the maids in the house, polite but not warm... Doesn't that mean he doesn't like them? If he liked them, why would he need to be polite? He could just be 'easy to bully' and that would be it.
Ms. Zhen became increasingly convinced of the necessity of today's trip to the West Market.
She casually said, "The price changes every day, so I won't buy too much. I'll take five dou of rice back to Meiluyuan first, and then come back to buy more after we finish eating."
Banxi had no idea that she had lost a lot of points again, but she was happy because she could go shopping with her husband whom she hadn't seen for many days.
"Alright, sir, madam, please wait a moment."
Banxi nodded hurriedly and led the rice shop assistant inside to order rice.
Zhen Shi, Ouyang Rong, and Liu Ashan were left to wait at the door.
This rice shop is located not far from the archway of Xishi. The main street next to it is bustling with traffic in the morning and is still immersed in the festive atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival.
This year's Dragon Boat Festival was not just a one-day event, but lasted for half a month, with the whole city celebrating together. Even the widow Zhen, who usually lived a secluded life, wore a veil and black gauze and went out with her maids and servants to watch the dragon boat races and also to take her husband for a stroll.
Originally, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Zhen wanted to invite Ouyang Rong to go shopping together, and later she also asked Xie Lingjiang to invite him over.
However, the young county magistrate, who loved his people dearly, was working overtime even on his holiday, busy organizing the Dragon Boat Festival celebrations, and declined the invitation from his junior colleague.
In the following days, Ouyang Rong was busy showing concern for Wang Caozhi and other grain merchants from other places... After all that fuss, he finally had some free time today, only to be caught by his aunt.
Right now, as you stroll from the East Market to the West Market, it's almost entirely Zhen Shi and Banxi who are talking.
Liu Ashan was a taciturn man, so it was normal for him not to speak. Ouyang Rong, on the other hand, seemed to be in a bad mood, his face looking somewhat... lifeless.
Zhen and her maids, including Banxi, had been carefully observing his expression, both openly and secretly, throughout the journey.
Ouyang Rong may not know that as the only male in the family and the pillar of the household, even the slightest change in his expression could affect the atmosphere of the family.
Outside the rice shop, Madam Zhen lifted a bit of the black veil with her fingers, revealing a pair of bright phoenix eyes, her gaze fixed on him without blinking.
The veiled hat she wore was made of black gauze, with a wide brim around the edges. A thin silk veil hung down to her neck to cover her face, also known as "shallow dew". This item was very popular among women and young ladies in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and they often wore it when going out.
The way Zhen Shi is wearing this light and thin black gauze dress looks quite good on her, befitting her status as a widow. She exudes the air of a widow, especially when she stands next to Ouyang Rong, who is dressed in a long white robe and has a gentle and refined demeanor. They attract a lot of attention from passersby on the street.
The woman asked softly, "Is my love tired from shopping?"
Ouyang Rong nodded truthfully: "There is a little, but it doesn't matter. Aunt, you all have a good time. I'll just relax and enjoy myself."
With a sigh, Zhen Shi looked distressed. She lifted the black veil and, with two fingers padding a red handkerchief scented with gardenias, touched Ouyang Rong's somewhat deep eye bags. The latter leaned back helplessly to avoid it.
“The county office is busy, so you should let the servants do more of the work. They are paid to do the work, and that's what they are paid to do. You are dedicated to your official duties, but you don’t have to do everything yourself. You are the one who does the mental work, so let them do the physical work…”
His aunt kept nagging, and Ouyang Rong nodded obediently and responded verbally, but in reality, none of his aunt's instructions were of any real importance; they just passed by like the wind in his ear.
Because she didn't understand the specifics, her suggestions were often flawed and unacceptable to him. Furthermore, it was impractical for Ouyang Rong to explain his thoughts to Zhen Shi in detail, and he lacked the patience for it.
What to do? For now, Ouyang Rong only understood one key principle regarding this kind of family concern: stay calm and don't argue.
"Hmph, you always nod your head so readily, looking so honest, but when I look back, you haven't changed at all. Are you treating your aunt like a little girl?"
Zhen gritted her teeth in annoyance and poked Ouyang Rong's shoulder with her index finger.
The latter smiled without saying a word.
At this moment, Banxi led the rice-carrying assistant out the door.
"How much?" Zhen asked casually.
"Thank you for your patronage, sixty coins."
The rice shop assistant put down the rice bag, smiled broadly, and announced the amount. He then reached into his purse, but Ouyang Rong reached into his pocket, pulled out some extra money, and quickly handed it over.
He turned to the curious Mrs. Zhen and smiled:
"The ten strings of cash that my aunt gave me last time, after deducting the banquet at Yuanming Tower and the money to redeem Ashan, left exactly sixty cash... It was just enough to use up, which was very satisfying."
Madam Zhen couldn't help but chuckle, "So my son is so thrifty. Alright, my son, pay for the rice. I'll pay for the rest later."
Ouyang Rong, who was about to bend down to carry the rice, was taken aback. "What money are we talking about later?"
Zhen didn't answer, but turned to the tall, thin man behind her who was wearing a headscarf and gestured with her chin.
Liu Ashan immediately stepped forward and carried the bulging rice bag containing five dou of rice.
“Auntie, Ah Shan is not a servant of our family; he is a free man.”
Ouyang Rong frowned and tried to stop her, but Zhen Shi smiled and nodded.
Ouyang Rong reached out to take the rice, but Liu Ashan stubbornly refused.
Suddenly, Lady Zhen asked, "Why didn't you sleep last night, my love? Why did you go out and cause trouble?"
Ouyang Rong wanted to speak, but this wasn't a question she had given him; it was a fill-in-the-blank question.
Madam Zhen nodded with unwavering certainty, answering her own question:
"It must be a long night, and the room must be empty and lonely. Let's go, we must choose a maid to warm the bed to take back today, and my husband will agree to it."
“…” Ouyang Rong.
My aunt's map of the Yan Kingdom is getting shorter and shorter.
(Long chapter, a bit late... I'm only doing two chapters a day now. Also, my good brothers, don't wait for the next chapter, go to sleep early and read it tomorrow... I can't stay up with Xiao Rong, sob sob)
(End of this chapter)
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