Chapter 548 From Mrs. Cow to Sweetheart
Inside a warm palace in the imperial city of Luoyang.
There is an imperial study belonging to the Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty, where a temporary imperial meeting is currently being held.
The Imperial Study has heated floor tiles, and a bright yellow carpet is laid on top.
The nobles, princes, and princesses who were summoned to the palace overnight stood on the soft carpet, motionless as if they were stuck in a quagmire, and no one uttered a complaint.
Their gazes were fixed on the carpet beneath their feet, and apart from the occasional sobs of a middle-aged man in a black python robe, who was being supported by the king's younger brother, almost no one made a sound.
There were about ten people in the Imperial Study.
Wei Jisi, Wei Sixing;
Prince Xiangli, Princess Changle;
Di Fuzi, Shen Xisheng, and others.
Behind a beaded curtain in front of everyone, the silhouette of an old woman reclining on a couch with her arm as a pillow could be vaguely seen.
In front of the bed, a young female official dressed as a man stood, unfolding a memorial and reciting it crisply.
At this moment, it seemed that the recitation had ended, and no one dared to make a sound or look at the beaded curtain in front of them.
After listening to the urgent memorial from Jiangzhou, the elderly woman lying on her bed remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, her voice filled with concern:
"Someone, bring a stool for the old man. He is getting old and has come to the palace in the middle of the night to worry about state affairs. He must be tired."
"This old minister dares not accept such praise; it is merely my duty."
Half-heartedly, Di Fuzi sat down on the stool brought by the female official.
Behind the beaded curtain, the elderly empress seemed to open her eyes, her calm gaze falling on a sobbing figure. She waved her hand.
"Alright, stop crying. It's the middle of the night. What kind of behavior is this, crying like this?"
Today, Wei Jisi, having shed his black python robes, donned a coarse white mourning garment. He looked up, his face filled with sorrow, and said:
"Your Majesty, you must do justice for Shaoqi! You watched him grow up..."
The beaded curtain remained motionless, and the Empress's expression was equally indistinct. Only one gaze pierced through the gap in the beaded curtain, quietly falling upon Wei Jisi, seemingly lost in thought.
However, silence can sometimes be a form of attitude. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shen Xisheng stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and said:
"What are you saying, Your Highness Prince Wei? Are you only making decisions for Wei Shaoqi? His Majesty is wise and is the ruler of the country. He will not only make decisions for him, but also for Wang Lengran, the governor of Jiangzhou, Lin Cheng, the official in charge of the Xia Palace, the soldiers who died on the southwestern front, and even the people of Jiangnan and Lingnan who have suffered and been affected by the war."
"We cannot afford to be preoccupied with the grief of your family and yourself. I suggest that Your Highness, Prince Wei, prioritize the greater good."
Shen Xisheng said with a serious expression.
Apart from the King of Wei and the King of Liang, the others either glanced sideways or nodded in agreement.
Damn it, if it weren't for your dead son, a parent outliving their child, you would of course be all righteous and full of talk about the big picture... Wei Jisi almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
Unfortunately, before he could refute, the elderly empress had already spoken.
"Let's get down to business." Her voice was completely flat.
Xiang Wang Li Lun stepped forward, sighed softly, his eyes filled with worry, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying:
"Your Majesty, the most important matter in the southwest right now is Li Zhengyan's rebellion. We need to concentrate our efforts on quelling the war. Could we postpone the matter of erecting a Buddha statue in Jiangzhou until the war is over?"
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
However, no one was surprised. This kind, benevolent, and indifferent Prince Xiang had always been a moderate and conservative figure in the court when it came to the matter of creating the statue. His views were not extreme, which earned him a good reputation.
However, the matter of creating the statue has already progressed to this point, and the real voices of opposition have long been silenced by Empress Wei Zhao. This Prince Xiang is more like a routine attempt to persuade, and he probably doesn't even believe he can persuade them.
Not only did the King of Wei and the King of Liang sneer and disregard his proposal, but the more pragmatic Master Di and Shen Xisheng also fell silent. Only Princess Chang Le nodded gently, routinely agreeing with her brother's benevolence.
The old woman in the dragon robe behind the beaded curtain remained silent, only slightly shifting her position on the couch.
"Your Highness is thinking too simply. According to the news sent back from Jiangzhou, the ladies of the court have preliminarily determined that the perpetrators are the Qi cultivators of Tiannan Jianghu who oppose the establishment of Buddhism. The ringleader is Yunmeng Jianze. They cooperated with the master of Butterfly Love Flower from the inside to bypass the heavy guard... There is probably also the shadow of the traitor Li Zhengyan behind this incident!"
A routine rebuttal was still necessary. King Liang, Wei Sixing, stepped forward, his expression righteous and awe-inspiring:
"Your Majesty, the so-called southern Jianghu region, including Jiangnan and Lingnan, has been neglected since the founding of the previous dynasty. The main focus has been on several northern circuits, especially the control of Hebei..."
"Our Holy Zhou followed the ideas of the previous dynasty, and although it was more refined, it was still slightly influenced by them. Its control over the so-called Jianghu in the south was weak and its reach was limited."
"Especially the Yunmeng Sword Marsh, where a group of female cultivators from Yunmeng who consider themselves descendants of the Wu and Yue people only recognize the once corrupt royal family of the Southern Kingdom and are unaware of the glory of our Holy Zhou. Relying on the fact that the emperor is far away, they are even more unscrupulous, turning Yunmeng Marsh into a place where filth and evil are rampant... They have repeatedly committed acts of violating the law with martial arts, which is extremely rebellious."
"Their strong reaction to the construction of the Buddha statue in Jiangzhou proves that they are afraid. The construction of the four Buddha statues was the idea of the Imperial Observatory, and it seems to be working very well. The more afraid the enemy is, the more correct we are. So, at this moment, we must not back down, but continue!"
The empress behind the beaded curtain nodded slightly.
Di Fuzi, Shen Xisheng, and others remained silent, which could be considered as tacit agreement.
Wei Jisi fell silent for a moment, about to bring up the investigation again, but was stopped by Wei Sixing's gaze.
The truth of this case is no longer important, at least not at this level of meeting. Just follow the procedures to investigate. Bringing it up repeatedly would only make it seem like we're not prioritizing anything. Right now, the most important thing is to use it to continue to push forward the construction policy of Tian Shu and the Great Buddha without wavering.
"What does the Grand Elder think?" The Empress's figure behind the beaded curtain seemed to tilt her head.
The fat old man sat on the imperial stool with his eyes half-closed the whole time. Now, as if startled awake, he muttered, "National policies cannot be stopped."
Shen Xisheng immediately stepped out of the queue, cupped his hands, and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the investigation and determination of responsibility for the collapse of the Buddha should be put aside for now. The most urgent task is the reconstruction of the Donglin Buddha, which cannot be delayed any longer."
From behind the beaded curtain came the voice of an old woman lying on a couch: "What suggestions do you gentlemen have?"
Shen Xisheng answered first:
"Based on the advice of Lady Rongzhen and the specific situation in Jiangzhou, the most convenient approach at present is to reactivate the unfinished Buddha statue in Xunyang Grottoes."
"After the collapse of the Xingzifang Buddha, Lady Rong and Granny Song went to Xunyang Grottoes immediately to protect it. At present, the only person who knows the Buddha best and can start construction immediately is the current Jiangzhou Sima Ouyang Lianghan."
Upon hearing this name, the Imperial Study fell silent for a moment, the expressions of the people present varied, some quite interesting.
Princess Chang Le, who stood proudly with her head held high, also lowered her eyes and remained silent.
Wei Jisi's face darkened: "This boy has a history of disobeying imperial orders and refusing to obey summons; how can he be entrusted with such an important task?"
Shen Xisheng argued with reason: "To defy one's superiors is the integrity of a loyal minister, and he is also a good talent for governing the country. It is normal for him to be a little arrogant. Besides, didn't he obediently accept His Majesty's arrangements later? Your Majesty, looking around, there is no one more suitable than him in the court and the country. The reconstruction of the Donglin Buddha is the only choice for him."
There was a moment of silence behind the beaded curtain, then a question was suddenly asked: "What does the Elder think of this young man?"
Master Di remained silent for a moment, then suddenly rose from his stool, bowed solemnly, and said, “Your Majesty deliberately kept Ouyang Lianghan in Xunyang City as a backup, anticipating unforeseen circumstances and keeping him here as a precaution. The fact that Ouyang Lianghan was able to quickly take over as governor after the Buddha statue collapsed is clear proof of this. Your Majesty’s preparations are truly remarkable. Since Your Majesty has already planned ahead, why ask me any further questions?”
Everyone stared at them, their expressions somewhat strange.
Behind the beaded curtain, Empress Wei remained silent for a long time, then chuckled softly and nodded slightly…
A quarter of an hour later, a female official dressed as a man, carrying a newly issued imperial edict, stepped back from behind the beaded curtain, and the imperial meeting ended.
As they left the imperial study, Wei Jisi looked displeased, while Wei Sixing walked forward with his hands clasped behind his back.
However, to continue promoting the statue making, we can only use Ouyang Lianghan. Using anyone else, regardless of their suitability, would be a waste of time, as there is no time for trial and error.
“It’s alright. With her in Xunyang City, our Wei family isn’t without people.” Wei Sixing suddenly spoke from the darkness.
Wei Jisi remained silent for a moment, then nodded reluctantly…
On the other side, Prince Xiang, Li Lun, strolled along the palace wall passageway leading out of the city, his expression calm. The Donglin Buddha statue under construction in Jiangzhou was temporarily unrelated to Prince Xiang's residence, because in the short term... it was a struggle for interests between Prince Wei's residence and Prince Xunyang's residence; in the long term... Prince Wei's residence should be even more anxious than Prince Xiang's residence.
The reason he stepped forward today to offer some advice was not only to sow discord among the Wei princes and provoke them, but also because having Ouyang Lianghan and the Xunyang Prince's faction oversee the statue-making was generally better than the Wei Prince's faction being in complete control. Finally, there was also a personal reason... he had recently become very interested in Ouyang Lianghan.
Upon returning to his residence, Li Lun suddenly summoned a group of advisors to the warm pavilion. Among them were a black-robed monk with a calm expression, an elderly and frail scholar, and a white-robed young man with piercing eyes.
Li Lun inquired about Ouyang Lianghan's affairs. Before long, the black-robed monk with a calm expression took something out of his sleeve and handed it over.
It is a manuscript of poems.
"If I were the Green Emperor in the future... I would make the peach blossoms bloom everywhere... Is this my ambition to become the second Di Fuzi...?"
Xiang Wang Lilun held the poem manuscript in his hand, his expression showing great interest.
The elderly and frail Confucian scholar spoke in a gentle tone: "Your Highness, this young man has an excellent relationship with the family of the Prince of Xunyang."
"Isn't that perfect? My brother and I are very close, and his husband is none other than my own husband."
Xiang Wang Lilun immediately chuckled and asked in return, while the group of strategists remained silent. The elderly and frail Confucian scholar chuckled and said, "Indeed."
"However, Mr. Tanlang, your heart is with the nation and its people, not just your own family. This poem reveals your ambition. Wasn't his closeness to the Prince of Xunyang's mansion because, when he was a county magistrate, only by helping his brother's family could he rise through the ranks and make a name for himself?"
Li Lun sighed and looked around. After a short while, he took a deep breath of the poem manuscript and said with a gleam in his eyes:
"So by the same logic, those with such extraordinary talent and ability will always choose the right place to settle down, don't you think?"
"Your Highness is wise," the white-robed young man with piercing eyes suddenly said.
...
During the New Year's Day holiday, many people in Xunyang City relaxed.
The procession of palace attendants delivering the imperial edict arrived at Xunyang Ferry.
The eunuch delivering the imperial edict was Zhang Yu, the same eunuch from the Inner Palace who had delivered the edict in the incident where Ouyang Rong refused to obey it. The imperial envoy Hu Fu also came along to inspect Xunyang City after the incident on behalf of His Majesty, to keep a close watch on the power of the female officials, just in case.
"Don't worry, Senior Zhang. My family has some connections with Sima Ouyang. He won't hold a grudge about the misunderstanding from last time, and neither will you, Senior. Let's all let bygones be bygones..."
As soon as they disembarked, Hu Fu began to give Zhang Yu psychological counseling, but the latter still looked a little nervous. On the day he refused to obey the imperial edict, he had publicly refuted Ouyang Lianghan, showing him no respect... Now that His Majesty and the officials wanted to reinstate him, their high regard for him was evident. Zhang Yu was coming to deliver the imperial edict again, and things shouldn't be affected by him.
However, Zhang Yu thought about it and felt that he was, after all, a gentleman and couldn't be so magnanimous.
When the imperial edict procession arrived, Ouyang Rong was resting in the courtyard.
Not long after, the door of the mansion in Huaiye Lane opened from the inside.
Ouyang Rong, with a warm smile, led his female relatives out to greet the two fathers-in-law.
"Please, Eunuch Zhang and Eunuch Hu." He solemnly invited them into the mansion.
Seeing that Ouyang Rong's attitude was good, Zhang Yu and Hu Fu exchanged a glance and breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Yu immediately smiled and found Ouyang Rong much more agreeable. He felt that this young man had a lot of potential. He realized that Ouyang Rong's tone had been rather harsh before and that he should change it.
Hu Fu also stepped forward and exchanged pleasantries with Ouyang Rong, whose expression was gentle.
A moment later, in the open space, Zhang Yu cleared his throat and began to read the imperial edict.
"Imperial Edict... Ouyang Lianghan, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, has been dutiful and dutiful in his duties during his tenure, serving his elders and elders with integrity and filial piety. He has been responsible and devoted to his duties. The Holy Zhou Dynasty prioritizes filial piety... Effective immediately, he is appointed Acting Prefect of Jiangzhou and reassigned the position of Left Supervisor of Construction in Jiangnan Circuit, to assist the Prince of Xunyang's Palace... This is the imperial decree."
After the old eunuch finished reading, he put down the imperial edict and smiled:
"Lord Ouyang, please accept the decree. I will not stay for dinner. I have to go to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion to continue proclaiming the decree. We can have dinner another time. Thank you for your kindness, Lord Ouyang."
Hu Fu coughed. This imperial edict was actually quite interesting. The reason for the promotion was diligence in performing duties and filial piety towards elders. But what kind of diligence could Ouyang Rong, a mere Sima of Jiangzhou, possibly have? Did slacking off count? This time, the reason for the promotion didn't even bother to mention his merit in taking charge of Jiangzhou during the recent collapse of the Buddha statue...
Moreover, after granting Ouyang Rong a high position, it was not explicitly stated that he should continue to use the large Buddha statue in Xunyang Grottoes. Instead, he was asked to cooperate with Prince Li Xian of Xunyang... As the supervisor of construction in Jiangnan, what was Prince Li Xian of Xunyang responsible for? Of course, it was to build the large Buddha statue... It was already very simple what Ouyang Lianghan should do after taking office.
On the court's side, it was awkward to demote him or dismiss him prematurely. Promoting Ouyang Lianghan directly, however, was also awkward as to ask him to continue building the Xunyang Grottoes. Ideally, he would take the initiative. So, a roundabout approach was taken, saving face for both sides. He might still harbor resentment about his previous resignation, but he certainly wouldn't refuse the Xunyang Prince's request. Moreover, the acting governor's position implied a reward—a promise of future promotion if he performed well… In short, it was all about saving face for both sides.
Upon hearing this, the women were overjoyed and prepared to kneel down with the male head of the household.
Ouyang Rong, who was listening attentively, nodded, did not get up, but said a few words.
"What? You said your elders at home are unwell and you need to fulfill your filial duties, so you're resigning again?" The old woman was stunned after listening and blurted out.
Ouyang Rong nodded, refusing the order on the grounds that his aunt was unwell and needed his care and filial piety.
Everyone was stunned, including Zhen Shuyuan, who looked down at herself in confusion. However, under Ouyang Rong's gaze, she immediately clutched her forehead and nearly collapsed. With the help of the perceptive Wei Lai, she stepped back to rest.
Zhang Yu and Hu Fu stared blankly at the women putting on such a dramatic performance right in front of them, their eyes twitching violently.
"I hope you two eunuchs can help me convey my difficulties, and then I will not disturb you on your way to the Prince's residence."
With an apologetic expression, Ouyang Rong respectfully escorted the terrified group to Xunyang Ferry and considerately watched them sail back home.
In the howling cold wind on the river, Zhang Yu and Hu Fu, still in a daze, suddenly shivered. They looked at each other with worried expressions. How were they going to explain this?
(End of this chapter)
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