Chapter 572 A Young Woman Surpasses Her Master, A Young Woman Wins Over Her Lover! [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
At the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, the Lantern Festival banquet in the front courtyard was in full swing.
Li Xian, the Prince of Xunyang, was appointed by Empress Wei as the Pacification Commissioner of Jiangnan. He was stationed in Jiangzhou in the rear, while Qin Jingzhen, the Grand General of the Jiangnan Army who was backed by Jiangnan and led troops on the southwestern front, held a superior position with one in the inner and one in the outer.
Especially after the recent incident where rebels in the Jianghu of Tiannan obstructed the landing of the Buddha statue, resulting in the heroic deaths of Wei, Lin, and Wang, the dispute over the route of the Donglin Buddha statue indirectly ended, and Ouyang Lianghan was invited back to the public eye.
The Wei clan's influence in Xunyang City has been completely wiped out, and the situation in Jiangzhou is now clear!
Therefore, how could the Lantern Festival banquet held tonight at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, in the name of appeasing the gentry and commoners of Jiangnan, not be lively and bustling?
The prominent gentry and nobles of Jiangnan all came. Among them, the representatives of the Jiangnan gentry were the Wang and Xie families, as well as the heads of various prefectures and counties. Even the direct descendants of several branches of the Li clan, which were far away in Lingnan and Jinling, came to recognize their relatives, reminisce about the past, and rekindle their kinship.
This was not a complete act of taking sides or surrendering, but rather a way of congratulating and supporting the victors. Of course, some noble families, civil and military officials who had previously been "holding their money and waiting" would also start to have their minds made active.
Such romantic banquets and social gatherings, though seemingly useless, are fertile ground for the formation of new interest groups.
In conclusion, the Lantern Festival banquet marked another step forward in the influence of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, breaking through certain obstacles and projecting its influence throughout the entire Jiangnan region.
Xie Xue'e's appearance at the Prince's residence tonight—this detail made Ouyang Rong realize this point even more deeply.
I remember that in the past, Xie Xue'e always kept her distance from the Xunyang Prince's Mansion whenever she came to Xunyang City. In this respect, she was different from her brother Xie Xun.
For her junior sister's birthday banquet last time, Xie Xue'e didn't even invite the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, but instead routinely invited Wang Lengran, who was biased towards the Wei family.
Today, however, she appeared at the Lantern Festival banquet at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, dressed in her finest attire. She had hitched a ride with her junior sister and mentor Xie Xun, making her smooth entrance.
This is just a skillful little combo from the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, the top families of Jiangzuo, and we've only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg...
In addition, my junior sister just casually mentioned that there are experts in the Prince's mansion tonight.
Ouyang Rong understood almost instantly, without needing to ask any further questions.
People from the Sanqing Taoist sect have arrived.
I don't know if it's the familiar expressionless face of Lu Ya, or another member of the Taiqing or Yuqing Ancestral Hall.
Furthermore, it's worth noting that, compared to Li Dalang, the people from the Sanqing Taoist sect seem to be closer to that little princess.
When Lu Ya brought the talisman left by Master Yuan to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, Ouyang Rong noticed it and saw Lu Ya next to Li Guo'er several times.
However, when Ouyang Rong asked about it half-jokingly, Lu Ya said that his master, Master Yuan, had left some divination for the little princess, and he went to interpret the divination. After saying this, he glanced at Ouyang Rong again.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong did not ask further questions, but the healing elixir used when Xiao Mo Jing Miao Si was severely injured by the incantation was obtained by Lu Ya from Li Guo'er...
As dusk settles, in the gallery of a back garden in the mansion.
During a leisurely chat with his teacher Xie Xun, Ouyang Rong glanced to his left and saw the back of a dignified and elegant lady in formal attire walking hand in hand with her junior sister in a red dress.
Knowing that the men wanted to talk about serious matters, the aunt and niece spontaneously went to the side to chat about intimate things between women.
It's unclear what they were talking about, but Xie Xue'e, as the aunt, kept turning around to glance at Ouyang Rong on behalf of her beloved niece.
Xie Xun walked in front, with Ouyang Rong following closely behind. As for Wang Caozhi, he was even more sensible, obediently following behind the two of them, curiously gazing at the elegant gardens within the Wang Mansion.
Xie Xun waited for his disciple for a moment, but Ouyang Rong did not catch up and was still half a step behind.
Xie Xun chuckled and shook his head; the two continued walking for a while.
"Lianghan, this jade hairpin is quite beautiful. Did Wanwan pick it out for you?"
"No, my aunt gave it to me. She said it was a memento from my mother's past."
"I see." He then asked, "Why didn't you come to the banquet today? Many people want to see you, especially the young master sent by Prince Xiang."
Ouyang Rong succinctly stated:
"At the height of the storm, His Majesty has bestowed many rewards, but as long as the Donglin Buddha remains unfinished, these rewards are meaningless. Ignoring my duties and making friends everywhere makes me appear too arrogant and conceited... For the banquet, the Prince and the Crown Prince are sufficient. If anything happens, Her Highness the Little Princess can also offer advice. I should focus on my studies and minimize social interactions during this period."
"Lianghan is indeed clear-headed; every word he utters is a gem."
The two chatted for a few moments, then Xie Xun stopped, turned around, patted Ouyang Rong on the shoulder, and said with a sigh:
"This trip to Luoyang was incredibly successful. It's been years since I've been in the limelight like this. Lianghan has truly made his teacher proud."
"The students were just doing what they were supposed to do."
"What should be done?"
Xie Xun smiled and said:
"When I last visited Xunyang, we had dinner together at the residence in Huaiye Lane. Didn't Lianghan promise that he would live a quiet and leisurely life, waiting for the right opportunity, and not do anything..."
Ouyang Rong calmly explained, "That's it. Didn't we do it?"
Xie Xun maintained his smile, giving his beloved disciple a meaningful look before deliberately changing the subject:
"In any case, it's time for Lianghan to show his skills."
"Teacher, you flatter me."
Ouyang Rong sighed, glanced at the bright moon in the sky, and seemed to be talking to himself:
"The teacher always praises students like this, and always supports them immediately, even though many people laugh at them for being stupid. Like when they argued with His Majesty in the Golden Palace, it was only because of the teacher's connections that they were able to get out of prison. Later, when they drowned in Longcheng and recovered from their illness, they went down the mountain to fight the bully Liu family... It seems that the teacher has never stopped them from doing anything. He is not worried about whether they have done anything wrong and embarked on a path of no return."
"Worried? Of course I'm worried. I love to worry too. But correcting and pointing out mistakes is how I treat pedantic and old-fashioned students, or how I treat you who are still studying at the academy."
“At that time, Lianghan needed his teacher’s guidance, just like a new sapling that needed to be tended and straightened at the beginning.”
Xie Xun smiled, stroked his beard for a moment, and then his expression gradually became serious as he said:
“But after leaving the academy, students like Lianghan, like trees, have grown up, straightened, upright, and lush… so there’s no need for me to nag and correct them anymore.”
The well-dressed, middle-aged Confucian scholar pointed his index finger from his sleeve to a tall, straight tree outside the gallery, then turned and asked seriously:
"Lianghan, do you know when I realized that you had grown straight and upright?"
"Wh...when?"
"That day, around the same time as tonight, when the moon was high in the willow branches, I had just finished teaching and returned to my study from the school when I saw your junior sister walk in with a look of surprise and admiration. She was holding a copy of the imperial gazette and asked me if I knew Ouyang Lianghan. She said the name sounded familiar and if he was one of her senior brothers from previous years."
Xie Xun looked at Ouyang Rong's slightly stunned face and said softly:
"When I received the official report, I learned that you had just returned to the capital after mourning your father's death and had taken up the post of censor. Your future looked very promising. So you prepared a coffin and left a message, and went into the palace alone to risk your life to impeach the princess and remonstrate with the empress."
"That day, the study was dark, and the words on the official gazette were dim and blurry, making my eyes sore and dizzy."
"But for some reason, from that moment on, I knew very clearly in my heart that you had embarked on a path that I could no longer nag or instruct you on; you could only walk it alone and move forward."
“If a teacher tries to get such a student to turn back and gives him nagging instructions, it will only delay and harm him.”
"Because even the teacher doesn't know what lies ahead, but as Liang Han said in his famous essay 'On Teachers' which became known throughout the capital a few days ago, there is a line in it: 'Therefore, a disciple is not necessarily inferior to his teacher, nor is a teacher necessarily more virtuous than his disciple.' Just as the sage said, 'Indigo is extracted from the indigo plant, yet it is bluer than the plant itself.'"
"I don't know if your 'green' is better than my 'blue,' but it is definitely better than yours. I am pleased and curious about what Lianghan's path will be like."
Ouyang Rong listened in silence. Xie Lingjiang and Xie Xue'e, the aunt and niece who were whispering in front, and Wang Caozhi, who was looking around in the back, all seemed to stop and eavesdrop.
Xie Xun sighed, and Ouyang Rong felt him squeeze his shoulder a little harder:
"To be honest, I have taught many students and have had many disciples by my side for many years. They are obedient to my words and deeds. Even when they are not by my side, they often follow my arrangements, or send letters to ask for advice, or visit me to resolve their doubts."
"But there are only a handful of students who can truly inspire me to see that they have the potential to surpass their teachers and embark on a new path without looking back. Lianghan is one of them, and so far, he has walked the most brilliant path."
Towards the end, he seemed to be talking to himself, muttering and repeating:
"You asked your master if I was worried that you might go astray, fall, and die? Of course I was worried, but as long as you don't regret it and can bear the consequences, then this path is the right one. Who says you can't overcome Lan?"
Ouyang Rong raised his head, his expression calm:
"No wonder my teacher never criticizes me."
Xie Xun suddenly smiled and gestured to his side:
“Lianghan no longer needs to follow behind his master. He can step forward and walk alongside his master.”
Ouyang Rong shook his head earnestly and bowed respectfully.
"Teachers go first; students are not as far behind as teachers."
Xie Xun chuckled and shook his head, no longer insisting.
A short while later, the group returned to the reception hall.
On the way, Xie Lingjiang caught up with Ouyang Rong, preparing to travel together.
Ouyang Rong turned around and glanced at Wang Caozhi, who was secretly laughing.
The latter shrugged, as if indicating that he couldn't help.
Ouyang Rong actually knew that Wang Caozhi was coming, because he was the one who had called him over in advance.
Construction of the Donglin Buddha will officially begin after the Lantern Festival, which requires coordination with Wang Caozhi and others.
Ouyang Rong looked up at the sky, his expression slightly worried.
"What are you looking at, Senior Brother?"
Fireworks, fireworks.
He pointed to the top of his head.
Xie Lingjiang smiled faintly:
"After we finish helping you with your work, let's go for a bit." She suddenly leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "Does Senior Brother's ruqun look good?"
Ouyang Rong looked down and couldn't see his toes.
Neither her toes nor his toes could be seen.
"nice……"
"That's good."
Xie Lingjiang smiled sweetly, then wrinkled her little nose and asked, "So, what are you going to be busy with later?"
"Forehead……"
Just as Ouyang Rong was about to answer, the group arrived at the entrance of the reception hall.
Suddenly, everyone noticed that Ouyang Rong was standing at the door, not moving forward.
"Lady Rong?" Ouyang Rong exclaimed in surprise.
Xie Xun, Xie Xue'e, Wang Caozhi, and the others looked on with curiosity, following his gaze.
Inside the hall, not only was Pei Shisan Niang sitting there, but also a cold, aloof young woman in palace attire. She sat in a chair with her sleeves tucked in, staring straight ahead, her tea untouched, seemingly waiting for something.
“Ouyang Lianghan, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you stay put in Huaiye Lane? I can’t find you when I need you.”
Upon hearing Ouyang Rong's voice, Rong Zhen stood up as if she had been woken from a nap, her voice as cold as the ice-cold tea on the table.
I don't know how long she waited, but her patience seemed to have reached its limit.
Pei Shisan Niang, who was sitting opposite him, also wiped her sweat and stood up: "Young master, the Lady Historian wants to see you, and it seems to be urgent."
"Could this lady be...?"
Xie Xun noticed that his daughter's previously smiling face suddenly calmed down and she remained silent, so he went up to her and asked.
"Rongzhen," the girl in palace attire announced, then asked, "You must be Mr. Xie."
"Exactly."
Rong Zhen's complexion improved slightly, but her voice remained stiff:
“Something has come up at the Xunyang Grottoes that requires Ouyang Lianghan to go there. I apologize for interrupting your meeting with your master and disciple. I hope you understand.”
"What's going on for the Lantern Festival?"
"This is an imperial decree and also Scholar Ouyang's mission. The matter at Xunyang Grottoes cannot be taken lightly, and it is not convenient to disclose it. I hope Mr. Xie can understand my predicament."
Xie Xun cast an inquiring glance at Ouyang Rong.
Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged, but he couldn't help glancing at Rong Zhen. Pei Shisan Niang, thinking Ouyang Rong was looking at her, timidly raised her right hand. Being the invisible one tonight, she cautiously interjected:
“Miss Xie, Mr. Xie, Madam Xie, the matter at Xunyang Grottoes is indeed urgent. That's why I came to see Young Master Ouyang tonight. Because of this, Young Master Ouyang even regretfully declined the Lantern Festival banquet at the Prince's Mansion…”
Ouyang Rong coughed and had no choice but to get up:
"Junior Sister, the matter at Xunyang Grottoes is urgent and cannot be delayed. Madam Pei and I will go take a look. You stay with Master for now. If I return early..."
Xie Lingjiang lowered her eyes and remained silent. After listening to him for a while, she rolled her pretty eyes and gave him a look that said, "Fine, you decide what to do. I don't care."
Ouyang Rong paused, silently turned his head, and began to try to comfort Rong Zhen:
"Lady Rong, I'll go with my junior sister. She's free and can help out. What do you think?"
"I'm not going!"
"no!"
Xie Lingjiang and Rong Zhen spoke almost in unison.
Ouyang Rong's expression changed slightly, and the merit points beside his ear clicked and fell, making him tremble with fear.
Rongzhen and Xie Lingjiang both stared at him with their beautiful eyes, barely glancing at each other since they entered.
At this moment, Rong Zhen was the first to step forward, grab Ouyang Rong's arm, and walk outside:
"Miss Xie said she's not going, you heard that, let's go."
Ouyang Rong felt the strength of her small hand gripping his forearm. This was their first ever physical contact, and Ouyang Rong was stunned. Before he could react, he was pulled to the doorway and quickly turned around, saying:
“If Junior Sister isn’t going, then wait a bit, wait for Madam Pei and me…”
"Lady Historian chose the Lantern Festival to handle important matters, and she even changed her palace dress, which she used to wear every day, into a new color. It seems that this is indeed an important matter."
Xie Lingjiang suddenly spoke.
Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent instantly, and Rongzhen, who had just stepped out of the threshold with an embroidered shoe beneath her palace dress, also froze in mid-air.
A moment later, the girl in palace attire withdrew her jade-like feet from under her skirt, slowly turned her head, and looked at Xie Lingjiang, who had also stepped forward and was tightly gripping Ouyang Rong's other arm.
The two women each grabbed one of his arms, as if they wanted to break him in two.
They passed over Ouyang Rong, who was sandwiched in the middle, and their gazes collided in mid-air.
Despite the lingering noise and heat of the Lantern Festival banquet outside, Xie Xun, Wang Caozhi, Pei Shisan Niang, and the others felt the temperature in the entire hall drop silently by two degrees.
(End of this chapter)
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