Chapter 574 Ouyang Rong: Forget time management, speedrunning is all the rage now! [Seeking monthly votes]
The Lantern Festival is also known as the Shangyuan Festival.
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, and the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month are respectively the first full moon night of spring, summer, and winter.
Therefore, it is also known as the "Three Yuan", namely the Upper Yuan, Middle Yuan, and Lower Yuan.
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is called Shangyuan, and there is a custom of lighting lanterns and decorating with colorful decorations, hence it is also known as the "Lantern Festival".
The Daqian and Dazhou dynasties stipulated that the Lantern Festival would be celebrated for three days with a nationwide curfew.
This was an extremely rare opportunity for the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty, who were subject to a curfew system year-round.
On the eve of the Lantern Festival, the banquets and entertainment activities become even more elaborate and extravagant, with singing, dancing and various performances taking place in the lively theaters.
Tonight, Chang'an and Luoyang are undoubtedly the most prosperous places, but Xunyang City in Jiangnan is not far behind, second only to Yangzhou, Jinling, and Qiantang.
It can be considered one of the most prosperous places in Jiangnan.
On the main thoroughfare of Xingzifang in Xunyang City.
A grand parade is underway, with colorful lanterns and trees attracting visitors from all over.
From nobles and their relatives to artisans and merchants, everyone came here for a night out.
Among them were many beautiful women who originally lived secluded lives, now going out in groups to enjoy the scenery.
As the saying goes, beauties emerge in profusion, their brocade curtains like rosy clouds. Gentlemen ride in pairs, their carved saddles like the moon.
As a result, romantic rendezvous between men and women were inevitable. Many young men and beautiful women strolled in pairs through the streets, enjoying the lanterns and the night.
Ouyang Rong followed Rong Zhen into the street with a somewhat hesitant expression.
He stopped at a roadside stall at the street corner and bought a large folding fan, using it to slightly shield his face while fanning himself.
However, the pairing of the two still attracted a lot of attention on the bustling street.
The main culprit is Rongzhen.
These people, unaware of the situation, lacked the positive perception of the Lady Historian of the Censorate.
So everyone was attracted by the beauty of this palace-dressed girl, well, at most they felt that this stunning young lady was a bit cold.
Of course, Ouyang Rong, who was by Rong Zhen's side, did not hold her back. The only shortcoming was that the two were quite different in height, but... height difference can be quite endearing sometimes, right?
Although Ouyang Rong covered his face with a folding fan, it made him seem a little pretentious.
However, he was tall and slender, a typical model of a handsome young man.
To the other beautiful women on the street, although his features were not clearly visible, he was definitely a man of handsome and dashing appearance.
Of course, it was a different story in the eyes of the other men on the street.
No, buddy, you've already shown off all you wanted!
However, despite his many flaws, the other male animals had to admit his worth.
Because the cold and aloof young lady beside Ouyang Rong was indeed exceptionally beautiful, with bright eyes and white teeth, and her palace dress was flowing, just like Chang'e in the moon.
A woman is always a man's greatest luxury.
Even though this man was dressed in beggar's clothes, slovenly and unkempt, no one dared to underestimate him.
A variety of gazes, some envious, some jealous, and some curious, were cast upon them.
Ouyang Rong fanned himself a little too quickly, covering his face.
Rongzhen remained silent the whole way, gazing up at the dazzling array of streetlights lining the street.
Ouyang Rong had no choice but to stay with him.
However, the two people who came to maintain order and prevent rebels were strolling around so leisurely that, to an uninformed person, they must have been a couple, as could be seen from the various looks in the eyes of the passers-by.
Rongzhen seemed completely unconcerned.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at her.
This lady-in-waiting has indeed changed into a new palace dress tonight, which is dazzling.
This palace dress is made primarily of soft and delicate silk, and unlike the usual plain white, it is a noble deep purple.
The palace skirt is embroidered with intricate and delicate patterns, with auspicious motifs such as peonies, phoenixes, and cranes depicted vividly, interwoven with gold and silver threads that shimmer with a subtle light...
In addition, as if it were a cool night, she wore a half-sleeved jacket over her shoulders. The light gauze was like smoke, swaying gently in the wind, adding to her elegance and mystery.
She also wore a fashionable high bun, with exquisite gold hairpins inserted in her hair, and a delicate floral decoration on her forehead, a crescent moon, adding a touch of gentleness. Small hairpins hung on both sides of her temples, swaying gently with her steps and making a pleasant sound.
The facial makeup was equally elaborate, featuring the popular peach blossom makeup, with delicate eyebrows, deep eye makeup, red lips, and a light dusting of powder on the cheeks, making the skin appear smooth as jade and the face as beautiful as a peach blossom.
She possesses both the elegance of a woman and the majesty of an official.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at it a few more times.
"I told you to watch out for rebels and search for clues, why are you staring at me like that?"
Rongzhen, who had been looking towards the street, suddenly spoke.
She turned her head, her dark eyes glancing sideways at Ouyang Rong, and said in a stiff, low voice:
"Not gentlemanly at all."
Ouyang Rong put on a stern face:
"Why can they watch, but I can't, and I still care about you."
Her eyes looked elsewhere, but she pressed on with her question:
"What do you care about me? My appearance? Ouyang Lianghan, how can you be like those boring men? I hate the way they look at me with their shifty eyes. It's disgusting."
"It was clearly an appreciative look, wait, no, what I meant was, how is Lady Rong going to catch rebels dressed like that, with all the jingling as she walks?"
Rong Zhen:......
The girl, dressed in her finest palace attire tonight, had no desire to acknowledge him at all. She found him even more repulsive than the other men, and thought he was worse than them. She strode forward.
As if worried about something, the Lady Historian walked and stopped frequently, pausing at various gatherings of people. Each time Ouyang Rong caught up with her, she turned and headed to the next location.
Without stopping.
A short while later, at the entrance of a theater, Ouyang Rong caught up again, panting, and said with a tone of relief:
"So Lady Rong really does patrol the streets."
Rong Zhen was immediately enraged and retorted:
"Otherwise what?"
"I thought Lady Rong wanted to digest her food, and also that she was deliberately delaying my return to spite my junior sister."
Rong Zhen stopped and turned around, staring intently at Ouyang Rong's sincere expression for a while. After a short while, she lowered her eyes and said:
"Ridiculous, why would I, with nothing better to do, get angry with her?"
She continued walking forward.
After a short while, without turning his head, he said softly:
"If you are in a real hurry, then go back. I will not make things difficult for you."
As she spoke, the girl in palace attire lowered her head slightly and walked forward for a while, only to find that someone behind her was still following closely behind.
They didn't leave.
Rong Zhen raised her eyelids slightly, took a deep breath, and couldn't help but turn around to look, just in time to see Ouyang Rong looking up at the sky.
Her lips, which had been slightly upturned, immediately turned down, and she said in a dry tone:
"You've been looking at the sky, are you checking the time? If you're in such a hurry, why aren't you leaving?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head, put away his fan, tucked his sleeves behind him, and asked curiously:
"It's alright, let's walk a little further. It's the same direction we're going back to the Prince's Mansion."
"Ah, so it's on the way. Lord Ouyang really planned the route in advance. It makes me seem like I'm just being presumptuous."
Ouyang Rong ignored her, glanced at her purple palace dress again, and suddenly asked:
"Ms. Rong's family background must be very prominent, and..."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Lady Rong was concerned about Princess Anhui before. Did you know her back in Luoyang? Are you acquaintances, or are you from the same social circle?"
Rong Zhen fell silent, walked forward for a while, and then spoke softly:
“That home… is long gone. I entered the palace at the age of seven. In my heart, the palace and the Imperial Observatory are my true home.”
Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback: "I'm sorry, I brought up something that hurt you."
"What's the use of apologizing now that it's already been brought up?"
Rongzhen urged him impatiently:
"Get out of here."
Ouyang Rong did not leave.
Just then, the two happened to pass by a lakeside promenade adorned with lanterns and where many people were queuing.
Ouyang Rong, having witnessed something, suddenly called out to Rong Zhen:
"Wait a minute, come here for a second."
What are you doing?
Rong Zhen frowned, but still reluctantly followed.
She looked closely and found that the waterfront promenade was covered with lanterns, each with a riddle attached. At the entrance of the promenade, a chubby grandfather and grandson were running a stall, with a wooden sign in front of them.
The inscription on the wooden sign roughly states:
For three taels of silver, one can pass through the lantern riddle corridor. Those who correctly solve ten riddles on the corridor can take home a family heirloom jade hairpin shaped like mandarin ducks, and receive a refund of the three taels of silver entrance fee. This precious hairpin is unique and will only be given to a destined person with wisdom.
On the counter in front of the chubby old man, there was a pair of jade hairpins shaped like mandarin ducks, which were displayed to everyone.
A chubby-faced little boy, who seemed to be his grandson, collected money at the entrance of the corridor. For every three taels of silver he collected, he would hand out a wooden pass and let one person in at a time. Those who needed more money would have to queue up.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and glanced at it. The jade hairpin lay on the red cloth, with several lanterns hanging above it. The light shone on the jade hairpin, making it dazzling and beautiful... This boss knows about light shows.
Especially the chubby old man, with a happy and reminiscing expression on his face, stroked his beard and repeatedly told everyone that this was the object his parents had encountered back then, a predestined marriage, the red thread of fate from the God of Marriage, blah blah blah.
Ouyang Rong found these short essays extremely boring, but that didn't stop him from using them.
"What are you going to do?" Rongzhen asked, puzzled.
"Haven't you always wanted to trade this hairpin of mine for yours? Here, I'll get you one, so you don't have to trade it for your mother's heirloom..."
He patted his chest and coughed, then covered his mouth and said, "But I don't have any money. Do you have any?"
Rongzhen frowned and took out three ounces.
Ouyang Rong took it and went to join the queue.
There were many people queuing up ahead of them. At the very front, a young man slowly looked around in the corridor, frowning and thinking, unable to guess the riddle for a long time.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but urge:
"Hey, brother, hurry up!"
The young master's face immediately turned red with embarrassment. His female companions and a group of beauties were watching from below.
This riddle was already the most difficult on the street, and it was well-known. Plus, the young man below was actually slightly more handsome than him, so the young master said irritably, "What's the rush? Why don't you do it?"
"I'll do it, I'll do it." Ouyang Rong cut in line without saying a word.
“Hey, how about we forget about it…” Rong Zhen frowned slightly. She couldn’t understand any of these riddles. Judging from the young master’s performance, they didn’t seem simple. Most importantly, Ouyang Rong was too attention-seeking and it would be hard to back down. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd and the young master’s flushed face, Ouyang Rong walked up the corridor and glanced at the riddles on the lanterns.
Candied Coptis chinensis?
"share weal and woe."
[The faint cry of monkeys can be heard outside the garden; the sound of a flute can be heard on the small bridge under the stars and moon.]
"Lantern Festival".
[Its body is white and plump, often hiding in the mud; its entire body is covered in honeycomb-like structures; it can be eaten raw or cooked.]
"Lotus root".
Ouyang Rong spoke at lightning speed, rattling off one riddle after another. These riddles would have been child's play in his previous life, requiring a lot of brain teasers.
Without even thinking, he started speedrunning.
After about half a cup of tea's time.
The women and onlookers outside the corridor stared wide-eyed. Under the fat old man's changed expression, Ouyang Rong walked down the corridor, bent down and pried open the dumbfounded child's small hand, easily took back the three taels of silver, then picked up the much-anticipated mandarin duck jade hairpin on the table, patted his bottom and left.
On the street, Ouyang Rong held up a hairpin, waved it, and handed it to Rong Zhen: "Here you go."
Rongzhen tilted her head back, her small mouth slightly open, stared at his confident face for a while, then stretched out both hands and silently accepted the jade hairpin.
She slowly lowered her head and said softly, "Thank you, then... I owe you another meal."
Ouyang Rong's smile vanished.
Before he could refuse, Rong Zhen had already turned and left, her steps seemingly light, and she even waved to him:
"Go back now. I can tell you're distracted. There's really no need for apologies or compensation, but tonight... I'm in a pretty good mood."
As she spoke, the palace-dressed girl in the distance took off the gold hairpin from her high temple and quietly replaced it with this jade hairpin, then walked away with her head held high.
Ouyang Rong opened his mouth, then rubbed his face, glanced at the night, and turned to leave quickly...
Outside the lantern riddle corridor, the figures of the two, like a pair of celestial beings, disappeared.
The chubby-faced child, who had just received his money back but also lost his ancestral jade hairpin, looked very anxious.
"Grandpa, what should we do? It was broken so quickly. Are we going to have to shut down?"
"Closing up? What's there to close up? There's still plenty left, lots of stock, and there's plenty more tonight. My dear grandson, go back to collecting the money, hehe."
As he spoke, the chubby old man bent down and randomly picked up a jade hairpin from a pile of identical pieces in a wooden box next to him. He then put it back on the stall and muttered to himself, "Ten pieces for three taels of silver at the jewelry store in the East Market. It's a bit expensive, but my dear grandson, you must remember, you can't catch a wolf without risking your cub."
He cleared his throat, turned off the shutter, and continued hawking his wares, telling his stories vividly.
The chubby-faced child scratched his head and said, "Grandpa is so smart!"
"Nonsense, that's precisely to guard against these occasional experts who might suddenly appear."
The chubby old man was beaming with pride.
About an hour later.
Sure enough, no new person cleared the level. They were all idiots. The chubby old man smiled and said, "I told you, there are only a few capable people. That guy just now was obviously no ordinary person. There aren't many young people who can give me a sense of awe these days. He even brought such a beautiful young lady with him. She must be a learned and cultured person."
"Oh, and that young lady too. She's probably cold on the outside but warm on the inside. It's hard to get close to women like that, but once you win her over, she'll be absolutely devoted, loyal, and clingy. Look at how happy she was after that guy gave her the hairpin. She's probably already been coaxed by him to a secret rendezvous by the lake and in the woods, and she's even given him her undergarment..."
The experienced old man sighed and shook his head: "However, it is still possible to win them over. Many men can't even hold a beautiful woman's hand, which is why we are needed to create opportunities for them. To win a woman's heart, they need to show off in various ways. We make money from this. It's a willing buyer and a willing seller situation."
Just then, the old man's expression of emotion froze, and he turned his head blankly to look at the crowd in line. His grandson also turned his head curiously.
Then another pair of handsome young men and beautiful women came to line up. One of them was a familiar figure, but the young woman in red next to her was an unfamiliar one. However, she had a dignified appearance and outstanding demeanor. She was also a beauty of the nation. Judging from her clothes, she also had the noble and elegant temperament of a lady from a prominent family.
The man's voice sounded familiar.
“Junior sister, let’s go look around somewhere else. I’m so full from that bowl of dried glutinous rice balls you served me, haha. How about we take a walk by the lake to help me digest…” he suggested sincerely.
The beautiful woman in red said in a cheerful voice, "Let's walk this way, it's a good way to digest our food. Senior Brother, the lanterns here are really beautiful, and there are so many people. Hey, look at that hairpin, it's quite pretty."
"Um, are you sure you want to go this way? Eldest Brother and Princess are still waiting for us over at the theater..."
"Hmm, Dalang and the others aren't in a hurry. Eldest brother, there are so many people queuing up here... Look, the words on this sign, sigh, I never thought this hairpin had such a touching love story behind it." Her tone was a little downcast and sad.
"There seem to be a lot of love stories here."
"What do you mean? You've seen it too?"
"No...no, I haven't seen it!"
The atmosphere was quiet for a while, and the two stood there without leaving.
“Senior Brother, look, this hairpin is so beautiful,” she said again.
"..."
Under Xie Lingjiang's smiling gaze as she stood still, Ouyang Rong lowered his head, accepted the three taels of silver she considerately handed him, and stepped forward to join the queue.
However, for some reason, he kept a low profile this time, standing at the back of the line quietly fanning himself, not daring to urge the slow-moving people in front of him.
But at one moment, Ouyang Rong, who was keeping a low profile and looking down in the group, met the gaze of the chubby old man who was staring straight at him.
"Ahem." Ouyang Rong casually looked away, covering his face with his folding fan.
Grandfather and grandson: ...?
(End of this chapter)
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