Chapter 656 A White Cloth Strip [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
Morning.
The first rays of dawn swept across the great river and fell upon the bricks and tiles of the warehouses at Xunyang Ferry Wharf.
"Bang--!"
With the combined shouts of the boatman and the local official, the large boat docked at the shore.
On the deck, Wei Wu turned around and walked down the deck.
Waves of river water lapped against the shore and the large ships.
At the disembarkation point, a young man who was placing wooden planks to bring the boat ashore lost his balance and stumbled a few steps, about to fall into the water. At the critical moment, he was stopped by a steady, large hand.
"Thank you, sir."
The young waiter was taken aback, but after clearly seeing Wei Wu's resolute face, he thanked him.
Wei Wu walked past him, casually jumping off the boat without a word and landing steadily.
The young man couldn't help but glance at the back of the burly man in black with a square face.
This person seems to be a distinguished guest from Luoyang in Guanzhong, as he has a Luoyang accent. He boarded the ship in Yangzhou, bringing only two servants with him.
However, for some reason, he had a white cloth band on his head.
It seemed rather ominous.
Many passengers dared not approach.
The square-faced, burly man in black clothes and his two cold-faced servants remained silent the entire way, making them somewhat out of place among the other passengers.
"Well, sir, Xunyang City is dangerous right now, and it's close to the front lines, unlike Yangzhou. It seems they're hunting down some Jianghu rebels here. They even hijacked a grain transport ship before. Now all civilian ships are prohibited from crossing the Yangtze River near Hukou County."
The waiter kindly reminded him, "So, sir, remember to register with the authorities as soon as you arrive, lest you be mistakenly arrested. Also, our ship is returning to Yangzhou this afternoon, so if you wish to leave, please don't be late..."
Wei Wu did not turn around.
He nodded slightly.
He looked around Xunyang Ferry.
The passenger boat had previously passed the ferry crossing at Xunyang Grottoes, but was not allowed to disembark. The ferry crossing at Xunyang Grottoes is currently closed, and only official boats carrying special documents are allowed to enter. It is said that this is a rule set by the Censorate and Ouyang Lianghan, the governor of Jiangzhou.
I just stepped off the dock.
A Xianbei guard who had been waiting immediately stepped forward, took out a secret report, and presented it to him with both hands.
"Master Wu."
Both of them were in a bustling city center, surrounded by people and traffic.
Wei Wu did not stop. After receiving the secret report, he continued walking forward, glancing at it with his eyes down.
"This morning, just now, Governor Ouyang Lianghan, Chief Secretary Yuan Huaimin and others visited the Xunyang Prince's Mansion in Xiushuifang. It seems they wanted to invite the Xunyang Prince and his heir to leave the city for a meeting at the Xunyang Grottoes."
"At the Xunyang Grottoes, Lady Rong, Lady Miao, and the newly arrived Commander Yi, among others, are all there..."
The Xianbei guards followed along, whispering among themselves as they recounted the story.
Wei Wu didn't even lift his eyelids.
"Where is the princess?"
He asked.
The Xianbei guard was taken aback:
"At my residence in Xunyangfang, I'm preparing to go to Mount Lu to worship Buddha this morning..."
"take me."
"Yes, Master Wu..."
"Change the way you address me."
"Manager Wu."
The Xianbei guards reacted quickly.
Wei Wu didn't say anything more.
The two mounted their horses and rode away together.
Before long, in front of a mansion gate, a princess's carriage that was about to depart was stopped.
Inside the carriage, Wei Anhui, who was sitting quietly, seemed to sense something was wrong with the carriage. She opened the curtain and glanced outside.
"Uncle Wu?"
She spoke up instinctively.
"Your Highness."
Wei Wu nodded, got into the carriage, and glanced at the coachman:
"I'll do it."
"yes."
The coachman voluntarily left and handed over the reins.
It was obvious that he knew this person; the square-faced man in black robes held considerable prestige in the two royal residences of the Wei family.
Wei Wu sat down cross-legged, picked up the reins again, and calmly said as he steered the carriage around the corner:
"Your Highness, you have been waiting for a long time."
"What do you mean, 'have you been waiting long'?"
Wei Anhui asked curiously:
"Have you been in Jiangzhou for too long? It's alright, I've gotten used to it. Father is right, I should stay and observe mourning."
She sighed softly as she said this.
Wei Wu glanced back and saw the darling of the Liang Prince's mansion inside the carriage. Over her dress, she wore a white mourning garment. Although she had a round face and the appearance of an ordinary woman, she was slightly thin and petite. However, "a woman's beauty lies in her appearance," and her frail appearance was truly pitiful to behold.
Wei Wu avoided eye contact, and said woodenly:
"Before the Prince sent the two of us out of the capital, His Highness Prince Liang asked me to pass on a message, saying that Princess Anhui, you have worked hard, but for the sake of the Wei family's reputation and family etiquette, you should stay for a while longer."
Wei Anhui's expression remained neither pleased nor worried:
"Are we going to stay a while longer...?"
With a soft sigh, she looked out the window.
The gaze reflected in the distant mountains held a mixture of relief and sorrow, though it was hard to tell whether it held a sense of liberation or a lingering melancholy.
Wei Wu said seriously:
"At that time, I will personally escort the princess back to the capital."
Wei Anhui glanced at the back of the square-faced man outside.
This man named Wei Wu was a servant of the King of Wei, who had been with him for many years. He was apparently born into the Wei family and was given the surname Wei.
He had been living in the manor for a long time, so he had watched Wei Anhui's generation, including his deceased cousins Wei Shaoxuan and Wei Shaoqi, grow up. They were all familiar with him and thus affectionately called him Uncle Wu.
However, this Uncle Wu kept a very low profile in both of the Wei family's royal residences. He was always by the side of his uncle, the King of Wei, and their relationship was very close. In fact, some things that even members of the Wei family couldn't say to their uncle were often taken into consideration when Uncle Wu told them to the King of Wei.
They didn't seem like outsiders at all.
"Okay. Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Wu."
Wei Anhui smiled shyly, her eyes curving into crescents.
"During this time, the princess has not suffered any injustice in Xunyang City, has she?"
Wei Wu turned around, drove the carriage, and asked in a measured manner.
“No.” Wei Anhui shook her head: “What grievance could I possibly suffer?”
"I heard that Lady Rongzhen often accompanies the princess."
"Yes, Sister Rong is such a kind person. She seems cold on the outside but is warm on the inside. She's just not good at expressing herself, making her hard for outsiders to get close to. But she's actually a very good person, like an older sister, and she's always taken care of me..."
Wei Anhui spoke fluently and charmingly.
Wei Wu listened for a while, then interrupted:
"That heir of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion hasn't come looking for you again, has he?"
Wei Anhui's voice gradually stopped, and after a while, she said:
"It seems that Young Master Li has recently left the city and is no longer in Xunyang."
No, he's back.
Wei Wu shook his head and told the truth.
Wei Anhui was quiet for a while.
"oh."
She responded softly.
At this moment, she noticed that Wei Wu, who was driving the carriage outside without saying a word, turned a corner and headed in another direction on the street, seemingly not towards Mount Lu.
I couldn't help but ask:
"Where is Uncle Wu going?"
Xunyang Grottoes.
"Why would you go there for no reason?"
Wei Anhui asked with a puzzled look, then, realizing what she meant, added:
"Sister Rong and Granny Song seem to be very busy today. They've called a lot of people together for a meeting. If we go over there, they probably won't have time to entertain us."
Wei Wu shook his head, his hand gripping the reins remaining motionless, showing no intention of turning.
"It's alright, let's just stroll around. Princess, take a look around and burn incense and pray to Buddha for the young master and the others. Didn't you set up a Buddha tablet for them?"
“I often go to worship Buddha, so one more day won’t make a difference.” Wei Anhui said, then realized what she meant and asked, “Is it Uncle Wu who wants to go?”
Wei Wu spoke in a muffled voice:
"I'll also pay my respects to Buddha and take a look at the memorial tablets that the Third and Sixth Young Masters have enshrined."
"No wonder, Uncle Wu misses his cousins too. I saw you were still wearing the white bandage. Well, after all, he watched us grow up, and now he's met with such misfortune..."
Inside the carriage, Wei Anhui's tone became dejected.
"Please accept my condolences, Your Highness."
Wei Wu lowered his eyes and said.
As he whipped his horse, he freed one hand to touch the white cloth strip on his forehead.
His eyes held a look that defied description.
Wei Anhui suddenly realized what was happening and asked:
"By the way, why was it Uncle Wei who sent Uncle Wu this time? Why wasn't it my father or someone from the Liang Prince's mansion who came to pick me up?"
Wei Wu nodded:
"It's on the way. So His Highness Prince Liang didn't send anyone."
"On the way?"
Wei Anhui asked in confusion.
Wei Wu nodded woodenly, pointed to the white cloth band on his forehead, and said:
"The prince took it off and made me wear it, instructing me to bring it to Xunyang."
Inside the carriage, Wei Anhui, dressed in mourning clothes, seemed to be looking at the white cloth strip and tilted her head slightly.
...
Xunyang Grottoes.
In front of a bamboo house in a bamboo grove.
"Father."
Just as Li Xian's face darkened and he was about to lash out, Li Dalang suddenly emerged from the bamboo grove beside him.
Yan Liulang followed beside him.
"Your Highness, Magistrate Ming."
Ouyang Rong saw that the two men were both covered in dust, but they had smiles on their faces and each was carrying a few fresh bamboo shoots tied with hemp rope.
"I told you to wait where you were, where did you go?"
Li Xian abruptly asked, and before Li Dalang could answer, he turned to Yan Liulang and asked:
"Sixth Brother, you speak."
"The Crown Prince saw fresh bamboo shoots in the forest and said that stewed duck with bamboo shoots is the best way to nourish yin and kidneys, replenish qi and blood, and is suitable for nourishing the body. A few days ago, the Prince was kicked while fishing and accidentally fell into the water. Some cold air entered his body. Pick some fresh bamboo shoots and take them back so that the Princess can make soup for the Prince."
Li Xian glanced at Li Dalang, who stood with his hands at his sides, head bowed and silent.
He didn't say anything more, and his expression softened slightly.
The atmosphere became somewhat silent and awkward.
Li Dalang looked up and forced a smile:
“Father, there’s really no need to worry. I promise to stay where I am and I definitely won’t go. I won’t do anything that would hold you and Tanlang back…”
Ouyang Rong suddenly peeked at the bamboo shoots and snatched a rope of bamboo shoots from Li Dalang's hand:
"Blood tonic? That's good stuff, I need it right now. Please give me some too, thank you, Da Lang."
Ouyang Rong said with a smile.
Everyone was stunned.
"Why would Tanlang need to nourish his yin and kidneys all of a sudden?" Li Xian asked curiously.
“If Tanlang wants to eat, why don’t we just come to the Prince’s Mansion? We can have Mother make soup and everyone can drink it together.”
Li Dalang suggested.
Upon hearing the words "nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys," Yan Liulang couldn't help but glance at the magistrate, who had been walking briskly most of the time lately.
Ouyang Rong, without looking away, solemnly corrected him:
"It's not for nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys, I don't need that, it's... it's for others to replenish, for replenishing blood."
"Who is that for?" Li Xian asked curiously.
Ouyang Rong said in a serious tone, almost as if it were a natural recitation: "Yuan Huaimin."
A plaintive voice came from behind; it was Yuan Huaimin.
"Brother Lianghan, I'm still here, I haven't left."
"Isn't your childhood sweetheart here? Don't worry, he'll be needed soon."
Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged as he casually replied.
However, as he said this, he still glanced around out of the corner of his eye.
Yes, Yi Qianqiu was nowhere to be seen.
Yuan Huaimin had the same reaction, looking around with concern.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that the tigress was gone.
“Brother Lianghan, you mustn’t say such nonsense. It’s only because I’m loyal that you can’t do this. If it were Qiu Niang…”
The four chatted as they walked out of the bamboo forest.
Just then, a withered, tall old man suddenly emerged from the bamboo grove to the right. He was wearing a faded long robe, which vaguely resembled a blue musician's uniform. He carried a small hoe on his shoulder and some fresh bamboo shoots in his hand, creating a leisurely, rural atmosphere.
Upon seeing this, Li Dalang and Yan Liulang immediately greeted him, saying, "Thank you for the bamboo shoots, sir."
The old man carrying a hoe stopped leisurely when he saw Ouyang Rong and his group.
"Gentlemen, if you are not going to eat the fresh bamboo shoots right away, remember to soak them in water to preserve their freshness."
He gave his instructions with a gentle expression.
Ouyang Rong and Li Xian exchanged a glance, nodded, and clasped their hands in greeting:
"Been taught a lesson."
The old musician's gentle gaze swept past Ouyang Rong and the others, landing on Yuan Huaimin:
"You must be Yuan Huaimin, the Prefect of Jiangzhou. I've heard that you know some of Wu's brushstroke techniques, a unique skill of a painting master surnamed Wu from Chang'an. Are you acquainted with him?"
Yuan Huaimin scratched his head: "We're old acquaintances, but we haven't been in touch for many years. Does the old gentleman also know him?"
"I used to live in Chang'an and have long admired your name. I have some feelings about this."
The old musician adjusted the hoe on his shoulder and sighed softly.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two passed each other.
After walking for a while, Ouyang Rong turned around and looked at the old musician's back.
"Brother, what's going on?" Li Xian asked, turning around.
Before Li Dalang could speak, Yan Liulang uttered his words in a few words.
It turned out that Ouyang Rong and Li Xianchen had just finished a meeting. While they were strolling in the woods, they saw the old man digging bamboo shoots. After watching for a while, the old man invited them to join him and they managed to get some bamboo shoots.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong's expression turned thoughtful.
Li Xian frowned: "This old man seems somewhat familiar. Also, why is he living in this bamboo forest? This place is near the grottoes, wasn't it sealed off by the Censorate?"
Li Dalang spoke:
"Father, have you forgotten? This is the old musician we met once before. When the Xingzi Lake Buddha collapsed and Xingzifang was sealed off, Lady Rongzhen and Deputy Director Song invited him to play a piece. This old man should have some connection with the Luoyang Astronomical Bureau. I wonder who he is."
Yuan Huaimin nodded: "I have a vague recollection of that as well."
He glanced at Ouyang Rong's calm expression and explained:
"Liang Han wasn't in Xingzifang at the time; he was invited back later by Lady Rongzhen, so it's normal that he hadn't seen him before."
Ouyang Rong smiled but remained silent.
As I faintly heard the sound of a spirit descending upon Brother Huang in the water room at the Xingzi Lake construction site, a lingering melody of the zither echoed around me.
The four walked out of the bamboo forest.
It seemed that Princess An Hui's carriage was still inside the Xunyang Grottoes, where she was exchanging pleasantries with Rong Zhen and the others.
Ouyang Rong and Li Xian did not intend to stay any longer and were about to leave.
Just then, a melodious zither tune drifted from the bamboo grove behind them.
Suddenly, Rongzhen rushed back and entered the bamboo forest.
Ouyang Rong turned around and glanced at her hurried figure.
...
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(End of this chapter)
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