Chapter 672 Thanking Lingjiang: I must address her as "sister" after being offered tea [Seeking monthly votes!]
"Everyone's gone, what are you looking at?"
At the top of the stairs, Xie Lingjiang kept her eyes straight ahead, placed her hand on Ouyang Rong's waist, and asked softly.
Ouyang Rong kept his head turned to the side and remained silent.
Xie Lingjiang frowned and turned her head, only to meet Ouyang Rong's gaze.
Ouyang Rong had been staring intently at her profile.
Xie Lingjiang couldn't help but ask:
"What...are you looking at?"
Ouyang Rong continued to watch for a while, then suddenly spoke:
"It's so beautiful."
"What's so beautiful?"
"Junior Sister looks beautiful tonight."
Xie Lingjiang cupped one cheek in her hand, lowered her head slightly, and scolded:
“My little sister Guo’er insisted on drawing my eyebrows and touching up my makeup. I don’t look good, but the makeup does.”
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"It's just icing on the cake. Junior Sister is most beautiful without makeup, like a lotus emerging from clear water."
"Smooth-tongued, Senior Brother really knows how to please this young lady..."
Ouyang Rong nodded solemnly: "I like to tell the truth. If you don't believe me, call Liu Lang up and ask him if that's true."
Xie Lingjiang snorted: "Sixth Brother has been corrupted by you too."
Ouyang Rong didn't answer, but leaned closer and asked curiously:
"It smells so good."
"I came after showering, and washed my hair a little slowly."
"Why wash your hair for no reason? You might catch a cold at night."
"I haven't bathed for several days; I've been busy cultivating lately."
"Actually, it's all the same. Junior Sister is clean even without washing."
Xie Lingjiang tried hard to suppress the corners of her lips and said coldly:
"If that's all the talk from Senior Brother, then I'll go back. I still need to meditate and cultivate."
Ouyang Rong coughed.
Xie Lingjiang went over and tidied up the wine vessels that Rong Zhen had used on the table.
Upon seeing this, Ouyang Rong realized what was happening:
"Wait a minute, I'll go get someone."
"No need, don't call outsiders, I can handle it."
Xie Lingjiang stopped him.
Ouyang Rong turned around and saw Xie Lingjiang kneeling beside the tea table, her face serious, tidying up the table.
Seeing her virtuous appearance.
Considering that he had deliberately tried to appear dignified and composed, Ouyang Rong felt a warm current in his heart.
Ouyang Rong walked over and sat down next to Xie Lingjiang.
"Ms. Rong only drank one cup; I didn't force her to drink it."
Xie Lingjiang chuckled:
"You got this drunk after just one drink?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"It could be an allergy, or some other minor ailment. She said that drinking alcohol makes her heart beat faster."
"Does Senior Brother believe that?"
"It's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't."
"Anyway, I'm a germaphobe; I won't drink alcohol that other people have drunk from."
"good."
Ouyang Rong nodded, not annoyed.
Xie Lingjiang glanced at him and saw that her senior brother had taken matters into his own hands, poured three cups of wine, and drank them down without saying a word.
Finished the three cups.
Xie Lingjiang frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"
Ouyang Rong replied with a smile, "If you're going to offer a toast, you'll have to drink three cups as a penalty first."
"snort."
Xie Lingjiang turned her gaze away.
She reached into the bundle, opened the box, and touched the delicate wooden comb and flowers.
"This small-leaf sandalwood is very expensive."
"It's quite expensive, and I won't get my salary this month, but when I saw it, I felt it would suit you, so I couldn't resist buying it."
Xie Lingjiang didn't speak, but her movements as she touched the comb became gentler.
Ouyang Rong, who was kneeling opposite him, went to pour more wine, but he stood up without making a sound and sat down next to Xie Lingjiang.
His arrival pushed her further into the seat.
The latter glared at him.
"you……"
However, when the shameless Ouyang Rong casually put his arm around her waist, Xie Lingjiang fell silent and remained quiet as he pulled her into his embrace.
Ouyang Rong raised a glass of wine and began to speak fluently:
Three things.
"First, on a night when the flowers are in full bloom and the moon is round, a time of fine weather and beautiful scenery, we should drink together."
"Secondly, Junior Sister has worked hard these days, helping to take care of and accompany Auntie. Like tonight, she was even tolerant of Senior Brother's carelessness... I deserve to be punished with a drink."
"Third, we've reached the seventh rank today, so we should drink another cup."
When Xie Lingjiang heard the first two things, she remained calm with her chin slightly raised. But when she heard the third thing, she immediately looked up.
"Senior Brother has reached the seventh rank?"
"Um."
When did this happen?
"Tonight, just now, I'll tell you about it later."
Xie Lingjiang was pleasantly surprised. Ouyang Rong was taking a sip of wine after each sentence, but she snatched his third cup and drank it all in one gulp.
"Reaching the seventh rank is a big deal; it's time to celebrate."
Xie Lingjiang beamed and clapped her hands together beside Furong's small face.
Ouyang Rong glanced at her expression.
The junior sister was genuinely happy and proud of him.
Ouyang Rong grabbed her hand, and Xie Lingjiang leaned against him obediently. Their hands, which were clasped together, became interlocked.
One wore a blue scholar's robe, the other a crimson dress, and they nestled together under the moonlight.
Ouyang Rong raised his hands, which were clasped together, and mobilized the spiritual energy in his dantian. A blush spread across the veins of his hands.
Xie Lingjiang saw this and laughed, saying, "Thinking about it carefully, Senior Brother's seventh rank is not slow, it's even too fast."
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"This seventh rank is only the beginning. We'll stop here for now and find the remaining incomplete sword technique."
Xie Lingjiang asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"
Ouyang Rong glanced at a small notebook on the table.
It was left behind by Rongzhen just before she left; she tossed it on the table and didn't take it with her.
Ouyang Rong picked up the small notebook, flipped through it, and saw that Rong Zhen had written and circled a seven-character quatrain, as well as two pieces of music with messy handwriting.
In front of Xie Lingjiang, Ouyang Rong pointed to them and recounted the whole story of what had happened that night.
Of course, he temporarily omitted the progress in his cultivation caused by the miraculous dual cultivation with the embroiderer.
Xie Lingjiang's expression grew increasingly surprised as she listened.
"The old musician invited by the Imperial Observatory was actually a swordsman who taught sword techniques. Doesn't Rongzhen's seeking him out mean she also wants to learn sword techniques? Could it be that Rongzhen wants to become a swordsman?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "It shouldn't be, at least not the path of a swordsman like me, because she is not a ninth-rank cultivator. Unless she disperses her power, the price would be too high. Now that the Buddha statue is about to be unearthed, we definitely can't do that."
"Why is that?" Xie Lingjiang asked. "You said yourself that Rong Zhen wants to obtain that zither piece, which is also a sword technique, before the Buddha statue lands, so that she can start practicing it immediately. What is she planning to do?"
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment:
"It may be related to the Buddha."
"The Great Buddha?"
“That’s right. I suspect that the Donglin Buddha is involved in a certain formation of the Imperial Observatory. The defenses that Lady Rong deployed in the Xunyang Grottoes are all related to this formation. The sword technique and Senior Yu are also part of it.”
Xie Lingjiang hesitated, then said, "Does that mean..."
Ouyang Rong suddenly asked, "Junior Sister, which cauldron sword do you think this incomplete new sword technique tonight belongs to?"
Xie Lingjiang didn't think for long before exchanging a glance with Ouyang Rong.
"Emperor Wen".
"Emperor Wen".
The two spoke almost in unison.
Xie Lingjiang analyzed: "This old musician came from Shangyang Palace, and Emperor Wen is in the Luoyang Imperial Palace. This was mentioned by Uncle Li before."
"That's right."
Ouyang Rong nodded, and then said:
"I remember hearing before that Lady Rong came to Xunyang City for a special quota."
"Special quota?"
"Yes, Lin Cheng mentioned it. Of course, he might have misled me at the time, but judging from his relationship with Ms. Rong, it doesn't seem like a lie. After spending so much time together, I can sense that Ms. Rong didn't tell me the truth about some things."
Xie Lingjiang asked, "Is it because you don't trust your senior brother?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "No, she didn't even hide the zither music involving sword techniques... I think there are only two possibilities. First, it does involve the confidentiality clauses of the Imperial Observatory and cannot be disclosed. Second, Lady Rong has her own selfish motives."
"Self-interest?"
Xie Lingjiang gave a soft hum, turned the pages of the book with her fingers, fiddled with them for a moment, and said leisurely:
"There were indeed selfish motives."
He glanced at Ouyang Rong with a meaningful look in his eyes.
The latter frowned: "It's not for that personal reason."
"uh-huh."
Xie Lingjiang remained noncommittal, and said with a sneer:
"Will the senior brother still teach her music?"
"teach."
Ouyang Rong nodded without hesitation:
"I promised. But I can't guarantee whether she can comprehend this sword technique."
"She lacks talent?"
"No, but I think it's risky."
Why is that?
"Although we don't know what that special spot is or how she will use it, Lady Rong is obviously too impatient. Comprehending sword techniques cannot be done in a hurry."
Xie Lingjiang noticed a hint of emotion on Ouyang Rong's face.
"That's true, not everyone has the talent of Senior Brother."
She nodded slightly.
Ouyang Rong smiled sheepishly.
The two lingered for a while.
He suddenly spoke:
"Today I went to see Fellow Daoist Lu to have our birth dates and times calculated."
Xie Lingjiang was taken aback: "What do you mean?"
Ouyang Rong's gaze remained fixed:
"Once the Buddha statue is completed, we should probably leave with the Prince's Mansion. I promised you before that once things are settled in Xunyang, we'll get engaged in Luoyang."
Xie Lingjiang blushed deeply and lowered her head to say:
"Oh, it's not just empty promises..."
"Of course not."
Ouyang Rong said softly, "Lu Ya said our horoscopes are auspicious. I will tell my aunt and invite your aunt to her birthday celebration. We can discuss this matter then and let the elders start negotiating."
Xie Lingjiang said in a low voice, "Okay, you decide."
Ouyang Rong tightened his grip on her hand.
Xie Lingjiang also gripped his hand tightly.
As if they had discovered something amusing, the two of them played with each other's hands, loosening and tightening their grips.
Xie Lingjiang muttered to himself:
"Why did you suddenly bring this up, Senior Brother? Weren't you saying there was no rush?"
Ouyang Rong said softly:
"I'm not in a hurry, but someone else is."
"You...you're the one who's in a hurry, I'm not."
"Oh, no rush? But lately you've been bringing up Dalang's marriage repeatedly in front of me and asking for my opinions. Are you sure you're not hinting at something?"
"The devil is implying to you that you can take the marriage off or not."
Ouyang Rong chuckled, then said seriously:
"Junior Sister agrees with the reason why the eldest brother refuses the marriage. She doesn't want to get married in advance and cause conflicts between the wife and concubine in the future... I went back and thought about it and realized that my previous opinion was a bit hasty. I quite agree with the eldest brother's reason."
"Leaving aside whether the eldest son has ulterior motives in waiting for someone, the rights of the principal wife do need to be defended. Taking a concubine in advance is really inappropriate for his status as the heir apparent. If he were to ascend the throne in the future, then the current concubine would become the future imperial concubine. This is not a small matter for ordinary families, but a major matter for the imperial family, which needs to be carefully considered."
Xie Lingjiang was slightly taken aback: "That makes sense, but Senior Brother has thought further ahead."
Ouyang Rong said calmly:
"So, to sum up the Dalang incident, the first priority is to determine the principal wife; the matter of concubines can be dealt with later."
Xie Lingjiang immediately agreed:
"Yes, that's right."
Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes slightly, took a sip of wine, and glanced at his junior sister, who had become happy after they reached a consensus.
Don't be fooled by their casual gossip about Dalang's refusal to marry.
However, when couples discuss gossip about others, it's never out of genuine concern for what happens to others, but rather to gain insight into each other's perspectives and then express their own attitudes...
This is a good way to resolve potential future conflicts at a low cost.
Just now, Ouyang Rong compromised and took the initiative to propose marriage, taking action instead.
Xie Lingjiang couldn't help but drink a few more glasses of wine, her face flushed, indicating that she was in a very good mood tonight.
She aimlessly flipped through the notebook, glanced at Rong Zhen's handwriting, and unusually said:
"Speaking of which, Rong Zhen has indeed treated you well. She also contributed to your success in obtaining the sword manual and advancing to the seventh rank. This is undeniable."
"It was the same before. I confided in my senior brother many times... If I were a man, I would also feel sorry for her."
Ouyang Rong frowned: "What do you mean?"
Xie Lingjiang looked up, observed Ouyang Rong's expression, and asked:
"Doesn't Senior Brother have any feelings for her at all?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"What a joke! If she knew I was the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower, she would devour me alive. Some things were impossible from the start, so why commit such a sin? It's simply an insult."
"However, I admit that I feel guilty towards Ms. Rong because I kept it from her from the beginning."
"So, Senior Brother has been able to tolerate her temper all this time?"
"I guess so."
Is it possible that she already guessed it?
Ouyang Rong frowned: "Junior Sister, don't scare me."
"It's just a possibility."
Ouyang Rong frowned, deep in thought, as if a sense of unease had been stirred within him.
Xie Lingjiang glanced at him, a half-smile on her face, and said:
"Actually, it's not a problem if she has her own selfish motives. If she is willing, you can talk to her about it. I won't refuse, but there is one condition."
Before Ouyang Rong could speak, she smiled, her eyes crinkling:
"She has to be offered tea in public and address me as 'sister' when she enters the house."
Ouyang Rong was immediately at a loss.
Why are you arguing about things that have absolutely nothing to do with each other?
Regardless of whether this is even possible.
Even if Lady Rong was bewitched and had this idea.
But this wasn't an agreement from the junior sister; it was clearly an attempt to make things difficult.
She said that because she knew that Lady Rong would never do such a thing, and would never lower her proud head.
However, for some reason, Ouyang Rong suddenly nodded in agreement:
"Okay. I didn't know Junior Sister was so generous."
He joked:
"If even Lady Rong can accept it, wouldn't it be even more acceptable for other women?"
Xie Lingjiang nodded subconsciously: "Mmm..."
She paused, then nodded more forcefully, drawing out her words:
"Sure, go ahead and try if you dare."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Okay, let's give it a try... and then die."
Halfway through his sentence, Xie Lingjiang looked up and stared at him intently, while Ouyang Rong lowered his head, his forehead touching hers.
The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.
They then exchanged a smile.
They nestled together quietly for a while.
At that moment, Xie Lingjiang's low voice came:
"Take your hand away, no, don't pinch me anymore, it tickles..."
Ouyang Rong maintained the posture of looking up at the moon:
"I won't move."
She suppressed the tingling sensation and spat out a mouthful:
"Didn't you say you were going to admire the moon?"
He said seriously:
"Yes, isn't that the moon? It's two moons."
Xie Lingjiang: "...?"
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(End of this chapter)
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