Chapter 682 The Lady Historian is a Little Clumsy [Monthly Ticket Giveaway During National Day Holiday!]
Why is Tanlang staring at me like that?
"Dalang's reply just now was very mature, like a real man."
"man?"
"Yes, a man, not a boy."
In the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, on a long corridor with rain curtains hanging under the eaves, Ouyang Rong and Li Dalang walked side by side.
The two had just finished their discussion in the study and left together.
At this moment, Li Dalang was looking down, touching his chin, and pondering a word that Ouyang Rong had suggested.
The thunderstorms that started during the day hadn't completely stopped; they stopped for a while in the evening, but now they're continuing late at night.
Night falls, accompanied by a light drizzle. The sound of raindrops falling on the eaves is soft and gentle, creating a tranquil atmosphere that invites one to drift into a reverie.
Xunyang is humid and rainy, especially now that the plum rain season has arrived.
Ouyang Rong remembered that when he was in Longcheng, he would have to start thinking about floods at this time of year and be busy notifying the people to take precautions against floods... It has been a year and a half since he left Longcheng, but his experience in Longcheng County is still vivid in his mind.
Ouyang Rong walked forward, turning his head to gaze at the dark shadows of distant mountains, his expression somewhat lost in thought.
Until I heard Li Dalang's words:
“Tanlang, I’ve been a man for a long time. Back in Longcheng, when you and Liulang took me to the third floor of Yunshui Pavilion, I was already considered mature.”
Ouyang Rong came to his senses and gently shook his head:
“It’s different. Before, he was still a boy, but now he’s a man because he has learned self-control.”
"restraint?"
"Yes, restraint, instead of thinking, 'I like her, I want her, I just want to... completely disregard the situation and timing.'"
Li Dalang was silent for a moment, then smiled and waved his hand:
"What nonsense are you talking about, Tanlang? I don't like it. You've misunderstood."
Ouyang Rong shook his head calmly:
"Whether you like it or not, you did the right thing this time. You didn't sneak off or take it upon yourself to reply and communicate. Instead, you called us over directly. You've really matured."
"Because you understand the word 'risk.' Even a son of a wealthy family would not sit under a dangerous roof. My son, even if you realize there is the slightest risk involved, do not do it, no matter how tempting it may seem, or how great the rewards and pleasure may appear to outweigh the risks. But you should not do it, because you are the heir of the Prince of Xunyang, and you are not worth taking such a small risk."
"Moreover, many traps and dangers in the world are hidden in things that seem to offer far greater benefits than risks, because they may be man-made traps set by those who are adept at understanding human nature."
"Let me emphasize again, Dalang, you don't need to take any risks. We're not back in Longcheng anymore. Just follow the steps and wait for the opportunity. We'll eventually be able to return to Luoyang. As for the Donglin Buddha, you and the Prince don't need to handle it personally. Let the Jiangzhou government and the Censorate take care of it. You'll get a share of the credit, understand?"
At this point, Ouyang Rong smiled slightly:
"So the prince spends all his time fishing at his residence. Although the princess always scolds him for being lazy and gluttonous, I never try to persuade him. This is the proper way for the Prince of Xunyang to behave. You are the heir of the Prince of Xunyang, and you should do the same."
"On the contrary, well, I don't know if I should say this or not, just don't tell outsiders, your sister, the little princess, is too adventurous. She likes exciting and extraordinary things and has a bit of a gambling spirit."
"But that's normal. Smart people love to take risks because they think they're smart and special and can win the gamble, becoming the chosen ones. There's some truth to that; they're smart, so their overall odds of winning are indeed slightly higher."
"What's truly worrisome are those who pretend to be clever and think themselves clever. Therefore, the most valuable quality in a person is self-awareness, which is rare and commendable. Because weakness and ignorance are never obstacles to survival; arrogance is."
Ouyang Rong spoke gently and patiently, while Li Dalang listened attentively and asked earnestly:
"My love, am I considered clever?"
"Whether you are or not, as long as you don't gamble and don't take risks, you'll be ahead of most people. Only the poor and destitute would risk gambling. You're of noble birth, so as long as you don't mess around, you'll be fine. Even your sister might not understand this principle, or rather, she might understand but won't listen. She just thinks she's special, that she's destined for greatness."
Li Dalang nodded and smiled:
"My sister is truly extraordinary. From childhood to adulthood, there's rarely anything she can't accomplish or anyone she can't handle..."
At this point, Li Dalang couldn't help but glance at Ouyang Rong's profile to his right, his expression somewhat strange.
Ouyang Rong stared straight ahead, striding forward, oblivious to his friend's gaze, and continued speaking:
"Perhaps. My assessment is that whichever hero gets to marry the little princess in the future, he'll be set for life."
Li Dalang couldn't stop smiling.
"You can see Tanlang's resentment."
“I didn’t say anything. If I have this in my life, can’t I be considered blessed?”
“Alright.” Li Dalang nodded, then asked, “But aren’t we taking a gamble by trying to get back to the capital while we’re in Xunyang City right now?”
"That's right, but the premise of this gamble is that even if we don't gamble, we'll still die, or even die a worse death."
"The imperial heir is the foundation of the nation. In the struggle for the foundation of the nation, it is a matter of either advancing or retreating. It is useless for our royal family to live and work in peace in Xunyang City. If we do not take risks, we will fall into utter ruin. It is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils."
"I see."
Ouyang Rong glanced back at Li Dalang's thoughtful expression and nodded slightly:
"So, regarding tonight's events, it seems that Da Lang's thick beard wasn't grown for nothing... Well, I don't mean it was all for nothing, I mean... I mean..."
Unable to find a way to explain it further, Ouyang Rong chuckled.
"Okay, that's exactly what I meant. Dalang used to look mature with his stubble, but he was actually like a big kid."
After listening, Li Dalang nodded solemnly:
"I must thank you, Tanlang, and Yunshui Pavilion. Going there every day will naturally help ripen the fruit, just like persimmons. When you put ripe fruit in a sealed place, it will ripen more easily."
Upon hearing this analogy, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but chuckle and waved his hand dismissively:
"Don't blame me, it was Liulang who took you there, it has nothing to do with me."
"That's still an accomplice."
"No, I did try to persuade you, but you just wouldn't listen."
"How did you try to persuade them? I didn't see you stop them."
“‘Let’s just forget about it,’ haven’t I said that every time? Don’t deny it.”
"..."
Li Dalang shook his head speechlessly:
"Alright, Tanlang is a handsome and virtuous young man. He's too lazy to go up to her. Both the older and younger women like him. It should be the women who are clinging to Tanlang."
A friend said sourly, and Ouyang Rong pretended not to hear, and said seriously:
"The Prince and the Princess have really changed their opinion of you this time. The incident with Qin Ying that you messed up last time has changed their impression of you. Keep it up, Da Lang."
"Okay," Li Dalang agreed, then fell silent for a moment.
The two walked quietly for a while, just as they were about to arrive at the gate of the Prince's Mansion.
Ouyang Rong suddenly turned around:
"I heard from Junior Sister that you rejected the marriage proposal. Liu Lang also said that you haven't been to Yunshui Pavilion in a long time. He invited you to come, but you always declined, even though he said he would treat you to a meal after receiving his salary."
Li Dalang chuckled, his voice gentle: "I'm not going. Tell Liulang to keep his salary and not spend it recklessly."
Ouyang Rong looked Li Dalang up and down.
He suddenly spoke: "Remember, restraint."
I gave them another reminder.
Li Dalang nodded: "Mm."
Upon arriving outside the mansion gate, Ouyang Rong, for some unknown reason, stopped and said:
"Actually, if you think about it carefully, Dalang, I don't really have much right to say anything to you."
"No, Tanlang has already done a great job leading the way."
After a pause, Li Dalang, somewhat puzzled, asked in return:
"Does this mean that there's something about you that's hard to control, and it's related to women?"
"No...no, it's a debt I owe that I have to pay back. She didn't ask me for it, but I can't refuse to give it to her."
The young man in the scholar's robe left a comment in silence.
Li Dalang stood in front of the door, head down, chewing:
"debt?"
...
"Where did you go yesterday morning? Didn't you promise to teach me some music?"
Xunyang Grottoes, in the morning, the sun is shining brightly.
Ouyang Rong arrived early with his wooden zither.
Not long after he arrived, Rong Zhen, who had just received the report, came out and looked at him with her ever-present cold face.
"I……"
"Is this how you teach people to play the piano?"
She interrupted coldly and continued questioning:
"I heard that you were handling a case in the city yesterday, and you brought in the Xuanwu Battalion from the front-line central army camp to exclude our Censorate, is that right?"
"Um."
"Why?"
Ouyang Rong's expression calmed down. He met her gaze calmly and nodded, saying:
“I’ll take care of things in the city, didn’t we agree? The informants we searched in the city yesterday were people I’ve been watching for a long time. I was afraid I’d have to ask you for manpower because we’re short-staffed at Xunyang Grottoes, so I didn’t notify you.”
"In short, I can handle this myself, so there's no need for you to worry about it, Madam."
Rongzhen looked at his expression for a while, then looked away:
"Alright, if you need my help, you must say so. Your arrogance is a small matter, but ruining the situation is a big deal."
"good."
Ouyang Rong smiled and agreed.
Rongzhen pointed to the wooden zither in his arms and said:
"But why didn't you tell me before you left yesterday? You said you would teach me to play the zither. I waited for you all morning, thinking you would come back soon and wouldn't break your promise. But I didn't expect you to go back to the city on business. If it weren't for the city's female official reporting to me, I might have had to wait at the gate until my lunch got cold."
"Um, sorry... I thought Ms. Rong was busy and hadn't come out yet."
"Heh. You're the one who's busy, aren't you? You're pushing all the responsibility onto me. Otherwise, how could Lord Ouyang be a scholar of the Xiuwen Academy? He's quite adept at shifting blame."
Rong Zhen sneered.
Ouyang Rong immediately changed the subject:
"Oh, does Your Excellency have something important to do? You're dressed so formally and even have makeup on."
"There's a pipa performance by a senior musician tonight, have you forgotten? Otherwise, why do you think I dressed up like this? And you, you're going tonight too, dress properly, have some ceremony. We're going to accompany the senior musician to enjoy the music."
"Alright, you can start learning the piano now. Try to memorize six pieces within two days..."
“It’s simple.” She slightly raised her chin. “It’s just that I was a little careless before. I’m not good at this, but as long as I learn it seriously, it can’t be bad.”
Ouyang Rong put down the xylophone and shook his head:
"Stop using your mouth, use your hands. Sit down and start playing."
"snort."
Ouyang Rong began teaching Rongzhen qin music.
The cold expression on the latter's face gradually melted away.
They really studied hard.
...
late at night.
The Xunyang Tower in Xunyangfang was brightly lit.
In the lobby on the first floor, the sound of a pipa was constant, indicating that a pipa concert was being held.
The old musician was giving his evaluation to a group of women who were skilled at playing the pipa.
Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen listened for a while, but didn't quite understand the intricacies.
Ouyang Rong was pulled to the rooftop by Rong Zhen.
Upon arrival, Rongzhen looked around and asked with a half-smile:
"It is indeed quiet here. No wonder you chose this place to enjoy a romantic evening with your junior sister that night."
"It was Brother Huaimin who made the choice; he had something to do that day..."
Do you even believe it yourself?
"...Isn't Lady Rong studying zither music?"
After choking, Ouyang Rong asked in return.
Rongzhen had no choice but to sit down and take out her zither.
Ouyang Rong sat next to her, and the two faced each other, their eyes meeting.
Rongzhen turned her eyes away first and drifted to the side.
Ouyang Rong first took out the booklet, opened it, and placed it in front of Rong Zhen for her to read.
Immediately, he began to teach the students how to play the zither.
The melodious sound of the piano echoed on the rooftop terrace.
Ouyang Rong was dedicated to his work and taught very seriously, but ultimately he was not a master and could only teach according to his own understanding.
So I became a little long-winded, gesturing wildly to help explain, afraid she wouldn't understand.
At one moment, Rongzhen glanced sideways and saw Ouyang Rong's resolute and earnest face as he bent down to demonstrate playing the piano for her.
His lips were somewhat red, because he had talked too much and his mouth was dry. He often drank tea to quench his thirst, and the tea left on his red lips shone brightly in the neon lights coming from downstairs.
Rongzhen glanced at her silently for a second.
There seemed to be some stubble-like hairs at the corners of his mouth.
So this guy doesn't seem to have much beard, so it won't prick people... she thought for no reason.
During the game, Rong Zhen played the wrong note, and Ouyang Rong couldn't help but reach out and point it out to her, correcting the way she was pointing with her little finger. Their hands touched, but he didn't really notice.
Rongzhen kept her eyes straight ahead, said nothing, and continued playing.
However, perhaps due to his lack of skill, he still made three or four mistakes, and in the same place. Ouyang Rong couldn't help but reach out and correct him a few more times, feeling as if his blood pressure was about to be cured.
However, upon seeing the Lady Historian's cold and ruthless face, he had no choice but to swallow the word "stupid" that almost escaped his lips.
About an hour later.
Under Ouyang Rong's gaze, Rong Zhen smoothly played "The Fusion of Six Qin Pieces".
After listening, Ouyang Rong let out a long breath and clapped his hands:
"That's about it. Lady Rong should have mastered it by now. These are the six tunes that the senior taught us, connected in the order of that poem."
Rong Zhen frowned slightly but remained silent.
"What's wrong?"
Rongzhen looked down at her palm, then glanced at him, took a deep breath, and said:
"I... still don't know how."
Ouyang Rong asked, puzzled, "You still don't know how? Didn't you already pop it up?"
"What I mean is that the essence of that matter has not yet been grasped."
Ouyang Rong pressed further: "The essence?"
Rong Zhen, who had been pondering with her head down, became somewhat impatient with his question and waved her hand, saying:
"You don't understand. Anyway, it's different from what you taught me on the surface. Of course I can do what you can do. I've been studying for a day, and I'm not stupid. But...but..."
"But what?"
“But what I really want is the essence, which requires comprehension, and I’m sure I’m not lacking in that… Ouyang Lianghan, are you sure you didn’t play it wrong?”
“I didn’t teach you wrong.” Ouyang Rong composed himself and nodded to himself, “Then there’s only one possibility left.”
Rong Zhen looked puzzled: "What?"
"fine."
Ouyang Rong waved his hand and lowered his head to tidy up the xylophone.
Rong Zhen didn't pay attention, frowning as she stared at her palm.
But after a while, she vaguely heard someone whispering beside her:
"He doesn't have the aptitude, he's just stupid. He can't even understand it after being taught like this, let alone grasp the essence. I understand it after listening to it twice. How can you be so stupid..."
Rong Zhen:...?
——————
(PS: Double monthly passes for National Day, plus a monthly pass lottery for the first seven days! 0r2)
(End of this chapter)
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