Chapter 700 Li Guo'er: From now on, I'll have to call him Master Ouyang! [Seeking monthly votes!]
After giving instructions to Wang Caozhi, Ouyang Rong washed his hands of the matter and returned directly to Xunyang City.
With Wang Caozhi there, he felt quite at ease.
He could keep an eye on even the slightest disturbance for Ouyang Rong.
This kid is incredibly cunning. Every time Ouyang Rong comes over, he appears when he should and doesn't appear when he shouldn't. His ability to read people and his positioning skills are so good that even Liu Lang might not be able to match them.
Moreover, no one knows what happened, but it seems that every time Wang Caozhi is mentioned in conversation, Liu Lang has a solemn and respectful expression, and he secretly admires the other party.
The discovery of the suspicious, thin-faced man was also thanks to Wang Caozhi.
In short, this kid is a fucking genius.
Ouyang Rong chuckled.
On the way back to Xunyang City, I happened to have some free time.
Ouyang Rong took out a zither-shaped Mo family sword box from under his seat and stroked it with his hand.
He nodded slightly.
The sword case was intact and had not been touched.
However, Ouyang Rong still closed his eyes and sensed it.
His expression faltered slightly.
【Craftsman】felt a little down, perhaps because... there was no fight, and this time they didn't get a chance to go on stage and have some fun.
Upon noticing this, Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly.
"You really don't shy away from making things worse..."
Shaking his head, Ouyang Rong put away the sword box, then took out three Heaven-Burning Thunderbolts from his sleeve and placed them under his seat.
They were placed together with the three small bamboo tubes containing spirit ink.
After doing all this, Ouyang Rong closed his eyes and entered the Pagoda of Merit.
The Blessing Bell remained unmoved, but the numbers in the cyan-gold characters above the small wooden fish had increased in size.
Merit: 5,588
Ouyang Rong remembered that he had over 4,300 merit points before.
This wave increased my merit points by nearly 1,300.
Inside the Pagoda of Merit, he frowned slightly, stood still, and unconsciously stroked the round little wooden fish with his palm.
Ouyang Rong thought about it carefully.
He frowned because the accumulated merit points were far from matching the value of the Donglin Buddha.
To be even more precise, the completion of the Donglin Buddha statue did not bring any significant increase in merit.
Based on his usual rate of merit point growth, plus the few merit points contributed by Lady Rong from the "merit experience pack" these past few days, he estimated to have around two hundred merit points.
Deducting from the 1,300 merits means that the merits increased by more than 1,100 simply because the Donglin Buddha was completed.
Ouyang Rong clearly remembered that these 1,100 merit points increased suddenly at dawn, after the first ray of sunlight shone on the head of the Donglin Buddha, producing a dazzling golden light.
In other words, this was a gift from Rongzhen, Granny Song, Yi Qianqiu, and others who witnessed the "golden miracle," which they offered to him out of admiration and gratitude.
The better and more perfect the Donglin Buddha was built, the greater the merit of the people who contributed, and the more rewards the emperor and the Great Zhou Dynasty would receive.
If we remove these factors, the merit gained from the Buddha's landing alone is negligible, far from matching its scale, and not worthy of the time and effort Ouyang Rong spent on it.
Especially compared to the construction projects he previously oversaw, such as the Digong Sluice Gate, the Zheyi Canal, and the Shuangfengjian Sluice Gate, it appears even more desolate.
After settling the score, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but stroke his chin and mutter to himself:
"Is it because it's ineffective and not as beneficial to the country and its people as I had imagined? Or is it that besides looking good on the surface, it doesn't actually benefit the people at all?"
"Or is it that the construction of projects like the Zheyi Canal was an exception, that their effects were so great that they amplified the merits and raised my expectations? In fact, the current Donglin Buddha is the most standard and proper one?"
Ouyang Rong's tone was puzzled, and his face showed a thoughtful expression.
Actually, he had noticed before that the people of Xunyang had complicated feelings about this Buddha statue. After the collapse and burning of the Xingzifang Buddha statue, they did not have much expectation or reverence for the Donglin Buddha statue, and even had many objections.
In short, most people are taking a wait-and-see approach.
This may be why the merit gained from the Buddha statue is not as significant as expected.
From the perspective of the people's livelihood in Xunyang, it has no immediate effect on improving people's lives, at least not in the short term. It is more like a vanity project that is easy for the people to complain about in private.
If this is the truth, then it's already a blessing that Ouyang Lianghan's merits weren't revoked after the Donglin Buddha was completed; it's a sign that the villagers spared him.
This also seems to show the importance of a good reputation.
The people of Xunyang do not blame Ouyang Rong, the governor; they may even understand him.
Everyone knows that behind this Donglin Buddha statue is the sage of Luoyang, and her will... No one can criticize her, and even Ouyang Rong, as the governor, cannot disobey her.
Therefore, everyone's feelings are more complicated than anything else...
The thought of not accumulating merits stirred within Ouyang Rong, and upon considering this, he sighed softly.
In fact, Ouyang Rong had also asked himself whether the Buddha should have been built and whether it was worth building, and he had even asked Rong Zhen about it.
Rongzhen's attitude was resolute, not only because she was a loyal and devoted person to Her Majesty the Empress.
Rongzhen confidently told him that the Donglin Buddha could reverse the situation on the southwestern front, helping the court to firmly stabilize the Jiangzhou and Hongzhou lines, thus becoming a ballast for the prosperous southeastern rear. She said this was a matter of national importance, and everything else had to give way to it.
Ouyang Rong remained noncommittal when asked about Rong Nushi's empty promises.
Lady Rong may be right, but he actually had a longer-term consideration.
It's about culture and art.
Some things in this world benefit the present and future generations.
Some things may not bring immediate benefits, but they can benefit future generations.
There are even things that are sinful in the present but beneficial for future generations.
It now seems highly likely that the Donglin Buddha is neither the first nor the third type.
It is the second one.
The Donglin Buddha itself is not important; what is important is the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes that it spurred.
The Xunyang Grottoes have never had just one main grotto or just one Buddha statue.
From the moment Ouyang Rong began planning it, he did not regard it as a simple construction project to be completed in a day or two, but as a long-term, shared project that would be continuously filled in by future generations.
The Xunyang Grottoes are planned to have hundreds of grottoes of various sizes and nearly a thousand Buddha statues of various sizes. Here is a detail: each grotto can accommodate multiple small Buddha statues.
This number is still pending and can be increased later by extending the construction of grottoes to the left and right banks of the river.
But this is definitely not a project that can be completed overnight, nor can it be finished in a short period of time.
Ouyang Rong has only completed the most core main grotto and the largest Buddha statue.
It was as if he had left a blank canvas for everyone, and he had only written one stroke on it as the beginning.
In the future, the Donglin Buddha will play a leading role, which will inevitably attract major Buddhist temples from Jiangzhou, Jiangnan, and all over the world to create statues here and spread their respective Buddhist teachings. They will try their best to leave the most exquisite stone carving, painting and other techniques of their respective Buddhist sects in Xunyang City, a place where all roads lead and rivers converge.
Moreover, it's not just about spreading Buddhism. The open cultural atmosphere brought by Mount Lu and the scholars of Xunyang has allowed Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism to blend together in this place, rather than one school dominating.
The construction of the Xunyang Grottoes together will never become a solitary pursuit of a single family; it is destined to be a vibrant display of diverse talents, with each vying for attention and creating a dazzling spectacle that will be scattered across the magnificent grottoes on the north bank of Shuangfengjian.
At that time, the Xunyang Grottoes, located on the north bank of Shuangfengjian, may well become the pinnacle of stone carving techniques of this era in the eyes of future generations, and a treasure trove of art.
From this perspective, the significance of Xunyang Grottoes is no less than that of Zheyi Canal, and may even surpass it.
Later generations may see this entry in history books: "In the third year of the Tianyou reign of the Wei Zhou dynasty, the imperial decree was difficult to disobey. Ouyang Rong, the governor of Xunyang, built a large Buddha statue on the north bank of the river, which marked the beginning of the Xunyang Grottoes."
Although Ouyang Rong didn't care much about such empty fame, many people, such as the Empress of Great Zhou, did.
The sage in Luoyang hoped that when future generations looked up at the great Buddha statue on the riverbank a thousand years from now, they would clearly recognize it as her countenance, and that her appearance would remain unchanged for a thousand years.
As for other things, such as culture and art, the painstaking efforts of craftsmen, and the prosperity of tourists, she didn't really care.
But Ouyang Rong cared; he cared about these things.
Sometimes, a famous poem or essay can make a building famous for a thousand years, and even people a thousand years later will know the name of a place they have never been.
This is a city's and region's recognition on the cultural map, and also one of the sources of local people's pride. A sense of belonging comes from cultural consensus.
The same applies to the Xunyang Grottoes.
From this perspective, its significance to Xunyang City in Jiangzhou can truly be described as "beneficial for generations to come".
Ouyang Rong's vision was far-reaching, some of which he couldn't even share with others. He had mentioned it to Rong Zhen once, but she only vaguely understood it, unsure if she truly grasped it. She only remembered that after hearing it that day, Rong Zhen's gaze towards him changed somewhat...
That's why he was mentally prepared for the feedback that the little wooden fish had almost zero merit.
Ouyang Rong left the Pagoda of Merit and opened his eyes to find himself in a swaying carriage.
Lost in thought for a moment, the carriage arrived at the main hall of Jiangzhou.
Ouyang Rong entered and went directly to Yuan Huaimin, informing him about the painting.
Yuan Huaimin exclaimed in astonishment: "Ah, me?"
Ouyang Rong waved his hand casually: "That's right, it's you. Pack your things and get ready to go to Xunyang Grottoes to paint. At Lady Rong's beck and call."
Yuan Huaimin had a miserable look on his face.
"Lianghan, can we not go?" he asked in a low voice.
"Sure, but you have to get past Commander Yi first. She fought hard for this for you, so think it over carefully."
Yuan Huaimin: ...
Ouyang Rong patted his friend on the shoulder, then walked towards the main hall with his hands behind his back.
In the main hall, he summoned a group of officials and issued the order to complete the flood control work at Shuangfengjian and lift the martial law... Time passed quickly, and after finishing, Ouyang Rong turned and left the Jiangzhou main hall.
Back in the carriage.
Ouyang Rong sat quietly for a moment.
Ali, who was driving outside, asked proactively:
"Master, where are we going now?"
Ouyang Rong hesitated slightly for a moment, then lifted the carriage curtain and glanced in the direction of Xingzi Lake.
After a while, he looked away, pursed his lips, and said:
"Let's go to the Prince of Xunyang's residence first."
"Yes, sir."
...
"Tanlang is back!"
"Are you alright, my love? You seem to have lost a lot of weight in the past few days. Have you not been eating well?"
As soon as Ouyang Rong arrived at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, a maidservant turned around with delight and ran to tell him the news. Li Xian and Li Dalang were the first to arrive and surrounded Ouyang Rong.
Remembering something, Li Xian spoke with a slightly tense expression:
"My love, how is it over there..."
Ouyang Rong looked him in the eye and nodded slightly.
Li Xian examined his face and saw a look of joy that he could hardly contain.
At this moment, Wei Mei and Li Guo'er, the two women, also arrived at the hall one after another.
Upon seeing him, Wei Mei breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest lightly, and comforted him, saying:
"Okay, okay, it's good that you're back safe and sound."
Cai Shou, who followed behind, saw that her young mistress had been walking very fast before approaching the hall, but when she arrived at the door, she slowed down slightly, even turned around, and snatched the "Youzhong" cat from her arms, carrying the cat and slowly walking inside.
When Li Guo'er walked in, Ouyang Rong glanced at her, clearly taking a second look, and paid special attention to what was behind her.
I did not see the fiery red figure I longed to see.
"What is Tanlang looking at?" Li Xian asked curiously.
Before Ouyang Rong could speak, Li Guo'er chuckled softly:
"Don't bother looking, Sister Xie isn't here. She went out this morning, I think she went to Xingzifang. She didn't come back for lunch either, and we don't know where she is now."
Ouyang Rong paused for a moment, then nodded:
"good."
Once everyone had arrived, they went directly to the familiar Li Xian Study. As soon as they entered, Li Dalang couldn't wait to ask about the Buddha statue.
Ouyang Rong remained calm and gave a brief explanation.
After hearing this, everyone's faces gradually showed joy.
Ouyang Rong remembered something and spoke:
"Oh, by the way, there was actually a little incident this morning..."
Li Xian asked curiously, "What little incident happened?"
After thinking for a moment, Ouyang Rong recounted the story of the Golden Light Miracle.
After hearing this, everyone's expressions became slightly strange.
Li Dalang clenched his fist in delight:
"This flattery is icing on the cake, but it seems that it's a sure thing that Tanlang will be promoted to the fourth rank after the title of acting governor is removed. He can be appointed to any post, whether high or low, as a full-fledged fourth-rank governor!"
While petting the cat, Li Guo'er teased:
"Forget Governor Ouyang, you should call him Lord Ouyang."
Ouyang Rong's first reaction was to frown.
But Li Xian, Wei Mei, and the others around him all smiled.
He then realized that the title "Xianggong" in this era did not seem to mean husband, but rather an honorific title for the prime minister of the State Council.
However, it still didn't tickle Ouyang Rong's funny bone, because "Master Ouyang" sounded a bit strange.
Li Guo'er tilted her head and asked, "What is Master Ouyang thinking about so intently?"
Ouyang Rong glanced at Li Guo'er, who was calmly smiling and calling out, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
I don't know whether to nod or disagree.
How could this princess be so oblivious to the fact that she has been taken advantage of...?
(End of this chapter)
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