Chapter 704 A Heartless Little White Flower? [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
Xiushui Lane is a famous wealthy neighborhood in Xunyang City.
The area is filled with grand mansions, and because it is located near the foot of Mount Lu, each house is covered with greenery, creating a tranquil environment.
Those who entered and exited this neighborhood were either dressed in brocade robes or adorned with gold and silver; they were all either rich or noble.
Not to mention the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, which was re-established earlier this year and is also located in this neighborhood, holding a superior status and further elevating the style of Xiushuifang.
It is estimated that only Xunyangfang, which is located in the Jiangzhou government office and is filled with official residences of all levels, can be somewhat comparable.
Besides a bustling street leading to the West Market, the Xiushuifang area is surrounded by high walls on both sides, blocking the view of pedestrians.
Passersby could not see what was behind the high walls at all.
Occasionally, the sounds of girls playing on swings drifted from inside the high walls, sparking endless fantasies among passersby…
This was not Wang Caozhi's first time visiting the water repair workshop.
I attended the Lantern Festival banquet at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion with Xie Xun and Xie Xue'e last time.
In addition, the Langya Wang clan also owned several mansions in Xiushuifang for their sons to stay in. Furthermore, three or two members of the Langya Wang clan held official positions in Xunyang City, although their official ranks were not very high.
"What is it? Why did you send me out to keep watch? Why did you call me here? I didn't come into the city to wander around. My brother-in-law is having a meeting at the governor's mansion today. I'm busy and don't have time to waste."
Wang Caozhi entered a restaurant on a bustling street in Xiushuifang, ignoring the enthusiastic old manager who came to greet him. He then headed to the third floor, respectfully led by a quick-witted waiter.
He had changed into a formal black brocade robe today, and while adjusting his cuffs, he muttered to himself.
The quick-witted servant who led the way upstairs hesitated for a moment, then turned back and said:
"I'm sorry, young master, but we're not sure about this matter either. We don't know whether we should send someone to continue following up. We'd appreciate it if you could take a look..."
"Strange and mysterious."
Wang Caozhi shook his head, then turned to his two trusted confidants behind him and gave them instructions:
"You two go to the carriage and bring the gifts over first. Since we're already here, and the Prince's Mansion is just across the street, we'll deliver them directly there later. The gifts are for Sister Xie and her husband, but we must deliver the brother-in-law's gift to Sister Xie first, hehe."
Turning back, suppressing his smile, he continued the previous topic:
"Alright, lead the way. I want to see what place in Xunyang City under my brother-in-law's rule, besides the Prince's Mansion, is off-limits to us. Could it be any royal relative or someone else..."
Wang Caozhi pursed his lips, went up to the third floor, straightened his cuffs, put his hands behind his back, and walked into a private room with an open door and a great view of the street.
Wang Caozhi glanced at the bustling street scene outside.
Aside from the bustling crowds, all that's left is a tall red wall across the street, belonging to the residential area of Xiushuifang.
"What's so special about it?"
He looked puzzled and turned around to ask.
“Young master, look over there... take a closer look, that thin-faced man is the one who entered this house.”
"The other side? The other side? Whose family lives over that red wall...?"
The sunlight overhead was bright and dazzling. Wang Caozhi stood by the window, muttering to himself as he raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, and glanced at the tall red wall opposite.
His gaze followed it all the way and sure enough, he saw an inconspicuous back door in front of the restaurant. From the perspective of the private room on the third floor of the restaurant, one could clearly see the people coming and going through this door. However, at this moment, this back door between the red walls was tightly closed.
The area opposite should be a residential area. I don't know which wealthy family owns it, but those who can get a convenient street-facing location are all well-off families.
Aside from the striking red wall, Wang Caozhi looked around for a while, somewhat bewildered, and asked directly:
"Whose house is this? The houses in Xiushuifang are usually whitewashed, so it's rare to see them painted so red. Generally, only temples have red walls. Is the owner of this house a Buddhist or a monk?"
Under his watchful gaze, the quick-witted servant scratched his head:
"It's not just rare, this is actually the only family that truly believes in Buddhism..."
The quick-witted servant suddenly stopped speaking.
Wang Caozhi noticed that the servant was looking behind him, his eyes drawn to a view outside the window downstairs.
"You can't even speak properly, what are you looking at..."
Wang Caozhi, standing by the window, frowned, straightened up, and casually looked down, following the gaze of the astute servant.
The back door between the red walls was open; someone was going in, not coming out.
A carriage emerged from the bustling crowd, turned off the main street, and drove through the back gate of the red-walled mansion.
Wang Caozhi stopped abruptly.
He recognized the carriage; he had seen it many times at the Xunyang Grottoes.
Seeing this, the quick-witted servant cautiously asked, "Young master?"
Wang Caozhi interrupted: "Shut up."
His gaze remained fixed on the carriage that was slowly driving into the door.
Through the carriage curtains, Wang Caozhi could vaguely see the silhouette of a familiar, elegant young lady.
There were also square-faced coachmen outside driving carriages, their foreheads wrapped in white cloth, looking as if they had lost a loved one.
It was Princess Anhui and her carriage.
Wei Anhui's carriage drove into the back gate between the red walls, and the door was closed heavily.
Apart from Wang Caozhi and others upstairs, no one paid attention to this scene.
Wang Caozhi suddenly turned his head and asked the shrewd servant who was now silent as a cicada in winter:
"Are you sure that tall, thin man who was acting suspiciously has taken refuge in this house?"
"Yes, we went in through this back door, no doubt about it. But we don't know what happened after we went in... Young master, please look over there."
Wang Caozhi heard the quick-witted servant's voice stop abruptly, turned around and saw the servant pointing at the opposite side.
The back door between the red walls was pushed open from the inside not long after Princess Anhui and her carriage entered.
Several people hurriedly walked out of the door and merged into the crowd on the street, quickly leaving.
Wang Caozhi recognized one of them as the thin-faced man who had been sneaking around in the Xunyang Grottoes. He was currently wearing a hat with the brim pulled low to cover his face.
However, Wang Caozhi had a sharp eye and a very accurate memory for people, especially their backs and postures when walking; he could never mistake them.
The atmosphere in the private room facing the street gradually quieted down.
At that moment, the quick-witted servant looked up at Wang Caozhi's motionless back and cautiously asked:
"Young master, shall we pause...?"
Wang Caozhi suddenly interrupted:
"Keep up, keep up." He paused, then added, "I was referring to that skinny man."
"Yes, young master."
The quick-witted servant clasped his hands in greeting and swiftly left the private room.
Wang Caozhi stood silently for a moment, then turned around and glanced at the red wall across the street.
He murmured:
"Goodness, they really are royalty..."
...
Xunyang Ferry, a wharf.
Ships were moored closely together, coming and going.
Qian Chengang left Princess Anhui's residence with a serious expression, accompanied by several followers, and arrived at the dock.
Their uniform gray casual clothes and turbans made them quite inconspicuous. As they passed through the bustling crowd, they handed out several small wooden plaques to a few boat crew members sunbathing on the shore.
After the boatman's inspection, Qian Chen and his men boarded a cargo ship that was about to set sail on the shore.
Soon, the cargo ship set off and slowly sailed away from Xunyang Ferry.
Qian Chen was unaware that not long after the ship he was on left, a figure appeared on the shore at the dock where the ship had been moored.
He was a sharp-tongued, monkey-faced servant boy with a keen eye for cameras.
His darting eyes swept over the direction the ship had gone, then he glanced back at the direction of the Market and Trade Bureau...
About half an hour later, the quick-witted servant walked out of the Market and Trade Office, holding a list in his hand, and was about to be turned to a certain page.
On the way back, the quick-witted servant glanced at it with great curiosity.
The destination of a certain ship is clearly written above.
"Qian Chen, Hukou County?"
...
Ouyang Rong did not live or work in the Jiangzhou Prefectural Governor's Office for long.
Although he accepted the imperial decree to act as the governor of Jiangzhou, Ouyang Rong's daily life remained the same as when he served as the Jiangzhou Sima and Jiangzhou Changshi, consisting of a simple routine between his residence in Huaiye Lane, the Jiangzhou main hall, and the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
According to past practice, Ouyang Rong should have moved with the women of Huaiye Lane to the Jiangzhou Prefectural Governor's Mansion.
Perhaps because his deceased rival Wang Lengran had lived there for a long time, Ouyang Rong had no such idea at all.
However, this is also related to the fact that when Ouyang Rong went to Wang Lengran's mourning hall to burn incense, Wang Lengran's widow and family members inexplicably sent him a wave of merits.
Every time Ouyang Rong thought about it, he felt it was a bit outrageous, which also made him have a bad impression of the governor's mansion.
However, there is an important meeting this morning that needs to be held at the Jiangzhou Prefectural Governor's Office, and the timing is quite special.
Ouyang Rong, in his capacity as the Prefect of Jiangzhou, convened a meeting at the Prefectural Governor's residence. Officials from all the counties of Jiangzhou would come to Xunyang to attend the meeting, which was also a customary way for them to report to their superior, the Prefect of Jiangzhou.
Many people attended the meeting, including local officials and Ouyang Rong's close confidants such as Wang Caozhi and Pei Shisan Niang.
Representatives from the Prince of Xunyang's residence, the Censorate, and even the central military camp at the front lines would attend the meeting.
Currently, it is estimated that only Ouyang Rong, as the governor, has such prestige and influence to mediate between various forces.
The meeting at the governor's office was mainly to discuss two matters.
One thing is that the Donglin Buddha is nearing completion, including the specific date.
Another matter was the preparation for the celebration ceremony on the day the Donglin Buddha was completed.
It's fair to say that the two rumors circulating in the city recently about the Donglin Buddha were actually leaked during the pre-meeting notification process of the governor's office meeting, whether intentionally or unintentionally...
From early morning, the governor's mansion in Xunyangfang was bustling with activity as officials' carriages stopped or they rode alone with their entourages, creating a lively scene and gradually causing congestion at the entrance.
There was Magistrate Diao from Longcheng, Magistrate He from Jishui, Magistrate Meng from Hukou... as well as some county assistants and county lieutenants who came in place of their superiors.
Rong Zhen did not come, but sent a trusted female official to the scene. Qin Changshi, the chief secretary of the central army camp at the front, also sent his old acquaintance Qin Yi, as well as Prince Li Xian of Xunyang... They all sent people over, without coming in person... In a sense, this was also to let Ouyang Rong take the lead, and they did not come to overshadow him.
The meeting was scheduled for the second quarter of the morning, and the officials arrived two quarters of an hour early.
However, the young governor was nowhere to be seen.
A few noises arose in the council hall of the governor's mansion.
In the past, Governor Ouyang was always very punctual and never missed a show.
The crowd exchanged glances, but no one dared to complain or make a fuss. They waited quietly, because being late was a privilege reserved for leaders…
...
"You mean, that skinny man named Qian Chen, after leaving Princess Anhui's residence, took a boat from Xunyang Ferry to Hukou County?"
“That’s right, brother-in-law.”
Jiangzhou Main Hall.
Ouyang Rong changed into a brand-new official robe of a prefect, and with Yan Liulang and other attendants, he was just about to leave for the meeting when he encountered Wang Caozhi, who had rushed over.
Ouyang Rong temporarily dismissed everyone and led Wang Caozhi to a nearby side hall. The two sat down, and Yan Liulang tacitly went out to guard the door with a sword in hand.
In the side hall, Ouyang Rong listened to Wang Caozhi finish speaking, asked a question, and after receiving a reply, he fell silent.
Ouyang Rong subconsciously picked up the teacup on the table, lifted the lid halfway, and realized that no one was making tea for him, so he gently put the teacup back in its original place.
He asked calmly:
"They took a boat to Hukou County. Have your men followed them?"
"Qian Chen and the others didn't have time to board the boat together, but the person I sent to keep watch was quite clever. He sent a servant back to report to me, while he went directly to catch the next boat to Hukou County."
Wang Caozhi hesitated for a moment, then said:
"However, there is a difference of one or two hours between them. Qian Chen and the others may get off the boat and leave as soon as they arrive in Hukou County. Our people may not be able to find them for a while after they arrive."
Ouyang Rong nodded, neither confirming nor denying, and then asked:
"Are you sure this is Princess An Hui's residence? You're not mistaken?"
“I didn’t see wrong!” Wang Caozhi said firmly, “Brother-in-law, I couldn’t possibly mistake her. It was Princess Anhui and her carriage without a doubt. They drove right in front of me. I even checked, and in the entire Xiushuifang, only this princess has painted the walls of her mansion red. There’s absolutely no mistake.”
Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes: "How did you handle things at Princess Anhui's residence?"
Wang Caozhi immediately replied, "I have left someone there to keep an eye on things, so there should be no problem."
Wang Caozhi saw Ouyang Rong purse his lips, stand up, and pace back and forth in the hall, turning around by himself. No one knew what he was thinking.
Wang Caozhi asked cautiously:
“Brother-in-law, if she is Princess Anhui’s person, why do you think she would send someone to find Lady Miaozhen? It’s understandable that she would look for Lady Rongzhen, but to look for Lady Miaozhen… I heard that this Lady Miaozhen is a bit aloof and doesn’t interact with people much. Could she be very familiar with Princess Anhui?”
Ouyang Rong didn't answer, but just glanced at him.
Wang Caozhi continued to mutter to himself:
"And why would this young princess send someone to Hukou County out of the blue? Is there anything special about Hukou County? Oh, is there a White Tiger Guard general leading people to suppress bandits and wipe out a group of river pirates?"
Ouyang Rong suddenly spoke:
"When you see one cockroach, it means there are already many cockroaches."
In this era, cockroaches are still called cockroaches.
Wang Caozhi paused for a moment, his brows furrowing as he pondered the matter.
At this moment, Ouyang Rong walked straight over and pushed open the door to the hall.
Let's go.
He walked out of the hall without looking back.
Wang Caozhi quickly followed and asked:
"Where did my brother-in-law go?"
Ouyang Rong's voice was flat:
"We're already late for the governor's office. We'll discuss this after the meeting."
"good."
Wang Caozhi shrank back, glanced at his brother-in-law's tall, slender figure in his crimson official robes, and obediently followed.
————
(PS: I probably won't be able to post at midnight regularly for the next few days. I'll try my best to polish it up. OR2)
(End of this chapter)
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