Chapter 710 A Beauty with Both Coldness and Warmth [4k2 chapters, requesting monthly votes at the beginning of the month!]
The night is not cold.
The moon is high in the sky.
After the meeting in the study concluded, Li Xian and his wife bid farewell to Ouyang Rong and returned to their room to catch up on their sleep.
The others also dispersed.
The two things that Ouyang Rong instructed during the meeting in his study have been noted down by everyone and will be implemented immediately.
Speaking of which, the Li family is quite proactive, mainly because of Li Guo'er and Wei Mei.
The mother and daughter have similar personalities; both like to be assertive and take charge. With them nagging, Li Xian and Li Dalang are naturally never idle.
Moonlight spilled onto the long corridor.
Ouyang Rong and Li Dalang walked side by side, with Yan Liulang following behind, keeping a distance of ten steps.
Just as he came out of the study, Li Dalang said he wanted to see Ouyang Rong off.
"Just say what's on your mind, Dalang, stop beating around the bush."
Ouyang Rong chuckled lightly.
Li Dalang hesitated for a moment, then said softly:
“My love, my father, mother and I know about your affair with your childhood sweetheart.”
Li Dalang saw Ouyang Rong walk forward with his hands behind his back, his pace not slowing down in the slightest:
"Um."
He responded.
He even tilted his head and reached out to catch the moonlight shining down from the eaves of the adjacent corridor. There were gray specks in the light; I wondered if they were mayflies.
Li Dalang looked at Ouyang Rong, who was catching the moonlight in his hand: "Actually..."
Ouyang Rong waited a while, and seeing him pause, turned around and asked:
"Actually what?"
Li Dalang scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly:
"It's nothing... But Tanlang, we've heard some things about your childhood sweetheart before."
Ouyang Rong looked at him for a while, then suddenly smiled:
"That's perfect, we can meet now."
Li Dalang always felt that Tanlang's eyes were somewhat meaningful, and that his thoughts seemed to have nowhere to hide.
However, the fact that the embroiderer girl in Longcheng was taken away by her senior sisters after saving someone could not be fully revealed, otherwise it would be like betraying Amei and the others. At least he could not tell them this; Miss Xie and Amei could tell them.
Moreover, it's possible that Miss Xie's current tolerant yet sorrowful reception of the embroiderer might stem from lingering guilt from the past.
When they met again, everyone knew the great sacrifice this embroiderer had made to save her beloved.
It's estimated that only Tanlang is still in the dark, or rather, the embroiderer doesn't want him to know, and doesn't want to add pressure to him.
Li Dalang even heard from his younger sister, Li Guo'er, that the embroiderer seemed to have gone blind...
"Okay, let's meet then and get to know each other."
Li Dalang nodded with a smile.
Ouyang Rong suddenly said, "Brother, have I set a bad example for you?"
Li Xian shook his head and said enviously:
"No, because only Tanlang could do that, to bring the embroiderer back openly and introduce her to everyone."
“Okay.” Ouyang Rong patted Li Dalang on the shoulder, jokingly saying, “It’s good that you think this way. That way, I don’t feel any pressure. Thank you, Dalang.”
Immediately afterwards, he solemnly emphasized:
"I do not accept apprentices."
Li Dalang: ...
"What do you mean you don't accept apprentices?"
A clear, crisp voice came from ahead.
It belongs to my junior sister.
Ouyang Rong and Li Dalang looked up and saw Li Guo'er and Xie Lingjiang appear at the corner ahead, as if they had been waiting for a while.
Xie Lingjiang stood by the corridor, hands behind her back, gazing at the moon. Li Guo'er, wrapped in a fox fur scarf, leaned against a bench by the railing, looking utterly bored.
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "It's nothing, just joking with Dalang."
Seeing this, Li Dalang keenly slowed down, letting Ouyang Rong continue forward. He turned to chat with Yan Liulang, and the two of them tacitly stood a little further away, seemingly chatting enthusiastically, without participating in the conversation between the two women and Ouyang Rong.
Ouyang Rong turned around and frowned as he looked at his two friends, whose positioning seemed a bit deliberate.
Noticing that the two women ahead were looking at him, he had no choice but to continue forward, sized them up, and asked:
"Why isn't Junior Sister back in her room to sleep yet?"
Before Xie Lingjiang could answer, Li Guo'er, who was standing next to her, turned her head and said impatiently:
"Sister Xie, how long do you want to talk to him? Is there something you can't say in the study but now you're coming here to whisper to him? Can you hurry up? If you don't go to sleep soon, it will be dawn."
Xie Lingjiang stood serenely in the moonlight, her expression unchanged despite the gazes of the crowd, and said softly:
“I already told you, if you’re sleepy, go back to sleep first, you don’t need to wait for me. But you insisted on coming along, like a piece of chewing gum.”
Despite having her secret exposed, Li Guo'er's gaze remained unchanged. In front of Ouyang Rong, she looked at Xie Lingjiang and said with a mischievous smile:
"No, that won't do. I want to sleep in the same bed with Sister Xie tonight. If Sister Xie isn't here, who will warm the bed for this princess?"
Xie Lingjiang couldn't take it anymore and scolded, "What do you mean by warming the bed? Don't talk nonsense."
Li Guo'er chuckled: "Whoever has more meat can keep the bed warm, what's wrong with that?"
Xie Lingjiang: ?
Ouyang Rong: ...
He pretended not to hear anything and looked away.
Xie Lingjiang blushed and glared at Li Guo'er fiercely: "What a sharp tongue you have! If you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll tear it up."
Li Guo'er tilted her head and said in confusion, "Oh, is Sister Xie so fierce in front of Senior Brother? This Junior Sister is not at all endearing."
Xie Lingjiang stopped talking, turned around and strode forward.
Ouyang Rong followed in tacit agreement.
Li Guo'er also got up and walked side by side with Ouyang Rong.
Seeing this, Li Dalang and Yan Liulang followed, but trailed behind Ouyang Rong and the other two by about five steps.
According to the experience of his senior subordinate Yan Liulang, this is just the right distance.
Keeping a distance of five steps, you can hear the sounds of their conversation ahead and get a general idea of what they're talking about.
If you're even a step too slow, you won't hear anything at all.
Furthermore, one can participate in discussions.
Li Dalang learned his lesson and adopted the advice, deciding to study and improve together with Liulang.
Xie Lingjiang walked ahead, seemingly in a huff, while Li Guo'er started talking to Ouyang Rong first.
“Ouyang Lianghan, you just mentioned what Rongzhen was talking about with you. Why don’t you just say it directly?”
Ouyang Rong turned around and glanced at Li Dalang.
The latter was initially puzzled by his friend's gaze, until he heard Ouyang Rong whisper from five steps away:
Princess Anhui will leave Xun before the victory celebration ceremony.
Li Guo'er glanced at her silent brother and asked:
"Wei Anhui isn't attending the victory celebration in place of his father?"
"Ms. Rongzhen said she would not participate."
"If you're going to leave, a few more days won't make a difference. Why leave Xunyang City so soon..."
Li Guo'er frowned, calmly analyzed the situation, and then asked, "Ouyang Lianghan, is this the reason for your unease?"
Xie Lingjiang listened for a while, then turned around and changed the subject:
"The celebration on the 15th might encounter some unexpected changes? Did the Wei family anticipate this? Or did they hear something about it?"
Li Guo'er raised her delicate chin: "I'm afraid the unforeseen events are caused by the Wei family. Ouyang Lianghan, this is probably what you're worried about too, coming here in the middle of the night to make these preparations."
Xie Lingjiang glanced at her senior brother's still calm expression, shook her head, and said:
"If it's aimed at the celebration ceremony or the completed Buddha statue, then there's no need for that. The Donglin Buddha is one of the four Buddha statues, and it was also promoted by the two princes of the Wei family. They deserve credit for it. Why would you cause trouble? Is it just to prevent our royal family from benefiting from the glory and returning to the capital?"
"This is like hurting the enemy a thousand while losing eight hundred of your own. Moreover, the chaos in Yingzhou and the rebellion of Zhu Lingxu and his son have already severely damaged the Wei family and made them look bad in His Majesty's eyes. If we lose another eight hundred of our own, wouldn't that be handing a knife to the Prince Xiang's mansion next door? If we really do that, the latter will probably be laughing in their dreams."
At this point, she nodded slightly:
"But now that the Donglin Buddha has been completed, the tacit cooperation between our Prince's Mansion and the Wei family these past few days has come to an end. The distribution of credit in Luoyang will not be issued until after the celebration ceremony."
"Now we are in the waiting period. If you ask whether the Wei family has any intention of causing trouble, the answer is definitely yes. The Prince's Mansion is an eyesore in their eyes, but how can they do it? How can they possibly do it?"
“I used to think that Xunyang City and the Prince’s Mansion were a birdcage and we were birds in the cage, but now this birdcage is protecting us and has become a protective shell.”
"As long as the Prince and the Heir Apparent don't leave the Prince's residence or Xunyang City, we won't make any mistakes or lose points with His Majesty... So how will they make their move? Will they just send someone to assassinate us?"
Li Guo'er listened and nodded, but upon hearing Xie Lingjiang's last sentence, she shook her head:
"That's a bit too low-level. Putting aside whether it will succeed or not, what if the assassination does succeed? Such a crude method not only makes the Prince Xiang's Mansion the sole heir of Emperor Taizong's bloodline, but also hands them a knife that could explode at any time. In the future, when the Prince Xiang investigates under the pretext of avenging his elder brother, the Wei family will be in a very passive position."
“The two princes of the Wei family may have some differences in their approaches. Prince Wei is bold and reckless, and likes to take risks and gamble, while Prince Liang is relatively more stable and moderate, and will consider a way out. However, the above outcome is not in the interests of either of them.”
"That's right, and there's another important point."
Xie Lingjiang nodded, looked at the silent Ouyang Rong, and said softly:
"It's not like Wang Lengran's time anymore. Our senior brother is now the governor of Jiangzhou, and Xunyang City is practically under our control. Almost nothing in the city can escape his eyes and ears. Even Princess Anhui is under our watchful eyes. That suspicious, thin-faced man from last time is now on our radar, and he might be caught tomorrow..."
"If they dare to make a move in Xunyang City, aren't they afraid of losing more than they gain, or that their senior brother will retaliate?"
Seemingly warmed up from walking, Li Guo'er untied her fox fur scarf and wrapped it around her forearm. The evening breeze blew in her face, causing a few strands of hair to dance in the wind, highlighting her smiling face, which was more beautiful than any flower.
“That’s right. It’s already quite generous of us not to take action against Wei Anhui. I thought it was like Wang Lengran and Lin Cheng’s time. If they dared to act like this, we would have labeled them as ‘accomplices of traitors’ and mobilized the White Tiger Guards and Black Tortoise Guards from Xunyang Grottoes to wipe them out in one fell swoop.”
"When the time comes, we'll follow the clues, arrest some people, implicate the two kings of the Wei family, and find out if they're connected to the rebels in the southern Jianghu. Let's see how the Wei family will handle things in the imperial court."
Ouyang Rong walked forward silently, listening quietly without offering any opinions, and it was unclear what he was thinking.
After processing the news, Li Dalang breathed a sigh of relief, and as if nothing had happened, he stepped forward and said:
"That makes sense, but what about the new escape route that Danlang had us prepare tonight, the old escape route, and the ice room that Danlang prepared... what are these preparations for?"
Li Guo'er spoke in Ouyang Rong's place, her voice crisp and clear, her gaze towards Ouyang Rong filled with admiration:
"This is the worst-case scenario. In case the Wei family really doesn't follow the rules and common sense at all and acts violently, or if the rebels in Tiannan Jianghu break through Xunyang Grottoes and want to retaliate against us, this whole plan can come in handy, so that we won't be at a loss when the time comes."
"At that time, we'll hold off the Xunyang Grottoes and Jiangzhou Hall for as long as we can, and then we'll slip away during the gaps, running as far as we can. If all else fails, we can go to the southwest front and find Mr. Qin..."
At this point, Li Guo'er caught a glimpse of a white-robed soldier on duty in the distance, and her brows furrowed.
Li Congshan, Miaozhen, and the three hundred White Tiger Guards were all stationed outside the Prince's residence and would not enter the inner quarters to avoid disturbing the daily lives of the Princess and the Consort.
But in Li Guo'er's eyes, it was still an eyesore no matter how she looked at it, and she said coldly:
"However, there is one thing: Li Congshan and Miaozhen's group are guarding us, which is a bit of a hindrance and affects our maneuvering."
"Although they are nominally protecting us, it would be terrible if they sabotaged us at a crucial moment. Anyway, they are not our own people, so we can't trust them completely. If necessary, we need to find a way to transfer them. We don't need this kind of team that has planted hidden mines to protect us. Who cares if Li Congshan is a good person or a bad person?"
Li Dalang nodded emphatically: "I understand, Tanlang has really gone to great lengths."
Ouyang Rong then spoke:
“Even Wei Anhui isn’t going to the victory celebration, so you and the Prince definitely can’t go either. Just like the Princess said, as long as you don’t leave Xunyang City, or even the Prince’s residence, you won’t give yourself away…”
He pondered for a moment and said:
"Alright, Your Highness and Princess Consort need not attend Aunt's birthday celebration. You and the Princess can come, Eldest Brother. As for the victory celebration on the 15th, I'll go there depending on the situation. As the chief official, I need to make an appearance. I'll act according to the circumstances."
Xie Lingjiang lowered her head and said, "Be careful and don't stick your head out. If Rongzhen attracts people from the Tiannan Jianghu and they fight to the death, don't get involved."
Ouyang Rong smiled nonchalantly: "Don't worry, I'm good at running away. If something unexpected happens, I can protect myself."
Xie Lingjiang turned her head and said to him:
"And that Rong Zhen, even if you have a good relationship, you can't trust her completely. A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. I'm not talking badly about her behind her back, but that's just the truth."
“That’s right.” Li Guo’er’s expression was serious: “This princess can testify that it is true. Sister Xie is also a woman, and she is the same.”
Xie Lingjiang glanced at her best friend, her expression somewhat annoyed. After a moment, not wanting to pay her any more attention, Xie Lingjiang turned her eyes away and continued:
"Fortunately, Aunt Zhen's birthday celebration is a day earlier. If it had clashed with the celebration, and something had happened, it would have been difficult to have a proper rest."
Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang exchanged a knowing glance.
A short while later, they saw off Li Guo'er, Li Dalang, and the others.
The two walked on in silence for a while.
The moonlight was pleasant. Xie Lingjiang took out a talisman from her sleeve, stroked it, and whispered:
“She gave me a gift, and I can’t appear stingy. I’ll give her a return gift on her birthday. I’m sure it will be a nice occasion. But don’t forget about your aunt. If you make a fool of yourself, Guo’er and Dalang will be there.”
Ouyang Rong nodded vigorously: "Don't worry."
Go and take her hand.
After holding hands for a short while, Xie Lingjiang pulled her hand away, lightly punched his arm, turned and left, leaving behind a remark:
"Don't listen to Guo'er's nonsense. I didn't warm the bed for her. I don't like sleeping with women. Besides, she's too cold-blooded and likes to cling to others like an octopus. It's really annoying, just like her personality. She might be able to cool off in hot weather, but I don't care."
Ouyang Rong's focus shifted slightly: "Looking at it this way, it's warmer to have more flesh on your body."
Xie Lingjiang: "...?"
A moment later, Ouyang Rong saw a beautiful, fiery red figure running away in a slightly hurried manner.
...
(End of this chapter)
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