Chapter 721 Let's go home with nothing to hide.
"Embroiderer, would you like me to draw your eyebrows tomorrow?"
"Um, you're not letting me draw it? Are you planning to surprise me later? What's so surprising about that? We've seen it all before..."
"Alright, a little surprise it is. Then let Thirteen Sister help you tomorrow. She's a married woman too, so you can just wear light makeup. No need to be too formal. We're all family. Let's have dinner together tomorrow night. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable..."
"Alright, fine. You want to be a little more formal and leave a good impression on your aunts? Well, actually, the impression is already very good, it's just that you don't know it, Embroiderer..."
Inside the main room of the quiet courtyard.
Zhao Qingxiu was sitting on an embroidered stool beside her boudoir, her small head, adorned with a sky-blue ribbon, bowed low, her skillful hands folding clean clothes.
Ouyang Rong leaned casually to one side, propping his head up with one hand and resting his elbow on the bed.
I chatted idly with the embroiderer.
Tomorrow is Zhen Shuyuan's birthday ceremony, and also the last day of Ouyang Rong's holiday. After two or three consecutive days of vacation, he is in a slightly more relaxed state, or rather, he has lost some of the so-called "work ethic" he had in his previous life.
On the embroidered stool, Zhao Qingxiu, her eyes covered, looked intently attentively as she diligently folded clothes, a common household chore.
She would occasionally take her hand out to dip it in water and write on the table next to her, where a bowl of water had been prepared. Ouyang Rong answered her with a smile for a while.
Outsiders might think he was talking to himself, but only Ouyang Rong knew that this was how he and the embroiderer usually interacted.
Here, Ouyang Rong unconsciously talks more.
It looked lively.
Right now, Zhao Qingxiu is folding several pieces of men's clothing, belonging to Ouyang Rong.
The two items that Aqing sent from Longcheng a few days ago are also among them.
The young girl knew her sworn brother Ouyang Rong's measurements perfectly, and for some reason, she always got them just right. The embroidered scholar's robe was neither too loose nor too tight, and Ouyang Rong wore it very comfortably. However, he had probably worn it so often that he had gotten used to it. Except for the last time when he wore clothes sewn by his junior sister, he belatedly realized how good his sworn sister's craftsmanship was, but of course, he couldn't say that.
Zhao Qingxiu also made clothes for Ouyang Rong, sewing them stitch by stitch, even after she lost her sight.
Right now, she quietly folded Ouyang Rong's many clothes for a while, and then neatly arranged them on the boudoir bed.
Zhao Qingxiu reached out her small hand and pulled out a rather new scholar's robe sewn by Aqing, gently stroking it.
She went to write:
My love, what color is this robe?
Ouyang Rong replied, "Moonlight."
Zhao Qingxiu put down the first garment and then took out a second scholar's robe, gesturing to him.
Ouyang Rong glanced at it and it seemed to have been sewn by A Qing as well.
What about this one?
“Blue,” he replied.
Zhao Qingxiu tilted her head slightly, as if thinking for a moment, and then wrote:
What kind of clothes does Sister Xie usually like to wear, and what about Wei Lai and the others?
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment and then replied:
"Junior Sister likes red, while Wei Lai has been wearing pink and white lately. She always feels that she is too fair-skinned and wants to tone it down."
“My aunt is an elder, so she tends to wear darker, more conservative colors. She wears blue, black, and red, I think. Recently, Aqing gave her a festive bright red shawl, and she really likes it…”
Are there any other older sisters?
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong's forehead creased with annoyance. He licked his lips and said:
"Embroiderer, what are you thinking with your little head? What other sisters? Who else could there be in the family besides them? I've said it so many times, but you just don't believe me, right?"
Zhao Qingxiu wiped away the damp writing from the table with her small hands, rewrote it, and changed the wording:
[Besides Sister Xie and Wei Lai, who else will be attending Aunt Tanlang's birthday banquet tomorrow night?]
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
“There will be some, but you don’t need to worry about them. They are all outsiders. I will handle them. The embroiderer doesn’t need to care about their opinions.”
As soon as Ouyang Rong finished answering, he noticed the pretty young girl in front of him tilting her head and stuffing a stack of blue scholar's robes into his arms.
"what?"
Zhao Qingxiu smiled and wrote: 【Alright, my love, you can wear this.】
Now?
[Of course, it's the birthday banquet tomorrow night.]
Ouyang Rong then realized that the embroiderer was asking these questions because she was helping him choose clothes.
"Wearing blue? Oh."
Ouyang Rong didn't seem to care. He simply put away the blue scholar's robe, planning to take it back later and wear it tomorrow night.
Turning back, he asked:
"What will the embroiderer wear?"
Zhao Qingxiu lowered her head slightly, somewhat shyly, and uttered four words:
I'm wearing plain white.
Ouyang Rong asked curiously, "Why are you dressed so plainly?"
Zhao Qingxiu did not answer and continued folding clothes.
Ouyang Rong, however, suddenly realized:
"I understand. You wore white and I wore blue to show that our relationship is completely innocent, right? A clean and innocent beginning."
"..."
The pretty young girl folding the clothes stared blankly for a moment.
Ouyang Rong nodded in satisfaction: "The embroiderer is indeed very thoughtful."
Zhao Qingxiu shook her head and waved her hand.
Ouyang Rong, however, continued to praise himself without batting an eye.
Helpless, Zhao Qingxiu blushed slightly, lowered her head, and continued to fold the clothes virtuously.
Ouyang Rong suddenly looked at the beautiful, intelligent, and quick-witted blind and mute girl in front of him with a serious expression and said:
“Actually, the embroiderer doesn’t need to care about these little things. She doesn’t need to dress so plainly just because she’s afraid of stealing their thunder… Hey, many women in the world are eager to dress up and be the center of attention. But you, you dress as modestly as possible, even on a day that’s important to you like tomorrow, you’re still modest and humble.”
Zhao Qingxiu lowered her head and did not answer, her expression unreadable.
Looking at her gentle and tender face, Ouyang Rong reached out and touched the girl's delicate cheek, gently cupping it in his hand, and said very earnestly:
"No matter what you wear, you'll be the star tomorrow night. Everyone's watching you, so there's no point in hiding it..."
Zhao Qingxiu suddenly reached out and covered Ouyang Rong's mouth with her hand, shaking her head at him as if pleading with him to stop talking.
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.
He glanced down at the blue scholar's robe in his arms and continued:
“Aqing is in Longcheng and can’t come. I’ll wear the clothes you made. You don’t need to wear hers.”
Ouyang Rong had told Zhao Qingxiu about A Qing before, and she knew that he had such a sworn sister.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingxiu shook her head, her small face focused on writing:
[Wear Ah Qing's clothes. Her needlework is better than mine. I can't see it, but my stitching isn't as good as hers. She's amazing. She's so young, yet she has such skill. My love, wear hers.]
Ouyang Rong blinked and asked:
"Does Ah Qing possess some of the skills you had when you were a child?"
Zhao Qingxiu smiled but did not answer.
Ouyang Rong silently observed the intelligent and beautiful blind-mute girl in front of him for a while.
Watching her quietly tidy up the clothes and the house.
There seemed to be a sense of peace in my chest.
After working for an unknown amount of time, Ouyang Rong saw Zhao Qingxiu stand up and run towards the kitchen, so he followed her.
He shouldn't have come today, or rather, he shouldn't have stayed too long. He should have spent more time with Zhen Shuyuan and Xie Lingjiang, since the former was celebrating her birthday. He finally had a holiday, so he should have stayed at the Huaiye Lane residence to spend more time with her. That's the universal way of filial piety these days.
However, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but come over. He was used to worrying and couldn't help but feel uneasy, so he wanted to come and take a look.
Fortunately, Zhen Shuyuan was quite understanding of him and didn't say anything. She just told him to come home for dinner tonight and be back before 2:30 PM, and not to be late.
Tomorrow is her birthday celebration, and some relatives and clansmen from Nanlong will be arriving this afternoon, including the clan head and several elders of the Ouyang clan of Nanlong, as well as relatives from her aunt's maternal family, the Zhen clan...
Ouyang Rong had to act as the young male head of the household to entertain the guests; in any case, the closer it got to the birthday banquet, the busier he became.
In this agrarian era, the countryside was not considered a dilapidated, despised, or avoided place, and the term "country bumpkin" did not exist.
There are four social classes: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Farmers have a relatively high status, while merchants are considered to be in a lowly profession. Rulers throughout history have emphasized the importance of agriculture and suppressed commerce.
Therefore, returning home in glory is a great honor. No matter how successful you are in your career or how high your official rank is, after you retire in your old age, you will most likely return to your hometown and live a peaceful old age. Being able to rise from humble beginnings to become a prestigious family is already considered the pinnacle of personal influence... unless you are so powerful that you break through the ceiling, reach the heavens, are granted a royal title, and your entire clan is promoted.
Ouyang Rong is now an academician of the Xiuwen Academy and acting governor of Jiangzhou. He is already a well-known figure in his hometown of Nanlong. Although he was a scholarly talent known for miles around, he has now risen to a higher level. He is a formidable figure that Nanlong County has rarely seen in more than ten years, and he is quite famous throughout Luling Prefecture.
It is well known that the scholars of Luling are very diligent, with a reputation for producing a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) every ten miles. This is famous throughout the Jiangnan region and is a "recruitment area" that Bailudong Academy values highly. For ordinary families in Luling, farming and studying are the norm.
In each imperial examination in Luoyang, the number of candidates from the south was already very limited, but almost one of them would be taken by a scholar from Luling, making it as easy as receiving a minimum living allowance. Judging from this, this person must have quite a few fellow townsmen in the court.
Ouyang Lianghan, once a promising scholar, was raised in an atmosphere where "all other pursuits are inferior except for studying." He was raised by his mother, Zhao, and his wife, Zhen Shuyuan. He survived the hellish academic environment and became the top scholar in his year in Luling. Later, he became the third-ranked scholar in the first year of the Jiushi era of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Therefore, when Ouyang Rong governs Jiangzhou, he is most displeased with the state and county schools that are half-dead and rarely produce Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). Perhaps due to the developed water transport, most of the young men in Jiangzhou seem to prefer engaging in commerce.
Of course, it's also possible that it's because the imperial court demoted so many officials to Jiangzhou that the common people felt there was no point in the competitive officialdom, since the end point for a large number of demoted officials was their starting point... It's absolutely hilarious.
Regardless, Ouyang Rong is now the most prominent figure in the Ouyang clan of Nanlong. Even on his aunt Zhen Shuyuan's birthday, clan leaders and elders came to offer their congratulations, which is quite a grand occasion.
But Ouyang Rong realized that one family was missing: the Zhao family of Nanlong, from which his mother came. He had asked Zhen Shuyuan a few days ago if they should invite someone from the Zhao family of Nanlong, but Zhen Shuyuan had flatly refused, and he didn't know why...
We arrived at the kitchen.
Ouyang Rong saw that Zhao Qingxiu was making soup with her back to him.
He went over, glanced at it, and saw some herbs floating in the pot, the broth milky white, similar to fish soup.
This seems to be called "Three Whites Nourishing Soup," which contains Chinese herbs such as Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Paeonia lactiflora, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, hence the name "Three Whites."
These herbs were bought by Ouyang Rong a few days ago with Xiu Niang. She said that the recipe for the Three White Nourishing Soup was taught to her casually by that old Taoist priest Sun. This medicinal soup can regulate the spleen and stomach and has the effect of whitening the skin of women. It just so happens that it will come in handy this time.
Ouyang Rong curiously examined the medicinal soup that was being simmered.
This is one of the birthday gifts that the embroiderer will give to her aunt tomorrow night. At that time, she will also cook a bowl of hot longevity noodles and take them to the residence in Huaiye Lane to show her respect to her aunt.
Zhao Qingxiu checked on the soup-making process, then turned and returned to the main room, accompanied by Ouyang Rong.
After returning to her room, Zhao Qingxiu took an unfinished embroidery from the bedside and continued sewing it stitch by stitch.
Ouyang Rong glanced at it; it looked like a small blue sachet.
He wandered around the room and noticed a brand new wooden box on the embroiderer's dressing table, which looked like it was for holding jewelry.
Ouyang Rong walked over, opened the brocade box a crack, and just as he peeked inside, he heard Zhao Qingxiu's "ah ah" sounds from behind. He withdrew his hand and returned as if nothing had happened.
I only saw a glimpse of white just now, like a white jade hairpin.
Ouyang Rong suddenly remembered that the embroiderer seemed to have said that she would also prepare gifts for her junior sister and Wei Lai.
I wonder who the blue sachet and the white jade hairpin were given to.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but recall that his junior sister, Wei Lai, and aunt had all mentioned that they also wanted to give the embroiderer a gift, but they hadn't told him what it was...
"Why are they all acting so strangely..."
Ouyang Rong shook his head.
After spending some time with him, seeing that it was getting late, Ouyang Rong bid farewell and left.
Before leaving, he gave me this instruction:
"Embroiderer, get some rest tonight. I might be a bit busy during the day tomorrow, so let Thirteen Sister keep you company. I'll pick you up in the evening..."
"Uh-huh."
After giving his instructions, Ouyang Rong picked up the bundle containing the blue scholar's robe and strode out the door.
Before boarding the carriage, he looked back.
Zhao Qingxiu, who was seeing him off, stood slenderly at the door, her hands supporting the door.
The red walls of the small courtyards on both sides accentuated her serene, ethereal, and captivating figure in her simple white dress.
Ouyang Rong smiled and waved his hand.
"Let's go back inside."
Zhao Qingxiu stood on tiptoe, one hand on the door, the other waving forcefully at him, her mouth slightly open:
"Ah ah."
It seemed to be a reminder to him to be careful on the road.
Ouyang Rong didn't turn back; he was a decisive person by nature.
He moved with the agility of a swallow, stepping onto the carriage, leaving the reluctant blind and mute girl by the door. Then, Pei Shisan Niang, who had replaced Ouyang Rong, gently took the girl's hand and comforted her as she entered the house.
On the way back, Ouyang Rong, as usual, summoned Yan Liulang and asked about the situation.
The news that the thin-faced man named Qian Chen had been found at Guanyin Temple had already been taken to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion by Ouyang Rong.
When Li Xian, Li Guo'er, and the others found out, they all breathed a sigh of relief, as this indirectly confirmed their previous speculation.
Yan Liulang gave a practiced report, but there was nothing important to report.
However, Ouyang Rong guessed that Duan Quanwu should have returned from Hukou County with half of his armored soldiers.
Even if they travel by water, it would take them until the morning of the 15th day to reach Jiangzhou, which would be after their birthday celebration on the 14th.
At least for this day, there's nothing to worry about.
Moreover, Ouyang Rong had already instructed Lu Ya in advance that this expressionless young Taoist priest would also return with Duan Quanwu and the others.
With Lu Ya keeping an eye on things, there shouldn't be any major problems. Even if something unexpected happens, at least we can report it immediately.
With a thousand thoughts coming together, Ouyang Rong stared straight ahead and rubbed his face vigorously.
...
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
