Chapter 737 Ouyang Rong: I'm Here and You're Not Happy Again [Seeking Monthly Tickets at the End of the Month!]
Luoyang, the capital of China.
Early in the morning, Qinghuafang, a place frequented by the powerful and wealthy, became noisy.
Today's banquet isn't being held at the most powerful Prince Wei's residence in Qinghua Ward, but it's still closely related.
The early risers of the mansions in Qinghua Ward were boarding their dew-covered carriages, escorted by servants and attendants, preparing to head to the square in front of the Ziwei Palace in the Imperial City.
The long-awaited Great Zhou Dynasty Praise Tower will be officially completed today. It is said that the four large Buddha statues distributed in the four directions have also been completed one after another. The praise system of the Great Zhou Dynasty Praise Tower and the large Buddha statues, which has attracted much attention, can be considered to be completely completed.
A few days ago, the Wei family reported good news, which greatly pleased the emperor. He issued a special decree to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to Heaven today at the Ziwei Palace Square, located at Tian Shu.
The reason why it was a grand ceremony to worship Heaven, rather than a victory celebration like the one in Jiangzhou, is actually quite simple.
The so-called Celestial Pivot is naturally a communication point with Heaven. The current sage, as the Son of Heaven of the Great Zhou Dynasty, is Heaven's representative, carrying Heaven's will to promulgate laws and manage human affairs on earth...
Communication with Heaven naturally involves sacrificial ceremonies. Since ancient times, the grand ceremony of worshipping Heaven has belonged to the realm of emperors. Compared to the celebration in Jiangzhou, the current emperor and the two kings of the Wei clan valued its political significance as a symbol of Heaven's blessing on the Great Zhou. Anything that can represent the Mandate of Heaven is what emperors value most and is the cornerstone of the state's rule.
The most important matters of state are sacrifice and war.
Therefore, today's grand ceremony to worship Heaven has not only been attended by all the civil and military officials, but also by envoys from all foreign countries within the capital city.
It has very high specifications.
The morning sun shone on the carriages that were setting off in grand style in Qinghuafang.
However, the Prince of Wei's residence was rather quiet.
It wasn't that no one was there, but rather that the atmosphere in the Prince's mansion was solemn.
The procession was ready and parked at the main gate, attracting the attention of the neighbors passing by. However, the procession was slow to depart. From the princely jade palanquin to the inner courtyard deep inside the mansion, there were guards standing watch every five steps. It was clear that the Prince of Wei had not yet left the mansion and was probably lingering on something.
Deep within the Prince's mansion, in front of the Wei family ancestral hall, a group of people were gathered. Among them were the Prince's mansion's personal guard captain, the head steward, and the Wei family's young master and princess. They all stood obediently in front of the door, occasionally exchanging glances, and finally casting a tacitly knowing look at the tightly closed ancestral hall gate with either helplessness or incomprehension.
No one dared to go in and disturb them.
They waited quietly with their hands at their sides.
One of the leaders of the Wei clan, King Wei Jisi, is inside. He went in before dawn and has not come out yet.
But no one dared to go in and urge them.
Wei Wu, who was very close to the King of Wei, was not in the capital at the moment. Some people at the gate couldn't help but think that if the steady and reliable Wei Wu were here, they could at least go in and find out what was going on.
Since the deaths of the Sixth Prince and the Third Prince, the Prince of Wei has become increasingly volatile. In addition, after the incident where he drew his sword and killed a concubine in the inner quarters, no one in the Wei family dares to enter the palace without permission, let alone the other servants.
Unlike the anxious crowd waiting in front of the gate, inside the Wei family ancestral hall, Wei Jisi, dressed in black with a white headband, walked around the hall, burning incense for each of the ancestral tablets on the table.
His expression was calm, and his movements were practiced. In no time, he arrived at the two memorial tablets at the very end of the table.
These two memorial tablets belong to Wei Shaoxuan and Wei Shaoqi.
Wei Jisi lit several incense sticks and then carefully wiped the ash off the two memorial tablets with his sleeves.
After doing all that, I paused for a moment in front of them, my eyelids drooping.
He was facing away from the door, backlit, so even if someone stood next to him, they couldn't clearly see his face, which was indistinct in light and shadow.
Wei Jisi never really believed in such a coincidence. His two sons died one after the other in that small Jiangzhou. Was that a place of bad luck for the Wei family? Was it a place that deliberately caused the premature death of their offspring?
At one point, Wei Jisi chuckled softly.
Turning to leave, as he passed a desk in the corridor, he casually picked up the string of white jade prayer beads bestowed upon him by a saint.
The Great Zhou Ode Celestial Pivot and the Four Directions Buddha Statue were first proposed and supervised by him and his younger brother Wei Sixing.
Today, the protagonists on the Imperial City's Ziwei Palace Square are destined to be the Wei family!
With a calm expression, Wei Jisi twirled white jade prayer beads in his hands and strode away from his desk. After taking only a few steps, he raised his hand, grabbed the white cloth strip from his forehead, ripped it off, and casually tossed it onto the grass beside the desk.
This scene seems familiar.
I still remember the day a few months ago, before Wei Wu left the capital, Wei Wu also knelt on both knees on this grass, respectfully accepting the white cloth strip that Wei Jisi casually picked off.
At the door, Wei Jisi, who had finally removed the white cloth strip, slowly stopped and looked back.
The courtyard was empty.
Before pushing open the door to greet the respectful crowd, Wei Jisi murmured a phrase he had once used to instruct Wei Wu: (The phrase is unclear and likely refers to a previous statement.)
"Then take it for me."
...
Xunyang River.
The first ray of sunlight pierced the darkness of dawn, scattering across the river's surface. The river mist was dispelled, vanishing amidst the morning light and the crashing waves.
An official ship is sailing against the wind and waves.
A young man carrying a sword stood on the bow deck, frowning as he looked at the unchanging river surface, seemingly complaining that the official ship was too slow.
He was Lu Ya, a direct descendant of the Shangqing Daoist lineage.
The boat was rocked violently by the waves at the bow, but Lu Ya stood firmly on the bow as if rooted to the spot, and no matter how big the waves were, they could not make him stagger.
For some reason, since this morning, Lu Ya has felt a strange feeling lingering in his heart. It was neither a special premonition of disaster nor a sign of good news, but a feeling that he could not explain.
Lu Ya did not know the divination skills of his master, Master Yuan. In fact, not to mention the Shangqing Sect, there might not be one person like his master in the entire Sanqing Taoist sect in a hundred years. Such a genius with the talent of writing on a spirit tablet and making divination is called a sorcerer on the mountain, and is no different from a half-immortal.
Within the Sanqing Taoist sect, there is an ancient saying that these sorcerers are reincarnations of ancient immortals, which is why they can repeatedly see through the secrets of heaven. Compared to ordinary people, they are spared the retribution of premature death and divine punishment for forcibly practicing this path. If these people go further, they can even see through life and death and even plan the afterlife, which can be considered immortal in a certain sense.
Lu Ya recalled something his master had mentioned before: among all sorcerers, there were only two people in the past five hundred years who could earn his master's admiration in the fields of divination, yin-yang and feng shui.
One was an unknown Taoist priest from five hundred years ago, whose birth and death dates are unknown and who has not left his name in history. He is suspected to have transcended his physical form and become an immortal. When my master was young, he passed through the Yan and Zhao regions and stayed in the deep mountains. He passed by the priest's tombstone and was deeply impressed by the line on it: "The tomb may be reopened, but the person will never be young again." The reason why my master knew that this person was five hundred years old and seemed to have ascended to immortality was because he left a legacy for my master, who happened to rest in front of the tomb five hundred years later. He even calculated the year, month, day, hour, and moment and left a message instructing my master to open the coffin and take it himself, as it would not be available after the deadline.
The other was a scholar from the Northern Dynasties more than three hundred years ago. He came from a family of scholars and officials, practiced both Confucianism and Taoism, and despised Buddhism. His master knew him because he was a man who had made a name for himself in history and was very famous. Many of his works could only be appreciated by fellow practitioners of magic...
Lu Ya pursed his lips.
Although he didn't have his master's abilities, he had learned a little bit from what he saw and heard, and he could vaguely sense that this premonition in his heart was a sign that something big was about to happen.
Moreover, this matter was related to him, which is why he had a mysterious premonition, like "a storm is brewing."
The only things that could be related to Lu Ya right now were three: the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, his master, and his senior brother Zhang.
The answer is self-evident.
As Lu Ya was about to return, he looked up and gazed in the direction of Xunyang City.
He couldn't help but think of the water containing the talisman that Prince Li Dalang had swallowed.
Did Master foresee the events unfolding before his death? Would Master have a premonition of such a major event?
Master had repeatedly warned Lu Ya that the sect’s ancestral hall’s secret technique, “Divine Decree,” was actually the most unique of the Three Pure Ones’ secret techniques and should not be easily passed on to outsiders. Not only were there many living people coveting this technique, but there were also dead people watching it… Lu Ya was puzzled by this, wondering what it meant that even the dead were watching it.
As Lu Ya pondered, screams of agony echoed from the cabin behind him.
The young Taoist priest with a stoic expression was unsurprised by this.
It's that man named Qian Chen.
From the moment he was arrested and put on the ship until now, Brother Wang has been interrogating him.
A short while later, Wang Caozhi came out, holding a white cloth strip in his hand, casually wiping the bloodstains from his hands.
He came up to the deck and frowned just like Lu Ya.
The two stood side by side at the bow of the boat.
After catching Qian Chen and his group at Guanyin Temple early yesterday morning, they immediately went down the mountain to the ferry crossing in Hukou County to catch a boat back to Xunyang, while also trying to catch up with Duan Quanwu and his group who had left a few hours earlier...
Lu Ya asked without turning his head, "Did you confess?"
Wang Caozhi shook his head: "He's very stubborn."
"What is it that makes my brother so worried? Who are those people he is dealing with?"
Wang Caozhi narrowed his eyes: "It's still just a guess. If this person doesn't confess, it's not considered evidence."
What are you planning to do?
"Go back to the city to find your brother-in-law first. As for the confession, you can go to Shuangfengjian and find an old, cruel official named Old Yang. I remember your brother-in-law mentioned that he is very good at using torture to extract confessions."
"OK."
Wang Caozhi glanced back at the cabin and said in a low voice:
"Actually, I guessed he wouldn't confess. The group's attire speaks for itself. But this matter is too complicated and requires solid evidence. Otherwise, even my brother-in-law might not be able to suppress it. Only the Prince can handle it..."
He shook his head at this point.
Lu Ya remembered the military strategist he had accidentally killed.
He glanced sideways at the short, rambling young man, but didn't ask any more questions.
Wang Caozhi turned and casually asked:
"Where do you plan to go after arriving in Xunyang, Daoist Master? Would you like to travel together?"
Lu Ya shook his head: "This humble Taoist priest must return to the Prince's residence first and stay by the Prince's side."
"Alright, Master Lu, wait until we disembark at Xunyang Ferry in the city."
Wang Caozhi looked up at the sky, seemingly estimating the time it would take to arrive in Xunyang, and slowly nodded:
"Just to be on the safe side, I'll get off at Shuangfengjian Ferry a stop early. My brother-in-law is off to preside over a celebration at Xunyang Grottoes this morning, so he'll definitely be there. And Sister Rong will be there too..."
Shuangfengjian Ferry Crossing was newly opened in the last two years, coinciding with the construction of Xunyang Grottoes. It is located on the way from Xunyang City to Hukou County, and boats must pass through it whether going there or returning.
Lu Ya nodded in agreement.
After thinking for a moment, Wang Caozhi gave another instruction:
"If we arrive early, my brother-in-law will still be in the palace or in the city. Master Lu, please remember to inform him."
"good."
...
Inside the reception hall of the Prince of Xunyang's residence.
When Ouyang Rong arrived, Li Congshan and Miao Zhen were standing guard at the door.
"Prefect Ouyang".
Li Congshan greeted him, winked at him, and gestured towards the waiting room. Miaozhen, standing beside him, kept a straight face and remained silent.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and saw a petite figure in a purple palace dress inside.
“The matter seems urgent. Lady Rongzhen has also called us over, saying that she may have instructions later.”
"Okay, thank you for your hard work."
Ouyang Rong smiled at Li Congshan, preparing to exchange a few pleasantries.
At this moment, Rongzhen, who was inside the hall, seemed to notice his arrival, stood up, and prepared to come out.
Ouyang Rong immediately bid farewell to Li Congshan and entered the hall.
He noticed that Rongzhen didn't touch the tea beside her.
"What brings you in such a hurry, Lady Rong?" He paused, then tentatively added, "Was Lady Rong at the Censorate this morning?"
Rong Zhen didn't answer, but strode away, closed the door, and the first thing she said when she turned back made Ouyang Rong's eyelids twitch:
"Latest intelligence: The group of river pirates from Hukou County launched a surprise attack on Hukou County yesterday, breached the county government office, seized control of the ferry crossing, and are now hijacking boats to head south, seemingly heading straight for Xunyang. Based on the timeline, they should arrive in Xunyang by this morning."
Ouyang Rong stopped in his tracks.
His brow furrowed deeply: "Where are Duan Quanwu and the others?"
Rong Zhen frowned in equal displeasure:
"Duan Quanwu just arrived at Shuangfengjian Ferry this morning. He led his troops ahead of time, setting off early yesterday morning. At that time, he left half of his soldiers in Hukou County to guard against the river pirates. No one expected that no sooner had he left than the river pirates seized the opportunity, emerged from the marshland, wiped out the soldiers left behind, and captured Hukou County..."
Ouyang Rong interrupted, asking, "When did the news come from? Is it accurate?"
Rong Zhen nodded, took out a bloodstained scroll from her sleeve, and handed it to Ouyang Rong, saying:
"The White Tiger Guard has special guards who raise eagles. There are some stationed in Hukou County. When I went to Shuangfengjian Ferry to pick up Duan Quanwu this morning, this eagle brought a message and I learned about the situation in Hukou County. This news came faster than our waterway."
Ouyang Rong opened the scroll and glanced at it. The handwriting was hurried and messy, indicating it was a military message, extremely urgent, and hard to fake.
Furthermore, this time, the river pirates broke through Hukou County, intercepted ships, and headed south, heading straight for Xunyang City.
Along the way, they will inevitably trigger the beacon fires at the outposts previously established by Ouyang Rong and the Jiangzhou government.
Ouyang Rong glanced at the time and guessed that the follow-up news must be on its way. He didn't even need to go to the Jiangzhou main hall to know that urgent reports were flying in like snowflakes.
So this is easy to verify; we just need to wait a moment. At least Yan Liulang will definitely come soon, and we can verify it again...
Ouyang Rong frowned and pondered deeply.
Having gone through the ordeal of the Golden Knife Chronicles, he and the Xunyang Prince's Mansion are now extremely cautious about any urgent news, always verifying it before speaking. Caution is a good habit.
Besides that, the most important thing right now is the strangeness and purpose of this matter.
Ouyang Rong remained calm and even sat down and picked up his teacup.
He remained calm, especially in situations like these.
Rongzhen looked at his calm demeanor, as if she had found a pillar of support, and let out a soft breath before asking:
"Ouyang Lianghan, what are these river pirates planning to do?"
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and said:
"They 'happened' to come on the day the Buddha was secretly completed last time. What else could they be doing here now?"
Rong Zhen nodded and said in a cold tone:
"Then come on over. We'll open the door and welcome our guests. As the host, are we afraid of these unruly guests? It would be best if they all came. Butterfly Love Flower Master, Snow Candle, Fish Nianyuan... all of you, come on over. I've been preparing for so long, just waiting for these traitors to come to my door. If they don't come, wouldn't I have waited in vain, and all that music I learned would have been for nothing?"
Hearing that he was ranked first again, Ouyang Rong was speechless.
If I actually come, you won't be happy.
He couldn't help but glance at the palace-dressed girl who was rubbing her hands together, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Something suddenly popped into my head.
Given Rong Nushi's excited and warlike appearance, besides preparing to deal with Yunmeng Jianze, is she also preparing to deal with him, the sixth swordsman?
Before Rong Zhen could look at him, Ouyang Rong subtly turned his gaze back to her...
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(PS: It's the last day of the month, and your monthly tickets are about to expire, so don't forget to vote, my good brothers!)
(End of this chapter)
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