Chapter 740 The Charge of the Young Master [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
Ouyang Rong was directing his subordinates when Chen You, a military advisor, suddenly came over. Ouyang Rong thought it was to report on important matters, but Chen You took a step forward with a furtive expression and whispered something in his ear.
Ouyang Rong's expression faltered as he looked up at him, then he calmly gave the order:
"Military Advisor Chen, please take charge for me for now. I'll be right back."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Ouyang Rong walked out of the crowd and went to a shady grove of trees. The morning sun shone through the treetops and dappled the trees with light. Ali's carriage was parked quietly in the dappled sunlight.
Arriving at the carriage, Ouyang Rong exchanged a knowing glance with Ali, then nimbly slipped into the carriage in a few quick steps.
Inside the carriage, a pretty young girl, her eyes blindfolded with a sky-blue satin ribbon, sat quietly waiting, holding a long cloth bag in her arms.
Ouyang Rong sat down in front of her, his brows furrowed, and couldn't help but ask:
“Embroiderer…why are you here alone? Where are Wei Lai and the others…”
Before he could finish speaking, Ouyang Rong felt a weight in his arms, and his vision was completely filled with fragrant black hair.
Zhao Qingxiu, like a swallow returning to its nest, rushed into his arms.
It was as if they had experienced a life-or-death separation; they hugged each other very tightly.
...
Inside the gates of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, figures moved about busily.
Li Congshan and Miaozhen led three hundred White Tiger Guard soldiers to assemble, preparing to evacuate.
After watching Ye Weilai's luxurious carriage depart, Li Dalang remained silent for a moment before turning and walking back into his residence.
"Brother, what's going on outside?"
Li Guo'er's voice came from behind him. Li Dalang turned around and was stunned for a moment:
"Sister, what are you doing here? Didn't you go back to the yard to tidy up...?"
Li Guo'er, accompanied by her maids including Cai Shou, approached, looked around, and casually replied:
“I’m going to check on Mother and Sister Xie. I’m mainly worried that Mother will get into another argument with that Lady Miaozhen and waste time. Sister Xie can’t persuade her, so I have to come… At this critical juncture, it’s better to have less conflict.”
"I see. Mother really couldn't control her temper."
Li Guo'er changed the subject: "Brother hasn't said what just happened. I heard that Ouyang Lianghan's family came looking for us."
Li Dalang pointed behind him:
"It's Miss Ye from Tanlang's room. She brought Miss Xiu Niang here to see Tanlang. It seems that Miss Xiu Niang is worried that something has happened to Tanlang."
“What could possibly happen here at our Prince’s residence? Why would they come looking for us? We should be more careful when we go to the celebration. But Ouyang Lianghan should know what he’s doing. You can tell from the things he told us. He won’t go unless he’s fully prepared. A wise man doesn’t stand under a crumbling wall.”
At this point, Li Guo'er paused, and as if thinking of something, she pursed her lips:
"But that's normal. They just had tea ceremony yesterday, and after our banquet ended, they must have spent the whole night together. This morning, we called Ouyang Lianghan over, interrupting their lingering intimacy. Naturally, the young lady was worried about him and, like a wife, came to check on him."
The young woman with the plum blossom makeup nodded as she finished speaking.
However, noticing that her older brother seemed silent, she couldn't help but glance at him:
Why are you looking at me like that, brother?
Li Dalang stared for a moment, then looked away.
"It's nothing, it's just that I've noticed that when it comes to Tanlang's love affairs, whether it involves Miss Xie or Miss Xiu Niang, my sister seems to be talking a lot more... Normally, my sister is quite quiet about these kinds of topics."
Before Li Guo'er could raise her eyebrows in anger, Li Dalang had already changed the subject, suddenly asking:
“Sister, we already knew about that embroiderer’s identity and sect back in Dragon City. Do you think… Tanlang knows about it?”
Li Guo'er was not sure if she was annoyed by the topic at hand or by her brother's foolish words.
She said irritably:
"Nonsense, how could Ouyang Lianghan not know? He's the most cunning person in the entire Jiangzhou. It's impossible for him to really be kept in the dark. He's just pretending to be stupid. He's the best at pretending to be stupid. Even Sister Xie was fooled by him."
Li Dalang seemed to be thinking of something, and his expression turned melancholy, his voice lowering slightly.
"So, sister, do you think they'll end up together? What about the embroiderer's sect... all those senior sisters with their own strong personalities..."
Li Guo'er waved her hand and said:
"You should worry about her senior sisters instead of Ouyang Lianghan. Do you think he's your older brother?"
Li Dalang fell silent, standing still, looking somewhat forlorn.
Li Guo'er vaguely sensed her brother's low spirits. She pursed her lips, took a rare step forward, stood on tiptoe, patted his shoulder, and her pretty face showed a carefree expression:
"Alright, relax. It's not that you're not like that, but everyone's situation is different. The embroiderer may have responsibilities, but Ouyang Lianghan is different from you. He wasn't born with any inescapable burdens. He achieved everything through his own efforts. He can make his own decisions and take whatever path he wants, as long as he can take responsibility for himself."
"But you are different. You have the blood of Emperor Taizong in your veins. Some responsibilities are etched into your bones from birth. Your friends and enemies are determined at the moment of your birth. There are good and bad aspects, but in the end, the benefits outweigh the bad. Everyone has their own destiny, including that concubine Wei. Perhaps she understands it better than you do..."
Li Dalang suddenly interrupted:
"Then why does she keep inviting me over?"
"If I ask you to go, you'll go. But if I offer you poisoned wine, will you drink it?"
Li Dalang was silent for a moment, then shook his head:
"As for the invitation to Guanyin Temple in Hukou County last time, Tanlang later brought information explaining that she was indeed returning to the capital and passing by Guanyin Temple to worship Buddha. The invitation that I refused was almost certainly harmless; she probably just wanted to see me one more time."
Li Guo'er squinted and asked:
"What does that mean, Brother? Is it because you saw what happened with Ouyang Lianghan and the embroiderer, and you want to learn from them? To take action and try to make a move?"
Li Dalang shook his head:
“I didn’t mean that. This matter is over, and there’s no point in bringing it up again. Besides, she’s leaving today, leaving Xunyang to return to the capital… Sister, I’ve been studying lately and I understand some things now. Some things, once missed, are missed forever. If you don’t seize the opportunity then, it’s useless to regret it later. Once it’s missed, you can’t go back.”
He lowered his head and murmured:
"She should know my feelings after my repeated rejections... at least she understood the wariness my actions revealed, so why say so much more..."
“Sister, not everyone has the good fortune and courage of Tanlang and Xiuniang. They were able to seize the opportunity, go to great lengths together, care about each other, and know very well that the other cares about them. They were able to come together without any worries. Not everyone can find such a marriage.”
"I don't agree with that. If you want something, once you've made up your mind, you should go for it yourself. You don't care if she cares or not, as long as you care. You don't care if she likes it or not, as long as you like it. You don't care if she thinks it's meaningful or not, as long as you think it's meaningful or not."
"Why are you so concerned about the other person's attitude and feelings when you're doing what you're supposed to do, when you're so young? Is that your reason for not doing it? No, that's your excuse for stopping and hesitating. Brother, what I'm talking about today isn't just about you and Wei Anhui. I'm talking about many things in this world, and that's true of them all."
Li Guo'er's sharp rebuke, her clear voice ringing out, caused the surrounding maids, led by Cai Shou, to temporarily retreat, not daring to listen any longer. Her words were like a sharp sword, piercing Li Dalang's heart:
"Let me ask you, if the embroiderer hadn't shown any determination, would Ouyang Lianghan have not tried his best to win her over? If Ouyang Lianghan hadn't shown any determination, would the embroiderer have not tried her best to go for it?"
"Although I don't know for sure, you can go and ask them. Did they have some kind of precognition and foresight, knowing that the chances of success were high, which is why they were so confident in approaching each other?"
"That's not how it is. You were there when the incident in Longcheng happened, and you saw it yourself. As a child bride abandoned by Ouyang Lianghan's family, this embroiderer girl came to us on her own initiative time and time again. Ouyang Lianghan didn't even know her, and she didn't want him to know at the time."
"See? Many things in this world are like this. It's not about exchanging sincerity for sincerity, but rather that only sincerity deserves sincerity. It's definitely not about 'waiting for a higher price' to exchange. How is that any different from a transaction?"
"If that's the case, it's too cheap. Although I prefer a straightforward exchange of benefits, I know that feelings are different. If I ever encounter such a situation, I don't care whether the other person is willing or not. I'm willing, and that's all I need to do. I'm doing what I'm willing to do, and my feelings for them are the same. It has nothing to do with the other person. Even if the other person lets me down, I won't feel any apology or pressure. Those are just things I'm willing to give. I'm not trying to 'exchange' with them, and I don't want anything in return. What I want is something that matches my heart."
As Li Guo'er spoke, she pointed her index finger to her heart, her head held high with pride.
As Li Dalang listened, he stood there dumbfounded, as if his soul had left his body.
“Sister…”
He swallowed hard, thinking that Ah Mei's figure was incredibly dashing today.
Li Guo'er waved her hand, a hint of disdain in her voice:
"Alright, enough of this rambling. I really want to scold you awake. So many people in the world are troubled by matters between men and women, and they never understand them in their entire lives. In the end, they only get resentment. How ridiculous is that?"
"As your younger sister, I just don't want you to be so vulgar, brother. Consider this fruitless encounter a lesson learned. You just said that things have come to this point, and there's no need to look back. From now on, be more serious. You are a member of the Li family, the great-grandson of Emperor Taizong. What kind of behavior is this, being so fussy?"
After speaking in a crisp voice, Li Guo'er turned and left, gesturing to the maids behind her to leave together.
She walked with the speed of the wind, passing by Li Dalang before disappearing into the distance.
Li Dalang stood there stunned for a while. After a while, many maids and stewards passed by without glancing at him. Then, he slowly raised his hand, patted his face, came back to his senses, and turned to leave.
Li Dalang was still muttering to himself:
"It's not about exchanging sincerity for sincerity... but about sincerity being worthy of sincerity, and what does it matter if it's not worthy... Yes, what does it matter..."
After wandering aimlessly for a while, Li Dalang regained his senses and looked around at his surroundings. He was very close to the study.
He straightened his clothes and prepared to go to the study to find his father.
Just then, two shouts suddenly came from behind.
"Dalang?"
"Your Highness?"
When Li Dalang turned around, he saw two familiar figures walking quickly towards him.
"Sixth Brother, Master Lu... Master Lu? What are you doing here?"
Lu Ya, whom Yan Liulang hadn't seen for many days, was with him.
Li Dalang saw that Yan Liulang had a serious expression and was panting heavily, as if he had run back without stopping.
Lu Ya, on the other hand, was much more composed. Or rather, he was always expressionless, so no emotion could be seen. However, his hair was greasy, and the wind had ruffled the hair of his Taoist crown, revealing a hint of travel-wornness.
"It's good that you're here, Da Lang. Master Lu has returned. Take him to see the Prince and Miss Xie. The Master said he has important matters to report to the Prince, and it seems to be about Hukou County."
Yan Liulang waved his hand hastily, handed Lu Ya to Li Dalang, and turned to leave.
Li Dalang subconsciously called out to him:
"Wait, leave it to me? What is Liu Lang going to do?"
Yan Liulang's face showed a bitter expression. He glanced around, then took out a handwritten letter from his robes that had been stamped by Ouyang Rong that morning, and whispered:
"I'm busy. I went to the Jiangzhou main hall this morning to convey the prefect's order: the city is under martial law today. People are only allowed to leave, not enter. Unless they have the seal of the prefect or the prince, they will be killed without mercy... This is the strict order issued by the prefect before leaving the city this morning."
"However, I still need to go to Xunyang Ferry to issue an order. The flow of boats and people there is large, so it must be sealed off. No boats are allowed to dock. All boats at the ferry must enter the harbor... Just like the city gates, today the ferry is only open for exits, not for entry..."
"Xunyang Ferry is under the jurisdiction of the Market and Trade Bureau, whose officials are directly appointed by the imperial court and wield considerable power. I need to make the trip myself. I've already gathered my men, and they're waiting outside right now. I'll take them there to seal off the ferry..."
Yan Liulang pointed to the expressionless Lu Ya below, and spoke in rapid succession:
"I just ran into Master Lu on the road and escorted him here. Your Highness, please take Master Lu inside. I can't stay any longer, I must take my leave..."
Without waiting for Li Dalang's reaction, Yan Liulang ran away quickly, leaving Lu Ya behind.
Li Dalang turned to look at Lu Ya, whose expression was serious:
"Your Highness, where are the Prince and Princess? Please take me there immediately."
Li Dalang nodded, stepped aside, and gestured with his hands:
"Alright, this way please, Taoist priest."
"Um."
Lu Ya slowed down half a step and followed behind Li Dalang, hurrying together to the study.
The atmosphere on the road was silent.
Lu Ya was always a quiet and reserved person, while Li Dalang was always serious and proper in front of outsiders and didn't talk much, except when he was with his close friends like Ouyang Rong and Yan Liulang, where he would become more lively and relaxed.
As for Lu Ya, he didn't have much contact with Da Lang, but he knew that this Shangqing Taoist priest and his sister Li Guo'er were quite close, including the forces of the Sanqing Taoist sect.
Furthermore, this Taoist priest Lu has clearly brought back some intelligence, but he's not telling him first; instead, he's waiting for his father and sister to arrive...
Although, when Tanlang was not around, Amei and her father were indeed the ones in charge of the household, and sometimes Amei's words even carried more weight than her father's.
However, the distinction between close and distant relationships was still evident. But Li Dalang didn't mind at all. On the contrary, he was a little worried. Did these Taoist priests of the Sanqing sect want to coax his sister into becoming a Taoist in the future? There were quite a few royal princesses of the Daqian and Dazhou who went to Taoist temples to cultivate Taoism. The emperor bestowed a lot of noble Taoist titles upon them.
Li Dalang was reluctant to part with her, and deep down he still hoped that his younger sister would marry into a good family, have a son soon, and be able to visit her maternal uncle's house often, rather than entering a monastery to eat vegetarian food and renounce the world for spiritual cultivation...
As they approached the study, Li Dalang, who had been silent the whole way, took the initiative to strike up a conversation:
"By the way, does Master Lu know about the river pirates in Hukou County?"
Lu Ya shook his head in confusion:
"What's up?"
Before Li Dalang could speak, he asked in return:
"Just now, when I disembarked at Xunyang Ferry, I saw Princess Anhui's carriage enter the dock. It seemed that she was about to leave by boat. Was she going back to the capital?"
"I recall that the Prince's residence seems to be paying close attention to the movements of the Wei family in Jiangzhou. So, Your Highness, Princess... and the Heir Apparent, are you aware that this princess went out this morning?"
Li Dalang suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Lu Ya asked in confusion, "What's wrong with the young master?"
He saw the young man who had paused ahead continue walking, waving and smiling.
“It’s alright. I’ve actually heard about this before. She left this morning… She’s almost here. Father is in the study. I’ll go to the outer quarters to call my sister. Daoist, please go in first.”
"Um."
Li Dalang escorted Lu Ya into the study, then patiently poured tea for Lu Ya and Li Xian, who was beaming with joy as he received the guests. He then turned around and quietly left.
About fifteen minutes later, Li, Xie, and Wei arrived and closed the gate.
Li Guo'er calmly reported to Li Xian:
"Father, Miaozhen and Li Congshan have left with three hundred armored soldiers. Mother and I have searched the manor, and there are no more of their people left. As for the other servants and maids, they have been sent away by Uncle Shun under some pretext. The inner quarters have been cleared out, and they are not allowed to approach..."
"Okay, okay, okay."
Li Xian said "thank you" three times and breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone saw him pick up his teacup and drink it all in one gulp.
The women also exhaled, feeling as if they had broken free from a cage of surveillance and were now free to roam freely.
Xie Lingjiang, as if remembering something, asked the expressionless young man in the Taoist robe:
"The latest news this morning is that Hukou County has been captured by river pirates. Master Lu has returned from there, did you know?"
Lu Ya's expression showed surprise; he had already given his answer.
(End of this chapter)
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