Chapter 753 The wind seemed to penetrate from all sides!
"Eye care, health exercises?"
Li Congshan looked confused and spoke with surprise.
Song, Duan, and a group of female officials who were listening in from the back exchanged glances for a while.
Each of these characters is easy to understand when read separately, but what does it mean when put together? Is it some profound idiom from ancient times? But it sounds a bit strange.
"Yes, yes, I am a scholar from the Xiuwen Academy, I am highly learned, listen to me."
After Ouyang Rong finished speaking, he patted Li Congshan heavily on the shoulder, turned around and left.
As he walked off the stage, everyone saw him raise his hand, pinch the bridge of his nose, and rub his Tianying acupoint, as if he were doing some kind of eye exercise...
Among the crowd, some people nodded secretly, thinking, "As expected of a scholar from the Xiuwen Academy, he is indeed learned."
Li Congshan hesitated, his brows furrowed with worry.
He glanced at Ouyang Rong's back, then turned around and looked at Rong Zhen.
Rong Zhen remained expressionless, ignoring Li Congshan's gaze, and followed Ouyang Rong with her sleeves tucked in and her feet raised.
He didn't say anything.
The two went out to greet the person, watched by Li Congshan and the crowd on the stage.
Li Congshan sighed. There was nothing he could do but retreat, prepare boats, and return to the south bank.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the main grotto, Ouyang Rong addressed the heavily armored guards who were blocking Wang Caozhi's path:
"There's no danger, let him in."
The solemn and disciplined soldiers and female officials turned their gazes to the petite figure in purple palace attire behind Ouyang Rong.
Ouyang Rong also turned around and looked at Rong Zhen.
Rong Zhen and Ouyang Rong exchanged a silent glance, and she nodded slightly in that direction.
The female officials and soldiers received orders and let Wang Caozhi in.
"Thank you, Sister Rong!"
Wang Caozhi abandoned his nonchalant expression and said with a serious face:
"Wait a minute, brother-in-law, Sister Rong, I brought a few more people with me, but they've been detained. They're at the dock where we disembarked, and they absolutely refuse to let us in."
Whom did you bring?
Ouyang Rong was also curious and asked, but without waiting for Wang Caozhi's answer, he turned to Rong Zhen and whispered an explanation:
"I sent Cao Zhi out to handle some business, to investigate a... a major case involving the safety of Xunyang City."
Without saying much, Rong Zhen waved to the female officials and armored soldiers standing guard next to Wang Caozhi.
A female official stepped forward and went to release the people as ordered.
Wang Caozhi breathed a sigh of relief and explained:
“Those were my attendants, and also an important prisoner being escorted here, whose safety is at stake.”
Rongzhen gave a soft "hmm".
Ouyang Rong stared at Wang Caozhi and asked calmly:
"What's going on? Why are you only getting back now? What prisoner? By the way, where's Master Lu?"
Wang Caozhi glanced at Rong Zhen, who was standing to Ouyang Rong's side and behind him; the latter showed no sign of leaving.
Receiving a look from Ouyang Rong, Wang Caozhi immediately answered, concisely and to the point:
“Brother-in-law, something happened over there before I came back, so I stayed for a while, but it was worth it. We caught a big fish, that sneaky guy we were following… but he’s too tight-lipped. I couldn’t pry his mouth open the whole way on the boat. I need you to step in… Master Lu went to Xunyang Ferry with the boat. He’s in a hurry to get back to the city.”
Ouyang Rong suddenly asked:
"Are you aware that Hukou County was captured yesterday during the day by pirates disguised as river bandits from Tiannan Jianghu?"
Wang Caozhi was taken aback: "Is that so? When did this happen? It wasn't here before I left."
Ouyang Rong glanced at his puzzled expression but remained silent.
At this moment, Rong Zhen opened her mouth and asked, "Are you going to Hukou County to handle a case? What kind of case?"
Ouyang Rong, who was deep in thought, turned to look at Rong Zhen, whose face showed some suspicion, upon hearing this.
"that is……"
Wang Caozhi was about to speak when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that his brother-in-law, who was facing him, had casually switched the Buddhist prayer beads he was turning in his right hand to his left palm and continued to turn them slowly.
Wang Caozhi also noticed that his brother-in-law was tilting his head and staring intently at the palace-dressed girl behind him, not looking at him, but facing him directly.
The brother-in-law was standing between him and Sister Rong, so the exchange of the prayer beads was also in Sister Rong's blind spot.
Wang Caozhi swallowed his original words without showing any emotion, and instead made up a roundabout way with a grin:
"It's just a minor case, not worth mentioning. Fortunately, the suspect has been apprehended and brought to justice. We just need to conduct a further investigation... Huh!"
Halfway through his speech, Wang Caozhi seemed to have discovered something, and exclaimed in surprise, immediately attracting the attention of everyone around him.
Then, the short young man peeked out from in front of Ouyang Rong, looked her up and down, and exclaimed in amazement at her appearance:
"Sister Rong, that elegant purple dress you're wearing! Wow, it's absolutely stunning."
Rong Zhen:? ? ?
Wang Caozhi rubbed his hands together like a fly and said:
"Sister Rong, you look very beautiful today, do you know that?" He then turned to Ouyang Rong and asked, "Where's your brother-in-law? Does he know?"
Before the two could answer, he pointed to Rongzhen, whose face was gradually turning red, and began to recite:
"Her hair was like dark clouds, her face like an apricot blossom, her cheeks like peach blossoms, her features like distant spring mountains, and her waist like a willow branch. She was truly like a begonia in the sun, or a lotus flower on a distant mountain... The ancient beauties described in books really existed! They were not lying to me!"
Rong Zhen's pretty face was tense, but she couldn't hide the blush on her cheeks. Her clear, cold voice sternly rebuked:
"How dare you! What nonsense are you spouting? Be serious! You're the most irresponsible person of all. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll gouge out your dog eyes."
Ouyang Rong also put on a stern face and reprimanded, "Read less of that nonsense."
Despite being scolded and warned by Rong Zhen, Wang Caozhi was not afraid at all. He shrank back and muttered to himself:
"Since Sister Rong said I was gossiping, why did you gouge out my eyes? In the end, Sister Rong knows in her heart that I wasn't talking nonsense, but telling the truth. But I was looking at you with appreciative eyes, not with dog eyes."
He patted his chest confidently and said with absolute certainty:
"Sister Rong looks stunning in that purple dress today. Which man wouldn't want to take a second look? Even a gentleman like my brother-in-law can't resist the allure, let alone a vulgar person like me."
"Indeed, bright red and purple are the exclusive colors of beauties. Sister Rong is just right to wear a purple dress with elaborate accessories, which is both noble and glorious, as well as beautiful and mysterious."
“You’ve come to the right place today. With my brother-in-law around, I’ll never have to worry about my eyes being hungry, because there are so many beautiful sights to feast my eyes on every day.”
Wang Caozhi was known for his sincerity and honesty. His effusive praise not only made Rongzhen blush with embarrassment and feel a mix of joy and anger, but also made Ouyang Rong's eye twitch violently as he raised his hand to continue doing his "eye exercises".
Just then, the female officials who had just gone to release the people returned, followed by a group of people, who were Wang Caozhi's attendants.
These weary-looking attendants were surrounding a dirty man with shackles on his hands and feet. The man was covered in blood, disheveled, barefoot, and his features were obscured. He was being dragged forward, staggering.
This must be the prisoner Wang Caozhi mentioned, who was subjected to torture and interrogation along the way.
"Master Female Historian, Master Governor, we are here."
Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen glanced at them sideways.
Wang Caozhi smiled broadly, and Chao Rongzhen made no attempt to be polite:
"Sister Rong, could you do me a small favor? I've heard that you have an old criminal investigator here who used to be a ruthless official. Could you invite him to help interrogate the criminal, get him to talk, and obtain some witnesses and evidence?"
Ouyang Rong also looked over and nodded slightly: "Is Old Yang over here?"
Rong Zhen and Ouyang Rong exchanged a glance, and after a moment, she coldly said to Wang Caozhi:
"I'll say it again, when there are many people, call them by their titles."
After issuing a warning, she turned to the lady-in-waiting and instructed her:
"Call Old Yang here."
"Yes, Ms. Shi."
The female official acknowledged the order and withdrew. Rong Zhen turned around, and Ouyang Rong and Wang Caozhi had already exchanged glances before she turned back.
Wang Caozhi walked straight over, called to his attendants, and led the dirty man to a bamboo grove nearby.
Ouyang Rong turned his prayer beads and walked towards the bamboo forest.
Rongzhen followed with her sleeves.
Ouyang Rong took a few steps forward, then suddenly turned back:
"Ms. Rong, could you grant me some privacy? I'd like to discuss the case with Wang Caozhi. We can talk in detail after I'm released, shall we?"
Rong Zhen stopped in her tracks, tilted her head slightly, and carefully examined Ouyang Rong's sincere expression.
After a moment, she nodded reluctantly, not forgetting to give a word of advice:
"Alright, but you can't keep it from me forever. I'm waiting for your explanation."
"Also, Elder Yu's music is coming soon. We still need to take a boat to the other side to catch the owner of Butterfly Love Flower. Hurry up and don't delay."
"OK."
Ouyang Rong turned around and walked into the bamboo forest.
Rongzhen stood still, her eyes following his tall, slender figure as he walked away.
However, this bamboo grove is located by the river, and bamboo and trees are relatively sparse. Although white mist runs through the grove, Rongzhen and the group of female officials could still vaguely see the figures and movements of Ouyang Rong and Wang Caozhi from outside, though they were somewhat blurry.
However, the wind was quite strong by the river. Although the white mist remained still, it rustled the bamboo leaves throughout the forest, drowning out the voices of the people in the woods, as if they were buried in the wind.
In a clearing in the woods, there stands a large tree that is out of place and doesn't blend in with its surroundings.
The filthy man was led to the tree by Wang Caozhi and his entourage, where he continued to be severely tortured while waiting for Old Yang to arrive.
Ouyang Rong walked forward with his hands behind his back, his eyes straight ahead. As he passed the big tree where the dirty man was, Wang Caozhi handed the man over to his men and followed Ouyang Rong's footsteps in tacit agreement.
The two walked deeper into the forest and stopped at a dense grove where the bamboo leaves rustled intermittently.
Ouyang Rong turned around and got straight to the point:
"Is that Qian Chen? That skinny guy?"
"Um."
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly:
"Didn't you say in your previous letter that Qian Chen was at Guanyin Temple, preparing for the incense burning and prayer for Wei Anhui's arrival? How come you arrested him so suddenly? Tell me everything that happened in Hukou County."
Wang Caozhi's playful smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression, as he recounted everything in detail:
"Brother-in-law, I originally thought so too, but before I left, I suddenly received a report from my informant that Qian Chen was meeting with a group of unidentified worshippers. Just in case, I asked Master Lu to stay and go with me to investigate and arrest them."
"Thanks to Master Lu's help, the arrest went smoothly. However, among this group of unidentified worshippers, there was actually a Qi cultivator, who has been captured. But when I searched him, I found that he was wearing a tightly bound back armor under his black robe, and a short shirt and trousers on his lower body..."
"Armor? Short shirt and trousers?" Ouyang Rong's expression shifted slightly, and he immediately asked, "A member of the White Tiger Guard?"
Wang Caozhi shook his head vigorously:
"It's not the White Tiger Guard, it's the attire of the river pirates from Hukou County! These river pirates operate on the water, robbing merchant ships, and they usually wear short-sleeved shirts and trousers for convenience..."
His tone was absolutely certain:
"No mistake, it's the same outfit as those river pirates. Just in case, I also searched the other corpses, and they all had this outfit hidden in their clothes. It's definitely those river pirates. I don't know what they were exchanging with Qian Chen. I searched the whole place, but I couldn't find any seals. Qian Chen didn't have any either. It must have been a verbal message. They were quite cautious."
"But only Qian Chen was left alive. All the pilgrims disguised as river pirates died. It wasn't that Master Lu was ruthless; I had instructed him beforehand to leave survivors. But these river pirates were strange. They seemed well-trained, each one like a suicide squad. As soon as they were captured, they committed suicide by poison..."
"As for Qian Chen, I interrogated him the whole way, but he didn't say a word. His mouth is a bit sealed shut."
Wang Caozhi's voice trailed off as he noticed that Ouyang Rong remained silent, his eyes fixed on him.
His brother-in-law's sharp, piercing gaze made him feel a little uneasy.
"Brother-in-law, did I do something wrong...?" Wang Caozhi asked weakly, "Am I too late?"
Ouyang Rong did not answer, remaining motionless, standing with his hands behind his back.
The prayer beads in his hand had long since stopped spinning.
Wang Caozhi thought for a moment, then muttered somewhat guiltily:
"Brother-in-law, could it be that I misunderstood something? These are things that can be said to Lady Rong, and shouldn't be kept secret?"
Ouyang Rong remained silent.
A gust of river wind swept through the bamboo grove, causing the emerald green bamboo leaves to sway wildly.
Ouyang Rong remained completely silent, rooted to the spot like a nail.
His brand-new fifth-rank crimson official robes fluttered in the wind, and his long hair at his temples also flew and brushed against his face, making him look like an immortal, but this only accentuated the slender and frail figure of the young governor.
Ouyang Rong looked around.
The river wind howled, the white fog lingered, obscuring the sky and turning everything gray.
A line of poetry flashed into his mind, perfectly capturing his current mood:
The frost-covered sky was chilling, and the wind howled from all sides.
Ouyang Rong crossed his arms, pulled his official robes tighter, and finally spoke, asking each word carefully:
"Are you sure the group of people you handed over to Qian Chen are the river pirates from Hukou County?"
Wang Cao's tone was resolute:
"Confirmed! The pirate's cloth armor and shorts that were seized have been brought over. This is physical evidence. We just need to get Qian Chen to talk, and then we'll have both witnesses and physical evidence!"
As if remembering something, he immediately pulled a wad of cloth from his sleeve and handed it over.
"By the way, this is the only item we seized from Qian Chen. We don't know what it's for."
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes, took the cloth, unfolded it, and saw that it was a white cloth strip already stained with blood.
Wang Caozhi asked cautiously:
“Brother-in-law, do you think we’ve caught the Wei family treasonous? Qian Chen is from Princess Anhui’s household, yet he was sent to collude with river pirates and those rebels in the southern Jianghu. There must be some dirty deal involved. Now we have both witnesses and evidence…”
Ouyang Rong suddenly interrupted loudly: "Good idea."
Wang Caozhi was stunned for a moment: "What great idea? Brother-in-law, you... hey hey hey, why are you taking off your clothes!"
The sudden scene before his eyes left the short young man dumbfounded.
In the howling wind, the young governor was taking off his official robes.
(End of this chapter)
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