Chapter 760 A gentleman dies embracing a tree, not a beauty [Seeking monthly votes!]
Rongzhen finished by asking, "Is it good or not?"
Ouyang Rong, who had been smiling when faced with the red and gold invitation from the Wei brothers, fell silent for a long time.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone.
Rong Zhen, who was always cold and unsmiling, asked him again in a soft tone that no one in the room had ever heard before:
"Is it alright, Lianghan?"
They even omitted his surname when addressing him, calling him by his courtesy name.
The young man in the scholar's robe fell silent.
He raised his head and looked at the cave ceiling directly above the two of them.
On the domed stone wall, there is a circle of newly carved lotus inscriptions.
Ouyang Rong's gaze skipped over the date "the third year of Tianyou of the Great Zhou Dynasty" and landed on the words "Prefect Ouyang Lianghan" and "Lady Rongzhen".
Everyone's attention was focused on his face.
However, I couldn't quite understand his expression or emotions at that moment.
"Rongzhen, thank you, I like this gift."
Before Rong Zhen could even smile at his changed form of address, Ouyang Rong pointed to the vast river shrouded in white mist and said openly and frankly:
"Please prepare a boat for me; I need to cross the river to return to the city."
Everyone turned their attention to the serious-looking young man in the scholar's robe.
Wei Wu and Duan Quanwu exchanged glances, but dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction. They, along with Yi and Song, looked at the noble figure of the princess in the center of the high platform.
"You like this gift, and so do I. The sense of accomplishment that comes from leaving a mark on one's hard-earned career is something you taught me."
Rong Zhen suddenly said seriously;
"Ouyang Lianghan, you are not allowed to hold a grudge against me."
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"I'm not angry."
"You have."
“Really not.” Ouyang Rong’s gaze was calm as he met her eyes directly. “You said your surname is Wei, which is your biggest selfish motive…”
Rong Zhen interrupted, saying, "It is not my greatest selfish desire, at least not at this moment. At this moment, it is... something else."
Her nose felt a little sore and stuffy.
Ouyang Rong nodded, his tone steady:
"Okay, it's not the biggest reason, but it's at least a selfish one. You're afraid I'll get angry, but I'm not that annoyed. Do you remember what we talked about that day outside the embroiderer's courtyard?"
Before Rong Zhen could speak, Ouyang Rong continued:
"Rongzhen, I remember what you said. I'm not as forgetful or as disregardful of your words as you complained..."
“You said yourself that day that you could tolerate my selfish desire to keep the embroiderer hidden for the time being, but I also had to promise you that I would have to tolerate your selfish desires in the future, so that we would be even.”
Ouyang Rong, dressed in a blue robe, stood there and nodded slightly.
"I remember, I'm not angry. I've kept my promise to you."
Rongzhen was taken aback, seemingly not expecting that someone who always "laughed it off" would bring it up on their own initiative.
She stared intently at Ouyang Rong.
Upon hearing about the "Tibetan embroidery women" they mentioned, Yi, Song, Duan, and the others standing nearby were somewhat puzzled, but Wei Wu remained expressionless.
Ouyang Rong turned to look at Wei Wu, who was hanging his head and remaining silent, and calmly asked:
"However, there is something I am curious about. The day you were able to find the embroiderer's courtyard, it shouldn't have been found by some female official from the Supervisory Bureau who stayed behind, right? Was it someone from the Wei family who informed on you?"
He sighed: "Is it because of this incident that they tried to sow discord again, and you finally decided to help them set up a trap? They kept delaying telling me the specific deployment of the Buddha statue, and today, they've been stalling me again."
Rongzhen did not answer, her tone barely concealing her excitement, and she said sincerely:
"I did not help Wei Jisi set up a scheme. The bribing of Senior Song and Commander Yi were all done on their own initiative and in private. The same goes for the matter of the water bandits in Hukou County."
"Wei Jisi and Wei Sixing can't control me, nor are they qualified to order me around. Apart from the surname left by my mother, I don't want to have anything to do with them."
After Rong Zhen finished speaking, she took a deep breath, trying to melt away the icy coldness in her tone and soften it:
“Lianghan, let’s stop paying attention to them, okay? Let’s not mention their business anymore. After the Buddhist ceremony, we’ll go back to the capital together. The Emperor once said that he would allow me to make some decisions on my personal matters… The Emperor will definitely like you and will give you an important position. Being a scholar at the Xiwen Academy is just the beginning… As for the Li and Wei families, even if they fight each other to the death in the future, it will be none of our business.”
Hearing Rong Zhen address the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Liang by their names and treat the Wei family as worthless, Duan Quanwu's expression changed. He turned to look and found that Wei Wu's expression was normal, silently watching the situation on the field. Moreover, he showed no dissatisfaction with the Princess Zhenxian's cold and willful act of tearing up the red and gold invitations of the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Liang.
Rongzhen paid no attention to the petty schemes and ulterior motives of the other people on the field.
She stood before Ouyang Rong, a hint of longing and hope appearing on her small face, and murmured:
"From now on, I will be in the palace and you will be in the court. We can go on duty together at Yingtian Gate of the Imperial City every day. When we are tired, we can go for a night cruise on the Luo River. When we are free, we can go to Baima Temple to burn incense."
"From now on, we can focus wholeheartedly on the well-being of the Great Zhou Dynasty and do practical things for the people, just like our tacit cooperation during our time in Jiangzhou."
"From now on, however many pears you want to eat, I will peel them for you myself... Lianghan, is that alright?"
Ouyang Rong looked directly into her eyes, his gaze sharp and resolute:
“Rongzhen, you didn’t help, but you didn’t stop either. Silence is the greatest complicity. Rongzhen, you are an accomplice just like Yi Qianqiu and the others. If I agree to stay, I will also be an accomplice. Even if I have a bright future after returning to the capital with you, I, Ouyang Lianghan, will be ashamed for the rest of my life.”
“Rongzhen, it’s impossible not to be tempted by what you’ve said, but I am now the governor of Jiangzhou and a staff member of the Prince of Xunyang’s mansion. For both personal reasons and public duty, I must go back. I cannot allow the Wei family’s real and fake river bandits to extend their butcher’s knife to the people of the city and the Prince’s mansion. The former cannot become insignificant victims in the conflict, and the latter cannot die from these despicable, dirty, and shameful conspiracies.”
"Rongzhen, I want to go back. Since you don't care about them, I beg you to ignore me this once and prepare a boat for me. No matter what the outcome is today, I will not blame you."
As Rong Zhen listened, she gradually lowered her head and stopped looking at him. But when Ouyang Rong uttered his last sentence, the girl in palace attire didn't say a word. She quickly reached out and tightly gripped his sleeve.
Ouyang Rong firmly repeated: "Please let go, prepare the boat, prepare the boat."
Rong Zhen tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and shook his head firmly, saying:
“I don’t care about them; I will definitely take care of you; how can you be the same? No matter if you blame me or not, you can’t leave, Ouyang Lianghan. You promised me you would stay. You just said that you would keep your promise to me. You can’t go back on your word, you can’t.”
"But you promised me not long ago that if anything happened in Xunyang City, you would immediately arrange a boat for me to return and not try to stop me. This is one of the two conditions I agreed to stay, and you cannot go back on your word."
“Ouyang Lianghan, there is no danger in the city.” She took a deep breath and continued to say, word by word, “Innocent people will not be harmed, and neither will the women in your family. Do you remember the string of Buddhist beads that I gave to your aunt at the birthday banquet? As long as they have it, no one can harm them.”
"Also, do you remember that trusted female official I sent to Xunyang City when we were on the south bank just now?"
"Relax, your junior sister and the embroiderer will not be harmed by anyone. As for their identities, I will vouch for them... If anyone around you is in any danger today, I will first execute Wei Wu, then find Wei Jisi, and I will personally apologize. You can do whatever you want with them."
As Rong Zhen spoke, she held tightly to Ouyang Rong's sleeve, her small hands clenching until they turned white, as if afraid that he would run away if she let go.
Although the entire main grotto is currently filled with her people, the young man in the scholar's robe in front of him was destined never to leave once he stepped into Shuangfengjian this morning.
But even now, Rongzhen stayed close by, not letting him out of her sight.
There's no reason why.
Sometimes, people can't even accept a one in ten thousand chance, because they are afraid of the consequences of that one in ten thousand possibility, no matter how small.
Ouyang Rong stared at Rong Zhen for a while, and then, at a moment, he smiled:
"Rongzhen, you've made thorough preparations, but what if I insist on leaving?"
Rongzhen sniffed, lowered her eyes and stared at the floor, saying nothing.
The people around them, including Yi Qianqiu, Granny Song, and Duan Quanwu, remained silent, some staring blankly into space, others looking elsewhere.
The trusted female officials and generals surrounding the high platform also remained silent, standing guard solemnly to protect the Donglin Buddha inside the grotto.
The meaning is obvious.
Leave? No way.
At this moment, Wei Wu, who had been silent all along, looked up at the dazzling midday sun and spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Prefect Ouyang, the time has come, in fact, it has been long since then. While you were speaking with the princess, the river bandits from Hukou County, sent by the rebels of Tiannan Jianghu, arrived at Xiushuifang and launched a surprise attack on the Prince's Mansion. Unfortunately, the reinforcements led by General Li and Lady Miaozhen arrived too late and defeated the river bandits. The bandits either fled or were killed, but the Prince of Xunyang and his family have been tragically killed..."
He read from a script as if reciting a poem, and at this point, he nodded and addressed Yi, Song, Duan, and the others around him:
"Alright, let's send a team over now to investigate the tragedy, wrap things up, and determine the nature of the incident. But just in case, just in case, let's wait another quarter of an hour before sending anyone over... to do our best to rescue the Prince of Xunyang."
The square-faced man turned around and looked at Ouyang Rong with a calm and reassuring expression:
"If there is any bad news, Governor Ouyang, please accept my condolences. The princess and all the officials have done their best."
Upon hearing this, everyone expected Ouyang Rong to be furious, but to their surprise, he tilted his head, looked past them, and gazed at someone not far below the stage.
There seems to be an incense burner standing there quietly.
But they didn't know that Ouyang Rong's gaze was fixed on one of the incense sticks whose embers were about to burn out, and he watched it quietly.
As everyone looked on in confusion, a female official and a general suddenly rushed in from outside and hurried onto the stage.
Upon arriving before them, the former, looking troubled, reported:
"Something's wrong! The white mist formation on the river has malfunctioned. General Wei, who is in charge of the formation, has disappeared and is suspected of fleeing."
Rongzhen turned around and asked, "Run away?"
Everyone frowned, and Yi Qianqiu asked in confusion:
"He was managing the grand formation perfectly well, why did he run away? Did he have a relapse?"
"I don't know, but this is something our people found on the ship that disappeared. It looks like the material of an official's robe, or even a high-ranking crimson official's robe."
The female official took out a blood-stained crimson rag.
Everyone stared intently, and the face seemed vaguely familiar.
Rong Zhen suddenly looked at Ouyang Rong's blue scholar's robe, then at the red scar on the tiger's mouth of his right hand.
This is the official robe of the governor that Ouyang Rong wore not long ago, half of which is made of fabric.
Suddenly, Granny Song exclaimed, "There are words on it!"
Everyone stared intently, and saw a large, hastily written character in blood on one half of the official's robe:
【escape】
Among the crowd, someone immediately recognized that it was Ouyang Rong's handwriting.
Rong Zhen suddenly spoke:
"You sent Wang Caozhi to deliver the message? You already made an agreement with Wei Mi, telling him to prepare an escape route? He'll run away as soon as he receives your signal?!"
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and did not answer.
Yi Qianqiu's eyes narrowed, and he turned his head sharply:
"The white mist formation cannot be stopped. Send the previously selected candidates. We cannot let Wei Mi delay us!"
"Yes, Commander!"
A junior officer received the order and hurriedly withdrew.
It seems that in addition to deliberately sending Wei Mi away and preventing him from being on the high platform today, they also had a backup plan: they had someone ready to replace him at any time.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief for the time being.
Duan Quanwu smiled and said:
"It's nothing, he's just a minor character who ran away. He won't have time to get to Xunyang City."
Granny Song loudly questioned Ouyang Rong:
“Ouyang Lianghan, where did Wei Mi go? Do you know that if he runs away today, he will be treated as a deserter in the face of battle? His future will be ruined, and it will also affect the Wei family of Jingzhao.”
Ouyang Rong remained calm and did not answer, his eyes fixed on the palace-dressed girl in front of him who was staring at the fragments of the crimson official robes.
Just then, another lady rushed in to report:
"Your Excellency, before General Wei disappeared, he gave a strange order, instructing people to raise an iron chain on the river. The chain is still there and is currently under the control of the Xuanwu Guard. What should we do?"
Granny Song, Duan Quanwu, and the others looked at the calm-faced young man in the scholar's robe with some surprise and uncertainty.
Yi Qianqiu frowned and asked:
"Ouyang Lianghan, what are you going to do with this iron chain across the river? You're not going to stop the boats, are you?"
Ouyang Rong ignored him and lowered his head to straighten his clothes.
Rongzhen suddenly looked up and asked:
"Ouyang Lianghan, where is the other half of the official robe? Tell me, who did you have Wang Caozhi give it to?"
Granny Song was getting impatient. She paced around in circles for a moment, then suddenly turned her head.
"You're asking for it! You think you can really let him get away?"
The old woman with the white eyes had a gloomy face and was about to ride the wind to chase after him.
Yi Qianqiu suddenly reached out to pull him: "Wait, the deputy supervisor cannot leave the Buddha statue, the time is almost up..."
Before she could finish speaking, another dusty Xianbei guard rushed in from outside and said urgently to Wei Wu.
"Master Wu, news came from Xiushui Workshop that our people had just arrived at the Prince's Mansion when the inner courtyard caught fire. The fire was very strange, it was a ghostly green color, and it burned without any smoke. It spread very quickly, and in no time it burned the entire inner courtyard. Our people could not get in. After controlling the fire, we searched the outer courtyard, but we could not find Li Xian's family. We do not know if their remains are in the fire inside the inner courtyard."
"Furthermore, a maid from the Prince's residence saw that a quarter of an hour before our people arrived, a carriage that was routinely transporting ice hurriedly left the Prince's residence, seemingly heading towards Mount Lu..."
Wei Wu's usually calm and composed expression suddenly changed.
Duan Quanwu and the others also changed their expressions.
Rongzhen's hand, which was gripping the sleeve of the person in front of her, slipped down.
She stared at him, somewhat bewildered.
"So that's why you're not very angry? Because you anticipated this before you came?"
All eyes turned to Ouyang Rong.
The young man in the scholar's robe looked up at the sky, gently brushed the dust off his clothes, tilted his head, and said to Wei Wu and the others with a hint of apology:
"The time has indeed come. I apologize for troubling everyone with so much talk.
(End of this chapter)
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