Chapter 766 Genuine vs. Fake: Clues to the New Cauldron Sword [Happy New Year! Please vote with your monthly tickets!]
The inside of the Merit Pagoda remains unchanged.
A bright, pure white space.
Returning to a familiar and comforting environment, Ouyang Rong let out a long sigh of relief.
The Blessing Bell hasn't rung for a long time, but right now, Ouyang Rong doesn't want it to ring suddenly.
Since merit points are already scarce and are needed for divine decrees, and the current situation is critical, they cannot be wasted.
Ouyang Rong came to the small wooden fish and looked down at it.
[Merit: 5,528]
Ouyang Rong breathed a slight sigh of relief.
That's enough for him to use a divine decree once.
Before coming to Xunyang Grottoes today, his merit value was a little over six thousand.
If Ouyang Rong remembered correctly, he had previously refused the attempts of Wei Wu, Granny Song, and others to win him over on the high platform, which earned him a wave of merit. Later, he righteously refused Rong Zhen's arrangement and did not choose to be an accomplice or marry the beauty, which earned him another wave of merit.
Midway through, my merit points inexplicably increased by a considerable amount, nearly a thousand.
Finally, after escaping the inescapable trap of the main grotto, retrieving the cauldron sword, and leaving safely with the embroiderer and Wang Caozhi, the price still saw a slight increase.
Ouyang Rong recalled that during the process, there were roughly four waves of significant increases in merit.
However, Ouyang Rong did not refuse Rong Zhen and Wei Wu because of the merit. After all, he did not expect that this mysterious little wooden fish would give back merit before he made his choice.
As for the logic behind the last increase in merit, it's not hard to understand. It should be the merit reward he received for delaying the time and allowing Wei Mi, Wang Caozhi, and Xiu Niang to run away ahead of time.
As for that inexplicable increase in merit in the middle, considering the timing of its appearance and the subsequent bad news Wei Wu received from Xiushui Workshop... if I'm not mistaken, it should have come from Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
Ouyang Rong's preemptive touch of the skirt-shaped knife was a signal, as agreed, to inform his junior sister and remind them to go drink ice.
According to his arrangements, and based on the information he heard from Wei Wu while he was lying in wait on the high platform, the Xunyang Prince's family should be safe and sound for the time being.
The timely feedback on the growth of merit also illustrates this point.
This is why Ouyang Rong still has time to enter the Merit Tower to rest and recount his experiences, instead of rushing back to Xiushui Workshop and abandoning Zhao Qingxiu and Wang Caozhi.
According to his designed iced drink plan.
Going back to them too early might actually cause him trouble.
Ouyang Rong took a deep breath.
After reviewing everything and confirming that nothing had been missed, he turned his attention to the cyan-gold characters above the small wooden fish.
Currently, the merit is approaching 5,600.
Originally, the four waves of merit increases should have given him a total of over nine thousand merits.
However, two significant expenditures on merit were discovered along the way.
One time, a deity descended upon Wang Caozhi, consuming three thousand merits and also using up an extra red and black talisman.
On another occasion, he publicly beheaded Duan Quanwu, then secretly used the Mirage Beast Mask to collect his illusory body, which cost him over a thousand coins.
However, Ouyang Rong felt it was worth it.
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.
All that hard work and saving to collect merit points was so that you could spend lavishly at crucial moments.
Admittedly, the distance from the woods on the south bank to the high platform at the foot of the Buddha is not really necessary for a divine intervention to relay the [Dingjian].
However, the reason why Wang Caozhi was made to swallow the talisman water containing the red and black talismans and run away with the power of being possessed was not simply for the purpose of controlling the sword.
Rather, it was the optimal solution among the multiple alternative plans he had made up his mind at that moment.
Ouyang Rong pulled himself out of his thoughts and detached himself from the Pagoda of Merit.
He opened his eyes.
Wang Caozhi and Zhao Qingxiu were both waiting for him quietly.
Ouyang Rong said nothing, reached out and opened the Mo family sword box on the embroiderer's lap, and skillfully began to search through it.
The sword case has now become his personal storage.
Ouyang Rong paused, then pulled out the tattered copy of "Zhen Gao".
However, he looked through it again but couldn't find the inspiration for the magic ink.
Previously, Miao Si had "generously" given him three tubes of spirit ink. This morning, before leaving the palace and bidding farewell to everyone, Ouyang Rong secretly slipped them to Xie Lingjiang, and the little ink spirit Miao Si also left them with her.
Junior Sister is a Confucian Qi Refiner, and Lingmo is of great help to her, while Ouyang Rong only uses it to make runes.
Because he had extra red and black talismans on him at the time, he gave them all to his junior sister.
In the Xunyang Wang family's plan to make iced drinks, the junior sister's task was indeed somewhat risky, and Ouyang Rong was naturally the most worried about her, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance.
Without spiritual ink, it is impossible to make talismans.
After pondering for a moment, Ouyang Rong decided to return to Xiushui Workshop first, find his junior sister and Miaosi, and then obtain the spirit ink to make a talisman to replenish his supply.
Having an extra red and black talisman can greatly mitigate risks.
For example, this time, if he hadn't revealed the identity of the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower, but instead followed his original plan to use the divine decree to avoid the sound of the zither, wouldn't he have been embarrassed if he hadn't had the alternative route of Wang Caozhi swallowing the red and black talismans and running away, and had failed to get Tao Yuanming to possess him?
Later events proved that Tao Yuanming was indeed not invited, and the so-called authentic "Returning to the Countryside" painting that he swallowed with talisman water was a complete fake.
Thinking about this again, Ouyang Rong, whose mood had calmed down considerably, twitched his eyelids inside the carriage.
Was it intentional or accidental?
For some reason, the Prince Xiang's Mansion always felt somewhat incompatible with him, subtly clashing with both him and the Prince Xunyang's Mansion.
Perhaps it's because the Prince Xiang's Mansion and the Prince Xunyang's Mansion share the same status? In a sense, both are continuing the true dragon's destiny of the Liqian Dynasty? So, in a metaphysical sense, it's a relationship of two dragons vying for power?
However, right now, both dragons are being strongly suppressed by the empress above them, and the Wei clan, that "shameless snake," is also watching them covetously. So, they have no choice but to cooperate?
Ouyang Rong temporarily pulled himself out of his thoughts.
He lowered his head and took out a genuine copy of "The Peach Blossom Spring" from the sword box, which he had obtained from his brother Huaimin.
Logically speaking, this genuine work shouldn't be fake, right?
In fact, both of Tao Yuanming's authentic works, including the already proven fake "Returning to the Countryside," were examined and authenticated by Li Guo'er, a "master of Tao studies," and the reply was that they were most likely genuine.
However, handwriting can be forged.
It's unbelievable that these days, counterfeit goods are made to look exactly like the real thing, causing great harm to people.
However, the potential profits involved are indeed enormous.
Tao Yuanming, a famous scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, lived more than 300 years ago. His reputation was so great that his authentic works were naturally priceless.
The genuine article is a unique piece in this world.
It's no surprise that counterfeit goods are rampant, and some are even indistinguishable from the real thing.
This is also why Ouyang Rong was unsure whether the Prince Xiang's Mansion had simply misjudged the situation or if it was a carefully orchestrated scheme.
Anyway, things like this are just uncomfortable and disgusting.
Using the dim light inside the bumpy, closed carriage, Ouyang Rong opened "The Peach Blossom Spring" and his gaze fell upon it.
This authentic work by Tao Yuanming came from the secret treasury of the Yuan family of Jingzhao and was a collection of the Northern Wei imperial family. Judging from the fact that Wu Daozi took away the bronze axle rod, it is highly likely that this item is genuine.
Surely even this isn't a fake?
Ouyang Rong frowned and put away "The Peach Blossom Spring".
Regardless, I should go back first and reunite with Prince Xunyang and my junior sister.
Over at Shuangfengjian, having experienced a certain degree of "betrayal," Ouyang Rong felt somewhat indifferent.
Just then, Ouyang Rong's palm touched a round object in the sword box.
Ouyang Rong looked down and glanced at the luminous pearl in the corner of the sword box.
Just as Ouyang Rong was lost in thought, a deeply moved male voice came from beside him:
"Brother-in-law, when you tore off your official robes in the bamboo forest, did you guess that something was wrong with Sister Rong and the others?"
Ouyang Rong glanced at Wang Caozhi. On the way, he had briefly told Wang Caozhi about what had happened on the high platform.
Wang Caozhi was still reeling from the shock of his brother-in-law being the Sword Bearer. As a member of the Langya Wang clan, he naturally understood what a legitimate Sword Bearer meant, since a legitimate Sword Bearer would inevitably have a cauldron sword by his side. At one point, Wang Caozhi even felt that the Chenjun Xie clan's Jinling branch, to which his sister Xie belonged, had struck it lucky. Compared to a legitimate Sword Bearer equipped with a cauldron sword, the so-called status of a poor scholar was simply insignificant. However, upon learning about what was happening on the high platform, Wang Caozhi temporarily suppressed his excitement and his attention was drawn to it.
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and said, "Actually, when I learned that Qian Chen was colluding with the river pirates, I only confirmed that the river pirates were related to the Wei family, but I was not sure if I was in a trap. It was mainly because of Rong Zhen. But everyone has their own selfish motives and can't believe everything. Besides, there was the matter of the letter of complaint that the Prince's Mansion received this morning. This letter did not seem to be written by Rong Zhen. So I had to give it a try."
"Give it a try?"
“That’s right. Whether it’s a setup or not, they’ll know once they try.” Ouyang Rong nodded slightly. “There’s actually a simple logic to the matter of the river pirates. It’s unlikely that the Wei family would really collude with the Jianghu in the south. It’s not that they lack the guts, but that it’s unnecessary and too risky. Even if they successfully destroy the Xunyang Prince’s Mansion, they’ll still have a stain on their reputation that they can’t clear. These river pirates from Hukou County are very likely all their own assassins in disguise. That way, even if the Emperor becomes suspicious later, it’s too late to investigate further… If I were Wei Jisi, this would be the best approach. I would take advantage of the chaos created by the rebellion in the Jianghu in the south and kill people in the confusion.”
"But I'm going to pretend I don't know anything, and expose the Wei family's actions in public, then accuse them of colluding with rebels, the dirtier the better, and see how everyone reacts: if the main grotto wasn't a setup, with irrefutable evidence, Rongzhen and the others have no reason not to support my investigation; if it really was a carefully crafted setup, then they would stammer and get angry and reveal their secrets. The result of this move... we've all seen it: it lured Wei Wu out and then killed him to silence him."
Ouyang Rong finished speaking softly.
"Brother-in-law, you've really put your foot in the sand to test the waters."
Wang Caozhi's face was full of admiration, his eyes were deeply moved, and he asked with a choked voice:
"My brother-in-law tore up his official robes and made me take them with me so I could run away ahead of time. He even made me swallow that strange talisman... Was my brother-in-law afraid that I would encounter some danger on my way to deliver the message? Did he also anticipate that the embroiderer would stubbornly refuse to leave? Did he want to go and persuade her in person?"
Ouyang Rong hesitated for a moment, then sincerely revealed the truth: "That's one reason, I suppose. I was worried that you would be intercepted and unable to escape. If this were a trap, with Qin Yin present, I would have used my spirit to go and persuade Xiu Niang to leave. She's stubborn and only listens to me. But when I actually went there and saw her crying, I understood even more clearly that my persuasion was useless. She would definitely stay and wait for me. Because if our positions were reversed, and she were in this situation, I wouldn't leave either. I would wait for her and go to find her. Putting myself in her shoes..."
"There's another reason why I had you swallow a red and black talisman beforehand: in case it's not a setup over there, and Rongzhen and the others are willing to support me in returning to the city to eliminate the water bandits and wipe out the Wei family's assassins in one fell swoop, then I'll have to continue hiding my identity as the sword wielder. But there's this thing called 'Emperor Wen' Zhenyin that's quite troublesome. I'm afraid that if I can't get past this hurdle, my other backup plan won't be reliable. In that case, I'll have to use my spirit on you. Your side is certain, so I can let you run away in my place. But this isn't taking the blame. There's a high chance you can escape, as long as you can get the sword box from Xiu Niang."
Wang Caozhi: ...
Seeing his brother-in-law exuding the air of a resentful woman confined to her chambers, Ouyang Rong waved his hand: "Anyway, we have to be prepared for both possibilities. No matter which path you choose, it's always good that you take the red and black talismans in advance. I won't hide anything from you about the spirit summoning, the cauldron sword, and the sword wielder. We've known each other for so long, I trust you."
Wang Caozhi was immediately moved, his emotions shifting between sorrow and gratitude. He felt that his brother-in-law was simply born with the body of a scumbag... After Ouyang Rong finished speaking, he once again thought of the [Emperor Wen] sword technique.
Actually, there was another reason why he threatened to flee and leave the main grotto later: he realized that the old musician's music had stopped. According to the information Rong Zhen had revealed when he refused the prayer beads, the old musician was using Rong Zhen's prayer beads to preside over a great Buddhist array, which should be extremely powerful and able to protect Rong Zhen on the high platform. This meant that the old musician had the possibility of mobilizing the array to trap him and [Craftsman]. The music stopped, which meant that the old musician was wary of the sword technique being leaked. If he continued to delay, and the old musician recovered and turned to deal with him, it would be troublesome. As a fellow swordsman, Ouyang Rong certainly knew how dangerous it was to be like his kind.
He kept paying attention to the music because he wanted to secretly learn the Emperor Wen's sword technique.
I never expected that the old master Yu would be so wary, so I have to find another way now.
Ouyang Rong turned his head slightly in silence, looked at Zhao Qingxiu, and suddenly asked, "Embroidery Girl, do you still remember when we met at Chengtian Temple?"
Zhao Qingxiu, who had been lost in thought with her head down, hummed in response.
Ouyang Rong placed his palm on the Mo family sword box and pressed, "Xiu Niang, when you were hiding in the temple that day, did you sense its presence and that's why you got up early to search for the sword? But how did you sense it? I remember that I pretended to fall into the water and retrieve the sword from the bottom of the lake, and you appeared at that moment and searched my carriage. This was too much of a coincidence. Although we met, I've always had some doubts."
Zhao Qingxiu's face was filled with complex emotions as she carefully wrote: "I am searching for the cauldron sword in Tanlang's possession. I bear the Red Lotus Sword Mark, which it can sense."
Ouyang Rong asked instinctively, "It can sense the cauldron sword? What is that thing?"
Zhao Qingxiu carefully took out an object from her bosom and handed it over. Ouyang Rong took a closer look and saw it was an ancient-looking small seal with the words "Red Lotus" engraved on the bottom.
"Tanlang, this item is a token of the Lotus Tower Alliance. There are only three in the world. Simply infuse it with the sword energy of the Dingjian, and it will make the corresponding Dingjian manifest and provide guidance to track it... However, there is a limitation: this Dingjian must be forged using the Meilu Sword-Forging Technique of the Longcheng Mei family. The new Dingjian in Tanlang's hand should be from Longcheng, using the lost Meilu Sword-Forging Technique."
Ouyang Rong was taken aback. He knew a little about the Plum Deer Sword Forging Technique and the Lotus Tower Alliance, but that wasn't what surprised him.
Ouyang Rong vaguely felt that this small seal looked very familiar.
He immediately turned his head and searched the sword box. Soon, he took out an old seal that had been lying around for a long time. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it also had the words "Red Lotus" on it, so it was undoubtedly the same item.
This seal was given to him by Master Shandao before he left after failing to activate the "luminous pearl" at the Pure Land Palace of Donglin Temple. Master Shandao said that it was the only relic he had found next to the body of Master Zhongma.
"As long as there is the corresponding sword energy, can the cauldron sword be made visible?"
Ouyang Rong murmured, looking at the luminous pearl with a thoughtful expression.
Just then, he felt Zhao Qingxiu take his hand and start writing.
Ouyang Rong carefully examined it.
【My love, I'm not afraid anymore. I want to go back and see my second senior sister again.】
"Where is your second senior sister?"
[She might come to find me at Xingzi Lake, but she could also come to Huaiye Lane to look for me, since it has taken quite a while.]
Ouyang Rong looked thoughtful and nodded:
"Okay, you can go back to Huaiye Lane first..."
He reached into his sleeve and touched the cracked Buddhist prayer beads that supposedly granted him "one-time immunity from death," then suddenly spoke:
"Embroiderer, after you go back, go and fetch the string of Buddhist beads that Lady Rongzhen gave to my aunt."
(End of this chapter)
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