Chapter 780 The Vanished Embroiderer
While Banxi and Ye Weilai were talking, Xie Lingjiang, Yan Liulang, and Li Xian's family had already arrived one after another.
The group stopped tacitly outside the courtyard of Yinbingzhai, not entering, but looking through the door at Ouyang Rong's back as he stood in the center of the courtyard.
They all remained silent.
Ouyang Rong picked up the ice-white jade hairpin. When the others saw this, he lowered his head slightly, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the dust off the hairpin.
The handkerchief was pure white, but stained with dried blood... Ouyang Rong had previously used it on the high platform of the main grotto to wipe the throat blood that had splattered on his blue robe when witness Qian Chen was publicly silenced by Wei Wu.
Right now, he's using it to wipe his hairpin.
Zhen Shuyuan and Ye Weilai were closest to him and saw that Tanlang's hand, which was gripping the hairpin, was so tight that his fingers were turning white.
“Longling…”
The white jade hairpin was turned and made a sound.
Banxi hurriedly sat up and said:
“Young master, it was this hairpin that made the sound! Sister Xiu Niang walks very lightly, and her hairpins are usually silent unless the wind blows. It was the sound of the hairpin in the courtyard that attracted my attention, and that's when I found her unconscious and kidnapped.”
She braced herself on the ground with her palm, and perhaps she had pressed on a shard of porcelain again, causing the wound to bleed profusely. Her fist clenched in pain, and tears blurred her vision, so she subconsciously raised her bloodied hand to wipe them away.
Ye Weilai quickly grabbed the half-thin injured hand and bandaged it.
Zhen Shuyuan stared at the icy white jade hairpin for a while, then said to herself with self-pity:
"My love, it's all my fault. I didn't go to find the embroiderer immediately after returning home. I was so careless..."
Ye Weilai couldn't help but speak up for Zhen Shuyuan, feeling deeply guilty:
“It’s not Madam’s fault. According to what Banxi said and the time it took for the tea to cool, when Sister Xiu was kidnapped, Madam Zhen had just arrived home. There was no way she could have come in time. On the contrary, I was careless and shouldn’t have let Banxi come alone. I should have come and guarded her. It’s all my fault. I’m ashamed of my love…”
Ouyang Rong listened silently as Zhen Shuyuan and Ye Weilai took the blame one after another.
He glanced down at the icy white jade hairpin, then looked at his maidservant sitting timidly among the broken porcelain shards, weeping and bleeding from her palms.
The young man in the scholar's robe acted somewhat strangely at this moment, chuckling and nodding, muttering to himself:
"Instead of serving it on the table, you're just showing me the recipe..."
Inside and outside the courtyard, apart from the sobbing, all was silent at this moment, and everyone could hear it.
Li Xian and the others remained silent.
Even though they arrived late and didn't hear everything, the scene in the courtyard, along with the snippets of conversation from the young men and women, had already sketched out a general outline of what had happened.
The moment the embroiderer heard the sound of the icy white jade hairpin, what happened behind the courtyard wall seemed quite obvious.
At this moment, no one dared to speak and disturb Ouyang Rong, who was standing quietly in the courtyard.
Xie Lingjiang didn't dare to go either. In fact, she could think of more truths and was closer to understanding her senior brother's emotions than Li Xian's family.
To gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of the phrase "If it's not on the table, then it's on the recipe."
Because Ouyang Rong had previously asked the embroiderer to pass on a message to her second senior sister, which she had mentioned to Xie Lingjiang when they met in the ruins of the Prince's mansion.
The young woman in white, barefoot, was clearly the embroiderer's second senior sister. She had come to Yinbingzhai to find the embroiderer, and after the embroiderer sent Ye Weilai away, she must have told this second senior sister about the messages from the eldest brother... However, the current situation in the courtyard is still so serious.
Xie Lingjiang deeply sympathized with the turbulent emotions emanating from him.
She suddenly walked into the courtyard, knelt down beside Banxi, checked Banxi's injuries, then stood up, went to Ouyang Rong, grabbed his wrist, and whispered:
"Banxi suffered some superficial injuries, but the heavy blow to the head will heal with some rest; it's not serious."
Ouyang Rong clutched the icy white jade hairpin in his hand, remaining silent.
Li Xian and the others entered the courtyard one after another. Lu Ya went to the wall, circled it once, and returned, saying earnestly to Ouyang Rong:
"There are several footprints on the wall, indicating that someone climbed over the wall. They all belong to the same person, but the footprints are a bit deeper, suggesting that someone was carrying another person and they were walking quite quickly."
Yan Liulang also walked up behind Ouyang Rong and whispered, "Your Excellency, I have already sent my men to investigate, focusing on monitoring Xingzifang. If there is any news about the whereabouts of the embroiderer, they will report it immediately."
The young man in the scholar's robe seemed to come to his senses and put away the icy white jade hairpin.
The calm words that came through silenced the courtyard and its surroundings.
"Thank you all. I'm sorry to have taken up some of your time. Your Highness, Junior Sister, Master Lu, it's time for you to go. Pei Shisan Niang has prepared a boat to depart from Xunyang Ferry and head to Longcheng. Hmm, the old Celestial Master's words are still very accurate. Listen to him and take the Longcheng route."
“Aunt, Wei Lai, help Ban Xi treat her wounds, then proceed as planned. The luggage is all packed. Go with the Prince by boat to Longcheng County. Once we get there, we’ll see how things go. It would be best if we parted ways and went back to our hometown in Nanlong first, then wait for my news.”
Ouyang Rong put away the hairpin, turned around, and his expression had returned to calm.
As if nothing had happened, he calmly arranged everyone's route.
However, Xie Lingjiang, Li Xian, Li Guo'er, Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weilai and others did not feel relieved at all upon seeing this; instead, their faces were filled with worry and solemnity.
Although Ouyang Rong's words had made proper arrangements for everyone, he had also subtly hinted at his own fate.
"Junior Sister, Master Lu, you must protect the Prince on this trip."
Under the hesitant gazes of the crowd, Ouyang Rong turned around and glanced at Yan Liulang, who stood behind him with his sword at his side, tacitly remaining behind:
"Sixth Brother, pack your things, gather some men and set off together, protect the Prince along the way, and deliver him to Luoyang."
Yan Liulang's eyes widened slightly, then he shook his head vigorously:
“My lord, I have no desire to go anywhere right now. I only wish to stay in Xunyang City. In this critical moment, as the military advisor of Jiangzhou, I have the duty to maintain stability. How can I desert my post and abandon the people of the city?”
Ouyang Rong ignored him and continued making arrangements, speaking somewhat gently to Li Xian, Li Guo'er, and the others:
"Although Liu Lang is impatient, he is very capable and can handle things on his own. If the middle strategy is successful and Your Highness needs someone, you can let him come."
Before Li Xian and the others could even show signs of distress, Yan Liulang had already spoken urgently:
“My lord, if you don’t leave, I won’t leave either. Wherever you go, I will go! I, Yan Wuxu, don’t want the riches and glory in Luoyang. Today, the affairs of Xunyang City are more important. My lord, please let me stay. I’ve never asked you before, but I’m only asking this once.”
His tone was firm and sincere.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and glanced at the blue-clad constable who had never disobeyed his orders before.
Eyes, both inside and outside the courtyard, turned to the silent Ouyang Rong.
Perhaps because Yan Liulang took the lead in speaking up, the others no longer had any reservations and began to speak frankly.
Li Xian asked with concern:
"Tanlang, aren't you coming back to the capital with us?"
"Your Highness, please go first. I have some matters to attend to and cannot accompany you for the time being. I hope Your Highness will forgive me. With Junior Sister and Daoist Lu Ya by your side, Your Highness can leave the city with peace of mind."
Despite his leisurely demeanor, he relentlessly pressed on, asking:
"Tanlang, what are you staying for? Is it about this embroiderer? Are you confident you can win her back? Yunmeng Jianze seems like a force to be reckoned with..."
Ouyang Rong ignored him, turned around, and reached out his hand to Zhen Shuyuan, who was staring at him:
"Aunt, do you still have the string of eighteen beads that Rongzhen gave you? The embroiderer probably didn't have a chance to tell you, so I'll borrow it for you."
Zhen Shuyuan stared at her nephew's calm face for a while, then silently turned around and went to get the eighteen seeds.
Like Zhen Shuyuan, everyone on the field noticed someone's attitude, and their reactions varied.
Xie Lingjiang lowered her head slightly, looking at the mess on the table:
"Senior Brother, we came from Dragon City together and made a pact to advance and retreat together and share wealth and honor. If we want to leave, we will leave together; if we want to stay, we will stay together."
“If you really want to go looking for someone… to look for the embroiderer sister, we can discuss it. You must not act alone. How can we run away while you face it alone?”
"How about this, we can wait for you in Dragon City, it won't take up any time."
Wei Mei also offered a low-pitched suggestion, offering a different perspective:
“Tanlang, judging from the current situation, you can’t really do anything by staying. Yan Liulang is enough to maintain stability in Jiangzhou. He can stay, but you’re risking staying. You’re just wasting your talent… A son of a wealthy family shouldn’t sit under a dangerous roof.”
"Although you are the official in charge of Jiangzhou in terms of your duties, your talents should be used on a larger stage, such as Luoyang. That is the stage where you can show your abilities and benefit more people. Don't pick up the sesame seeds and lose the watermelon."
The Princess of Xunyang sighed, her voice soft as she said:
"My dear, come with us. There will always be a solution to the matter of the embroiderer. It's not a bad thing to put it aside for now. In fact, we can tell from the fact that this young lady only fainted and was not hurt that the embroiderer's senior sisters still know their place. They may be a little arrogant, but they are not completely shameless and do not know manners."
"The embroiderer's sect wouldn't harm her. Once we return to the capital and establish ourselves, our strength will increase, making it easier to talk to Yunmeng Jianze later. This is called long-term planning, which is far better than being like this now, like fish on a chopping board, unable to stand up straight..."
Wei Mei suddenly turned her head and tugged at Li Dalang's sleeve:
"Big Brother, what do you think?"
As a friend, Wei Mei thought that Ouyang Rong might listen to Li Dalang's words, so she winked at her eldest son.
Unexpectedly, Li Dalang lowered his head and remained silent, offering no response.
Wei Mei's eyebrows shot up, and she reached out to pinch his waist.
Li Dalang dodged to the side, and said in a muffled voice:
"Although I also want Tanlang to return to the capital with us, I am not qualified to teach him about matters of the heart. I am still a bit confused about matters of love between men and women. Tanlang is definitely better than me... Mother, Tanlang can naturally think of everything we can think of. Why do we need to persuade him further?"
Wei Mei glared and tapped Li Dalang on the head: "You brat, you..."
While everyone was advising Ouyang Rong, Li Guo'er circled the stone table, then suddenly turned around:
"You said you heard the sound of the white hairpin first, then the sound of the teacup breaking, before you entered the courtyard. Was the white hairpin that fell to the ground torn off when you and that young woman in white were struggling with the embroiderer, or was it already on the ground when you entered the courtyard?"
Li Guo'er spoke calmly, and everyone in the courtyard was stunned for a moment before realizing that she was asking about Ban Xi.
Banxi's wound was being carefully bandaged by Ye Weilai, her little face showing a somewhat bewildered expression:
"What?"
Li Guo'er's pretty face was covered by a thin white veil, making it impossible to see her expression. She changed her question:
"Did you see with your own eyes that the embroiderer was knocked unconscious by that young woman in white?"
He shook his head slightly.
Li Guo'er asked again, "When you were outside the courtyard, did you hear any other sounds? Sounds that sounded like the white-clad young lady making a move?"
Ouyang Rong looked at Li Guo'er.
He frowned slightly, as if pondering for a while, then shook his head.
"It seems not... This servant forgot, I haven't noticed."
Li Guo'er turned her head, met Ouyang Rong's gaze directly, and said softly:
"There are too few key clues, and they are all inferences, but we cannot rule out the possibility that some kind of accident has occurred, which you also have to consider."
Li Guo'er paused here, glanced at Ouyang Rong's calm, sleeve-covered posture, and sighed softly:
"You haven't overlooked this possibility, which is of course the best. Well, in any case, knocking out your maid and taking her away without saying a word is indeed too arrogant and contemptuous."
On the field, apart from Li Dalang, the indecisive Li Xian, and the female relatives like Ye Weilai who did not express their opinions, everyone else was trying to dissuade them.
Ouyang Rong's sleeves are drooped and his eyes are down.
At this moment, Zhen Shuyuan finally returned and handed Ouyang Rong a string of eighteen-bead Buddhist prayer beads.
Ouyang Rong took the eighteen seeds, looked around at everyone, and suddenly handed the zither-shaped sword box to Yan Liulang.
The latter was taken aback for a moment, then quickly and happily accepted the box, standing behind Ouyang Rong to hold it for him.
Ouyang Rong addressed everyone except Yan Liulang:
“In Longcheng County, you can wait for me for a day or twelve hours. If I do not arrive, you must leave immediately. Those who wish to return to the capital should return to the capital, and those who wish to return to Nanlong should return to Nanlong.”
Everyone understood Ouyang Rong's meaning and their faces showed worry.
Ouyang Rong beckoned to Pei Shisan Niang, who was waiting quietly at the door, and walked towards her, as if to give her final instructions.
Li Xian's figure became slightly hunched, his expression hesitant and uncertain, as if he had lost his composure.
"My love, without you, I feel uneasy even when I come to the capital. Without your brilliant plans and strategies, I always feel like I'm walking on thin ice, and I can't sleep at night..."
Ouyang Rong, who was walking towards the courtyard gate, suddenly turned around and shouted:
"Your Highness, you must take risks to change your life; most meaningful things happen by chance; only unimportant things require careful planning!"
Li Xian stood there in a daze, while everyone else frowned and lowered their heads to chew.
Ouyang Rong strode forward.
Xie Lingjiang stared intently at her senior brother's tall and slender back.
This parting message seems to have been said by the eldest brother not only to Uncle Li.
Wei Mei wanted to persuade her again, but Xie Lingjiang switched sides at the last minute:
"Let him go. We shouldn't hold him back. Let's leave immediately and take a boat to Dragon City."
Since even Xie Lingjiang had made such a statement, the others could no longer persuade him and had no choice but to comply, beginning a rapid evacuation.
Before retreating, Xie Lingjiang came to Ouyang Rong's side, silently took a protective sachet from her waist, and handed it to him.
The stunning woman in red turned and left, leaving behind no sentimental farewells, only a simple statement:
“This sachet was a gift from the embroiderer to me at my birthday banquet. There was a red token inside. She clearly obtained it herself and liked it very much, but she insisted on giving it to me… Find her and return the token to her. I feel ashamed to accept her token.”
Ouyang Rong opened the sachet and pulled out a red slip of paper folded into a square shape; it looked somewhat familiar.
It was the very marriage fortune slip that the embroiderer had asked him to open and recite, but he couldn't resist and lied about it being the one from the fortune-telling king.
Ouyang Rong quietly opened the red paper.
The inscription on the paper reads:
[A perfect match? A divine couple! What more could one ask for?]
[Interpretation: This is a perfect match, a divine couple, destined to grow old together. There's no need to seek another suitable partner!]
This is the first fortune slip for marriage.
Sign the King.
(End of this chapter)
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