Chapter 782 The Fang Sisters' Well-Intentioned Advice
"Okay, let's not alert them yet."
Yan Liulang noticed that the prefect's reaction was very calm, and he simply waved his hand as if it were a trivial matter.
The former paused slightly, stopping at the doorway.
Ouyang Rong turned his head back, listened to the officials at all levels recount the situation in the city, pondered for a moment, and made some arrangements and deployments.
The main purpose was to assign tasks to everyone present, so that the government agencies, which were on the verge of collapse, could maintain basic operations and keep the communication channels at all levels open.
Inside the main hall, a faint sense of melancholy permeated the atmosphere among the officials.
However, after Ouyang Rong made arrangements for everyone, the group seemed to have found some direction and their enthusiasm was rekindled.
In fact, many officials present only had a vague understanding of the current situation in the city and the situation at Xunyang Grottoes, and had many questions they wanted to ask.
Some of the more outspoken ones even wanted to ask Ouyang Rong whether the things he had arranged were still useful or meaningful at the moment.
However, upon seeing the young governor's calm and composed face, they all calmed down slightly.
Ouyang Rong did not explain these arrangements. After making the arrangements and before everyone left, he suddenly asked the names of a few low-ranking officials.
The latter were flattered and bowed, announcing their names.
Ouyang Rong repeated the sentence as if he had memorized it, then looked around the room, scanning everyone's faces, before calmly picking up his hot tea and signaling the adjournment of the brief meeting.
The officials exchanged glances, then took their leave. The atmosphere after the meeting was slightly strange. The few low-ranking officials who had been asked their names either looked serious or eager to try, while the other officials also looked thoughtful as they returned to their posts...
Only Ouyang Rong remained in the main hall. Yan Liulang, who had been standing quietly at the door, saw Ouyang Rong calmly put down his teacup and walk in with small steps.
The blue-clad constable asked in a low voice:
"Your Excellency, is there some deeper meaning behind your arrangement...?"
Seeing that even his trusted follower Yan Liulang was starting to imagine things, Ouyang Rong raised his cup again and took a sip of tea.
The answer is no, it's useless.
But in times of crisis, confidence is more precious than gold.
If we had to pinpoint the deeper meaning, it would be to ensure that everyone below has something to do. Once people have something to do and are busy, they are less likely to overthink or waste time on internal conflicts.
Ouyang Rong glanced at an empty seat for a deputy in the main hall and asked Yan Liulang:
"Is there any news about Yuan Huaimin?"
"No, according to the monks at Chengtian Temple and the city guards, Chief Secretary Yuan left the city in the morning, went to Xunyang Grottoes, and never returned."
"Like Li Yu, keep searching."
"yes."
Ouyang Rong suddenly stood up, dusted off his sleeves, picked up the unused sword box beside him, and walked out the door.
"Go to the courtyard by Xingzi Lake."
Yan Liulang's expression hardened: "Yes."
The two went out, and a short while later, the carriage drove out of the Jiangzhou main hall, with Yan Liulang still acting as the coachman.
The carriage slowly drove towards Xingzifang.
On the way, Yan Liulang couldn't help but turn back and ask:
"Does Your Excellency really believe that Li Yu hasn't left? Judging from the current situation, the two Yunmeng ladies have released all the informants we previously apprehended within the city and taken them away. If we find their whereabouts, it's indeed possible to track down Yu Nianyuan... Does Your Excellency think Li Yu is a breakthrough point?"
Ouyang Rong did not answer, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly asked:
"There was a strange zither music earlier that caused many Qi Refiners to become visible. Liu Lang, did you and your men observe any extra pillars of spiritual energy appearing in the city at that time? Apart from the Xiushui Workshop, were there any other places where large numbers of red and purple pillars of light appeared?"
Yan Liulang pondered for a moment, then shook his head:
"There was nothing too conspicuous. Apart from the strange phenomenon at the Prince's Mansion in Xiushuifang, I only saw a gray-black pillar of light at Xingzifang. After the music stopped, it disappeared without a trace."
“Grayish-black…” Ouyang Rong murmured, then confirmed again: “Nothing else? Including other directions outside the city? The effective range of this zither music is within a hundred miles.”
Yan Liulang shook his head:
"Reporting to Your Excellency, there are no female officials from the Imperial Observatory or soldiers from the Imperial Guards in the city now. Apart from the confirmed light pillars of the fake water bandit Qi cultivators and the Prince's Qi cultivators, there are indeed no more light pillars in the city. I have had someone record this."
"Outside the city, there are only a few red and purple pillars of light coming out from the direction of Shuangfengjian and the grotto. They should be from Lady Rongzhen and Deputy Supervisor Song."
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly.
Yan Liulang asked cautiously:
"Does Your Excellency believe that this group of rebels from the southern Jianghu has a hidden base in or near the city? Did Yu Nianyuan take the embroiderer there?"
Ouyang Rong squinted and said:
"It is known that Xue Zhongzhu and Yu Nianyuan will definitely make a move against the Donglin Buddha today. Since it is a surprise attack, combined with the distribution of the Yunmeng Token, there will be a lot of manpower this time. There must be a hidden attack route. Moreover, no matter how far they hid before, at this critical moment, they must get close to the cave. Otherwise, how can they break into the cave?"
"But so far, these rebels from Tiannan have not revealed their whereabouts, and the garrison at Shuangfengjian has not yet engaged in battle with them, which is illogical."
Yan Liulang frowned and asked:
"Master, could it be that they anticipated the music and had some way of concealing it?"
Ouyang Rong did not respond, and murmured absentmindedly, "A radius of a hundred miles... a radius of a hundred miles..."
He suddenly looked up and asked, "Did you bring a map of Xunyang?"
"This subordinate brought one."
"Give me."
Yan Liulang took out a map and stuffed it into the carriage. Ouyang Rong took it, unfolded it, and began to examine it.
He pointed to the Xunyang Grottoes on the map, his gaze sweeping over the other landmarks... Just then, Yan Liulang's voice came from outside.
"Your Excellency, we have arrived."
...
When Ouyang Rong entered the quiet courtyard,
Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan were sitting and standing in the backyard.
Fang Shengnan, holding her sword, sat on a swing in the courtyard.
Fang stood quietly under the corridor, her sleeves tucked in.
The two women saw the young governor place the long, narrow zither case he was carrying on the cabinet at the entrance of the main hall, walk to the well, squat down, and skillfully pick up a ladle to wash his hands.
It was just like when the Fang sisters lived here and he came over for meals every day.
Fang Shengnan glanced at the violin case on the counter and noticed that this "Young Master Ouyang" seemed to really like carrying this violin, although she hadn't seen him play it much.
The two women heard him ask without looking up:
"Not running?"
Fang pursed his lips, turned his head away, and did not answer.
It seems this problem should be left to Fang Shengnan.
When Ouyang Rong came in, he noticed that the two sisters seemed to have had a fight; their faces were flushed and their expressions were not good.
Fang Shengnan crossed her arms over her chest, didn't swing on the swing, but stood up straight, staring directly at Ouyang Rong:
“Ouyang Liang… I’ll still call you Young Master Ouyang. Young Master Ouyang, please calm down.”
Ouyang Rong asked with great interest:
Do you know why I've come?
Fang Shengnan nodded and said:
"I know you're here to see the young mistress, Young Master Ouyang. You know about the young mistress Yue Chuzi's identity, don't you?"
"Um."
Fang Shengnan said with surprising seriousness:
"Young Master Ouyang, I know you are very angry right now, but you must listen carefully to what I have to say next, and you must not act recklessly."
Ouyang Rong calmly asked, "You speak first."
Fang Shengnan solemnly warned, "Don't chase after the young mistress anymore, and don't stay in Xunyang City anymore. Leave now, as far away from Xunyang Grottoes and Xunyang City as possible, and don't come back for a while."
Ouyang Rong asked with a smile, "As you can see, I am the governor of Jiangzhou. If I don't stay in Xunyang City, where do I stay? Bury my head in the sand?"
Fang Shengnan couldn't help but sigh.
From the moment Ouyang Rong began to speak, Fang Juxiu, standing under the corridor, had been glancing at him sideways. At this moment, she suddenly spoke on Fang Shengnan's behalf:
“Ouyang Lianghan, I know you are a proud and arrogant person. You were once all-powerful in Xunyang City, but today is different. The situation in Xunyang today is too complicated. A prefectural governor may have a lot of influence under normal circumstances, but today, his words are unlikely to be effective. Logically speaking, you should also know that the key to victory today lies at the Xunyang Grottoes.”
Ouyang Rong glanced at Fang Juxiu, who was giving him a serious warning, and smiled:
"It seems you are very confident in your preparations for the Tiannan Jianghu region."
Fang Shengnan couldn't help but chime in: "It's not confidence, but... inevitability."
She took out a new Cloud Dream Token from her sleeve, glanced at it, and murmured:
“Young Master Ouyang, you may not know what the Yunmeng Token represents. Let me put it this way: every time Yunmeng Sword Ze issues a Yunmeng Token in the past, Yunmeng Sword Ze always manages to accomplish what it wants to do. This time is no exception, especially since so many Yunmeng Tokens have been issued.”
Fang Juxiu also touched something in his sleeve, which seemed to be another Yunmeng Token, and sighed softly:
"This time, the Sword Swamp Queen's Palace is determined to win."
"So where are they? Why haven't they arrived yet?"
The Fang sisters seemed not to hear, and Fang Shengnan advised:
"Young Master Ouyang, please leave quickly."
Ouyang Rong glanced at her:
"Who told you to stay behind and deliver a message, Yu Nianyuan?"
Fang Shengnan shook her head.
Fang Juxiu said with a somewhat complicated expression:
“It was Shengnan who insisted on staying. She had already obtained the Yunmeng Token, but she refused to leave. She said that you would definitely come to find the young master, and she wanted to stay and wait for you for a while... and you did come.”
Ouyang Rong turned to look at Fang Shengnan.
The latter pursed his lips, put away the Cloud Dream Token, changed his posture while holding his sword, and snorted:
"Young Master Ouyang, please don't overthink it. This female knight just can't stand some things, and there are some things I need to tell you. It's to help the young mistress. If you make a mistake, the young mistress will be very upset."
She then said with a stern face:
"I've been thinking about what you did to set up my father to arrest us. I think your actions were justifiable. We were the ones who lied to you and used you to evade the officers. Besides, you didn't mean to hurt us. You were already showing consideration for our friendship."
"It's the same for the Japanese heroine to stay today. You're being kind, and we should be kind too. No one owes anyone anything."
Fang Juxiu, however, pointed out her shortcomings in an annoyed manner: "If it was just to deliver a message, you could have left a letter. But when I tried to pull you away, you wouldn't leave. Why did you have to stay and say it to me in person?"
Fang Shengnan showed no sign of backing down in the face of her sister's dissatisfaction:
"Leaving a letter won't be enough for Young Master Ouyang to listen; we'll have to stay and talk to him in person."
Ouyang Rong understood most of it, glanced at the Fang sisters a few more times, and suddenly interrupted the two talkative women:
"Yu Nianyuan took the unconscious embroiderer away?"
"coma?"
The Fang sisters were stunned by what they heard and looked at each other in bewilderment.
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes and asked, "Didn't you see the embroiderer?"
Fang Juxiu shook his head:
"The Second Lady left in a bit of a hurry, first using the originally planned route and then informing us. We only met the Second Lady once; she only said she was going to take the young master back to Jianze. We didn't actually see the young master's condition with our own eyes..."
Ouyang Rong nodded and asked, "What original route? Do you have someone to meet you near Xunyang? Is there a transfer point?"
The Fang sisters remained silent.
Fang Juxiu processed the news of the young mistress's unconsciousness, lifted her up, and continued to persuade her:
“Ouyang Lianghan, it’s impossible for you and the young mistress to be together. At first, when the young mistress was trying to win her over, there was a slight chance. But now you’ve seen the Second Lady’s actions. She looked very upset when she left. There’s no point in chasing after her anymore. It must have been the First Lady who spoke up about this. As you said, if the young mistress is unconscious, then that would better represent the attitude of the First Lady and the Second Lady. The young mistress’s stubbornness is useless.”
Ouyang Rong suddenly asked:
"If you two stay here, aren't you afraid I'll arrest you?"
The two women exchanged a glance and both shook their heads.
Fang Shengnan spoke first: "You're not that kind of person. You're loyal to the core, even though our advice might be a little hard to hear... Young Master Ouyang, if only you weren't Ouyang Lianghan, we could still drink together." She murmured.
Fang Juxiu remained calm and analyzed:
"No, we are still useful to you. Jianze has already given us the Yunmeng Token. Shengnan and I will go to Jianze in the future and become Yue Nu. This is what we pursued the earliest... So, Young Master Ouyang, there are some things you can say to us. If we have the opportunity to see you in the future, we will help pass them on. It will also help you get rid of a regret."
Ouyang Rong carefully observed the two sisters, who were talking back and forth.
He asked softly, "I certainly won't hurt you, but you don't need to pass on my message. I appreciate your kindness for now."
"But friendship aside, you must answer one question for me: Where did Yu Nianyuan take Xiu Niang? Or, where was the rendezvous point near Xunyang City for Yunmeng Jianze's surprise attack on Donglin Buddha? Just take me there, and I won't pursue anything else."
Fang Shengnan firmly shook her head: "I don't know."
Fang Juxiu, seemingly moved by the scene, sadly advised, "Young Master Ouyang, please don't be so willful anymore..."
At this moment, Ouyang Rong suddenly turned his head:
"Mukuro."
Yan Liulang led his men into the courtyard and surrounded the two women.
The Fang sisters' eyes widened immediately.
What are you going to do?
“Ouyang Lianghan, didn’t you just say…”
Ouyang Rong interrupted, waving his hand casually:
"We won't hurt you, we're just taking you home."
"go home?"
Ouyang Rong turned and left, his tone seemingly casual: "Yes, your Fang family's mansion in the suburbs. What, you don't welcome me? It's not like I haven't been there before."
Fang raised his sleeve, and the color changed slightly.
Fang Shengnan glared: "You can't go! What would you do at my house for no reason?"
Ouyang Rong turned around, carefully examined the expressions on the two women's faces, and nodded thoughtfully:
"Since it's really there, we definitely have to make a trip there."
Realizing they'd been tricked, the Fang sisters' faces immediately turned grim...
Ouyang Rong ignored them, picked up the zither case, slowly walked out, and boarded the carriage.
A short while later, the Fang sisters were brought out by Yan Liulang and put into a carriage, where the three of them sat together.
The carriage restarted and headed towards the southern part of the city. At the same time, the men that Yan Liulang had gathered also arrived and joined them.
Along the way, the Fang sisters did not give up and tried their best to dissuade him, but Ouyang Rong ignored them and silently wiped the zither case.
(End of this chapter)
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