Chapter 840 Like the First Meeting [5k5, please vote!]
In her hazy sleep, Ye Weilai felt Tanlang lying down to rest beside her, touching her little feet and covering her with a blanket.
Then it disappeared again.
Ye Weilai was about to return to the capital with the imperial decree and the messenger, accompanied by Hu Fu and others. This was a foregone conclusion, so she had been especially attached to her lover these past few days, and they would be affectionate and tender whenever they were in bed.
Therefore, when I was half asleep and vaguely felt that the person next to me was not there, I was particularly sensitive.
"Tanlang?"
Ye Weilai crossed one arm over her chest, propped herself up, and looked around in confusion.
Dawn was breaking outside the window, but it was still dark inside.
There was no sign of the Great White Wanderer.
There was no one beside me, but the warmth of her body still lingered.
...
The young man held a pipa in his arms and wore a scholar's robe.
He arrived at the gate of the quiet courtyard with a blank expression.
His figure standing in front of the door looked somewhat lonely and desolate.
Ouyang Rong tucked the pipa under his arm, freeing his right hand to take out the key from his left sleeve.
The door to the quiet courtyard was opened.
He looked back and saw that the white sturgeon that had been following him all the way after he left the Huaiye Lane residence had disappeared.
I wonder where they've gone off to again.
As Ouyang Rong pushed open the door, he suddenly remembered the dream that his junior sister had mentioned in her letter.
The night before he entered the palace, Dalang dreamed of his wedding with his junior sister. Dalang himself was trying to hurry on his way, but in the end, he could not make it to their wedding.
The young man in the scholar's robe remained silent, entered the courtyard, and closed the door behind him.
He rubbed his face vigorously.
His eyes were as dark as ink.
When I read this part of the letter, I actually found it a bit funny to see Dalang.
Even now, Ouyang Rong had a dream, and when he woke up, he felt a sense of loss, as if the dream had been real.
The feeling of being suddenly pulled away felt like a lifetime ago.
Ouyang Rong walked to the backyard.
Dew is silently condensing in the cracks of the bluestone steps.
At the base of the blue brick wall, there was a curled-up moss flower, its color a frosty, crab-green hue.
The last drumbeat of the night watchman's drum came from the long street outside.
Above the green tiles of the courtyard wall, the sky, having poured down the Milky Way all night, is now only veiled in a pale blue, seeping morning mist, about to turn over and reveal the first light of dawn.
The dawn breeze was gentle, but the swing in the courtyard remained still.
Ouyang Rong turned his head to look.
A black cat lies curled up on a swing, fast asleep.
His footsteps seemed to awaken it.
The black cat looked up, saw the visitor, and yawned.
They remained lazy and motionless.
Ouyang Rong simply rolled up the hem of his scholar's robe and sat down on the spot.
I sat on the two blue stone steps in front of the main hall.
Holding a pipa, gazing at the black cat.
A young man stares at a cat.
He suddenly removed the white hairpin from his crown, twirled the end of the hairpin, and let it sway slightly in the wind.
"Longling—Longling—"
The black cat suddenly stood up, jumped to Ouyang Rong's side, circled him once, and stretched out its paw to try to reach the ice-white jade hairpin.
In the darkness, the young man seemed to smile.
Squeak—!
As the door opened, footsteps echoed from the other side of the courtyard gate.
Gentle and delicate, belonging to women.
On the bluestone steps, the black cat discovered that the hairpin that had made the noise had suddenly disappeared, and the young man sitting in front of it had also vanished.
Even the cat's keen eyes failed to catch his movement.
"Young Master?"
Pei Shisan Niang had just closed the courtyard gate when she turned around and was startled.
The woman leaned back, crossed her arms, and stared wide-eyed at the young man in scholar's robes who emerged from the darkness.
After seeing his face clearly, Pei Shisan Niang lowered her arm, glanced at the gray sky outside, and asked softly:
"Why are you still here? I was wondering who opened the door. I thought it was a maid who forgot to close it when she changed shifts, and I was going to scold her tomorrow."
Ouyang Rong shook his head without saying a word, turned around and went back to the backyard, sitting down in the same spot.
When strangers arrived, the black cat leaped back over the courtyard wall, warily watching the man and woman in the courtyard as they paced on the green tiles.
Pei Shisan Niang followed her in and sat down next to Ouyang Rong with smooth movements.
Her long black silk dress, embroidered with gold thread, showed no disgust at the dust on the bluestone steps as she sat with her young master.
Ouyang Rong lowered his head and re-tied his hairpin, not paying any attention.
The two sat for a while.
Like tacitly waiting for the first hint of dawn behind the wall.
Pei Shisan Niang tightened the purple-gold shawl around her shoulders to keep warm, her eyes fixed on the black cat on the wall.
She suddenly broke the silence under the eaves:
“Young master has lost weight, compared to when I first met you.”
Ouyang Rong didn't turn his head, and said softly:
Do you remember the first time we met?
Pei Shisan Niang became exceptionally serious:
"Of course I remember, I will never forget. If I hadn't met you, young master, I would still be a greedy, money-grubbing merchant's wife..."
"I remember the first time we met was on your first day as Chief Secretary of Jiangzhou. At that time, everyone in the business circle in Xunyang said that a young Chief Secretary had come to the Jiangzhou government. He was an upright gentleman who had even contradicted a favored princess of the court and hadn't died. His bones were harder than stones in a latrine."
"At that time, I was really curious, so I joined the crowd outside the main hall of Jiangzhou and took a peek from afar. My first impression was..."
Pei Shisan Niang paused here.
Ouyang Rong gazed at the sky, lost in thought for a moment, and then, just as the beautiful woman had predicted, asked:
"What do you think?"
Seeing that the young master beside her had broken out of his worrying silence, Pei Shisan Niang breathed a slight sigh of relief.
She smiled sweetly, radiant and elegant, and spoke truthfully:
"I thought this young master of the chief clerk's face was so handsome, even more handsome than the actors in the opera troupe. At that time, I was still a bit frivolous and eccentric. I thought to myself, could this young master of the chief clerk be just a pretty face, or the lover of some noble lady above? The rumors and reputation are all deliberately arranged."
Pei Shisan Niang's eyes showed a hint of reminiscence as she sighed:
"Only later did I realize what a first-rate great man in the world is, how approachable you are, and what it means to 'a gentleman keeps his talents hidden until the right time to act, to appear dull to others and sharpen his own skills.' Thank you for teaching me."
Ouyang Rong paused for a moment, then said:
“That brat Wang Caozhi has corrupted you and Liulang; he’s become more and more of a sycophant.”
"Pfft."
Upon hearing the story of a colleague who had been "exiled" to Luoyang with a resentful expression, Pei Shisan Niang couldn't help but chuckle. She then composed herself and said earnestly:
"It's not flattery, it's really what I think. If you don't believe me, ask other people and let them tell you the truth. See if they, like me, had their attention focused entirely on your handsome face when they first met you."
The beautiful woman tilted her head slightly, like a little girl, and said:
“I remember watching a play in the past. There was a play that young ladies loved to watch. It was about a famous general from the royal family during the Northern Dynasties a hundred years ago. He was brave and good at fighting, but his appearance was as beautiful as a woman. Perhaps he felt that his appearance could not intimidate the enemy, so he carved a wooden mask and wore it when he went to war. He often showed himself in front of others with a mask. Later, he became the bravest general in the army and was praised by the world. It became a famous story.”
“Young master, you see, a man’s handsome appearance is also a kind of trouble. It can indeed affect people’s first impression, and most people are just a mob.”
Ouyang Rong's face hardened, and he said calmly:
“Men are all pretty good once they lose weight. I’ve just been weak and sickly since childhood, so I’m thin and have trouble gaining weight, but it’ll be soon. Just wait and see. Men change every year after they turn twenty, and I’m no exception.”
"No."
Pei Shisan Niang raised a finger and gently shook it, her eyes fixed intently on the profile of the young man in the scholar's robe:
"In my eyes and in my heart, you will always be the dashing young man I first met."
"How can things always remain the same as when we first met?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head immediately, without turning to meet the beautiful woman's gaze. He paused for a moment, then murmured as if repeating something:
"If only things could remain as they were at first sight, that we could stay in that moment forever."
"If only things could be like when we first met."
Though the speaker meant no harm, Pei Shisan Niang pondered the words carefully, then suddenly asked with a hint of anticipation:
"What was your impression of me when you first met me, sir?"
"I forgot."
Pei Shisan Niang didn't believe her and pressed on relentlessly:
"Or rather, you can rest assured that if what I thought at first glance wasn't something nice or left a good impression, I won't be angry."
She shifted her legs, which were together, and hugged her knees, tilting her voluptuous body slightly to make it easier to stare intently at Ouyang Rong.
The beautiful woman's face was full of curiosity, and she eventually brought the originally quiet atmosphere into a conversation.
Ouyang Rong remained silent for a short while:
I want to punch you.
Pei Shisan Niang was somewhat bewildered.
I never expected this answer.
Ouyang Rong curled his lips slightly:
"When we first met, your arrogant and lawless behavior made everyone want to teach you a lesson and whip you hard."
Pei Shisan Niang quickly recovered, her bewildered expression completely disappearing.
She smiled alluringly, and in front of Ouyang Rong and the black cat on the wall, she crossed her arms and lowered her head somewhat coquettishly:
"If it's for the young master, then it's fine."
Ouyang Rong straightened his face and said speechlessly:
“Be serious, this is a real whipping, not some frivolous game.”
Pei Shisan Niang lowered her head even further, and said shyly:
"Yes, you can smoke as much as you like. I love it when you smoke, young master."
Ouyang Rong: ...?
Something's wrong with you.
Ouyang Rong quickly changed the subject:
"Wearing a mask to fight on the battlefield? I have a mask too."
Pei Shisan Niang was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding:
"Huh, what mask?"
Ouyang Rong gently shook his head:
"It's nothing, just kidding."
Instead, the question was asked:
"Why did Thirteen Sister arrive so early?"
Pei Shisan Niang smiled:
"I went to bed early last night and got up early as well. I have to go to Mount Lu to inspect the ice-making grottoes this morning, and since it's on my way, I thought I'd stop by and water the flowers that the embroiderer is growing..."
Ouyang Rong was silent for a moment, then pointed to the kitchen and said:
"There's no need to replace the rice in the rice jar. Take the rice you already have back and eat it. If the embroiderer comes back and sees how much rice is being wasted in the kitchen, she'll feel bad too."
Pei Shisan Niang's smile faded slightly, and she nodded gently.
"Yes, young master."
She glanced at him curiously.
"Where is the young master? Why did he come over in the middle of the night? How long have you been sitting in the courtyard?"
Ouyang Rong said softly, "Same here. I got up early and came over for a stroll."
Pei Shisan Niang couldn't help but glance at his slightly tired face, but didn't point it out, and nodded gently:
"Um."
Ouyang Rong looked up and smiled, saying:
"I had a dream last night, and coincidentally, it was also about our first meeting."
"First meeting? With whom..." Pei Shisan Niang paused, then cautiously asked, "Was it with the embroiderer?"
Pei Shisan Niang saw that the young man in the scholar's robe was sitting on the blue stone steps beside her, his head slightly raised, as if he was gazing at the afterglow of dawn on the distant horizon, and he remained silent for a long time.
Under the dim eaves, his profile was thin, with prominent cheekbones. Although his expression and eyes were not clearly visible, he possessed a unique and elegant charm.
After a while, Ouyang Rong slowly nodded:
“I dreamt of an underground palace, the place where I first met her in Dragon City. At that time, I had just taken office as the Dragon City Magistrate. I was drowning and unconscious. I woke up in the middle of the night in a foreign land, all alone.”
"An underground palace? Where is this?"
He kept his pace and began to speak slowly and deliberately: "On Dagushan Mountain, at Donglin Temple, there is a Jataka painting on each of the four walls. In the center is a lotus stone seat where an old monk once passed away, and now a mad monk is chanting sutras."
"oh……"
Pei Shisan Niang nodded as if she understood... but actually she didn't.
However, seeing that the listless young man had finally managed to rouse himself to conversation, she immediately chimed in:
"What did you dream about going to the underground palace for, young master? Was it about our first meeting? Did the embroiderer say or write anything in your dream?"
Ouyang Rong rubbed his face and murmured:
"I woke up in the underground palace. She and Old Master Sun didn't say anything, and turned around and walked into the mural on the north side."
Pei Shisan Niang asked in confusion, "Walk into the mural?"
"Hmm, I didn't expect that the Yunmeng Sword Marsh was behind the mural. I followed it in."
She asked curiously, "And then?"
"Then I woke up."
Pei Shisan Niang was somewhat speechless.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and smiled at her, saying:
"I've never been there, so of course I don't know what the Sword Marsh is like. How could I possibly dream about it?"
Pei Shisan Niang nodded in sudden realization:
"That's true. What you think about during the day, you dream about at night. Even if you dream about something you've never seen before, you can't get close to it."
"Um."
Ouyang Rong gazed at the rising sun behind the courtyard wall, lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up and greeted the rising sun, saying:
"I need to go to the underground palace."
Pei Shisan Niang asked instinctively, "When are you going, young master?"
The golden sunlight fell on his face, neither too hot nor too bright, yet Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes slightly:
"After seeing off Wei Lai and Hu Fu."
As if remembering something, he asked without turning his head:
"Where are Master Shandao and his disciples still at the Xunyang Grottoes?"
After Pei Shisan Niang returned from sending Zhen Shuyuan to Nanlong, Ouyang Rong handed over all the affairs that Wang Caozhi had originally managed regarding the Xunyang Grottoes to her.
Pei Shisan Niang was in charge of liaising with the people Wang Caozhi left behind and the other cooperating grain merchants.
The matter of Donglin Temple acquiring the right to use the main grotto was also handled in conjunction with Pei Shisan Niang.
The beautiful woman immediately replied:
"The master returned to Dragon City the day before yesterday, leaving behind a few disciples to guard the main grotto and prepare for the follow-up matters."
She suddenly remembered something and stood up:
"By the way, young master, before Master Shandao left, he asked me to ask you if you would be free to attend a lantern festival at the temple during the Mid-Autumn Festival. You presided over it once a few years ago when you were the magistrate of Longcheng. The master would like to ask if you would be so kind as to grace us with your presence and share the joy with the people."
Ouyang Rong didn't turn around. He patted the dust off his hands and clothes, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:
"Thirteen Sister replied on my behalf, saying that after I finish my work and see off the envoy from Luoyang, I will go to Donglin Temple to recuperate and may preside over the Lantern Festival."
"Add one more thing: instruct the temple and the county not to make a big fuss about my presence, and not to prepare any luxurious retreats. I have a place to stay."
Pei Shisan Niang immediately nodded:
"Yes, young master."
She then said cautiously:
"It would be good for you to rest, young master. So many things have happened this year, you've worked too hard. Even if you have a body of iron, you need to rest."
"Now that the matter of the Buddha statue has come to an end, things are going smoothly with the Prince, the imperial court's attitude is clear, and there is no fighting on the southwestern front... How long does the young master plan to go to Longcheng to relax and recuperate?"
"It depends. If something comes up, I'll come back."
Pei Shisan Niang smiled:
“Alright, Dragon City is nearby anyway, so it’s easy to come back. Young master, I’ll go with you…”
"Thirteenth Mother."
Ouyang Rong interrupted her, turned around, and patted her shoulder, which was draped in purple and gold silk:
"You and Liu Lang stay here together and assist him well. Liu Lang will be in charge of the affairs of the Jiangzhou government. As for other matters in the city, I will feel at ease with your help in keeping an eye on them."
"Young Master!"
Pei Shisan Niang remembered the last time the young master patted her on the shoulder; it seemed to be when he acknowledged and accepted her. Her face flushed slightly, and her voice was filled with barely concealed excitement.
The beautiful woman crossed her arms and tightened the shawl covering her shoulders, nodding emphatically:
"I will obey your command."
Ouyang Rong asked gently, "Is there anything else you'd like to ask, Thirteen Sister?"
"Yes, some."
Pei Shisan Niang said sincerely:
“Young master, I will send people to keep an eye on news from all over Jiangnan. If I catch any news about Yunmeng Sword Marsh or Yue Nu, I will send someone to Donglin Temple to report to you immediately.”
Ouyang Rong paused for a moment, then hummed in agreement.
One more thing:
"Then I'll have to trouble you."
"Of course, I miss the embroiderer very much..."
Pei Shisan Niang seemed hesitant to dwell on this painful topic and immediately changed the subject:
“Li Yu and Fang Yiwu have come to me these past two days, saying they want to see you, sir.”
"Understood. Tell them to come find me in the Jiangzhou lobby this morning."
Pei Shisan Niang whispered, "Young master, judging from their intentions, it seems they want to follow you."
Ouyang Rong pondered: "It just so happens that they are also in business. Let them follow you for now. You can make the arrangements and let them try it out first. There's no need to doubt Li Yu; you can use him directly. As for Fang Yiwu, you can test him. You can oversee things for me."
Pei Shisan Niang covered her mouth and smiled charmingly:
"Don't worry, young master, leave it to me. By the way, there's also the matter of the Yinbingshi business. The recipe for making ice was given to me by you, young master. You have the largest share and are the biggest owner. We split the profits. I plan to expand the Yinbingshi business further and open branches in various prefectures in Jiangnan, but I won't use your name unless someone makes things difficult for me."
"Besides this, I wonder if the young master has any further instructions?"
Ouyang Rong waved his hand:
"Alright, do as you say, make your own decision."
"Oh, and there's also the Xunyang Grottoes."
Pei Shisan Niang held up her palm, counting on her fingers as if reciting a familiar story:
"Young Master has handed over all the business left by Brother Wang to me. A few days ago, I toured all the large and small grottoes on the north bank of Shuangfengjian. I have a good understanding of the situation and feel that the business model of Master Shandao and the others has great potential."
"I have completed a few small works in the past few days, but my knowledge is limited. I wonder if you are satisfied, sir. I hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance..."
Hearing the beautiful woman's humble and cautious tone, Ouyang Rong assumed she was carefully seeking an early reprieve and casually interrupted her:
"No need, Thirteen Sister, go ahead and do it. Just don't lose too much money. Just remember one thing."
"The Xunyang Grottoes are a long-term project for Xunyang City, which cannot be completed overnight, nor can they be filled by the Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries in Xunyang. What is important is the Taoist principles of various schools of thought and the stone carving techniques that embody them..."
"These things that embrace all rivers are the treasures that can be passed down to future generations, the true cultural heritage of a thousand years, and the 'Buddha' that should be enshrined in the grotto."
"In the face of this matter, gains and losses are only temporary and not worth mentioning."
Pei Shisan Niang, who had originally planned to have a detailed discussion and ask for advice, was stunned by what she heard.
Ouyang Rong noticed that the beautiful woman in front of him was staring at him absentmindedly, and asked in return:
"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"N-nothing."
Pei Shisan Niang looked away and swallowed silently.
She spoke in a low voice, her tone tinged with an indescribable complexity.
"Young master, you are truly farsighted and have the world in your heart."
The beautiful woman's lowered gaze could not hide her admiration and respect:
"I used to think these words were just flattery from the past, but now I realize that they were prepared for a man like you, my lord. They are truly useful. As the saying goes, those who plan for eternity are not good at planning for the present. That is so true. My lord is just like that."
Ouyang Rong was a little embarrassed. He adjusted his hair ornament and asked softly:
"Alright, is there anything else?"
Pei Shisan Niang shook her head.
Ouyang Rong stepped out the door.
"Young Master!"
Suddenly, Pei Shisan Niang's shouts came from behind.
"uh-huh?"
Ouyang Rong stopped, waiting with some doubt.
Before he could turn around, Pei Shisan Niang's teasing voice rang out:
"For restlessness and insomnia, the Sour Jujube Seed Decoction is the main treatment. You often say that."
"..."
The young man in the scholar's robe strode out the door, waving goodbye as he walked away, and muttered a curse with a laugh:
"Get lost."
...
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