Chapter 898 Is My Sister-in-Law a Female Ruler?
It was late at night, inside the house.
Aqing had some questions:
"What? What are you talking about? With whom?"
Ouyang Rong reached out, picked up another candied fruit, put it in his mouth, held it for a while, and chewed slowly.
He has a slight slurred speech:
"Chatting, with your sister-in-law."
Aqing's face changed.
The atmosphere in front of the couch suddenly became strangely quiet.
Aqing's expression changed slightly, and she couldn't help but ask:
"Brother, you don't mean...you don't mean that Sister Xiu Niang...she is..."
Ouyang Rong waited a while, and seeing that she was stammering, he interrupted her in a calm tone:
"Leaving aside the title of Queen, do you know what your seventh uncle's real name is?"
Aqing shook her head, somewhat bewildered:
"I don't know."
Ouyang Rong spoke calmly and earnestly:
"Zhao Qingxiu. Her name is Zhao Qingxiu."
“Zhao Qingxiu…” Aqing said subconsciously, “Xiuniang…Xiuniang! Is she the Xiuniang sister?”
Ouyang Rong neither nodded nor shook his head, and continued:
"You went to see Consort Zhishuang, but she and the other ladies didn't mention her whereabouts at all?"
Aqing shook her head.
Her eyes were filled with turmoil, and she lowered her head in silence.
It's like it's trying to digest it.
Before Ouyang Rong could speak, the girl immediately interrupted:
“Brother, I... I will keep an eye out for you. If Seventh Uncle... has any news about Sister Xiu Niang, I will tell you immediately. Also, I will inquire about her from time to time... So, you came here this time because you think Sister Xiu Niang is in Jian Ze, right?”
Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment, which was taken as tacit agreement.
"Mmm. Thank you for your hard work, Qing."
Ah Qing shook his head: "Brother, have you forgotten? We came here for this very reason."
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment, then said:
"However, Ah Qing, don't ask too obviously, otherwise it will easily arouse suspicion..."
Aqing smiled sweetly:
"I know, brother, I'm not stupid."
"That's good."
Ouyang Rong glanced at the night outside the window, then turned back and gave some instructions;
“Ah Qing, although you came here to help me find the embroiderer, that was your initial purpose, it seems that entering Jianze is a great blessing for you. Putting aside personal feelings, objectively speaking, you are very suitable to be a Yue woman, and you may even enter the Queen's Palace in the future. This is a good opportunity.”
He paused, then added with extra emphasis:
"If you hadn't come, we would have followed the original path. Although Aunt Liu entrusted you to me, the arrangements I could make for you would most likely be things you wouldn't like, such as finding a good family to live a conventional life... But now that you're in Jianze, the prospects within Jianze seem far better than what I could have arranged."
"If you can learn the secret sword techniques of Yunmeng Sword Marsh and acquire a set of skills, your future will be brighter and more promising. Whether you stay in Sword Marsh or go down the mountain to enter the world, you will not have to worry about making a living. This is a real skill to rely on, just like Junior Sister."
"One's birth can only be determined by fate and cannot be forced, but the opportunity you have after birth is something that countless ordinary girls in the world envy... Just look at the noise that Chen Jiaxin and Song Zhian made during this three-stage assessment."
Aqing couldn't help but interrupt:
“Brother, why do you say that? You should know that I smashed the jade because of you, and I came here because of your affairs. Even if I enter the Sword Swamp, you will still be my brother. Your affairs are my affairs. I came because of you, and I will leave because of you.”
"No matter what happens in the future, we can discuss it together and face it together. There are always more solutions than problems... Have you forgotten what Mother said, that we siblings should help each other?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head, his tone somewhat harsh:
"I haven't forgotten, but there are some things you shouldn't say too soon. You have a bright future ahead of you, so you should seize it. In one's life, some opportunities only come once, so you can't be willful."
"After all this rambling, it all boils down to the same simple truth: aside from the matter of finding the embroiderer, my grudges with Yunmeng Jianze are my personal matter and should not affect you. You should not feel pressured and just quietly be a newly promoted female monarch disciple, doing whatever you need to do."
Aqing was somewhat stunned. She wanted to retort, but he pressed her shoulder down. She heard Ouyang Rong's tone reveal a hint of understanding, and he said to her with a smile that seemed to play on his lips:
"So I don't object to you calling Zhi Shuang 'Master' and speaking up for her, because she has indeed been good to you. As for the grudges between her and me, that's a separate matter, and I will handle it myself. So the joke just now was just a joke. Keep it up... A Qing has already done very well."
Ouyang Rong then added with a smile:
“Such a good Aqing, Miss Zhishuang should really thank me for handing over my sister.”
Aqing was speechless for a moment, her face still slightly flushed, unsure of what to say.
"It's getting late."
Ouyang Rong got up and prepared to invite Aqing to rest, so he went to fetch her a quilt.
Aqing rested her chin on her hands, silently observing his back, lost in thought.
Ouyang Rong walked halfway, then, as if remembering something, suddenly turned back and asked:
"Did you go to a secret chamber assessment this afternoon? What kind of swords were you handling?"
Ah Qing came to her senses:
"Ah, umm, there is one. It's the fourth round of assessment, which is only for newcomers selected for Yue Nu and Zhu Tang."
"How are Aqing's grades?"
Ah Qing shook his head: "I can't activate that sword either, it won't budge. Brother, am I a bit stupid?"
Ouyang Rong immediately shook his head, "No, do you know what kind of talent it tests?"
Aqing paused for a moment, then said softly;
"Its assessment method is very similar to what I saw at my brother's place... I have some guesses, but I don't know if I'm right."
Ouyang Rong looked closely at the girl who was speaking in a low voice.
Aqing had seen [the craftsman's work].
When Ouyang Rong intercepted the [Craftsmanship] from Liu Zilin, he planned to give the Ding Sword and the Mo Family Sword Box to A Qing, because this was what the old craftsman originally wanted to do, intending to give A Qing and the [Craftsmanship] to Yunmeng Sword Swamp... At that time, he guessed that the old craftsman seemed to have seen some kind of talent in A Qing... So this should be A Qing's opportunity, and it was only right for her to take it, but A Qing refused him.
Looking back now, it's clear that Aqing failed this suspicious fourth special test, and some details are quite intriguing...
Ouyang Rong looked thoughtful.
First of all, one thing should be certain: as a legendary swordsmith, the old craftsman's judgment would not be wrong. [Craftsmanship] is very likely also a good match for Aqing, or rather, Aqing is the one with the spirit of [Craftsmanship], and also the first candidate that the old craftsman discovered.
She is not lacking in the talent of a swordsman.
This time, the failure of the fourth special test was either due to the sword in the secret room, or because the test was not what Ouyang Rong had guessed, and did not involve the sword wielder's talent.
However, according to the information and details that Ouyang Rong had gathered, the Queen's Palace was clearly selecting a candidate for the Hidden Ruler. Although there had been no results for many years, they were still persistent.
After much thought, Ouyang Rong came up with a possible explanation:
The Queen's Palace is not looking for a sword-wielder with talent in the fourth secret chamber test, but rather for a person with the aura of an unknown cauldron sword.
There may be another cauldron sword within the Yunmeng Sword Marsh!
Therefore, the Queen's actions were not a preemptive move to seek out the Lotus Tower Alliance's promise to return their "craftsmanship" to those who were arrogant and impetuous...
Just then, Ah Qing's murmur came from the side:
"Fortunately, my brother didn't go, otherwise we would have been exposed. If my brother had gone and moved the sword in the secret room, it would have alerted our master and the others. At that time, it would have been difficult to keep a low profile, and we would have been exposed."
Ouyang Rong turned around and found A Qing staring at his face.
He did not reply immediately.
Aqing only knew that his main purpose was to find Xiu Niang, but she didn't know that he also wanted to find the sword technique for the "elixir of immortality".
At present, there is no clue about the sword technique, but an unknown cauldron sword is faintly showing its presence.
This Yunmeng Sword Marsh truly lives up to its reputation as a hidden sect that has stood apart from the world for thousands of years; it has so many things hidden within.
Ouyang Rong sighed softly to himself.
Meanwhile, the faint sound of rhythmic snoring could be heard outside.
Aqing immediately turned her gaze to the window for a while, then couldn't help but ask with a smile;
"Brother, does Brother Sha sleep like this every night? How do you usually sleep?"
Ouyang Rong snapped out of his daze, said nothing, and immediately walked towards the door. Aqing tugged at his sleeve, shaking her head while suppressing a laugh.
"No need to call him. I meditate at night and don't sleep. My master has taught me a new breathing technique that can nourish my spirit and energy. Brother Sha's snoring won't affect me."
Ouyang Rong then stopped and nodded.
"Then rest first. You sleep at the head of the bed, and I'll sleep at the foot. I'll take you back tomorrow morning."
Before Aqing could speak, he pointed to the small table next to him and said gently:
"You rest first, I need to take care of some things. I won't make a sound, just pretend I don't exist."
"Uh-huh."
Aqing lowered her head, walked to the bedside, first took an extra scholar's robe that she had previously folded for Ouyang Rong, and carried it out, seemingly to the bathroom to wash up.
Ouyang Rong didn't look at it for long. He went to the table and placed the Peach Blossom Spring painting beside him.
He sat up straight, closed his eyes, and first sank into the Pagoda of Merit...
When I opened my eyes again, I was in a space shrouded in white mist; I was now inside the Pagoda of Merit.
As usual, Ouyang Rong glanced at the ancient bronze bell above his head. It had been silent for a long time, and no new changes had occurred.
He turned his gaze back to the small wooden fish.
[Merit: 1,533]
Last time I checked, it was around six hundred, but now it has more than doubled, adding almost a thousand more merits.
The main reason is that from the chicken soup incident in the afternoon to Aqing's public appearance at dinner, and then to the peach-giving to Aqing just now, he has been constantly receiving merit points.
The exact source of each merit is difficult to trace, but once Ouyang Rong became familiar with the mechanism of the little wooden fish, he could roughly guess some directions.
Still some distance from the three thousand merits required, Ouyang Rong calmly left the Merit Tower.
For him, the three thousand merits were a psychological safety net, allowing him to not only use divine talismans to turn the tide but also summon Cui Hao to preach.
They can also remotely descend into the bodies of Li Dalang in Luoyang or Yan Liulang in Xunyang City, Jiangzhou, to help them escape danger and flee their predicament.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance.
However, since he left Xunyang City on sick leave and was no longer in the position of governor, coupled with the completion of the construction of Xunyang Grottoes and Xingzifang low-rent housing, the speed at which Xiao Muyu accumulated merits became slower and slower.
Moreover, if it were in the past, he could have gone to his junior sister or the lady historian to ask them for some merit points.
Now that's temporarily gone, Ouyang Rong can only hope for passive merit income from projects like the Longcheng Zheyi Canal and the Xingzifang low-rent housing, which create a long-tail effect.
In addition, Pei Shisan Niang helped oversee the Xunyang Grottoes, and from time to time, she would sell a grotto to a temple or monastery. Every time a "true Buddha" was invited, a sum of merit would be settled.
After roughly checking and sorting through everything, Ouyang Rong lightly bit the tip of his tongue and left the Pagoda of Merit.
When he opened his eyes again, he was still sitting at the table. By the light of a lamp, Ouyang Rong took out a Mo family sword box from the Peach Blossom Spring painting, preparing for a routine inspection...
Suddenly, he noticed that the oil lamp in front of him was unusually bright, as if someone had added more oil to it.
Looking back, the bedding on the bed behind me was already bulging.
The door was also locked from the inside again.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at the back of the girl who had already gone to bed to rest.
After washing up and taking a bath, Aqing seemed to have changed into one of his light blue monk robes instead of a nightgown.
She had just said she was going to meditate and cultivate herself, but as soon as she got on the bed, she lay down.
Looks like I'm tired today.
Ouyang Rong went over and covered A Qing's exposed shoulders with the blanket.
The girl wrapped in monk's robes looked like she was fast asleep, completely still.
Ouyang Rong returned to the table and busied himself for a while. Then he calmed down and waited until he heard the girl's even and rhythmic breathing before quietly getting up, picking up a stack of monk's robes, and going out to wash up.
After taking a quick shower with cold water, Ouyang Rong returned to the room, carefully turned off the lights, and went to bed.
Ouyang Rong slept at one end of the bed, using folded clothes as a pillow, while the other end of the bed was given to A Qing.
He rested his head on one hand, gazing at the ceiling slightly illuminated by the moonlight outside the window.
The sound of Aqing's breathing could be heard in my ears, and the faint snoring of Sha Ergou could be heard in the distance.
Gradually, as if unable to hold on any longer, my eyelids slowly closed.
Ouyang Rong didn't know how long he had slept. In his drowsy state, he suddenly felt a pair of hands wrap around his waist, and it seemed like a leg was draped over his stomach...
Ouyang Rong instantly woke up. He turned his head and saw that in the darkness he could vaguely see the girl's fluffy and messy long hair beside him. Her small face, which he couldn't see clearly, was breathing warm air. The faint scent of milk and soap filled Ouyang Rong's nose... Aqing had fallen asleep on his side at some point. Her small hands were tightly wrapped around his waist, and one of her feet was pressing down on his side, making his waist feel a little numb.
Ouyang Rong immediately frowned.
"Aqing?"
He called out, but his clingy sister, who slept soundly beside him, didn't move.
Without thinking, Ouyang Rong was about to get up and remove her arm when he heard a soft, sweet girl's voice:
"...Ah, brother, I miss you so much when you're not here..."
Whether she was awake or dreaming, her murmured thoughts were fragmented, like a young sister's deep reluctance to part with her grown-up brother...
Ouyang Rong stopped moving and fell silent.
He did not push Aqing's arm away.
The night was quiet.
(End of this chapter)
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