Chapter 952 He still has to thank us!
"Don't rush, make sure you're fully prepared before you go!"
Inside the room, Li Wan calmly analyzed the situation for her son.
Lu Jinghong froze on the spot.
After a long silence, he said in a muffled voice, "I'm just afraid that little beast will come and never come back."
Li Wan shook her head: "If it really wanted to run away, it would have already taken the treasure and wouldn't be coming back. There's no use in you going now. And if it didn't run away, then it won't make a difference if it takes a little longer."
Lu Jinghong pursed his lips, seemingly agreeing with the statement, returned to his seat, and put down his sword.
Li Wan squinted, walked back to the table, and continued:
"Moreover, in my opinion, this little beast will most likely come back. Think about it, why did it and the strange treasure appear in this red leaf forest behind? First of all, it's definitely not because you, me, or Liu Aliang next door live here, but because this red leaf forest is special, or rather, this island is special. It and the strange treasure need to stay here and brew something."
"They must be here often, otherwise how could it be such a coincidence that they were discovered by you in the kitchen on their first time passing by? They must be repeat offenders; they've been staying in this red maple forest behind here quite a bit."
Lu Jinghong, who was still angry, listened to the conversation and glanced at the screen, his anger subsiding considerably.
He nodded slightly:
"Hmm, Mother has a point. This little beast was able to sneak into Yunmeng Sword Marsh without being discovered by the Queen, so he must not be around often. This island is mostly used by servants, and the Yue women rarely come here, making it a good hiding place..."
Li Wan chuckled softly:
“That’s right, so the most important thing right now is to keep it quiet and not let others find out. The less noise you make, the better… Jinghong did the right thing tonight. She didn’t let A Liang and Miss Song notice, and even my mother was almost fooled by you.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Jinghong felt slightly embarrassed, as the praise sounded rather odd.
Li Wan remained calm and analyzed:
"Since it won't run away anytime soon, we can take our time and search for this red maple forest slowly. Maybe it's hiding now, but will reappear after a few days of waiting?"
Lu Jinghong clenched his fist tightly and waved it in the air:
"good!"
He said unhappily, "Once we catch it, I'll let it know who's blind."
Li Wan reached out and patted the young man in brocade robes on the shoulder:
“My son is still fortunate to have encountered such a rare item… However, Jinghong, you must be more careful when you encounter similar things in the future, and not let luck go to your head.”
The noblewoman said earnestly:
"It should be known that wherever there are rare and precious natural treasures, there will be spirit beasts accompanying you within three steps."
"So when you see treasure, your first reaction should be to be wary. There's no such thing as a free lunch, and treasure is definitely not something that's easy to get."
Lu Jinghong was taken aback after hearing this. He looked at his mother, who had a serious expression on her face, and couldn't help but ask:
"Is that even a saying? Where did Mother hear that?"
Li Wan nodded, her expression serious, and said:
"That's what the ancient books say, just like how there's always an antidote around a poisonous snake in the wild, it's the same principle."
After listening, Lu Jinghong's expression froze for a moment. He looked at Li Wan and murmured something:
“Mother is so eager to learn… Indeed, there is always something to learn from every one of us in a group of three.”
He clasped his hands in a fist salute to his mother:
"Mother, I have learned a lot."
Li Wan slightly raised her chin:
"Hmph, you brat, are you not going to continue saying your mother is a foolish woman now?"
"I won't dare again. I really won't dare again."
Li Wan grasped her son's right hand, looked at it with a hint of heartache, and spoke with a touch of relief:
"Fortunately, it wasn't a bite, just a cut from a sword. If the spirit beast guarding the treasure were poisonous and only the treasure could cure it, that would be terrible."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jinghong's face also showed a hint of fear.
...
night.
The moon is shining brightly.
After seeing off Song Zhian, Yu Mili, and Sha Ergou, Li Wan and her son Lu Jinghong were the last to leave.
Sha Ergou originally wanted to stay overnight, but Ouyang Rong politely declined.
The excuse was simple: he said Aqing might come back at night.
Although Sha Ergou was stunned, he knew the importance of politeness and could only leave regretfully, returning to Zhutang overnight.
Before Sha Ergou returned, Lu Jinghong asked him to ask for a day off on his behalf, the reason being the injury to his right palm.
Ouyang Rong witnessed the whole thing without saying a word.
Once the courtyard was empty, Ouyang Rong locked the gate as usual.
He turned and glanced at the empty courtyard. After pausing for a moment, he took a step and went back to the main house first.
The leftover dishes from dinner were still on the table. Ouyang Rong, with a blank expression, tidied them up one by one and took them into the kitchen.
He went to the window where Lu Jinghong had been that night.
The sink was right under the window, and he bent down to wash the dishes.
After a short while, as if feeling a little suffocated, the taciturn young man casually pushed it away and continued washing the dishes with his head down.
Just then, a dark shadow flew in from the darkness outside.
The image vaguely resembles a small figure sitting on a flying stick, drifting leisurely into the window.
From Ouyang Rong's perspective, the sight of this dark figure flying in looked like it was descending from the moon in the sky.
"Little Rongzi, welcome the emperor!"
The familiar voice of the little ink spirit came through.
The one who returned was Miaosi, and the little flying stick she was riding was the Peach Blossom Spring scroll.
Ouyang Rong didn't even look up, slowly washing the dishes.
Miao Si crossed her arms, her chin practically pointing to the sky, and snorted coldly:
"Hurry up and welcome the emperor!"
Ouyang Rong's movements remained unchanged.
As Miao Si rode the bronze scroll through the window, a flash of azure light appeared on its surface. Then the scroll shook itself, and Miao Si cried out "Ouch!" as she was thrown off.
Having freed itself from its burdensome teammates, the bronze scroll flew back to Ouyang Rong's side with a "whoosh," circling him three times.
The "exotic treasure" scroll that Lu Jinghong had been desperately seeking had now obediently and spontaneously fallen into Ouyang Rong's hands.
He glanced down at it, then casually tucked the bronze scroll into his waistband.
If Lu Jinghong and her son were present and witnessed this scene, they would surely be astonished.
Why aren't you saying anything?
She was quick-witted and observant. Her voice was a little soft.
Ouyang Rong remained silent for a while. After washing the dishes, he wiped his hands and then spoke:
"Everything went according to plan?"
"Of course."
Ouyang Rong asked, "What happened to the wound?"
"Oh, you mean, why not bite?"
"Um."
"I thought about it for a moment. The bite mark looks a bit strange. If it is discovered by an expert, it is easy for them to chase after me. So I changed the method."
Ouyang Rong stared at her and asked:
"That sword wound, wasn't inflicted by you using [Craftsmanship] or [Humble Scholar]?"
"Nonsense, how could this fairy be so foolish?"
Miao Si rolled her eyes, jumped onto his shoulder, grabbed his earlobe, and muttered:
"I used a knife to make the cut. The wound on the sword is more noticeable than my teeth, how could I have used a knife?"
Ouyang Rong's expression softened somewhat, and after a moment, he nodded and said:
Did he see you?
Miao Si immediately put on a stern face:
"No. I struck when he picked up the scroll and was most careless. This little brat is too easy to manipulate. He really thinks he's found a treasure. He doesn't even know his own limitations. How could a pie fall from the sky for nothing?"
She paused. Then, somewhat indignantly, she said:
"How dare he call me a big rat! He's blind to my true nature, that's too much! Next time, I'll really bite him!"
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly:
"You want a next time?"
"What, this little bit of blood is enough?"
Miao Si chuckled and said:
"What if after entering that strange door you find that you need a lot of Lu family blood to open the seal, will you still come back to get it?"
Ouyang Rong remained silent. He turned and walked towards the hidden basin of water.
Miao Si sat on his shoulders, propped her chin up with her hands, and looked at him with a half-smile, her eyes darting around.
"Xiao Rongzi, you're really wicked tonight. You even came up with such a bad idea. If that kid Lu knew, he'd probably be furious."
Ouyang Rong spoke:
"Alright, that's enough, Mouse."
"?"
Miao Si's face immediately darkened, and she protested in dissatisfaction:
"Who are you calling a mouse, huh?"
Ouyang Rong nodded, but then suddenly offered a word of praise:
"It's a good thing that he calls you 'mouse'."
Before his brilliant idea could take flight, Ouyang Rong continued speaking rapidly:
"At least it shows that I really didn't see you clearly. But Brother Lu's made-up reason is quite reasonable. You do like to sneak desserts."
Miao Si pouted:
"If only he had some dessert. I've been wronged by him. No, next time I really have to steal some. I can't be wronged for no reason."
"Um?"
Ouyang Rong's sharp gaze swept over them, and his quick thinking immediately changed his tune:
"Just kidding, how come you have no sense of humor at all? You're boring."
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"This is not something to joke about."
He added somewhat seriously:
"If I hadn't had to go down the mountain so urgently to collect blood, I wouldn't have set up this scheme so hastily and used such crude methods to collect blood... This scheme was a bit too deliberate and not natural enough."
Miao Si was a little hesitant:
"Isn't this thorough enough? What kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder do you have? This fairy thinks she's pretty amazing."
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"We shouldn't have used the Peach Blossom Spring Map and you as bait at all; it was too dangerous and not worth it. But now it seems that Young Master Lu is a bit slow-witted, and he's also someone who likes to overthink things and is self-centered. This scheme was set up just right. The result is barely acceptable."
Miao Si rolled her eyes at him:
"Whether you're satisfied or not, I don't care. You've already done the work, so don't try to take advantage of me."
"Um."
Ouyang Rong nodded earnestly: "Thank you for your hard work."
"Hmph, at least they have some conscience."
Miao Si crossed her arms, raised her head, glanced at him, and didn't forget to wave her little fist:
"But don't forget my benefits. This fairy hates freeloading the most, remember, the most, without exception."
Ouyang Rong nodded with a smile.
Miao Si clapped her hands. "Going to sleep now. From now until you leave the house tomorrow, you are not allowed to open this fairy's wardrobe door."
Ouyang Rong asked curiously, "You sleep naked?"
"Bullshit. Sometimes I really don't want to get too close to you."
Miao Si snorted coldly, left a single sentence, and made a hasty retreat.
Ouyang Rong was quiet for a while, then turned around to wash his hands, before taking out the basin and the blood-stained towel from that day, and began to deal with the situation.
The blood on Lu Jinghong's palm was diluted a bit by the water, but it wasn't a big problem. The advantage of this basin of blood was its large quantity.
After a short while, Ouyang Rong finished cleaning the basin and towel, and collected all the blood into six brand-new bamboo tubes.
Ouyang Rong opened a bamboo tube, glanced down at the scarlet blood inside, and slowly nodded, his expression somewhat satisfied.
The blood of the Lu family has finally been obtained. Such a large quantity should be enough.
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment, then reached out his hand from a distance.
The Peach Blossom Spring painting flew into his hand. He casually flicked it, and the scroll unfurled, revealing the lifelike painting.
Ouyang Rong carefully placed the six small bamboo tubes into the painting and preserved them.
After doing all this, Ouyang Rong breathed a sigh of relief.
Despite the risk of being ostracized by Chen Jiaxin tonight, I invited Song Zhian, Yu Mili, and others to dinner, and it was definitely worth it.
Everything needed for the descent down the mountain has been prepared.
We can go down the mountain now.
This time, he's going to thoroughly explore that blood-bronze gate... well, he's going to explore it for Brother Lu.
Ouyang Rong nodded, turned off the lights, closed the window, and turned to leave the kitchen.
It just so happens that in the coming days, Lu Jinghong and Li Wan, mother and son, will likely pay extra attention to this red maple forest behind them.
He went down the mountain and was away day and night, which made it convenient for them to move around.
Thinking of this, Ouyang Rong smiled.
...
The following afternoon, Ouyang Rong got ready and went out the door.
He hung a bamboo tube containing a picture of Peach Blossom Spring and a magic ink stick from his birth year.
He closed the courtyard gate tightly and first went to Li Wan's courtyard to knock on the door.
Li Wan opened the door; Lu Jinghong was not there. Ouyang Rong gave Li Wan some instructions:
If Aqing comes back, please pass on a message, saying that he has gone down the mountain.
Li Wan, who had just finished her afternoon nap and was still not fully awake, paused for a moment, then asked calmly:
"Is Ah Liang going to be out for a long time?"
Ouyang Rong, seemingly without much thought, casually said:
"About half a month, I think. Last month when I went down the mountain to buy supplies, it took about the same amount of time. This time, the canteen is short of some key ingredients, so I need to go down the mountain to pick them out..."
Once Li Wan regained her senses, she didn't listen to Ouyang Rong's subsequent explanation at all, or rather, she wasn't interested in it at all.
The noblewoman only cared about how long Ouyang Rong had been gone.
She nodded with a smile:
"Alright, alright, half a day, right? It's a small matter. Brother Liang, you can go with peace of mind. If Miss Qing comes back, I will entertain her for you."
Ouyang Rong expressed his sincere gratitude:
"Thanks for your hard work."
"It's nothing."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Ouyang Rong gladly took his leave.
He arrived at the purchasing office at the agreed time.
As the descent from the mountain approached, the purchasing department became busy. People came and went at the warehouse entrance, and empty boxes were loaded onto the boat. They would be taken down the mountain to replenish supplies.
Ouyang Rong knew the way well and went to find Madam Chen, but after looking around, he couldn't find her anywhere.
I pulled over a waiter and asked, and found out that Madam Chen had gone to Lantang on some business.
Ouyang Rong wasn't in a hurry and started wandering around the warehouse.
He had worked in the warehouse before, so he was fairly familiar with the people there. He would occasionally lend a hand as he walked around.
Although he is currently the most popular "legendary figure" among the miscellaneous servants of Jianze, he is completely unpretentious.
The purchasing agents also became familiar with his taciturn and honest nature. Although he didn't talk much, he was down-to-earth and kind, and he didn't forget old friends even after he became successful... so they grew closer to him.
A moment later, Madam Chen returned leisurely, glanced at the popular, taciturn man, and gestured with her eyes:
"Liu Aliang, come with me for a moment."
(End of this chapter)
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