Chapter 679 The scene shifted abruptly; Yue, the virgin, was seen in the man's arms. [Last three days of the month, please vote!]
"Just lean the umbrella against the door, please sit wherever you like, make yourselves at home, don't be shy. The embroiderer and I are also very casual with ourselves."
In the quiet courtyard, Ouyang Rong was the first to enter and casually greeted the guests.
He raised his hand and waved to Yuan Huaimin and Li Yu, who were following him in with curious expressions, signaling them to relax.
“Lianghan, your courtyard is indeed quite close to Chengtian Temple, just a few steps away.”
Yuan Huaimin looked around, his expression showing great interest.
Li Yu followed the two without saying a word, and was the last to enter the room. She helped Yuan Huaimin shake the raindrops off his umbrella, leaned the umbrella against the door, and bent down to straighten her clothes.
When he looked up, Ouyang Rong and Yuan Huaimin had already entered the hall, poured tea and water, and the two turned to Li Yu with smiles, beckoning him over.
"Brother Yu, don't be so polite, come in quickly."
Yuan Huaimin waved casually:
"It's not like we're at the mansion in Huaiye Lane. The meddlesome Madam Zhen isn't here. Let's relax. Brother Lianghan, please have dinner. It'll be just like a family dinner."
Li Yu nodded first, then shook his head after taking the teacup from Ouyang Rong with both hands:
"With the young master's wife here, we still need to be careful. After all, we're here for a meal, and we can't let her think we're being impolite."
Ouyang Rong smiled and glanced at Li Yu's rather serious expression.
He and Yuan Huaimin are quite different in temperament.
However, it must be said that the two of them have gotten along quite well while living in the same courtyard these days.
Yuan Huaimin was an open-minded and easygoing person with a free and unconventional personality, but he also had little sense of time.
For example, when Ouyang Rong came to invite them to dinner, Yuan Huaimin dawdled for a long time before leaving. Ouyang Rong and Li Yu waited at the door for quite a while. Most importantly, while Yuan Huaimin was tidying up inside the house, he kept saying: "Almost done, almost done, wait for me."
The pancake was just something he made up on the spot, mainly to create a false impression.
Li Yu appears to be easygoing and plump, but he is actually very cautious in his dealings with people and things. He is also very organized, meticulous, and has a strong sense of time.
Previously, the Li family served as Yunmeng Jianze's informant in Xunyang City. They ran a herbal medicine shop, and diligence is essential in any business. The Li family had a good family tradition.
Therefore, Yuan and Li living together is a way of complementing each other. Ouyang Rong noticed that Yuan Huaimin's courtyard was much cleaner and tidier during his recent visits, which seems to be thanks to Li Yu's quiet tidying up.
To paraphrase Yuan Huaimin's later whiny, snitch-like words: "Brother Li has obsessive-compulsive disorder. He arranges the straight tree branches he picks up during his walks inside the house neatly on the wall, like rows of swords."
Ouyang Rong felt that the two of them each had their own strengths.
Being with that old rascal Yuan Huaimin is, in short, comfortable; there's a kind of beauty that makes you want to just laze around together.
As for Li Yu... Ouyang Rong had some admiration for him.
To run a dozen or so family-run herbal medicine shops in Xunyang City and become a wealthy man... well, that's a bit of a waste of talent.
However, it can also be seen that this person lived a very down-to-earth life in the first half of his life, marrying and having daughters, managing the family business, and not having any great desires.
By the way, Li Yu also greatly respects cultured scholars. This can be seen not only from his admiration for Ouyang Rong, but also from the fact that he invited "Female Teacher Yu Nianyuan" to teach his only daughter, Li Shu, how to read and write.
This person has the air of a Confucian businessman, valuing culture and not being materialistic.
Although both are merchants, Pei Shisan Niang is more ruthless. She loves gambling and thrills and adventures. Before being reformed by Ouyang Rong, she was crazy about profit and would do anything that made money.
The two men represent two types of merchants: conservative and radical.
The reason why Ouyang Rong was able to bail this person out from Rong Zhen and Old Yangtou when he was in the water dungeon of the state prison was because of this.
Appreciation is also a reason.
Even under the inhuman torture of waterboarding, he remained tight-lipped, refusing to reveal Yue Chuzi's whereabouts, refusing to betray his former master to save his life, and even engaging in a battle of wits with Rong Zhen. Only after being exposed did he bitterly laugh and beg for death.
Tell me, which master wouldn't like a subordinate like that?
Because once he's captured, he truly won't sell you out, even if he's ruthlessly abandoned by his master, similar to when Yunmeng Jianze was exposed and temporarily evacuated Xunyang, abandoning Li Yu and the others.
Therefore, not everyone is qualified to be invited by Ouyang Rong to this courtyard to eat the meals prepared by the embroiderer.
Inside the lobby, the three rested for a while and drank some tea.
During this time, Ouyang Rong did not have much interaction with Li Yu. Just now, when he was waiting for the slow-moving Yuan Huaimin in Yuan Huaimin's courtyard, they did not have much interaction either.
He didn't talk to Li Yu about the warning he gave Yan Liulang that afternoon.
Ouyang Rong remained silent, and Li Yu did not ask any questions.
The two acted as if nothing had happened, with Yuan Huaimin the only one grinning foolishly. As long as he wasn't at work and could enjoy free food, he was happy.
Yuan Huaimin may still be a little confused about what happened at Chengtian Temple today, but Li Yu certainly isn't.
The Fang sisters, representing Yunmeng Jianze, had just arrived when Chengtian Temple was surrounded by heavy troops. He should know what happened.
However, the fact that Li Yu did not participate in the matter between the Fang sisters and Master Yizhi shows that his attitude towards Yunmeng Jianze has changed, subtly... changed.
Ouyang Rong chuckled softly.
At this moment, Yuan Huaimin turned his gaze towards the kitchen in the backyard where some noise was coming from, and gestured with his chin, asking:
"Lianghan, is your sister-in-law cooking in the kitchen?"
"Um."
"Isn't there any servant here? We can't really afford to have our sister-in-law cook for us."
Ouyang Rong slowly sipped his tea: "Then don't eat it."
"No, I must try the dishes my sister-in-law made. I can't let you and my sister-in-law's kindness go to waste."
"It's okay if we let you down, we have good tempers."
"No, no."
Yuan Huaimin shook his head firmly, and after a moment, looked curiously toward the kitchen in the backyard.
Li Yu, standing next to him, didn't even glance at him, as if he didn't care about anything.
Yuan Huaimin asked another curious question:
"Lianghan, when did you meet this embroiderer? How come you've settled down here and have a little place? I didn't know. We see each other almost every day. You've been hiding this from me for too long. Well, what else are you hiding from me?"
Ouyang Rong stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and asked in return:
"You and Commander Yi are old flames, and I didn't even know? Why didn't you tell me sooner? Is there anything else you're hiding from me?"
Yuan Huaimin's face darkened:
"That's all. What could I possibly be hiding from you? Would I be as disloyal as you? Besides, I've said it countless times, Qiu Niang and I have nothing going on. We're cousins. Don't talk nonsense; it's an insult to civility!"
Yuan Da Changshi shook his sleeves, his face flushed slightly, and he was somewhat angry.
Ouyang Rong chuckled and decided not to tease him about this sensitive issue anymore.
At this moment, Li Yu snapped out of her daze and spoke softly:
"Young master, please ask Madam to prepare less food. We can't finish it all. Lord Yuan and I also need to go back early later, so there's no need for us to work so hard."
"It's alright, it's the embroiderer's idea. She knew I brought friends and wanted to treat them well. If they can't eat, they can't eat. Like Brother Huaimin said, the thought is what counts. At worst, well, at worst, I'll eat. I have a big appetite, I've developed it."
"Please wait a moment, I'll go to the kitchen to check. The food will be ready soon. We already have Dongpo pork. I guess the embroiderer wants to add a few more dishes."
Ouyang Rong smiled, finished his tea in one gulp, patted his sleeves, and got up to go to the backyard.
Yuan Huaimin and Li Yu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with amusement.
Before long, they heard Ouyang Rong enter the kitchen, seemingly talking to the embroiderer.
But strangely, only Ouyang Rong's voice could be heard in the kitchen, not the embroiderer's. It was as if Ouyang Rong was asking and answering himself.
Yuan Huaimin looked puzzled.
Li Yu didn't pay much attention, and was somewhat absent-minded throughout, occasionally turning his head to glance in the direction of Chengtian Temple.
Fifteen minutes later, Ouyang Rong, wearing a small apron, carried two plates of food out of the kitchen and into the main hall.
"Come on, let's eat in the main hall. There's rainwater on the stone table in the courtyard, so let's not go there."
Ouyang Rong entertained the two and led them to a octagonal table in the main hall for a meal.
Yuan Huaimin took his seat directly.
Li Yu was particular, so she washed her hands first.
The well was in the southeast corner of the backyard. He had to walk around the long corridor to get to the well. As he was drawing water to wash his hands, he heard someone coming out from the direction of the kitchen to his right. Their footsteps mingled with those of Young Master Ouyang. The two of them carried dishes to the main hall together.
Li Yu did not turn around.
Without even guessing, he knew it must be the young master's wife—well, to put it bluntly, his kept mistress who hadn't been brought home yet.
The relationship was definitely a bit complicated, but Li Yu didn't ask too many questions. He listened to other people's family affairs and spoke nicely, calling them "Madam" and that was it.
"Haha, thank you, sister-in-law. There's enough food, no need for alcohol... Hey, why are you going to get more? You're too kind. Alright, madam, please be careful when you walk..."
Li Yu heard Yuan Huaimin's laughter and greetings coming from the main hall.
His face was serene. After washing his hands, he turned and returned to the lobby.
As Li Yu stepped through the gate, he was greeted by a pretty young girl with a sky-blue ribbon blindfolding her eyes. She carefully carried a pot of wine, groped her way back to the table, and bent down to pour wine for Yuan Huaimin, her face turned towards him at the door.
Li Yu seemed to be frozen in place, his feet rooted to the spot at the lobby entrance. Ouyang Rong stepped forward and offered him a towel to wipe his hands, but he ignored it.
Ouyang Rong noticed that the slightly overweight rich man's pupils contracted slightly.
He suddenly asked:
"What are you daydreaming about, Master Li?"
Li Yu suddenly woke up, first looking at Ouyang Rong, then turning to look at Zhao Qingxiu and Yuan Huaimin.
He looked at it twice, swallowing hard.
"No...it's nothing."
Ouyang Rong carefully examined the slightly flustered Li Yu and asked softly:
"Are you really alright?"
"N-nothing."
Li Yu quickly looked away, ran to sit down, and looked down at the food.
Zhao Qingxiu, wearing an apron, scooped out a bowl of rice and handed it to him.
Li Yu didn't look up, just mumbled "uh-huh" as she took the rice and started eating.
He ate the entire meal in a very hurried manner, constantly staring at the plate of Dongpo pork in front of him, and after finishing one, he would immediately grab another plate without stopping.
He remained silent.
Ouyang Rong glanced at the dishes and decided that he didn't need to finish them; Brother Li could eat them all.
Li Yu was a man of few words, so Yuan Huaimin didn't pay much attention to it.
Perhaps because there was a woman present, or perhaps because he noticed her unusual behavior of being blindfolded and silent, Yuan Huaimin remained mostly silent throughout the meal. He didn't ask Ouyang Rong many questions at the table, but occasionally praised the girl's cooking as delicious.
Zhao Qingxiu beamed with joy at the compliments, and judging from the movement in their bowls that they were full, she frequently served them rice.
Yuan Huaimin waved his hand to decline, while Li Yu accepted every bowl. He had just told Ouyang Rong that he didn't have a big appetite, so it seems he was just being modest.
Ouyang Rong smiled and put some food on Zhao Qingxiu's plate. The two sat close together, and Zhao Qingxiu ate her food with her head down, taking small bites, her body slightly leaning against Ouyang Rong, like a little wife.
This scene made Yuan and Li glance at it sideways.
Yuan Huaimin's eyes held a sly smile. Li Yu licked his dry lips, quickly raised his wine glass, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
Yuan Huaimin was stunned for a moment.
This is his wine glass, because Ouyang Rong didn't pour wine for Li Yu.
Yuan Huaimin looked puzzled:
"Brother Yu, don't you not drink? Every time I invite you to Xunyang Tower, you refuse, saying you don't drink a drop and want to stay rational."
"Good wine, haha, I'm so happy today, why bother with rationality?"
Li Yu blushed and smiled as he looked at Yuan Huaimin.
He didn't look at the young man in a scholar's robe and the blindfolded mute woman across the way who were looking up curiously.
Before long, they had eaten and drunk their fill.
As Yuan Huaimin and Li Yu prepared to leave, Ouyang Rong personally saw them off at the door.
"Let's go, I'll see you off, and we can take a walk together. Hmm, Brother Li, why do you seem so absent-minded today?"
"It's delicious, because it's delicious. The young... young mistress's cooking is very good." Li Yu murmured, nodding with great certainty.
"Is that so?" Ouyang Rong chuckled.
"Yes!" Li Yu nodded vigorously, looking at the distant mountain scenery, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Then come again next time." Ouyang Rong nodded, and Li Yu swallowed hard.
Before the three of them left, Zhao Qingxiu came to the door and gently tugged at Ouyang Rong's sleeve.
Ouyang Rong was joking and talking with Yuan Huaimin and Li Yu when he asked without turning his head, "What's wrong?"
Zhao Qingxiu lowered her head and wrote on his palm: 【Where are Juxiu and Shengnan? Why aren't they home?】
Ouyang Rong's face still held the smile he had when he was joking with Yuan Huaimin and Li Yu: "They went back and said they would come to see you again in a while."
Zhao Qingxiu tilted her head slightly: "Oh."
Immediately, as if remembering the arrangements the three of them had made that morning, she lowered her head slightly.
Before leaving, Ouyang Rong gently patted her head with his large hand:
"The embroiderers are waiting for me at home. I'll see them off and then come back shortly."
"Um."
Zhao Qingxiu smiled faintly, stood on tiptoe, and straightened his collar.
Not far from the door, Li Yu couldn't help but turn around and glance at the two deeply in love. His gaze fell on the sweet dimples on the blindfolded mute girl's face. The fat man turned his head and took a deep breath.
A moment later, Zhao Qingxiu, who could not see clearly, watched the three people leave from the doorway.
After they left, Zhao Qingxiu stood quietly for a while, then raised her hands and groped her way back into the courtyard.
Without the Fang sisters, the courtyard became completely quiet.
She didn't bother to clear the table or wash the dishes; instead, she walked straight to the main room.
Zhao Qingxiu went to a wardrobe in a corner, opened it with practiced ease, and took out a sword wrapped in gray cloth from the bottom of the box.
Zhao Qingxiu paused for a moment, then drew her long sword.
The deep, eerie glow unique to bronze permeated the dimly lit room.
If Ouyang Rong were present, he would have noticed that the blade of this longsword was entirely made of blood bronze.
The materials and bronze texture are far more exaggerated than those of previous bronze short swords.
Moreover, the blood bronze material that makes up the blade of this longsword is subtly different from all the Yunmeng Tokens he had previously seized.
It was covered with large patches of dark red spots, as if it had been splattered with the blood of some unknown creature.
The bloodstains, which appear to be dried, complement the deep texture of the bronze itself.
Ancient and eerie.
It resembles a bloody ritual object used by a priest of an ancient human tribe after presiding over a human sacrifice ceremony.
It pleases either wild beasts or gods.
...
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