Chapter 615 Ouyang Lianghan is no fool [5k8, please vote!]
"Sister, the fish soup here in Xunyang is still the best. It's better if it's a little salty. The food outside is too bland."
"Sis, what are you looking at? What's so interesting about those rubbish articles on the wall? They're not pictures of handsome men and beautiful women."
"Why does my sister always like this kind of thing? Last time we went to see the lanterns on the Lantern Festival, the riddles almost made me fall asleep. Luckily, a few stinky boys who were following you appeared behind me and cheered me up."
"Sister, what exactly is this health tea ceremony on the top floor? Why did the shopkeeper and maid at the counter not let us go up when they saw us? They said they were not accepting customers for the time being."
"But I clearly saw men go up there. Are they discriminating based on who they treat?"
On the second floor of Yunshui Pavilion, at a dining table by the window, Fang Shengnan held a large bowl of fish soup in both hands, took a few sips to warm her stomach, and then talked a lot in a loud and boisterous manner.
Even rice soup can't shut you up.
Fang Juxiu shook his head, his eyes still fixed on a white mural not far away, in which poems and inscriptions were posted for people to appreciate.
"The old saying 'don't talk while eating or sleeping' is outdated. Nowadays, when you're out in the world, you have to drink from big bowls and eat meat heartily, chat with chivalrous heroes, and associate with no weaklings..."
Fang Shengnan has accumulated a wealth of special knowledge during this trip.
As if remembering something, she put down her bowl, leaned forward, and lowered her voice mysteriously:
"Sister, I heard from the young heroes I know that at the last secret meeting, only about ten people were qualified to enter the innermost meeting room and meet Her Majesty the Great Lady of Yunmeng. They were all big shots who dominated the Tiannan Jianghu or hidden masters with top-notch Qi Refining cultivation. I heard that before the secret meeting ended, the Second Lady cooked a rare snow white sturgeon in a large cauldron to entertain the attendees."
Fang Shengnan smacked her lips and said with an envious look:
"Wow, that's impressive, sis. By the way, what does this white sturgeon soup actually taste like? Is it different from what we drink?"
At this point, she straightened her back and clenched her fist: "A true heroine should be like this."
Fang sighed, "Alright, stop being greedy and looking at what others have."
"Sister, people always need to have something to look forward to in life. What's the difference between someone without dreams and a salted fish?"
Fang Shengnan stubbornly muttered a few more words, then asked expectantly:
"Sister, if we bring Yue... bring that young mistress back safely, wouldn't we be qualified to let them cook white sturgeon in a cauldron and taste this flavor?"
"Shhh."
Fang raised his sleeve, turned around, and glared at Fang Shengnan, who shrank back and quickly fell silent.
"What is your sister looking at?"
Seeing that Fang Juxiu had turned her head again, Fang Shengnan followed her sister's gaze and looked at the painted wall with poems and inscriptions in the distance.
In the most prominent position, there is a poem that has been carefully and meticulously framed by the shop owner.
"On the Lantern Festival, the east wind blows, releasing a thousand trees of flowers... and scattering stars like rain... and the road is filled with the fragrance of precious carriages..."
Because of the distance, she had to squint to roughly see the ink characters on the poem raft. She read it aloud, and halfway through, she asked curiously:
"...The sound of phoenix flutes stirs, the jade pot shines, and fish and dragons dance all night... What is this? Signed... Ouyang Lianghan?"
"Shengnan, keep your voice down." Fang shook his head, raising his sleeve.
Fang Shengnan, however, was like a cat with its fur standing on end. She slammed her sword on the table with a "bang," indignantly.
"Sister, isn't that the corrupt official? He's the current governor of Jiangzhou, an accomplice to evil, a willing lackey of the court. Now, everyone in the Jianghu region of Tiannan wants to get rid of him as soon as possible."
Fang Juxiu paused for a moment, then looked away, lowered his head slightly, and began to drink his soup and eat.
"Perhaps."
"What do you mean 'maybe'? It's obvious. When this man first took office as the chief secretary, I had a good impression of him. I heard he was a renowned gentleman who had spoken up for the people... But now, he's become a high-ranking official and has started to crave power. He bows his head without saying a word to make a statue of the empress in Luoyang, willingly becoming an accomplice, and wasting his life and money... Now, all the righteous heroes and young knights of the Southern Jianghu regret misjudging him."
Fang Shengnan, who enjoyed drinking from large bowls and eating large chunks of meat, noticed that her older sister was eating her food in small, refined bites, just like at home, while she heard her sister speak in a calm tone:
"To judge a person, you should not look at other people's opinions, but examine what they have done, check their policies, and look at their writings and words."
"For example, if you say that he works hard and wastes money, then you should go and see the Buddha statue in Xunyang Grottoes and ask the people of Xunyang what they think of him, instead of listening to the general talk about him by those so-called chivalrous heroes who are neither in Xunyang nor Jiangzhou."
"Most of their judgments are based on their own perspectives, which easily leads to superficiality and arbitrary conclusions, you know?"
Fang reached out and ladled her another bowl of steaming hot fish soup, his voice softening:
“Shengnan, since you want to be a chivalrous woman who fights against evil and upholds justice, you shouldn’t have any vested interests. You should have less contact with those people in the future. You have an impatient nature and are easily influenced. You tend to follow others’ lead. But you should think things through for yourself and ask yourself if it’s really true.”
Fang Shengnan choked for a moment, frowned, thought for a moment, and muttered:
"That makes some sense, so is that why my sister went to the city to investigate as soon as she got off the ship? Is she researching these things?"
"But...but the ladies of Yunmeng Sword Marsh all oppose the Buddha he built. He can't escape responsibility for this, can he? The Donglin Buddha cannot be built; it would break the rules of the Tiannan Jianghu."
Fang Juxiu paused for a moment, then calmly said:
"Often, it's hard to do things, but it's easy to do nothing and just talk nonsense."
"Those who do things will always bear some infamy, especially since some things are sinful in the present but beneficial for future generations, while others are beneficial in the present but sinful for future generations. There are endless disputes and convoluted arguments, and everyone thinks they are right. Who can really explain it clearly?"
"But one thing is certain: talk less and do more."
She paused, then nodded and said:
"Shengnan, we're here on business, aren't we?"
“Yes, yes, we won’t make sarcastic remarks. But, sister, what do you think of Ouyang Lianghan? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, so it’s not sarcastic.”
Fang Juxiu drank the soup for a while, put down the bowl, stared at the soup bowl, and sighed softly:
"I agree with some of his policies and regulations after he took office in Xunyang, including his decision not to cause any disruption to the old town of Xingzifang."
"Leaving aside the Xunyang Grottoes and the Donglin Buddha, just talking about the construction of Shuangfengjian, his decision to build this water conservancy facility despite opposition was, in retrospect, very correct, solving the Xunyang River flood problem once and for all."
"Just saying this, he is worthy of the famous name of 'Good Man True Gentleman' and has not let down the elders and folks of Jiangzhou. In any case, as a citizen of Jiangzhou, it is definitely not appropriate to criticize him."
"As for people outside Jiangzhou, perhaps he himself doesn't care much about the public opinion outside of Jiangzhou..."
"In addition, before this poem 'Qing Yu An: Yuan Xi', I really like his poem 'On Chrysanthemums'. I especially like the line, 'If I were the Green Emperor in the future, I would make the peach blossoms bloom together...' It's really well written."
Fang raised his sleeves, looked at the fish soup, and spoke these words in a gentle voice.
As Fang Shengnan listened, her eyes widened in surprise:
"Such high praise, all of it is compliments, sis, are you bewitched by him?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just admiring it."
Fang Juxiu's eyes revealed a cold, distant, and analytical look:
"The book says, 'Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see clearly.' Sheng Nan, if you calm down, you'll find that many people in this world are just incompetent fools who look impressive on the outside, or are muddle-headed and incompetent on the inside, or are all bark and no bite. Sometimes these fools are alone, sometimes they gather in twos and threes, and sometimes they are a bunch of fools huddled together, even forming a group."
"But it also makes some people who are by no means incompetent stand out, such as the two ladies of Yunmeng whom we had the honor of meeting briefly that day, and Ouyang Lianghan who wrote this wonderful Lantern Festival poem... like a bright lamp in a dark room, you can see it at a glance when you look up."
"I'm not saying all this so that you, Shengnan, will look down on those incompetent people and make a sense of superiority. Rather, I'm saying it so that you can recognize these bright people and learn from them."
As the sage said, "When you see someone virtuous, think of emulating them; when you see someone not virtuous, reflect on your own shortcomings."
After saying that, without waiting for Fang Shengnan to speak, Fang raised her sleeves, turned her head, and called over a pretty maid dressed in rather revealing clothing, and said a few polite words to her.
The beautiful maid glanced at the painting, put it down, nodded, and left. A moment later, she returned and handed a poem to the gentle and quiet "pale-haired young master" guest.
"Thank you for your help."
Fang raised his sleeve and quietly tucked the handwritten poem "Qing Yu An: Lantern Festival" into his sleeve.
The beautiful maid received her tip and left happily, returning to the counter.
At this moment, a shopkeeper with a goatee came down from the third floor and said a few words to the counter on the second floor.
The beautiful maid glanced back at Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan, then returned and escorted the two young men, disguised as women, upstairs.
...
The old man with the goatee at the Yunshui Pavilion information counter arranged for Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan to stay in a large private room at the far end of the third floor.
As the two women entered, the two rows of people sitting in the private room all turned their eyes toward them.
Fang Juxiu subtly observed them.
All that could be seen were people from all walks of life: dockworkers, street thugs, shrewd vendors... and even an elderly person with a child.
They must be well-informed people who frequent the streets of Xunyang.
Fang raised his sleeve and nodded slightly, his expression unchanged.
However, Fang Shengnan, who had paid the bill, looked very dissatisfied. Seeing these dirty, sweaty, and smelly commoners, she glared at the old shopkeeper with the goatee.
"Not a single one is decent. Why are they being so perfunctory?"
The old shopkeeper with the goatee glanced at her, but didn't answer. He turned to the seemingly composed and calm "young master in pink and white" and said politely:
"Young masters, you want to find someone, but you won't draw a portrait for us. You just ask us to find some well-informed people in Xunyang... We won't say anything more and will do as you say."
“Well, these people spend all their time on the streets and alleys of Xunyang City. They’ve heard a lot of news and seen a lot of people. They should meet the conditions you two young masters have set. You two can ask them yourselves. If you need, you can go to the private room next door.”
Under the varied gazes of these ordinary people, Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan exchanged a glance.
Fang Shengnan leaned closer and whispered:
"Sis... I knew I shouldn't have looked for them. It was a waste of money, and they're so unreliable. I thought they were some kind of well-organized group, but it turns out they just recruit people off the street, right? Sis, you're right, it's a complete shoddy operation, a total shoddy operation. Since they recruit people off the street, why don't we just go ask around ourselves? We could at least get some exercise..."
The old shopkeeper with the goatee seemed not to have heard, maintaining his friendly smile as he waited for the two guests to reply.
"It's alright, just ask."
Fang Juxiu glanced at his younger sister, stepped forward, and stood before the crowd with a worried expression.
“My cousin went missing in Xunyang and hasn’t returned for two months. My family and I are very worried. Has anyone seen her? Well, her general characteristics are that she is mute…blind…and she has a missing little finger, an injury she sustained in an accident when she was a child…”
She gave a brief and concise introduction.
"Well, that's all the special features. There's nothing else. Have any of you seen her? If you can find her, so that we sisters can recognize each other, I will offer you ten taels of gold."
The people below exchanged glances.
They shook their heads one after another.
Before long, the door to the private room opened, and the crowd of people left one after another.
Only Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan remained in the private room.
"Sister, I should have listened to you instead of running around like this. I wasted ten taels of gold."
Fang Shengnan said unhappily, "Speaking of which, should we file a complaint against this unscrupulous merchant?"
"Where are you going to file a complaint, with the government?"
"hateful."
"Let's go, consider it a lesson learned, let's go find that senior..."
Fang Shengnan looked dejected and left the private room with her sister, who remained calm.
The two women reached the stairwell, where the old shopkeeper with the goatee reappeared and blocked their way.
"Please wait, gentlemen."
"What's up?"
Fang Shengnan hugged the sword in her arms, her eyes wary.
"I just accidentally stepped on your bench before I left the house. Are you going to charge me for that?"
"..."
The old shopkeeper with the goatee looked somewhat speechless.
"That's not it. It's alright if you kick it a few more times, young master. And don't worry, our Yunshui Pavilion is a legitimate business and abides by the law. You two young masters don't need to worry."
He shook his head and reiterated the Yunshui Pavilion rules that he always kept in mind:
"We only act as intermediaries, helping with introductions and providing a safe and comfortable environment. We do not interfere in our guests' affairs. Whatever happens, you can discuss it yourselves; it has nothing to do with us. Just don't start a fight in Yunshui Pavilion. Otherwise, our pavilion will report it to the authorities."
"Understood, please speak, sir," Fang asked calmly, raising his sleeves.
The goatee-bearded shopkeeper paused, then raised his sleeve and said to Fang:
"Someone said they've seen it."
Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan were taken aback.
Can a makeshift team really be effective?!
...
"May I ask your surnames, gentlemen?"
“My surname is Sun, and this is my grandson.”
On the third floor, in a small private room.
The tea was prepared, but the two groups of people on either side of the table did not touch it.
The goatee-bearded shopkeeper had vanished, and the private room was utterly silent.
The chubby grandfather and granddaughter in front of them only revealed their surnames, not their specific names. Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan exchanged a glance but did not ask any further questions.
"Are you from Xunyang, judging by your accent?"
Fang Shengnan asked curiously.
"Whether my son and I are from Xunyang or not is not important."
The chubby old man shook his head and asked seriously:
"I only have one question: what is the purpose of your search for that beautiful, blind, and mute young woman?"
"You intelligence brokers, you don't care about this?"
Fang Shengnan held her sword with a stern face.
The chubby old man pondered, "This trip also has a sense of morality."
Fang Shengnan gave the fat old man a second look and nodded:
"It's good that you're being righteous. Don't worry, my sister and I have no ill intentions. It's just that... we're looking for relatives. This little... little girl is very important to us. We're too busy protecting her. And to be honest... we wouldn't dare to force ourselves on her. That would be overestimating ourselves."
Fang Shengnan paused, as her sister Fang Juxiu cast a frowning glance at her.
She immediately shut up and didn't reveal any more information.
Unexpectedly, the chubby old man slowly nodded, seemingly agreeing with the following statement:
"That's true, they overestimated themselves."
"What do you mean, sir?" Fang Juxiu asked astutely.
"fine."
Sun Ze shook his head without changing his expression and continued to carefully examine Fang Shengnan and Fang Juxiu.
As he remained silent in thought, Fang suddenly pulled a sky-blue satin ribbon from his sleeve.
Without saying a word, he raised it as a gesture.
Upon seeing the familiar sky-blue ribbon, both the chubby grandfather and grandson were stunned.
After a moment of silence, Sun Ze exhaled, glanced at the ten taels of silver on the table, and then turned to his plump grandson, Sun Xing, who seemed hesitant to speak:
"It's alright, go ahead and speak."
Sun Xing hesitated for a moment with his chubby face, then whispered:
"Aside from seeing this blind and mute girl once during the Lantern Festival, I recently saw her again at the entrance of Taoshouzhai when I went to the East Market... Because I knew her, I paid a little more attention to her afterwards..."
"If nothing unexpected happens, she seems to go to Taoshouzhai to buy things every three days in the afternoon, traveling by carriage. Judging from the direction, she should live in Xingzifang. By the way, she is always accompanied by someone, after all, she is a blind and mute girl..."
Fang Juxiu and Fang Shengnan's eyes immediately locked.
"Tao Shou Zhai?"
...
"Grandpa, is it really appropriate for us to tell him?"
"What, are you worried that these two young ladies will cause trouble for that 'Young Master Yuan'?"
"It's not that, it's just that we feel they did us a favor by helping us make a fortune..."
"Silly grandson, look at those two young ladies. Putting aside whether they're looking for relatives or something else, do you think they can outmaneuver that important person?"
"What's the meaning?"
"Hey, let's worry a bit. Maybe next year for the Lantern Festival, that young master will bring two more young ladies with him..."
"Grandpa, do you mean we've ended up harming these two young ladies?"
"What do you mean by harming us? Maybe it's actually doing us a great service. Alright, never mind, we don't know anything anyway... My dear grandson, speaking of which, what should we wholesale as family heirlooms when we set up a lantern riddle stall next year? We should prepare several pieces this time, and the styles should be more varied. I've been thinking about this recently, so that our benefactor can have peace of mind."
"ah?"
The chubby child's young mind was completely baffled.
...
After saying goodbye to the Sun family, grandfather and grandson.
The Fang sisters walked down the stairs.
"Sister, what should we do next? Should we go find the senior to return the Cloud Dream Token first, or should we go find that young master first..."
Fang Shengnan asked in a low voice.
Fang raised his sleeve and pursed his lips.
Just then, a group of young gentlemen came upstairs, led by beautiful maids, seemingly heading to the top floor for a health-preserving tea ceremony.
The Fang sisters were coming downstairs when the two groups met at the top of the stairs on the second floor.
Fang Shengnan glanced across the street.
"Let's go to Taoshouzhai first..."
Fang raised his sleeves and lowered his eyes in thought. He had only spoken halfway when Fang Shengnan suddenly pulled him aside, seemingly to make way for him.
"What are you doing?" Fang Juxiu frowned.
The sound is a bit loud.
"Madam Fang! You're back?"
Suddenly, a joyful shout rang out from the group of young gentlemen.
Fang Juxiu was taken aback.
...
On the top floor of Yunshui Pavilion, in the "Juhua" private room.
Ouyang Rong was sitting face to face with Qin Yanqing, brewing tea.
"Brother Lianghan, do you come here often? How come you seem to know this place so well?"
Seeing that Ouyang Rong had calmly declined the invitation from the scantily clad, delicate tea master to exchange tea skills, Qin Yanqing asked with a rather strange smile.
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
“I used to come here often with my friends, but now that they’re not here, I haven’t been here for a long time.”
He hasn't been to Yunshui Pavilion for tea in a long time.
Today is a farewell party for Qin Yanqing.
He was leaving in the afternoon. After all, he was the chief clerk of the central army camp, assisting Qin Jingzhen. He was busy with frontline affairs and could not stay for long. The situation in Xunyang City was almost resolved, and the Xuanwu Camp was no longer needed for the time being.
Before long, after finishing their tea, Qin Yanqing solemnly bid farewell to Ouyang Rong, leaving with a letter of greeting from the latter to Old Master Qin.
After Qin Yanqing left, Ouyang Rong drank tea for a while longer.
After resting for a while, he got up and left.
As he walked downstairs and passed the second floor, Ouyang Rong caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.
Turning around, I saw it was the young master of the Li family from Xiushuifang who had gone to the Fang family a few days ago and been arrested.
His gaze shifted, and he noticed that the young master of the Li family seemed to be entangled with two handsome young men next to him.
Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow slightly and stopped in his tracks.
...
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(End of this chapter)
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