Chapter 295 Pipa
Ouyang Rong wasn't actually that interested in what Yuan Huaimin wrote.
I glanced at the sky.
It was close to noon.
Let's go.
After packing his things, Ouyang Rong greeted Yuan Huaimin.
Yuan Huaimin, who was preparing to flee, asked curiously, "Where are you going? Isn't Chief Secretary Ouyang going back for dinner?"
Ouyang Rong waved his hand and left: "If you don't want to eat, then forget it."
"Ah, go away, go away! I've been craving your esteemed residence's delicacies for a long time."
They rushed out with lightning speed.
Ouyang Rong chuckled.
He glanced sideways and said, "I'll eat, but you'll have to do me a favor this afternoon."
Yuan Huaimin's face immediately fell, and he stopped in his tracks: "What kind of help?"
Ouyang Rong: "Don't worry, it's something you like to do."
The details are unclear.
Yuan Huaimin became increasingly curious and gritted his teeth to follow.
At noon, the two went to the residence in Huaiye Lane, had a hearty meal, and then took a nap. When they woke up in the afternoon, they went directly to the West Gate, passing through Xingzifang.
"Where is Chief Secretary Ouyang going?"
"Twin Peaks, ever heard of it?"
"I have heard of it, but what is the Chief Secretary doing there?"
"Draw me, you draw for me."
"..."
About an hour later, Ouyang Rong and Yuan Huaimin, accompanied by several attendants, arrived at Shuangfengjian, about a mile outside the West Gate.
Ouyang Rong, familiar with the route, led the way.
Yuan Huaimin looked around anxiously from behind. The surrounding area was desolate and wild. This exiled Jiangzhou Sima occasionally showed some vigilance and panic, looking at the people around him as if he was afraid of being kidnapped and sold to Lingnan.
Ouyang Rong ignored him. In recent days, Ouyang Rong had come to Shuangfengjian many times to investigate the terrain and verify the theory.
The more he investigated, the more he felt that his seemingly perfect solution had potential.
However, Ouyang Rong was not arrogant and felt that he still needed to verify carefully.
Furthermore, digging a canal is not such a simple matter.
Although we already have experience with folding canals, we still need to consider practical factors such as mud quality and underground rock strata.
Moreover, digging a new canal on flat, loose land like Longcheng County is completely different from digging a canal in a mountain gully like Shuangfengjian, splitting the two peaks in two.
Regardless, Ouyang Rong needed to complete the preliminary research before Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, and other old acquaintances arrived.
"Sir Yuan, stop looking. No one here is trying to kidnap you. You can draw, right? Draw something for me."
While Yuan Huaimin was still in a daze, he noticed that Ouyang Rong had stuffed all the paintbrushes and other tools into his arms.
"Well... alright. Why did Chief Secretary Ouyang suddenly become interested in drawing this?"
The Jiangzhou Sima behind him muttered to himself.
Ouyang Rong ignored him and led the way, first heading to the main peak on the right to survey the map.
The freehand landscape paintings of the literati society are certainly different from the rigid engineering drawings. However, the painters of this era were not fools. They made this their profession and an important hobby, so they naturally had no shortage of talent and, to some extent, were proficient in everything.
Ouyang Rong offered some pointers and corrections, but Yuan Huaimin frowned and reluctantly adopted the strange painting method he was taught. Even the paintbrush he was given was strange. He shook his head and gritted his teeth and started painting.
After all, one is obligated to accept food and gifts.
During this time, Ouyang Rong glanced at it and found that it was much better than his straight-man drawing skills. However, this Yuan Grand Marshal always thought about artistic embellishment and added a few freehand blank strokes, but Ouyang Rong ruthlessly corrected them all.
The group climbed the main peak, then another peak, stopping frequently along the way to explore the terrain and sketch the landscape.
Yuan Huaimin looked utterly dejected. He had never found painting so difficult, mainly because the method taught by Ouyang Rong made the painting look too awkward.
What's worse, he didn't even know what he was drawing.
However, Yuan Huaimin noticed that Ouyang Rong, who was observing and supervising him, not only didn't scold him, but actually looked quite satisfied.
It's like seeing a ghost.
Yuan Huaimin shook his head.
At this moment, the group arrived at a clear spring under the shade of a tree and rested for a while. Ouyang Rong crossed the trickling stream, squatted down to draw water, and asked with a smile:
"Isn't Yuan Sima curious about what the painting is?"
Yuan Huaimin shook his head: "It seems complicated, and it's none of my business, so I won't ask."
He filled the water bag, tossed one to his companion, and the young scholar, now twenty, scooped up a mouthful of spring water with both hands, buried his face in it, tasted it, and found it sweet, which made him smile.
Although he wasn't interested in what to do right now, Yuan Huaimin glanced at Ouyang Rong, hesitated for a moment, and then asked about something else that interested him:
"Was Chief Clerk Ouyang previously the magistrate of Longcheng County?"
"Did you know me before, Yuan Sima?" Ouyang Rong asked casually.
I've heard a little about it.
"Aren't you just like me, having only recently arrived in Xunyang City?"
"Indeed, I have been wandering and serving as an official for several years. However, before I was demoted to Jiangzhou, I returned to Guanzhong and heard of the great name of Prefect Ouyang when I passed through Luoyang."
"His full name?" Ouyang Rong muttered, then shook his head and didn't ask any further questions.
Yuan Huaimin sighed, "The matter of Ouyang Changshi resigning from the position of Imperial Censor has indeed greatly shocked me."
Ouyang Rong smiled.
Yuan Huaimin stroked his beard and nodded: "Prefect Ouyang's excellent achievements in disaster relief and flood control in Longcheng County have spread throughout the country, becoming a model for the court to encourage officials in flood-stricken areas."
"Just do your job in your position."
"Oh, right." Yuan Huaimin seemed to remember something and turned to ask, "Is Chief Secretary Ouyang acquainted with the family of the Prince of Xunyang?"
Ouyang Rong squatted by the clear spring, washing his hands as usual, and said with his head down:
“When I was in charge of Longcheng, we naturally had some casual acquaintances… Why does Commander Yuan ask this?” He glanced at the skirt knife at his waist, his peripheral vision locking onto Yuan Huaimin, who was two zhang away.
Yuan Huaimin, completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere, immediately asked with a curious expression:
"Does Chief Secretary Ouyang know the refined, quiet, gentle, and virtuous little princess of the Xunyang Prince's family?"
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong didn't react for a moment. His attention shifted from the skirt knife, and he frowned, blurting out:
"Li Guo'er?"
Yuan Huaimin asked in confusion, "What?"
In this era, the nicknames of young ladies were generally only known to their fathers, brothers, friends, and other close relatives.
"It's nothing." Ouyang Rong asked calmly, "You're talking about the youngest daughter of the Prince of Xunyang, right? This... Princess?"
"That's right."
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at Yuan Huaimin. He looked away and muttered to himself, "Refined, quiet, gentle... and virtuous?"
“Yes.” Yuan Huaimin, on the other hand, was curious about Ouyang Rong: “Is there some slight discrepancy between your acquaintance with Chief Secretary Ouyang?”
"No...no."
When the conversation turned to amusing anecdotes about public opinion, Yuan Huaimin appeared quite energetic and chuckled, saying:
"This young princess has only recently arrived in Xunyang City. Although she has only participated in seven or eight literary gatherings and is rarely seen, she has amazed everyone at each one. She is erudite, knowledgeable, and well-mannered."
"The eminent monks and scholars who have had philosophical discussions with her all praise her highly, saying frankly that she has the talent to compose poems and is no less than a man. At present, this little princess of the Xunyang royal family is sought after by the circle of philosophical scholars in Xunyang and Kuanglu, and her reputation is far and wide."
"It's a pity that His Highness has become increasingly mysterious lately, attending literary gatherings less and less often. I'm just unlucky and have never had the chance to meet him."
Looking at Yuan Huaimin's regretful expression, Ouyang Rong nodded: "It seems that Yuan Sima is also a great scholar."
"No, no, it's just curiosity. Talented people emerge in every generation. The Xunyang Wang family has been exiled to Longcheng, Jiangzhou for so many years, yet the little princess who came from such a poor and remote place has such knowledge. She is truly a gift."
Yuan Huaimin sighed for a moment, then turned and asked, "It seems you know Chief Secretary Ouyang?"
Ouyang Rong immediately shook his head: "Not familiar at all."
Yuan Huaimin nodded regretfully: "Alright, I was hoping to get to know her and hear more about her refined and interesting stories. Besides her knowledgeable and reasonable personality, I wanted to learn more about her so that I would have something to talk about when I attend literary gatherings in the future."
An attendant handed Yuan Huaimin a bowl of spring water, and he took a sip.
Ouyang Rong glanced at the water in the bowl and had a feeling that there was a small piece of Wei Shaoxuan's intestines floating in it... Well, it was just his imagination, he came back to his senses.
“Actually…” Ouyang Rong hesitated slightly, then gently reminded him, “It’s better not to know too much about it.”
Why is that?
"It's nothing," Ouyang Rong shook his head.
Yuan Huaimin suddenly realized: "I understand. Chief Secretary Ouyang thinks that the Xunyang Prince's family is insecure and not favored by His Majesty, so it's best for us lowly officials to stay away?"
"Hmm." Ouyang Rong gave a soft hum, offering no explanation and moving on from the topic.
After all, you can't expect that once you've gotten to know her well, the little princess might one day hand you a bowl of water floating in your small intestine to quench your thirst.
After resting for a while, Ouyang Rong led Yuan Huaimin, who wanted to slack off, on their way again.
The group continued their exploration, drawing and mapping.
However, the chat during their rest by the spring did bring Ouyang Rong and Yuan Huaimin much closer. Yuan Huaimin started to talk, but Ouyang Rong shut him down.
Finally, as evening approached, under Ouyang Rong's strict demands, the talkative Yuan Huaimin finished painting as required.
Ouyang Rong let out a long sigh, rolled up the sketch, and put it into his sleeve.
He waved, signaling the group to return to Xunyang City.
On the way back, in the carriage, Ouyang Rong closed his eyes to rest, occasionally reaching into his sleeve to touch the scroll of the painting.
Yuan Huaimin lifted the carriage curtain and frequently looked at a tall building on the riverbank in the distance, seemingly lost in thought.
Ouyang Rong opened his eyes and said, "Let's send Yuan Sima back first. We'll be passing through Xingzifang anyway. Where does Yuan Sima live?"
Yuan Huaimin coughed and said, "No need. I'm also going to Chaisangfang, it's on my way."
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and nodded: "We usually don't serve late-night snacks at my humble abode."
"It's not about that, oh, why does Chief Secretary Ouyang think of me like that?" Yuan Huaimin's face flushed red, and he hurriedly pointed to the window, explaining:
"These two nights, there will be a pipa performance by Miss Qin at Xunyang Tower. I must go and support her."
Ouyang Rong casually asked, "Miss Qin?"
"Chief Secretary Ouyang doesn't know?"
"I don't know," Ouyang Rong said, shaking his head truthfully.
Yuan Huaimin stroked his beard, recounting the stories as if they were his own treasures:
"Xunyang Tower is the largest brothel in Jiangzhou. Qin Xiaoniangzi's real name is Qin Siyu. She was born into a wealthy family, but her family fell into decline, forcing her to enter the brothel to play the zither. She is the top courtesan of Xunyang Tower, with both exceptional talent and virtue!"
"Oh, a famous courtesan."
"What famous courtesan? Miss Qin is a 'pure courtesan,' do you understand?"
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Oh, a high-class courtesan, a top courtesan?"
“What courtesan! Prefect Ouyang, don’t talk nonsense.” Yuan Huaimin corrected: “A courtesan only sells her art, not her body.”
Ouyang Rong swallowed his words, glanced at Yuan Huaimin's flushed face, and wondered if he continued speaking, Yuan Huaimin would attack him, even though he usually seemed quite timid.
However, intellectuals always have some strange stubborn points.
"I see, so Yuan Sima likes this kind of thing."
Yuan Huaimin's face darkened:
"Who says that the relationship between men and women can only be based on lust? I am not very interested in women anymore; I only appreciate the music of the zither."
"Miss Qin is a master of pipa music. Her music is like celestial music, and all who hear it praise her highly. Famous scholars in Xunyang are eager to befriend her."
Ouyang Rong laughed and said, "Alright, so you still say you're not a famous scholar?"
Yuan Huaimin was taken aback, probably not expecting Ouyang Rong's strange focus, and shook his head speechlessly:
"Besides appreciating it, I just want to find some inspiration, after all, there is still a masterpiece of our time waiting for me to compose."
At this moment, the carriage stopped in front of the mansion in Huaiye Lane.
Ouyang Rong instructed his attendant, who was acting as the coachman, to continue escorting people to Xunyang Tower.
Before getting out of the car, he patted Yuan Huaimin on the shoulder in a serious manner:
"Okay, good luck, Yuan Sima... wait a minute." Ouyang Rong turned around: "Your salary isn't even enough to eat, how are you going to listen to music?"
Yuan Huaimin, his neck stiff, looked as if he had suffered the most severe insult of the day. His face flushed red, and he spoke with righteous indignation:
"The voice of a true friend is as high as the mountains and as long as the rivers, a heart-to-heart connection... Why talk about such vulgar things as copper coins! The warmth of a true friend is different from the coldness of money. Prefect Ouyang, do not judge others by your own standards."
Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged. He wiped the saliva from his face, showing no anger whatsoever, and nodded.
"Alright, I admit I'm being vulgar. I'll be going now. Grand Marshal Yuan, go meet your friends. If you have any inspiration, remember to jot it down in your notebook, don't forget it while drinking."
Yuan Huaimin vehemently denied it: "What notebook? I don't have such a thing."
Ouyang Rong smiled and got out of the car.
Yuan Huaimin suddenly looked down and saw three loose silver coins on his robe. He picked them up and found they were still warm. He paused for a moment, then looked up and called out:
"Prefect Ouyang, you've dropped your silver..."
But at that moment, a casual voice belonging to a young clerk came from outside the carriage, interrupting him:
"You've been keeping me company while I paint today. This is a small fee that a commoner has insisted on giving you. Please accept it, esteemed scholar."
Inside the carriage, Yuan Huaimin fell silent.
...
Late at night, in Yinbingzhai's study.
A solitary lamp casts its light.
Ouyang Rong unfurled the scroll he had sketched during the day and nodded slightly.
He picked up his pen to annotate, his face turned to the side in focused concentration, continuing to revise and improve the plan. He worked on this for about an hour before putting down his pen.
"That's about enough..."
Ouyang Rong placed the scroll of the surveyed painting together with a stack of densely packed manuscripts on the table, as if he had accomplished a great task.
He leaned back, exhaled deeply, and turned to look at the night view of Xunyang outside the window, murmuring:
"Judging by the days, it should be arriving soon."
The following afternoon.
Jiangzhou Main Hall.
As usual, Ouyang Rong was engrossed in his work when Yan Liulang suddenly burst in, bringing him a message.
Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, and other major grain merchants have arrived in Xunyang.
(End of this chapter)
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