Chapter 697 Rongzhen's Gift
Why are you arguing with him?
"No argument, just stating a fact."
“You are a scholar of the prestigious Xiuwen Academy and the governor of a prefecture. There is no need for you to provoke a vulgar warrior.”
In the afternoon, Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen walked side by side on a bluestone path in the bamboo forest. They had just finished lunch and left the old musician's courtyard.
Amidst the lush green bamboo, a woman in a blue robe and a purple skirt walked and talked.
The rain that had been falling all morning quietly stopped at some point, leaving only a misty white fog that permeated the forest, adding a touch of haziness.
As they walked among them, the scene was indeed quite beautiful from a distance.
The path paved with bluestone slabs is a bit narrow, with a few steps covered in moss.
Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen walked side by side on it, a little crowded, with only a finger's width between their arms.
Mainly, Ouyang Rong deliberately kept it under control, worried about bumping into Lady Rong.
Rong Zhen, on the other hand, appeared more relaxed and carefree. She looked straight ahead and strode forward, occasionally glancing sideways with a slight pout, looking at him with a hint of disdain.
Perhaps they thought he was walking too slowly.
Ouyang Rong also wanted to walk faster, but it was too crowded. If he left the cobblestone path, he would get muddy feet.
Seeing that there was no rain, Ouyang Rong put away his umbrella. As for Rong Zhen, she didn't bring an umbrella and had her hands empty behind her back.
She turned around, her tone suddenly changing:
"I remember when I first met you, you already had some meager Qi Refining cultivation. Now it seems you're still at the lower level, right? You clearly haven't reached the point of releasing spiritual energy outwards, and you always carry an umbrella."
Rong Zhen looked Ouyang Rong up and down, then nodded slightly and said:
"However, given this progress... you don't need to aim too high in your Qi cultivation in the future. Just be able to get started and achieve the effect of strengthening your body. I guess your teachers at Bailudong Academy who taught you Qi cultivation also think this way, since your body is too weak."
"Hmm, that makes sense."
Ouyang Rong simply responded and continued the previous topic, veer back to the original one:
"This is not a contest."
“Illiteracy is not a reason for him to act like a scoundrel. If one is in a position but fails to perform his duties, then chaos will ensue.”
“He brought a full three hundred White Tiger Guard soldiers with him. They only need to wipe out a few hundred river pirates. If he can’t even handle such a small matter, even Liu Lang is better than him.”
Ouyang Rong asked, half-jokingly:
"Hmm, I'm starting to have some doubts about the White Tiger Guards' strength, which Lady Rong praised so highly before. Could it be that all four of the Southern Army's Imperial Guards are just empty shells?"
Rong Zhen pursed her lips and offered a half-hearted consolation:
"I know you hate people who just eat and do nothing."
"But in Luoyang, there are many people who hold positions without doing their jobs, both in the court and in the countryside. Some of them are so bad that even His Majesty would find it difficult to deal with them. If you get angry every time you encounter one, wouldn't you be angry every day? It's not worth it to make yourself sick."
Ouyang Rong nodded firmly: "It's a small matter, I'm not angry, but I have to make them angry."
"..."
Rong Zhen sighed helplessly and said in a lower voice:
"Actually, if you think about it from another perspective, without these incompetent and useless people, how could someone like you, who works diligently and has ability, quickly stand out? How could you shine so brightly?"
Ouyang Rong chuckled lightly:
"So, in that case, we should thank them?"
"It's not that bad, it just makes me feel better when I think about it."
"Ms. Rong is quite experienced; I have learned a lot from her."
Rong Zhen pondered:
"I don't know much about this Duan Quanwu. Actually, if Li Congshan were to lead the troops there, I'm sure these river pirates could be wiped out quickly."
Ouyang Rong became interested: "What do you mean? Li Congshan is more powerful?"
"It's not a matter of who is more powerful, but everyone has their own expertise. I had heard of Li Congshan of the White Tiger Guard before, and I also heard some things about him from Commander Yi."
"This man rose through the ranks from a border scout, earning merits along the way. In his youth, he once returned to the army camp alone from the northern desert on horseback. All his comrades had perished, but he carried back nineteen barbarian heads in his hands..."
"According to Commander Yi, he follows the purest path of military qi cultivation and also knows a special qi cultivation technique that tracks the enemy based on clues. He is the most suitable person for the position of scout and it is also the skill that enabled him to repeatedly achieve military merits in the past."
"If this man leads the troops to suppress the bandits, those water pirates will have a hard time escaping even if they hide in the marshes."
Rongzhen recounted the story in detail.
Ouyang Rong looked thoughtful and asked:
"Then why didn't Commander Yi send him? When she proposed the bandit suppression, her first choice was General Wei of the Xuanwu Guard."
Rongzhen looked ahead and said:
"Of course, the safety of the prince is more important. The most elite soldiers should be assigned to the Xunyang Prince's residence."
Ouyang Rong neither agreed nor disagreed.
The two walked side by side for a while.
At one point, Rongzhen broke the silence first:
"I have something to do this afternoon, so I won't be having piano lessons today."
"good."
After a pause, Ouyang Rong asked:
"Is something Miss Rong trying to say? Why does she look like that?"
"Um."
Rongzhen turned her head and asked with a serious expression:
"You haven't even grasped the essence of that zither piece yet. Tell me, am I a little slow?"
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Yes."
Rong Zhen looked at him with a complicated expression for a while before speaking:
"You're not being polite at all."
"Why be so polite with Lady Rong?"
"Don't try to get close to me. But Ouyang Lianghan, aren't you curious?"
"What are you curious about?"
Rongzhen said softly, "There are many things, such as this time. Since you entered Xunyang Grottoes, you must have seen a lot of strange things. Don't you have any questions? You haven't taken the initiative to ask me."
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and asked:
"Will you tell me everything if I ask?"
"No."
"That settles it."
"Say what needs to be said, and don't say what shouldn't be said, after all, you didn't..."
"I understand. I didn't pass that confidentiality check; it's against regulations."
"You know that's enough. But I can pick out some things to say."
"Okay, then may I ask, was that entire Buddha head really made of pure gold?"
"How could that be?"
He asked curiously, "What is it made of? What is it made of?"
Rong Zhen didn't answer immediately, but pondered for a moment before saying:
"The outside is painted gold, and the inside... is a kind of brass, which is also golden."
"Understood."
"Could you take me down to have a look? I'm quite curious."
"no."
"All right."
Rongzhen suddenly lowered her eyes:
"Can you ask me a different question?"
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, pointed ahead, and asked:
"What's going on with this white mist? All I can guess right now is that your Imperial Observatory has created a grand array to obscure our work. The outside world can't see us working overtime to build these images, and it's also cut off from sound. Those rebels from the Jianghu outside can only guess or gamble."
"But is this white mist caused by an illusion or a soundproofing array, or is it separate? Does it serve another purpose?"
Rongzhen paused for a moment, then spoke truthfully:
"Other uses are unrelated to illusion, and... this white mist is not an array from our Imperial Observatory."
Ouyang Rong was curious, seemingly unaware of the purpose of the white mist:
"What's the meaning?"
"The white mist is related to the Xuanwu Guard."
"The Xuanwu Guard?"
"That's right, not only the white fog, but also this rain, is related to the Xuanwu Guard."
Seeing the interest on Ouyang Rong's face, Rong Zhen hesitated for a moment before continuing:
"Among the Five Elements, Xuanwu resides in the north, and the north is associated with water. Only Xuanwu Guard has the ability to produce this white mist and rain."
Ouyang Rong's keen ability to draw inferences from one instance:
"What do you mean? The four Imperial Guards of the Southern Court all possess similar abilities or formations? Are they related to some kind of attribute?"
"Pretty much. Each of the four Imperial Guards has its own characteristics."
Ouyang Rong looked at Rong Zhen and slowly nodded:
"No wonder Lady Rong specifically invited two Xuanwu Battalions over; there was a reason for it."
He glanced around at the swirling white mist among the bamboo grove and suddenly asked:
"What about the White Tiger Guard? Why did Lady Rong choose two White Tiger Battalions as reinforcements, and even the commanders leading them are from the White Tiger Guard? Is there a special purpose behind having them as the main force?"
"uh-huh."
Rongzhen remained noncommittal.
Ouyang Rong pondered:
"Among the Five Elements, the White Tiger resides in the west, and the west is associated with metal, which is associated with killing and warfare. What are their special formations?"
Rong Zhen glanced sideways at Ouyang Rong, who was imitating her, and after a moment, she spoke:
"Yes, there is a chance to see it." He paused, then added, "Perhaps there will be a chance today."
Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"
At this point, the two had reached the fork in the bamboo path and, as always, were about to part ways.
“Ouyang Lianghan”.
Rong Zhen called out to Ouyang Rong, her expression gradually turning serious as she said:
"Meet at the grotto construction site at 2:45 PM. Remember to bring the Buddhist beads bestowed by His Majesty; you often forget them. As for your official robes, you don't need to change. Just keep a low profile, just in case."
"good."
Ouyang Rong glanced at Rong Zhen's purple palace dress and suddenly said:
"No wonder Lady Rong is dressed so formally today."
Rongzhen lowered her eyes: "It's good that you understand."
Ouyang Rong asked, "Will the gift that Lady Rong mentioned earlier be available this afternoon?"
Rong Zhen lifted her lotus-like steps and walked forward, saying without turning her head:
"Don't rush, the gifts for His Majesty this afternoon are for him first."
Ouyang Rong watched her figure disappear into the distance, then gently shook his head.
He turned and walked away, but halfway down the road, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure squatting in the bamboo grove not far away.
"General Li?"
Ouyang Rong stepped forward out of curiosity.
Li Congshan was squatting on the ground, tucking two fingers into the soil, staring down at it. Upon hearing this, he turned around.
"Prefect Ouyang".
Ouyang Rong asked, "What are you doing? Is there something wrong with this soil?"
Li Congshan shook his head:
"No, it's just an old habit. Also, I have some feelings. The soil and water in the south are still the best for people. I used to live in the northern desert, and even after I went to the capital, I never saw this kind of red soil. It's really fertile."
Ouyang Rong said with a smile:
"I've heard that General Li was originally a scout."
"That's right."
The young man in white armor became very interested when the matter was mentioned, and told Ouyang Rong many interesting things about military life.
Ouyang Rong silently observed his expression.
Before dispersing, Li Congshan asked:
"Was Governor Ouyang previously the magistrate of Longcheng County?"
"That's right, the year before last, I think."
Li Congshan asked, "I heard that there is a Butterfly Stream in Longcheng County, and an ancient Yue sword shop on the west bank of the stream."
"Hmm, how did General Li know all this so clearly?"
Li Congshan scratched his head and said:
"Gu Yue Sword Shop is very famous. Almost all sword lovers in the world know about it. As far back as the Sui Dynasty, it was the place where the royal family made swords. In recent years, the Longcheng sword produced by Gu Yue Sword Shop's forge has been in short supply in Luoyang. It is priceless and there is no shortage of supply. Everyone knows that Gu Yue products are always of the highest quality."
Ouyang Rong nodded:
"That's ancient history from the Liu family's time. They monopolized the Longcheng sword business and deliberately controlled the number of swords produced to raise prices. Since the year before last, the ancient Yue sword shops monopolized by the Liu family have been split up. Now, there are many new sword shops on the west bank of Butterfly Creek. The swords they forge are no less than those of the ancient Yue swords, and they are of good quality and low price, which is fair competition."
Li Congshan envisioned:
"I see. I'm out of touch. Alright, once things are settled here, I'll have to go and take a look. Besides the Ancient Yue Sword Shop, I've also heard of the Zheyi Canal. I'll have to see it for myself."
"Alright, you should tell me when the time comes, and I'll introduce a local to show you around."
"good."
Li Congshan laughed heartily.
A short while later, after agreeing to meet, the two parted ways.
Ouyang Rong walked forward for a while, his expression returning to calm, and it was unclear what he was thinking.
Back at the secluded bamboo house, Wang Caozhi was pacing and waiting in front of the courtyard gate.
He came up to her, blinking, "Brother-in-law and Lady Historian, are you done your walk?"
Ouyang Rong ignored him and looked up at the gray sky:
Let's go.
"Where to?"
"Grotto construction site".
"Brother-in-law, what are we going there for? It's all over there, they don't need us anymore."
Ouyang Rong glanced at him, his tone carrying a deeper meaning:
"Just bring your eyes with you."
Wang Caozhi immediately shut his mouth, his carefree smile vanished, and his expression turned serious.
"Yes, brother-in-law."
"I'll go in and change my clothes first."
"good."
Wang Caozhi nodded like a chick pecking at rice, and stood guard outside.
Ouyang Rong went straight into the house and changed into a moon-white casual outfit instead of the bright crimson official robe.
He took out three Heavenly Thunderbolts, tucked them into his sleeve for easy access, then turned and walked away, picked up a wooden zither, and strode out the door.
Ouyang Rong led the way out of the courtyard, and Wang Caozhi followed closely behind.
On the way, Wang Caozhi discovered that it seemed that he and his good brother-in-law were not the only ones heading to the grotto construction site. In many places in the bamboo forest, figures were emerging from one place after another.
The bamboo forest where they lived was quite large, and it housed many junior generals of the White Tiger Guard and Black Tortoise Guard, as well as high-ranking female officials from the Censorate. At this moment, as if they had received some news, they all tacitly went out and gathered at the grotto construction site.
Wang Caozhi glanced at his brother-in-law in front of him, whose expression remained calm, seemingly unsurprised.
The two chose a shortcut and walked quietly for a while. Halfway there, Wang Caozhi suddenly turned his head, stared at a figure not far away, and let out a soft "Eh".
Ouyang Rong sensed something was amiss and asked without turning his head:
"What's wrong?"
Wang Caozhi hesitated and said:
"That man looks familiar. Does he also live in the bamboo forest...?"
"who?"
Ouyang Rong turned his head sharply and saw a thin-faced man with an unfamiliar face walking out of an unfamiliar bamboo courtyard not far away.
After the thin-faced man had walked away, Ouyang Rong suddenly spoke:
"That's Miaozhen's courtyard."
Wang Caozhi asked curiously, "The Lady Historian Miaozhen?"
Ouyang Rong nodded, his eyes slightly narrowed:
"Hmm. Where have you seen this person before?"
Wang Caozhi pondered for a moment, his eyes filled with reminiscence:
"It was last time, he seemed to have been led in by a female official and met with Lady Rongzhen in private early in the morning, apparently to deliver a message."
"Deliver a letter? Which time?"
Wang Caozhi muttered to himself:
"It was that morning when you rushed over to discuss matters with Lady Rongzhen, only to find she wasn't there and had gone to Xunyang City ahead of time. I wonder if you remember, brother-in-law..."
Ouyang Rong, who was walking ahead, paused slightly.
...
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(PS: Sorry, my good brothers, I'm useless. I was defeated by acute pharyngitis and chronic rhinitis. It's really unbearable. Writing this today was so painful. I'm in a daze. I took some medicine and I'm feeling sleepy. I keep dozing off...)
Everyone just cursed, saying Xiao Rong deserved it, always making promises he couldn't keep, sob sob sob, super pouty (or 2)
(End of this chapter)
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