Chapter 699 Top-Tier Flattery: If You Don't Get In, Who Will? [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
The morning sun pierced through the already thinning white mist and quietly shone on the construction site of the main grotto.
The light illuminated the female officials and soldiers on the construction site, some cooking over fires, others lost in thought.
This sun-drenched scene is not unusual.
Because the Xunyang Grottoes are located on the north bank of Shuangfengjian, and the Donglin Buddha is originally oriented north-south, this location receives the best sunlight.
But what's surprising is:
The first rays of sunlight that peeked out from the Yangtze River onto the golden head of the Donglin Buddha and the cliff face beside it fell on the Xunyang Grottoes.
This means that at the moment of sunrise, when almost all the Xunyang Grottoes on the north bank of Shuangfengjian are in darkness, it is the golden Buddha head that is first bathed in sunlight and emits a dazzling golden light, indicating that a new day has officially arrived.
This scene, seen by most of the people on the field who were exhausted from staying up all night, was like a miracle.
It subtly evokes a sense of destiny.
At this moment, it wasn't just Ouyang Rong, who was looking at the sun from all sides, who noticed this.
Rongzhen, who had been frowning and deep in thought, also noticed this and her attention instantly shifted to the golden Buddha head.
Granny Song, Yi Qianqiu, Miaozhen, Old Yang, and the others were also slow to notice this scene. They all stepped forward and came to the high platform where Ouyang Rong and Rongzhen were, and together they looked up to examine the golden Buddha head.
On the construction site, the busy female officials and soldiers gradually noticed this and put down their work. Their surprised exclamations rose and fell, forming an uncontrollable wave of sound, even louder than the sounds of cooking and starting fires.
Everyone looked up at the extraordinary golden light under the morning sun.
For a moment, the once relaxed and noisy main grotto construction site fell silent again.
Ouyang Rong noticed that among the group of laborers waiting outside the main grotto in the distance, some young and middle-aged Buddhist laborers had begun to kneel and kowtow, clasping their hands together and calling for miracles.
The deputy abbot of Donglin Temple, who had not yet left, also came for the ceremony of reuniting the Buddha's head and body, followed by a large number of novice monks from Donglin Temple.
Upon witnessing this scene, the white-haired deputy abbot, who had lived a life of purity and detachment for many years, was filled with joy on his wrinkled old face. He led a group of disciples to sit cross-legged on the spot, close their eyes, and begin chanting scriptures and piously praising the Buddha.
The monks' actions further ignited the enthusiastic atmosphere of the entire audience.
Ouyang Rong suddenly noticed that Rong Zhen, Granny Song, Yi Qianqiu and others were casting strange glances at him.
Some were impressed, some admired, and some had mixed feelings.
Yi Qianqiu couldn't help but say, "This scene of golden light will surely become a scenic spot in Xunyang and even Jiangnan. It is truly a wonder. I am honored to witness it for the first time."
Rong Zhen said in a low voice, "Ouyang Lianghan, I didn't expect that the Buddha statue you planned would have this surprise inside. The Sage will definitely like it."
Granny Song was overjoyed, her tone resolute:
"Of course the Sage is pleased. Scholar Ouyang, you have worked hard. I now understand why the Sage bestowed upon you the title of Scholar of the Academy of Literature and ordered me to personally invite you to accept the imperial decree and leave the mountain... With such a grand gesture, if you don't join the Academy, who will?"
Ouyang Rong: ...
Li Congshan and the others said enviously, "That's right, next, Scholar Ouyang will probably be entering one of the Six Ministries."
The people around him praised him, and their gazes toward Ouyang Rong became increasingly different.
Ouyang Rong's expression was somewhat unspeakable.
I really want to say that he was completely fooled by this refreshing and unconventional flattery.
Human calculations can never compare to the calculations of Heaven; it was just a coincidence.
Or rather, aside from setting a north-facing, south-facing location for better lighting, he paid no attention to such fancy and auspicious embellishments.
When the Xunyang Grottoes were first designed, the moisture-proofing and earthquake-resistant features of the Donglin Buddha were given the highest priority, while other aspects were secondary.
Just then, Rongzhen suddenly turned around and gave an order in front of everyone:
"Someone, find a painter to paint this scene and record it. I will send someone to deliver it to the capital and present it to His Majesty."
Upon hearing this, Granny Song's eyes lit up, and she agreed: "That's right, we should find a painter to come and record it so that the Emperor can see it."
Beside her, the middle-aged female official hesitated, saying, "There are painters, but they are amateurs. Their paintings are not as lifelike as those of the court painters. They are not presentable and may offend His Majesty's discerning eye."
Yi Qianqiu interrupted at this moment:
"How about having Yuan Huaimin, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, paint it? I've heard that he's a highly skilled painter and will certainly be able to handle the task. Let him record this divinely bestowed scene and then present it to Your Majesty."
Rongzhen pondered for a moment and asked:
"Is he in Xunyang City in time?"
Yi Qianqiu argued:
"There's still time. And who says it has to be painted today? Even if we can't capture the golden light of today, we can still do it tomorrow. As long as the Buddha is still here, this masterpiece will endure forever."
Without waiting for Rongzhen, Granny Song, and the others to speak.
Ouyang Rong, who had remained silent until now, interjected:
“Yuan Changshi is indeed capable of the job. There is no one more suitable than him in Jiangzhou. Although he has made minor mistakes, his painting skills are genuine and unbiased. Moreover, he is good at recognizing and using people, which is a virtue that the sage has always upheld.”
Rongzhen reluctantly agreed: "It's not impossible, this matter is negotiable."
Yi Qianqiu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
She couldn't help but glance at Ouyang Rong again, her expression showing a hint of gratitude.
Ouyang Rong did not look at her.
He hadn't expected Yi Qianqiu to step in like this, to secure an opportunity for Yuan Huaimin to present his painting, and to always be thinking of Yuan Huaimin's well-being.
As for his friend Ouyang Rong, he hadn't actually thought of this at all.
I wonder what Yuan Huaimin will think when he learns of Yi Qianqiu's good intentions...
The unexpected creation of this spectacular scene was a minor incident that brought joy to everyone present. This was truly a genuine achievement.
However, I still have important business to attend to.
Soon, the morning was over.
After replenishing their food supplies, everyone returned to their respective positions and remained in the main cave until evening.
However, it's not as tight as before; it's a bit more relaxed.
During this time, female officials or informants would occasionally arrive to report on the situation.
By evening, it was finally confirmed that there were indeed no traces of those rebels from the southern Jianghu around Xunyang.
They really didn't come.
Regardless of whether there was a conspiracy, the successful landing of the Donglin Buddha is a fact.
To paraphrase what Ouyang Rong had heard from Rong Zhen, once the Buddha statue lands, the Jianghu region of Tiannan will have even less of a chance.
Ouyang Rong offered Rong Zhen a few suggestions.
Rongzhen nodded emphatically, as if in agreement.
She immediately summoned Granny Song, Yi Qianqiu, and others for an emergency meeting.
A consensus was reached and a decision was made:
The Donglin Buddha statue has been successfully installed, but the closure of the Xunyang Grottoes will not be lifted immediately.
This will continue until the previously announced ten-day period.
In addition, before temporarily disbanding in the evening, Rongzhen issued several orders to keep quiet.
The news that the Donglin Buddha has been completed is not to be disclosed to the public; this matter is temporarily being kept under wraps.
As for the laborers who had already seen the truth, and the monks of Donglin Temple, they were all required to remain at Xunyang Grottoes and were not released for the time being...
Everyone returned to their respective places, and on the surface, everything seemed normal.
Soon, two nights and a day passed quickly, and the agreed-upon ten-day period came to an end on time.
On this day, Shuangfengjian, including Xunyang Grottoes, was officially reopened from the public eye.
That morning, the Jiangzhou government lifted the flood control order in Xunyang City and announced that the Jiangzhou government had completed the emergency repairs to Shuangfengjian.
Furthermore, the Donglin Buddha, which had been suspended for ten days, has resumed construction and is expected to be completed soon!
...
morning.
The temperature was slightly cool.
Carrying his zither case, Ouyang Rong walked out of Xunyang Grottoes under the watchful eyes of numerous sentries, both overt and covert.
He came in the same way he left.
However, Ouyang Rong left a bit early. Shuangfengjian was nominally to be decreed later in the morning, but as the chief official of Jiangzhou, he needed to return to Xunyang City first to preside over the Jiangzhou Hall and issue orders, so he left first.
Rongzhen also came and personally saw him off.
In fact, Wang Caozhi had also come along, intending to see Ouyang Rong off, but seeing that Rong Zhen was going to see him off, he obediently stepped aside.
The two crossed the river together, left Xunyang Grottoes, and arrived at the south bank of Shuangfengjian.
Ali's carriage was parked by the roadside on the official road, waiting.
Ouyang Rong glanced back. From his perspective, looking into the distance, the Donglin Buddha on the north bank was still missing its head and was not yet completed.
The Imperial Observatory's deception continued.
They didn't remove it immediately.
I wonder if Yunmeng was misled by this scene.
Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen exchanged a glance, and he prepared to speak.
Just then, an excited voice came from the side:
"Your Excellency, you've finally come out."
The two turned around and saw that it was Yan Liulang.
He was followed by four constables in blue robes, but they were either sitting or lying on the seats of a pavilion by the roadside.
Yan Liulang and his party looked somewhat travel-worn, as if they had been lingering on the official road outside Shuangfengjian for a long time, waiting for Ouyang Rong.
Ouyang Rong immediately asked:
"What's up."
Rongzhen kept her eyes straight ahead and walked a little further away, deliberately avoiding any appearance of impropriety.
However, Yan Liulang, having received a look from Ouyang Rong, did not avoid him and reported loudly:
"Reporting to Your Excellency, it's not a major matter, just a bit strange..."
“Two days ago, I received intelligence that the group of river pirates from Hukou County were suspected to be heading north, and their tracks were found a hundred miles outside Xunyang City. However, they have disappeared again. I feel uneasy and a little worried.”
Ouyang Rong frowned and asked, "Prince Xunyang... is everything alright in Xunyang City?"
With Rongzhen beside him, he changed his words halfway through.
Yan Liulang shook his head: "No, nothing happened in the city during the days that the magistrate was away."
"That's good."
At this moment, Rong Zhen suddenly said to Ouyang Rong:
"I will have Duan Quanwu lead troops to suppress the bandits immediately. This time, the reinforcements will number five hundred... Don't worry, these are just water pirates; they won't cause too much trouble."
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment, then nodded:
"Okay, then I'll trouble you."
Ouyang Rong suddenly asked Yan Liulang again:
"When did these river pirates appear near Xunyang City? A couple of days ago? When exactly?"
Yan Liulang estimated for a moment and said, "The afternoon of the day before yesterday."
Ouyang Rong squinted.
The afternoon of the day before yesterday, which was two days ago, it seems that it was exactly the time when the head and body of the Donglin Buddha were reunited and the project was completely completed.
Was it a coincidence or intentional?
Is the unusual activity of this group of river pirates from Hukou County related to the completion of the Donglin Buddha?
Could it be that the rebels in the Jianghu of Tiannan were not deceived, but were actually taking action?
But why not just come over and stop the Buddha statue from landing?
Ouyang Rong's brows gradually furrowed.
At this moment, Rong Zhen, who was standing next to him, spoke up.
"You go back to the city first. I'll be very busy these next few days. I'll come to see you the day after tomorrow to discuss the next steps..."
Ouyang Rong interrupted and asked, "Is Lady Rong referring to the grand ribbon-cutting ceremony?"
"Um."
This was an important topic discussed at a previous meeting: whether to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony after the completion of the Donglin Buddha, to announce the Buddha's arrival in the entire Jiangnan region.
They even planned to paint a picture of this grand scene of officials and civilians getting along well, and present it to the emperor in Luoyang.
Of course, this is not to be held immediately, but on the day the Donglin Buddha is officially completed. But in reality... the Donglin Buddha has already been built, but it is kept hidden and not revealed, in order to guard against the rebels in the southern Jianghu.
However, Ouyang Rong had reservations about this matter at the time.
He is low-key and doesn't like to show off.
To put it bluntly, this matter is just like the previous discussion about inviting Yuan Huaimin to paint the miraculous picture of the Buddha's head with golden light—both were used to curry favor with that somewhat 'ambitious' sage in Luoyang.
Rong Zhen said softly, "This matter is yet to be determined. It also requires your cooperation with the Jiangzhou Hall. I have no experience in these matters, so you will have to take charge."
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment: "Alright, I'll ask the Prince and Chief Secretary Yuan when I get back this time."
"Okay, be careful on your way."
"Okay, let Nu Shi stay."
The two parted ways without any hesitation.
Rongzhen returned to Xunyang Grottoes first, and Wang Caozhi prepared to follow.
Since the Donglin Buddha statue hasn't officially been installed yet, and if we're going to put on a show, we have to go all the way. He needs to stay here and act alongside Rong Zhen and Yi Qianqiu for a few more days.
Wang Caozhi suddenly felt someone tap his shoulder.
Startled for a moment, he turned around and saw that Ouyang Rong had already climbed into the carriage.
And then, a faint voice came from inside the car:
"Get in the car."
Wang Caozhi obediently followed...
About fifteen minutes later, Wang Caozhi got out of the car and stood silently by the roadside.
He watched silently as Ouyang Rong's carriage slowly drove away, and after a short while, he turned back to glance at the Xunyang Grottoes.
...
In the morning, people were leaving the Xunyang Grottoes, which had been reopened.
There was Princess Anhui's carriage.
There was a figure of Old Yang returning to the New Jersey prison.
There was also a group led by Li Congshan and Miaozhen who returned to the palace to continue their guard duties.
In addition, there were some scattered figures, such as a female official who hurriedly led a team to the central army camp at the front to report the news.
At one point, a thin-faced man mingled in the crowd and walked out of Xunyang Grottoes.
He waved from the side of the official road, and soon a carriage that had been waiting in a secluded spot slowly drove out and stopped in front of him.
The thin-faced man quietly boarded the carriage and headed towards Xunyang City.
Not long after the thin-faced man's carriage left, Wang Caozhi emerged from a shady spot by the roadside.
Wang Caozhi glanced thoughtfully in the direction the thin-faced man's carriage had gone.
He waved without turning his head, and a quick-witted follower stepped forward from behind:
"What are your orders, young master?"
"Did that person see it clearly?"
"Uh-huh."
Wang Caozhi whispered a few words to his attendant, who immediately nodded and disappeared from the spot a moment later.
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(End of this chapter)
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