Chapter 274 A Strategist from a Humble Background
Outside the government office, the atmosphere was generally cheerful.
Li Fusu turned around, about to speak with a smile, but upon seeing the expressions of Li Xian and his wife, he was slightly taken aback:
"Father, Mother, what's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Ah, I was a little distracted just now, it's alright, it's alright. Lianghan's promotion is a great honor, let's have a big toast."
Li Xian's face showed a mixture of worry and joy. He waved his hand, sighed, and said:
“These are all things that my nephew Lianghan deserves; he is worthy of them.”
The wealthy man slumped his shoulders, turned to look at his wife, Wei Mei, and continued to mutter to himself:
"Gold always shines. We should have thought of this long ago. With my nephew Lianghan's talent and achievements, it is only natural that he could be promoted directly to the capital and appointed to the prestigious position of Imperial Censor, with a promising future. He is a hidden dragon in the abyss, ready to soar to the sky in an instant..."
As Li Fusu listened, he suddenly opened his eyes and realized the pros and cons of the matter.
The advantages are obvious, but the disadvantages are that with a bright future ahead, he can no longer persuade Brother Lianghan to stay and accompany his family.
Why would someone give up a sixth-rank official position as a censor in the capital and stay in this godforsaken place to wait for them?
"There are also experts in Luoyang who have discerning eyes and have seen Lianghan's talent."
Li Xian's voice came, and he rubbed his tired face, looking a little dejected, and murmured:
"Indeed, such hidden talents are like pearls shining in the night; how can they be easily kept hidden away..."
Upon hearing this, Li Fusu's eyes showed disappointment and reluctance, yet he was also genuinely happy for his friend's promotion. His feelings were complex:
"Father, let's not delay any longer..."
Li Xian turned his head and interrupted directly:
"Eldest brother, go back to the manor now and prepare a generous gift, plus a hundred taels of gold, as a travel allowance. After the imperial envoy from the capital leaves, deliver the gift to the plum grove courtyard."
The middle-aged wealthy man gave instructions with a smile, but he couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes. Wei Mei reached out and gently covered the back of his hand.
Li Guo'er listened silently to the conversation of her family members behind her for a while, then suddenly turned her head and asked the smiling woman in red in front of her:
"Is Sister Xie also going to the capital?"
Xie Lingjiang didn't turn her head or answer, but asked softly:
"Sister Guo'er, have you thought of a way to keep him here? Do you need my help?"
Li Guo'er bit her lip, remained silent for a while, then turned her face away, staring at the floor tiles beside her, and said with displeasure:
"In Sister Xie's eyes, is Guo'er such a pure and unscrupulous person?"
"Little sister Guo'er, do you even know shame?"
Xie Lingjiang nodded, her delicate fingers gently stroking the long, narrow sword case at her feet, and said with lowered eyes:
“If the eldest brother doesn’t want to leave, he won’t leave no matter what. If he wants to leave, no matter how well-intentioned the lie, he will leave. You can’t keep him.”
"Just like now, how can Sister Guo'er persuade him to stay?"
"Promises of being made a marquis or prime minister? Is Senior Brother the kind of person who only cares about empty promises?"
"Besides, with Senior Brother's abilities, his promising future as a sixth-rank official at such a young age, and his soaring trajectory, is this matter difficult?"
"If we're only talking about pros and cons and not about feelings, why would we bet solely on your family?"
“There are clearly more powerful and reliable options like the Prince Xiang’s Mansion, the Prince Wei’s Mansion, and Princess Chang Le. Their chances of winning, both at the table and behind the scenes, are no higher than yours.”
"At worst, one can remain neutral for the time being, side with whoever wins, or climb the mountain alone, accumulate capital, and wait for the day when the various factions vying for the throne will be humbly begged to win one over."
"Weigh the pros and cons again, put your feet on the ground, and make a fortune. Wouldn't that be more shrewd and reliable?"
"Why gamble everything so early and take such a big risk for nothing?"
Li Guo'er was speechless, and a blush rose on her small, delicate face beneath the snow-white veil.
The young woman blushed slightly.
Xie Lingjiang didn't turn around to look at her. She pressed one soft hand against the edge of the box, closed her eyes, and said:
"That's why I said long ago, there's no need to hide some things from him. Besides, you can hide it for a while, but can you hide it forever?"
She seemed to be asking someone else, or perhaps asking herself.
After a moment of silence, Li Guo'er asked without looking up, "Does Sister Xie still harbor some resentment towards us about that matter?"
The woman in red turned her head, her tone utterly serious: "Is this what you call resentment?"
Li Guo'er noticed that Sister Xie's way of speaking was becoming increasingly intriguing, and she wondered who she had learned to be "bad" from.
Li Guo'er lowered her head and sighed softly:
"I don't blame Sister Xie for criticizing us. What we did back then was indeed... open to discussion. But if we bring it up now, wouldn't it be even more disgraceful, making everyone feel ashamed and embarrassed?"
As Li Guo'er was speaking, she suddenly noticed a fair, jade-like hand reaching out in front of her.
"Give me your purse, I need to borrow some money."
Xie Lingjiang didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to ask for it:
“My entire savings have been invested in the newly established childcare agency. I’ve been trying to support myself for the past six months and haven’t asked my father for my allowance in a long time. I’m also too lazy to go to the Xie residence in Wuyi Lane.”
The seventeenth-ranked, most outstanding and dazzling young woman in the clan, dressed in red, stood tall and straight, her pretty face composed, and spoke in a clear and orderly manner:
"Once the eldest brother receives the imperial edict, he must entertain the imperial envoy and his entourage. Giving gifts is unavoidable and is a common practice in the officialdom of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The eldest brother cannot appear too out of place."
"I know that Sister Guo'er's purse is bulging; she received quite a few birthday gifts last time."
Li Guo'er couldn't help but glance at Xie Lingjiang's profile.
"Sister Xie, this junior sister, worries more than a virtuous wife; she considers everything for him."
Muttering a complaint, the young woman with plum blossom makeup lowered her head, took out a bulging embroidered lotus purse from her sleeve, and silently handed it to Xie Lingjiang in front of her.
The latter glanced at her sideways and put away his purse.
Just then, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the county government office, and the crowd naturally dispersed.
Xie Lingjiang and Li Guo'er turned around and saw that it was the group of officials from Luoyang who had been drinking tea in the county government hall. Accompanied by Ouyang Rong, they slowly walked out.
Ouyang Rong and Song Hao walked and stopped, exchanging pleasantries and questions, as if they were saying goodbye.
"Lord Song, won't you stay a little longer?"
"No, I'll pass. I rushed here specifically for Lianghan's matter. Now that it's over, I should head back and report as soon as possible."
Song Hao sighed and shook his head, while Ouyang Rong nodded in peace.
"Then please take care on your journey, Lord Song."
The young magistrate seemed to be just being polite and had no real intention of keeping him.
Song Hao couldn't help but glance at him again.
Before leaving, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel nodded solemnly:
"Magistrate Ouyang, please wait. I will do my best to carry out the matter you have entrusted to me."
He paused, then said:
"Magistrate Ouyang, until we meet again."
"Have a safe journey, Lord Song."
After exchanging polite words, the two said their goodbyes and left.
However, the onlookers noticed that before leaving, the Imperial Envoy Song turned to look at Ouyang Rong with a strange look in his eyes.
Before leaving, the officials accompanying Lord Song frequently glanced at Ouyang Rong, their expressions indescribably complex, for reasons unknown.
Song Hao led his entourage of officials away one after another.
Ouyang Rong stood at the entrance of the county government office, watching them leave.
Xie Lingjiang, Li Xian's family, and county officials such as County Magistrate Diao quickly surrounded them, most of them very enthusiastic.
County Magistrate Diao leaned closer and asked cautiously, "Your Excellency, why is the Imperial Envoy leaving so quickly? Is there something urgent?"
The old county magistrate glanced back longingly in the direction Song Hao had left, seemingly heading straight for Penglang Ferry, preparing to board a boat and return to report.
Ouyang Rong looked out at the view with him and nodded.
Xie Lingjiang tossed her small purse aside, tilting her head curiously:
"Senior Brother, aren't you going to invite them to stay for dinner? Or give them a small gift? They've come all this way to bring us good news, won't they think we don't know the proper etiquette? We should be mindful of social interactions... It's alright, Sister Guo'er will cover all the expenses."
The woman in red said bluntly.
Li Guo'er: "..."
Ouyang Rong shook his head slightly.
Li Xian and Wei Mei exchanged a glance, then turned to take the red cloth travel money from the tray carried by the maid behind them. The couple stepped forward and stuffed the travel money and a gift for promotion into the young county magistrate's hands.
Li Xian patted Ouyang Rong's hand, concealing his disappointment and sadness in his eyes, and forced a smile:
"Congratulations, my dear nephew! Congratulations on your wonderful appointment and return to Luoyang. The position of Imperial Censor is a good one... No official can be appointed to the central government without serving in a prefecture or county."
"With his merits in Longcheng, my nephew Lianghan has far surpassed his peers. He is quick to advance and will surely have a prosperous official career. If you seize this opportunity, you can rise to the top."
Wei Mei chimed in, "Nephew Lianghan, please accept this. It's just a small token of your aunt and uncle's appreciation; it's not much at all."
Ouyang Rong accepted the travel expenses and gifts, and found them to be heavy and substantial in his hands. He thought, "This isn't much."
"I could have helped my nephew more."
The woman in the long dress hesitated, her slender, willow-like eyebrows furrowed. She glanced northward and said with a sorrowful expression:
"Unfortunately, although I come from the Wei family of Jingzhao, I am currently a commoner with a criminal record, and it is not good to implicate them."
Wei Mei shook his head and continued:
"However, when you return to Luoyang, if you need money for official gifts, bribing officials, or buying a house, please don't hesitate to ask. Even though we are apart, our friendship remains. You have saved up some money over the years, so please don't be polite with your uncle."
Li Xian scratched his head, "I'll listen to Mei Niang. Mei Niang is very thoughtful."
Ouyang Rong nodded upon hearing this, weighed the gold he had to spend, and calmly put it into his sleeve. The next moment, he suddenly turned his head and asked a rather absurd question:
"Even a hundred taels of gold is a small sum for Uncle and Aunt? That means Uncle has quite a lot of wealth in his household?"
Li Xian was slightly taken aback, but not feeling offended, he nodded in acknowledgment:
"They have saved a lot of gold and silver, and Guo'er's birthday gifts also bring in a considerable amount each year, but most of them are antiques and calligraphy and paintings, which need to be sold off. These household expenses are usually managed by Guo'er and her mother, and the money bag belongs to them."
Ouyang Rong nodded slightly, seemingly lost in thought.
Before Li Xian and his wife could even wonder why they asked that question, Li Dalang and Yan Liulang had already squeezed in.
Li Dalang laughed and said, "When Lianghan arrives in the capital, don't forget to write to us and tell us about the magnificent scene of Luoyang where all nations come to pay tribute."
Yan Liulang rubbed his hands together, somewhat excitedly saying:
"Your Excellency, here comes the imperial edict! Let everyone take a look. I, Liu Lang, have never seen an imperial edict of this caliber before in all my years."
"I have heard that such imperial edicts will bear the character '敕' (edict) in the handwriting of the current emperor."
“We common folk can’t see the emperor’s face, but it’s good enough to see the imperial name. It’s something to brag about to our children and grandchildren.”
Ouyang Rong glanced at him, then looked at the crowd gathered outside the door. The atmosphere was cheerful, and they all cast expectant glances at him.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the young county magistrate, who was empty-handed today and even missing a memorial from his sleeve, shook his head and said:
"The imperial edict is not with me, it is with Lord Song."
Yan Liulang was taken aback and asked on behalf of the people behind him, "Where is Lord Song...?"
"He's gone," Ouyang Rong replied truthfully. "He's gone back to the capital to report."
County Magistrate Diao was completely baffled: "Then why did they take away the imperial edict from the Prefect? Didn't the Prefect appoint the Censor of the Censorate as a Supervising Censor... uh."
The old county magistrate's words abruptly stopped, his eyes slowly widening like copper bells, utterly incredulous: "You...you wouldn't...!"
"Why not?" Ouyang Rong asked curiously, "Just because they promoted me, does that mean I have to go?"
He paused for a moment:
"But this is just in time. Someone from Luoyang is coming to deliver a memorial on my way, so you won't have to trouble yourselves to make the trip, Sixth Brother."
Ouyang Rong smiled and nodded, then looked around.
But they found the air outside the county government office to be rather quiet.
The Li family, including Li Xian and Li Fusu, along with county officials such as Diao County Magistrate and Yan Liulang, and the onlookers... Everyone on the scene stared at him in shock and disbelief, speechless for a moment.
A sixth-rank official in the capital, a censor... no, I don't want him anymore?
It took me a long time to digest.
Xie Lingjiang spoke first, her voice filled with concern: "Senior Brother, wouldn't this be considered disobeying the imperial decree?"
"No, it's just an imperial edict."
Li Guo'er looked at Ouyang Rong with complicated eyes and explained first:
"The imperial edict was submitted by the Council of State Affairs or the Ministry of Personnel, and His Majesty signed it. It was not a decree issued by His Majesty personally, so it cannot be considered a violation of His Majesty's will, but only a reasonable resignation."
"In this respect, our dynasty still retains the traditions of the Wei and Jin dynasties. When the court summons someone for office, virtuous and talented people can refuse. However, apart from mourning for parents or illness, we have never heard of anyone in our dynasty refusing an imperial edict..."
Li Guo'er glanced at the composed Ouyang Rong again.
County Magistrate Diao looked at Ouyang Rong and sighed:
“A renowned scholar can decline a position to maintain his reputation, but… what if the higher-ups take it seriously, or get angry and don’t promote you next time? Wouldn’t that be a complete disaster? Who would dare to try that?”
The old county town official couldn't help but ask, "Does the Prefect want to cultivate a good reputation or...?"
"Stop making wild guesses."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, interrupting the cacophony of voices:
"I simply felt that this Imperial Censor was not suitable."
He joked with the crowd, "I can't help but write down my remonstrances again on my second day in office. The emperor was furious and I was demoted to Longcheng again to meet you all."
"in addition."
Ouyang Rong squinted and said, "I recently found a new 'job,' so I can't just leave Jiangnan Road."
The young magistrate waved his hand and left.
Everyone stared in disbelief at his elegant and tall figure.
Xie Lingjiang glanced sideways, and the Li Xian family stood there, stunned and speechless.
Everyone was not stupid; they naturally understood the true meaning behind these actions.
The meaning of "as heavy as a thousand pieces of gold".
This surprise seems to have come... a little too fast.
Li Xian suddenly felt like crying.
Li Fusu lowered his head and rubbed the corner of his eye. He looked up again and confirmed that it was not a hallucination.
"Go back, everyone."
Ouyang Rong didn't look at Li Xian's family. He left the county government office first, and departed amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd.
Xie Lingjiang regained her composure, picked up the box, and followed her senior brother.
The Li family quickly realized what was happening and followed.
As they passed the entrance to the Deer Garden, Li Xian and the others assumed that the young figure ahead would turn into the gate as usual. However, to their surprise, he walked past the entrance of the Deer Garden without looking to the side and went straight to the mansion of the Su family, entering as if no one else was there.
Xie Lingjiang and Li Xian's family looked at each other in bewilderment.
A short while later, on the long corridor of the Su residence, Ouyang Rong, with a calm expression, neither went to Yilan Pavilion nor to Lixian Study, the residence of the head of the family, but instead walked smoothly towards Juxian Courtyard.
The young magistrate entered Li Fusu's study, chose the last chair, and sat down with ease. He rested his chin on his hand, tapped the armrest lightly with two fingers, and lowered his eyes to wait, as if deep in thought.
A moment later, the Li family, who had been following behind, entered the house one after another. Some were unable to contain their emotions, some were overjoyed, and some were busy pouring tea.
From this day forward, Zhou Ting of Luoyang will lose his youngest Imperial Censor, while Su Fu of Jiangnan will gain a young strategist from humble beginnings.
(End of this chapter)
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