Chapter 352 Better Luck Than Fear (Seeking monthly votes at the beginning of the month or 2)
Du Shuqing was still nowhere to be seen.
Two days later, messages from Magistrate Diao and news brought back by Yan Liulang from Longcheng arrived one after another.
Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment.
“My lord, I went to the Meilu Garden and took a look. Du Shuqing must have stayed there. It was very clean, with fallen leaves and dust all removed. However... I didn’t see his luggage or belongings.”
"In addition, the main gate was locked from the outside, but I found this set of keys on the table in the side gatehouse."
Ouyang Rong reached out and took the key from Yan Liulang, then looked down at it.
It was on that day, when he was seeing off Xing Zhengyan and the others at Xunyang Ferry, that he smiled and handed Du Shuqing the key to the gate of the Meilu Garden.
Ouyang Rong dismissed Yan Liulang.
He held the key in his hand and sat quietly in the main hall for a while.
The morning sunlight, shining obliquely in, gradually retreated from the foot of the table to the wooden threshold at the door.
Ouyang Rong snapped out of his daze.
He quietly put the key away.
I got up and went outside, stood in the courtyard, and basked in the warm midday sun for a while.
Ouyang Rong went to take Dongmei's hand and left the Jiangzhou main hall.
I left home this morning promising my aunt I'd be back for lunch.
My junior sister is here; she'll be cooking lunch.
The young official rode a chestnut-red horse, passing Xunyang Ferry and the bustling West Market nearby, and bought some snacks that his junior sister, Ye Weilai, liked along the way.
He had already taken off his official robes, leaving only a light green undergarment. No one recognized him; he was just an ordinary member of the bustling crowd.
During this time, Ouyang Rong's gaze fell on the bustling streets, on the peddlers, tourists and residents.
He actually quite liked the bustling and lively atmosphere of Xunyangdu.
From the moment I first arrived in Xunyang City and saw this classical, old yet vibrant ferry crossing, I was filled with fighting spirit.
It is regarded as the second Dragon City.
It's a pity there are many other Dragon Cities in the world.
He can change this ferry crossing and the lives of the people of Jiangzhou right now, but he can't change other parts of the world.
Unable to influence the policies of the court due to the power struggles among various factions such as the Empress, the Wei clan, and the pro-Li faction.
Even Wang Lengran was using his superior's status and the rules and regulations to subtly exclude him.
Back at the residence in Huaiye Lane, he had a simple meal with his junior sister, Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weilai, and other female relatives.
That afternoon, Ouyang Rong, dressed in a scarlet official robe, solemnly went to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
We discussed it for an afternoon.
In the evening, he left the Xunyang Prince's Mansion under the watchful eyes of many, some open and some hidden.
The following day, the Jiangzhou government issued a document, following the orders of the Jiangnan Construction Supervisor, Prince Xunyang, to prevent flooding during the plum rain season.
The excavation of Shuangfengjian has been temporarily halted, along with the construction of the Donglin Buddha. Recruitment for Xunyangdu has also been suspended.
That afternoon, Ouyang Rong, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, inspected important grain depots such as Jimin Granary.
Subsequently, the Jiangzhou government, which already had ample supplies, used the pretext of flood prevention and expansion of granaries to purchase large quantities of grain and fodder.
Before the tax season, Jiangzhou's finances were stretched thin, so they had grain sellers sign off on their purchases through bookkeeping.
Thanks to the good reputation of the Jiangzhou government under the leadership of the newly appointed chief administrator, the people of Xunyang responded in droves.
When wealthy merchants from Xunyang and passing merchants from Jiangnan heard about this, they rushed to transport grain... The Jiangzhou government purchased and stored the grain at reasonable prices.
In the following days, this young official, under the pretext of inspecting the livelihood of the people in Xunyang, inspected the wells in each neighborhood and street.
Subsequently, the government hired people to add forty or fifty more wells to vacant areas of temples or places with sweet springs...
Despite not lacking food or water, Xunyang City's actions of stockpiling water and food have attracted considerable attention.
The lobby of Jiangzhou also welcomed a long-awaited "guest".
When Wang Lengran, the governor of Jiangzhou, entered the main hall, Ouyang Rong was chatting with Yuan Huaimin.
The former seems to be inquiring about a long-abandoned, ancient tower on the banks of the Xunyang River, built by a predecessor.
Wang walked with his hands behind his back and a cold face from the main entrance to the governor's table at the head of the hall and sat down.
"snort."
A cold snort.
Ouyang Rong ignored him and continued to inquire about the history of the Suojiang Pagoda built by Yuan Huaimin.
Despite his arrogance, Yuan Huaimin was extremely knowledgeable about local historical materials, including landscapes, customs, and biographies.
Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow, slightly acknowledging the "dual excellence in poetry and painting" that Ouyang Rong always talked about.
"Hmph, did Chief Secretary Ouyang not see that I have arrived?"
Wang Lengran interrupted again with a cold snort.
Ouyang Rong lowered his head, carefully writing down what he had just learned with his brush, then put down the brush and said calmly:
"Lord Wang is a rare guest. Should I prepare a feast to welcome you and cleanse your home?"
The long-silent main hall was now thick with tension. Hearing the two superiors exchanging barbs, Yuan Huaimin immediately fell silent and began to look away, keeping his eyes downcast.
"It's all because Prefect Ouyang thought he was being clever and did this good deed."
Wang Lengran's face showed displeasure as he questioned:
"I heard that Chief Secretary Ouyang suddenly ordered the suspension of the construction of His Majesty's Donglin Buddha, and instead used the money to hoard water and grain, reinforce the city walls, and build some strange things."
"Ridiculous! Xunyang City is not short of water or food. Why are you hoarding all this stuff? Are you planning a rebellion? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were going to defend the city and establish your own independent state!"
Ouyang Rong's businesslike expression:
"The suspension of the construction of the Donglin Buddha was ordered by the Prince to prevent potential flooding, as the Yangtze River is currently in its flood season, and precautions must be taken."
"Moreover, I have already reported this matter to the imperial court. The Donglin Buddha will be completed within the time limit, so there's no rush, Lord Wang."
"Heh, rebellion." Ouyang Rong chuckled lightly.
"I have absolutely no control over military affairs. If there is any rebellion in Xunyang City, the most likely candidate and the one with the best chance is probably you, Lord Wang."
“You…” Wang Lengran suddenly stood up, slammed his hand on the table and angrily rebuked, “Nonsense.”
Ouyang Rong nodded: "See, he's in a hurry again."
"..."
Wang Lengran's blood pressure surged to his head, and his old face flushed red.
However, he was helpless against Ouyang Rong, otherwise he wouldn't have come over in such a huff today.
Ouyang Rong cited the pretext of preventing floods in the Yangtze River and his previous achievements in flood control in Longcheng, which had earned him widespread praise.
In the eyes of Her Majesty the Empress and the officials of the court, he was an authority on water conservancy, and might even be included in the history books of this dynasty a hundred years from now.
After all, there is the Zheyi Canal, a masterpiece left in the Jiangnan region, which is most prone to flooding. With such an achievement, he can be considered one of the top water conservancy experts of his time.
Wang Lengran knew that even if he submitted a memorial as the governor, he would most likely lose to him.
"Prefect Ouyang, don't even think about using this to do anything underhanded, like feigning one thing while secretly doing another. I will be keeping an eye on you."
Wang Lengran warned, word by word.
Ouyang Rong was well aware of the meaning behind Wang Lengran's words and his concerns.
He feared that Ouyang Rong and the Xunyang Prince's Mansion might slip out of his control, and he might use this as an opportunity to do something unexpected and completely break the deadlock.
In fact, the entire city of Xunyang was always in a state of outward relaxation but inward tension. Wang Lengran was always keeping an eye on the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, firmly controlling the power of the procuratorate and the military.
Ouyang Rong looked at him, his gaze meeting his calmly, and said:
"Coincidentally, I also like to keep an eye on people."
Wang Lengran was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked:
"I heard that you sent someone to deliver a letter to the Governor's Office of Hongzhou in the name of the Jiangzhou Grand Hall."
"Lord Wang is quite well-informed."
"As the chief official of Jiangzhou, I naturally have the right to know these things. Chief Secretary Ouyang, you have arbitrarily used the name of Jiangzhou to issue unwarranted warnings to Hongzhou and interfere in their affairs. What exactly do you mean by this?"
"It means exactly what it says."
"By bypassing your superiors and issuing official documents privately, you have disgraced me! People in Hongzhou will think that I am incompetent in governing the country."
Ouyang Rong looked at him strangely, as if asking, "Isn't that right?"
Wang Lengran immediately glared and rebuked:
"I am preoccupied with military and political affairs every day, which is why I don't come here often. What do you know? I have only dealt with some minor civil affairs. Do you really think you are a peerless national hero and that you can interfere in everything?"
Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged, and he suddenly said:
"I am not quite aware of how much effort Lord Wang has put in. I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."
Before Wang Lengran could say "It's not appropriate to talk about this" in an annoyed tone, he immediately said:
"Lord Wang, you should stop guarding this small territory of Jiangzhou. Find a pretext to temporarily transfer the soldiers of the Third Garrison Command of Jiangzhou to the Fourth and Fifth Garrison Commands of Hongzhou."
"Immediately send reinforcements to Hongzhou, just in case."
"Otherwise, if something happens to Hongzhou, Jiangzhou will only have this one military command post, which won't be of much use. The two closest military command posts are both in Hongzhou."
Ouyang Rong sighed.
Wang Lengran, who was furious just a moment ago, suddenly fell silent, narrowed her eyes, and stared at him, asking:
"Prefect Ouyang, have you heard something?"
“Envoy Hu is not like Lord Wang, who keeps everything tightly under wraps and never consults with others.”
"Did Envoy Hu also send a message to Prefect Ouyang?"
Ouyang Rong smiled, naturally not mentioning Qin Heng and exposing his ally.
Wang Lengran also sneered: "It seems that Envoy Hu and Chief Secretary Ouyang have a good relationship."
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and advised again:
"If the worst-case scenario occurs, and Hongzhou falls without any external support, Jiangzhou will also be difficult to defend, with only the soldiers of one prefecture remaining, unless the entire prefecture is mobilized..."
"Lord Wang, as the military and political leader of a prefecture, please consider the overall situation."
Wang chuckled coldly, a slight smirk playing on his lips, and uttered a sarcastic remark:
"Do you know what that Grand Commander Zhu used to do? He was just a garrison soldier who was disobedient, arrogant, and made demands that challenged the court. He didn't need a junior like you to tell him what to do."
Wang stood up and coldly flicked his sleeve.
He left Jiangzhou Hall without looking back, saying, "Someone better behave yourself."
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips; he knew what Wang Lengran was thinking.
What he truly cared about, and the Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefecture, was never the returning northern garrison soldiers, but rather the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
As long as the Xunyang Prince's Mansion is well guarded and no mistakes are made, there will be no fault in the future.
If something unexpected happens to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, even if he has made great contributions, it will be of no use. At least Wang Lengran himself will be safe.
...
"Brother Lianghan, why are you suddenly interested in this Suojiang Tower?"
The morning after their unpleasant parting with Wang Lengran, Ouyang Rong and Yuan Huaimin went together to an ancient site by the river not far outside the city.
Ouyang Rong, disregarding his image, squatted on the river-facing side of the tower's base, reached out and touched the rusty iron chains below, then rubbed the rust between his fingers.
He stared at the rust dust without saying a word.
"Legend has it that when Yu the Great was controlling the floods, he used iron oxen to suppress the waters. Therefore, there were once four iron oxen guarding this building. However, due to years of disrepair, two of them were lost, leaving only half of them."
"Later, during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, when the literary style was promoted, the prefect of Xunyang County, Wu Xiu, built this building, which took eighteen years to complete."
"This building was originally called Jiangtian Suoyue Tower. Because it soared into the blue sky, was elegant and simple, and had a shadow that locked the river, it became one of the ten scenic spots in Jiangnan. Literati and poets came in an endless stream to admire the river view and splash ink like rain."
As the saying goes, "Looking out over Wu and Chu for thousands of miles, the waves below gather at Xunyang."
"Unfortunately, it has gone through the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, with the winds and clouds changing above and the waves churning below. It has also been affected by war. After four hundred years of changes, the riverbanks have collapsed, buildings have been destroyed, cattle have sunk, and pavilions have fallen..."
Yuan Huaimin, with his extensive knowledge and prodigious memory, sighed with admiration:
"Brother Lianghan, whether it's called Suojiang Tower or Jiangtian Suoyue Tower, as the name suggests, it's meant to lock down the unruly river."
"The flood is like a vicious dragon, and this pagoda is meant to suppress the dragon, eliminate disasters and calamities, and ensure lasting peace."
"However, this water management strategy has a blessing-seeking nature, and Brother Lianghan, who is truly proficient in water conservancy, should not be able to stand by it."
"This building seems to have been used for other purposes as well."
Ouyang Rong chuckled, pointed to the rusty iron chains beneath his feet, and said in a calm tone:
"I've heard people say that during ancient times of war, an unnamed general devised a clever plan: he made iron chains and placed them across the Yangtze River at this strategic location, and also made a large iron spike and placed it in the river..."
"The location of Suojiang Tower is really good, right at the narrowest point of this section of the river."
He was somewhat moved by the scene before him and sighed:
"It is conceivable that throughout history there has been no shortage of talented and ambitious people who know that Xunyang City in Jiangzhou is strategically located. It can monopolize the Yangtze River and guard the southeast gateway."
Yuan Huaimin was taken aback:
"Liang Han also knows about such old stories. He was a general of Eastern Wu who blocked the Yangtze River. However, I remember that he did not meet a wise ruler. This strategy of blocking the river ended in failure, and the country was destroyed and his family was forgotten."
"As the saying goes, a brilliant plan to serve the country is pitifully useless, and the white feathers are covered in dust... Iron chains block the river, and brocade sails surge on the waves. Sun Lang's efforts are in vain... But I am saddened to knock on the cassia oar, to lament the Liangfu poem, and to shed tears like rain."
Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly.
Okay, okay, this is such a downer, isn't it?
"Alright, stop showing off your calligraphy and painting skills. You're pedantic. Let's go take a look across the street."
He stood up and patted the rust dust off his hands:
"If the local gazetteer is correct, there is another place across the river called Huilongji, where there is an abandoned small tower that is the place where the other end of the iron chain is connected."
He took Yuan Huaimin by boat to the other side of the river.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on field visits.
The next day, Ouyang Rong personally went to the Sishi Cao, one of the six Cao in Jiangzhou, and found the Sishi Canjun.
This company is primarily responsible for the construction of houses, vehicles, and ships, as well as the management of artisans within the state.
Ouyang Rong inquired about the difficulty of forging the iron chains, and then ordered the Sishi Cao to summon the city's best blacksmiths.
At the same time, he began to travel around collecting iron materials available on the market.
Ouyang Rong plans to renovate the Jiangtian Lock Key Tower, or more accurately, the Hengjiang Iron Chain.
Let the building remain abandoned.
While he was busy with this matter,
That morning, Yan Liulang suddenly rushed into the blacksmith's shop of the Si Shi Cao and urgently said to Ouyang Rong, who was supervising the forging of iron chains:
"Your Excellency, Envoy Hu has returned!"
Ouyang Rong stopped moving.
Hey guys, I'm adjusting my schedule, so there shouldn't be any updates until midnight tonight. I should update tomorrow, so consider it a half-day break for me, sob sob.
(End of this chapter)
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