Chapter 662 Xie Lingjiang: You wouldn't be thinking of doing that too, would you? [Seeking monthly votes!]
"Fine, I told you not to keep a bad woman outside, and you still disagree! This fairy will go and tell Xie girl right now."
From inside the tightly closed wardrobe, came Miaosi's knocking and mumbling.
Ouyang Rong said seriously, "I mean the point about raising other little ink spirits is rejected."
He turned and left the wardrobe. Miaosi pushed open the door, peeked her little head out, and looked at him suspiciously.
"Judging from your tone, it sounds like you want to reject everything."
Ouyang Rong didn't even turn his head, his words hitting the nail on the head:
"I can tell you're feeling guilty today. You're afraid I'm raising other little ink spirits outside, which will produce spirit ink and I won't need you anymore."
"Otherwise, given your personality, you'd be slacking off and passively resisting work, like a water buffalo that only starts plowing when whipped. The reason you've been so slow to reveal the detailed process of your spirit ink production to me is probably because you're afraid that once I understand the principles, I'll have less room to be lazy and explain."
"So even if your junior sister fed you some treasured spirit ink, you would probably have delayed until the very end before handing it over. What? Are you scared now? Are you really afraid that I have a little ink spirit outside that will compete with you for the job? Even after handing over the spirit ink, you were still trying to get information out of me and test me. It seems that the female immortal is not stupid after all."
Miao Si's expression changed, and her tone softened slightly as she spoke with her hands on her hips:
"What nonsense... You think you understand this fairy, but you don't understand anything at all, hmph."
Behind the wardrobe door, she retorted while her eyes darted around:
"The most self-righteous, bar none."
Ouyang Rong smiled but didn't say anything.
A sudden thought struck me:
"So, did you keep a little Mo Jing on the side?"
"you guess."
"This fairy maiden guesses that they must have raised them."
"Then we'll raise it."
"What do you mean by 'raised'? Well, this fairy maiden guesses it means 'not raised'."
You guessed wrong.
"..."
Miao Si was suspicious and disbelieving, and began to mutter to herself, her doubts growing stronger:
“You’ve been bringing us things back from outside a lot lately, including pastries. You’re so generous. It’s obvious you’re happy about something. We haven’t heard any good news from the Jiangzhou government or the Xunyang Grottoes. It’s not like you’ve been promoted or made a fortune. Apart from women, I really can’t think of anything that could make you show such emotion.”
Ouyang Rong sighed, "Since you understand me so well, it seems I really can't keep you here."
Miao Si said sternly, "Sometimes I really want to bite you."
Ouyang Rong ignored him and returned to his desk.
Today was a double harvest, with two pieces of good news in a row.
First, I unexpectedly received a new blessing, and then the new spiritual ink arrived, allowing me to make another red and black talisman as a backup plan.
He turned the red and black talisman in front of him into talisman water, mixed it with the original copy of Tao Yuanming's "Returning to the Countryside," and swallowed it together, just like Li Dalang swallowed the talisman left by Master Yuan, just in case.
Ouyang Rong snapped out of his daze and turned his gaze to the talisman-making materials on the table.
The yellowed booklet containing the Shangqing secret teachings, "Zhen Gao," had three pages torn from the back. With Xiao Mo's insightful guidance, it was revealed to be the finest talisman paper.
Two of the first two red and black talismans have been used, and now we are using the third one.
Ouyang Rong picked up the withered booklet, weighed it in his hand, and realized there was still a stack left, so he wasn't worried about running out for the time being.
The main reason is that the spirit ink produced by the ink spirit is too rare, which limits the number of red and black talismans.
Ouyang Rong glanced at the crimson ink that was about to reach the bottom of the golden bowl.
He reached out and took it, then continued drawing talismans with the brush.
About half an hour later.
Ouyang Rong leaned back and exhaled a long breath.
He then smiled slightly and looked at his palm.
A brand new talisman with red characters on a black background lay quietly in his palm.
Carefully blowing the ink dry, Ouyang Rong put away the red and black talismans, tidied up, and got up to leave the study.
Before leaving, he glanced back at the desk where he made talismans.
Ouyang Rong suddenly remembered the evaluation made by the senior Yu during the day.
Spirituality, enlightenment.
Upon reflection, he realized that he had learned a lot since arriving in this world. He had mastered the art of talisman making through his own exploration and self-study.
He seems to adapt very quickly to many unfamiliar areas, which aligns with the assessment that he is spiritual and insightful.
Ouyang Rong hadn't really thought much of it before, mainly because he kept his head down and didn't stop. The others around him, such as his junior sister, Yan Liulang, and Li Xian, regarded him as their backbone and that he was almost omnipotent, so they took his abilities for granted.
Now, to be suddenly criticized by a senior, unfamiliar observer, upon reflection, is quite objective.
While Ouyang Rong was lost in thought, he returned to the master bedroom.
Ye Weilai was tidying up clothes by the bed.
Now with her help, Ouyang Rong no longer needs to hide the clothes he brought back from the quiet courtyard. Ye Weilai can even help him deal with them and cover them up. When he goes out, Ye Weilai will thoughtfully pack two sets of clothes for him to prevent him from borrowing Yuan Huaimin's clothes again.
Ye Weilai stood up to greet her.
As soon as Ouyang Rong sat down, he heard some rather good news:
"My dear, it seems that Madam Zhen secretly tasted a piece of the pastry you brought back last night this afternoon."
Ouyang Rong laughed and said, "Why do it secretly? Can't we eat it openly?"
Ye Wei smiled and pursed her lips.
"Tanlang, you know that Madam is very concerned about her image. But she must also be curious about who this woman is that you would go to such lengths to bring home."
She tilted her head and said, "If Aunt Zhen knew that it was that former child bride, I wonder what she would think?"
Ouyang Rong didn't reply, but asked softly:
"Having tasted all the pastries, Auntie, haven't you guessed yet? The embroiderer used to work as a cook at the Longcheng Meilu Garden for a while, and I remember she also made pastries back then."
Ye Weilai shook her head:
"Madam Zhen doesn't really like sweets. She probably believed my explanation in public and thought all osmanthus cakes tasted the same."
Ouyang Rong remained silent and patted the head of the white-haired girl who had helped him.
Ye Weilai tilted her head, pressed her warm cheek against Ouyang Rong's palm, and said:
"Tanlang is very clever; his thinking and methods are correct. We absolutely cannot wait until the birthday celebration to let Madam Zhen and Miss Xie know about the embroiderer's existence. It would be best if both parties knew about each other's existence and tacitly agreed to it before the birthday celebration..."
"As for bringing him home on his birthday, that's just a symbolic ceremony, for outsiders to see, to give him a proper title..."
"Um."
Ouyang Rong pinched her cheek and said:
"Go to bed early. Don't read or write tonight. Get some rest."
"good……"
Upon hearing the words "turning pages and writing," Ye Weilai blushed slightly, as if she had thought of something, and ran to get Ouyang Rong some clean clothes to change into.
The two ponytails tied at the back of her head bounced around, making it irresistible to grab them.
...
The next morning.
Ouyang Rong left Huaiye Lane but did not immediately go to Xunyang Grottoes to meet the Lady Historian.
He first went to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
I specially brought a box of osmanthus cakes made by the embroiderer.
Upon arriving at the Prince's residence, Ouyang Rong went straight to Xie Lingjiang and Li Guo'er's boudoir.
He didn't go to see Li Xian and his wife, or Li Dalang, otherwise they would have warmly invited him to stay for a meal, making it difficult for him to leave.
Moreover, the two sides were already very familiar with each other, so Ouyang Rong did not need to pay homage to the Prince of Xunyang when he came to the Prince's residence, unlike other Jiangzhou officials.
Ouyang Rong prepared to confirm the location of that peach blossom grove in Mount Lu again.
The journey was smooth and unobstructed.
The two women's courtyards were right next to each other.
Upon arrival, Ouyang Rong found that his junior sister's courtyard was empty, while Li Guo'er's courtyard next door was bustling with activity.
The faint voices of Li Xian and his wife, Li Guo'er, and Li Dalang could be heard from the top of the wall.
At the entrance of Guo'er's courtyard, many maids gathered around, cautiously watching the drama unfold. Among them were several familiar maids from her junior sister's courtyard.
The women watched, but none of them noticed Ouyang Rong approaching.
Curious, Ouyang Rong stepped forward and peeked out from the doorway.
As expected, Li Dalang was chased and beaten by Li Xian with a broom. Wei Mei stood in front to protect Li Dalang, while Li Guo'er sat to the side, holding a cat in her arms, gently stroking it with her slender hand, and smilingly cracking open a handful of melon seeds.
On the legs of Li Guo'er's skirt, there was a pair of bright blue eyes reflecting the scene of Li Dalang running around the yard, the pupils following his figure with curiosity.
Perhaps they're wondering why humans have taken over their parkour spot today.
Ouyang Rong didn't pay much attention to Li Xian beating his son.
His gaze shifted, and he spotted his junior sister next to Li Guo'er, who was eating sunflower seeds.
The morning sun was bright. Xie Lingjiang must have finished bathing and washed her hair. She didn't tie it up or put it up immediately. Instead, she was drying her wet hair with a white towel, tilting her head in a cute way.
Her long, glossy black hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, falling from her swan-like neck, but it couldn't conceal her full breasts.
Her long, smooth hair was still damp, bathed in the golden morning light of the courtyard, reflecting a faint, silky sheen.
Washing hair in this era is a hassle; after drying, it needs to air dry naturally.
Xie Lingjiang frowned as she dried her hair, watching the scene of the young master being chased and beaten by the prince.
She didn't take the melon seeds that Li Guo'er offered her.
Just as he was about to speak, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure at the door.
Xie Lingjiang's eyes shone like stars.
Behind the crowd at the entrance, Ouyang Rong put his index finger to his lips, gesturing to her.
Xie Lingjiang understood immediately, and without even telling her best friend next to her, she quietly left the scene of gossip.
At the entrance, the two disciples met and returned to the neighboring courtyard.
They put the commotion caused by the Xunyang Wang family behind them.
The two chose a sunny spot in the courtyard to sit down.
"When did Senior Brother arrive?"
"I just arrived a short while ago."
Ouyang Rong smiled, put down the pastry box, walked over and took the towel from Xie Lingjiang's hand, came behind her, and helped her dry her wet hair, his face focused.
Xie Lingjiang's gaze fell on the food box on the table. After waiting a while and seeing that Ouyang Rong hadn't spoken, she asked curiously:
"Isn't Senior Brother worried about the neighbor's son?"
"What's there to ask? It's only natural for a father to beat his child. Even Confucius couldn't stop him. Besides, judging from the way the Princess and the little princess are acting, it's not a serious matter."
"Eldest brother is indeed the smartest." Xie Lingjiang nodded: "It's really not a big deal, it's just that eldest brother doesn't want to take a concubine."
"Taking a concubine?"
"Yes, Uncle Li arranged a concubine for Dalang. She is a young lady from the Wei family of Jingzhao. Uncle Li mentioned this marriage in a letter to his father-in-law in the Wei family, and it should have been approved by Aunt Wei as well."
"Today, the Wei family of Jingzhao replied. They originally intended to marry off their eldest daughter as their principal wife, but in this generation, the Wei family of Jingzhao has no eligible daughters of marriageable age. The closest one is only seven years old, so they will have to wait a few more years. Since there are no eligible daughters, the prince is preparing to choose a concubine from the Wei family listed in the letter as a candidate to be the eldest son's concubine, thus solving the eldest son's widowhood problem first..."
Ouyang Rong smiled and said, "Isn't this great?"
He paused for a moment, then added, "Since the eldest son isn't married yet, there's no rush to have a wife. It's perfectly normal to take a concubine first."
“It’s fine, it’s quite normal.” Xie Lingjiang nodded, her tone helpless: “But the eldest son firmly disagrees with taking a concubine, saying that he should only take one after he has a principal wife, otherwise it will easily lead to conflicts in the future, just like…”
"Like what?"
"Dalang said, otherwise it would be like what happened to Uncle Li..."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong immediately understood and chuckled:
"The eldest son is quite good at political maneuvering. Now I understand why the princess helped him stop it, even though he wanted to refuse the marriage proposal from the Wei family of Jingzhao."
Xie Lingjiang paused for a moment, then understood, and shook her head:
"Yes, it seems that Aunt Wei agrees quite a bit... Just because he refused the marriage, Uncle Li wouldn't have gone so far as to chase after him and beat him. It's all because Da Lang is so outspoken."
Xie Lingjiang then said:
"However, Dalang came to Guo'er's courtyard seeking his sister's help, but he has come to the wrong person."
Ouyang Rong asked curiously, "What do you mean?"
Xie Lingjiang's expression was strange: "Uncle Li wanted Dalang to get married immediately. Actually, it was Guo'er's idea in private. I went with her. Guo'er said that to prevent him from having any more thoughts about that Princess Anhui, it would be better to take a concubine to satisfy some of the needs that men have..."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "As expected of the black-hearted princess."
"The Black-Hearted Princess?"
"fine."
Ouyang Rong shook his head and subtly changed the subject:
"What does Junior Sister think about this?"
Xie Lingjiang lightly touched her lips with her index finger, and thought for a moment:
"Actually, what Dalang said makes sense, and I quite agree with it. Taking a concubine does require the principal wife to approve it, otherwise, if their personalities clash and conflicts arise in the house, it will be difficult to handle."
"But given Dalang's situation, it would be best for him to get married as soon as possible to resolve things quickly. So it's really troublesome. Even an upright official can't settle family disputes. Senior Brother, let's just leave it alone."
"Yeah, whatever, let's chat."
Ouyang Rong then said:
"Actually, in my opinion, Dalang still has some ulterior motives. Otherwise... otherwise, he could take a concubine without necessarily having a wife first. As long as he has the ability, he can naturally mediate the situation."
"That makes sense, wait a minute."
Xie Lingjiang looked suspicious and turned her head:
"Strange, why is Senior Brother criticizing Eldest Brother? Didn't he always speak up for him before?"
Ouyang Rong coughed and said, "Let's just stick to the facts."
Xie Lingjiang thought for a moment, then tightened her pretty face:
"Really? Are you sure it's not... just a trigger for memories?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head like a rattle-drum.
Xie Ling smiled at Jiang Yanran:
"Oh, that's good. I thought Senior Brother was thinking of doing that, which is why he contradicted Eldest Brother."
Ouyang Rong: ...
——————
(PS: Waaaa, guys, please vote for me with monthly tickets~ or 2)
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com