Chapter 64 New Maid, New Construction, and a New Wrongful Conviction (Part Two)
"Have you been settling in well these past few days?"
Ouyang Rong lay back on a bamboo chair, holding a book in one hand and extending the other hand naturally, letting the silver-haired maid clean the wound on his index finger, which he had accidentally poked while playing with the sand table that morning.
His eyes were fixed on the vertically arranged characters on the page, and he casually asked a question.
"I'm used to living here."
Wei Lai's elegant speech was somewhat awkward. She lowered her head and carefully examined the wound on Ouyang Rong's right middle finger with her misty gray-blue eyes. She gently wiped it with a hot towel, next to a basin of hot water and the blood-stained gauze that had been removed.
"It is my good fortune to live with my master," the silver-haired maid murmured.
Two days have passed since she arrived at Meilu Garden. Although Madam Zhen kept saying she didn't like it, she still acquiesced and had the senior maids, such as Banxi, bring the silver-haired maids to teach her how to be a personal maid to serve her master.
After all, it's something Tanlang likes. Besides, every time he asks the silver-haired maid to call him back for dinner, he always comes back obediently and without hesitation...
What else could Madam Zhen say? She naturally understood what her nephew wanted to express.
"I've told you so many times, don't shout like that... it sounds weird."
I don’t know if that’s how people from the barbarian tribes address each other, but the silver-haired maid always habitually called him master.
Ouyang Rong's face behind the scroll showed a helpless expression. "You can call me 'Young Master' or 'Young Master,' or you can call me by my nickname 'Tanlang' like Auntie does."
The silver-haired maid pursed her lips and remained silent, seemingly oblivious to his words, her expression focused as she cleaned the wound on his finger.
Today she was dressed in a well-fitting light blue maid's outfit, and her silver hair was tied into two sideburns with two thin red ropes. It seemed that her technique was not very good, as one of the sideburns was tied a little crooked, but it made her look even more clumsy and cute.
"By the way, I've been busy lately, leaving early and coming home late. If anyone at home bullies you, you can tell me," Ouyang Rong reminded her.
Wei Lai hesitated for a moment, swallowed her words, and nodded.
Ouyang Rong put down his book, seemingly tired of his eyes. He turned to look at the silver-haired maid who was very close to him. She glanced at his face, then lowered her head again, her ears seemingly red. However, it was uncertain, because the candlelight from the desk behind her illuminated her small, white, and translucent earlobe, revealing a capillary-like orange-red color.
Ouyang Rong happened to see this, raised his hand as if to pinch it, but then withdrew his hand halfway through.
Wei Lai, who was always attentive to her master, realized this but misunderstood.
The silver-haired maid immediately tilted her head, raised her hand, and pulled off the red ribbon that bound her temples, causing her silver hair to cascade down like an avalanche.
Her hair was thick and, although silvery-white, it was not dry. Instead, it was smooth and straight, with a youthful and healthy sheen, like silver silk.
Wei Lai obediently tucked her waist-length silver hair over her left shoulder and presented it to Ouyang Rong with an expectant and ingratiating expression.
The owner said he liked her hair, even though everyone else hated its color.
Ouyang Rong's lips twitched. How come you have such strong initiative, little girl?
He wanted to refuse, but when he noticed the bright glow on the silver-haired maid's face, which seemed to be full of hope and happiness, the gentleman coughed and touched the cool, silky silver hair beside him.
Just touching it shouldn't deduct any merit points, right?
Ouyang muttered to himself. After touching it, he immediately heard a soft wooden fish sound in his ear. However, he didn't frown. Instead, he was slightly stunned.
It was the clear, crisp sound of a wooden fish.
Merit does not decrease but increases.
"..."
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but look at Wei Lai, who was sitting next to him on the bamboo chair, her blue eyes slightly narrowed and her small face gazing with delight as he stroked her silver hair.
Like a noble, pure white cat infatuated with the caresses bestowed upon it by its owner.
Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback, and couldn't help but twirl a bunch of silver hair that had been warmed by his touch with his two fingertips. Good heavens, this wasn't just silver hair, it was clearly a mini experience pack!
Shouldn't I touch it a little more?
He chuckled and gently rubbed the silver-haired maid's docile little head with his large hand, and the latter foolishly stretched her neck to rub against him.
A slight pain suddenly shot through the wound on his fingertip. Ouyang Rong snapped out of his reverie and looked over. The silver-haired maid seemed to be distracted, and had accidentally rubbed the wound with the hot towel too hard. Spots of blood began to seep out from the slightly swollen wound on his middle fingertip.
"ah!"
Wei Lai was startled, and lowered her head in a panic, pouting as she blew into the wind, her big eyes slightly watery.
"Master, it's my fault for being useless and not knowing how to use my strength."
"It's alright, it's alright, I was the one who distracted you..."
Ouyang Rong looked very embarrassed, but before he could finish his apology, he suddenly felt his right middle finger being enveloped by a soft, moist thing, and the wound on his fingertip was given extra care by this soft thing.
"Suckling."
Looking down, he saw the silver-haired maidservant, who was letting him stroke her, holding his right hand, her face buried in her hands, her pink lips pouting, and she mumbled indistinctly amidst her busy work:
“Master, when I was little, I was injured in the cage... Mother treated my wounds this way... and they healed quickly.”
After speaking, she rolled her eyes upwards as if seeking praise, gazing at Ouyang Rong with sparkling eyes, as if hoping to make him happy.
Looking down, Ouyang Rong noticed that perhaps the food at the Deer Park had been good these past few days, because Wei Lai's lips were no longer pale and bloodless, but rather pink and plump.
"Silly girl."
He shook his head and sighed, withdrawing his finger, ready to have a proper talk with her... but then...
"Senior brother!"
Xie Lingjiang's clear voice came from outside.
The master and servant inside were both taken aback. Ouyang Rong got up and went out first, and Wei Lai hurriedly went to get a single garment, ran out and put it on him.
In the courtyard.
"Junior Sister, what brings you here?" Ouyang Rong asked curiously.
"Didn't I say I'd bring you ice to soothe the swelling? Here, take it."
The pretty young lady from the Xie family stood there, handing over the box. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at the petite, silver-haired maid who followed her senior brother out of the room, and smiled faintly:
"Oh, you're probably already in bed, aren't you? Well, junior sister, you've come at the wrong time, disturbing your senior brother's sweet dreams."
"No, I mean, how did you suddenly appear here..."
Ouyang Rong ignored the jokes behind him. He looked behind Xie Lingjiang with a puzzled expression: "No one informed us. Where are Aunt and the others?"
"Oh, I didn't come through the main gate." Xie Lingjiang pointed to the plum grove next to the courtyard. "I just tried it out. I didn't expect it to be passable. There's a small path here."
Ouyang Rong was speechless. Good heavens, his junior sister was checking up on him, wasn't she?
Despite his complaints, he wasn't really feeling guilty. Ouyang Rong invited Xie Lingjiang into the study to sit down.
With the strange woman in the room, Wei Lai became much more reserved. She quickly tied up her long silver hair, ran to fetch a stool and pour water, and busied herself with other tasks.
"No one usually comes here, so please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality, junior sister."
Inside the study, Ouyang Rong personally lit the stove to boil water, washed the teaware, and prepared tea.
Xie Lingjiang didn't reply. After looking at him for a while, she turned to look at the silver-haired girl clumsily moving a stool in the living room not far away.
The magistrate of a county had an empty and desolate study and bedroom.
Her expression showed some emotion:
"Senior brother, have you never considered your own personal pleasures and private matters?"
"What's the meaning."
Ouyang Rong remained calm and composed, lowering his head to brew tea.
Looking at the young county magistrate before her, who was personally handling everything, Xie Lingjiang's last words boiled down to just one sentence:
"My senior brother is even more frugal and simple than my father."
Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback. He wasn't stupid; he roughly understood the meaning behind his junior sister's expression. He looked around, but couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.
"Didn't we already add a personal maid? I'm a grown man living here, isn't having a maid to lend a hand enough?"
Moreover, she was a delicate and pleasing-to-the-eye white-haired loli, obedient and sensible, serving him... Ouyang Rong thought to himself, if this were in his previous life, he would have been hung on a street lamp.
"Senior brother really is..."
Xie Lingjiang withdrew her gaze from a silver-haired maid who was completely out of her aesthetic sense, paused in her speech, and gently shook her head.
Even though the Su family next door is in dire straits right now, the Su family uncles and aunts, the eldest son and the younger sister, and others still have at least seven or eight maids and servants serving them in their rooms; even the guest room that Caishou just arranged for Yingniang is equipped with two maids.
Even though her father was renowned for his integrity and frugality in the literary circles of the Great Zhou Dynasty, he still had several old servants attending to him. Xie Lingjiang even suspected that Yan Liulang had more servants in his household than her senior brother, let alone the white-haired barbarian girl her senior brother had chosen…
I don't know if she's serving her senior brother or he's serving her, because she's not as skilled at tea ceremony as he is.
A certain noblewoman from the Xie family looked at Ouyang Rong, whose face was smug and self-satisfied, with a complicated expression.
The conversation then turned to matters concerning the county government the following day.
In the distance, a petite maid with silver hair and blue eyes stood silently behind the curtain, watching the confident and handsome young master in the study, and the elegant lady with black hair and dark eyes, who was talking eloquently.
A look of inferiority and envy flashed across her fair face... This is the kind of woman who is worthy of her master.
...
Night had fallen, and Xie Lingjiang didn't stay long. She drank a cup of hot tea poured by her senior brother and left satisfied.
Ouyang Rong could tell that his junior sister seemed to have something happy about today, as she was in a good mood. However, since she didn't say anything, he didn't ask any further questions.
After seeing his junior sister off, he casually patted the head of the seemingly quiet silver-haired maid before returning to his room to rest early.
Nothing was said that night.
Ouyang Rong got up very early today. The sky outside the window was just beginning to lighten when he finished washing up and tiptoed out the door, leaving behind only the silver-haired maid who sat up blankly, clutching the quilt, rubbing her sleepy eyes and dozing off alone...
After meeting up with Yan Liulang, Ouyang Rong went to the West Market and ate a bowl of fragrant noodle soup. Liulang, who was late, punished himself by treating everyone to the meal.
The two then personally led the yamen runners and clerks to count the grain sold to the county government by sixteen grain merchants at the dock. In the morning, the grain from more than a dozen other local gentry also arrived one after another. By noon, all 300,000 shi of grain had finally been escorted into the charitable granary of Longcheng County Government.
When Ouyang Rong and Yan Liulang returned to the county government office, Xie Lingjiang and his men had been waiting at the gate for a long time.
"Is everyone here?"
Ouyang Rong took the teacup from his junior sister, took a big gulp, and asked without turning his head.
"They've all arrived long ago. All the grain merchants and gentry who sold grain yesterday are here. They're all having tea in the side hall now, waiting for their senior brother."
Xie Lingjiang said confidently.
"What about the sand table?"
"It has been moved to the lobby."
"You can take them there. I'll come back after I change into my official robes."
Ouyang Rong smiled at Xie Lingjiang and said that today's matter was quite important, so he had to dress more formally.
"Okay." Xie Lingjiang went to fetch the person.
Ouyang Rong then instructed, "Sixth Brother, guard the main hall of the county government. Do not let anyone leave before my permission."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Yan Liulang accepted the order and left.
Before long, Ouyang Rong changed into a light green patterned silk official robe in the back hall, pushed open the door, and walked into the crowded and noisy county government hall.
The county government hall, which was rebuilt after the flood, was originally very spacious, and it never felt crowded during previous gatherings.
The reason for the "crowding" today is that a huge artificial sand table has suddenly appeared in the center of the lobby. On this sand table, there are mounds of earth simulating mountains and water flow simulating rivers, which vividly and clearly simulate certain terrain features.
As for the "noise," it came from grain merchants and gentry such as Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, and Manager Li, who were gathered around the huge sand table...
Having just entered the hall, they were all wide-eyed with astonishment, pointing and whispering among themselves at the strange object in the center of the hall.
Judging from their expressions, what amazed them even more than the strangeness of the huge sand table was the content and ambition it subtly revealed.
Xie Lingjiang, standing to the side, stood with his arms crossed and a smile on his face, watching everyone's reactions with great interest.
But they forgot that her expression when she first saw the sand table and listened to her senior brother's explanation was not much different from that of the grain merchants and gentry at present.
"Senior brother."
"Your Excellency, Magistrate."
Upon seeing the person in charge enter, everyone bowed, then stared at each other in silence for a brief moment before a barrage of questions erupted.
Wang Caozhi was the first to ask, "Your Excellency, what's being demonstrated here... could it be Butterfly Creek?"
"Brother Cao has good eyesight," Ouyang Rong said with a smile.
"But why is it different from what I remember?" Wang Caozhi scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
“That’s why it’s called ‘New Construction’.” The young magistrate nodded. “We want to make it the same.”
These calm yet domineering words left Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, Manager Li, and other grain merchants looking at each other in bewilderment.
Compared to the grain merchants who were unfamiliar with Longcheng, the local gentry, such as Uncle Wu and Master Cheng, naturally understood much more and grasped the concepts almost instantly.
Master Cheng smiled wryly and pointed at the sand table: "Your Excellency, could this be for real?"
"It's all up to human effort," Ouyang Rong said softly.
Uncle Wu couldn't help but gasp, "How much silver must this have cost?"
Ouyang Rong smiled at everyone:
"The more you invest, the more you earn. You must know the business opportunities better than I do."
Uncle Wu and Master Cheng were speechless.
The newly constructed model in front of them made all the local gentry feel parched and their bodies heat up.
Wang Caozhi and the other visiting grain merchants seemed to understand but not quite, and were itching to ask questions. However, Ouyang Rong was very considerate and turned to Xie Lingjiang to fetch dozens of paper scrolls that had been prepared in advance, one for each of the grain merchants and gentry in the hall.
Even those who had a vague idea beforehand were still shocked after seeing the detailed plan for the new construction.
The lobby was quiet for a while.
Facing the crowd with their complex expressions, Ouyang Rong clapped his hands and said:
"There is one point that I feel I must kindly remind you of: the county government is not begging you to join us. Longcheng County government currently has 300,000 shi of grain and sufficient manpower both inside and outside the city. Whether you join us or not, it is imperative for us to proceed during my term! It's just a matter of how fast or slow it may be."
"Right now, the county government's debts that you all hold are the only tickets that the county government has kindly given you. This window of opportunity is open only once today. Please think it over carefully."
Having said that, Ouyang Rong said no more, sat back in the grand chair at the head of the table, lowered his eyes and drank his tea, leaving everyone in the room alone facing the familiar yet unfamiliar Butterfly Creek sand table in front of them...
This time, it didn't take long. Perhaps because of yesterday's experience, they had been subdued by the scumbag magistrate. Once again, the sixteen grain merchants were the first to step forward, followed by Uncle Wu, and then the other hesitant gentry also stepped forward...
Before long, in the main hall, a young county magistrate who was too busy signing documents took a break and exchanged a smile with a female clerk.
Just then, a loud "thump thump thump" of drums suddenly came from outside the county government office!
The entire room was astonished.
Someone is beating the drum of injustice!
Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang were both taken aback, especially the former, who had never heard the drum sound since taking office. This was because if there was a case, one could simply go to the yamen to report it. The grievance drum was mostly just for show, unless a minor official in the yamen blocked the case from being reported.
Ouyang Rong calmed the crowd in the hall and led Xie Lingjiang out. But as soon as they arrived at the county government office, they saw a figure that made them frown.
Liu Zilin, whom they hadn't seen for many days, was leading a group of followers, beating a drum. Behind him, the street was filled with ordinary people who had been drawn to watch the performance.
Seeing Ouyang Rong walk out, the third young master of the Liu family sported a utterly irritating smile:
"Your Excellency, the magistrate has finally taken time out of your busy schedule. This time, you must uphold justice for this humble subject!"
Ouyang Rong nodded calmly, "Your leg is healed?"
"..." Liu Zilin's smile remained unchanged: "Is Your Excellency concerned about your leg, or about justice?"
"Does Young Master Liu need me to uphold justice?"
"Am I not a citizen of Dragon City? Aren't the local officials supposed to uphold justice for the people of Dragon City?"
"Yes, but this grievance drum cannot be beaten carelessly. If anyone is found to be causing trouble, they will be beheaded."
"No, no, no, I didn't knock randomly, absolutely not! I'm so wronged, I'm just waiting for a just and upright official to redress my grievances!"
"What grievance do you have? Speak quickly." Ouyang Rong squinted.
The third young master of the Liu family stood with his hands behind his back, exchanging glances with the young magistrate for a moment. Suddenly, in front of everyone, he jabbed his index finger at the magistrate… (The woman in men's clothing behind him:)
"This humble citizen wants to sue your advisor!"
Inside and outside the county government office, there was complete silence.
Xie Lingjiang stood there, stunned.
Ouyang Rong did not turn around, but silently stared at Liu Zilin, who was showing his fangs.
(End of this chapter)
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