Chapter 15: 15. Unexplained Deduction of Merit

15. Unexplained Deduction of Merit

"Look, I said they would get along very well."

The Zhen family looked at the handsome man and beautiful woman behind who were "talking and laughing as if they were having a pleasant conversation," and she found them pleasing to the eye no matter how she looked at them, smiling and saying to Xie Xun, who was also looking back.

"Wanwan's temperament is just a bit too serious and rigid." Xie Xun sighed. If this were on a man, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

"Rigid and serious? I'm familiar with this. Isn't Tanlang just like this? Mr. Xie, let me tell you, from childhood to adulthood, I haven't taught him less... through earnest instruction, and it exhausted me..."

The Zhen family began to exchange "child-rearing experiences" with Xie Xun. The latter was stunned for a moment. As a great scholar who thought about state affairs, clan affairs, and academy affairs every day, he didn't expect that one day he would chat about such trivial family matters with a woman, but it was quite novel.

Xie Xun smiled.

The Zhen family began to slowly unfold her "Map of the Yan State."

"No wonder the young lady said one of her wishes was to see my Tanlang. The personalities of the two are indeed similar. Both are extraordinary upright gentlemen, so they cherish each other. If they are together in private, they will definitely have a lot to talk about. I believe they will soon become intimate friends."

The aunt forgot that a few days ago, she was still cursing her nephew for being a pedantic and useless upright gentleman.

"Should be. However, it's not just Wanwan who admired Lianghan's deeds quite a bit before. Many junior brothers at the academy want to see Lianghan. This is the example a Senior Brother should set." Xie Xun nodded.

The admiration of junior brothers at the academy? That's useless. How can it compare to one ten-billionth of the favor of this Xie family noble Xiao Shimei? The Zhen family smiled and nodded on the surface, but was very disdainful in her heart.

She thought for a moment and said nonchalantly: "Although I am a woman, I have long admired the romance of the Xie family of Jiangzuo. And I heard... the Jiangzuo gentry values character?"

Xie Xun waved his hand, "Outsiders' excessive praise, I don't deserve it."

The Zhen family asked: "Does Mr. Xie think my beloved son is a person of character?"

"Lianghan is naturally a young talent who counts in the academy."

"That's good, that's good."

It seemed a bit strange why the disciple's aunt talked to him about this. He thought for a moment, "Madam, don't belittle yourself. Lianghan is twenty years old and is already a county official. He is indeed a dragon and phoenix among people. Many Metropolitan Graduate peers older than him are still hesitating in Luoyang, indulging in wine and women."

But all the "stinky fish and rotten shrimp" had married and had children, while the "dragon and phoenix among people" was still a bachelor... The woman had long been dissatisfied with this. So she didn't probe anymore and said directly:

"To tell you the truth, Mr. Xie, I really like the young lady when I see her. She is sensible and reasonable, and she is like a person who walked out of a heavenly painting... I don't know... does Wanwan have a marriage contract?"

The map was revealed, and the dagger was exposed.

Xie Xun's eyebrows slightly raised. He turned to look at the Zhen family and didn't speak immediately. It seemed he thought for a moment before slowly saying:

"Temporarily no. Before, on her mother's side, there were Cui family descendants who wanted to propose marriage, but her mother rejected it for her. Later, she was busy with her studies..." He paused, looked at the gray sky, nodded and said:

"Let's not disturb Madam today. The journey has been a bit tiring. I will go back to rest with Wanwan. Does Madam have time tomorrow morning? Come over with Lianghan. Let's have a morning meal at East Forest Temple. By then... we'll chat again."

The Zhen family wasn't in a hurry either, smiling and saying: "Of course I have time. My beloved son doesn't know how much he wants to spend more time with Mr. Xie and Junior Sister. He doesn't have any good teachers or helpful friends in this Longcheng County. He is lonely by himself on weekdays and doesn't tell me anything. It's really a relief that Mr. Xie and Wanwan have come...

"It's fine, Mr. Xie, go back and have a good rest. We'll chat again tomorrow."

Xie Xun smiled.

"Aunt, what are you laughing at?"

"Did I laugh?"

"Still saying you didn't laugh, your face is blooming with laughter."

"Do you want a beating? Aunt is laughing, and you even manage that."

"Just feel that nothing good will come of it."

"?"

Ouyang Rong and the Zhen family sent Xie Xun's father and daughter back to an elegant residence on the west side of East Forest Temple. The Xie family was a powerful clan and had an exclusive courtyard in East Forest Temple, which was reserved and left empty all year round.

On the way back to Sanhui Courtyard, Ouyang Rong saw the Zhen family laughing "haha" from time to time, and he was a bit speechless.

"Aunt, what were you and the teacher talking about in front just now?"

"Don't ask about adult matters. What were you and Wanwan talking about behind?"

"Wanwan? You're an outsider, why are you calling her by her nickname? What kind of closeness are you trying to strike up? Also, don't ask about the junior's matters."

"Hey, I say you kid, asking for a beating..."

Ouyang Rong folded his arms, twisted his waist, and dodged the pat.

After a while, he turned his head, his face somewhat suspicious: "You wouldn't have mentioned that matter to the teacher, would you?"

"What are you saying? Aunt doesn't understand."

Ouyang Rong thought the more he thought about it, the more he felt it was, especially when he saw the mole-marked corner of the woman's lips in a silk skirt curving up, "You... how do you expect me to see the teacher in the future?"

He took a deep breath.

"What do you mean how to see him? Won't you see him every day once he becomes your father-in-law? Wait for it. There will be an answer tomorrow. I estimate it can be done!"

The Zhen family smiled, and her index finger painted with red balsam poked the wooden head, "That's why I say, I have to take action. You young people nowadays, your skin is too thin, and you keep your likes in your heart. Opportunities are fought for. Once this village is passed, there will be no such shop. If it weren't for your family seizing the opportunity to act as a matchmaker back then, could you have an aunt as gentle and thoughtful as me? Not a chance."

"How come the nephew feels... this is even more of a warning."

The Zhen family frowned and examined Ouyang Rong: "Why do I feel that my beloved son's mouth has become more talkative recently."

"Near vermilion, one gets stained red; near ink, one gets stained black."

The Zhen family: "..." Scolding in a roundabout way?

Ouyang Rong suddenly calmed down, as if he was no longer angry at the Zhen family's self-assertion, and silently faced the road ahead.

"Why are you pulling a long face? Aunt is strange. That Wanwan has such good conditions, especially that... the cafeteria for future grand-nephews, how rich it is. Don't men nowadays like this? It's strange."

"And her personality, Aunt tells you, this kind of rigid and serious woman is a treasure, pure and conservative. On the surface, her personality is boring and hard to approach, but once you have captured her heart, or she has decided on you, she is a devoted wife who will never change her mind, who is devoted to you and can't be driven away no matter what... She is also virtuous and manages the household well, and is prosperous for her husband and loves her children. I heard she is also a talented woman, so the children in the future will definitely be smart, and there's no need to worry about nutrition at all. Even twins are no problem..."

"Aunt." Ouyang Rong interrupted.

"What."

Ouyang Rong shook his head gently, "You underestimate Xiao Shimei too much. She doesn't look up to anyone."

Not to mention him, who didn't fit the image of an upright gentleman in her heart at first sight... Ouyang Rong smiled in his heart. Actually, he was quite satisfied with this real first encounter without the halo filter. This was seeing the real other person.

The Zhen family waved her hand, it didn't matter, she would take action, "The order of parents and the words of matchmakers, what Mr. Xie says counts. What does the little girl matter? As long as your teacher is satisfied."

Ouyang Rong didn't go to explain the rumors he had accidentally heard about Xiao Shimei chanting poems to refuse marriage and slightly insulting the Cui family son. He just didn't mention it anymore and turned to instruct:

"Aunt, go back tonight and prepare. Tomorrow morning, send the teacher to Peng Lang Ferry. We will also happen to move back to the county office to work."

The purpose of waiting at East Forest Temple had been completed, so the Zhen family didn't drag Ouyang Rong anymore, nodded in agreement, but still chattered on.

"My beloved son, don't worry. This time, this Xie family noble woman looks like someone who can be gotten along with. Aunt will keep an eye on things for you. It will absolutely not end up like that time before, raising an ungrateful wretch that can't be fed full."

Ouyang Rong, who was preparing to slip away, was stunned.

"What white-eyed wolf?"

"It's the child bride your mother picked for you from her maiden family when you were young."

"There's such a thing?"

"You forgot? When you were young, you were weak and sickly, often fainting in bed, so we raised a child bride for you to take care of you by the bed, and by the way, do embroidery and needlework. As a result, every time your mother and I entered the room to see you, your arms were full of needle holes, bloody from her pricking! The room was also turned upside down."

Even after many years, the Zhen family's eyebrows still stood up, "This ungrateful white-eyed wolf was originally adopted from your mother's Zhao family side. At first, she looked quiet and obedient, thinking of her as a playmate for you, but I didn't expect that while we weren't there, she would actually commit such a vicious act of murdering her young husband."

Ouyang Rong thought carefully, and it seemed he had some vague impressions. When he was young, he was indeed often woken up by the pain of needle pricks, and then it was the memory of his mother and the Zhen family often being furious at a thin little girl, beating and scolding her. That weak figure always huddled in the corner, "Ah... ah... ah" holding her head and sobbing.

"Then what happened later?" He was curious.

"Later, of course, she was sold. Originally, I wanted the clan elders to put her in a pig cage, but a wandering Daoist came to collect her, so your mother sold her directly and even earned a string of silver. After that, I don't know which unlucky family adopted this little white-eyed wolf."

The Zhen family shook her head, "It's also because of this that I know. Some children are really born bad seeds."

Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and muttered in agreement: "Well, it might be some kind of antisocial personality..."

Afterwards, looking at the sky, Ouyang Rong parted from the Zhen family, preparing to visit the A-Shan and A-Qing family again. Suddenly, he heard a series of dull wooden fish sounds, "Dong dong dong," coming from his ears one after another.

Like a heartbeat, totaling ten sounds, deducting ten points.

Someone was stunned, looking left and right at the empty temple, his face surprised.

"Where is my merit?" Numb.

... ===== CHAPTER 16 =====