Chapter 157: 164. The Su Family is Not Right

164. The Su Family is Not Right

Although the straightforward counterattack was quite refreshing.

But just after walking down from the winding water-friendly walkway that connected the water pavilion to the shore.

Blown by the cool breeze in the garden, Magistrate Ouyang Rong felt a little regret in his heart.

He was refreshed, but would this make it difficult for Su Dalang?

As for the Yuan Xiangshan who seemed to have chased out of the water pavilion, Magistrate Ouyang Rong didn't care at all.

At this moment.

Splash—!

A sound like someone falling into the water came from behind Magistrate Ouyang Rong.

"Help, help, the teacher tripped and fell into the water..."

Immediately after, the shouts of book boys came from behind.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, Yan Yan Liulang, and others were stunned.

Stopped, turned their heads to look.

Only to see that in the middle section of the water-friendly walkway with low railings, a group of book boys were lying on the railing, reaching out in vain toward a "spray" struggling in the water below, looking left and right, shouting anxiously.

It seemed as if they could save the person just by doing that.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong was speechless, and before he could lift his feet, he saw Su Su Dalang's figure, who was originally thinking with his head down by the table, rush out of the water pavilion for the first time.

"Teacher!"

Splash—!

A loud shout was followed by a sound of falling into the water.

Su Su Dalang jumped into the pond without a second thought.

The golden carp were startled and scattered.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who was about to open his mouth to say something, twitched the corner of his mouth.

Because right now, two groups of "sprays" struggling appeared in the pond.

One more was added in vain.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong and the others: "..."

The book boys: "..."

The beautiful figure on the corridor not far away: "..."

"Help... glug glug... save... save the teacher... glug"

The intermittent voice of Su Su Dalang came from the water.

You damn fool, if you can't swim, why are you jumping in?

While complaining in his heart, Magistrate Ouyang Rong had already rushed back to the water-friendly walkway, threw the outer robe he had taken off to the stunned Yan Yan Liulang.

He and Liu Ashan, who was bare-chested and had a muscular body, jumped into the water.

"I'll fish out Su Dalang, you save the Old Master."

The farce by the water pavilion outside Juxian Garden ended with Magistrate Ouyang Rong, Liu Ashan, and others fishing out Su Su Dalang and Yuan Xiangshan.

The subsequent incident seemed to have disturbed Old Master Su and his wife.

However, after saving the person and being thanked by Old Master Su and the others, Magistrate Ouyang Rong didn't stay much longer.

After confirming that both Su Su Dalang and Yuan Xiangshan were out of danger, he left that day.

Su Su Dalang's body was young and strong, and he recovered his lively state after resting for a morning.

However, Yuan Xiangshan was slightly more serious. He was unconscious from drowning until evening and still had a low fever.

Later, according to the physician invited from the Longcheng Medical Hall, this Old Master Yuan had cold air invading his body, and he just needed to recuperate well for a few days, which wasn't a big problem.

The day after saving the person, Magistrate Ouyang Rong came to visit after finishing his shift, bringing some fruit thoughtfully prepared by Ye Weilai.

He saw the tall figure of the young man serving soup and medicine, kneeling by the bed in the antique-style sickroom filled with sandalwood smoke.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong originally wanted to rack his brains to comfort him, but Su Su Dalang comforted him instead with an apologetic face.

And sincerely apologized for his teacher's previous arrogance and offense.

Seeing Magistrate Ouyang Rong speechless, Su Su Dalang coughed twice, revealing the funny expression he had when he was with friends before, winking to make him feel at ease.

This made Magistrate Ouyang Rong feel a bit embarrassed.

For the next few days, every evening after finishing his shift, Magistrate Ouyang Rong would come to visit, and he would always see Su Su Dalang busy by the sickbed.

Judging from the words revealed by other book boys, Su Su Dalang also kept watch by the sickbed late at night, never slacking off.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong took all of this in, but didn't say a word.

This evening, he came to visit again.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong couldn't help but advise: "Su Dalang, you... pay attention to your health. Taking care of people is one thing, but your own health is the most important. Don't get sick yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan."

In the front hall of the house, Su Su Dalang wiped the medicine soup stains on his hands with a rag, rubbed his tired, bloodshot eyes, and shook his head bitterly:

"It's fine. I was just watching by the bed and happened to read a bit of a book, and fell asleep for a while... I've been a bit busy these past few days. The teacher's old illness has recurred a bit, and I have to watch him at night these two days."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong glanced at his messy, crooked hair and the stubble on his face, hesitated for a moment, and reminded:

"Respecting the teacher and caring for the elder is right, but you can't exhaust yourself. If you really can't hold on, you can occasionally let the book boys or servants do it for you. It's not considered slack or unfilial."

"Understood, Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan."

Su Su Dalang nodded, and then couldn't help but glance at the fruit and snacks Magistrate Ouyang had brought.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled and asked: "What's wrong?"

Su Su Dalang watched his expression, stepped aside, and signaled: "Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, aren't you going in to see the teacher?"

"No, different paths, no common language." Magistrate Ouyang shook his head indifferently.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong had been coming to visit for the past few days, but he was more like coming to see Su Su Dalang. He always stopped in the front hall and didn't enter the curtain-filled inner room to see Yuan Xiangshan.

Su Su Dalang couldn't help but step forward and grab his friend's sleeve to reveal:

"Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, actually, the teacher is strict, and occasionally his words aren't very pleasant, but he's really good to me, and to my family. When the teacher was dismissed from his official position in the Ministry of Rites, it was also because of us..."

Clatter—

A slight sound suddenly came from the inner room, as if someone had lightly bumped into the leg of a stool.

Su Su Dalang, who had his back to the inner room, paused.

"What sound?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong looked curiously at the space behind Su Su Dalang.

"It's nothing, maybe the teacher is awake."

Su Su Dalang shook his head.

"Oh..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong didn't care about the Old Master Yuan's affairs, changed the subject, and asked with a puzzled tone:

"Su Dalang just mentioned because of you? Also, why would Old Master Yuan be dismissed from his official position for no reason? Does this mean..."

"No, no."

Su Su Dalang hurriedly waved his hand, paused, and explained:

"Actually, it's not considered dismissed. The teacher resigned himself. There were some disturbances in the Shenjing Luoyang imperial court that year. The teacher was stubborn and had different political views, so he resigned and retired. It just so happened that our family also left Shenjing Luoyang, and Father was familiar with the teacher, so he hired him to teach me to read in Juxian Garden."

He paused and added:

"Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, perhaps it's because it's somewhat similar to your encounter that the teacher was a bit pointing fingers in the water pavilion that day. Don't be angry."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong looked at him and nodded, not saying anything.

However, he had a deep understanding of the disturbances in the Shenjing Luoyang imperial court mentioned by Su Su Dalang.

From the dual saints ruling together in those years, to the later abolition and establishment of a new emperor, to the later ruling from behind the curtain, and finally changing Gan to Zhou... The Shenjing Luoyang imperial court had indeed been full of disturbances over the years, changing batch after batch of people.

This Old Master Yuan's experience wasn't considered strange.

Su Su Dalang suddenly mentioned: "Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, that article you left behind when you walked away in the water pavilion..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong stood up and smiled:

"I said it before, it was given to me by a senior when I was studying. Seeing Su Dalang's ancient style of respecting the teacher and the way, I was moved for a moment and gave it to Su Dalang."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head slightly, didn't care much, and said goodbye.

Su Su Dalang hurriedly stood up and sent Magistrate Ouyang Rong out the door.

Watching Magistrate Ouyang Rong's back disappear into the distance, this Su family's eldest son breathed a huge sigh of relief, turned back to the house, his footsteps a bit hurried...

After sending out the fruit, Magistrate Ouyang Rong walked empty-handed along the corridor, and after walking a distance away from that courtyard, he suddenly stopped under a corridor with wind chimes.

"Not quite right..."

Ding-dang-dang—the pitch-black wind blew the chimes, and the crisp sound vaguely covered the muttering of the man whose face was bright and dark under the corridor.

"Being able to hire a retired imperial court official as a private tutor for a long time, this is not something an ordinary wealthy family can do..."

Staring at the night sky descending outside the corridor, Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head slightly:

"Not to mention the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, there doesn't seem to be this surname among the great clans of the Guanzhong two capitals...

"Su... Su..."

Inside the quiet courtyard where Old Master Yuan was recuperating.

After sending Magistrate Ouyang Rong away, Su Su Dalang rubbed his tired right cheek and walked into the inner room without raising his head.

As soon as the heavy curtains were lifted, several figures were revealed inside.

"Father, Mother, Sister..."

Su Su Dalang called out familiarly.

Only to see these four members of the Su family, all in the inner room, standing or sitting.

And the conversation between Magistrate Ouyang Rong and Su Su Dalang in the front hall just now naturally fell into the ears of several people without missing a word.

Su family's old master Su Su Xian, dressed as a wealthy man, nodded kindly to Su Su Dalang who returned.

Su Su Guoer had a bright red plum blossom makeup on her brows. At this time, she was sitting gracefully on a stool by the window, holding an article with flowing calligraphy, lowering her eyes to examine it.

She only nodded slightly in response to her brother's greeting.

Su Su Dalang couldn't help but glance at his sister, who was dressed as a lady, and the empty stool opposite her.

His sister was clearly dressed in a blue and white skirt, sitting gracefully like a lady, studying Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan's strange article, but under her wide long skirt, a small foot wearing pink embroidered shoes lightly lifted the hem, and half of the sole hooked the leg of the stool opposite where no one was sitting.

It looked like playfulness within a lady.

But actually, his sister wasn't lady-like at all... Su Su Dalang sighed in his heart, having suffered enough bullying from his sister.

Just now, when he was talking with Magistrate Ouyang Rong outside, it must have been his sister who used her foot to hook the stool, interrupting what he wanted to say.

But Su Su Dalang wasn't angry either.

Now that he thought about it, it was indeed not very appropriate, after all, his sister was an unmarried girl, and it wasn't suitable to meet strange men outside, even if it was his brother's good friend, she should avoid suspicion.

Besides Su Su Guoer, there was also a middle-aged woman in the room, looking like a woman in her middle years.

She had two thin, long eyebrows and a round face with thin lips. Her height was not high, and she couldn't compare to Su Old Master and Su Su Dalang, who were quite tall and had a scholarly temperament. However, this woman, just standing in the room, even with her back to everyone, no one could ignore her.

When she pursed her lips slightly, combined with a pair of eyes that loved to squint at people, her temperament was very sharp.

Wei Mei didn't respond to her eldest son's greeting, nor did she sit on the empty stool opposite Su Su Guoer. She stood by the window, her index finger slightly lifting the curtain, as if she were carefully examining the back that was walking away in the corridor, her expression full of interest.

Su Su Guoer didn't raise her head and asked: "What is Mother looking at?"

Wei Mei didn't even think about it and immediately replied: "Looking at my son-in-law."

"..."

Su Su Guoer ignored her and gave a light "Oh," her reaction flat.

Wei Mei didn't even need to turn her head to know what this girl's reaction was. She laughed lightly, nodded, and asked.

"Why, don't want to marry? The family can't even afford to raise you anymore. Why don't you just marry out and find a sucker to take over?"

"If Mother and Father find one, please notify me, so I can take more things from home, so this sucker will lose less."

"Good, you ungrateful girl, I'll make sure you marry out with nothing later."

Wei Mei scolded with a laugh and poked Su Su Guoer's smooth forehead with an index finger.

The so-called son-in-law just now was naturally a joke.

Su Su Xian smiled bitterly and looked at Su Su Dalang. They were naturally familiar with the intimate bickering and way of getting along between this mother and daughter.

As for the family status... just look at their honest expressions of being unable to get a word in, and you'll know.

Just at this moment, Su Su Dalang looked at the sickbed of Yuan Xiangshan and couldn't help but say:

"Teacher, you're awake!"

Su Su Xian and Su Su Dalang walked forward together.

On the bed, Old Master Yuan, who had been in a coma for a long time, saw the people coming into the room, his face a bit flattered.

The old man hurriedly trembled and supported himself to sit up, as if preparing to bow with his sick body, but was grabbed by his withered hand and supported by Su Su Xian.

Su Su Xian and Su Su Dalang comforted him warmly, and Old Master Yuan burst into tears.

There was a harmonious atmosphere by the sickbed.

It was just that compared to the amiable Su father and son, Wei Mei and Su Su Guoer didn't have much reaction.

Su Su Guoer was still lowering her head, admiring the article "On Teachers."

Wei Mei watched for a while by the window before leisurely withdrawing her gaze.

"This child is indeed handsome, and his demeanor is not vulgar. He has the style of his teacher Chenjun Xie Xun in Shenjing Luoyang back then, but he is also a bit different. His style of doing things is more decisive and firm. He is a seedling who can do great things."

Wei Mei nodded:

"No wonder he could topple the Longcheng Chenjun Xie family with his bare hands in just two months. That Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang, this concubine has seen before, is not a simple character, but I didn't expect him to die so cleanly in Magistrate Ouyang Rong's hands."

Su Su Guoer gently closed the article scroll. This article "On Teachers" given by Magistrate Ouyang Rong to Su Su Dalang had been read by her countless times over the past two days.

The plum blossom makeup girl raised her head and added:

"He is also a good teacher. It is beneficial to Brother, we can try to win him over."

Wei Mei couldn't help but look at her youngest daughter, who liked to comment on people coldly.

Not long after, under the comfort of the Su father and son, Old Master Yuan was coaxed to sleep and rest.

Su Su Xian, Su Su Dalang, and Wei Mei, Su Su Guoer, all four left the inner room together, returned to a relatively private flower hall in the inner residence of the Su Mansion, dismissed the servants, and each took their seats.

"Here."

Su Su Guoer reached out and handed the article scroll in her hand to Su Su Xian and Wei Mei.

The couple read it one after another, and after reading it, they couldn't help but raise their heads and look at each other.

They were silent for a long time.

Su Su Xian and Wei Mei were not people without insight. Even if they didn't have the talent of eight dou, they still possessed and were proficient in the most basic appreciation ability.

On the other side, Su Su Guoer turned her head and said crisply to Su Su Dalang:

"The birthday gift in a few days is an opportunity. Brother knows what to do, right?"

Su Su Dalang was stunned.

Forced to code words outside, I'll go home tomorrow. I'm not very used to the strange keyboard, computer, and input method, so there might be typos. Good brothers, if you see them, you can mark them~

Forced to write outside, I'll go home tomorrow. The unfamiliar keyboard, computer, and input method are not very easy to use, so there might be typos. Good brothers, if you see any, please mark them~