Chapter 171

One hundred and seventy-eight, Su Su Guoer: This young man is talented and arrogant, how annoying.

No way, even a gentleman guards against craftsmen. One hundred and seventy-eight, Su Su Guoer: This young man is talented and arrogant, how annoying. "Both are lazy garden guests, facing the desolate rain and snow together..."

In a pavilion within the Su Fu gardens.

The two stood before a pavilion pillar inscribed with poetry, silently watching for a while.

The young magistrate drooped his eyelids, slightly tipsy.

The blue-clad constable turned his head and said solemnly to the former:

"Magistrate, this is clearly aimed at you. Have you thought about how to reply? It shouldn't be the same as yesterday, right?" He muttered under his breath: "Speaking of which, why did you write my name on it, Magistrate..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head, "What do you mean aimed at me? Perhaps it's aimed at Beside Yan Liulang. Beside Yan Liulang's conditions are quite good; which young lady wouldn't like him?"

Yan Beside Yan Liulang was stunned and touched his face, "Where are my conditions good?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong let out a hiccup and nodded, "Beside Yan Liulang has arms and legs, knows where to hide when it rains, and doesn't eat things off the ground..."

"..."

Yan Beside Yan Liulang gave a bitter smile, his mouth feeling a bit astringent:

"Magistrate, don't joke. I know what I am—just a rough martial man. Being able to recognize a few characters and write my own name was all beaten into me by my parents and sisters with sticks...

"You, Magistrate, are the truly talented and handsome gentleman. In the Great Zhou Dynasty, which family's daughter wouldn't like such a scholarly seed?

"This young lady who left the poem must have admired you for a long time and wished to make your acquaintance, which is why she appeared so gracefully for a fleeting glimpse."

He stroked his chin and nodded, analyzing it logically:

"In my opinion, this is likely a female relative of the Su family. Seeing how cultured she is—playing the zither and playing chess—and being such a beauty, this is the first time I've seen such a beautiful and elegant young lady in all my years in Dragon City.

"I don't know if she is the elder brother's younger sister or elder sister. She shouldn't be a concubine; given Su Bo's henpecked nature, he wouldn't dare keep a mistress even if given a hundred guts, and the same goes for the elder brother.

"She is likely a young lady from the boudoir. It makes sense; Su Bo and the elder brother are quite good-looking themselves, so this whole family seems quite noble."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at him sideways, nodding in affirmation:

"If Beside Yan Liulang put half of this energy into solving cases and chasing criminals, Junior Sister wouldn't have to run around looking for medicine."

"..."

Yan, one must not neglect a beauty."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong sighed: "I have principles. I treat the sisters, wives, and daughters of my friends and brothers with respect and keep my distance."

Yan Beside Yan Liulang sighed upon hearing this: "Is that so? I was originally planning to introduce a few of my elder sisters to you, Magistrate. If you are so concerned..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong immediately straightened his expression and interrupted: "If it's your sisters, that's not impossible. Principles can be flexibly discussed; don't be too rigid."

"?"

Yan Beside Yan Liulang looked at Magistrate Ouyang Rong's tipsy appearance and heard the joking tone in his words, so he shook his head helplessly:

"Magistrate is teasing me again."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong patted his right cheek with his palm, flicked his sleeves, and turned to leave:

"Let's go back. The alcohol has mostly worn off, and Su Bo and the elder brother are still waiting for us."

Yan Beside Yan Liulang couldn't help but say:

"Leaving already? What about the poem left by this Su family female relative? Aren't you going to write a return poem, Magistrate? She even has the brush and ink laid out on the table."

"."

"'Six'—is one character too few?"

"Then three 'sixes'." Magistrate Ouyang Rong waved his hand.

"Three sixes? What does that mean?"

Yan Beside Yan Liulang scratched his head, frowning in confusion as he muttered:

"Also, Magistrate, you say this young lady wrote this line, and the one from two days ago—what exactly do they mean? I can roughly guess she might want to get to know you, but how should these poems be interpreted?

"'Both are lazy garden guests, facing the desolate rain and snow together...' Is she trying to invite you, a fellow traveler, to enjoy the rain and snow together? Hey, are talented people and beauties these days always so subtle and elegant when they speak? Speaking like this is too exhausting."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded in full agreement, "I don't know. Why don't you ask her? Reply with 'Can you speak properly?' and tell her to stop playing riddles."

Yan Beside Yan Liulang hesitated: "Wouldn't that be rude to the beauty, and make you look stupid, Magistrate, as if you don't have as much literary talent as a girl? That won't do. Why don't you write a poem to match hers..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong stopped and turned his face, speaking immediately:

"Regarding replying to poems, it's actually very simple. Beside Yan Liulang, you are truly stupid.

"Come, come, let me teach you a trick. Remember, since what she wrote confuses you, you should write something that confuses her."

"Confuse her?"

Yan Beside Yan Liulang was stunned, turning to watch the young magistrate who had passed him like the wind. He saw the latter roll up his sleeves, pick up a brush, and walk to another empty pavilion pillar nearby.

The young magistrate raised his hand and turned back with a smile:

"How about this, Beside Yan Liulang, let's each write one line. I'll write one, and you write one."

"But I can't write poetry."

"It's fine, I'll teach, you write, just pick one line to write..."

In front of the pavilion pillar, the two whispered to each other for a long time.

A moment later, it was done. With a slightly strange look on Yan Beside Yan Liulang's face, the two left the pavilion named "Drunken Old Man" with light hearts and returned to the main hall, where the Su family banquet continued.

Amidst the clinking of cups and laughter, it was as if nothing had happened...

The moon climbed to the treetops.

The Su residence, having sent off its distinguished guests, grew quiet once again.

It was not yet summer, but the insects in the gardens had arrived early.

However, the bursts of insect chirping in the grass only made the garden seem more vast and silent.

"Miss, you say, even if he is a blockhead, he should have figured it out by now, right?"

A young lady wearing a vermilion Daoist robe and a hair-securing crown walked in front, leading a small maid with a baby-faced, bun-like appearance, heading toward the Drunken Old Man Pavilion ahead.

The latter chattered incessantly.

Seemingly still quite expectant of a reply poem from someone, Sister Caishou skipped ahead on the bluestone path through the woods, passing Su Su Guoer, who was walking with her head down in deep thought, to lead the way.

The little maid turned back, walking backward with her hands behind her back, facing Su Su Guoer, praising her:

"You are still the smartest and most brilliant, Miss. You didn't directly approach him, but instead took a different path by returning the umbrella and then using literature to make friends, keeping it elegant and reserved so it wouldn't be vulgar. It's just like what's written in the books about talented men and beauties.

"Perhaps Young Master Magistrate Ouyang is still thinking about your grace and literary talent, Miss, and will take the initiative to come to the door tomorrow to discuss poetry with you. When that happens, we can return the umbrella in passing. Wouldn't we be familiar after a few exchanges? Hee hee, you are brilliant, Miss."

Su Su Guoer looked up at the grinning little maid and suddenly muttered to herself:

"What exactly does 'six' mean? Why didn't he enter the pavilion to play chess with me? I had already set up the 'Six Harmonies' chess formation, and I even chose a spot where the moonlight was at its peak."

Sister Caishou was stunned, "Why is Miss still dwelling on this?"

Su Su Guoer shook her head and ignored her.

Her brows, adorned with a bright red plum blossom pattern, furrowed, and she bit her lip, gazing blankly at the night sky.

For the past two days, she had been racking her brains over that "six" character from Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, roughly deducing some possible meanings.

Could it be an allusion to the time, hinting that she should go to the same place at the sixth watch tomorrow for a secret meeting in the water pavilion outside Juxian Garden?

After all, the poem she wrote on the pavilion pillar included the line "I intend to bring my zither tomorrow morning," which roughly implied a meeting between refined friends.

Could Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan be intending to bring his zither at the sixth watch—that is, early in the morning at the hour of the rabbit when the sun rises—to wait for her in the water pavilion to meet as friends through music?

So Su Su Guoer acted immediately, going to the water pavilion with her zither early in the morning for two consecutive days without sleeping.

But every time, she waited from the first light of dawn until the sun was high, and never saw anyone come.

Instead, she was frequently glanced at by the Su family maids passing by the water pavilion while yawning, especially her elder brother, who was up early for morning study in Juxian Garden; after bumping into Su Su Guoer, the look he gave his younger sister was a bit strange...

Su Su Guoer was truly furious.

However, she was the type of persistent person who wouldn't turn back until hitting the southern wall.

In the Plum Shadow Studio, she worked hard to review and practice the "High Mountains and Flowing Water" piece she had played in the water pavilion that day, recalling if there were any errors in the six-tone scale.

At the same time, she continued to bury her head in her studies.

She had no appetite for tea or food and could not sleep at night.

While tossing and turning last night, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck!

Could the "six" in Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan's message refer to the six lines of the I Ching?

"Yao" means bright; what is brightest? Moonlight, especially on the night of a full moon.

Wait, or does this "six" refer to the "Six Harmonies" chess formation in Go?!

So, does Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan mean that the next meeting where she "brings her zither" should be chosen for a place with bright moonlight where they can play chess?

This artistic conception is indeed very elegant. If this is truly the case, it can only be said that Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan's meaning is hidden too deeply and mysteriously. Fortunately, it was her, proficient in all the arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, who barely managed to crack it!

Su Su Guoer felt a sudden sense of enlightenment and couldn't help but glance toward the Plum Deer Garden, a hint of admiration appearing in the depths of her eyes.

This was the mutual appreciation of finding a worthy opponent and solving the other's riddle.

However, a moment later, she was still somewhat troubled, pacing in her boudoir, sighing and gazing into the void.

She was always worried that she hadn't fully understood the meaning of Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan's mysterious "six" character, or that she had misunderstood it.

That would be embarrassing.

Su Su Guoer, who had been proud and competitive since childhood, couldn't afford to lose face like that.

She couldn't be looked down upon in the heart of a certain man.

No one could, especially not the "ally in adversity and prosperity" she was preparing to befriend.

Su Su Guoer herself hated pig-like teammates; how could she be the clown herself?

She wasn't the heartless Sister Caishou.

Thus, Su Su Guoer racked her brains for two days, and Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan still hadn't come to the door.

She felt she couldn't drag it out any longer; otherwise, if Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan laughed at her for not understanding his reply poem, where would she put her face?

So Su Su Guoer acted immediately, carefully arranging everything to ensure no errors in any link, and finally chose this bright moonlit night, letting Sister Caishou pretend to be a passing maid to point the way.

She specially dressed in a Daoist robe, looking like an elegant female Daoist, which fit the Daoist style of the I Ching and metaphysics. In the pavilion named "Drunken Old Man" ahead, she set up a chessboard, sat alone under the moon, laid out the Six Harmonies chess formation, and waited.

Su Su Guoer felt that she had done everything she could think of regarding Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan's "six" character.

And while sitting in the pavilion waiting with great trepidation, Su Su Guoer found that this was the first time she had been so tense; her posture on the stone stool was a bit stiff, and even when she had taken exams taught by famous scholars in the past, her palms hadn't been this sweaty. As every second passed, the feeling of sitting alone in the Drunken Old Man Pavilion was like waiting for a respected, strict teacher to come and check her homework; her heart beat a little faster, both expectant and nervous...

But later, she finally welcomed the arrival of Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan and his follower.

But the final result made her frown deeply, her heart disappointed.

Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan actually turned a deaf ear, not entering the pavilion to sit down and play chess.

Did he not see her?

How could that be? He wasn't blind. His follower, who looked like he had well-developed limbs and a simple mind, had glanced at the pavilion several times. Was it a case of a poor student having good eyesight while the top student was blind? No, he couldn't be that blind.

That meant he had chosen to ignore her.

While Su Su Guoer was annoyed, she gradually calmed down and began to furrow her brows in reflection.

"Could it be that I guessed wrong again... Does the 'six' character have other meanings that I didn't match? But you only left one 'six' character; how else can it be interpreted... This Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan is so annoying, relying on his knowledge to be so arrogant and tease people."

Under the moonlight, on the bluestone path, the master and servant approached the Drunken Old Man Pavilion while lost in their own thoughts.

"Miss."

"Hmm?" Su Su Guoer looked up.

Sister Caishou pointed her index finger at her lower lip and asked:

"Do you think it's possible that Young Master Magistrate Ouyang really had an urgent need, drank too much wine, and wanted to find the latrine, so he hurried past and didn't enter the pavilion at first, and then when he came back, you had already lost face and run away early? He didn't have a chance to play chess even if he wanted to."

"You are still young and don't understand."

Su Su Guoer shook her head gently, not looking at the silly maid in front of her.

This was a contest between smart people; how could it be so simple?

As Su Su Guoer lowered her head in thought, Sister Caishou ran into the Drunken Old Man Pavilion first. Seeming to have discovered something, her eyes lit up.

"Miss, Miss, look quickly! This time it's not just one character; Young Master Magistrate Ouyang seems to have replied with quite a few characters. Hey, this poem..."

Sister Caishou pointed her little finger at another inscribed pillar and jumped out to Su Su Guoer.

"Really?"

Su Su Guoer breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan didn't fail to reply or reply with just one character again.

Otherwise, that would truly be low in damage but high in insult.

As soon as Su Su Guoer entered the pavilion, her gaze was attracted by a line of handwriting on the pavilion pillar ahead.

There were two lines of poetry.

She couldn't help but furrow her brows and recite softly:

"'The Han Emperor valued beauty and longed for a country-toppling beauty, once because of drunkenness he whipped... a famous horse?'"

Su Su Guoer's words stuck.

The atmosphere in the pavilion became somewhat deathly silent for a moment.

Sister Caishou tilted her head, her little face full of confusion: "Miss, what does this mean? Could it be that this servant's eyes were playing tricks on her?" The little girl rubbed her eyes.

Su Su Guoer opened her mouth.

Actually, she really wanted to say that after reading it several times, she didn't understand it either, but it wasn't convenient to say that out loud, especially in front of her own silly personal maid.

But this line of poetry on the pavilion pillar was indeed written inexplicably, disjointed, and even had major problems with the tonal patterns and rhymes.

However, a moment later, Su Su Guoer gave a light "Eh."

The two lines of poetry on the pillar were in different handwritings.

The first half was in the handwriting of Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, which she was familiar with, while the second half was in the handwriting of another strange man, written in a somewhat crooked manner, not as clear and elegant as the former—it was clearly the work of a layman.

So it wasn't that it didn't fit, but that it was clearly written by two different people, so naturally, it didn't fit very well.

Su Su Guoer breathed a sigh of relief and then directly ignored the line "Once because of drunkenness he whipped a famous horse" below.

What kind of mess was this? It seemed the person who wrote it had made a slip of the pen; it could be vaguely identified that when he wrote it the first time, the last two characters were "beauty," which were later crossed out by an ink blot, and corrected to "famous horse" next to it.

"Once because of drunkenness he whipped a beauty," right? What kind of crooked poem? Was it written by that constable follower? Truly unlearned.

She shook her head and ignored it, the bright red plum blossom pattern on her forehead gathering together with her brows, like a brilliant winter plum closing its petals, ready to bloom.

Su Su Guoer stared at the top of the pavilion pillar at the line of characters she was very familiar with: "The Han Emperor valued beauty and longed for a country-toppling beauty..."

Sister Caishou looked left and right, her face unhappy as she shook her head: "Miss, these two lines of poetry don't match at all. What kind of mess is this? Even this servant can see it doesn't flow..."

Su Su Guoer didn't speak, maintaining her head-up posture, gazing for a while. After a long time, her expression turned solemn, and she nodded:

"This line from Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan... is a bit profound. It's normal that you don't understand."

"..." Sister Caishou.