Chapter 277: 3. The Little Xiao Shimei

3. The Little Xiao Shimei's Counter-Flirting Tactics

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Ahead, a lively, graceful figure suddenly spun around, hands behind her back, taking lotus steps backward, eyes narrowed as she watched Ouyang Rong's expression.

"It looks good."

Ouyang Rong was dead serious, nodding in response:

"Teacher's taste is excellent. This residence looks low-key from the outside, but it has a world of its own within."

Someone looked straight ahead, fingers pointing toward the night scenery of the garden outside the corridor:

"The garden scenery is ingenious, lush and verdant, situated by the Xunyang River. The river breeze is gentle, the forest full of wind, possessing quite the charm of a great hermit hiding in the city."

"Living leisurely in this residence, I am feasting my eyes."

Xie Lingjiang nodded, her pretty face slightly cold: "Hmph, I hope what Ru Shixiong is talking about is the residence."

Ouyang Rong wore an expression of furrowed-brow confusion.

Xie Lingjiang curled her lips, turned back, and strode forward.

Ouyang Rong followed calmly, and a crisp voice suddenly came from ahead:

"I bought it yesterday while strolling through Funing Ward with Aunt Wei and little sister Guoer. They insisted on picking a few pieces for me."

The Xie clan's noble daughter, who once preferred male attire over rouge and powder, shifted her gaze to look at the scenery outside the corridor:

"I didn't much like wearing such flashy, flowery clothes before; they hindered me from wearing my sword and drawing my bow."

Ouyang Rong interjected with a reminder: "If Little Xiao Shimei wears a skirt, you won't be able to fly over eaves and walk on walls as you please anymore."

The graceful figure walking before him had her two small hands behind her waist, tilting her head as she said: "Are you managing me?"

Her vermilion lips curled, "I am a professional. Do you think everyone is as improper as you, Ru Shixiong? Hmph, whoever dares to look around recklessly, I'll gouge out their dog eyes and throw them into an oil pan."

Ouyang Rong's dog eyes... his eyes were the first to look away.

He said softly:

"Aunt Wei and the others considered it very thoroughly. In Xunyang City, Little Xiao Shimei must wear more formal attire, like little lady Li."

"Why?"

Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes, surveying the night in the distance, exhaling a breath:

"Xunyang City is different from the small Longcheng County. Our path cannot be too wild; many people are watching."

After a pause, he joked:

"Coming here is like sitting at a proper gambling table; we must change the way we play the game, be a bit more decent."

Xie Lingjiang laughed: "So Ru Shixiong can't take me to raid houses as you please anymore?"

"Raid houses? No, in Xiao Shimei's heart, am I such a person? Besides, whose house would I raid?"

Ouyang Rong laughed in spite of himself.

"That's hard to say."

Xie Lingjiang sized up the calm Ru Shixiong and tilted her head to ask:

"Did that Jiangzhou Cishi named Wang Lengran suppress Ru Shixiong? Did anyone in the Jiangzhou government office jump out with no eyes to cause trouble for Ru Shixiong?"

Speaking of this, she frowned slightly: "But as the Chief Clerk, on the surface, no one should be stupid enough to jump around, right?"

Ouyang Rong smiled:

"It's alright. The atmosphere in the Jiangzhou officialdom is actually quite interesting."

"In the prefecture and counties, because of the gathering of demoted officials from all over, there are many free spirits, and quite a few old foxes who only sweep the snow from their own doorsteps, keeping themselves aloof."

"Looking back, the tossing and turning I went through when I was demoted in Longcheng was indeed quite conspicuous."

"As for Jiangzhou Cishi Wang, well, he is quite amiable, and there is nothing going on at the government office for now."

Ouyang Rong nodded in praise.

Xie Lingjiang couldn't help but look at his expression, saying crisply:

"It's been over half a month since we arrived. Apart from recommending Yan Liulang as Chief Clerk, I haven't seen Ru Shixiong make any moves. I'm bored to sickness."

"I heard from Yan Liulang that Ru Shixiong leaves early and returns late, following the routine, um..."

Her tone suddenly became a bit expectant and excited: "Are you observing intently, brewing something big..."

Ouyang Rong pointed to his own face, asking with a serious expression:

"Does Little Xiao Shimei have some prejudice against me, making me out to be a conspirator?"

"I reorganize the workplace wherever I go, right? If trouble doesn't come to me, I go to trouble?"

He shook his head with emotion: "Actually, as long as you don't touch others' fundamental interests, how could there be so much life-and-death struggle?"

Xie Lingjiang nodded, half-understanding.

Her pretty face still maintained a look of suspicion:

"That's hard to say. Ru Shixiong sometimes does things even I am kept in the dark about; it's too underhanded."

"Fine. I won't keep it from you." Ouyang Rong nodded, "I'll reorganize you first."

Xie Lingjiang hurriedly dodged Ru Shixiong's flick to the forehead.

The senior brother and junior sister joked for a while, walked down the corridor, and arrived at the gate of the residence.

Ouyang Rong stopped, looked left and right to ensure no one was around, and instructed seriously:

"With Uncle Li's restoration and the reopening of the Liang Wang Fu, there will always be some strange people gathering. It's a mixed bag; be careful to distinguish them."

"Xiao Shimei, look after things over there. My identity is inconvenient. For invitations to gatherings of the nobility and clan members, accompany Uncle and Aunt to attend. If there is any trend, notify me immediately."

Xie Lingjiang nodded: "Rest assured, Ru Shixiong. Apart from old acquaintances from Longcheng like you and me, and the Luoyang Master and the Xiang Wang Fu, Uncle Li and the others don't easily trust anyone now."

She remembered something and began to complain:

"Recently, I often wear these skirts and formal attire, accompanying little sister Guoer to those ladies' gatherings, poetry meetings, and elegant collections. It's really boring. I don't know why she likes socializing so much; she is much more active than her elder brother who buries his head in the study reading books."

Ouyang Rong raised his eyelids and remained silent.

"Alright, Ru Shixiong, just send me here."

Xie Lingjiang walked out of the residence with lotus steps, waving without looking back, bidding farewell in a teasing tone:

"Ru Shixiong is also on the way and finished digesting after the meal, right? Go back and accompany your little concubine; absence makes the heart grow fonder."

A goose-yellow skirt figure drifted away, without the slightest hesitation.

Ouyang Rong's mouth twitched slightly. Little Xiao Shimei had become more and more fond of teasing him recently, lacking respect for seniority.

He shook his head, but his feet standing in front of the gate didn't move, taking two more looks at the graceful figure walking away with hands behind her back.

"Strange, why do I feel Little Xiao Shimei is not so clingy now? She comes when she should come, leaves when she should leave, and seems not to care about some things at all. It's interesting."

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but laugh, rubbing his chin, pondering and savoring the changes in Little Xiao Shimei since she arrived in Jiangzhou.

Before today, when the female relatives like the Zhen family and Ye Weilai hadn't arrived, Little Xiao Shimei would occasionally come to the Huaiye Lane residence, cook noodles for him after he got off work, add some autumn clothes, and silently take care of his life.

But her coming and going were very calm and unhurried, and she never asked for credit or acted like a spoiled child; she just did it quietly... Ouyang Rong hadn't felt anything before.

But now that Aunt and Weilai had arrived and could replace her, Little Xiao Shimei let go and withdrew very decisively.

This instead made Ouyang Rong miss the quiet, comfortable, and silent two-person world they had before, and he felt a faint reluctance.

It made Ouyang Rong... actually want to take the initiative to find her.

To chase her back. As for what to do after chasing her back and what to talk about, he didn't know.

Anyway, Ouyang Rong just wanted to provoke Little Xiao Shimei's attention, tease her into breaking her cold face, and make her scold him with a smile.

Especially since Little Xiao Shimei had recently started wearing high-waisted pleated skirts and other proper, dignified noble lady attire.

It made a certain Ru Shixiong want to tear off this filter of cold, strange distance and pull her down into the mortal world.

Well, as everyone knows, men have two major hobbies: pulling good women into the water and persuading women in the dust to turn over a new leaf...

In front of the residence gate, Ouyang Rong stood under the halo of the pale red lantern, watching for a moment, and couldn't help but fall into a little contemplation:

"Little Xiao Shimei is not right. Is this a trick of 'moistening things silently'? Could it be that she is flirting with me... Wait, could Little Xiao Shimei have realized some routine?"

Ouyang Rong, who had some free time recently, gradually savored it, unable to figure it out...

Just as someone was puzzled, at the corner of the long street ahead.

Xie Lingjiang, with her fluttering sleeves, quietly stopped, looking back at the Huaiye Lane residence like a cat.

"Still didn't chase after me to keep me? Is this... not caring at all?"

This Xie clan noble daughter stood under the dim lights, her jade palm gently patting her slightly hot cheeks, tilting her head in a daze, muttering to herself:

"Hey Xie Lingjiang, oh Xie Lingjiang, why did you go back so early? If you stayed a little longer, even if you ignored him, you could have accompanied Aunt Zhen to talk. How good that would be, and it wouldn't hinder anything..."

After self-pitying for a little while, her face cheered up again, and her cardamom-painted index finger pointed at her moist vermilion lips:

"Um, speaking of which, it should still have some effect. Ru Shixiong's little expression when he bid farewell just now was clearly a bit reluctant. Did Ru Shixiong want to keep me to chat for a while?"

Xie Lingjiang tried hard to recall, pondering on the spot for half a cup of tea, she suddenly smiled brightly, waving a small fist toward the distance:

"Hmph hmph, Uncle's opinion is still good. It seems I can't be too close to Ru Shixiong, like a tail-following bug."

"Uncle said, this is called 'can be viewed from afar but not played with'. Mother used to treat him with this routine, and Uncle became more and more entangled with Mother..."

"Men, ah, for those who are hard to get and faintly distant, there is always a restlessness in their hearts. Someone should be no exception. Let's see how long he can endure. Hmph, I don't believe it..."

Xie Lingjiang left lightly, leaving behind a sigh on the spot:

"Listening to Father's words is better than fighting for ten years."

Ouyang Rong "reflected" for a while in front of the gate and turned back to the residence.

The hour was still early, so he first went to the main hall to accompany Aunt Zhen to chat for a while, listening to some hometown matters.

Half an hour later, Ouyang Rong said goodnight and got up to leave.

"Tanlang..."

Aunt Zhen suddenly called Ouyang Rong, handed over a gold-stamped name card received during the day, and told him about the matter of giving way in the morning.

Ouyang Rong's face was calm, and after listening, he comforted her softly: "It's fine, accept it. If there are any 'chance encounters' later, Aunt, remember to tell me."

Aunt Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and agreed, and Ouyang turned and left the main hall.

On the corridor back, he opened the name card. The gold-stamped paper emitted a faint scent similar to gardenias. Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and took a look:

"Pei Pei Shisan Niang..."

Ouyang Rong had some impression of this name. It seemed to be the person in charge of a large chamber of commerce in Xunyang City. That group of wealthy merchants was generous and spent money like dirt.

Jiangzhou Xunyang City was an important commercial port where boats and carts gathered and merchants congregated.

There were many merchants from all over Jiang Nan Circuit and Lingnan Circuit, many of whom formed groups in the form of fellow-townsman chambers of commerce, forming interest groups. Moreover, these wealthy merchants from other places were very enthusiastic about making friends with the leadership of the Jiangzhou officialdom.

Otherwise, where do you think the money for the most expensive Xunyang Tower in Jiangzhou Prefecture, standing by the river, singing and dancing, intoxicated with gold and money, and lasting all night, comes from?

He shook his head slightly.

In the half month since he took office, Ouyang Rong had received many similar invitation cards, mostly from merchants, and this Pei Pei Shisan Niang's name seemed to have been seen many times, and the cards were delivered quite frequently.

Moreover, during the day today, when Ouyang Rong, as the chief official, went to inspect the Shipping Department at Xunyang Ferry, a subordinate seemed to mention this name unintentionally.

"Heh."

He casually stuffed the name card into the crack of a shadow wall he passed by, leaving it for the maid with fate to clean up.

The bamboo forest elegant courtyard where Ouyang Rong lived was named Yinbing Zhai, named by his mentor Xie Xun, so he didn't change it.

On the way back to Yinbing Zhai, Ouyang Rong bumped into a Silla maid carrying a bowl.

"Banxi, come here."

Ouyang Rong called Banxi to a water pavilion by the road and raised his eyes to look at her.

As if they had a tacit understanding, Banxi blushed: "Young Master, the matter of binding was not spread by this servant. It... it was guessed by the Eldest Xiao Niangzi."

Ouyang Rong was speechless:

"Don't mention the hobby today... no, it's not a hobby, anyway, don't mention the matter of binding." He straightened his face: "I'll ask you, when we were in Longcheng before, you were ordered by Aunt to hire that mute cook at Yunshui Pavilion. Do you still have an impression?"

Banxi was stunned and nodded vigorously: "Mm-hmm."

The evening breeze blew in his face, and Ouyang Rong turned his head and said softly: "Tell me, tell me everything you know."

Banxi told everything in detail.

About a cup of tea later, Ouyang Rong left the water pavilion with a thoughtful look on his face.

Returning to Yinbing Zhai, pushing the door to enter, Ouyang Rong saw the silent figure of a white-haired girl lying on the bed in the inner room, spreading the bed.

Ouyang Rong greeted her, and Ye Weilai's small face suddenly became happy, and she ran to boil hot water for him to bathe.

After bathing and changing clothes, Ouyang Rong, in a snow-white inner garment, came to the desk, sat down in a chair, exhaled a long breath, and murmured:

"It seems it really is her. Does this mute girl named Xiuniang know that this is my home? Did she come here intentionally or unintentionally?"

"If it really is the former, not a coincidence, then what is she planning? Also, is that woman I bit also her..."

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.

If only there was a chance to meet her again.

A moment later, he came back to his senses, supported his chin with his hand, stared at a candle flame in front of him, and pondered.

Suddenly he reached out and took a letter from a thick book.

It was exactly the letter sent by Xiufa and the others from the Divine Capital Luoyang.

The little novice monk revealed a major event in the letter in advance.

"Is Your Majesty going to build a Lian Sect Great Buddha in Jiang Nan, and it is very likely to settle in Xunyang City?

"If so, the imperial court will likely let Jiangzhou Prefecture pay for this money... I don't know how much silver it will cost this time.

"In the prefecture, several counties just had floods and a major corruption case in the Relief Granary at the beginning of the year. Recently, taking advantage of the year-end accounting, I checked the annual expenditure of Jiangzhou. Except for Longcheng County, which is slightly better, it is almost a loss, which is simply unbearable to look at.

"And although Xunyang City is prosperous in trade, it is only considered a transit place. The merchants are cunning and shrewd, and there is not much money left to nourish the finance."

"Building a Buddha statue again... I can't afford to toss anymore, don't waste money and manpower again."

In the dark room, in front of a lonely lamp, the weak-crowned Chief Clerk, who had also begun to be addicted to accounting recently, sighed slightly, feeling a bit of a headache.

(End of this chapter)

, ===== CHAPTER 278 =====