Chapter 30: 30. Gifting a Pearl

30. Gifting a Pearl

Interpersonal communication is sometimes a very wonderful thing.

One day you might be angry, resentful, and vow never to see each other again, but the next day when you meet, you might greet each other good morning as if nothing happened.

A new day, a new atmosphere, and a new Xiao Shimei...

Today was the day of the Yuanming Tower fundraising banquet. Early in the morning, the sun rose, and it should be clear and bright all day.

Ouyang Rong went out early, carrying a few flour cakes, gnawing on them on the way to the official government office. He sat in the office and flipped through the account books of the Peng Lang Ferry commercial tax for a while, waited for a while, and handed over work with County Assistant Diao, who arrived just in time for work and clearly lacked sleep.

He understood the situation of the banquet preparation at noon, found no major problems, discussed the details with him, confirmed the time, and then each went about their busy work.

Yan Liulang hadn't been in Longcheng recently. Ouyang Rong had sent him to Jiangzhou a few days ago to handle matters, including taking a capture squad to supervise the transfer of the 3,000 shi of grain from the Jiemin Granary.

Although it wasn't much grain, Ouyang Rong didn't want to see any unexpected twists and turns at all now. He had to keep an eye on everything to feel slightly at ease.

So for the past few days, Ouyang Rong's security work naturally fell on Xie Lingjiang.

Today was no exception.

The two met again in that "a bit stuffy" office from yesterday. Ouyang Rong found that Xiao Shimei's expression was as usual. They greeted each other good morning, and their interaction was no different from usual.

Ouyang Rong breathed a sigh of relief.

It was just that Xie Lingjiang was wearing men's clothing today. It was no longer that kind of tight, round-collared barbarian robe popular in the Great Zhou Dynasty, but a scholarly long gown with wide sleeves, which didn't highlight her figure much.

However, she was spirited and beautiful, and looked good in anything. It had to make people sigh that the genes of the Chen Jun Xie clan, a noble family of over a hundred years, were indeed excellent. She stood like a fragrant orchid and a jade tree, and smiled like a bright moon entering her embrace... although Xiao Shimei generally didn't smile.

It was just that Ouyang Rong didn't pay much attention to these things. His attention was entirely on today's serious business. As it approached noon, he put down his work, took Xie Lingjiang out the door, and hurried to the Yuanming Tower.

On the way, they sat in the same swaying carriage. Neither of them mentioned yesterday's events, as if they hadn't happened.

Inside the carriage, Ouyang Rong sat upright, staring at the curtain in front of him.

Xie Lingjiang sat to one side, also sitting upright.

Both were upright gentlemen.

However, someone broke the silence first.

"Here."

A fair hand stretched straight out in front of Ouyang Rong. On the small, fair hand was a pouch that had been crumpled.

"What is this?"

"Isn't it a public fundraising? Can't I donate?"

"Uh, you can, but you have no obligation."

"Then consider it a favor. You take it and donate it. I didn't bring much on this long trip. After buying the sword and bow, I only have six taels of gold and a few taels of broken silver left. I have already sent a family letter back yesterday, and there will be some private money sent over in a few days, which I can donate again."

"Gold is rarely circulated now. Six taels are enough to exchange for sixty or seventy strings of cash, which is nearly 70,000 wen. You are donating too much."

"Then how much does Ru Shixiong expect to raise this time?"

"At least 3,000 strings."

"Then Xiao Shimei isn't donating much." Xie Lingjiang shook her head.

"The 3,000 strings are to be donated by this group of wealthy local tyrants."

Ouyang Rong said softly: "Most of the wealth in Longcheng County is in their hands. They are all rich dogs. Seventy strings of cash isn't much for them, but Xiao Shimei, you are an individual donor. Donating so much is already worth three years of my salary..."

Speaking of this, Ouyang Rong suddenly reacted. The Chen Jun Xie clan seemed to be rich dogs too, and they were much fiercer than the Longcheng Liu family, which only occupied Jiangzhou. It was just that they ate more elegantly and kept a lower profile.

However, what these high-ranking aristocratic families pursue is not the immense wealth of local tyrants, but rather prestige, connections, influence, and certain hidden foundations.

For example, Ouyang Rong's fame as a gentleman that spread throughout the world was something they could look up to.

And Xiao Shimei and the mentor were only one branch of the Chen Jun Xie clan. The Xie clan had many disciples and branches, and the tree was large and scattered.

However, in Ouyang Rong's impression, the mentor Xie Xun lived a frugal and simple life, and Xiao Shimei seemed to be similar. They were not interested in the family's business and wealth accumulation at all, and reading was the first priority. It was conceivable that in the Xie clan, money was regarded as a trivial matter and left to collateral disciples to manage, and was not valued.

"Alright then."

Ouyang Rong nodded and put away the pouch of this little rich woman.

"Wait a moment." His expression hesitated for a moment, his hand groped in his sleeve, and finally he handed out a crystal round pearl to Xie Lingjiang. This was what he picked up in the Pure Land Underground Palace at the beginning.

In her puzzled gaze, he joked:

"In view of Miss Xie making the first donation for this fundraising banquet, I specially gift you a bright pearl as a reward, wishing you a heart as clear as a bright pearl, forever pure and transparent."

Xie Lingjiang suddenly remembered that the bright pearl in his hand seemed to be the one she had mistakenly accused him of stealing at the Sanhui Temple that day. This could also be considered the wedge of their initial acquaintance.

Xiao Shimei looked at the Ru Shixiong's serious nonsense appearance, suppressed the arc of her lips that wanted to bend, nodded, and took it and put it away.

She felt... the bright pearl from that day hadn't changed, and the person hadn't changed. This Ru Shixiong was still a bit indecent...

Xie Lingjiang pursed her vermilion lips lightly, but Ouyang Rong was quite reluctant to part with it:

"This pearl should be quite valuable. It can even glow in the moonlight at night. I went to several pawnshops in plain clothes yesterday to ask, and the quotes were not low, but I always felt they were slaughtering me, so I didn't sell it. Xiao Shimei, take it, you can find an expert to look at it later."

"Okay."

Xie Lingjiang nodded, but didn't pay much attention to it. She was a bit impatient and asked:

"How much grain can the donation I made exchange for?"

"Now seventy strings can only buy less than five hundred shi of rice."

Xie Lingjiang lowered her eyes, calculated in her heart, and frowned: "Why is the price of rice so expensive? Isn't the price of rice in our Jiang Nan Circuit ten wen per dou? Ten dou is one shi... one string of cash should be at least ten shi, right?"

"That was before the disaster. Now the price of rice in Longcheng rises every day. Although I issued a price limit order, there are still many black-hearted merchants who add clauses to sell grain in secret. It is at least fourteen wen per dou now. Even so, there are not many merchants selling it." His tone was calm.

Xie Lingjiang took a deep breath and slowly spat out two words: "Unscrupulous merchants."

Ouyang Rong didn't speak, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked at the luxurious restaurant by the river that was getting closer and closer.

He didn't want to play with those unscrupulous merchants at all in his heart, because he was afraid of dirtying his hands. But the Great Zhou imperial court couldn't be relied upon, and behind him were tens of thousands of disaster victims and the flood that could arrive at any time. He couldn't stay out of it.

He had to dirty his hands.

Before the Yuanming Tower luncheon began, Ouyang Rong received the arriving landlords, gentry, wealthy merchants, and scholars with fame at the main hall door with great sincerity.

Introduced by County Assistant Diao.

For example, this is the head of the Cheng family who operates half of the water transport ships in Longcheng; this one is even more extraordinary, the head of the Li family in the south of the city, whose family has someone in the imperial court who reached Grade 5; this one is also not simple, it is the old master of the Guan family who served as an inspector of a northern superior prefecture before retiring to his hometown, and has a large piece of fertile land on the outskirts of the city...

Ouyang Rong directly turned on the social butterfly mode, sending the warmth and care of a parent-official to these good citizens of Longcheng. After this exchange of pleasantries, it could be said to be official kindness and people's filial piety... until County Assistant Diao introduced another stranger to him.

"Magistrate, this is the head of the Liu family in the west of the city, Liu Ziwen."

Ouyang Rong, who had his back turned, raised his eyebrows, and his smile became even brighter.

It was just that when he turned around to look, he felt quite surprised.

This famous Liu family young head, Liu Ziwen, whom Ouyang Rong had heard of until his ears were calloused, was not as domineering or cold and arrogant as he had imagined.

Instead, he was a bit gentle and slow, or even ordinary. ===== CHAPTER 31 =====