Chapter 324: Fifty-two, Friendship Between Monarch and Subject

Fifty-two, Friendship Between Monarch and Subject

"What does Mr. Wei think of Ouyang Lianghan?"

"He wasn't wrong about never falling after a thousand cups."

"It's rare for Mr. Wei to praise someone."

"Then what does Lord Yan think of this child? Is there still a chance to win him over?"

"Let's wait and see." He smiled.

"Never falling after a thousand cups, frequently blurting out drunken words, is Lord Yan not annoyed?"

"Why be annoyed? From Huai and Yang to Jiang and Hong, all the way down to Jiang Nan, observing the scholars of Jiang Nan, this is the only 'never falling after a thousand cups' I've encountered."

"Lord Yan still loves talent." He paused and added:

"However, the Jiangzhou Cishi of Yangzhou, Su Youwei, can barely count as one. That's why Lord Yan has to leave."

"Hmm."

He smiled suddenly, "Coincidentally, both are sons-in-law of the Xie clan of Wu Yi Lane, one big and one small, matching a pair of aunt and niece.

"They say that the Shandong clans value marriage alliances, the Guanzhong clans value official titles, and the Jiangzuo clans value personal character...

"The people of Jiangzuo are cultured, so they value personal character; this is not a false statement. Noble daughters of the five surnames also marry cold-door scholars. If this were placed with the Cui and Lu clans of Shandong, it would simply be unthinkable.

"No wonder that although the Jiangzuo clans have declined overall, the Xie clan of Chenjun still sits firmly in the seats of the five surnames and seven families."

A sigh of admiration.

The one called "Lord Yan" was silent for a while and also sighed:

"There is also Xie Xun, who is also a person of character, a high-level student of a famous teacher."

"This pair of teacher and student are quite tacit, fooling each other back and forth. It's a pity that the Xie clan is too conservative and difficult to plot with."

"It's hard to inherit the ancestral foundation to this day without being conservative."

"Conservative in undertaking, is Lord Yan hesitating?"

"Not at all, just feeling emotional. I am a man of Guanzhong; my head may be severed, my blood may flow, but I cannot be humiliated."

"Bravo."

The atmosphere was silent for a while.

"Mr. Wei, the wealth of Yangzhou is truly unrivaled in the world."

"It's a pity that the journey is too long."

"What if we add Jiangzhou? The mouth of the three rivers, the thoroughfare of seven provinces, the eyes of the world. Sailing downstream, you can reach Yangzhou in a day or night; it is the throat of Jiang Nan."

"Jiangzhou is a good place. The place is good, and the people living there are good too, but it's a pity there is one more Ouyang Lianghan, just like Yangzhou."

"Let's see." He paused, "Let's see."

"Good, no rush."

"I heard Junzhi recommended a young man to Mr. Wei these past few days."

"That's right. This person is named Yue Ziang, a native of Hongzhou, and a leader of the scholars in the Jiangzhou prefectural school.

"Junzhi serves as the Jiangzhou Doctor, managing the prefectural school, and came into contact with him by chance. He and Junzhi hit it off immediately, and he has been pestering Junzhi these past few days, revealing quite a few things during that time."

"Heh, Junzhi is sharp and observant, eloquent, and truly good at making friends. Participating in the banquets in Xunyang City these days has allowed him to make acquaintances everywhere."

"Lord Yan, rest assured, Junzhi has a sense of propriety; he investigates before making friends. He said that Yue Ziang's personality is simple and passionate, and he admires Lord Yan very much. Currently, there seems to be no harm. By the way, the debate controversy at the Sage Temple in Jiangzhou previously was started by Yue Ziang."

"The time Ouyang Lianghan became famous throughout the world for saying 'Study hard and make progress every day'?"

"Right, that time actually fulfilled Ouyang Lianghan. However, although he suffered a setback, Yue Ziang doesn't seem very convinced."

The tone was indifferent: "What does Mr. Wei think of this child?"

"He cannot be plotted with, but he can be used."

"Will accepting this child cause resentment from Ouyang Lianghan? After all, the two of them have a conflict."

"Junzhi said he would handle the maneuvering and it wouldn't cause Ouyang Lianghan any displeasure. Besides, as the Jiangzhou Senior Secretary, if Ouyang Lianghan is still holding a grudge against a small scholar, his perspective is too small."

"Makes sense."

"Speaking of which, Junzhi recommended this child because he has some connections."

"Oh?"

"Yue Ziang was previously active in the scholar poetry clubs of Xunyang City and is a member of the Chrysanthemum Poetry Society, having some friendship with the Xunyang Prince's youngest daughter, the little Princess.

"In addition, the teacher of this person when he was studying in Luoyang is named Yuan Xiangshan, a former official of the Ministry of Rites. During the turmoil of the deposed Emperor, he was dismissed from office together with others, followed the Xunyang Prince's family through ups and downs, and lived in low-profile seclusion in Longcheng.

"Now, Elder Yuan is an old acquaintance of the Xunyang Prince's residence, teaching the Heir Apparent to read, and the Xunyang Prince and his son both respect the old gentleman very much.

"Originally, Yue Ziang had this connection and could easily have become a guest of the Xunyang Prince's residence, but it's a pity that a few days ago, he was driven out by the Xunyang Prince and the Heir Apparent.

"Hearing him say indignantly, it was because Ouyang Lianghan spoke ill of him in front of the Xunyang Prince and the Heir Apparent.

"However, I personally feel that Ouyang Lianghan is not such a petty person, and there is no great need for him to target him while idle; it is more likely that the Xunyang Prince and the Heir Apparent were worried that his personality would cause trouble.

"Although he is not favored by the Xunyang Prince's residence, after all, this child still has connections with the poetry society and his teacher, and can help recommend Junzhi to contact the Xunyang Prince's residence side...

"So Junzhi also recommended Yue Ziang, which can be considered an exchange."

The air was quiet for a while, and someone sighed:

"In this regard, Junzhi does better than me."

"Why say that? Lord Yan's reputation is just too great, making it easy to arouse vigilance and precaution. Some things are more convenient for young people like Junzhi and Shuqing to do.

"However, Junzhi indeed has the talent of a lobbyist, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to leave Jiangzhou to him."

"Hmm." The tone was noncommittal, as if he had pondered for a moment:

"Mr. Wei, bring this child to the poetry banquet tonight, I will see him."

"Good, being able to gain Lord Yan's favor, Yue Ziang will definitely be flattered. By the way, there is one more thing."

"Speak."

"Yue Ziang is a native of Hongzhou and has some connections there. I heard him say that he is very familiar with Zhu Yuheng, the eldest son of the Hongzhou Jiangzhou Cishi Zhu Lingxu. The two of them even traveled to Mount Lu together some time ago.

"At the moment, this eldest son of the Hongzhou Jiangzhou Cishi's family is still touring the scenic spots on Mount Lu."

"Zhu Lingxu, is it?" The tone was thoughtful:

"I have heard of this person. When he was young, he was a Captain in the border army under my grandfather's command and received praise from my grandfather. Later, he made repeated military contributions in the border army and rose all the way to the position of Hongzhou Jiangzhou Cishi. He is indeed a talent for a general.

"It's just that I heard this person is a bit greedy for money and lustful, which can be considered having both strengths and weaknesses."

"Oh? So there is this layer of connection. Lord Yan enjoys the shade of the Duke of England, it seems like half the effort for twice the result."

"What does Mr. Wei mean?"

"I heard that before the Hongzhou Jiangzhou Cishi Zhu Lingxu became successful, he was a guest of the old Prince of Teng, and now he is walking closely with the newly appointed Prince of Teng, Li Lou..."

The atmosphere at the table suddenly went silent.

I don't know how long it had been, when someone stood up supporting the table:

"Good."

He turned and went out the door.

"Where is Lord Yan going?"

"To the Xunyang Prince's residence."

"Did that Prince respond to Lord Yan's calling card?"

"No."

"Then why go there? This person is clearly turning a blind eye to Lord Yan."

"He can choose not to see, but I cannot choose not to go. This is... the friendship between sovereign and subject."

Ouyang Rong accompanied Li Zhengyan to the Xunyang Prince's residence.

Li Zhengyan said he wanted to visit the Xunyang Prince Wang Lixian.

And Ouyang Rong had matters regarding the construction of the Donglin Great Buddha that required a trip to report to the Xunyang Prince as a matter of routine.

The two were on the same path.

However, the result of their final visit was:

Jiangzhou Senior Secretary Ouyang Rong was warmly welcomed into the Xunyang Prince's residence, and the Xunyang Prince Wang Lixian was amiable and kind, showing concern for his well-being.

Li Zhengyan was blocked outside the Prince's residence gate, left out in the cold, and stood for a long time, frequently being side-eyed and scrutinized by the endless stream of officials passing by the Prince's residence gate.

A world of difference.

Ouyang Rong felt a bit embarrassed.

Although this matter had absolutely nothing to do with him.

The insistence on refusing to see Li Zhengyan, the former Jiangzhou Cishi of Meizhou, current Sima of Raozhou, and heir to the Duke of England, was more of Wang Lixian's intention.

After all, one was a demoted official who firmly and strongly opposed the construction of the Heavenly Pivot and the Great Buddha.

The other was a filial Prince who supported the Empress Mother's resolution and respectfully accepted the position of Jiang Nan Supervisor of Construction.

How could they associate too closely?

But Li Zhengyan was just so unreasonable; since the path through Ouyang Rong didn't work, he came to the door himself.

Naturally, he was given an embarrassing cold shoulder.

On the way back.

Ouyang Rong and Li Zhengyan rode side by side, walking on the main street.

Ouyang Rong turned his head to look at Li Zhengyan's expression, which showed no signs of dejection or anger at all.

Instead, he had the leisure to reach out and stroke the mane of Ouyang Rong's mount, Dongmei, and nodded:

"Lianghan, this is a rare fine steed, good eye."

Ouyang Rong replied casually: "Someone gave it to me, I don't know much about judging horses."

Li Zhengyan smiled and said: "Then the person who gave the gift was indeed thoughtful; this gift is very sincere. However, in the Guannei region, gifting famous horses is an important etiquette; I didn't expect Jiang Nan to have it too."

Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, closed his mouth, and still didn't say that it was gifted by Uncle Li, who gave him the cold shoulder.

He shook his head with a wry smile and secretly praised: "A thousand-li horse is common, but a Bo Le who recognizes it is not."

Li Zhengyan smiled.

The two passed by the bustling street of the Xunyang Ferry pier, only to see officials posting notices and the common people actively watching.

At present, the excavation of the two peaks had already begun. The Works Department under the Jiangzhou main hall was responsible for this matter and was recruiting workers at Xunyang Ferry and Xingzi Ward. This matter had become a hot topic in Xunyang City these past few days.

The daily wages for excavating the canal were quite substantial, and the government's sincerity was full, even making people suspect if there were any harsh or pitfall clauses they had missed or hidden.

However, the first batch of bold people who dared to eat crab had already participated, and various positive feedback was coming back one after another, and the laborers at Xunyang Ferry were actively throwing themselves into it.

"Lianghan has the talent to govern the world, it's a pity to be stuck in a small Jiangzhou."

"Lord Li is too kind."

Li Zhengyan shook his head:

"I have been to three states to build statues: Taiyuan, Yangzhou, and Jiangzhou. Among them, the planning for building the Buddha statue in Jiangzhou is the clearest and most straightforward, and it is also the fastest, orderly, and with very few complaints from the people."

He squinted at the sun above his head and said;

"Regardless of the style of the Buddha statue finally built, compared to Taiyuan Prefecture and Yangzhou, Jiangzhou is the most stable and appropriate, just like Lianghan's way of doing things, calm and unhurried."

Ouyang Rong feigned curiosity and asked: "Lord Li even pays attention to these?"

"An old habit. I have no intention of criticizing the management, Lianghan, don't be nervous."

"I'm not." Ouyang Rong smiled and joked: "It just feels like Lord Li doesn't look like you're going to take up a demoted post, but more like..."

Li Zhengyan looked curious: "Like what?"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Like traveling through mountains and waters, touring the great rivers and mountains. There is no sign of dejection from being a demoted official."

Li Zhengyan laughed loudly:

"Jiangzhou is rich in culture and has produced many scholars throughout history. And the most famous scholar produced in hundreds of years is Tao Yuanming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, who picked chrysanthemums under the eastern fence.

"Tao Yuanming did not bow for five pecks of rice and resigned to live in seclusion. Could it be that he left with a bitter face? What dejection or regret did he have?"

Ouyang Rong smiled: "In the past there was Tao Gong, today I meet Lord Li, good."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

On the third day, Ouyang Rong received an invitation from Li Zhengyan and the others again.

It was the evening banquet held after Wang Junzhi officially took office as the Jiangzhou Doctor.

Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and went to attend.

As a result, at the evening banquet, he met two unexpected people.

One was Yue Ziang.

Yue Ziang did not come alone; he was accompanied by a tall, big, white-clad young master.

Ouyang Rong recognized him; it was the eldest young master Zhu whom he had seen at the little Junior Sister's birthday banquet, the eldest son of the Hongzhou Jiangzhou Cishi.

Why did he come?

Ouyang Rong moved his gaze away nonchalantly and sat down in the seat beside Li Zhengyan.

Wang Junzhi introduced the guests to him.

Although he had been in Xunyang City for less than ten days, Ouyang Rong felt that this Wang Junzhi seemed to be more familiar with the famous scholars of Xunyang than he was.

He was indeed a person good at socializing.

Ouyang Rong's peripheral vision swept over this cheerful young man who was livening up the atmosphere.

Having spent a long time together these days, Ouyang Rong had gradually become familiar with these people around Li Zhengyan.

First was Wei Shaoqi, who was once a Censor.

Li Zhengyan respected him quite a bit and addressed him as "Mr. Wei," so Ouyang Rong followed suit.

Wei Shaoqi's scholar robe was washed until it was white, and every time Ouyang Rong saw him, he was wearing those two robes back and forth.

He spoke little on weekdays and listened quietly most of the time.

However, once he spoke, Li Zhengyan, Wang Junzhi, and others would immediately quiet down. It might be a habit formed when he was a Censor official. Ouyang Rong discovered that his words mostly went straight to the point and could end a topic.

This person is not ordinary, no wonder he can be valued by Li Zhengyan, Ouyang Rong thought to himself.

Wang Junzhi and Du Shuqing were relatively young, but they were also four or five years older than Ouyang Rong, yet they were still considered young talents.

Both were successful candidates in the imperial examination and had prominent backgrounds, being children of noble families.

Especially Du Shuqing, who was a member of the Jingzhao Du clan and could be considered a child of a prominent Guanzhong noble family.

It's just that Du Shuqing's appearance was ordinary, his personality was a bit dull, and it didn't match his name. His figure was sturdy, not like a scholar, but more like a border military officer.

He was very respectful to Li Zhengyan and Wei Shaoqi and followed their every word.

Ouyang Rong, however, had a natural fondness for Du Shaoqing, perhaps because he saw the shadow of a certain old friend from Longcheng.

Wang Junzhi was as his name suggested; his face was white and beardless, his posture was upright, only a little shorter than Ouyang Rong, but he dressed meticulously and was better at dressing up than Ouyang Rong, looking like a graceful noble young master.

He was eloquent, and at general wine banquets, it was always him and Li Zhengyan livening up the atmosphere of the whole hall.

But Ouyang Rong's sharp eyes discovered that this Wang Junzhi seemed to have some mysophobia, carrying a few handkerchiefs with him, and every time before eating or drinking tea, he would repeatedly wipe his hands.

Even now, after toasting with guests, he would set down his wine cup, naturally take out a handkerchief, and wipe his fingers that had been slightly stained by the wine.

Today, with Wang Junzhi as the host, the atmosphere at the banquet was naturally good.

Ouyang Rong discovered that Yue Ziang seemed to have a good relationship with that eldest son of the Hongzhou Jiangzhou Cishi, Zhu Yuheng.

Yue Ziang was very enthusiastic towards Li Zhengyan and the others, even with a hint of worship.

Ouyang Rong watched it in his eyes.

He originally thought that at this wine banquet, Yue Ziang would ignore the other party tacitly like him.

But he didn't expect Yue Ziang to suddenly stand up and raise his cup towards him:

"My Lord, previously I was young and ignorant, misunderstood you, and was abrupt and presumptuous. I hope you will forgive me."

Saying this, he punished himself with three cups in a row.

Ouyang Rong was tilting his head to drink wine, and upon hearing this, his wine cup paused at his mouth.

He turned his head left and right to look at the people beside him, pointed at himself, and was full of confusion: "You mean me?"

Yue Ziang's face turned bright red, and he couldn't tell if Ouyang Rong was playing dumb.

Facing the gaze of the whole hall, he tried hard to force a smile and nodded again: "Yes, Lord Ouyang."

Ouyang Rong waved his hand: "It's fine, it's fine."

He paused, turned his head to smile apologetically at Li Zhengyan's group who were watching quietly from the side:

"However, I still like the way Young Master Yue looked before, arrogant and untamed."

Yue Ziang and the others: "..."

(End of chapter)