Chapter 417: 178. Postponement of the Great Buddha

178. Postponement of the Great Buddha

"Are you alright, Lady Historiographer..."

"Shut your mouth!"

Ouyang Rong had just opened his mouth to break the silence when he was sharply interrupted by Rong Zhen.

At the same time, he felt the jade hand that had grabbed his thigh in her panic tighten its grip.

Ouyang Rong turned his head to glance at the doorway, found no one there, and let out a slight sigh of relief. He lowered his head to look, and Rong Zhen, just like him, withdrew her gaze from the doorway.

She, too, let out a sigh of relief.

After a brief exchange of glances, Ouyang Rong bent down to help her up:

"The floor is slippery, be careful..."

Before he could finish, Rong Zhen suddenly let go, pushed against his leg to distance herself, and turned her head away, coldly ignoring the palm he had extended to assist her.

"You, you turn around," Rong Zhen said in a low voice, her head bowed.

From his vantage point looking down, Ouyang Rong could only see her bangs covering her forehead; he could not see her actual expression.

He had no choice but to withdraw his hand, turn around, and walk a few steps away, turning his back on the cold, palace-robed young woman who was supporting herself on the floor with her elbows after losing his support.

Do not look at what is improper.

After all... this Lady Historiographer, who was always aloof and rigidly proper, did look rather ungraceful in her fallen, kneeling posture.

"Let me know when you are ready, Lady Historiographer," Ouyang Rong reminded her warmly, his eyes fixed outside the door.

Behind him, Rong Zhen remained silent.

A moment later, Ouyang Rong heard the sound of rustling, as if she were smoothing out the fabric of her clothes, followed by the sound of shifting footsteps and the faint tapping of a cane against the floor.

He tentatively turned his head and glanced out of the corner of his eye.

Discovering that Rong Zhen had already stood up, she leaned on her crutches and shuffled toward the table; from Ouyang Rong's perspective, the angle of her profile revealed a face devoid of expression, a picture of cold, indifferent detachment.

Under his continued gaze as an outsider, the cold, palace-robed young woman slightly lifted her chin, just as she had countless times before—strong and resolute in front of others, as if the fall just now had never happened. If only Ouyang Rong didn't still remember that uncomposed, delicate cry.

"You may come over now."

Rong Zhen walked to the table and glanced at the person who was staring blankly.

"Alright."

Ouyang Rong nodded quickly and stepped forward to take his seat.

He felt another slight sigh of relief in his heart, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but reveal a faint smile.

It wasn't because of Rong Zhen's attitude.

It was because, after witnessing such an ungraceful and ugly moment from Lady Historiographer Rong Zhen, he hadn't lost any merit points; that could be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

As for other things, he couldn't be bothered to consider them.

Aside from his Junior Sister and that child bride Xiuniang to whom he owed a debt, he generally didn't bother guessing the thoughts of other women; it was mostly a waste of time.

Rong Zhen reached out.

Ouyang Rong handed over the intelligence report, sat at the table, and waited for her to read it while pouring tea.

A moment later, Rong Zhen closed the report.

With her eyelashes lowered, she pondered for a while and asked a few questions.

Ouyang Rong answered fluently.

"How is the situation with the Donglin Great Buddha?" Rong Zhen changed the subject.

Ouyang Rong did not speak immediately. He took a bundle of handkerchiefs from his bosom, opened it to reveal a few broken pieces of mung bean cake, and offered them to her.

"Thank you, no need." She shook her head, her eyes still fixed on Ouyang Rong, not looking at the pastries.

So, he had no choice but to pick up a piece of mung bean cake himself, put it in his mouth, and mumble:

"The situation at the Xunyang Grottoes is going smoothly, but it might have to be postponed a little."

Rong Zhen immediately said, "Absolutely not!"

Ouyang Rong shook his head, then nodded: "Actually, it's not really a postponement; it can be considered on schedule."

"What do you mean? Explain yourself clearly."

"With the current manpower and resources, if we maintain the existing speed, we can complete it on schedule, but... that is based on the completion date originally set by the Imperial Court."

"Isn't that a postponement? It's later than the date you previously told me; if that's not a postponement, what is?"

"You could understand it that way."

Rong Zhen suppressed the anger in her eyes and said coldly:

"Tell me the reason first."

Ouyang Rong lowered his gaze to his teacup:

"First, due to the nature of the mountain rock, the excavation of the grottoes is more difficult than imagined.

"Secondly, there is fighting on the front lines, and the logistics all fall on the Jiangzhou Government Office. Not long ago, the newly appointed Chief Clerk of the Central Military Camp even came back to negotiate with me, urgently requisitioning a portion of our manpower."

Speaking of this, Ouyang Rong shook his head:

"I had to help with this matter; the war on the front lines is also important. Looking at it now, there have indeed been results after requisitioning the manpower, so there is no room for blame.

"On top of that, winter is coming soon. According to the time calculations for when the snow seals the mountains in previous years, even if we continue working as soon as the snow melts, we will have to stop for half a month. That is another loss of time.

"Because of all these factors, the Donglin Great Buddha will be a bit later than expected."

Rong Zhen first tightened her grip on the intelligence report in her hand, then immediately loosened it, maintaining a calm tone:

"How late?"

"The specifics are still being calculated; it is expected to be about a month. These past two days, the Jiangzhou Government Office and the Prince have been planning the winter construction matters."

"Have you reported this postponement to the Imperial Court?"

"Uh, not yet. Coming here today was also to discuss it with you in advance, Lady Historiographer. I plan to submit a memorial to Luoyang with the Prince in the next two days to explain the situation."

Rong Zhen stared into the eyes of the composed Ouyang Rong and went straight to the point:

"What if His Majesty is enraged?"

Ouyang Rong's expression seemed a bit strange, and he asked curiously:

"I have calculated it, and even based on the worst-case scenario, the completion of the Great Buddha here in Jiangzhou will still be faster than the completion time of the Great Zhou Eulogy Heavenly Pivot in Luoyang.

"Moreover, looking at the four prefectures building statues—well, now it's three—I asked someone to inquire in Yangzhou, and the progress is about the same as our completion date after the postponement, not to mention Taiyuan, whose financial and material resources are not as good as Yangzhou's."

Ouyang Rong shook his head:

"In any case, our Jiangzhou will definitely not be the last to finish; it's just not as fast as before. Why would His Majesty and the lords of the Imperial Court be dissatisfied?"

Facing Ouyang Rong's puzzled gaze, Rong Zhen pursed her lips and remained silent, her eyes lowered, her gaze falling on the cane that looked like it was used by an old man.

This cane must have been found temporarily by the imperial physician; it was rather old-fashioned and worn.

Ouyang Rong also followed her gaze and landed on the cane.

There was silence before the table.

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but speak first:

"Is there some hidden secret about the Donglin Great Buddha that I don't know? Isn't this Buddha being built in conjunction with the Great Zhou Eulogy Heavenly Pivot, used to promote Buddhism and pray for the nation's fortune?"

Rong Zhen did not look at him; she stood up again, supporting herself on the table with her elbows, and waved her hand to politely decline Ouyang Rong's assistance.

She leaned on her cane and moved slowly toward the bed, throwing words over her shoulder:

"There is no 'why.' The sooner Jiangzhou finishes, the better. This is... this is His Majesty's earnest expectation, and it is also one of the reasons why I was specially sent here by His Majesty. You just need to know this much.

"Chief Clerk Ouyang, um, considering we have been getting along well recently, I will say a little too much... If this matter can be accomplished, it will be etched in the Emperor's heart.

"Why did Lan Changhao of Guizhou go crazy back then, exhausting the prefecture's wealth and manpower to build statues at lightning speed? Wanting to snatch the first flower before the other three prefectures? It was because someone gave him a hint, and he knew how to win that vast imperial grace.

"Now this opportunity is right in front of Chief Clerk Ouyang. I have said all I can say; don't ask anymore, think about it yourself."

Ouyang Rong suddenly said:

"But I am not Lan Changhao, and I heard that this brother's head is still hanging on the city gate of Guizhou City."

"But you are more capable than Lan Changhao, by more than just a little bit."

Rong Zhen frowned and interrupted. After a pause, she explained:

"That is why I am patient enough to tell you these things now. As for others, I can't be bothered to speak."

Ouyang Rong replied calmly: "But you still haven't finished what you wanted to say to me, Lady Historiographer."

"What words?"

Rong Zhen turned a deaf ear. She stopped her footsteps and said with her back to Ouyang Rong:

"Think about it again. There are always more solutions than problems. I don't know much about building statues; I only supervise the dates and whether they are completed on time. Now that you have a postponement, I must manage it. You find a way yourself."

Ouyang Rong turned his head: "I will try my best."

"Try your best?"

Rong Zhen turned back, somewhat dissatisfied:

"So what if the snow seals the mountains? Everyone just needs to work a little harder. Do not stop construction; continue building the statues."

Ouyang Rong's expression turned serious:

"Lady Historiographer, you haven't stayed in Jiang Nan before, have you? You might not know that the winter here in the south is not dry and cold like in the north, but damp, cold, and muddy, with snow mixed with rain. Being near the Great River, the wind never stops. Forcing construction during the winter snow period to excavate the mountain walls—in the morning, there is even fog in the mountains along the river... In any case, it is extremely dangerous.

"If this isn't wasting manpower and money, what is? The infamy is unavoidable. Even if you want to take the blame for it, His Majesty and the Imperial Court won't be able to wash it off.

"Moreover, I promised the scholars and all the people of Jiangzhou in the Temple of the Most Holy Teacher in Jiangzhou that the statue building would never involve wasting manpower and money. This is a promise.

"In any case, as long as I am in office, I will not do such a thing."

Ouyang Rong's tone was unusually firm.

Rong Zhen fell silent.

A moment later, she looked out the window, her expression somewhat dissatisfied:

"If the Buddha statue were built in the city, building a standing statue, there wouldn't be so many issues. I wanted to say this a long time ago. Chief Clerk Ouyang insisted on choosing that 'Double Peak Tip' outside the city to build some stone-carved Buddha statue. I heard you also want to build many Buddha statues next to the Donglin Great Buddha..."

Ouyang Rong interrupted:

"The Donglin Great Buddha is definitely the priority for construction. The group of Buddha statues in the grottoes behind it is just an accompaniment. To share the costs, we are soliciting more money from the rich and wealthy temples; it won't affect the progress of the former. Moreover, a single flower does not make a spring. If the Xunyang Grottoes are completed, they will be the culmination of Buddhist art from all sects in Jiang Nan and can be passed down for a thousand years. Not to mention, it is also a water conservancy project."

Rong Zhen frowned and turned back to say:

"But I inquired, and the statue building in other prefectures, including the construction of the Eulogy Center in Luoyang, are all building the Great Buddha within the city. This move is simple and convenient, and there is no need to worry about snow sealing the mountains in winter..."

Ouyang Rong shook his head:

"Lady Historiographer, you have also seen that there is no place to build statues in Xunyang City. We can't just tear down people's houses. This is already the best plan I can think of for now."

Rong Zhen looked straight into his eyes: "Some things always require trade-offs."

Ouyang Rong fell silent for a while and pursed his lips: "Then we will trade some time and postpone it slightly."

Rong Zhen's expression was displeased; she wanted to speak.

Ouyang Rong stood up, supported himself on the table, and said in a serious tone:

"The benefits of grotto statue building have been said a hundred times. His Majesty and the Imperial Court have already agreed, which is why construction started. Why is Lady Historiographer raising objections and complaining now?"

Rong Zhen did not speak again.

The two maintained their posture and stood in a stalemate for a while.

Until Rong Zhen sighed slightly and broke the silence first:

"I have recovered enough these past few days. Let's go take a look first. Tomorrow morning, you come over on time, and we will go out of the city together. I will go to the Xunyang Grottoes to take a look, and then we can make further plans."

Ouyang Rong nodded and turned to leave, without any hesitation.

Early the next morning, Rong Zhen had just finished dressing, leaned on that old-fashioned cane, and went out to wait.

Soon, at the courtyard entrance, Ouyang Rong's figure arrived.

Rong Zhen was just about to speak when she discovered Ouyang Rong handing over an object.

She was slightly stunned.

She saw that it was a bright green cane, brand new, made of bamboo, looking like jasper.

This cane was over five feet long. The bamboo body had been scraped, and the burrs on it had all been meticulously polished away, polished to a luster. One end had even been burned with fire, and then wrapped in tin at the part off the ground.

It was lightweight and durable, suitable for travel.

It was clearly made with care.

She looked at the handsome Chief Clerk in front of her and saw that his eye bags were slightly heavy.

After Ouyang Rong handed over the jasper bamboo cane, he took a sesame seed cake he had bought from a street stall on the way from his bosom, took a bite, and said casually:

"When we get to Double Peak Tip later, we still have to walk the mountain paths on foot. Try this one; the original one was too tall. With your height, Lady Historiographer, it was awkward to use and easy to trip."

Rong Zhen reached out silently. After taking it, she touched the handle of the jasper bamboo cane; it was smooth, round, sturdy, and handy.

She tried this new bamboo cane and found it was indeed easy to use, and the height was just right. She walked a bit faster while leaning on it.

"Why are you looking at me, Lady Historiographer? Are you hungry too? Does the Prefecture Medical Office not send breakfast to patients... Here, I can only share half with you. I am hungry too, and this half hasn't been touched."

After noticing Rong Zhen's gaze, Ouyang Rong broke off half the sesame cake with a pained expression and handed it out.

Rong Zhen did not take the cake, nor did she speak. She withdrew her gaze and walked in the very front. Ouyang Rong discovered that she still had a cold face.

Ouyang Rong had no choice but to follow behind. However, a moment later, some familiar sounds suddenly rang in his ears.

It was the small wooden fish in some ancient small pagoda being forced to work early in the morning.

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at the cold, indifferent back of the cold, palace-robed young woman.

Just at this moment.

"Ouyang Lianghan, don't submit that postponement trouble yet. Advise the Prince to slow down on his side too, wait a little longer..."

Rong Zhen, who was walking in front, waved her hand without looking back.

Ouyang Rong was slightly stunned: "What is Lady Historiographer waiting for?"

Rong Zhen remained expressionless.

Not long after, the two took a carriage, traveled west out of the city, and went to observe the Donglin Great Buddha under construction...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 418 =====