Chapter 421: 185. Even an Upright Person Fears a Crooked Shadow

185. Even an Upright Person Fears a Crooked Shadow

185. Even an Upright Person Fears a Crooked Shadow

"What is Tanlang waiting for? Why haven't you gone out yet?"

"Aunt, didn't Wanwan come?"

"What would she come for early in the morning?"

"Alright, nothing."

"Hey hey, Tanlang, wait, don't you want to drink some silkie chicken soup before leaving? I thought you were waiting for the soup just now, so I specifically asked Weilai to pour a bowl. Anyway, since you've waited, I originally planned to have someone send it over at noon..."

"No, I'm going to be late."

"Alright, then I'll have Weilai send it at noon."

Ouyang Rong's footsteps paused. He turned his head, reached out to ask for it, his expression unchanged:

"No need, I'll take it directly. The Jiangzhou Government Office also has a back kitchen; let them stew it... Aunt, use a larger food box. Last time it was a bit hot, and it leaked a little."

"Good."

Zhen Shuyuan turned her head and instructed Weilai and Banxi a few words, then turned back and asked curiously:

"The pot of silkie chicken, yam, and red date soup stewed last time, Tanlang didn't finish it, did you send it to Wanwan?"

Ouyang Rong was immediately alert and shook his head without changing his expression:

"No, I originally wanted to give it to Wanwan, but I ran into the Prince's Heir at the Prince's Mansion. He has been lacking nourishment recently, so he asked for it, and I shared it with the Prince's Heir."

"No wonder."

Zhen Shuyuan looked at Ouyang Rong a few more times and said casually:

"I said I sent someone to ask Wanwan the day before yesterday if it was delicious, and I was surprised why she said she didn't know. So that's how it is..."

After a pause, before Ouyang Rong could speak, she raised her finger and exhorted:

"This time you can't give it to others, you must drink it all when you take it..."

"Good good good."

Ouyang Rong agreed fully, took the newly dried pale red official coat, and walked out the door.

After going out, he immediately exhaled and raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, looking back speechlessly.

Aunt's skill in checking posts was simply maxed out. Fortunately, he was unparalleled in wit and could adapt to the situation, so he could fight with her.

"Wait, Tanlang!"

At this time, Zhen Shuyuan in the main hall chased out the door with the maids.

"What's wrong, Aunt, what else is there?"

Just as Ouyang Rong was asking curiously, a carriage from the back door passed through the alley next to it and stopped slowly at the gate of the mansion on Huaiye Lane, in front of Ouyang Rong.

Zhen Shuyuan, holding a handkerchief, pointed to the carriage and a somewhat unfamiliar sturdy driver on the carriage, and smiled:

"Ache, who often drove for you, recently lost his mother to illness. He took a boat back to his hometown in Nanlong last night, and it is estimated that he will have to observe mourning for a few months.

"You have been running outside all the time, and recently you are injured and cannot ride a horse all the time, so you must pick another steady and reliable driver.

"Just the day before yesterday, several clan elders and local worthies from the hometown of Nanlong who care about you gathered a batch of young and strong good family children in the township, specifically coming to Tanlang here to see if you lack people, whether they can help, etc.

"I thought, anyway, they are all fellow clan members, knowing the roots and the bottom is definitely more reliable than directly recruiting outside-surname attendants. And when you are out, it is better to take care of fellow villagers if you can. Anyway, one stroke cannot write two Ouyangs. Tanlang, don't you think so?

"This brother Ali who is driving now was picked by me personally. He is honest and dutiful, and has already married and had children in his hometown. His family used to live next to our old house in Nanlong, on the same street. I know both his mother and his wife. Three generations of his ancestors were farmers, a generous family, and can be considered clean and white.

"When you were admitted to the Bai Lu Dong Academy to study, his family even sent native chicken eggs on the day you set out, a basket of twelve...

"His child is also not young, and is also studying. Tanlang, you don't know, you are now the model for educating children in the ten miles and eight villages of our Nanlong hometown. As long as every family has a little ability, they send their children to private schools to study.

"That Nanlong private school was built with money I donated, which I mentioned to Tanlang before, and Tanlang also supported it.

"I remember when Tanlang was seeking knowledge, you had to get up early every day to rush to the county. Now the private school is next to the Nanlong Ancestral Hall, and a teacher has been hired, which is much more convenient for the children in the clan.

"The clan leader and wise elders of Nanlong all praised that Tanlang is physically and mentally striving to study, teaching the township, and bringing honor to the ancestors!"

"Good good good, Aunt has a good memory. I know, then it's him. Brother Ali, right? Aunt, go back first, it's cold outside."

"What good memory, you have to remember the gifts people send, and return them during festivals. How the clan members helped you in the township, even if it is a drop of kindness, you must keep it in mind, repay the hometown, this is the family style of a family that accumulates kindness and keeps rites... Tanlang, listen, remember to drink soup to nourish your body. The food box containing the soup pot, I gave it to Ali, it's in the carriage."

"Fine."

Sending Zhen Shuyuan into the door, Ouyang Rong turned and boarded the carriage.

"Let's go, go to the Jiangzhou Government Office."

"Yes, Master." Driver Ali nodded.

This was a strong and powerful man driving the carriage, with a long face, wearing a short brown garment. He wasn't afraid of the cold even in this early autumn morning, although the morning light had just fallen.

Looking at him, he was a sturdy farmer image.

Ouyang Rong boarded the carriage and reported a location casually, then kept his eyes closed to rest.

He didn't look at driver Ali again throughout the whole process.

After the carriage drove halfway, passing through a Xunyang Ferry Street that had to be passed every morning, the weak-crowned Chief Clerk who was sitting in the carriage with his eyes closed as if asleep suddenly opened his mouth:

"You just came yesterday, how do you know the way to the Jiangzhou Government Office?"

Ali was stunned.

"Reporting to Master, Eldest Xiao Niangzi picked me to be the driver. I was afraid I wouldn't know the way, so I asked Eldest Xiao Niangzi for instructions. Last night, I drove the empty carriage out of the door, walked around Xunyang Square, remembered a few archways and streets, and got a little familiar with the road."

Ouyang Rong didn't open his eyes:

"So you only know the way to Xunyang Square, right? Are you still not familiar with Xiushui Square and Xingzi Square?"

"Yes, Master. But I can learn."

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Then don't change the route to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, continue to the Jiangzhou Government Office."

"Good, Master."

"What is your full name."

"Dali, Ouyang Dali, Master can call me whatever."

"Hmm, good name."

"Thank you for the praise, Master."

"Just being polite."

"Ah? What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

Ouyang Rong still didn't open his eyes, as if sitting on a soft cushion, feeling the slight bumps of the carriage under him, and asked again:

"Don't you have a wife and children? Your old mother is also there. Parents are here, don't travel far. I heard Aunt say that you seem to have land at home, why run so far to help."

Driver Ali hesitated for a while and said truthfully:

"Reporting to Master, my child is not as smart as you, and is a bit stupid like me. Buying pens and ink, and buying books requires silver, so I have to..."

"Understood."

Ouyang Rong nodded.

Immediately, he didn't speak again. The carriage was silent, only the sound of wheels rolling.

Not long after, the carriage stopped slowly.

Arrived at the Jiangzhou Government Office.

Ouyang Rong lifted the carriage curtain, bathed in the morning light of a new day, walked into the Jiangzhou Government Office with his sleeves tucked, and Ali prepared to drive the carriage to the back door stable to feed the horses.

"Master."

Ali held a food box and said: "The soup Eldest Xiao Niangzi asked you to bring, you forgot."

Ouyang Rong shook his head and said softly:

"There is a bowl in the food box. Seeing that your stomach is growling, you must not have eaten. Scoop a bowl and drink it to fill your stomach. Leave the rest in the carriage, wait for me to solve it."

"Thank you, Master, but, but Eldest Xiao Niangzi instructed..."

Ouyang Rong stopped and interrupted Ali's tangled words:

"In the carriage seat, there are two pieces of broken silver. After you feed the horses, take it to buy a thick coat to wear. This is not Nanlong. The wind in Xunyang City is cold near the river. Don't wear incomplete short brown garments in the future."

He suddenly turned his head:

"And."

The stunned farmer man saw that the Chief Clerk Master, who had always been serious and cold since they met, patted him on the shoulder:

"About the private school, Aunt and the clan leader manage it, it's not convenient for me to intervene. However, I personally send a batch of classics to your child. They are all used when I was studying before, and there are some annotations in them.

"In addition, if your child lacks pens, ink, paper, and inkstones in the future, you can tell Weilai and let the Yinbing Study share some over. If there is anything you don't understand in reading, you can also send a letter to ask. A child this big should know how to read and write letters, right?"

"Yes, yes!"

Ali nodded vigorously, his face flushed, at a loss: "Master, I... I will definitely repay you..."

"No need to repay anything. Hmm, it's very good if you can keep it in your heart."

Ouyang Rong smiled, waved his hand and stepped into the gate. At the same time, he left a sentence:

"By the way, Dali, don't call me Master in the future, call me Tanlang.

"And... listen to all my words, don't listen to all of Eldest Xiao Niangzi's words, understand, Ali?"

"Understand, I understand!"

Ouyang Rong glanced at the chicken soup pot in Ali's hand, and then walked into the Jiangzhou Government Office.

He walked all the way along the corridor, greeting the colleagues and subordinates he passed. Before stepping into the main hall, he looked inside silently.

Entering the Merit Tower, he first looked at the cyan-gold characters above the small wooden fish.

In the time it took to take a carriage, it had risen by nearly two hundred merits.

Ouyang Rong let out a long breath.

The position of accompanying driver, although small, is very important because it masters his general itinerary, so he has to be on guard and must be his own person.

Although Zhen Shuyuan had already helped him investigate Ali's clean family background, knowing the roots and the bottom, and in this era, fellow clan members and fellow sect members are relatively deep and reliable relationships.

But Ouyang Rong also had to verify it once, and not just today's test, but for the next period of time, he had to keep an eye on it and investigate a few more times...

Leaving the Merit Tower, Ouyang Rong just walked into the main hall when a red-clad figure caught his eye.

Unexpected.

Xie Lingjiang was sitting in his seat, bowing her head and curiously flipping through books.

"Xiao Shimei, thought you were sleeping in, didn't see you in the morning, how did you run here." Ouyang Rong asked in surprise.

"Obviously, waiting for you." Xie Lingjiang said naturally, without raising her head.

"You came alone, how did you get in? There is no pass for the Jiangzhou Government Office."

Xie Lingjiang closed the book, raised her ponytail head, and smiled:

"Ran into Liulang, he brought me in."

Ouyang Rong laughed dumbly. He originally thought Xiao Shimei was sleeping in at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion or Jingyi Pavilion. Plus the new driver Ali didn't know the way to Xiushui Square, so he didn't call her just now, but didn't expect Xiao Shimei to come by herself long ago.

"Alright, wait for me for a while, I'll find someone to register for you, so it's convenient for you to come in and out, can't always mooch off people."

"Register, what status?" She asked.

"Of course, private staff."

Ouyang Rong coughed, and without waiting for Xiao Shimei's response, turned and went out the door.

As a result, just after he walked out the door, he didn't walk a few steps in the corridor when he bumped into a certain cold, palace-robed young woman.

Ouyang Rong frowned first, and immediately, he remembered that he didn't seem to have anything to feel guilty about again.

It wasn't like the gossip rumors Yan Liulang said, what was he panicking about?

An upright person fears no crooked shadow.

Ouyang Rong walked up as usual.

This time, there was no need for Rong Zhen to shout at the door of the main hall, and the two met directly in the corridor.

"Ouyang Lianghan."

"Morning, what instructions does Xiao Niangzi Historiographer have today?" Ouyang Rong made a straight face and asked officially.

Mainly focusing on a quick battle and quick decision.

Rong Zhen asked suddenly: "Have you eaten?"

"Ah?"

This opening line that didn't follow the routine made him stunned.

Shouldn't this kind of chat about family affairs be asked by a colleague who fishes like Yuan Huaimin? Is it something that can come out of the mouth of this noble and cold Xiao Niangzi Historiographer?

"Ouyang Lianghan, what are you dazing about again?"

Rong Zhen shook her head, and without waiting for Ouyang Rong to react, she took a bundle of oil paper from her sleeve, handed it over, and lowered her eyelashes slightly:

"I heard your stomach growling, take it, bought a piece to eat when I saw a pancake stall on the street, remembered you seemed to eat it often before, too lazy to find small change, asked the stall owner to wrap an extra piece, um, you sent blood-nourishing chicken soup before, this time it counts as returning the treat, but Ouyang Lianghan, don't be self-indulgent."

While Ouyang Rong was stunned, Rong Zhen casually stuffed the oil paper bag wrapping the sesame pancake into his hand.

Their fingers touched accidentally.

Rong Zhen withdrew her hand as if she didn't know, and Ouyang Rong's expression changed slightly.

Don't know if the pancake was too hot, or Rong Zhen's finger was stinging.

He shivered, subconsciously turning his head to look at the faint red clothes in the main hall.

Xiao Shimei was sitting in his seat curiously browsing the official documents he wrote, seemingly not discovering the situation here.

"Ouyang Lianghan, what are you looking at?"

Rong Zhen was curious, following his gaze to look behind him, but was soon blocked by Ouyang Rong, who turned his head, blocking her field of vision.

He waved his hand, trying hard to maintain a smile:

"Nothing, nothing! Wait, let's go outside and talk..."

"Why is this? Is it not okay here? It's not private business."

"It's indeed not private business, but... but it's not convenient to eat here. Why don't you put the pancake away? Actually, I'm not hungry. I don't like eating before work. It's easy to get sleepy in the morning. Why don't you eat it yourself? Then we can talk about official business, right here."

"You touched the pancake with your hand, I won't eat it, but you can throw it away, or I can help you throw it."

Rong Zhen stiffened her face and said in a straight manner.

You have already said so, what else can be done... Ouyang Rong was helpless. He felt the sesame pancake in his hand was hot, simply a branding iron. If he held it any longer, it would at least make him peel off a layer of skin.

Before Rong Zhen's friendly eyes gradually turned cold, Ouyang Rong decided immediately:

"Eat, of course eat. How can one be rude to others' good intentions? Thank you, Xiao Niangzi Historiographer. However... it's easy to be seen eating here. After all, we are superiors, we have to take the lead... Let's go outside and eat. See, there is a side road over there, leading to the back door stable. There are not many people there, suitable for us to sneak a bite. Let's go, let's go."

Rong Zhen nodded: "Makes sense, you still have experience in this regard."

"..." Ouyang Rong.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 422 =====