Chapter 443

Two hundred and eighteen, Li Guo'er: I hate that I am not a man

"This princess thought he was listening to your suggestion, borrowing the porridge shed to please the Qin family sister.

"But just this evening, this princess went to Jingyi Pavilion to chat with Qin Xiaoniangzi, and asked sideways. She didn't know about the Shelter Hall porridge shed at all. Instead, she mentioned another thing to this princess."

Inside the spacious carriage, Li Guo'er said slowly, her pair of bright eyes looking at Ouyang Rong's expression without blinking.

The latter sat upright, swallowed his saliva slightly, and asked:

"Wh... what matter."

"Qin Xiaoniangzi said that the third young master of the Wei Wang Fu and his cousin Princess Anhui also came to Jiangzhou, and they are also distributing porridge and clothes in Star Square."

Li Guo'er frowned slightly:

"Ouyang Lianghan, is this true? Did you know before?"

Ouyang Rong had to nod: "I knew."

Li Guo'er didn't speak, staring at Ouyang Rong's expression for a while.

She averted her gaze, raised her jade hand, and the wide silk sleeve embroidered with gold thread fell naturally and smoothly along her wrist, revealing a section of white forearm.

The little girl with plum blossom makeup lowered her eyes, and her pair of jade hands added some spices to the bronze incense burner with mythical beasts between the two.

Ouyang Rong watched with unblinking eyes.

He found that the cinnabar pigment of her plum blossom makeup was exceptionally bright and eye-catching tonight, and he didn't know if it was touched up just before coming over.

"Then is there anything else that you know, Ouyang Lianghan, but this princess doesn't? Did you... have anything you didn't say?"

"Didn't say what?" Ouyang Rong's expression was confused.

Li Guo'er's pretty face tightened

"You two stop covering for each other, confess honestly."

Ouyang Rong coughed and didn't speak.

Li Guo'er narrowed her eyes slightly and said:

"When I met Qin Xiaoniangzi this evening, she was wearing hunting clothes and had just returned from outside. I asked her about going hunting outside the city, and whether Brother accompanied her. Qin Xiaoniangzi didn't mention a word.

"It was only after this princess pressed her that she said someone accompanied her, but it wasn't Brother, it was that third young master of the Wei Wang Fu."

Li Guo'er pressed:

"Ouyang Lianghan, what is going on?"

Ouyang Rong sighed:

"Don't ask me, ask Brother."

"I can't even see his shadow now, and I don't know where he ran off to. And asking him is useless. Usually, I can't see his shadow. It's hard to get together at a table when eating, and when Father and Mother ask questions, he just buries his head in eating, vague and unclear."

"..." Ouyang Rong.

Under Li Guo'er's death stare of pursed lips and narrowed eyes, Ouyang Rong had to avert his gaze and sigh:

"Brother went to the Cloud Water Pavilion to drink tea last time and ran into Qin Xiaoniangzi, and was caught red-handed..."

Unable to hide it for his good friend, Ouyang Rong had to roughly recount what happened that day.

He originally thought Li Guo'er would explode, but what surprised him was that the more Li Guo'er listened, the calmer her expression became.

Ouyang Rong finished the last word, and Li Guo'er nodded lightly:

"Mm, it's something Brother can do, consistent with all this princess's stereotypes about him."

"..."

Ouyang Rong observed her calm expression and suggested cautiously:

"How about not telling the Prince and Princess for now? Brother is also working hard to coax Qin Xiaoniangzi recently."

"His effort is taking advantage of Qin Xiaoniangzi going out hunting with other men, and stealing his sister's porridge shed to find ways to hook up with other little ladies?"

Li Guo'er nodded faintly and asked.

Ouyang Rong was speechless.

Brother's move was indeed a bit abstract.

He had to follow and scold: "Brother is really too much, and his actions are unreliable. See if I don't teach him a lesson when I go back. This time I can't let it go, I must give him a good lesson..."

"Teach what? What lesson?"

Li Guo'er's pretty face tightened, and she said naturally:

"Teach him to be careful next time, don't expose himself like this now? Give him a lesson? A lesson on how to avoid using the porridge shed for charity as an old-fashioned way to hook up with other little ladies?

"That's better to skip."

Ouyang Rong was immediately dissatisfied:

"Little Princess, am I so unbearable in your eyes? If so, just say it directly, don't beat around the bush."

Seeing his righteous expression, Li Guo'er averted her gaze, changed the subject and said:

"Ouyang Lianghan, I know you value Brother very much, but don't indulge him in some things. Winning over Qin Jingqin, the General-in-Chief of the Left Martial Guard and the Jiang Nan Circuit, is a grand plan we discussed together."

She said very seriously:

"Winning over Qin Jingqin is not only beneficial to our mansion's situation in Jiang Nan Circuit, but also helps your statue-building plan in the Xunyang Grottoes."

"Little Princess."

Ouyang Rong's expression was also very serious, and he shook his head lightly:

"I didn't indulge the Heir, nor did I shelter or tolerate him as a friend. I just... feel a bit unfair for the Heir's situation, sometimes sympathize with his situation, so I would occasionally accompany him to the Cloud Water Pavilion with Liu Lang, giving him a loose environment within limits.

"And I have been watching him on weekdays, and won't let the Cloud Water Pavilion matter affect the Heir and the mansion's reputation."

Li Guo'er raised her willow brows and said:

"What unfair? What sympathize with his situation? What's wrong with his situation?

"Being born in our Li clan, born with the blood of Taizong flowing in his body, is the blessing he cultivated for eight lifetimes. There are countless people in this world who dream of it..."

In the carriage, the little girl with plum blossom makeup became angrier the more she spoke, and even laughed in anger.

She sneered and said:

"Ouyang Lianghan, you even sympathize with him? Do you want to sympathize with this princess too? Mm?

"Admittedly, Father and Mother were demoted to Dragon City before, and this princess and he lived in the remote countryside of Jiang Nan, which was indeed a bit embarrassed, but now, the most bitter and difficult time has passed. Now in Xunyang City, it is the stage of struggling to transition. After surviving it and returning to the capital, the sea will be wide and the sky will be high. He is dropping the chain at this time? Starting to slack off?"

Li Guo'er's fragrant cheeks bulged slightly, and she turned her cold face to the side:

"This is his responsibility, he must bear it!

"In these ten-plus years, the Great Zhou has changed, and the blood of our Li clan has flowed into rivers. Have the men of the Li clan not learned their lesson yet? Why must they lose to that group of wine bags and rice sacks of the Wei family?"

She waved her skirt sleeve and raised her delicate and small chin:

"Besides, who in the family is not more tired than him now? Father is always at the forefront, bearing the pressure of the imperial court and the Empress Dowager, guarding against hidden arrows, Mother has to manage the internal affairs of the entire mansion, and this princess is also running around Xunyang City, recruiting scholars, and appearing on behalf of the mansion...

"And Brother, he wasn't asked to do anything too tiring, just go after a Qin family girl! The only thing he has to sacrifice is his seven-foot male body. What can this be?"

Ouyang Rong interrupted and asked: "Then what if you were asked to go after a man you don't like, and sacrifice your virgin body?"

"Shut up."

Li Guo'er was embarrassed and angry, glaring at him with pretty eyes:

"Are men and women the same? Besides, this princess has more important things to be busy with. The marriage matter has been handed over to Brother. Don't talk nonsense anymore."

After a pause, she returned to the original topic and frowned with dissatisfaction again:

"Just don't talk about our mansion, talk about you, Ouyang Lianghan. Regarding the extension of the Buddha, if Qin Jingqin could have spoken for us at that time, the Empress Dowager wouldn't have sent any inspection envoys. Even if she did, would these inspection envoys dare to say anything? The Wei family has to serve the Qin family well, how would they dare to make trouble?

"Now it's good, for such a long time, Brother hasn't even held Qin Xiaoniangzi's hand. Clearly, we laid out the layout one step ahead, letting Brother know Qin Xiaoniangzi, but it dragged on until now, letting that third young master of the Wei Wang Fu take advantage of the situation and catch up with the progress.

"If this princess had a male body, Qin Xiaoniangzi would probably have a bulging belly by now, and we would have married with a child!"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Then it's fortunate you are not."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

"This princess heard it." Li Guo'er was expressionless.

In the curling blue smoke of the bronze incense burner with mythical beasts, the two's gazes collided for a while.

Ouyang Rong shook his head and said:

"Princess, you say yours, you can talk about the Prince, Princess, or even Taizong and Gao Zong, but don't drag me into it. Regarding responsibility, Brother swallowed the talisman water of Yuan Lao Heavenly Master back then, which is enough to explain everything.

"I won't emotionally kidnap Brother and excessively squeeze his personal freedom. As for the Buddha extension and the current inspection envoy, it can't be blamed on Brother.

"And, when the Summer Office Spirit Platform Official first came to Xunyang City, Brother also brought Qin Xiaoniangzi over the first time to help and show his stance."

Li Guo'er looked at him with dissatisfaction:

"Ouyang Lianghan, what do you mean by this?"

Ouyang Rong was silent for a moment, slightly softened his voice, and comforted this cold little princess:

"Rest assured, what kind of person that Wei Shaoqi is, I already know. As long as Qin Xiaoniangzi is not stupid, it is very difficult to be deceived. Moreover, blocking is not as good as dredging. Qin Xiaoniangzi is angry now, so let them go hunting together. We don't need to worry too much, take it slow."

He touched his chin and thought, nodded slightly, and came up with an idea:

"Mm, first wait for Qin Xiaoniangzi to calm down. Another day I will host, using the investment in the Xunyang Grottoes as an excuse to invite her to dinner. At that time, Princess, bring Brother over..."

"Good, Ouyang Lianghan, you have a count in your heart."

Li Guo'er's chest heaved, and she calmed down.

"That's right, if it really doesn't work, you come forward. Qin Xiaoniangzi still listens to you quite a bit. Sometimes when chatting during the poetry gathering, Qin Xiaoniangzi praises you so much that Sister Xie becomes absent-minded, and even scalded her mouth drinking tea..."

Ouyang Rong heard this, his eyes lit up, and his focus was very strange:

"Looking at it this way, the relationship between Princess and Qin Xiaoniangzi is quite good. You and Junior Sister help me find out one thing in these two days. Brother's side can't be counted on, don't count on it for now."

"What thing to find out?"

Ouyang Rong's expression became serious, and his body leaned forward.

Li Guo'er looked at him, and her back also left the soft cushion.

Across the bronze incense burner with curling blue smoke, Ouyang Rong whispered for a while.

Li Guo'er listened carefully for a moment, and her narrow, beautiful eyebrows, which didn't need to be drawn by people, raised a corner, like flying clouds:

"Investigate if there are any Qin family men of marriageable age coming to Xunyang City recently?"

"Mm, whether it's from Yangzhou, Luoyang, or the front-line military camp."

Ouyang Rong nodded seriously, and exhorted in a low voice:

"I always feel that Wei Shaoqi bringing a Liang Wang Fu legitimate daughter is a bit superfluous. This group of Wei family people are bad, but not stupid."

Li Guo'er immediately understood, looked at his expression, and asked in a low voice:

"Ouyang Lianghan, are you worried that the Wei Wang Fu and Wei Shaoqi and their group are 'openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chen Cang'? On the surface, Wei Shaoqi is coming to pursue Qin Xiaoniangzi and seek marriage, acting as a smoke screen to attract our attention?

"Actually, they are lowering their posture even more, using Wei Anhui of the Liang Wang Fu to truly marry into the Qin family?"

Ouyang Rong heard this and was silent for a moment.

Li Guo'er saw the weak crown young man with teeth as white as jade in front of her narrow his eyes slightly, and he said softly:

"They might even be more bottomless, without etiquette, righteousness, integrity, and shame, seeking to have the Qin Old Man take a concubine."

Li Guo'er opened her eyes slightly: "Take a concubine? Qin Jingqin? Eighteen marrying eighty, is Qin Jingqin willing to marry?"

"I also think it's impossible, according to my understanding of Qin Old Man, but let's prepare for the worst."

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

Li Guo'er pondered for a moment and agreed:

"Good, this princess will go now, find Sister Xie and go ask together. Qin Xiaoniangzi should be in Jingyi Pavilion now, and hasn't slept yet... If fast, I will give you an answer tomorrow."

"Fine, thank you for your hard work."

Li Guo'er waved her hand:

"Not hard, it's this princess's own fault, insisting on carrying the responsibility and obligation."

Ouyang Rong didn't pick up the topic.

He sighed long, and subconsciously sniffed the heart-refreshing fragrance mixed with the blue smoke of the incense burner and the body fragrance of the noble lady in the carriage.

Under Li Guo'er's gaze, Ouyang Rong turned his head and stared at the night outside the window for a while. He suddenly got off the carriage and fetched a valuable wooden qin he had taken to Star Square in the afternoon to act as a prop, and returned it to her.

Ouyang Rong said goodbye politely.

Tomorrow morning, he had already made an appointment with Lin Cheng. He had to deal with the final communication and expression of Lin Cheng and Hu Fu, who were inspection envoys.

Tonight, Ouyang Rong still had to rush to Tingzhu Pavilion to communicate with Hu Fu in advance and discuss...

Inside the low-luxury carriage, Li Guo'er lifted the carriage curtain with her little finger, her pair of star eyes silently watching a certain person's back disappear into the pitch-black night without lingering or wasting words.

The pink lips under the black veil pursed.

After a long time.

"Go to Jingyi Pavilion." She said faintly.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Night, deep.

In Xunyang Square, in a study room with very neat furniture, belonging to someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

In front of a desk without a speck of dust, Lin Cheng was sitting alone, his two elbows supporting the table, his ten fingers crossed, his chin resting on his slightly green-bearded chubby face.

A lonely lamp illuminated the inkstone, brush, letter paper, and an unfolded memorial on the table in front of him.

The memorial was still blank.

There was a faint murmur in the room:

"Avoiding the moon and plucking the stars... Avoiding the moon and plucking the stars... Twin Peaks is the moon... Star Square with the Star Lake is the star..."

After a while, outside a window filled with stars in the autumn night in front of the chubby young man, a breeze blew in.

The blank letter paper and memorial pages on the table rustled.

A lonely lamp also swayed.

The lamp wick swayed for half an hour, and the memorial on the table was also empty for half an hour.

This Summer Office Spirit Platform Official had not yet put pen to paper.

His eyes looked straight at the sparse starry sky outside the window.

A bright, clear moon was being slowly covered by a dark cloud drifting from nowhere, and the whole world dimmed by a degree.

"Avoiding the moon and plucking the stars... Avoiding the moon and plucking the stars..."