Chapter 462: Two hundred fifty-seven, This Palace takes out the IOU, how should Your Excellency respond?

Two hundred fifty-seven, This Palace takes out the IOU, how should Your Excellency respond?

Xunyang Building.

The first-floor hall was empty, but brightly lit. Outside the window was a night view of the river. Tonight, this building was exceptionally quiet.

Rong Zhen stood in front of a white wall in the center of the hall, looking up at a seven-character quatrain framed and hung high on the wall with her slender neck.

"Rustling west wind planted in the courtyard, the stamens are cold and the fragrance is cold, butterflies are hard to come... If I am the Green Emperor in another year, report to the peach blossoms... bloom in one place..."

She murmured with her pink lips. The meaning of this sentence was very easy to understand, even Rong Zhen, who was not familiar with poetry, could immediately understand:

Once he becomes the Green Emperor, that is, the God of Spring, he must let chrysanthemums and peach blossoms bloom in the great spring light, letting the chrysanthemums, which were originally bitter and cold in late autumn and ranked last, also enjoy the joy of warm stamens, rich fragrance, and bees and butterflies circling the clusters...

"Truly bold and daring, is this the pattern and bosom..." In the hall, the palace-dressed girl stood alone facing the white wall and the new poem, silent for a while.

"He is awake."

A slightly cold and crisp female voice suddenly came from behind.

Rong Zhen turned her head and saw a tall, graceful figure in an exquisite and elegant skirt standing at the entrance of the stairs leading to the upper floor.

It was the little lady of the Xie family who was rumored to be engaged to Ouyang Lianghan, the only daughter of his teacher, the great Confucian Xie Xun.

This noble lady of the Chen Jun Xie family, who ranked seventeenth in age among the direct descendants of the clan, shouted at her from a distance.

The keen sense of smell unique to women told Rong Zhen that this Xie noble lady might not welcome her.

Rong Zhen's expression did not change, and she had no intention of leaving in anger.

"Did Xie girl tell him?" She took the initiative to walk up and asked seriously.

Xie Lingjiang looked at her, turned around, and walked upstairs, leaving only a tall, graceful figure with her head held high like a swan.

"Follow me."

Rong Zhen lifted her feet and followed Xie Lingjiang upstairs.

Along the way, the two women, one in front and one behind, were silent.

Neither of them spoke first.

Until Rong Zhen, who was walking behind, took out a small orange-red sachet from her sleeve and tied it to her waist with a calm expression.

Xie Lingjiang's steps on the stairs in front slowed down slightly, then returned to normal, without looking back.

A wisp of faint osmanthus fragrance permeated the air.

Xie Lingjiang suddenly spoke:

"Ru Shixiong's alcohol capacity is not very good. I often tell him to drink less, but he doesn't listen. He slept all afternoon today. Although he is sober now, he will still have a headache. It is an old illness brought from Longcheng. He once drowned once when he first took office in Longcheng, and later was injured and fell into a coma once while controlling the flood... all hit his head..."

Rong Zhen raised her eyes slightly, looking at the back of the tall girl who was suddenly nagging and talking about some trivial matters on the stairs.

Only hearing this Xie girl say a lot, she turned her head with a calm expression and exhorted her:

"So, trouble Lady Female Official to be faster. After explaining the matter, let Ru Shixiong rest. He has worried too much about Xunyang City's affairs before. The days since he was transferred to Jiangzhou Sima should be the most relaxed and pleasant state since I have known Ru Shixiong.

"Saying a word privately, which Ru Shixiong might not like to hear... Actually, I think, him being Jiangzhou Sima, resting for a while, might not be too bad."

Rong Zhen asked suddenly: "Does Xie girl know what this Palace is here for?"

Xie Lingjiang smiled, continued to lift her lotus steps, raised her head slightly, and walked up the stairs.

A moment later, Rong Zhen heard her strange, questioning tone come through:

"Need to guess? Everyone who comes to find Ru Shixiong is asking him to come out and do some butt-wiping things.

"If there is no fork, no one will think of him. Once there is a fork, the situation rots, and they remember his goodness, the first to find him."

Rong Zhen was silent for a while.

Suddenly asked:

"If I am the Green Emperor in another year, report to the peach blossoms in one place... That poem on the wall, was it composed by him on the spot at the Chrysanthemum Poetry Gathering this morning?"

"Hmm."

"It's not his handwriting on the wall, and there is no literary Qi of his. It was copied by someone else, right."

"Hmm, the owner of Xunyang Building loved this poem very much, obtained the consent of Ru Shixiong and the Princess who hosted the poetry gathering, copied a copy, and hung it up... It can be considered that he has an eye for it. It is not without reason that this Xunyang Building can become one of the famous buildings in Jiang Nan."

Rong Zhen wanted to speak but stopped.

Xie Lingjiang's indifferent words came:

"I like this poem, Ru Shixiong gave me the original manuscript, what's wrong?"

"Nothing wrong."

Rong Zhen looked away and asked casually:

"Why didn't he return to Huaiye Lane, but stayed in Xunyang Building."

"Isn't it because Lady Female Official and Deputy Supervisor ordered the city to be blockaded? Originally, I was going to take Ru Shixiong back to Huaiye Lane in the afternoon, but was told that the whole city was under martial law. The owner of Xunyang Building and Miss Qin, the clear official, kept Ru Shixiong in the building to rest for a night, waiting for the city to be unblocked. Don't know when Lady Female Official will blockade the city until. Imperial court arrangement, we small people can only accept it well.

"Ru Shixiong hadn't rested for a while in the afternoon, and the Prince, Heir, Young General Qin, Changshi Yuan, and Canjun Yan all came to the door one by one, disturbing his rest.

"Now it's good, Lady Female Official is also here."

Rong Zhen lowered her eyes and said:

"But he seems to have refused them all."

Xie Lingjiang didn't turn her head and asked softly:

"So Lady Female Official thinks that you can persuade him by coming out personally?"

Rong Zhen didn't know how long she was silent, and answered five words:

"The people need him."

Xie Lingjiang corrected: "The premise is actually that you also need him."

Without waiting for Rong Zhen to say anything more, Xie Lingjiang led her to the front of the Heaven-grade private room and stopped, turning her head:

"Here, little girl is going to pour tea. Ru Shixiong owes rest, Lady Female Official only has one cup of tea time, please be considerate."

The palace-dressed girl stood in place, slowly tilted her head, and watched Xie Lingjiang's figure disappear into the stairwell.

This woman was a head taller than her.

Walking on the stairs in front all the way, she always maintained a height difference of a large section and talked to her.

She didn't like it very much, especially the tone of being very understanding and caring about Ouyang Lianghan.

Rong Zhen looked at the private room door and knocked twice lightly.

"Please come in."

Rong Zhen pushed the door open and found that there was a pipa sound echoing in the private room.

Turning her head to look, there were two figures in the huge private room.

Miss Qin, the clear official holding a pipa, and a young man with lowered eyes listening to the music while supporting his chin.

Rong Zhen walked over and sat down.

She took the initiative to talk about the situation in the city, as well as what happened at the Xingzi Lake construction site this morning, in great detail, including her and Song Mama's investigation progress and suspect guesses...

Ouyang Rong suddenly interrupted her:

"Not in that position, don't seek that government. The Prince, Brother Qin, and Brother Yuan came in the afternoon. They should have told you when they went back.

"I am shallow in talent and learning, and have only one advantage, which is being honest and dutiful. The Wei Prince and Liang Prince felt that I was in the way, and His Majesty listened to the opinions of the two Princes and transferred me to Jiangzhou Sima. I understand and will be dutiful in this position.

"Lady Female Official coming to see me tonight, I am flattered. Besides private friendship, don't talk about state affairs."

Ouyang Rong continued to drink tea and listen to the pipa.

Rong Zhen stared at the young man's serious expression in front of her for a while, and suddenly nodded:

"This Palace knows, so coming this time, I won't talk about state affairs, nor will I force you with any righteousness, let's talk about something else."

Ouyang Rong nodded noncommittally, "That's good, many thanks for understanding..."

But who would have thought, Rong Zhen lowered her head on her own, took out a sachet from her waist, placed it on the table, and said a sentence that made Ouyang Rong's eyelids jump:

"This morning, when you were composing poetry at Xunyang Building, this Palace was actually outside the building, preparing to come in and ask you for a poem."

She nodded again, opened the sachet, took out an IOU, and kept a straight face:

"I saw your right hand was injured and it was inconvenient to compose poetry, so I didn't plan to ask you for it recently. Now looking at it, you can compose poetry in the morning, and you should be able to in the evening. The injury won't be a hindrance.

"Wait for Xie girl to come later, Ouyang Sima, please redeem the IOU and compose a poem."

Ouyang Rong's expression changed slightly: "What does Lady Female Official mean."

"Nothing, just like that "Inscribed on Chrysanthemums" of yours too much, it's really well written... This Palace wants you to compose one for this Palace too. Everyone has a heart that loves talent."

"That... there is no need to compose in front of Xiao Shimei."

His expression was helpless.

"This Palace is willing. If you don't compose, this Palace won't leave tonight. Why, you don't want her to know?"

Ouyang Rong was silenced at once, his expression seeming to be tangled.

Rong Zhen turned her head, listening to the pipa music with concentration.

By the way, waiting for his reply.

A moment later, when Ouyang Rong's expression was hesitant, Rong Zhen suddenly spoke seriously:

"Ouyang Lianghan, don't talk about state affairs this time, but this Palace asks you to come out and help out of private friendship, okay? Private friendship."

After speaking, she handed the IOU forward.

Ouyang Rong understood in seconds, his expression somewhat tangled.

Rong Zhen saw that he looked around left and right, quietly reached out his palm under his sleeve, and quickly grabbed the IOU back.

Then the young man listening to the music stood up, his face sinking:

"Only this once, and I declare in advance, it is just to come forward on behalf of the city for these two days, deal with Xunyang City affairs, and wait until it gets on the right track after two days, I will step down, continue the Sima duty, and will not stay any longer. Also please Lady Female Official and all the adults to understand and let me go."

Rong Zhen nodded immediately: "Okay."

Secretly thinking, private friendship, that is private promise, but how the imperial court arranges it later, it has nothing to do with her...

In short, let someone come out of the mountain first.

Not long after, after temporarily sending Rong Zhen away and saying goodbye to Miss Qin, the clear official.

In the empty private room, Ouyang Rong, who put away the IOU, had his difficult expression disappear, replaced by a calm expression.

He glanced at the small IOU, burned it in the candle flame, and muttered:

"Outside the building in the morning... So the blessing was fulfilled on this, peach blossom evil, almost was bumped into."

A moment later, he stood up, packed his things, and walked out the door.

Xie Lingjiang was already waiting at the door, holding a stack of scarlet official uniforms prepared long ago.

Ouyang Rong put on the official uniform while walking downstairs.

Xie Lingjiang followed silently behind and asked softly: "She just went out, why is her look at me a bit strange? Feeling, she seems quite proud and complacent... Besides promising to come out of the mountain according to the plan, did Ru Shixiong promise her anything else?"

Ouyang Rong was confused: "Promise what? Don't understand."

Xie Lingjiang tilted her head, examined him, and asked slowly: "Teasing her like this today, Ru Shixiong is really bad. Clearly, you are cleaning up the mess you caused yourself, and it is letting others beg us to save the scene. So... so skilled in technique, will Ru Shixiong also tease me?"

Ouyang Rong pretended not to hear, changed the subject: "Does Xiao Shimei know what the biggest lesson I learned this time is?"

"What is it?"

"The weapon of criticism certainly cannot replace the criticism of weapons."

Xie Lingjiang's expression was thoughtful, her eyes showing seriousness: "Heard that the merchant woman didn't die, Ru Shixiong has been very restrained."

Ouyang Rong took a small ink ingot wrapped in the original manuscript of "Inscribed on Chrysanthemums" from Xie Lingjiang's hand, comforted it, and said softly: "The rushing fragrance array penetrates Chang'an, the whole city is covered in golden armor, perhaps it is too early, not yet, but if I am the Green Emperor in another year, report to the peach blossoms in one place, but it can be looked forward to. I have actually been struggling with these two paths these days, one radical, one slow, the little guy naturally likes the former, but was finally persuaded by me and reluctantly agreed to the latter, no longer continuing to ring the sword in my ears... Xiao Shimei, I don't know if I can wait for that day, but this Tripod Sword will definitely live longer than me. It might be able to wait for that day, wait for that batch of people, wait for those things. Because it is called 'Craftsman', the work of a mediocre craftsman in the mortal world, it originally implies the mythical greatness that rises from the mortal world."

Xie Lingjiang looked at this tall back with complicated eyes: "So, Ru Shixiong is leaving a spark for future generations? This is the firewood passed down by the true firewood carrier. The height of the sword art created has already far exceeded the predecessors. Those legendary sword masters in history who were alone and good at themselves are far inferior. Establishing merit, establishing virtue, establishing words, the three immortals, every sword master in later generations, whether encountering a craftsman or breaking a new product, no matter how arrogant they are in the world, no matter how monstrous and invincible, they must know the name of Ouyang Lianghan, and must listen to the true meaning of Ouyang Lianghan." The latter did not speak, and walked out the door...

A moment later, on the street blockaded by curfew, a carriage traveling exceptionally was speeding toward Xingzi Ward under the escort of Rong Zhen, more than a dozen female officials, and hundreds of black-armored generals... Along the way, officials and generals who learned the news all let out a sigh of relief and cast trusting and hopeful gazes at the carriage.

What everyone didn't know was that inside this carriage that was highly anticipated to deal with the mess, Ouyang Rong sat with lowered eyes, reaching out to touch the empty zither box under the chair. In the bundle placed with the zither box, the Ink Dragon pill box was also empty, and at the same time, a precious red and black talisman was missing from the bundle...

The empty sword box was secretly sent back by Yan Liulang and Chen Canjun from the West City Gate during the poetry gathering in the morning... As for the red and black talisman and the qi-replenishing pill Ink Dragon, they had long gone to Huang Feihong's place, and at the same time, the corresponding formulas for the Shangqing absolute learning of the Divine Order were passed to him together...

That Ink Dragon is a top-level qi-replenishing pill. This was the inspiration Ouyang Rong got from Lu Ya and Li Dalang. The object of the divine descent is best to take a qi-replenishing pill, so that it can bear the spiritual energy burden after the divine descent... This time, being able to sweep away Lin Cheng and others with one go, and at the same time destroy the Great Buddha stained with the blood and sweat of the common people, was thanks to the surging spiritual energy provided by this Ink Dragon.

Therefore, he naturally had to go to the Xingzi Lake construction site, but it is different to take the initiative to go over and be invited over by others three times. Only the latter is easy to do things, the former is suspected everywhere.

Isn't this, tonight also unexpectedly recovered a small IOU that might explode at any time... Ouyang Rong nodded with satisfaction.

"Here, Brother Huang, said I would pick you up... and that little guy, this time it was allowed to kill to its heart's content, it has been holding back for so long..." He muttered to himself.

But this time there were also things Ouyang Rong didn't expect. According to the guess Rong Zhen just revealed...

"Tripod Fire..."

He lowered his head and looked at his pale, blood-losing, bandaged slender right palm.

"Legendary sword master... cough, you didn't say, I didn't know, it turns out I am so powerful."

Someone nodded with emotion, and was a bit stinky for a while.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 463 =====