Chapter 493: 350. Tasting Sweetness

350. Tasting Sweetness

News arrived that the young Magistrate, having left the banquet once to use the restroom, had encountered an urgent matter and departed midway.

The group of Yangzhou merchants participating in the Xingzi Ward rental housing project were not particularly surprised.

Who didn't know that Magistrate Ouyang was a very busy man? He held the reins of both the Magistrate's Office and the Jiangzhou government hall, shouldered the responsibility for the entire city of Jiangzhou and its thirteen counties, and bore the heavy burden of building the Donglin Great Buddha for His Majesty.

His official duties were clearly so demanding.

Yet, during these days, he could still frequently come to Xingzi Ward and devote some of his energy to matters that truly concerned the livelihood of the people of Xunyang, such as the renovation of the rental housing—this was already rare and commendable.

It even made the group of Yangzhou merchants, including Pei Pei Shisan Niang, feel a sense of shared honor.

Attending the banquet tonight was an exception among exceptions.

Since Magistrate Ouyang had resumed his post, had anyone seen him attend any banquets or feasts?

Even the Lantern Festival banquet hosted by the Xunyang Prince's Mansion a few months ago had been declined by him, leaving a crowd of dignitaries and aristocratic youths who had traveled from afar to meet him in regret.

If it hadn't been for the fact that near the end of that Lantern Festival banquet, the little Princess had relayed a message for him, bringing back "Qing Yu An · Yuan Xi"—a poem that suppressed the entire audience and was later publicly recognized as the finest Lantern Festival poem—there would surely have been no shortage of idle gossip.

But this also showed the noble character of this young Magistrate.

As Pei Pei Shisan Niang, the president of the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce, once inadvertently revealed, Magistrate Ouyang went home for dinner every single night, rain or shine.

Of course, Pei Pei Shisan Niang didn't say which "home."

But even if she had clarified, it would still be hard to suppress the Yangzhou merchants' admiration for this Magistrate, which flowed as endlessly as the river.

To be so family-oriented and principled—he was simply a model man of the Great Zhou.

Therefore, for Magistrate Ouyang to be able to come to the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce's victory banquet tonight and drink a few cups was truly an unprecedented event.

Everyone felt honored just to have him there; naturally, no one had any complaints about his midway departure.

As for whether this young Magistrate might have a poor tolerance for alcohol and had fled in a sorry state...

What? Wasn't Magistrate Ouyang famous for being able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk?

A light evening breeze blew from the shores of Xingzi Lake.

Ouyang Rong's rather dizzy head instantly sobered up quite a bit.

For someone who acted with excessive rationality, occasionally touching alcohol and reaching a state of slight intoxication was a very novel experience.

The restaurant hosting the victory banquet tonight was of considerable scale, not inferior to the Cloud Water Pavilion, and it was not far from Xingzi Lake.

Ouyang Rong, having come to the lakeside to catch the breeze, looked back at the brilliant lights of the restaurant behind him.

Having slipped away from the banquet, Ouyang Rong's eyes were slightly tipsy. Along the way, many things flashed through his mind, his thoughts jumping erratically.

There were the swaying orchids on the windowsill of the Plum Deer Garden in Longcheng that someone had watered.

There were the strange inscriptions on the short bronze sword.

There were the stealthy sounds caused by the little ink spirit, Xiao Mojing, secretly getting up in the dead of night to slip out of the wardrobe and rummage through his clothing bundles to see if there were traces of other "bad women"—it had made him unable to sleep, so he had to pretend to turn over to scare her back.

Besides these, there was the thin but searingly hot body temperature of Xiuniang on the kitchen stove in the quiet little courtyard last time, and that smooth collarbone on one side which he had covered in strawberry marks.

Actually, because Xiuniang was too thin, when he had domineeringly picked her up to the stove at that time, his waist had been poked painfully by her thin pelvic bones underneath, but Ouyang Rong hadn't said anything then...

All sorts of sensations and heavy thoughts leaped across his field of vision.

Finally, accompanied by a firework that suddenly exploded in the sky behind him, they all converged, merging into one quiet, beautiful silhouette that occupied his entire heart for this moment.

Ouyang Rong's eyes reflected the fireworks.

What was Xiuniang doing now? Waiting for him, or was she asleep?

Ouyang Rong looked back toward a certain location on the opposite shore of Xingzi Lake.

The lights of the quiet little courtyard were not lit.

Just around dusk, he had actually asked Pei Pei Shisan Niang to go to the quiet little courtyard to inform Xiuniang that he wouldn't be returning for dinner that night; presumably, she should have gone to sleep early.

"My lord, where are we going now?"

Hearing the cautious call, Ouyang Rong came back to his senses.

He turned his head to look; it was Yan Liulang who had followed him.

Pei Pei Shisan Niang had also followed, trailing behind at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Just now, along the way, while Ouyang Rong was slightly tipsy and lost in thought, both of them had followed silently behind without disturbing him.

Seeing Yan Liulang take the initiative to speak to Ouyang Rong and break the silence, Pei Pei Shisan Niang immediately stepped forward, following Ouyang Rong step by step, and asked with gentle concern:

"Young Master, would you like to return to Xiuniang's courtyard to see her?"

Ouyang Rong did not answer the two of them.

Yan Liulang couldn't help but take another look at Pei Pei Shisan Niang, his eyes showing slight surprise.

Surprise at a woman's intuition.

With a few "whoosh" sounds, in the direction of the restaurant the three of them had just left, several more fireworks shot straight into the sky, tearing through the intoxicated spring night and resounding throughout the entire Xingzi Ward.

He believed that the commoners in other wards would also be curious about why fireworks were being set off for no reason.

He figured only this group of Yangzhou merchants could be so extravagant, making such a huge commotion over a victory banquet and celebrating in all sorts of ways.

However, it was a boon for the children who loved watching fireworks; in the current Xunyang City, he didn't know how many children were cooling off in dark courtyards, looking up at the fireworks with longing on their little faces.

Ouyang Rong suddenly turned and walked toward Qingyang Hengjie.

Yan Liulang and Pei Pei Shisan Niang didn't dare to ask and followed silently.

Arriving at Qingyang Hengjie, because they had just moved into their new homes today and were looking around to familiarize themselves, most of the courtyards were brightly lit, and there were many families who hadn't gone to sleep yet.

Ouyang Rong seemed to just want to stroll around and inspect whether there were any problems; he walked and stopped, suddenly pausing in front of one courtyard.

The courtyard was brightly lit, and there was vaguely the figure of an old woman sitting on a lounge chair catching the breeze.

Yan Liulang glanced at this courtyard and suddenly felt the location was somewhat familiar, as if he had been here before.

Before he could think more, the figure of his lord standing in front had already moved, walking into the courtyard.

Yan Liulang and Pei Pei Shisan Niang followed honestly.

As soon as Ouyang Rong entered the courtyard, he startled the family. Although he wasn't wearing his official uniform, these residents had mostly seen his appearance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the entrance of Qingyang Hengjie that afternoon, and they understood that Magistrate Ouyang was a handsome young man, which was easy to recognize.

This family was surnamed Cheng, and they enthusiastically hosted Ouyang Rong.

Ouyang Rong inquired about a few things, looked around the courtyard, and also glanced at the old Mrs. Cheng who had just been sitting in the courtyard.

This courtyard was built on the original site of the old Wang family residence on Qingyang Hengjie.

Ouyang Rong had heard about this matter repeatedly from Lady Did Rong Zhen and Wang Lixian of Xunyang.

Every time Lady Did Rong Zhen mentioned it, she felt a bit dejected, and the Prince of Xunyang also kept it in his heart.

Now, the new residence had been rebuilt, but the Wang mother and son were no longer there; after their tragic deaths, the other sons in the family had scattered like birds and beasts.

Now that Qingyang Hengjie was being rebuilt, no one had returned to inherit this residence, so this Cheng family of tenants had moved in.

Ouyang Rong withdrew his gaze, asked after their well-being, and told them that if they had any requests, they should feel free to bring them up.

A short while later, seeing that there was nothing else, Ouyang Rong bid them farewell in a gentle voice, and the Cheng family enthusiastically saw him to the door.

At this moment, old Mrs. Cheng went into the house, returned, pushed aside her children who were supporting her, took out a grey cloth bundle, and stubbornly stuffed it into Ouyang Rong's hands.

Opening it to look, it was a bundle full of candied fruit made from bayberries.

Ouyang Rong subconsciously tried to return it, intending to politely decline.

Old Mrs. Cheng shook her head, pushed his arm forward, and the whole family looked on with eager anticipation.

This was a specialty from their hometown, and the candied fruit itself was relatively precious.

It was considered one of the most popular snacks among children of this era, but candied fruit was generally something only wealthy families could afford; ordinary families, like this Cheng family, could only pick some wild bayberries themselves to make into candied fruit. Although the taste would be much worse, at least there was something to eat; it was mainly for the children to eat during festivals, or to provide for the elderly who had a bitter taste in their mouths.

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and, under everyone's gaze, reached out, preparing to pick one.

At this moment, Pei Pei Shisan Niang suddenly stepped forward and helped take the large bundle of candied fruit.

Yan Liulang also immediately moved closer, took one first, put it in his mouth, and quickly chewed and swallowed it.

After a while, he nodded at Ouyang Rong, as if to say the taste was very sweet.

Ouyang Rong didn't look at the two of them and naturally picked one, putting it in his mouth.

"Put it away."

After giving the instruction to Pei Pei Shisan Niang, he turned his head and sincerely thanked old Mrs. Cheng.

Before leaving, Ouyang Rong paused at the threshold, looked back, and took one last look at the family who had moved into their new home and were living in harmony.

The candied fruit he had held in his mouth for a long time left a faint aftertaste; it was indeed quite sweet.

The three of them left Qingyang Hengjie.

They strolled along the lakeside, returning toward the carriage.

On the way, Pei Pei Shisan Niang held the bundle of candied fruit, and Yan Liulang followed behind with his sword in his arms.

Ouyang Rong spoke without looking back, breaking the silence:

"Why did you come too, Pei Shisan Niang? Shouldn't you be hosting the banquet?"

"I still prefer to be by the Young Master's side; it feels more at ease."

"In the past, you weren't at ease at all."

Ouyang Rong chuckled.

Pei Pei Shisan Niang hesitated for a moment, then simply and boldly stated:

"I used to be very afraid of you, Young Master. Although I'm still quite afraid now, there's an added sense of peace of mind."

"Hmm, peace of mind."

Pei Pei Shisan Niang nodded and repeated, looking at his back as she said:

"It's not just the peace of mind from being by your side, Young Master; I also feel at ease in Xingzi Ward and in Xunyang City."

"Weren't you at ease before?" Ouyang Rong asked with a smile.

"Before, I always considered myself a guest in a strange land, thinking that I would leave as soon as I made money, going wherever I could make money, and leaving immediately for the next place where I could make money once I couldn't, just like one station after another under a traveler's feet."

Pei Pei Shisan Niang raised her head and said earnestly:

"Occasionally, in the dead of night, my heart would feel a bit empty. The moment I woke from a dream, I wouldn't know where I was for a moment, or rather, it made no difference where I was; I was like a wandering ghost."

"And now?"

"Now... I've met you, Young Master, met Commandant Yan, and met many interesting people from Xunyang. During these days, I've also persuaded my colleagues to invest most of our money into this Xingzi Ward."

"Young Master, I didn't have much feeling before, but when I watched these houses being built bit by bit, watched them rise from the ground like high buildings, and watched the family reunions of these residents and the laughter on their faces, I suddenly understood what it is you really want to do."

Ouyang Rong remained silent, walking in front.

When Pei Pei Shisan Niang said this, her tone became a bit embarrassed, and she shook her head, saying:

"Actually, come to think of it, when I first followed your instructions, Young Master, to build these ordinary houses that didn't make money and were hard to recoup costs on, my heart was still bleeding a bit, feeling that it was a waste of pure white silver, and even feeling that not making a profit was a huge loss."

"But, when I gradually accepted them, when I watched them truly completed, watched people truly move in, and saw the lively scene of everyone rejoicing today, I suddenly felt a sense of relief in my heart, feeling that it didn't seem so bad, and feeling that there was still a hint of stability."

"Stability?" Yan Liulang raised an eyebrow.

"That's right, stability."

Pei Pei Shisan Niang nodded, her eyes gaining some luster:

"If it were according to my old nature, I would have built all luxury mansions to sell. Although I would have earned more, in my heart, I would have just treated it as a business. Business, of course, puts profit above all else, and I would only pursue higher profits. No matter how luxurious, exquisite, or incomparable these houses were, they would just be items for trade. I would only talk about money, not feelings."

"And now, are you talking about feelings?"

"Not exactly. After the houses on Qingyang Main Street were built, I suddenly felt very grounded in my heart. I haven't experienced this sense of groundedness for a very, very long time."

"Hmm, the first time I made money in business and used it to improve the lives of my family back home, I experienced it once. At that time, I felt that it was done by my own ability, that I had a talent for business. I was both excited and thrilled, and seeing the happy smiles of my family, I felt very grounded in my heart."

"But later on, I don't know when it started, I began to chase after maximized profits more and more, and many other things were gradually discarded, including some ethics and morals, some compassion, and even my father and mother—I went back to see them less and less, just sending a sum of silver regularly to ensure they were well-fed and clothed back home."

"But I became erratic, from Yangzhou to Jiangzhou now. Before meeting you, Young Master, my heart could never truly settle down. It seemed that only by earning one profit after another and obtaining a more glamorous status step by step could I vaguely touch some sense of existence in being alive, but it was still very hollow, and I often woke up from dreams in the middle of the night..."

She raised her head and said softly:

"Just now, when I accompanied you, Young Master, into the Cheng family's courtyard, I actually had the leisure to look at the details of the workmanship of the eaves, doors, and walls, and I felt quite satisfied in my heart. They might not be as exquisite as those luxury mansions, but they just made me have the patience to look. I don't know how to describe this feeling; I'm speaking a bit chaotically, I hope you and Commandant Yan won't blame me..."

Pei Pei Shisan Niang sighed, feeling a bit emotional, and then let out a breath of relief.

Ouyang Rong nodded gently and didn't speak again.

Yan Liulang laughed heartily:

"Pei Shisan Niang is just at peace. In the Magistrate's words, this is called alienation. Power and force are the easiest things to alienate people, followed by money."

"Alienation..." Pei Pei Shisan Niang chewed on the word carefully.

"That's right."

Yan Liulang nodded heavily, looking admiringly at the Magistrate's silent back:

"What you're doing now is proper business. That previous pursuit of profit was too morbid and easily led to hitting a brick wall. Or rather, money simply making money has no end. Using money to mobilize resources to do some solid things is what's truly grounded, and only then can the heart be at peace."

His eyes showed some reminiscence:

"Doing business is like this, and isn't being an official the same? I was like this when I was in Longcheng before, until I met the Magistrate. After following the Magistrate, I also developed this similar sense of stability."

Pei Pei Shisan Niang's expression was dazed as she looked at the quiet Ouyang Rong in front.

At this moment, the three of them arrived at the carriage and stopped one after another.

Ouyang Rong took the candied fruit brought by Pei Pei Shisan Niang and, before getting into the carriage, patted Pei Pei Shisan Niang on the shoulder.

"Pei Shisan Niang, go back and rest early. Liulang, get on."

Leaving behind the emotional Pei Pei Shisan Niang, Yan Liulang followed Ouyang Rong into the carriage.

An incense stick of time later, the coachman Brother Ali saw this Commandant Yan get off the carriage with a serious face and leave in a hurry.

As the carriage continued to move forward, inside the carriage, Ouyang Rong opened the bundle of candied fruit and took a look.

He bent down from under the seat and took out a small wine gourd, shaking it by his ear; it was filled to the brim with viscous, turbid wine mixed with talisman ash.

Ouyang Rong was silent for a while, then closed his eyes and entered the Merit Tower.

His gaze fell on the cyan-gold characters above the small wooden fish:

Merit: 8,301

A banquet plus a post-meal stroll had increased it by nearly a hundred.

It was rare for merit points to be so abundant.

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and left the Merit Tower.

Opening his eyes, his perspective returned to the slightly bumpy, dim carriage.

"Brother Ali will have to work hard tonight."

Ouyang Rong suddenly spoke.

Brother Ali's muffled voice came from outside:

"It's not hard work. I brought rations; I'm willing to guard the Young Master." He paused and asked an unprecedented question: "Young Master, is there danger in that temple?"

Ouyang Rong didn't answer the intuition of this simple and honest man, saying softly:

"At the back gate of Chengtian Temple, find a hidden place to stop."

"Yes."

Inside the carriage, Ouyang Rong leaned against the back of the seat, head lowered, his palm gently patting the bundle of candied fruit and the small wine gourd on his knees.

His eyes were somewhat deep, and his expression was unclear.

"Whoosh."

"Crack—!"

Another firework tore through the sky on the night sky across the lake.

Ouyang Rong's eyes regained clarity, and he turned his head to watch the fleeting fireworks outside the window for a while.

His eyes were lost in thought for a moment.

"Wait, go to that courtyard first."

Brother Ali seemed to be stunned for a moment, but immediately agreed: "Yes, Young Master."

The carriage changed direction and drove toward the quiet little courtyard by the lakeside not far away.

Ouyang Rong lowered his head, opened the candied fruit bundle, picked out a piece of candied fruit, and carefully wrapped it with the handkerchief the little junior sister had left with him.

He stuffed this bundle of handkerchief and the small wine gourd under the seat, placing them next to the zither case.

After doing this, the carriage had arrived at the entrance of the quiet little courtyard and slowly stopped.

The night was already deep; Ouyang Rong took a look, and the courtyard was pitch black.

According to the healthy routines of Xiuniang and the Fang sisters, they had already gone to sleep; he had come too late.

Ouyang Rong carried the bundle of candied fruit and got out of the carriage, looked at the courtyard gate, and without hesitation, pushed it open and entered.

His footsteps were very light.

Passing through the silent main hall, he walked to the backyard.

Several side rooms were pitch black and quiet.

He placed the bundle of candied fruit on the stone table, touched something, and lowered his head to look.

His eyes, having adapted to the darkness, immediately saw clearly that on the stone table, there were several dishes covered by a bamboo basket.

He subconsciously touched the side of the bowl with the back of his hand; he didn't know if it was because the spring weather was warming up, or if his body felt a bit cold after sobering up from his drunkenness, but the bowl was vaguely radiating a hint of warmth.

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips, stood for a while, then turned to leave.

Tonight, at Chengtian Temple, he still had a very important matter to resolve.

Just at this moment, a familiar crisp sound suddenly came from behind:

"Cling-ling—!"

Ouyang Rong's body paused.

"Ah, ah..."

In the darkness, a woman called him weakly.

by, Le Wen lwshuku ===== CHAPTER 494 =====