Chapter 71

Seventy-two, Asking Ru Shixiong for Discipline

"Is Ru Shixiong not busy with the new river channel?"

"Nothing to do today, so I came to see Xiao Shimei."

"So Ru Shixiong can be lazy too."

"It's not laziness; I'm truly mostly finished with my work. Besides, I haven't been idle these past few days, running around everywhere. I even went to Donglin Temple yesterday."

"What did you go to Donglin Temple for?"

"Matters regarding the Zhe Zhe Yiqu."

"Zhe Zhe Yiqu? The new river channel? Ru Shixiong is really good at naming things."

"How did you know I named it?"

"It's very much Ru Shixiong's style of doing things."

"What style do I have... Never mind, back to the point, I didn't expect Venerable Shan Dao to be so hospitable and considerate of the government, insisting on joining the Zhe Zhe Yiqu construction led by the Longcheng County Office..."

"That's good. So Ru Shixiong is really finished with everything before coming over, right?"

"That's right, Xiao Shimei, don't worry, I didn't neglect any official business."

"Oh."

"Eh, why did Xiao Shimei stop talking?"

"I'm tired."

"Then I'll leave first, you get some good rest?"

"Wait, you come in."

"Er, would that be inconvenient?"

"I am lying on the bed fully clothed."

"That's fine. I happened to bring you some grapes."

"Grapes?"

In a boudoir that lacked the scent of cosmetics but was instead rich with the scent of books.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who had been pacing in the front hall, pushed aside the gauze curtain of the inner room and walked toward a fragrant couch where a hazy figure sat.

The bead curtain on the couch was half-open and half-rolled. The young lady in a Confucian robe, her dark hair held by a red cord, sat biting her lip against the head of the bed, hugging her quilt to cover her magnificent chest. She glanced at him twice, and after he walked closer, she straightened her gaze and looked straight ahead.

"What happened to Ru Shixiong's face?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong first walked over to open the window, squinting to see the maids waiting in the courtyard.

He pulled over a chair, sat down by the window, let out a long breath, and pointed to the two small red marks on his right cheek:

"This? I was picking grapes last night and the trellis collapsed. Sigh, I should have known better than to let Ye Ye Weilai hold the ladder; she almost got hit, and she doesn't have much strength anyway. I admit, it was my carelessness; I've been sitting at the desk for too long and my movements are a bit clumsy..."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang frowned slightly, her eyes not looking at him:

"Shouldn't Ru Shixiong be reflecting on why he likes to show off and do things himself? That day after Ru Shixiong whipped me, he told me not to be impulsive, but what about Ru Shixiong? Shouldn't these things be left to the servants? A person of noble birth should not put themselves in danger; why did Ru Shixiong go picking grapes for no reason?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong was slightly stunned, turning his head to look at his Xiao Shimei, whose tone was a bit reproachful.

How come it feels like I haven't seen her for a few days and she seems a bit different?

Has she matured a bit?

Without arguing, Magistrate Ouyang Rong lowered his head and took a plate of washed grapes from the box he had brought, silently placing it on the small table by the bed.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang saw it from the corner of her eye and seemed to realize something; her slightly resentful words stopped, and she couldn't bear to say more.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled and pushed the plate, "Here."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang did not turn her head, "I won't eat them."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded and took the plate back.

"Wait, put it down."

"Didn't you say you wouldn't eat them?"

"You take it away after giving it to me?"

The young lady behind the bead curtain glared at him.

"Oh, oh, oh."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled inwardly and honestly put the plate down.

His Xiao Shimei, who says one thing and means another, is quite cute.

"How did Ru Shixiong know I like grapes?" Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang asked softly.

"Your father told me."

"Ru Shixiong even asked my father about this?" She couldn't help but turn her head to look at him.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled and said nothing.

Why would he ask about his Xiao Shimei's hobbies and tastes for no reason? Not to mention in the past, he wouldn't do it now either.

Actually, it was his aunt who had inquired with his teacher, Chenjun Xie Xun, and only his aunt would care about such things.

His aunt had mentioned it during dinner yesterday, so that night, a certain grape trellis in the Meilu Garden suffered at the hands of a certain young County Magistrate.

After all, one couldn't come empty-handed when visiting someone; that would be too embarrassing.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong did not explain, fearing that his Xiao Shimei would pull a long face and chase him away again.

"Ru Shixiong certainly inquires thoroughly."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang looked away and said softly.

She reached her hand out from behind the bead curtain toward the grape plate, then paused halfway and retracted it.

"Does Xiao Shimei not spit out the skins when eating grapes?"

"Does Ru Shixiong not spit them out?"

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's words stopped because, from the corner of her eye, she saw someone already picking up a grape and tossing it into his mouth to eat without any regard for others, not being polite at all.

"Mm, mm." Magistrate Ouyang Rong chewed and gave a vague answer, which was essentially the same as saying nothing.

A black line appeared on Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's forehead.

Ru Shixiong truly doesn't treat himself as an outsider.

The young lady, who had originally been reserved and shy, immediately stopped standing on ceremony and hurried to save some grapes from Ru Shixiong's demonic claws.

Outside, in the courtyard filled with Jianlan orchids, the maids on duty occasionally looked back curiously and saw the scene of a handsome man and a beautiful woman behind the bead curtain fighting over grapes.

A maid who had served Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang for many days couldn't help but look at her companion in surprise.

This Chenjun Xie noblewoman hadn't shown a smile for many days, let alone being this lively; even Young Lady Su hadn't managed to elicit such a reaction when she came to visit.

Inside the room, after a while of commotion, the plate of grapes was wiped clean like a whirlwind.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong looked at his Xiao Shimei behind the bead curtain and couldn't help but ask:

"Isn't Xiao Shimei injured on her back? Why are you sitting against the head of the bed?"

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang lowered her eyes, "Otherwise, should I lie on my stomach and fight Ru Shixiong for grapes?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong was speechless.

That was indeed true; she couldn't lie on her stomach to receive a guest, and his Xiao Shimei was so strong-willed.

"That's true. How is Xiao Shimei's injury?" He paused and added, "It looks like it's not serious, right?"

"You were the one who did it, Ru Shixiong; don't you know?"

Inside and outside the bead curtain, there was silence for a while.

The atmosphere was a bit cold.

"I'm sorry." Magistrate Ouyang Rong spoke: "At that time..."

"No, it's fine, no need to apologize."

The young lady behind the curtain lowered her head and whispered:

"Ru Shixiong's discipline was very appropriate. I was actually quite happy at the time; Ru Shixiong didn't treat me as an outsider."

"Father once said that apart from family and... those who care about you, no one in the outside world will cover for your mistakes, let alone get angry because of you."

"So Ru Shixiong at that time... Xiao Shimei understands, thank you for your discipline, Ru Shixiong."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang bit her lower lip again subconsciously, "If I make a mistake next time, Ru Shixiong can also... continue to discipline me."

"That day was a special situation."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong was slightly stunned and shook his head with a laugh: "I can't use a whip to lash you next time..."

It was meant to be a joke, but he didn't expect a whisper to drift out from behind the bead curtain:

"That... that's not impossible either."

While Magistrate Ouyang Rong was speechless, Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang immediately said:

"Actually, I'm still a bit confused as to why she would treat me like that."

Hearing this, Magistrate Ouyang Rong was stunned for a moment before reacting; this "she" should refer to that Hu woman named Zhiying.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang hugged her chest through the quilt, leaned her head back against the pillow, looked at the gauze curtain on the top of the bed, and said with a slightly dazed face:

"I saved her from the hawk attack, I cared about her safety, I helped her redeem herself, I brought her back wanting to give her dignity... But why did she choose to help a bad person who insulted her, bullied her, and despised her? If there were hidden difficulties, coercion, or secrets, why not tell me? This hurts me more than betrayal."

She turned her head and asked, looking at Ru Shixiong's heroic face with two extra red marks:

"Is it like what the books say, that barbarians fear power but do not cherish virtue? Perhaps a little, but I also feel it's not entirely that. Even if she weren't a Hu woman, it seems things would still have slid into that state..."

"Where exactly did the problem arise? The books didn't say. What color is this world, after all?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned his head to look at the bright spring scenery outside the window and asked: "So, has Xiao Shimei figured it out now?"

The whispering Chenjun Xie young lady fell silent for a moment.

She suddenly noticed that outside the window, the morning sun had arrived, falling right on the young man who was sitting with his hands on his knees, listening attentively before the couch.

This scene looked familiar.

That day in front of the county office, she was exhausted and downcast, staring blankly at Ru Shixiong standing in the midday sun announcing a fair verdict, and later boldly revealing the new construction that shocked the whole scene; it was just like this.

That year at the old house in Wu Yi Lane, she was young and hiding behind the door, witnessing her father kneeling straight in the seat in the hall under the setting sun, refusing to yield to death and rejecting the olive branch thrown by the Wei clan's envoy; it was also like this.

That year the Great Gan changed to Zhou, the Empress ascended the throne, the Li Gan royal family was slaughtered with only a few remaining, blood splashed across the palace, panic spread throughout the country, the Wei clan princes were unrivaled, and the five surnames, seven clans, Guanzhong nobles, and northern and southern clans all lowered their heads.

Only her father refused to submit, even though all the clansmen begged him, her father still refused to enter the court and would not kneel to the Zhou court.

Why has she worked so hard to study, refused marriage, and practiced Qi for so many years?

It was because of that light on her father that she saw at the old house in Wu Yi Lane that year. She also felt the "Qi" of a scholar for the first time, leading all the Chenjun Xie brothers and sisters to enter the ranks of the rare Qi practitioners.

This was the beginning of everything, this was the thing she had been stubbornly pursuing all these years, and it had almost become... a faith.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang could not forget.

And now, she saw that the light on Ru Shixiong and her father was very similar, yet not exactly the same.

There was another kind of "Qi" on Ru Shixiong, which had attracted Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang to approach curiously from the very beginning, wanting to get to the bottom of it...

That was why she had just said she hoped Ru Shixiong would continue to discipline her; she vaguely looked forward to following him to appreciate the scenery on this path of his, which was different from her father's.

"Ru Shixiong."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang called out softly, lifted the bead curtain, looked at him with bright eyes, and said earnestly:

"I haven't fully understood it yet, but no matter what... what she did was absolutely not right, and this world is absolutely not pitch black... It is different from what I thought before. I am disappointed, but... I am not giving up."

She paused and stared fixedly:

"I have always believed that such a light has always existed, and justice will definitely come."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong was silent for a while: "Good."

After a frank and honest heart-to-heart talk, the atmosphere remained silent for a good while.

This kind of serious topic is actually not suitable for much discussion, especially in broad daylight.

Talking about life and ideals, shouldn't one also pick a dark and gloomy time?

Soon, the Ru Shixiong and Xiao Shimei in the room changed the subject.

"By the way."

Seeming to have sat for too long, Magistrate Ouyang Rong stood up and paced in the room, remembering something. He turned his head and asked curiously:

"Among the maids who brought me in just now, there was a little maid wearing goose-yellow clothes. Does Xiao Shimei know her?"

"The one in goose-yellow clothes?" Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang tilted her head, "Is Ru Shixiong talking about Sister Caishou? The one who is a bit chubby?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded.

He was also surprised when he saw that round-faced little maid who looked a bit familiar.

"Could it be Xiao Shimei's maid?"

"That's not it." Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang shook her head, "She is the personal maid of the Su family's little sister next door; she was called over by Aunt Wei this morning to change my medicine."

"The Su family's little sister?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong muttered and nodded.

That made sense; it turned out to be a young lady from that family.

But his Xiao Shimei had never mentioned this Su family before.

And he lived in Meilu Garden, so the two families had been neighbors for so long, yet Magistrate Ouyang Rong only happened to meet the Su family young lady once at Donglin Temple on the mountain.

He didn't know if it was because he was too busy on weekdays, or if this law-abiding Su Fu was too low-key, living in seclusion.

"Why does Ru Shixiong ask about this?" Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang looked sideways.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong casually mentioned the matter of borrowing an umbrella in the pavilion yesterday.

"Looking at it this way, it is indeed fate." Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang nodded.

"What fate? The county town is so small, you see each other all the time." Magistrate Ouyang said indifferently.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang looked at Ru Shixiong, hesitated for a moment, and introduced:

"This family... En, I forgot to tell Ru Shixiong before. The master of this family is surnamed Su, named Su Xian, and he is an old friend of my father; they studied together."

"Classmates, then." Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded in understanding.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang didn't explain what kind of "study method" it was, deliberated on her words, and said:

"Su Bo and Aunt Wei have one son and one daughter. The eldest son is named Fu, three years older than Ru Shixiong, honest and simple, diligent and eager to learn; the youngest daughter is the Su family's little sister, also... gentle and considerate, pure and kind by nature, and the whole family dotes on her. I have been living next door to her these days... This whole family treats me very well."

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the childhood names of young ladies from wealthy families could not be revealed casually, and outsiders could not call them casually even if they knew; they should be called according to their ranking in the family.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded, "That's good. Speaking of which, I also owe the Su Fu a favor; I'll find an opportunity to get to know them another day."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang had long known about the Su family donating a thousand taels of silver before the Dragon Boat Festival, so she wasn't surprised. She nodded and asked again.

"When Ru Shixiong visited just now, did you not see Su Bo and the Su family's eldest son?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head. He was in casual clothes, went directly to the door to pay a visit, handed in a name card, and was brought in.

"Then it must be that Ru Shixiong came too early. The eldest Su son might still be reading in the study, and as for Su Bo... cough, it's nothing. Since Ru Shixiong came to visit, they will come over after they find out later; Ru Shixiong can get to know them then."

"Fine."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded lightly. Actually, he had no interest in this kind of socializing, but he had the basic politeness and emotional intelligence.

Seeing this, Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang hesitated to speak.

The letter her father wrote to Ru Shixiong in advance was still being kept by her.

But it wasn't time yet, so she couldn't hand it over.

However, Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang didn't think Ru Shixiong should curry favor with this family.

On the contrary, it was this family that should be currying favor and trying to win over Ru Shixiong.

So what did it matter if Ru Shixiong knew or not? And according to Ru Shixiong's character of being devoted to disaster relief and water control, even if he knew, he probably wouldn't care.

"By the way, there's also this, for you."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang was still hugging the quilt in a daze when Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who was by the window, took something out of his sleeve and threw it lightly to her.

"This is..."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang was stunned as she caught it, a crystal-clear, round little bead lying in her palm.

She was naturally familiar with what this was.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's face was a bit ashamed as she tightly gripped this bead that still contained someone's warm body heat.

"Ru Shixiong, I was angry because of the grain price at the time, and I didn't know Zhiying was that kind of person, so I rashly handed over the night-luminescent pearl you gave me..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head, "You didn't make the wrong choice at the time; a pearl is indeed not as important as a human life."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang stared at him for a while, reached out her hand, and handed it back to him.

"Ru Shixiong, take it first."

Seeing Magistrate Ouyang Rong's puzzled expression.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang said earnestly:

"This was what Ru Shixiong rewarded me with before, but I misplaced it. Now Ru Shixiong, take the night-luminescent pearl back first. If next time, Xiao Shimei does something right that is worth rewarding, Ru Shixiong can give it to me openly and honestly!"

"A sense of ritual, right? Fine."

His Xiao Shimei was quite interesting when she got serious. Magistrate Ouyang Rong laughed and took it, putting the night-luminescent pearl away again.

Actually, only he knew that this was just a strange sarira, but everyone, including the pawnshop, said it was a night-luminescent pearl because it glowed, so he just went along with it.

Afterward, the Ru Shixiong and Xiao Shimei chatted for a while about the Zhe Zhe Yiqu.

Glancing at the sun, Magistrate Ouyang Rong stood up, ready to say goodbye.

But at this moment, a round-faced little maid ran into the courtyard in a flurry. After entering, her eyes quickly stole a glance at someone's face, and she bowed very ladylike:

"Young Master Magistrate Ouyang, our eldest young master is here and wishes to see you."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong raised his eyebrows and turned to look at his Xiao Shimei.