No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 608 "Ms. Madam is a gentle woman" [5k2, monthly ticket requested! ]

"Brother-in-law, walk this way. Yes, be careful of the mud on the ground. There is a puddle ahead. Hey, brother-in-law, slow down. Don't take out the umbrella. Rain, rain!"

The north bank of Xunyang Grottoes, Grottoes.

It's drizzling.

As soon as Ouyang Rong arrived, he was surrounded by Yan Liulang, Wang Caozhi and other officials and merchant owners.

Wearing a conical hat and a straw raincoat, he broke away from the crowd and walked at the front of the crowd to lead the way. His feet were in mud and water, and his bright eyes were fixed on the towering sitting Buddha in the cave in front of him where workers were still clinging.

Wang Caozhi held a big umbrella and shouted helplessly while chasing his good brother-in-law who was leading the way in front of him.

Among the entourage, Yan Liulang also wore a conical hat, held his sword in his hand, and followed along without saying a word, in stark contrast to Wang Caozhi next to him. It seemed that he had already gotten used to the Ming Mansion's style.

This is just the beginning. When Longcheng County was dealing with the flooding of Butterfly Creek, Yan Liulang and Liu Ashan followed this magistrate and traveled all over the upper and lower reaches of Butterfly Creek, climbing mountains and wading through water...

Therefore, Yan Liulang and others understood that the Ming Mansion's decision to send Wang Caozhi and other shopkeepers to preside over the Xunyang Grottoes in early spring to cooperate with Rong Zhen and the female historians of the Supervisory Council was not a lazy move, but because he did not need to be too personally involved in the details of on-site hosting and supervision.

The Ming government had already planned the construction process of the Donglin Buddha in Xunyang Grottoes. At the Shuangfengjian construction site, Wang Caozhi and others strictly followed the schedule and proceeded step by step.

Prefecture Ming is in charge of Xunyang City and is in charge of the overall situation.

Because Mingfu is still the acting governor of Jiangzhou, the Jiangzhou Governor's Mansion and Jiangzhou Grand Hall are now not only responsible for building the Donglin Giant Buddha, although this is the most important task and what the saint in Luoyang pays most attention to and can best win the saint's grace.

Jiangzhou is the most important rear base of the southwest rebellion army. The Ming government and the governor's office have to contact the central army camp on the southwest front and use Xunyang City, the most important water transport hub in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, to dispatch the army's logistics, food, and soldiers...

Not to mention the Xingzi Lake Buddha that collapsed not long ago, leaving Xingzifang in a mess. The Jiangzhou Hall, which is responsible for the people's livelihood, needs to take on the task of reconstruction, while also having to curb the soaring prices in the city and maintain people's livelihood order.

This again requires the Ming government to keep an eye on it, so it is inevitable that some of its attention will be diverted. Otherwise, if we only rely on Yuan Huaimin, a veteran who is addicted to taking leave and slacking off...

He could even just not come, and come up with an excuse of force majeure to ask for leave, take the lead in making trouble, and lead the Jiangzhou lobby to give Ming Mansion a little salty fish shock.

What? You ask him if he isn’t afraid of being held accountable for his dereliction of duty and being demoted again?

All I can say is that when he was demoted to Sima of Jiangzhou, he had tasted the sweetness... Why should we reward him again?

Therefore, now, unlike before when he was in Longcheng County, the governor does not need to do everything himself. It is equally important to learn how to use people.

The same logic applies to the use of Wang Caozhi at Xunyang Grottoes and Xiayuan Huaimin at Jiangzhou Hall.

However, like today, taking the time to come and take a surprise inspection is also necessary. It's not to say that we don't trust the people we use, but... well, in the words of Mr. Ming, this is an in-depth investigation and adjustment of strategy at any time.

The raindrops in the slanting wind hit his eyelids. Yan Liulang followed closely behind Ouyang Rong. He adjusted his hat to block the rain and turned to look at Wang Caozhi who was jogging beside him.

Suddenly I noticed that Brother Wang looked much better today. He no longer looked as weak and listless as he did the last time we met, or as if he was about to be broken.

Yan Liulang couldn't help but look at Wang Caozhi's face again.

"Tell me about the recent situation."

Ouyang Rong looked around at the progress of the cave construction, without turning his head, and spoke in a calm tone.

"Good good."

Wang Caozhi nodded hurriedly. Seeing that Ouyang Rong had finally slowed down, he immediately jogged to catch up with him, held an umbrella for Ouyang Rong, and then earnestly reported the latest progress of the Xunyang Grottoes.

After listening to this, Ouyang Rong nodded slightly without changing his expression.

"Where are Ms. Rong and Deputy Supervisor Song?"

Wang Caozhi held up an umbrella, leaned forward, and talked nonstop:

"Brother-in-law, wait a minute. They are having lunch and taking a nap in the bamboo forest on the south bank. They may be a little far from the grotto on the north bank. I just sent a female official to report it. It will probably take a while for them to arrive... Well, they seem to be here so soon."

He had just said half of his words when a familiar figure of a cold girl in palace clothing appeared in Ouyang Rong's sight, and he couldn't help scratching his head.

Rong Zhen rolled up her sleeves and walked slowly towards me.

She had clearly come so quickly, but as she approached, she did not seem to be in a hurry. It was more like she was taking a leisurely stroll in the garden after dinner.

"Ouyang Lianghan, why are you here?" she asked with a slightly frowned brow, her tone somewhat impatient.

At the same time, the two female officials holding umbrellas following Rong Zhen looked at each other for some reason, but no one noticed.

Ouyang Rong shook his sleeves, revealing his wrists, on which were a string of hemp Buddhist beads.

"Come and check the progress. By the way, where is Deputy Supervisor Song?"

He took off the hemp rope Buddhist beads, played with them in his palm, and asked casually.

Real face:

"Senior is still having dinner and hasn't come yet. Who knew you would rush over at dinner time?"

After a pause, he asked, "Have you eaten?"

"Just a bite to eat on the way."

Ouyang Rong said with a smile.

Rong Zhen didn't smile, but curled his lips.

"Let's go and talk over there. Why are you standing here in the rain?"

She walked straight forward, taking the lead, towards the direction of the Donglin Buddha. A female official followed closely behind her, holding an umbrella for her.

When passing by Ouyang Rong, Rong Zhen tilted her head slightly and looked at the hairpin he used to tie his hair and wear a crown when he went out today.

It is an ordinary peach wood hairpin.

The ice-white jade hairpin that was a relic from his mother had not appeared on his body for several days.

Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen came to a nearby water room on the construction site. The water workers stopped their work and saluted.

Ouyang Rong waved his hand gently, took a bucket of hot water from an old plumber, and took a sip.

He wiped his mouth, picked up the ladle with one hand, and went straight up to the second floor.

Rong Zhen didn't take the hot water. He put his hands in his sleeves and went upstairs with a stern face.

Yan Liulang, Wang Caozhi and a group of female officials who were accompanying them stayed downstairs, took off their hats and raincoats, drank hot water, and rested.

Second floor, at the railing.

"Here."

Ouyang Rong raised his head and took a sip of water, then reached into his arms and took out a long box.

Hand it to Rong Zhen.

The latter glanced:

"what?"

"Give it back to Ms. Rong."

Ouyang Rong said in a nonchalant tone:

"I copied the original copy of Peach Blossom Spring and kept it in my study, which is a fulfillment of my sentimental wish. Does Ms. Rong still need this original copy?"

Rong Zhen pondered for a moment:

"No need, you can just return it to Yuan Changshi and let it return to its original owner."

"it is good."

Ouyang Rong looked calm and put the long wooden box away again.

"What did Li Yu say?"

Rong Zhen looked at the construction site below and asked without looking away.

"He still didn't say anything. He would rather die than return home. He currently lives with Yuan Huaimin in Chengtian Temple."

"I know this. I am asking you how to deal with him. You are not going to let him go, are you?"

Ouyang Rong had a normal expression. He raised the water scoop, took a sip, and let out a long breath:

"Ms. Rong, drink more hot water, it is more nourishing."

Rong Zhen said expressionlessly: "I don't like hot drinks."

"You can see it."

"Wang Caozhi is here, how has he been doing recently?"

"That's it, just being lazy."

"Why don't you talk to him later?"

Rong Zhen suddenly called out, "Forget it, that's fine, let's just leave it at that, there's nothing to be dissatisfied with for now."

"That's good."

Rong Zhen said calmly:

"By the way, is this Wang Caozhi a descendant of the Wang family of Langya, one of the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families? I heard that the Wang family of Langya and the Xie family of Chenjun, another of the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families, are old friends and live together in Wuyi Lane, and are called Wang and Xie."

"Yeah." "Then he is respectful to you, and his words are quite sweet."

"That's just his temper. He keeps talking nonsense. I don't even bother to correct him. If there are some impolite names or offenses, please don't take it too seriously, Ms. Rong."

Rong Zhen lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Ouyang Rong smiled:

"As a family of nobles and officials for three hundred years, I have to say that the family tradition of the Wang family of Langya is still very good. There are many talented people, and all the children are upright and upright."

Rong Zhen suddenly answered:
"I don't see that he is upright and honest, but he has a lot of talented people. I can barely say that he is quite talented."

Ouyang Rong was not sure whether he had heard it wrong, but he vaguely felt that Ms. Rong pronounced the word "talent" a little heavily.

Without waiting for Ouyang Rong to ask more questions, Rong Zhen took the initiative to change the subject:
"Ouyang Lianghan, you should keep a low profile in Xunyang City these days. Let Yuan Changshi and Yan Canjun handle some matters. It's better for you to show up less and get close to the people."

"What does Ms. Rong mean?"

“As an official in charge of the statue-making, you are bound to attract the attention of some people in the dark. Even if they didn’t know about it before, they should have found out everything by now.

"The signs of the restart of the construction of Xunyang Grottoes cannot be hidden. Even though we have never publicized the reconstruction since the Lantern Festival, those rebels in the Tiannan Jianghu will always be able to react."

Rong Zhen looked up at the gradually completed headless Buddha behind the sparse rain curtain, and said to himself:

"I have a bad feeling lately."

Ouyang Rong nodded calmly:
"I understand. However, with the wanted notice issued by the Overwatch Council and the government so strong, how dare these rebels from the Tiannan Jianghu come back? Do you think we can do both?"

After a pause, he changed the subject:
"By the way, I have always been very curious about what restrictions the Donglin Buddha had on the sects in the Tiannan Jianghu after it landed, causing them to react so strongly and devote themselves to stopping it."

Rong Zhen spoke softly, answering only the first question:
"He is wanted by us, but after all, the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light.

"Yunmeng Jianze has been operating in the Jiangnan area, the ancient land of Wuyue, for nearly a thousand years. Just like you said before, the power of a hidden sect is still very large, especially the appeal of Yuanjun. Many Jiangnan people are attracted by this.

"Ouyang Lianghan... I have witnessed the tragic failure of Xingzi Lake. Lin Cheng, Wang Lengran and others died. Now you are responsible for reopening the Donglin Buddha in Xunyang Grottoes. I... don't want you to get into trouble this time."

Ouyang Rong calmed down and shook his head gently: "This big Buddha will be fine..."

"I'm talking about you."

Ouyang Rong was stunned and turned to look. Rong Zhen was looking at the mist and rain outside, not looking at him, as if he was talking to the air.

“There are some things that are not convenient to say in front of Senior Song, and they may even offend the deceased… Compared to Lin Cheng, I actually hope that the credit for the completion of the Donglin Buddha can fall on you.

“Compared to the Xingzi Lake Buddha that left a mess in Xunyang City, I like the Xunyang Grottoes Buddha more.

"It has been like this since before Lin Cheng came here, when you brought me, who was seriously injured and had to use a cane, to climb the mountain and view the grottoes. I still remember that the cane I used was made by you. We climbed to the South Peak on the other side to look at the Giant Buddha in the grottoes."

Rong Zhen pointed to the mountain on the south bank behind him, then put his hand down.

"I remember that day, it seemed to be drizzling, and I saw you speaking passionately by yourself... Now I think it was quite silly."

She paused and shook her head:

"I didn't expect that after going through so many things, I'm finally back on track."

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.

"Thank you Ms. Rong for your continued support."

He suddenly turned around and bowed to her solemnly and seriously.

Rong Zhen took a step back, moved away, and turned his head away from him.

The tone of the voice that reached Ouyang Rong's ears was very serious.

“If you want to thank someone, thank the Saint, thank Sheng Zhou. I am only… only selecting talents for the Saint and seeking benefits for the people of Sheng Zhou.

“I know that for a long time, many officials in the imperial court and local areas, including your Jiangzhou government, are afraid of us from the Sitianjian. They privately call us the star of death and the King of Hell and keep their distance from us.

"In the eyes of those so-called heroes in Tiannan Jianghu, we are probably the lackeys of the imperial court.

"The executive power is great, and many people are offended. They are only slightly better than the cruel officials of the Imperial Prison Department back then.

"To be honest, Ouyang Lianghan, I don't really care about these opinions, and I don't feel guilty about what I did.

"Because many of these people are of no benefit to the people. They are either meat eaters, corrupt officials, or people who do not work and are far away from the people...

“People like this can just die, and there will be room for them to move on. Even some of them include… some princes and nobles who claim to be descendants of Emperor Taizong. Whenever they are given a foot of white silk or a cup of poisoned wine by the palace, a bunch of so-called old ministers and great scholars will cry and scream for their parents. It’s really noisy… A local government was slightly negligent in disaster relief and flood control, and more than a thousand people died. Why would a storm that only cleansed a hundred or so people from the upper class cry and scream as if the country is going to be destroyed?
"Are the lives unequal? ​​Perhaps, but the lives of these good-for-nothings and millet-eating rats are definitely not precious. I have lived in Luo Palace for many years and served the saint. I have seen too many examples and have long been numb to them.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with most of the saints' actions, because after all the purges, aren't the ones who have lost the most heads in recent years the nobles and aristocratic families? These people died, so it's not a big deal.

“I really don’t care about the factional struggles among these powerful people.

"So far, there are very few things that can really make me feel a little emotional... and they are all trivial matters that cannot be weighed."

Rongzhen looks back.

Ouyang Rong saw that her expression was surprisingly calm, and her dark eyes reflected his face:

"The incident of a maid running away from the palace counts as one... the tragic death of the mother and son of the Wang family in Qingyang Heng Street, Xingzifang, counts as one; the stubborn Li Yu family not long ago... counts as half."

Ouyang Rong listened silently and looked into her eyes.

Suddenly I realized that this lady historian, even when she had a stern face, was actually not that cold.

Maybe the words coming out of my mouth at this moment are not cold at all.

"Sorry, I've said so much, maybe it's too long-winded. Maybe it's because a few days ago, an old senior told me some past events, and I was inspired... He said that for people like us, when we are numb to killing and disappointed with the environment, it is very important and lucky to meet such a right person."

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "No, no nonsense."

Rong Zhen seemed to be relieved and lowered his eyes slightly:
"Okay, what I really want to say is that the saints and the court may have taken some overly bloody and ruthless actions occasionally, and perhaps there are still many problems in the Great Zhou that the scholars are dissatisfied with, and perhaps the faults listed by the rebels of the Restoration Army in the southwest rebellion are not entirely wrong...

“But the Great Zhou Dynasty is generally good and can improve, especially now that the saints have abandoned cruel officials and implemented benevolent policies.

“It is true that there is a blood-stained knife like me, but there are also highly respected and capable ministers like you in the court, and there are also capable and honest ministers like you, Ouyang Lianghan, in the local areas. You will be able to return to the capital soon to show your skills... and you can give a new blood to the government that has been criticized so much.

"I personally think that it is very difficult to make the court or the world take a big step forward. It is unrealistic to correct it all at once, and there will be violent turmoil. However, as long as tomorrow can be a little better, and can improve a little, just like the court now loses Lin Cheng, in exchange for you, Ouyang Lianghan, being promoted to the Xiuwen Academy in the capital... just accumulating and improving little by little, it is already very good, isn't it?"

Under Rong Zhen's unblinking gaze, Ouyang Rong looked thoughtful for a moment, then he knocked the railing with the ladle in his hand, making a "ding" sound.

"Ms. Rong's reasoning... is actually not that wrong. She holds the hope of improving the Great Zhou little by little...Ms. Rong is actually a very gentle woman, in stark contrast to her cold and violent nature when enforcing the law impartially."

Ouyang Rong commented.

Soon he saw a rare smile on Rong Zhen's originally cold face, like a snow lotus suddenly blooming on the snow in winter.

She restrained her smile and kept her eyes narrowed:

"After the Great Buddha is built this time, you should be able to be promoted back to the capital. The Xiuwen Hall in the Imperial City is not far from Chaotian Gate where the Sitianjian is located. It seems that you will pass by it when you are on duty...

"Well, we can still meet often then. Occasionally, I can invite you, a busy man, to dinner at dusk. It's not difficult... But I don't have many days off. I don't have the leisure time of you, the officials of culture and justice. I have to return to the palace before curfew..."

There was a hint of anticipation in Rong Zhen's tone.

Ouyang Rong was silent for a moment, then smiled:

"I hope so. Ms. Rong, please continue to take care of me in the future."

"Well, please take good care of me, Ouyang Lianghan."

Rong Zhen nodded very seriously.

The two looked at each other and smiled after a while.

"By the way, there is one more thing." Rong Zhen remembered something.

"what's up?"

"For the safety of the Donglin Buddha, I am thinking of applying for some external assistance from Luoyang and sending more personnel over. What do you think about this? We can submit a petition together, and you can also make suggestions."

Ouyang Rong immediately realized that this was a question about Prince Xunyang's attitude.

The current situation in Xunyang City is very good for him and the Xunyang Palace, and there are almost no obvious enemies.

But the rebels in Tiannan Jianghu, especially the mysterious female cultivator from Yunmeng, are eyeing the brand new Buddha behind them covetously. They need as many manpower as possible.

Rong Zhen might have felt that after what happened with Xiaguan Lingtai Lang Lin Cheng who came from Luoyang last time, they would be very disgusted with the attitude of people coming from Luoyang now, so before asking for help, he talked to him... which was already very considerate.

Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment and said:
"Let me think about it and ask for the prince's opinion."

"Okay, I'll wait for your news. There's no rush."

Rong Zhen nodded slightly.

Ouyang Rong glanced at the empty ladle in his hand and turned to go downstairs.

Rong Zhen followed with her sleeves rolled up.

……

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(End of this chapter)