No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 746 An Unexpected Gift

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

"First meeting?"

"Yes, it was the day when Wang Junzhi, a traitor in the Kuangfu Army, attacked the prince in Xunyang Palace. You got in the carriage of your female relatives and came to find Ye Weilai."

"Well, I remember that Ms. Rong almost scared me to death."

"You must be guilty."

"No, I'm not kidding. It was you, Ms. Rong, who showed up with a cold face, wearing a white skirt and a girlish figure, sitting inside coldly... You don't know how creepy it is, although it is a bit impressive." After a pause, Ouyang Rong added: "But after all, it's the first time I've met you, and I'm not familiar with you yet."

"what about now?"

"You can't scare me now. Why is Ms. Rong interested in talking about the past?"

Ouyang Rong, Rong Zhen and Yi Qianqiu crossed the white fog that covered the river and disembarked at a heavily guarded shore outside the main grotto on the north bank.

After Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen landed, they walked towards the big Buddha and talked about old times on the way.

"I just think fate is a very strange thing. At that time, I had a very bad impression of you. I was suspicious of you and wanted to find fault with you."

Ouyang Rong saw Rong Zhen's back and tilted his head, as if staring into the distance, then nodded and said:
"I admit that although I am here on behalf of the Saint, I should be neutral. However, when enforcing the law impartially, I am inevitably biased due to the influence of preconceived impressions. In this regard, I am indeed somewhat incompetent."

"It's normal. It's human nature."

Ouyang Rong comforted him:
"And you are not the only one who feels this way. There is no need to blame yourself. On the contrary, it is already a rare achievement for Madam to wake up. Not all law enforcers have such high moral standards for themselves. Many of them pretend to be ignorant even though they know the truth."

Rong Zhen was curious: "Oh? For example?"

Ouyang Rong paused and whispered, "For example, isn't that the case with Ms. Miaozhen?"

Rong Zhen's pink lips were pursed into a line. After a while, she opened her lips and said:

"You are good at comforting people, but Ms. Miaozhen does have some prejudice against Xunyang Palace, which is related to her experience."

Ouyang Rong said with a smile: "I have heard some, but they are all old stories."

Rong Zhen suddenly turned around, looked at Ouyang Rong, and said seriously:

"It is these trivial past events that people remember for a long time, and we are no exception."

Ouyang Rong was stunned for a moment, looked at her surprisingly serious expression, and nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. I thought it was normal at the time."

Rong Zhen was also stunned when he heard this, and murmured, "At that time, I thought it was just ordinary... just ordinary... What a good poem, where did it come from?"

Ouyang Rong teased, "I told you, Ms. Rong will turn it over when she returns?"

"How do you know that I won't turn over, Ouyang Lianghan? I remember a lot of things you said, much more than you think."

Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and answered seriously:

"It's best not to remember angry words, and the same goes for grudges."

The joke was dull, as was his sense of humor, but Rong Zhen laughed.

The beautiful girl in palace dress seemed to be smiling happily.

"Don't worry, I don't bear grudges."

Rong Zhen put his hands behind his back, held his head high and walked forward with big strides, saying it lightly.

Ouyang Rong followed and continued to say, half comfortingly, half jokingly:
"So, just like Ms. Rong often said before, everyone has selfish desires, which are not to be revealed to outsiders, whether big or small. I also have them..."

"I know you have."

Rong Zhen suddenly interrupted Ouyang Rong.

Without waiting for him to speak, she asked softly:

“Ouyang Lianghan, is your selfish interest in Xunyang Palace?”

Ouyang Rong pointed ahead:

"Ms. Rong, let's walk faster. Commander Yi has already walked ahead of the old man."

"You think I'm too short and walk too slowly?"

"No no."

Before Ouyang Rong finished waving his hands, he heard Rong Zhen's indifferent words coming from the front:

"That's changing the subject. That's acquiescence."

Ouyang Rong was helpless:
"Not really. The prince and the crown prince have been very kind to me, so I should help them if I can."

Rong Zhen turned around and looked at him with admiration:
"I understand that a man will die for his friend."

Ouyang Rong said seriously:

"It's better not to die if you can."

It was meant to be a humorous remark, but Rong Zhen actually nodded seriously:
"That's right, a good death is worse than a miserable life. Dying is easy, but living is hard, because living often requires choices, and some choices may be worse than death, but you have to make them, Ouyang Lianghan, living is truly courageous, and dying is not."

Ouyang Rong found that Rong Zhen looked like he felt the same way, so he couldn't help but ask:

"What's wrong with Ms. Rong today? She keeps saying sad things about autumn and spring."

Rong Zhen withdrew his gaze from a distance and shook his head gently:

"I just feel that I have too little time to talk to you recently, Ouyang Lianghan. You have been too busy recently. You are not busy with official business, but you are busy with personal matters."

Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"No, my aunts and the others actually think that I spend too little time with them."

Rong Zhen murmured: "I know you value your family."

Ouyang Rong felt that something seemed to be wrong with Rong Zhen today. He really couldn't stand this kind of chatting atmosphere, so he didn't respond.

The two walked forward in silence for a while.

It was Rong Zhen who broke the silence again. Without turning his head, he asked:
"Ouyang Lianghan, what if I ask you to choose between the people and the country, or your close friends and nobles?"

"Why is it a choice again? Do you women like to make choices, or let others make choices?"

Ouyang Rong chuckled. Rong Zhen frowned and wanted to speak, but he took the lead:
"No matter what you choose, you can't have it all. I'm different from you. I either have it all or none of it."

Rong Zhen suddenly asked: "What about love, do you want it all? Do you dare to want it all?"

This one sentence almost choked Ouyang Rong to death.

He simply looked at his nose and his heart, tilting his head left and right, and looked at the surrounding scenery.

With the White Tiger Guards leading the way, the group had entered the main cave of Xunyang Grottoes. Along the way, the surrounding imperial guards and female officials greeted them and saluted them.

Upon learning that Rong Zhen had returned, some female officials rushed over here one after another, but they were all sent away by Rong Zhen with a wave of his hand.

Ouyang Rong took the opportunity to observe the area and found that the staffing and security in the main cave today were the same as when the Twin Peaks were closed and the Donglin Buddha was built.

Previously it could be seen as a drill, but today, based on the news about Yunmeng Jianze that Xiu Niang just revealed when she confessed in the carriage, Xue Zhongzhu is really going to bring people from Tiannan Jianghu here, but no one knows how they will appear.

Ouyang Rong shaded his eyes with his hands at his eyebrows and glanced at the cloudless sky.

Be careful of the bug girl, that's the big bird, right?

He nodded slightly.

At this moment, Ouyang Rong had already entered the main cave. The white fog in this area was sparse and thin, and it was unclear whether it was intentional or not. Naturally, he could see the blue sky and the sun, which was different from when he was riding a boat on the river just now.

In front, the cold girl in palace clothes waited for a while, but Ouyang Rong did not answer.

She had a blank expression on her face; she was used to it.

"Don't look at it anymore. When everyone is here, I will talk to you and introduce everything to you. You don't need to be so tired and do everything yourself. You can take a rest today and leave this place to us."

Ouyang Rong looked at her differently, and asked her straight back as she walked forward with her sleeves rolled up:

"Ms. Rong, are you so sure? That's rare. I just heard some news." Rong Zhen seemed not to hear and asked:
"The one who came to see you just now, was it Miss Xie or the embroiderer?"

Ouyang Rong was puzzled: "What is Ms. Rong talking about?"

"That long hair on your sleeve is hers."

Rong Zhen continued to analyze calmly:

"Your official uniform is wrinkled, obviously you came here in a hurry. If an ordinary female family member came to see you, you would dress neatly and meticulously. The one who made you come out in a hurry is either an important person or an important matter. You forgot the time when you were with her."

Ouyang Rong was silent for a while, then said helplessly:

"Ms. Rong is too careful in her observation, that's right."

Rong Zhen nodded:

"But when you observe things, sometimes you are careful, and sometimes you are careless."

"What do you mean?"

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Ouyang Rong asked curiously.

Rong Zhen did not answer, but strode forward. At this time, the two of them had arrived at the foot of the big Buddha.

There is a high platform at the foot of the Buddha, which has not been demolished yet.

Yi Qianqiu, who walked fast, had been waiting for them in the audience. At this moment, when Rong Zhen passed by her, Yi Qianqiu suddenly praised:
"Madam, your skirt is very nice today."

Rong Zhen paused slightly, frowned and looked at her with dissatisfaction, snorted lightly, and continued walking forward.

Yi Qianqiu didn't look at Ouyang Rong, but followed him with his arms folded.

Ouyang Rong was stunned when he heard this, then turned to look at the skirt on Rong Zhen in front of him.

It was a bright purple palace dress, brand new, with the hem of the skirt fluttering in the river breeze, making her look ethereal.

Ms. Rong was a little short, with a girlish figure. Ouyang Rong always felt that she was suitable for wearing this kind of gorgeous silk dress with intricate decorations, just like the Lolita that was popular in her previous life. However, Ms. Rong usually wore simple and plain clothes, and today she changed into a luxurious dress.

However, Ouyang Rong was not paying attention to it before, and did not pay much attention to it during the whole boat ride.

Ouyang Rong, who realized it later, couldn't help but take another look.

"come over."

I saw Rong Zhen had already climbed up the stairs to the platform.

This high platform is located at the foot of the Big Buddha, in a perfect position. It was originally intended to be used as the main stage for today's celebration ceremony, but it cannot be used at the moment.

Ouyang Rong followed obediently.

Rong Zhen tilted his head and spoke a few words to Yi Qianqiu.

The latter nodded, turned around and walked off the stage, apparently to make arrangements.

Only Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen were left on the stage.

Ouyang Rong asked:

"What is Commander Yi going to do?"

"Call Senior Song and the others over."

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly.

He suddenly spoke:
"It was the embroiderer who came to me and reminded me of something."

"what's up?"

Ouyang Rong glanced at Rong Zhen and sighed:
"Be careful of that three-legged strange bird. It seems to be Xue Zhongzhu's flying mount."

Rong Zhen's face showed no surprise, and he said calmly: "Then it will definitely come today, okay."

She then asked:

"What about her? I will not go back on my promise to you. I will help you keep her. As long as she doesn't interfere, you'd better let her stay in the Huaiye Lane mansion..."

After a pause, Rong Zhen continued:
"I have left some men in the city to protect your women."

Ouyang Rong frowned slightly, and suddenly remembered the middle-aged female official who had left when he saw Rong Zhen in the pavilion on the south bank of Shuangfeng Peak. He asked:

"You just gave this order to your subordinates?"

Rong Zhen did not comment and turned to look at the audience.

At this time, Yi Qianqiu happened to return, and with him came Nanny Song, Duan Quanwu and others.

Ouyang Rong looked around and asked sharply:

"Where's General Wei? Aren't you going to call him over?"

Rong Zhen said succinctly:
"General Wei is currently leading the Xuanwu Guards and presiding over the large formation involving the white fog. He is temporarily unavailable for action."

Ouyang Rong nodded thoughtfully.

Rong Zhen tilted his head and looked at his palm.

"what happened?"

"Senior Song is here."

Ouyang Rong reacted immediately and took out a string of Buddhist beads from his sleeve, put it on his palm and pretended to do it.

When Yi, Song, and Duan came on stage, Rong Zhen asked Ouyang Rong softly:
"I gave your aunt the string of eighteen seeds as a gift. Did she not throw it away?"

"Why would I throw it away? After all, it was Ms. Rong's gift."

Rong Zhen pursed his lips and suddenly asked:
"Do you know why I brought you here?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

Rong Zhen's tone was surprisingly serious:

"I said a long time ago that I would give you a gift as well. I haven't forgotten it, and I won't forget what I promised you."

At this point, she looked at Ouyang Rong deeply, then raised her finger to the sky:

"Look for yourself, up there."

Ouyang Rong looked up in the direction Rong Zhen pointed.

There is a huge and exquisite lotus carved on the ceiling above the main cave, and surrounding the lotus is an inscription on a stele.

The lotus and the inscriptions almost occupy the center of the cave ceiling, but if you don’t look up, it’s hard to see them because most people’s attention is attracted by the big Buddha in front.

At this moment, Ouyang Rong looked carefully and saw the inscription on the stele:
[Completed on July 15, the third year of Tianyou in the Great Zhou Dynasty, the governor Ouyang Lianghan and the female historian Rong Zhen respectfully built a niche for the statue]

Ouyang Rong's face froze.

"This is……"

Rong Zhen turned around, stared at him intently, and introduced him word by word:

"Ouyang Lianghan, these are words carved on stone. Paper or scrolls cannot survive the ravages of flying sand and rolling stones, flowing water and time, but stone can. Ten thousand years later, the stone will still be here. People who come after us will always remember what we did in the third year of Tianyou many years ago.

"Ouyang Lianghan, you are indifferent to fame and fortune. Whether it is the Broken Wing Canal or the Donglin Buddha, you have never left any footprints or handwriting since their construction. This is not good. The work we have done must be passed on. How can we let people forget it? Do you understand?"

The girl in palace dress smiled like a flower, radiant with grace, spread her sleeves, and tilted her head:
"This is a gift for you. It's also a gift for me. Do you like it?"

Ouyang Rong looked at Rong Zhen for a while, then at the lotus inscription, and was silent for a long time. He began to stand there with his head raised.

Rong Zhen stared at his fascinated face. At some point, she smiled faintly. This rare smile even made Yi Qianqiu, Nanny Song, Duan Quanwu and others who were on the stage stop and stare in amazement.

"Ouyang Lianghan, I feel that when you look at me, you are very far away, but when you look at it, it is very close."

(End of this chapter)