No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 820: A word is as heavy as a tripod, a sword is as light as a swallow
"Big Brother!"

The moon was rising above the branches, and the two teams met on an official road in the deep mountains and forests.

A team consists of only four people and four horses.

The other team was larger, consisting of hundreds of cavalrymen in black armor and black robes, led by four people, two women and two men.

The one walking in front of the four was a girl in red clothes.

When she saw the young man in Confucian robes leading the group on the opposite side, she couldn't help but shout out loud, whipped her horse and rushed forward.

On the opposite side, Ouyang Rong only brought Rong Zhen, Li Guoer and Lu Ya.

Seeing the red-dressed girl with red eyes, he smiled:
"Little junior sister."

Xie Lingjiang rode his horse around him, his eyes first falling on the skirt knife at his waist, and then on the blood-stained bandage on his waist.

"Big Brother, your shoulder."

"It's a small matter. It doesn't hurt much anymore."

Xie Lingjiang touched it with concern, then continued to check carefully. He found that there was basically nothing wrong and breathed a sigh of relief.

Her eyebrows were raised slightly, and she asked, "Who is the thief who caused this shoulder injury?"

Behind Ouyang Rong, a girl in palace dress who was following him slightly turned her eyes away.

Ouyang Rong looked helpless, he moved aside to make way, and spread his hands to signal:
"Okay, it's really alright, let's go, the prince and princess are waiting for you at the camp by the river."

His gaze passed over Xie Lingjiang's shoulder and fell on the large group behind her. Among the three leading people besides the junior sister, there was a Taoist priest who looked similar to Lu Ya. He had never seen him before and he looked a little unfamiliar, so he just smiled as a greeting.

Zhang Shixiu was also secretly looking at Ouyang Rong. Seeing this, he immediately saluted with his fists clasped.

Ouyang Rong tilted his head and smiled at Qin Ying and Qin Yanqing beside Zhang Shixiu:
"Just now at night, I received a message from your scouts. Knowing that you were coming, the prince was going to come and pick you up personally. However... he was frightened today and had a seizure. The princess and the prince were worried about his health and finally managed to persuade him to stop. The prince asked me to tell you not to feel neglected. The prince said he would never forget the friendship and help from Mr. Qin and the Qin family to Xunyang Palace and would keep it in mind."

Qin Ying and Qin Yanqing also forgot to introduce Zhang Shixiu, after all, they were not familiar with him.

Qin Ying waved at Ouyang Rong and said, "You are too polite, Governor Ouyang. We are afraid that we are a step too late. Now let's see..."

She looked around and asked curiously, "Li Congshan and the others haven't come yet, but whose are these horse hoof prints on the ground? Are there reinforcements from Xunyang City? Should we evacuate first?"

Qin Yanqing also cast a probing look towards Ouyang Rong.

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong exchanged glances with Li Guoer, Rong Zhen and others behind him.

Qin Ying, Qin Yanqing, and Zhang Shixiu discovered that Ouyang Rong's eyes looked a little strange.

The latter pondered:

"Let's talk about it when we get back. I'll tell you in detail on the way."

Ouyang Rong turned his horse around and led the way back.

He noticed from the corner of his eye that Xie Lingjiang beside him was a little distracted, and asked curiously:
"Little junior sister?"

"Yeah, yes."

Xie Lingjiang was dressed in red and riding on a red horse. Just now when Ouyang Rong and Qin Ying were talking, her eyes were attracted by a quiet girl in palace dress behind her.

Being called by the eldest brother at this moment, she turned around and gave him a faint smile.

"Okay, then I'll listen to Senior Brother and go visit the prince first."

After reaching a consensus, everyone returned to the woods together.

Along the way, Qin Ying looked around curiously and found that they were heading towards a riverside camp ahead. There were many bonfires there, illuminating the soldiers who were making fires around the bonfires. It seemed that their destination was also there.

Xie Lingjiang tried to exchange glances with her best friend Li Guoer along the way.

However, Li Guoer was a little absent-minded and didn't respond to him much.

Ouyang Rong recounted in detail what happened in the evening.

The fact that the Night Pearl is Ding Jian was not mentioned for the time being. Only the story of Li Congshan and Miaozhen was talked about, including Miaozhen's betrayal at the last minute and the resolution of the crisis.

Xie Lingjiang, Qin Ying and the others were listening attentively, their expressions were somewhat excited, and they showed fear from time to time. In the end, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Shixiu was also terrified and said with a face full of shame:
"It's all my fault. I lost the compass and almost harmed the prince. Fortunately, Governor Ouyang saved the situation."

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "It's not like I can turn the tide. I'll talk about some things in detail later."

Halfway through the walk, Xie Lingjiang suddenly said:
"Big Brother, I'm lucky to have you here. I feel guilty saying this, but actually I was relieved when I learned at Qingya Station that you had gone. I wasn't as anxious as Fellow Daoist Zhang and Qin Ying. Now it seems that we almost missed something important. If you weren't here..."

Ouyang Rong smiled and patted his junior sister on the shoulder: "The move of leaving poems for the princess and junior sister is a stroke of genius."

Behind, Rong Zhen followed silently all the way, looking up and taking a closer look at the fellow brothers and sisters who were talking and laughing in front of him.

At some point, Xie Lingjiang turned around and looked over, but Rong Zhen turned his eyes away again.

Xie Lingjiang never asked Rong Zhen why he was here.

Soon, everyone arrived at the riverside camp.

The camp, which was tense in the evening, now became quiet and harmonious.

The nearly three hundred White Tiger Guards who surrendered set up camp on the spot under the command of Miao Zhen.

Li Xian's family is still on the other side of the river.

The three hundred White Tiger Guards camped on the left bank, and they rested on the right bank.

Although the conflict had been resolved and the former had surrendered, for some implicit safety reason, a river still separated the two sides.

Ouyang Rong led Xie Lingjiang and others through the camp on the left bank and crossed the water to the right bank.

On the way, Xie Lingjiang and Qin Ying both felt that the atmosphere in the camp was quiet and vaguely weird.

Xie Lingjiang observed Miaozhen.

Discovering that this middle-aged female official who seemed to have a grudge against the palace was surprisingly honest at this moment, the eldest brother chatted with her calmly for a few words. Then Miaozhen sent people to prepare the boat and silently watched them cross the river... everything was so harmonious.

However, she keenly noticed that Miao Zhen and the other White Tiger Guards looked at the back of the eldest brother with a kind of indescribable awe in their eyes.

After a stick of incense.

At the campfire on the right bank, Qin Ying, Qin Yanqing and Li Xian exchanged greetings and then left one after another.

Li Xian encouraged them with a few words. The Qin brothers and sisters could still see some worldly wisdom in them. Knowing that Li Xian, Ouyang Rong, Xie Lingjiang and others wanted to discuss important matters, they left tactfully without staying long.

Lu Ya and Zhang Shixiu also took their leave temporarily under Li Guoer's instructions.

The two brothers walked away side by side. Zhang Shixiu asked inexplicably:
"Junior Brother Lu, is he the Ouyang Lianghan you've been talking about? The Tan Lang of Xunyang Palace?"

"That's right, Senior Brother, what do you think of Master Ouyang? I remember Senior Brother Zhang knows some physiognomy."

Zhang Shixiu was silent for a moment, then turned his head to look at the young man in Confucian robes who was being surrounded and questioned by the princes and the young masters.

His eyes looked somewhat inexplicable:

"Too handsome. Looking at his face, the mountains are like rhinoceros horns piercing the dome, the sun and the moon are like connected jade pendants... His drooping eyelashes are like clouds covering the moon, and his open eyes are like candles illuminating the netherworld..."

Hearing this, Lu Ya laughed: "Are you praising his good looks? I don't have so many particularities when judging people. I just think that this Mr. Ouyang looks like a private school teacher in the countryside."

Zhang Shixiu's eyes were meaningful:
"It's pretty much the same. They're both teachers, but according to the theory of nine bones and nine qi... this is the emperor's teacher."

Lu Ya looked sideways...

At the campfire camp on the right bank, all the outsiders retreated, leaving only Ouyang Rong, Xie Lingjiang, and Li Xian's family.

Xie Lingjiang stayed tacitly.

But Rong Zhen also stayed behind.

Xie Lingjiang looked at Rong Zhen, who showed no intention of leaving.

Li Xian and Li Dalang also noticed this and looked over.

Xie Lingjiang thought that Uncle Li would say something and drive Rong Zhen away.

After waiting for a while, I found that Li Xian and his son coughed, then looked away and started talking about business. Xie Lingjiang frowned slightly.

After a while, she slowly turned around and looked at Ouyang Rong.

The latter looked straight ahead and took out a scroll in public.

Ouyang Rong took out another night-shining pearl from the painting.

Li Xian couldn't wait to ask.

"Isn't it Tanlang Bujian in the evening?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

Li Xian, Li Dalang and others looked at each other in surprise.

Ouyang Rong lowered his head and stared at the night-shining pearl in his palm.

After the conflict was resolved in the evening, it had returned to normal. The recent public appearance and possible display of magical powers seemed to have nothing to do with it.

Ouyang Rong turned around and asked Li Guoer and Wei Mei:
"Did you have any special feelings at that time?"

Wei Mei was puzzled: "No? I am also puzzled."

Li Guoer stared at the night-shining pearl without saying a word.

Ouyang Rong looked at her more.

Li Dalang asked: "If it's not Tan Lang, then who else could it be?"

Everyone was silent.

Ouyang Rong took out the note and looked down at it.

Suddenly asked: "Have you practiced Qi, little princess?"

Li Guoer didn't know what he was thinking and was absent-minded.

Xie Lingjiang stepped forward directly. As a good friend, he knew the most: "Gu'er hasn't practiced Qi yet. Being born in the royal family, practicing Qi is a little taboo."

Rong Zhen suddenly spoke up and confirmed again: "She has no spiritual energy fluctuations, it can't be fake."

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly.

He kept the night pearl in his hand and handed the note back.

"Please keep it, Princess. This calligraphy is for you."

Li Guoer slowly raised her eyes and stared at him for a while.

"Is it a gift for me? Then I really accept it."

Ouyang Rong nodded indifferently: "Yeah."

Li Xian saw this and asked seriously:

"What is Tan Lang going to do with this Ding Sword?"

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on Ouyang Rong.

Even Xie Lingjiang, who had been paying attention to Rong Zhen, glanced sideways at the senior brother.

“If I had to choose, I would have originally planned to give it to the prince, and have him go north to the capital, offer the Ding Sword in the name of auspiciousness, and win that important opportunity.

“Before, I asked you to wait for me in Longcheng County because I had this idea. At that time, I discovered that the Red Lotus Sword Seal might be able to awaken it, but I didn’t expect it to show its divine power this evening.

"But I suddenly remembered something that is also very important."

Li Xian and Wei Mei became more and more excited as they listened, and immediately asked, "What's the matter?"

Ouyang Rong tossed the night pearl in his hand, and suddenly threw it forward towards Xie Lingjiang.

When everyone saw this, their heartbeats slowed down. This was the extremely important "Ding Sword", and yet he was just thrown away like that?
The night-shining pearl fell into Xie Lingjiang's arms.

"Eldest brother?"

She was confused and surprised.

Ouyang Rong said seriously:
"Back in Dragon City, I gave it to you, Junior Sister. Once a word is spoken, it cannot be taken back. Therefore, the ownership of this item can only be decided by you, Junior Sister."

After a pause, he emphasized as if he was talking nonsense:

"I will never forget anything I promised you."

Hearing this, the girl in red stopped where she was.

The atmosphere is quiet.

Gradually, he became the envy and attention of everyone, but Xie Lingjiang bit his lips tightly and looked straight at his senior brother.

She knew what he meant.

I also know that this is a huge favor.

But for her, the most important thing is not the favor or ownership of the Ding Sword, but the attitude of the senior brother!

He said he would never forget what he promised her.

It's not just the fact that the night pearl nominally belongs to her, it also refers to the love they had in the rain and the engagement they had made on the rooftop.

His promise is more important than a tripod sword!
Xie Lingjiang was a noble woman. She didn't really care that the Night Pearl Sword had ever been given to her. However, she was very concerned about whether her senior brother remembered it or not.

But women will never admit it, they will never admit that they are petty.

But whether he does it or not is another matter than whether she cares or not.

Rong Zhen also had the same idea as Xie Lingjiang.

She tilted her head to look at Ouyang Rong, her eyes flickering, and her ten fingers in her sleeves unconsciously twisted together.

It would be a lie to say that she was not a little envious of Xie Lingjiang's treatment, but this action also further proved that Ouyang Lianghan was indeed a real man who kept his promises. He would never forget what he had promised her before.

A certain girl in palace dress felt that she had not made a mistake.

Xie Lingjiang didn't know Rong Zhen's mood. Now that she was being stared at by so many pairs of eyes and was moved by the actions of her senior brother, she felt a mixture of emotions: joy, sadness, and emotion blended together and filled her heart.

Xie Lingjiang took a deep breath, holding the night pearl, and looked around at everyone.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rong Zhen with an envious look in her eyes, her best friend Li Guoer with a complicated expression, and the Li Xian couple who were both expectant and reluctant to speak.

Everyone was waiting for her.

Xie Lingjiang suddenly said to Li Xian:
"Uncle, to be honest, I don't have any old feelings for Taizong or Li Qian, nor have I ever received any favors from that era. My belief in restoring Li Qian is not even as strong as my friendship with my sister Guo'er and you guys, which makes me share life and death with you. These are not my beliefs."

Hearing this, Ouyang Rong and Li Guoer were stunned.

Li Xian, Li Dalang and Wei Mei subconsciously became nervous.

The red-dressed girl looked around the field, smiled sweetly, and said something in a joking yet extremely serious tone:

"If you ask about faith... I followed my father and senior brother into the world, they can't be wrong."

As the words fell, the noble lady of the Xie family, dressed in fiery red, casually threw out a [crescent moon], which drew a parabola in the air and ended up in Li Xian's arms.

Discard it like a worn-out shoe and treat it as lightly as a feather.

Li Xian held the Night Pearl in shock, and heard her nod seriously:

"Leave your uncle, don't let down the world."

After talking to Li Xian, Xie Lingjiang turned his head and looked at Ouyang Rong.

She smiled as beautifully as a flower, and pointed at Rong Zhen from afar:

"Don't try to fool me. Don't think it's that easy. Tell me the truth. Where is my sister Xiu Niang? Also, why did you bring this stinky-faced short woman back? What did you promise?"

(End of this chapter)