No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 823 Small Reunion

It was nearly noon.

Inside the main tent, everyone gathered together and the atmosphere was joyous.

Ouyang Rong withdrew his gaze from Ye Weilai and Cai Shou.

The Li Xian couple, along with Li Dalang, were chatting with Zhen Shuyuan about her well-being.

Ouyang Rong did not participate in it, but his aunt was holding his sleeve and he could not leave, so he asked Li Xian to return the night pearl, held it in his hand, and looked down at it.

Miaozhen’s words from this morning rang in my ears again.

He looked thoughtful.

Thinking carefully, the night pearl flew out of his arms and rose up slowly yesterday. That scene was a bit similar to his sword-making work in the past.

It's just a change of Ding sword.

But they are all the starting moves of [Han Shi]'s magical power Return.

Knowing that he didn't have a cloth sword, Ouyang Rong subconsciously ignored this detail.

Now it seems that outsiders like Miao Zhen saw it clearly, and so did Rong Zhen, who also tacitly agreed that he was laying out the sword.

But only Ouyang Rong himself knew that, apart from exchanging a blessing in advance, he did not exert any influence on the Night Pearl.

Moreover, up to now, only Ouyang Rong has used the magical power of [Han Shi], and it is almost exclusive to him.

Except for Tao Yuanming who came as a spirit.

The sword technique of "Returning" is only mastered by Ouyang Rong, and it has not been leaked out... Wait, that's not the case. A copy was given to Li Guoer as a birthday gift, and only Li Dalang and Li Guoer have seen it.

But the brother and sister are keeping it a secret for him...

Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes in deep thought, frowning for a while.

Zhen Shuyuan and the Li Xian couple both noticed that he was distracted, but no one spoke out to disturb him.

The two parties continued to chat in a familiar manner, and Zhen Shuyuan said sadly:

"After we separated in Longcheng, I became more and more worried, so I asked Wang Caozhi and Madam Pei to stop the boat and turn back, but..."

Zhen Shuyuan looked at Ouyang Rong and found that her beloved nephew had come to his senses and was looking at her. She was the first to speak:
"But don't worry, Tan Lang. I won't be a burden to you. Before I came back, I asked Wang Caozhi to go to Longcheng to find out the news about Xunyang City. I returned only after I confirmed that the danger in Xunyang was over. Especially after I learned from Magistrate Diao that Tan Lang was safe and sound and had come south to chase the prince, I turned around and came here."

Ouyang Rong put the night pearl back into Li Xian's hand and temporarily hid his doubts.

He caught a glimpse of two familiar figures at the door and turned to look.

They are Wang Caozhi and Pei Shisan Niang.

The two of them, like Lu Ya and Zhang Shixiu, were guarding outside the door.

The short young man was smiling and chatting with his acquaintance Lu Ya. When he saw Ouyang Rong looking at him, he winked and made a face, showing no respect.

Pei Shisan Niang looked at him with concern. After meeting his gaze, she seemed to have found her backbone and breathed a sigh of relief.

The beautiful woman in a shawl smiled sweetly, knelt down and bowed gracefully.

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly, and greeted his two right-hand men from a distance, then retracted his gaze and replied:

"It was my nephew who was late for the appointment. Auntie, you and the prince waited for two days in Dragon City. It almost went wrong. It was my nephew's fault."

Zhen Shuyuan shook her head vigorously, looking distressed, and gently wiped the wound on his shoulder with a handkerchief.

"What's the point of passing or not? You are the backbone, we all rely on you. Although my heart is warm, Tan Lang always likes to take risks, leaving danger to himself and leaving safety to us. I am often uneasy in my heart, and I often have nightmares along the way. About you, I am like a frightened bird..."

Li Xian also felt ashamed: "Thank you for your hard work, Tan Lang."

Ouyang Rong looked at the pair of dark circles under Zhen Shuyuan's eyes that could not be covered up even with rouge and makeup, and the bloodshot on the whites of her eyes, and he pursed his lips.

Zhen Shuyuan choked up, then smiled and said, "It's okay, let's not talk about it. As long as we are safe, it's good."

Wei Mei grabbed her hand, and Li Xian also said happily:
"It is said that there are four great joys in life, but in my opinion, in times of war and chaos, relatives and friends are safe. Although they have not been apart for a long time, they are reunited. This is also a great joy! It should be made clear."

Zhen Shuyuan said with a smile:
"Just before arriving, Cao Zhi also said that she wanted to celebrate. She knew that it was inconvenient for the prince to show up in public, and it was best to keep a low profile. So Cao Zhi and Shisan Niang went to Hanyang County to quietly purchase wine and food. We will have a lunch later, and please come and have a meal with the prince. This is a small token of my appreciation."

"Okay, okay, it's settled. When the time comes, this prince and Mei Niang will toast to Madam Zhen."

Li Xian stroked his beard and laughed, then waved his hand and made the decision.

However, the bruised face and nose he got from falling down by the river slightly distracted him from the role and affected his demeanor as the head of the family, causing Ouyang Rong, Zhen Shuyuan, Ban Xi and other maids to look at him sideways.

After Hao Yan agreed, Li Xian seemed to remember something. He pulled Wei Mei aside and asked something in a low voice, but no one could hear his words clearly.

Ouyang Rong vaguely heard some words from Wei Mei's reply.

"The imperial physician said... your qi and blood are weak... drink less to keep healthy... only two cups."

At some point, Zhen Shuyuan's eyes turned to Xie Lingjiang and Rong Zhen.

The two girls called Ye Weilai away and whispered something to her.

However, Zhen Shuyuan's eyes fell on the girl in white snow-white dress.

Behind her, Ban Xi was holding a lacquer box in her hands, which looked familiar to Ouyang Rong.

Zhen Shuyuan then reached out and handed over the lacquer box.

Zhen Shuyuan touched the lacquer box and found it was warm, as if there was hot food inside.

She opened the paint box.

Ouyang Rong, Li Xian and others nearby suddenly smelled the fragrance of fish.

Zhen Shuyuan glanced inside, then looked away, muttering:
"Tan Lang, why is this Miss Rong Zhen making soup? She is so polite..."

As soon as she arrived at the door and got out of the car, everyone rushed forward to greet her.

Zhen Shuyuan was surrounded by people at the time. Without thinking much, she subconsciously took all the water bags and hot towels handed to her, including the lacquer box.

Zhen Shuyuan vaguely remembered that it was this noble lady with a cold face who gave it to her. After handing it to her, the lady slowly stepped back.

Like the people around him, he did not take the lead and left the main welcoming seat to the Li Xian couple.

Ouyang Rong whispered: "It should be a little gift from her, Zhen Niang, please accept it."

Zhen Shuyuan found that Li Xian and his wife turned their heads away, as if they didn't hear anything and didn't join in the conversation.

The woman's unique sensitivity made her take a closer look at her nephew.

"Okay, as long as Tan Lang knows what's going on."

Ouyang Rong felt that his aunt's last look was somewhat meaningful.

After a while, the communication was completed, and Li Guoer, Xie Lingjiang, and Rong Zhen returned one after another, bringing with them the white-haired girl and the chubby-faced maid.

Li Guoer whispered:
"Cai Shou, no problem. I'm willing to learn."

Xie Lingjiang and Rong Zhen nodded almost at the same time.

"Wei Lai has no problem. She said that all you need to do is nod your head, Senior Brother."

"I can teach her how to practice Qi on the way."

Rong Zhen pointed at the maid with the chubby face and said to Ouyang Rong:
"Let your junior sister teach you this. Whoever is faster will try the sword first."

The atmosphere quieted down.

Xie Lingjiang said to Ouyang Rong calmly:

"Let Wei Lai choose for herself. There is no need for anyone else to make the decision. Senior Brother, please talk to Lady Shi and stop worrying about it."

The two girls were so close, how could Ouyang Rong really deliver the message?

He felt the atmosphere around him becoming increasingly tense.

Ye Weilai couldn't help but look at Miss Xie and Ms. Rong Zhen, who were particularly enthusiastic towards her today.

The white-haired girl suddenly asked, breaking the silence as if to offer relief:
"Tan Lang, why don't you take this magical item?"

Ouyang Rong patted her little shoulder and said in a gentle voice:
"I already have it. Everything will turn into its opposite when it reaches its extreme. It's not appropriate for me to take over another sword. It has been with me for so long and has not recognized its master. This already explains a lot. Moreover, I no longer meet the conditions. It doesn't matter if you take it."

Cai Shou asked curiously, "Why does it have to be a woman?"

Ouyang Rong was speechless.

Everyone looked over, waiting for his answer. Li Dalang interrupted, "Speaking of which, men's words are also fine, why not let Liu Lang try."

Ouyang Rong coughed.

I remembered again the golden blessing with peach-colored filaments.

He couldn't just say that it was inferred from the good fortune, hinting that the Ding sword was related to the woman, right?
Ouyang Rong said to everyone with a serious look:

"It's better to choose a female. This Ding Sword should be suitable for women. It's not suitable for men. Besides, the saints like to use women now. Caishou, you and Weilai are of the right age. You are practicing Qi now, so you have a bright future."

That makes sense.

Everyone nodded like chickens pecking at rice.

The current political correctness of the Great Zhou Dynasty is that women are superior to men.

The current empress also made great use of female officials.

It's a very simple truth. If women are inferior to men, then why is Wei Zhao the eternal empress and able to command all the men in the court?

Ouyang Rong sighed, saying that this saint was truly a leader of this era in terms of women's liberation, apart from anything else. It would be better if she had fewer lovers at her old age.

"Your Majesty, Master Ouyang."

Qin Ying's voice came from outside.

Everyone in the main tent turned around and saw Qin Ying and Qin Yanqing appear at the door.

Behind them, outside the main tent, stood a middle-aged female official in the distance.

It is wonderful and true.

Ouyang Rong walked over first: "What's the matter?"

Qin Ying smiled:
"It's getting late. Let's go first. After we send Lady Miaozhen and the White Tiger Guards back to Xunyang City, Brother Yanqing and I have to go back to the Central Army Camp to report. Grandfather is still waiting for us to go back. If there is anything else, you and the prince can send a letter to Grandfather. If you have anything to say now, you can write a letter and we will take it back."

Ouyang Rong and Li Xian looked at each other.

Qin Ying saw the young man in scholarly robes turn his head back calmly and said gently:
"Okay, there's no need for a letter. Thank you, Grandfather, on behalf of the prince and me. You can pass on a message, saying that... like Duke Hu, General Qin and Duke Hu's mansion will always be the door gods of the people of the Great Zhou. No matter who celebrates the New Year, they will put them up, including the prince's mansion."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yanqing looked at Ouyang Rong and Li Xian twice more.

When the Prince of Xunyang cast his kind gaze over, Qin Yanqing lowered his head again, not wanting to look at him without permission.

Li Guoer's eyes flickered as she looked towards Ouyang Lianghan, her clear gaze lingering on the face of this young man in Confucian robes who had been perfectly described in such a casual manner.

There are some things that cannot be conveyed through letters.

It's not just because of the unique reserve of scholars.

Qin Ying murmured it in a low voice, as if she had memorized it.

Compared to the silent Qin Yanqing, she was carefree and waved her hand and said:

"No problem, Mr. Ouyang, rest assured. Before New Year's Eve this year, no matter where you are, I promise to send a stack of door god couplets to you and the prince. They are all drawn by Grandfather himself. Grandfather doesn't draw much every year, but I will be responsible for laying out the paper, inkstone and ink, so you can take them easily."

She smiled at Ouyang Rong and the people in the main account and said:
"Last time, when Grandfather learned that you had posted the door god couplets he sent you on your home in Huaiye Lane, he was very proud of it for a long time. He even boasted to me that even Ouyang Lianghan, a recognized scholar and Confucian gentleman in Luoyang, had his rough calligraphy posted on his doorstep. It's really hard to find a pair of these outside. Hahaha, Grandfather is like an old child sometimes."

Ouyang Rong smiled and said, "Oh, okay. I'll see you off."

"Ok!"

Qin Yanqing was about to politely refuse, but when he glanced at Qin Ying, who agreed immediately with a smile on her face, he took back his words, remained silent, and followed his cousin.

Ouyang Rong went out to see someone off.

Logically speaking, Rong Zhen should also go and ask his colleague Miao Zhen to go.

However, Ouyang Rong looked around and did not see the figure of the lady historian following him.

Looking back, Rong Zhen was still in the main tent, sitting with her aunt, Wei Lai and the others.

But just before he went out, he clearly remembered that Rong Zhen got up and followed him... or did he go back halfway?

After a stick of incense.

Ouyang Rong stood alone on the official road, watching the two large armies of Xuanwu Camp and White Tiger Guard go away in a cloud of dust.

Qin Ying rode on a white horse, following at the end of the team and was the last one to leave. She muttered to herself:
"Master Ouyang, are you going to Luoyang with the prince?
"I grew up in Luoyang, and I have a lot of friends there, including the nobles of the Northern Yamen who hang out in the southern music of Pingkangfang and ride silver saddles and white horses; the young men of Wuling who get drunk every night and spend a lot of money at the waterside pavilion of Yongxingfang; and some sisters I met when I was a vegetarian and practicing Taoism at Yuzhen Temple in Zhongnan Mountain...

"Oh, and there are also the ladies of high-ranking officials and dignitaries living in Jishanfang. However, their small circle likes to hold poetry gatherings in Shanglinyuan. They even want to use Xue Tao paper as toilet paper. The threshold for being invited is to be able to write in a certain official style. Anyway, they never invite me. But your name is famous there, the gentleman Ouyang Lianghan, one of the youngest scholars in Xiuwenguan... Hehe, if they knew that I am so familiar with you, they would really invite me now."

Ouyang Rong listened quietly, humming from time to time.

Finally, the entire army was on the road, and Qin Ying had no choice but to follow. She looked back reluctantly:

"Mr. Ouyang, please go back. I have a lot to say, but Brother Yanqing is in a hurry, so I will write to you another day."

"Take care of yourself."

"Take care, Ouyang Lianghan!"

After seeing Qin Ying off, Ouyang Rong returned.

Alone, passing by the deserted Left Bank camp.

He glanced down and saw that the shallow grass by the river, which was originally ankle-deep, had completely disappeared, eaten by the horses of hundreds of soldiers.

Looking around, it's empty.

Ouyang Rong lifted his skirt, rowed across the river, passed the rapids, and returned to the main tent.

Except for Pei Shisan Niang who was waiting at the door, there was no one else in the tent.

"Sir, please follow me, and we will have a meal in the forest."

Pei Shisan Niang bowed and led the way. Ouyang Rong came to an open space in the forest. There was a trickling stream flowing through. It was easy to cross with half a step. There were small tables on both sides of the stream, with seats for the host and guests.

He looked around and saw that everyone had already taken their seats.

"Tan Lang, everyone is waiting for you, come, sit here."

Li Dalang jumped up excitedly and pulled Ouyang Rong to sit down.

He sat down and looked around. Seeing that everyone was reunited safely, he was like a big kid, dancing with joy.

"Okay, okay, everyone is here, no one is missing."

It was obvious at first glance that this prince was a man of good character. Everyone was already familiar with him and they all laughed.

Li Xian was in high spirits and drank several cups in a row. His face flushed and he couldn't help but cover his mouth and cough.

Wei Mei patted him on the back and rolled her eyes:
"I've been told to drink less. This is the last glass of wine. Do you still think you're a young man like Tan Lang and Da Lang?"

Li Xian smiled awkwardly.

After Ouyang Rong sat down, he looked at the seating arrangement.

Li Xian's family naturally sat in the main seat at the top.

Ouyang Rong was pulled over by Li Dalang and sat between him and Li Guoer. Li Dalang enthusiastically poured wine for Ouyang Rong and Li Guoer.

Next is Zhen Shuyuan’s guest seat, which is close to the main seat.

However, the one closest to the main seat is Rong Zhen. She is above Zhen Shuyuan, and sandwiched between Zhen Shuyuan and the Li Xian couple. After all, Lady His Majesty has the identity of a true fairy princess.

The upper side is the more honorable side, usually referring to the left hand side.

Xie Lingjiang sat on Zhen Shuyuan's right, that is, below her, and Ye Weilai sat below Xie Lingjiang.

In the past, she always sat next to Zhen Shuyuan, but when Xie Lingjiang came, she had to move back.

However, Ye Weilai said nothing, and took the initiative to help Xie Lingjiang and Zhen Shuyuan set the table, and even stood up and set the table for Rong Zhen.

Looking from Ouyang Rong's perspective.

On Zhen Shuyuan's left is Rong Zhen, and on her right is her junior sister.

You don't have to guess to know that this is most likely the seat arranged by Wang Caozhi.

This boy knows exactly who is the older sister on the field.

(End of this chapter)