No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 843 Sending Guests Away at Night at Xunyang River
The night is as cool as water, and the moon is bright in the middle of the river.

On the north bank of Shuangfengjian, there is a ferry crossing by the river, which is still brightly lit, bustling with people coming and going.

Many boats are moored on the river bank, including cargo ships, passenger ships, as well as pleasure boats from restaurants and singing houses.

Because Shuangfengjian Ferry is located outside the city, it is not like Xunyang Ferry in the city, which is closed at night with curfew.

Shuangfengjian Ferry allows ships to start and stop day and night. Over time, even though the Xunyang Grottoes have been stopped for repair, travelers and merchants still developed a night market around the ferry.

If the travelers encountered the closing of Xunyang City, they would stop at Shuangfengjian Ferry to rest and have a meal.

There are a lot of restaurants and shops, and business is best at night.

This change was not initially expected by Yan Liulang and other Jiangzhou officials. They all subconsciously admired the far-sightedness of a certain young governor.

At midnight, Ouyang Rong, Hu Fu and his party arrived at Shuangfengjian Ferry.

Get on the bike and ride across the night market.

At the entrance of the dock that never stops day and night, Khufulema looks back and clasps his fists:

"Governor Ouyang, please stay."

Ouyang Rong was wearing a blue Confucian robe, sitting on a horse, looking around at the bustling night market.

After the Battle of Xunyang, he came less often and always during the day. Although he had expected it, he had never imagined that Shuangfengjian Ferry would develop so quickly and become so well-established.

Ouyang Rong shook his head gently:
"No problem, I'll give you a ride."

Khufu and the others did not stop him. Their eyes were more or less fixed on the silver-haired girl who was following Ouyang Rong closely with a small floral bag in her arms.

The bearded eunuch withdrew his gaze and pointed to the night markets on both sides with a smile:

"Governor Ouyang, I didn't expect this ferry to be so lively, especially at night. The lights and wine are as lively as the restaurant street on the riverside of Xunyangfang. Is this also the plan of the governor?"

"really……"

Yuan Huaimin looked around and was about to nod in agreement when he felt the gaze of Yi Qianqiu beside him and shut up instantly.

Khufu exclaimed in amazement:
"It's a great place to spend the night. I thought that except for the prosperous cities like Yangzhou, the local counties outside the two capitals were mostly boring at night. I was really ignorant."

Ouyang Rong said nothing.

He turned his head and glanced at the center of the river in the distance.

A Buddha's head was sinking in the river, with only a small tuft of fleshy hair showing on top of the head.

Looking from a distance, it seems that there are seagulls resting there at night.

Upon hearing this, Yi Qianqiu, Miaozhen, Yuan Huaimin and others, like Ouyang Rong, unconsciously cast their gazes on the Buddha's head sinking in the center of the river.

Their eyes all had complicated expressions.

There is melancholy, loneliness, and emotion.

The Shuangfengjian ferry was originally built to serve the construction of Xunyang Grottoes and Donglin Giant Buddha.

Today, the Buddha has collapsed, its head has sunk into the river, and the grottoes have been left unused.

The ferry, which served as a backdrop, was instead gathered by common people to do business, and it blossomed with a different kind of vitality.

The lights at the ferry on the north bank are bright, which makes the huge caves on the south bank look lonely and empty.

Regarding Khufu's words.

Ouyang Rong remained silent.

No one answered.

Khufu noticed the awkward silence and roughly realized something, so he covered his mouth and coughed twice.

After a moment, he broke the silence:

"The official ship is ahead and can leave at any time. Have you eaten? Where is Miss Ye? Once we get on the ship and leave the land, we will drift on the river for several weeks and we won't have the opportunity to eat peacefully."

Khufu said jokingly to Ye Weilai.

Except for Yuan Huaimin, who shook his head the first time and ate for free as usual, everyone nodded.

Seeing this, Yuan Huaimin quickly nodded and said:

"I've eaten. You're too polite, Hu Zhongshi."

Khufu didn't care:
"Okay, we're not hungry either."

He turned around and told the palace attendants:
"Come here, move the luggage onto the boat. Prepare more dry food and water, as well as a few boxes of fresh lychees that we bought..."

While the ship was being prepared, Yan Liulang returned.

He had just disappeared for a while and now returned. Everyone saw that he was followed by a beautiful woman in a purple and gold shawl.

Hu Fu knew her. She was a merchant woman named Pei, and she seemed to be working under Ouyang Lianghan.

"Sir, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I just finished my work. A group of monks from other places came this afternoon..."

Pei Shisan Niang first knelt down and saluted Ouyang Rong with an apologetic look on her face.

Ouyang Rong waved his hand:

"No problem."

Pei Shisanniang turned around, her expression calm again, and raised her chin towards the followers behind her:
"Someone, move it onto the boat."

Khufu and others turned their heads to look and found that the beautiful woman was followed by a group of strong men, some of whom were carrying or moving several large boxes.

Hufchi asked:

"Governor Ouyang, what is this?"

Pei Shisanniang took a step forward, bowed gracefully, and smiled:
“A few Xunyang specialties, mostly local delicacies, and some special paper and ink… The Chinese envoy and the others have had a hard journey, and this may serve as some consolation.

"It's just a small gift, not a token of respect, but I hope you will accept it."

Khufu looked at Ouyang Rong.

Ouyang Rong glanced at Pei Shisan Niang.

I can rest assured that she won't make some ignorant "specialties". They should really be just specialties.

He nodded gently:
"Please accept it, sir. It's a token of my appreciation."

"it is good."

Khufu didn't hesitate any longer and clapped his hands crisply.

The palace servants beside him quickly stepped forward and carried the boxes of specialties onto the boat one by one without checking them.

Khufu still trusted the young governor very much.

As the palace servants moved the boxes back and forth, Ouyang Rong looked at the moonlit night sky over the river. He asked Ye Weilai:
"Where's the wine?"

"Here I am."

Ye Weilai responded softly, and with the help of Pei Shisan Niang, she lowered her head to open the food box, took out a plate of wine from it, and brought it to Ouyang Rong, Hu Fu and others.

Pei Shisanniang stepped forward and poured a glass of wine for Ouyang Rong and others.

This scene made Khufu and others look sideways.

The young man in Confucian robes was thin and isolated, with two beauties, one big and one small, beside him. One was still charming and the other was petite. They both served wine to him obediently and entertained him politely.

A scholar and a beautiful woman, with red sleeves and the aroma of wine, are always pleasing to the eyes.

Hu Fu and Yuan Huaimin were both somewhat envious when they saw this.

Ouyang Rong raised the wine glass and motioned to Hu Fu, Yi Qianqiu, Miao Zhen and others.

He said solemnly:

"I have sent you a thousand miles away, but we will have to say goodbye. I am busy with something and cannot see you off. Please don't blame me."

Khufu laughed:

"How could it be possible? I am already flattered that Governor Ouyang can send me off at night. How dare I delay Governor Ouyang's efforts any longer? Governor Ouyang is busy with many things every day and is working for the welfare of the people. I know the importance of this."

Ouyang Rong remained silent, just looking up and drinking.

Khufu also raised his head and drank it all, then put down the glass and wiped his mouth.

He asked with a look of reminiscence in his eyes:

"Governor Ouyang, do you remember how many times we have said farewell to each other?"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Three times."

Khufu laughed:

"Haha, that's right. Speaking of which, I really have a connection with Governor Ouyang. When I first met you, you were still the Chief Officer of Jiangzhou. When you first came to Xunyang, you personally sent me to the ferry. "The second time I met you, you were supervising the construction of the giant Buddha. You refused to accept the order and were unfortunately demoted to become the Sima of Jiangzhou... But at that time, I didn't see you were very sad. Instead, you were always smiling and comforted me. I was really amazed at the time.

"And now, this is the third time we've met and the third time we've said goodbye. You've already secured your position as governor, but this time, you didn't seem very happy. You seemed rather silent."

Ouyang Rong chuckled and said:
"My father-in-law has a really good memory, but there has never been any happy talk about farewells. It was actually the same last time, but it was not revealed."

"No, no, no, not only that, I understand that sometimes the higher you go, the less happy you become, because as you go up, you have to lighten your load, and if you lose something, it's hard to get it back."

Khufu seemed sad when he said this, and he raised his head and drank a big glass.

The wine made him bolder, and he no longer cared about anything else. He said loudly:

"I've said a lot of nonsense, but what I really want to say is that I still prefer the open-minded and optimistic Sima Ouyang Lianghan of Jiangzhou who saw me off at the ferry."

Yi Qianqiu and Miao Zhen both turned to look at Ouyang Rong, who had a calm expression.

Khufu waved his hand and said:

"Governor Ouyang, there are actually some jealous people in the Luoyang court and the palace spreading rumors about you.

"You didn't follow Prince Xunyang back to the capital this time because you were seeking fame and reputation. It's not enough to be a well-known gentleman. You also want to learn from the famous scholars of the past, cultivate a good reputation, and seek to enter the government hall in one final move.

"Even if I bring you back with me this time, the noise may happen again, but I know that you really don't want to come to the capital, and you even throw away the position of a senior official. How can those vulgar people know the heart of a gentleman?"

The young man in the Confucian robe stared at the heroic Khufu, was silent for a while, and slowly asked back:
"The eunuch advised me not to submit the original memorial a few days ago."

"This is different."

Khufu stroked his beard, which had never grown, and said with a sly smile:

"I like him, but people always have to keep their feet on the ground. Governor Ouyang is a true patriot and is destined to move up. But we can see that Governor Ouyang is not happy with his departure.

"This acting governor position is far less pleasing to you than the original position of Jiangzhou Sima. Governor Ouyang's unhappiness during this meeting is probably related to it.

“So, as for the newly revised memorial, I will not ask you whether you want to revise it until now. I am afraid that you will regret it again, and it will be difficult for me to report to the prince and godfather.

"This memorial is already the most compromising solution. The acting governor will continue to hold the position, and it will not prevent Governor Ouyang from being an idle Sima of Jiangzhou to recuperate and relax."

Ouyang Rong was silent for a moment, then suddenly said:

"Master and Junior Sister asked me to come here. I am really good at judging people."

Khufu waved his hand carelessly and said with a smile:
"I'm glad that Governor Ouyang listened to me. I didn't expect that a great man like Governor Ouyang would listen to my words. I'm really honored."

Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes and took a sip of wine:

"Eunuch Hu is not an ordinary person either."

Khufu smiled but said nothing.

He didn't say that, in fact, these words of exhortation to Ouyang Rong were not only taught by Xie Lingjiang and Xie Xun, but also by a certain little princess.

An image flashed through the bearded eunuch's mind. It was the silhouette of the little princess with plum blossom makeup behind the curtains in the garden where she was taken by her godfather Shunbo before she went out of the capital to receive the imperial edict that day.

After a moment of silence, Ouyang Rong turned around and told Ye Weilai:
"Follow Eunuch Hu and the others carefully, and don't play naughty things on the way."

Ye Weilai lowered her eyebrows and said: "Yes."

Khufu waved his hand:
"Don't worry, Governor Ouyang. We will definitely deliver it to Miss Xie safely. We are a team delivering an imperial decree, so it's all on the way."

Miao Zhen, who had been standing quietly at the back of the crowd for a long time, suddenly spoke:
"I will also watch, if Governor Ouyang trusts me."

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly.

Khufu raised his glass solemnly:
"Governor Ouyang, I hope we can come again next time. It's not a farewell, but you can come with us."

Ouyang Rong smiled and said, "Then I wish that what you wish for will come true, eunuch."

Yi Qianqiu on the side seemed a little sad as well, and glared at Yuan Huaimin who was drinking secretly.

The latter quickly put down his glass, filled it again, and gestured to her to toast.

"Governor Ouyang, Envoy Hu, please wait a moment. I have something to say to my cousin."

After Yi Qianqiu finished speaking politely, he pulled Yuan Huaimin aside and spoke to him in private.

Khufu and others looked at each other.

Ouyang Rong was used to it. He turned around and reached out to help Ye Weilai carry the bag.

The little girl shook her head, hugged her bag tightly, and stared at Ouyang Rong's face intently, as if she wanted to carefully remember his appearance at the moment.

She reached out and grabbed the hem of Ouyang Rong's blue scholar's shirt, and said distressedly:
"This one made by Ah Qing is worn out by Tan Lang. I put the new one she sent on the bed. Tan Lang, don't forget to put on the new one."

"it is good."

After a while, Yuan Huaimin returned with a sad face, as if he was reluctant to leave Yi Qianqiu.

In the distance, the river water is soaking the big Buddha and the bright moon.

Seeing that it was getting late, everyone raised their glasses and invited others to drink.

A palace servant came to inform that the boat was ready.

Khufu sighed:

"time to go."

As he was speaking, a melodious sound slowly came, and listening carefully, it was the sound of a pipa.

The sound of the pipa, with a sad tone, lingers around the ferry.

Khu Fu and others noticed that the young governor suddenly turned his head and stared intently at the west bank of the river where the sound of the pipa came from.

It seemed that he was attracted by the sound of the unknown pipa.

At first, Khufu and his companions did not hear anything special about the sound of the pipa, but after listening for a while, they found that their original feelings of separation were exaggerated by the melodious sound of the pipa, and the atmosphere became even more melancholy.

They also stopped.

Like Ouyang Rong, there was also Yuan Huaimin. He turned his head blankly and spoke subconsciously:
"Mr. Yu?"

Yuan Huaimin asked Ouyang Rong beside him: "Lianghan, is it Mr. Yu's pipa? You should have a deeper impression of it than I do."

Ouyang Rong didn't answer him and remained motionless.

Yuan Huaimin was puzzled and listened to the sound of the pipa carefully.

The clanging sound is quite similar to that of Mr. Yu.

Ouyang Rong frowned.

He never answered from beginning to end.

Of course, his impression was deeper than Yuan Huaimin's. Although the old musician played the piano a lot, he liked the pipa. In the past, Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen often accompanied him to Xunyang Tower to discuss the pipa with the singing girls and dancers.

Moreover, Ouyang Rong heard more than Yuan Huaimin.

Not only does the pipa fingering resemble that of the old musician, but even the pipa music belongs to the old musician.

It was a song that Ouyang Rong was extremely familiar with.

The Pipa version of the seven-character quatrain! It's the same section as the Lotus Boat Song.

Everyone looked around, and finally, their eyes fell on a pleasure boat docked by the river. Two red lanterns were hung on the eaves, and a figure was faintly visible swaying inside the boat.

The sound seemed to come from it.

Ouyang Rong tilted his head and stared at the pleasure boat.

The sound of the pipa floated inside and outside the ferry, sometimes shrill and sometimes uplifting.

The crowd who were about to leave were led by Ouyang Rong to stay where they were and became silent.

It seemed as if he was waiting for the song to end before leaving.

Yuan Huaimin suddenly turned around and walked towards the pleasure boat not far away.

Seeing this, Yi Qianqiu reached out and grabbed his sleeve:
"What are you going to do?"

Yuan Huaimin pulled out his sleeves and pointed to the pleasure boat:

"This tune is the pipa fingering of Mr. Yu. I remember it correctly. Lianghan, haven't you been looking for Mr. Yu? He might be up there. I'll go ask him for you."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong took the glass of wine from Shisan Niang and drank it all in one gulp.

He put down his glass and strode away.

Seeing this, everyone looked at each other and followed tacitly.

The river was immersed in the moonlight; the host and the guests forgot to go home and went out together to look for the sound of the pipa.

(End of this chapter)