No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 693: Listen to your wife the most, no one else [ask for monthly votes! ]

The wheels rolled.

A carriage quietly left a quiet courtyard beside Xingzi Lake and was speeding towards the west city gate.

At dawn, the sky was dim and the curfew on the streets had just been lifted. The various neighborhoods in Xunyang City gradually woke up, and the first to wake up was Xingzifang.

Ouyang Rong sat upright in the car with a long musical instrument case on his knees.

As the carriage jolted, there was no shaking sound inside the violin case.

It was packed full.

Ouyang Rong was quiet for a while, his brows furrowed.

He touched his body and looked around.

I realized belatedly that I forgot to bring something.

The amulet given by the embroiderer.

They left in a hurry just now. Before they left, the embroiderer clearly pulled his sleeve and gestured with her hands to remind him...but when they said goodbye to each other, they still forgot.

Ouyang Rong is not the kind of person who forgets things.

But from the time I received Rong Zhen's signal yesterday to the time I was ready to leave the city this morning, there were too many preparations to make. I didn't sleep all night, and being able to go to Xingzi Lake to have breakfast with Xiu Niang was already the limit of my time...

But now that he had accomplished this, Ouyang Rong still felt a little empty inside.

It feels like there is an important thing I haven’t done or an important person I haven’t reminded.

However, from the Jiangzhou lobby, to the Xunyang Palace, to the Huaiye Lane residence, and then to the embroiderer's yard...all the places that should be visited have been visited, and all the places that should be arranged have been arranged.

What's missing?

Ouyang Rong looked a little dazed. He suddenly opened the curtains and looked at the new house and the crowd outside.

The sky outside was still dark blue. Today, the crowds in Xingzifang were not only busy laborers and hawkers, but also many local citizens of Xunyang. They were the mainstream, but also contrary to the norm, going out early in the morning, most of them carrying large baskets and small buckets to buy daily necessities such as firewood, rice, oil and salt. They walked in a hurry, but under the presidency of the serious-looking clerks of the Municipal Trade Bureau, the streets were lively but not crowded, and there was a hint of orderliness.

When Ouyang Rong's carriage passed by some people queuing up, he could hear high-frequency words such as "Shuangfeng Peak", "Great Flood", "Xunyang Grottoes", and "Ouyang Governor" in their low and noisy discussions.

The closer he got to the west city gate, the more low-rent houses there were. Ouyang Rong could vaguely see a single clerk from the Jiangzhou Hall, holding a book in his hand, followed by two yamen runners, knocking on doors from house to house, announcing something...

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.

The water level at Shuangfengjian has risen recently, and the area hundreds of miles around Xunyang Grottoes has been heavily blocked by troops. As expected, these two unusual signals spread throughout the city overnight.

Fortunately, Shuangfengjian is a hundred miles outside the west city gate. Even if the worst happens and the city is hit by floods, according to past experience, it is likely that only the low-lying Xingzifang will be affected.

And under the command of Ouyang Rong, the Jiangzhou Hall had already prepared to appease the people.

Due to various factors, most panic has not yet occurred.

However, various rumors are flying around regarding this flood.

Some people said that the newly built Donglin Buddha had touched the dragon energy and water veins of Xunyang City. Others said that the "Water Dragon King" in the Yangtze River was dissatisfied with the Buddha built by the current saint and wanted to cause a flood to destroy it. Still others said that they were the Dragon King, and that everyone should burn incense devoutly, three or two sticks, without deception... Well, the latter has been arrested and imprisoned in Jiuzhou Prison, and is enjoying special prison food.

Since last night, the Shuangfengjian area where the Xunyang Grottoes are located, within a radius of dozens of miles, has been tightly sealed off by the Supervisory Commission. People are only allowed to enter but not leave, and anyone who enters must be strictly inspected.

These actions further intensified the rumors and speculations within Xunyang City.

In response to this, Ouyang Rong and Jiangzhou Hall did not come out to refute the rumors, and seemed to be "overwhelmed" and too busy to deal with it.

Ouyang Rong closed the car window, and the noise in the early morning decreased.

Glancing at the sword case on his knees, he bent down, fumbled under the seat, and pulled out a string of hemp Buddhist beads, which he put on the bowl in his left hand.

This is a routine every time I go to Xunyang Grottoes.

Ouyang Rong thought back to the day when they were taking a walk and Rong Zhen had explained the new ideas and plans to him.

Although the rebels in Tiannan Jianghu might not necessarily fall into the trap, what Rong Zhen said made sense. Instead of sitting and waiting for the enemy to take the initiative to attack, it is better to take action first and disrupt the enemy's plan.

During this ten-year period, let’s see whether those Yunmeng Yue girls will come.

Ouyang Rong rubbed his face.

In fact, after listening to the new plan that day, he asked Rong Zhen if there was not enough time. What if he failed to teach her the essence of the piano music before the big Buddha landed?

Rong Zhen’s answer was that he didn’t need to worry about it and just do his best.

It seems that this lady historian has a backup plan.

However, Ms. Rong, as a sixth-rank jade girl of the Yin-Yang school, did not explain why she chose to learn this sword technique midway, nor did she explain the core defense of the Xunyang Grottoes.

Because of the incident last time Ouyang Rong hid the embroiderer, the confidentiality investigation failed.

However, Ouyang Rong had some vague guesses and felt that it must be related to Rong Zhen's special quota.

Ouyang Rong has mixed feelings about the Donglin Giant Buddha in the Xunyang Grottoes.

It was clearly built under his command, but Rong Zhen and Nanny Song and other female officials of the Imperial Observatory had never taken him to see the core golden Buddha head and other internal arrangements.

In addition, building the Donglin Buddha was a card used by the empress to test King Xunyang, similar to an obedience test.

Right now, the greatest opportunity for Xunyang Palace to return to Beijing lies in it. Moreover, Ouyang Rong and Xunyang Palace have invested a lot of time and energy in it over the past few days... Now it is inevitable.

But strictly speaking, Ouyang Rong did not have much resentment towards the Yunmeng female cultivator and the people from Tiannan martial arts world who wanted to destroy the Donglin Buddha.

Because if he hadn't stopped her, the embroiderer would have been one of them.

Moreover, judging from previous clues, the Donglin Buddha may have affected an extremely important formation in Yunmeng Jianze. This is the core point of the conflict between the two, and everything in the world is not black and white.

Ouyang Rong could understand it, which was why he had such an enjoyable chat with the Fang sisters before.

But understanding is one thing, and just like Li Zhengyan, Wei Shaoqi and others changed the world through the ways they believed in, Ouyang Rong also has a direction he has already determined, and he will not change it easily, and he will not give in.

At least at this moment, regarding the Donglin Buddha, Ouyang Rong's position is still to stand with the Great Zhou court.

"Sir, General Yan is outside."

"Ah."

Ouyang Rong collected his thoughts, glanced over, and found that the carriage had stopped at the west gate.

"Mingfu, Li Congshan, Miaozhen and the others have been sent back to Xunyang Grottoes..."

As soon as Yan Liulang got on the car, he clasped his fists and began to report.

After the secret meeting last night, Ouyang Rong and Li Xian used official seals and orders to find a temporary excuse and drove the two groups of people to Xunyang Grottoes.

At first glance, the process was going smoothly. There was no resistance or stalemate as Ouyang Rong had imagined. Although Ouyang Rong also had a backup plan...

"Mingfu, shall we set off now..."

Ouyang Rong suddenly asked:

"You went to the palace just now. Did you see the little apprentice sister?"

Yan Liulang was stunned and shook his head: "No."

After a pause, he hesitated and said:

"It seems to be getting late. It's almost time to meet with Ms. Rong. Mr. Ming, why don't you leave now..."

Ouyang Rong became quieter and quieter.

Suddenly I knew what was missing.

……

Xie Lingjiang left the quiet courtyard and returned to Xunyang Palace.

Along the way, we returned on foot without taking a car.

I don't know how much attention the red dress attracted, but the market was busy at the moment and not many people cared.

After returning to the palace and arriving at the gate of the courtyard, Xie Lingjiang suddenly spotted a figure outside the gate.

She turned and left immediately.

"Junior sister, wait a minute."

Ouyang Rong caught up.

"what?"

When Xie Lingjiang turned around, his face was already cold and he asked.

Ouyang Rong was curious:
"They said you went out. Where did you go? Weren't you feeling unwell?"

Xie Lingjiang ignored him and walked inside with his head down.

Ouyang Rong stopped her, grabbed her hand, and said directly:
"Junior sister, I'm sorry."

Xie Lingjiang said with a straight face:

"Step aside."

Ouyang Rong shook his head, stared at her, and said seriously:
"After thinking it over, I've been missing an apology. I thought, if I were you, I'd be just as disappointed, even if I had so many excuses.

"But feelings are like this. Even if you have a thousand reasons, they are not as good as my one word of sadness. I am sad. Even if I win the argument in the end, even if I have good reasons to take Xiu Niang home, I am still sad. My heart is very sad... Is it the same for Junior Sister these days?"

Ouyang Rong noticed that Xie Lingjiang's eyes were gradually turning red.

"I've thought of a quicker way to deal with you than kicking you in the face."

"What method..." He shook his head and changed his words halfway through: "Junior sister can come directly."

"it is good."

Xie Lingjiang suddenly turned around and went back to the house, and returned soon with a familiar dagger in his hand. The knife was sharp and shiny, and it was dazzling in the morning light.

It's that skirt knife.

Not only give it to your beloved, but also kill the unfaithful man.

Ouyang Rong was stunned.

Xie Lingjiang had a cold face:

"You can still roll now."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong immediately shook his head, stood still, opened the left shoulder of his shirt, revealing his bright white chest, and slowly closed his eyes.

"it is good."

Xie Lingjiang came closer.

Ouyang Rong waited tremblingly.

Time passed by minute by minute.

The atmosphere was silent.

There was no pain in his chest at all. Ouyang Rong opened his eyes and saw Xie Lingjiang staring at him with hatred. Her tears wet her face and dripped from her chin onto the edge of her skirt.

Ouyang Rong took out a handkerchief and held it out to wipe her.

After a long while, Xie Lingjiang, with a frazzled face, spoke word by word:
"I just want to ask you one question, are you sad too?"

Ouyang Rong: "No..."

"truth!"

After hesitating for a moment, he nodded.

Xie Lingjiang suddenly swung his knife.

Ouyang Rong looked carefully without blinking and saw that the junior sister had cut off a lock of her own hair.

In the sunlight, the woman in red sheathed her knife, took out a small sachet she had brought back from the quiet courtyard in the morning, and stuffed a lock of her hair into it.

Inside the small sachet, there is also a prayer note from Zhao Qingxiu, with the words "Never forget each other" written on it.

The next second, Xie Lingjiang stepped forward, first pinned the skirt knife on Ouyang Rong's waist, and then hung the amulet sachet on his belt.

She lowered her head and continued to hang up silently.

Ouyang Rong was stunned.

He couldn't take his eyes off the skirt knife and the amulet.

"Junior sister, did you go to the embroiderer?" he asked.

Xie Lingjiang lowered his head.

At this time, a small black spirit figure appeared from her sleeves, carrying three small bamboo tubes on her back, tied with ropes.

While no one was around, Miao Si jumped onto Xie Lingjiang's shoulders and glanced at the skirt knife and amulet that the latter was tying for him. She said with a stern face:

"Hmph, you've passed the test. If Xie girl doesn't forgive you, this fairy lady won't forgive you either. Hmph, you're scared, right? You've suffered a huge loss..."

Ouyang Rong frowned as he looked at the young nun in Confucian clothes who was speaking in a tough tone. The look he gave her seemed to be asking, "Do you still want to eat chestnuts?"
Miao Si pretended not to see it, and quickly took off the three small bamboo tubes on her back and threw them into his hands.

"Here, little Rongzi, take it."

Ouyang Rong frowned and looked down at the three small bamboo tubes that were almost as tall as Miaosi.

After shaking it, I found some thick liquid inside.

"Ling Mo?"

Ouyang Rong was a little bit unbelieving, and a look of suspicion appeared on his face.

Miao Si hummed in silence, her braids almost sticking up to the sky.

"Why are you so diligent? The sun is rising from the west. Did Junior Sister give you a good meal again?"

Ouyang Rong was really surprised and couldn't help asking.

That’s three tubes in total, enough to make three more talismans.

Miao Si, who was originally holding his minibus high, said with some displeasure:

"Can't this fairy be so powerful?"

She raised her thumb and pointed at her nose:

"Remember, this is the best, no doubt about it."

The little black spirit seemed to be a master of few words. He said this with his chest crossed and a stern face, then jumped back into his sleeve.

Xie Lingjiang had already lowered his head to tie the two things, turned around quickly, and walked through the door.

Before closing the door, she said, without showing any expression:
"I'll be watching over the embroiderer, I'll be organizing Aunt Zhen's birthday gift, and I'll be watching over the palace, so go ahead and don't worry."

Ouyang Rong nodded slowly, turned around, and was about to walk away.

"Ouyang Lianghan!"

Suddenly, a loud shout from her came from the closed door at the back.

Before Ouyang Rong turned around, he heard her words, sonorous and powerful, not to be rejected:

"Come back on time in ten days, you hear me? Speak."

Ouyang Rong turned his back to the door, took a deep breath, wiped his face vigorously, and then turned back.

A smiling face:
"I know, I know. I always listen to my wife, no doubt about it."

(End of this chapter)