The secluded bamboo house where Ouyang Rong lived was indeed very close to the small courtyard where Rong Zhen lived.

Turn left when you go out and walk west for about ten steps.

Ouyang Rong tidied up his new residence in the morning, and would have to spend the night here for the next ten days. Seeing the sun rising, he went out and went to the old musician's yard for dinner.

In fact, no one told him to eat. After Rong Zhen sent him here to settle down, he didn't show up all morning. He seemed to be busy and left him to fend for himself.

Ouyang Rong saw the smoke above the old musician's yard and went there happily. These days, eating rice is also a science.

The old musician's yard is located in the middle of the bamboo forest. He should have nothing to do on weekdays and cook by himself.

When he saw Ouyang Rong washing his hands in the hospital like a member of his own family, walking into the kitchen to help hand out dishes and washing vegetables, and blending in naturally, the old musician was stunned for three full breaths.

Ouyang Rong reminded: "What are you looking at, old man? Your food is almost burnt."

The old musician laughed: "You kid."

But he didn't chase him away and helped him along.

How else could the old musician say that Ouyang Rong was spiritual and enlightened?

A lunch has just been prepared.

Rong Zhen, Aunt Song and Yi Qianqiu rushed over immediately.

The three girls had been busy all morning, washed their hands and went straight to the table to eat.

Rong Zhen pouted: "You're here, and I'm going to call you."

Ouyang Rong served the dishes with a smile.

Seeing Ouyang Rong's figure, Nanny Song didn't look surprised. She just checked with her eyes whether he was wearing the prayer beads given by His Majesty, and then said hello.

Yi Qianqiu asked Ouyang Rong a few questions about Yuan Huaimin, and then stopped talking.

None of the three girls liked to talk, but the old musician seemed thoughtful, chewing carefully and looking absorbed in his expression.

Only Ouyang Rong was interested.

The lunch was finished in silence.

After the meal, Rong Zhen went out first and called out Ouyang Rong who was about to put on an apron to wash the dishes.

Let's go for a walk together.

It can be seen from the reactions on the faces of Aunt Song, the old musician, Yi Qianqiu and others just now.

They did not know that Ouyang Rong protected the embroiderer and secretly hid the Yue girl.

Rong Zhen really didn't say anything.

On the bamboo forest path, Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.

At this time, Rong Zhen, who was walking in front, spoke:

"Teaching the piano in the afternoon."

"good."

Ouyang Rong agreed.

Rong Zhen asked: "What are you looking back at?"

"Does Mr. Yu live here on weekdays?"

"right."

"Why did you see him whittling bamboo and doing carpentry?"

"After His Majesty's edict was received some time ago, the old man just started making a piano. He said it was a one-stringed piano. It was given to him by his father, a carpenter, when he was a child."

"No wonder I was a little absent-minded while eating. It's easy for people to remember things when they are old. By the way, His Majesty's edict? What does it say?"

Rong Zhen glanced at Ouyang Rong, then looked straight ahead and continued moving forward.

Without going into details, she just reminded:

"You just need to try your best to teach the essence of that piece of music. It doesn't matter if you don't have a teacher before the Buddha lands on the ground. There is no need to force it. Do you remember it?"

"Okay." Ouyang Rong asked curiously: "Why are you not in a hurry?"

Rong Zhen narrowed his eyes: "The old senior is still here."

Ouyang Rong thought for a while, then joked and tested, "He has the backing, right?"

Rong Zhen said softly: "There is no way, we have to make sure everything is safe."

Ouyang Rong nodded:

"No wonder I just met the old gentleman. His eyes looked sad. I remember you mentioned that after the piano lessons and the pipa performance in Xunyang Tower, the old gentleman returned home in fine clothes. Now he is working overtime temporarily."

Rong Zhen said softly:

"Working overtime? What do you mean, delaying work? But it's only a few days. If you keep working through it, it will be over."

Speaking of this, she turned her head and her eyes fell on Ouyang Rong's face. Rong Zhen looked at it in trance for a while, then repeated:

"Stay a little longer."

This sentence should be said to Ouyang Rong.

Ouyang Rong did not evade, but asked directly: "What is it?" He then said with a smile: "You don't mean the gift you want to give, right?"

Rong Zhen shook his head:

"That's not it. It's not just about you, it's about us working together to see if they dare to come before the Buddha lands on the ground. If they come, they will die, and if they don't come, they will die."

Ouyang Rong kept smiling.

…

For three consecutive afternoons, Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen gathered on time to study piano in her courtyard.

For that piece of music, the two became more and more proficient, and even had a vague atmosphere of harp and harp chords.

No wonder there is a saying of "high mountains and flowing water". If a man and a woman are devoted and proficient in this music art, it will indeed give people a sense of tacit understanding and harmony.

But unlike Rong Zhen, who didn't push her and seemed to enjoy the quiet time silently, Ouyang Rong had been paying attention to Rong Zhen's progress in understanding, and her delay in understanding the essence gave Ouyang Rong a headache.

He began to hope that he could trigger a blessing and make the female historian understand it instantly.

Spend as much merit as you can, and then pay off the debt.

It's a pity that it can't be triggered.

In addition to studying piano, Ouyang Rong spent the rest of his time at the Xunyang Grottoes construction site, supervising the final progress.

That day, Rong Zhen asked Ouyang Rong how long it would take for the Buddha to reach the ground. The date Ouyang Rong gave was actually more than ten days, which was according to the original plan.

But in the past few days, Ouyang Rong estimated that due to the blinding formation used by Si Tianjian, everyone worked overtime and worked enthusiastically, and the time would have to be advanced a few days.

About seven or eight days.

Four days have passed since the two peaks were sealed off and Ouyang Rong entered them.

That day is very close at hand.

The countdown is already here.

As for Rong Zhen, Nanny Song, Yi Qianqiu and others, their expressions and emotions were visibly solemn and tense.

Even one afternoon, Rong Zhen didn't come yet, as if he was busy with some important defense work... This was very rare for the female historian who attached great importance to the concept of time.

All kinds of signs fell into Ouyang Rong's eyes, but he was still the same as usual, running back and forth in the secluded bamboo house and the construction site, somewhat leisurely.

Rong Zhenshu's daughter would also ask Ouyang Rong once for the specific completion date during lunch every day to confirm and re-confirm.

Whenever Ouyang Rong reported a number calmly and accurately, most of their faces looked relieved, not relaxed at all.

At least not as relaxed as Ouyang Rong's appearance.

He is calm and calm, goes to bed early and gets up early, and eats on time.

After all, nominally, the defense of Xunyang Grottoes is not under his control. He is just a civil servant. He only needs to be responsible for the completion of the statues. The Luoyang court does not expect him to attack or kill at all.

The task of setting up defenses rests entirely on Si Tianjian, White Tiger Guards, and Xuanwu Guards.

Ouyang Rong was happy to be at ease.

However, his observation did not stop, and he did not turn a deaf ear to what was going on outside the window like the old musician.

For example, the linoleum cloth that had previously sealed the golden Buddha head has begun to be lifted.

Ouyang Rong saw it, but didn't ask in front of Rong Zhen.

Anyway, since he learned that Ouyang Rong was hiding Xiu Niang, Rong Zhen didn't mention the details of the defense to him very much, because he failed to pass the confidential investigation.

Ouyang Rong also knew how to behave appropriately and didn't ask too many questions. The two of them maintained a tacit understanding.

In fact, Ouyang Rong was already satisfied with the result that Rong Zhen could not mention the matter of the embroiderer to Aunt Song, Yi Qianqiu and others, and not report it to the court immediately.

And I understand and appreciate Rong Zhen’s approach very much.

From the perspective of Chief Si Tianjian and the Empress's special envoy, it is indeed inappropriate to tell him the details of the defense deployment of this "person who made a small mistake", just in case.
To be continued...