Chapter 163 People who are useful to the imperial court and the country
A few days ago, it was drizzling in Longcheng County.
The sun is shining brightly today.
It's rare that the sky clears up.
The Su Mansion on Luming Street seems to have been named after Su Xian, the master of the Su family. At the beginning of its construction, many interesting and exquisite Jiangnan gardens were created.
Some are filled with gardens full of flowers and trees, pavilions, towering rocks, and scattered rockeries.
Some have whitewashed walls and green tiles, several poles of green bamboo, and scrolls on the windows, all dazzling.
There are also springs and pools with running water, low walls and leaky windows, exotic flowers and plants, and winding corridors.
Various, different styles.
It all shows that the owner of the forest garden is unconcerned with the world and has the elegance and intention of a leisurely wealthy man.
When Ouyang Rong came here for the first time, he almost got lost. Fortunately, the maid of the Su family led the way.
However, because he occasionally came to see Junior Sister or Su Dalang, he gradually became familiar with the route after coming a few times.
The same is true today.
In the morning, southeast side of Su Mansion.
Outside a slightly remote garden called Juxian Garden, inside a large pavilion on a high platform for people to rest, there were several figures drinking tea and waiting.
But the tea is almost getting cold.
"Ming Mansion, where is Mr. Su Dalang? Didn't you ask us to go to Yunshui Pavilion today to recuperate? We agreed to gather here. Why is there still no one there? The tea has gone cold."
Yanrokuro, who came eagerly to wait, complained a little:
"Hey, I finally waited for a holiday and was able to go out and play, but the old man just let us go. No, we will have to treat him later!"
Yan Liulang said with a "gnashing teeth" expression on his face.
He was not wearing a blue police officer's uniform today, but was wearing a black round-neck soap robe, which looked quite neat and cool.
This high-rise pavilion is located in the middle of the pond and is connected to the shore through a wide and narrow waterfront trail.
Surrounding it is a pond with turquoise water, in which there are several golden carp.
Meilu Garden is right next door. Ouyang Rong came earlier than Yan Liulang and waited longer.
However, he was in the water pavilion at the moment, leaning on the railing with great interest, holding a box of bait in his left hand, twirling his fingers and gently throwing it into the pond.
The golden carp gently swayed its tail.
"Maybe he's taking a shower and changing clothes or something."
Ouyang Rong fed the fish slowly, with his back to the Juxian Garden not far away where the Su family's Dalang lived, and said softly:
"Just before you arrived, he came out and looked very happy. He said that he had just finished today's morning class and would send the teacher out later. He should be able to rest for half a day...
"Hey, it's just like having a vacation from school, but Brother Su's studies seem to be really tight. He only has half a day off every month."
Ouyang Rong sighed.
Yan Liulang took a long breath:
“Hey, it’s only been half a day? Are you working so hard to study now?
"Aren't you looking for flowers and willows, reciting poems and writing poems, adding fragrance to your red sleeves? I used to think that being a scholar and studying would be easier than being a rough man like us playing gongs in the county government office."
"Not satisfied for half a day?"
Ouyang Rong's stern face:
"Only people who are of no use to the imperial court will take long vacations. For a talented person like Dalang, a star of scholarship, taking a long vacation is the highest tolerance he can have for himself."
"..." Yan Liulang.
"Mingfu, what about you?"
"Me? Aren't I here to accompany you?"
Ouyang Rong sighed and shook his head, put down the round box of bait in his hand, reached out to take the handkerchief Liu Ashan handed him, and wiped his hands.
He turned his head and said seriously:
"The affairs of the Liu family were handled a few days ago. Everyone cooperated beautifully. I took you out to have fun and reward you. Do you understand this is called team building?"
Yan Liulang and Liu Ashan looked at each other, not understanding what "team building" was, but it didn't prevent them from understanding the general idea.
Moreover, the young magistrate in front of him often came up with some strange words from his mouth. The two people, who had not read much books, just regarded them as scholars. Similar to "Zhi Hu Zhe Ye", they were all words of sages in ancient books.
As for why Master Xie, who has read many books about saints and sages, sometimes stares at them in confusion... Needless to say, it is of course because the knowledge mastered by the senior brother is more extensive and profound than that of the junior sister.
"Also, we are not going to the Yunshui Pavilion today to keep healthy. Liulang, don't think about this all day long. I will talk to Dalang when he comes out."
Ouyang Rong shrugged:
"Let's go out more and do other things that are good for the body and mind. Don't always worry about health care."
Yan Liulang whispered: "But I think the health-preserving tea ceremony is also quite beneficial to the body and mind..."
"The Ashan family is about to arrange an engagement for him. Don't lead Ashan into trouble." Ouyang Rong curled his lips, "Besides, I can't go if I want to now."
Yan Liulang was curious: "Ah, why is this?"
"The last time I came back, I asked the city commander in the government office to send an official document to Yunshuige to order rectification."
"..." Yan Liulang.
His eyes were a little resentful, "Mingfu, I heard from Brother Ashan that Miss Wei Lai has come back recently, Mingfu you don't have to worry..."
"It has nothing to do with Vera."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, nodded again and said:
"To open a brothel, you need a business license from the Imperial Jiaofang Department. They just want to have a restaurant for dining and watching movies. It violates the rules and is borderline. This is not acceptable."
Yan Liulang paused for a while and muttered in a low voice: "The Ming government is really strict."
Ouyang Rong's face became more serious:
"It's not enough if it's not strict. I don't know about other places, but it's like this in Longcheng County. It's not impossible to have brothels, but they must comply with the regulations, and the sources of the prostitutes inside must also be legal."
He shook his head: "Otherwise, if wild prostitutes are allowed to develop, it will easily lead to a decline in public morals, and it wouldn't be surprising if some girls are forced into prostitution. This is not good, it is very bad."
Yan Liulang closed his mouth, put away his cynical expression, and nodded:
"The Ming government is still thoughtful."
Ouyang Rong shook his head.
at this time.
Not far away, on the path leading to the pond from Juxian Garden, a tall figure hurriedly appeared.
The frowning Su Dalang trotted down the narrow path, broke into the waterside pavilion, and sighed towards the stunned Ouyang Rong and others:
"I don't seem to be able to go. I was supposed to send Mr. Yuan away, but for some reason, he got interested today and said he would give me more lessons and teach me how to write parallel prose.
"Lianghan, Liulang, I have to stay with the old gentleman. You go and play."
Su Dalang was like a defeated rooster, sighing, completely different from his appearance in the morning.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at him, "Your once-a-month holiday...isn't even half a day off?"
Su Dalang nodded bitterly.
Yan Liulang couldn't help but patted him on the shoulder and comforted him:
"It's okay, it's okay, Dalang. In the words of the Ming Dynasty, Dalang, you are calling someone who is of great use to the court and the country. This is a good thing."
Su Dalang was stunned, "What do you mean by someone who is of great use to the imperial court and the country?"
Ouyang Rong glared at Yan Liulang.
The latter shrank his head, then seemed to remember something, then turned to look serious and said:
"By the way, Da Lang, why don't you give us the money? Didn't you say you're treating us? We'll help you spend it."
"..."
Su Dalang was speechless for a long time, but he still silently reached into his arms and took out the silver beans.
He looked seriously and said:
"It's really up to me to invite you. You guys, Lianghan, Liulang, and Brother Ashan, have been waiting for a long time. Do you want to go to Yunshui Pavilion? Well, then I'll go..."
"You're just kidding, don't take it seriously, don't listen to Rokuro's nonsense."
Ouyang Rong quickly pressed Su Dalang's hand and shook his head.
He looked thoughtful for a moment, frowned slightly and asked:
"Da Lang, this Mr. Yuan is the Master that your father found for you as you often mentioned before?"
Su Dalang looked more solemn, nodded and said:
"The old man's surname is Yuan and his courtesy name is Xiangshan. He used to be a well-known courtesy officer in the imperial court, but later he retired...Mr. Yuan is highly respected and knowledgeable. My father told me to follow him and learn from him."
Ouyang Rong saw Su Dalang's face. Although his expression was serious, his eyes still seemed a little disappointed.
He tried: "How about I intercede on your behalf and see if I can grant you half a day off? You're really tired."
"Let's forget it." Su Dalang hesitated, "Mr. Yuan is a very nice person, but his temper is a bit weird."
He shook his head, changed the subject, and prepared to leave:
"Lianghan, Liulang, you go ahead, I have to go back. I really can't accompany you to Yunshui Pavilion to drink health tea this time, eh."
Ouyang Rong just wanted to speak.
Suddenly an old voice came from the shore not far from the water pavilion;
"What kind of health tea should you drink? Dalang, is this the friend you said you were waiting for?"
Ouyang Rong, Yan Liulang, and Liu Ashan turned their heads curiously.
I saw an old scholar wearing a purple Confucian shirt, surrounded by four book boys, walking through the narrow footpath on the pond and entering the high platform waterside pavilion in the middle of the water.
The old scribe was about seventy years old, with gray hair and beard, many age spots on his face, and he was holding a cane in his hand.
Several bookboys behind him respectfully held book cases.
Ouyang Rong even saw someone bringing a teacup.
The shelf is quite small.
"Teacher, why are you here?"
Su Dalang immediately greeted him and supported the old scribe respectfully.
Yuan Xiangshan nodded and said, "Master, I'm here to see the friends you have made."
Su Dalang: "Teacher, Brother Lianghan and Brother Yan are ready to go back. My disciple will go back to class now..."
Yuan Xiangshan shook his head and said nothing.
Holding his cane, he led the book boy to sit directly on the main seat near the center of the lake in the waterside pavilion. He raised his eyelids and looked at Ouyang Rong and others one by one.
"I'm not feeling very well, so I took the liberty to sit down. Everyone, please sit down too."
After Yuan Xiangshan sat down, he took the tea from the book boy, took a sip, and said slowly.
Su Dalang cast a helpless look.
When Ouyang Rong and others saw this, they looked at each other, but did not sit down, but still stood.
Yuan Xiangshan was no longer polite. After asking Su Dalang about the names of Ouyang Rong and others, he cleared his throat and said:
"What about Yunshui Pavilion's health tea? Where are you taking Dalang to?"
Yan Liulang coughed, "I haven't gone anywhere, I'm just going to go out for a spring outing or something, old man..."
"Dong dong——"
Yuan Xiangshan suddenly looked at the ground with his crutch, interrupting Yan Liulang's explanation:
"Humph, don't think that I don't know. I'm not a rotten scholar. I came from your age. You still don't know the twists and turns among you young people?
"What kind of health-preserving tea should I drink? What kind of health-preserving tea should I drink when I am young? This is just a code. It may mean that I am going to a brothel to look for flowers and willows.
"Stop coaxing the old man."
Everyone in the waterside pavilion was suddenly speechless.
Yuan Xiangshan lowered his head and took a leisurely sip of tea, nodded and said:
"Oh, did I guess it right? You guys, drinking any kind of tea will only harm you..."
"..." Ouyang Rong, Su Dalang and others.
Yuan Xiangshan turned to Su Dalang and frowned:
"When I saw your anxious look this morning, I guessed that you didn't want to learn well, and I was right.
"Hey, you shouldn't take this vacation. If you relax a little, you'll be wild. Now you even drink health tea. What are you going to do in the future? What kind of tea do you want to drink?"
Su Dalang opened his mouth: "Teacher, student, I..."
Yuan Xiangshan tapped his cane to interrupt, lowered his eyelids and said:
"Your parents have high hopes for you and entrust you to the old man to study hard. Look at you, are you worthy of the ardent expectations of your relatives?
"What are you, you come here and stand, I'll talk to you when you get back."
Su Dalang nodded sadly, standing behind the stern old scribe who was sitting upright, holding a teacup for his teacher.
Yan Liulang on the side saw this and couldn't help but explain:
"Old sir, you really misunderstood. We are really not going to drink tea this time..."
"Does that mean you've been there before?"
"..."
Yuan Xiangshan shook his head in disappointment, glared at Su Dalang and said:
"Have you been there last time? To be honest? Dalang, you, how can I be so confident that I can give you a holiday? If you don't pay attention, you will be led astray..."
Su Dalang's face turned red and he whispered urgently: "Teacher, the student is wrong. Stop talking. Lianghan and the others are still here..."
My teacher said these words directly and unceremoniously in front of his friends.
It's not just a matter of not giving him face.
Su Dalang's face was very hot, and he couldn't help but cast apologetic glances at Ouyang Rong, Yan Liulang and others.
Ouyang Rong shook his head slightly.
However, he couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at Su Dalang's "fatherly" master.
The latter was still admonishing non-stop.
The scene he saw in Su Dalang's study last time flashed through Ouyang Rong's mind.
I did understand some things, but when I looked at Su Dalang again, I couldn't help but sigh.
"Da Lang, I understand that you have reached adulthood and are an adult, but look at what time it is now and what situation you are in?"
Yuan Xiangshan folded his hands, propped up his crutches, and banged on the floor to lecture. He seemed not to have noticed whether his words would embarrass Su Dalang, Ouyang Rong, and others, or in other words, the old man did not care.
"I won't say that you are sharing the worries of your parents, but at least don't let them worry. Now is the time to put academics first. Have you finished reading "Erya"? What about "Zhou Li"? You should put aside the love between men and women first.
There's also the matter of being playful, so put these aside and study hard first...
“When heaven is about to assign a great responsibility to a man, he must first work hard on his will, work his muscles and bones, and starve his body and skin... He doesn’t say that he will let you work his muscles and bones and starve his body and skin. How about you work hard on your will?
"You, you, are really going to piss me off to death."
Dong Dong Dong——!
The sound of the cane hitting the ground resounded throughout the waterside pavilion. The old scribe raised his nose and glared, speaking in a stern tone.