On the third floor of Xunyang Building, on the door of a private room, there is a sign with the word "Peony".
There are nine similar boxes on the third floor.
Orchids, roses, rhododendrons, daffodils... all have the name of a flower. There are ten ebony house signs in total, all made by one person.
The handwriting is as strong as a startling dragon, and the muscles and bones are strong.
If a knowledgeable person passes by this floor, he will recognize at a glance that these low-key house numbers are the personal traces of Lin Hebo, a master calligrapher who retired to Kuanglu.
However, all this seems very insignificant compared with the "hundred-year plan" that all the wealthy businessmen in the Peony Box are focusing on.
After Ouyang Rong revealed some of his plans, he sat down, said nothing, lowered his eyes and picked up the food, letting everyone at the table digest it themselves.
"Expand Xunyang City and build a new square..."
As Wang Caozhi muttered, he rubbed his face. The shock in his eyes faded a lot and turned into a thoughtful expression.
Like other wealthy businessmen who came from afar, Wang Caozhi came to Xunyang City, the water transportation center of the middle section of the Yangtze River.
The first impression, apart from being extremely prosperous, is that it is crowded and cramped.
Xunyang Ferry, which has a huge passenger flow, and Xingzifang, which is dirty and messy, amplify this point.
The main city area is so crowded that there is no room for expansion and cannot accommodate too many people.
However, the gathering of wealthy businessmen and literati from all over the country has led to the hot demand for housing, and the prices of houses in the central core of the city are also high.
These are definitely important factors restricting the development of Xunyang City.
However, at present, this biggest restriction has been completely resolved in the face of Ouyang Rong's unparalleled strategy of digging the double peaks to build the Xunyang Grottoes.
If it is strictly implemented, I don't know if it will be able to attract gold and silver to the bustling Xunyang City in the end.
The future is bright.
Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li and other wealthy businessmen looked at the album and slips with burning longing in their eyes.
"Brother-in-law!"
The short young man's claim became more and more sincere, and he choked with tears:
"My brother-in-law can actually remember me for such a big pastry. Brother-in-law, my sister is worthy of you! I will definitely enjoy happiness in the future, no, I will definitely be very happy now."
"..." Ouyang Rong.
Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li and others shook their heads in speechless disgust, and moved a little away from the shameless Wang Caozhi.
Shopkeeper Ma stood up, bent down to toast, and said with shame:
"Sir Ouyang, Mr. Ma was short-sighted before and had doubts. Don't you know that Mr. Ouyang has always done win-win things, reconciling the interests of all parties, never giving us empty talk about the feelings of family and country, and giving back to the pale and helpless people.
reason.
"It's Mr. Ma who's being rude. I'd like to apologize to Mr. Ouyang for a glass of wine."
Goat-bearded shopkeeper Li and other wealthy merchants also stood up together and offered a toast to apologize, their attitude was extremely sincere.
Ouyang Rong waved his hand lightly, smiling as usual, pointing to the water-stained numbers on the table that had been blurred before, and said loudly:
"First of all, please go and recruit some trusted friends to complete this string of numbers. At the next dinner party, bring them over so that I can get to know each other, and then we can discuss the subsequent matters of dividing the cake."
After saying that, Ouyang Rong stretched out his hand to the side.
"Brother-in-law, here it is!" Wang Caozhi handed the stack of albums and slips that he had circulated before carefully into his palm.
Ouyang Rong put away the draft plan and stood up.
A group of wealthy businessmen at the table stood up immediately after him.
Ouyang Rong exchanged a few words with the enthusiastic group and turned around to go out.
Before walking out of the room, he waved his hand behind him:
"The food Cao Zhi ordered tonight is pretty good. It's much more delicious than the delicacies from the mountains and seas I served at the last banquet. Let Cao Zhi arrange it for the next dinner party as well."
"okay!"
Wang Caozhi was shocked and followed Ouyang Rong step by step to see him out.
"Brother-in-law." The short young man covered his mouth with his palms and whispered: "Next time we have a dinner, brother, I will arrange a second half. There are some high-quality thin horses in Xunyang Tower. I guarantee your satisfaction. Let's do this first then..."
"Okay." Ouyang Rong nodded and interrupted him: "Next time I bring your sister here, you can talk to her and arrange a second half for her. Whatever I say is fine."
"..." Wang Caozhi.
Leaving behind the short young man with a wry smile, Ouyang Rong walked out of the Peony Box.
As soon as the box door opened, the sound waves and hot wind from the Xunyang Building came oncoming.
The melodious pipa sound that Ouyang Rong heard before had just ended, and the cheers and cheers of the visitors came from the hall downstairs.
In Xunyang Building, except for the lobby on the first floor, which is a public performance stage, the rooms on each floor become fewer and higher in standard as you go up.
The Peony Box where Ouyang Rong, Wang Caozhi and other wealthy businessmen ate was on the third floor. There were only ten boxes. It was considered an expensive VIP floor. The corridor was relatively quiet.
Leaning on the railing, looking downstairs at the central patio.
I saw a veiled girl sitting with her legs bent on a piano bench in the much-anticipated stand on the first floor, holding a pipa in her arms.
I don’t know whether it’s because the ancient pipa is too big or because this girl is too thin.
The pipa in her arms made her look even more petite and exquisite, with her face half-covered.
Coupled with the white veil on her cheeks, Ouyang Rong stood on the third floor and could not see her specific beauty.
However, this Pipa girl, with her eyebrows slightly arched and frowning melancholy, made Ouyang Rong look at her twice and was a little impressed.
You can tell just by the enthusiastic expressions of the high-rollers and officials in the stands,
A beautiful woman's frown is also a style that can make a man feel itchy.
If we use Ouyang Rong's words from his previous life, Pipa's style should be called world-weary and melancholy, which seems to be very high-end.
At this moment, the world-weary girl lowered her head and finished tuning the pipa. She frowned coldly and started to play a new song with her fingers.
The hall downstairs gradually became quiet, and everyone listened expectantly.
Third floor, at the railing.
Ouyang Rong, who was about to go downstairs, seemed to remember something, stopped and turned to look at the world-weary girl downstairs.
This should be Miss Qin who is a prostitute but not a person, she is a famous pipa player in Xunyang Tower in the past two years.
Ouyang Rong thought.
He glanced at Miss Qin who was playing the piano, then looked away and glanced at the crowd of spectators in the audience.
After searching around, I couldn't see the old boy Yuan Huaimin.
Ouyang Rong laughed and shook his head, patted the railing, listened to the music for a while, then turned and left.
…
When Ouyang Rong was on the third floor looking at the 'scenery' downstairs,
There were also people watching him upstairs who were enjoying the scenery.
Below, I saw the handsome man with a high position in history, stopping in front of the railing on the third floor, patting the railing, his eyes seemed to be attracted by the little lady with a world-weary face.
Seeing the handsome man listening to the music for a while, he left with a smile.
On the fifth floor, there was a trace of purple and gold silk that touched the ground and brushed against the railing, and its shadow disappeared in an instant.
Shao Qing, the figure of the hostess wearing purple and gold silk appeared on the third floor and walked to the railing where someone had been.
This woman is about thirty years old, with a round face, thick lips, and a pretty face.
She was wearing a long black dress that was elegant and elegant, and she had a ring on her little finger.
In particular, there is a purple and gold embroidered silk hanging between the two arms, which is particularly gorgeous and flamboyant.
The wealthy lady glanced at Miss Qin, the servant girl downstairs, her eyes wandered, and she turned to look in the direction Ouyang Rong was leaving.
He nodded slowly, his eyes flashing slightly.
I don't know what I'm thinking.
…
Ouyang Rong didn't know that any of his random actions could be speculated on by those who were interested.
He consciously left Xunyang Tower in a low-key manner.
When Miss Qin was playing just now, Ouyang Rong didn't see Yuan Huaimin in the audience, otherwise he could have had a drink with him and joked around.
"Yes, it's so late and you're still wandering around Chaisangfang. I guess you won't be able to go back to the curfew, so you can't climb over the wall."
Ouyang Rong chuckled when he thought of this undistinguished colleague.
Sometimes when he saw Yuan Huaimin's sad expression, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but tease him.
Xunyang Tower and Huaiye Lane Residence are both located in Chaisangfang. They are both close to the river and relatively close to each other.
Ouyang Rong returned to the Huaiye Lane mansion by the familiar route, reported safety to Mrs. Zhen who was waiting for his late return, and turned back to Yin Bingzhai's house.
Ye Weilai, who was kneeling and making the bed and folding quilts, turned back curiously:
"Master, is this dinner gathering for official business?"
"almost."
Ouyang Rong sat down at the desk, took out the plan drawing from his sleeve, and threw it on the table.
"Everything is ready, all we need is the east wind... No, there seems to be a little uncertainty."
He slightly curled his fingers, tapped the table, touched his chin, and looked deep in thought.
"On the side of the Wei family and Wang Lengran... Regarding the restoration of King Xunyang, the Wei family has not fully expressed its position yet. Whether it is a fight or a peace, the attitude is unclear and is still unclear.
"It's normal. After so many years of brutal expansion, such a large faction probably has various voices and is not monolithic. It will take a lot of time to reach a consensus...
"The King of Wei probably has a headache and may be hesitant.
"No wonder Wang Lengran is so quiet there. It should be because the Wei family hasn't spoken yet, but because of the matter in Dragon City, Wang Lengran and I have some personal grudges, and I have to prevent him from causing harm."
Ouyang Rong muttered to himself for a while, stopped tapping the table with his fingers, thought for a moment, and shook his head alone:
"However, as a Shangguan, he can also take advantage of the excavation and construction of the Xunyang Grottoes at Shuangfengjian. According to his lazy and lazy temperament, his interests are not involved, so there seems to be no need for a conflict.
"At most, it will cause greed and seek benefits... But if we can implement this century-old plan that will benefit Xunyang, why not throw him a few bones?"
"In addition, when implementing this policy, you must be more cautious and do not leave any excuses for corruption and bribery and become a target for your opponents... Alas, it is really difficult to do something practical."
Ouyang Rong lowered his head, rubbed his face, and looked out the window at the dark blue night:
"No matter what, we must speed up the implementation and be safe as soon as possible."
…
In the two days after the private banquet in Xunyang Tower, Ouyang Rong devoted himself to work.
He continued to improve the plan for the excavation of Shuangfeng Peak and the construction of Xunyang Grottoes, and the preliminary preparations became more and more sufficient.
We strive to complete the preparations before the year and raise the financial gap. After the year, when the funds are in place and the decree from Luoyang arrives, Ouyang Rong and Jiangzhou Hall can quickly start construction without any rush...
Finally, as Yuanzheng approached and on the last two days of the winter solstice holiday, Ouyang Rong once again received an invitation to a party from Wang Caozhi and others.
In the evening of this day, Ouyang Rong returned home, changed into clean regular clothes, and went out under the watch of Zhen Shuyuan and Ye Weilai.
Arriving at Xunyang Tower again, he climbed upstairs skillfully.
This time the dining room was turned into the "Darcissus" box.
The specifications and space are larger and can accommodate more guests.
Ouyang Rong pushed open the door and entered.
"You guys have been waiting for a long time."
"Master Ouyang."
In the Narcissus Box where there were many strangers, Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li and other wealthy businessmen stood up with their friends and greeted them respectfully...
The length of tonight's gathering is one hour longer than the last gathering.
Well, of course it's not about the second half of "Skinny Horse".
About two hours later, the door to the room with the sign "Narcissus" opened from the inside.
Ouyang Rong walked out, clasped his hands behind his back, a look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes, and was ready to leave.
The wealthy businessmen friends introduced by Wang Caozhi and others are quite reliable and there are no big problems.
They have already made preliminary arrangements for tonight's dinner.
The gap in funds required for the excavation of the double peaks in Jiangzhou Hall and the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes has been completed.
Once the money is in place at the beginning of the year, construction can begin.
Ouyang Rong breathed a sigh of relief, his serious face relaxed, and he turned to look at the performance stage downstairs.
There was a group of singers on the stage, dancing and singing in sweet voices.
This is the main program of Xunyang Tower tonight. There is no sign of Miss Qin.
Ouyang Rong didn't pay attention and turned around to go downstairs. Suddenly, a pretty maid walked up to the stairs.
She walked towards Ouyang Rong, stopped in front of him, bent her legs and saluted:
"Sir Changshi, my little lady has admired your reputation for a long time and has sent a servant to invite you. I hope you will move to the backyard."
Ouyang Rong looked sideways and asked, "Who is your little lady?"
"Your Excellency, I am the top steward of our building, Miss Qin."
Ouyang Rong thought about the boastful words of a certain Jiangzhou Sima and asked:
"Does your little lady know Yuan Huaimin?"
"Yuan Huaimin?" The pretty maid was stunned and shook her head: "Who is this gentleman? I don't know him."
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly. Except for Yuan Huaimin, he could not imagine that he had any interaction with that world-weary and innocent man.
After pondering for a moment, he nodded:
"where."
The pretty maid turned sideways, bent her legs and saluted, "Sir, please come with me."
"Um."
The pretty maid led Ouyang Rong all the way downstairs, around to the back door, and left Xunyang Tower.
Xunyang Tower stands on the bank of the river, with a private courtyard behind it. At first glance, it looks like it was decorated by an expert. It has a high platform, thick pavilions, winding paths and flowing water. It is very elegant.
Ouyang Rong walked through the unique gardens, followed the pretty maid, and stopped in front of a small courtyard full of orchids.
In the orchid courtyard, there are boudoir settings, swings, incense burners, and Qintai tea sets.
The boudoir further inside was brightly lit.
There was a faint sound of pipa that was familiar to him.
"It is my young lady who is playing music in the hall. I welcome you, sir. Please come in. I will serve you some tea."
The pretty maid Shi Shiran left.
In front of the door, Ouyang Rong stood tall, looked around at the quiet surroundings, and calmly touched the skirt knife on his waist.
stand still for a moment,
Raise your hand to open the door and enter the hospital,
He walked straight into the brightly lit lobby.
The first thing that comes into view is a world-weary face with a melancholic frown, and below...
A naked body.
The naked girl was sitting on her knees in a high hall, half holding a pipa, and her eyebrows were lowered to please her eyes.