Xunyang Ferry in late autumn is still very lively.
Early in the morning, police officers from Jiangzhou Hall came to clear the area and freed up a dock. Yan Wuxie, a member of the judicial army, led the police officers to form a circle and began to prepare carefully.
Officials at all levels in Jiangzhou Hall, special female officers from the Procuratorate and censors stationed in the state.
Prince Li Fusu, the crown prince who came to replace Prince Xunyang, and the commissioners sent from the Jiangnan Road Marching Camp... arrived at the dock one after another.
Such a grand spectacle naturally arouses the excitement of the surrounding people and tourists.
I saw three figures in the front row of the waiting crowd:
Rong Zhen, Wang Lengran, Li Fusu.
There wasn't much to talk between the three of them, they were either lost in thought or staring at the river in the distance.
The envoy is the emperor's personal envoy, patrolling the place on behalf of the emperor in Luoyang. Naturally, the standard cannot be too high.
The sun had just risen in the morning, and the sunlight fell on the people and the river, resisting some of the coldness of the river wind.
"Give way."
Ouyang Rong politely pushed his way forward from the crowd at the back and came to the three people in the front row next to Rong Zhen.
Except for Wang Lengran, who was looking straight ahead but frowning.
Rong Zhen and Li Dalang all looked at him sideways.
"Why are you here so late, Tanlang?"
"Why are you here so early? I rested at home for a while and ate my aunt's breakfast."
"But today the envoy's ship arrived..." Li Dalang lowered his voice.
"I know, I informed you yesterday."
Ouyang Rong looked around and said with a smile:
"But it's useless to come so early. I often pick up people here, Menqing, and I always came too early every time.
"Well, I guess they probably transfer at Yangzhou. I'm very familiar with the frequency of the boat from Yangzhou to here. It won't arrive until it's close to noon.
"So why did you come so early? The envoy didn't know you had been waiting for so long. Besides, just keep your respect for the envoy in your heart silently. The cold wind blows when you come so early. I don't know what the envoy will do next."
It only makes you feel guilty."
"..."
Li Dalang couldn't help but sigh again: "Tan Lang still has experience."
A certain icy girl in palace attire pursed her lips and softly uttered four words:
"Nonsense."
However, the voices of the three people in the front row were very low. Except for Wang Lengran next to them, the subordinate officials at the back door could not hear their chat.
Ouyang Rong smiled and handed over two oil paper packets. Rong Zhen also had one.
"What is this?" Li Dalang took it curiously and opened it to check.
"Jing Yiting's pastries, junior sister just stuffed them into mine. If you eat them, you will know that you haven't eaten. When you get hungry later, remember to pretend to raise your hands to cough and take the opportunity to fish for two pieces.
"This Guanghan cake melts in your mouth and can be held in your mouth. It is convenient for such occasions... I used to be too busy when I went out and had an empty stomach. I was always like this."
Someone happily imparted some tips on fishing.
Wang Lengran, who was vaguely ignored and rejected at the front, couldn't help it anymore and turned around to glare at Ouyang Rong.
His eyes seemed to say, don't be too outrageous, kid.
Ouyang Rongli ignored him.
Wang Lengran glanced at the cold and cold girl in palace clothes standing not far from Ouyang Rong.
The Jiangzhou governor also felt helpless and puzzled.
He also doesn’t know why this well-established female historian followed Ouyang Lianghan to cause mischief. The same thing happened last time when the Donglin Buddha was postponed. It was beyond his expectation...
"she is?"
Rong Zhen held his sleeves in place and asked.
Ouyang Rong turned his head curiously and followed her tilted gaze towards the back of the crowd when he came.
Because the four of them in the front row were standing on a raised step at the ferry, they had a good view.
At this moment, Ouyang Rong's carriage was parked on the street behind the crowd. There was a graceful figure in red clothes waiting beside the carriage.
It's my junior sister.
She seemed to clasp her hands into fists, put them to her lips, exhale from time to time, warm her hands with the heat mist of her breath, and look far away at the crowd of people receiving guests at the pier.
"How come Rong Nu Shi's eyes are so good?"
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but admire him, and there was still an oil paper bag in his hand that he had not handed over.
Rong Zhen didn't raise his hand, as if he had forgotten to pick it up, and asked casually:
"Are you a female dependent? Ouyang Changshi has a family? Why don't you introduce her?"
"No." Ouyang Rong shook his head: "It's my junior sister."
As if reacting to something, he curiously asked:
"Have you not seen Rong Nushi before? When Zhu Lingxu was at the west city gate, my junior sister was also there."
"Is it just a junior sister... Oh, I think about it. I've seen her before and had some impressions. I changed my clothes but I didn't recognize her. I haven't seen her for a long time and I thought she was gone."
Rong Zhen raised his hand to take the oil paper bag containing the pastries, lowered his eyelashes, and asked:
"Is she the only daughter of your teacher Xie Xun and the direct daughter of the Jinling family of the Xie family in Chen County? If I remember correctly."
"Well, yes." Ouyang Rong nodded.
"Her father should be over there in Luoyang. Why is she still in Xunyang City, accompanying you? Teacher Qi arranged it?"
"no."
Ouyang Rong shook his head and said softly:
"The little junior sister left it for herself. She is very close to the young princess of Xunyang Palace, the granddaughter of General Qin. Recently, we often play together in Kuanglu, attend elegant gatherings and so on. For specific things, I
As a senior brother, it is not convenient for me to ask too many questions. I can only occasionally replace the teacher and ask for help."
Li Dalang turned his head and looked at his stern-mouthed friend.
Even when facing Rong Zhen, who trusted him, Ouyang Rong did not reveal too much about the Xunyang Palace.
Rong Zhen nodded, weighed the oiled paper bag in his hand, and said teasingly:
"Why do I feel like my junior sister is so friendly to my senior brother like you, and she came to see you off so early in the morning?"
"Rong Nu Shi laughed."
Ouyang Rong was a little helpless and explained briefly:
"It's like this. Recently, my junior sister wanted to practice a little bit, so I asked her to stay with me during the day and watch more and learn more. She was quite happy with this kind of experience."
Rong Zhen suddenly asked: "She has been following you all day lately?"
"Um."
"Then why haven't I seen her these days?"
"Forehead."
Ouyang Rong was a little dumbfounded by Rong Zhen's concerns.
"You didn't bring it?" she asked.
He could only say:
"When I went to the Overwatch Council to look for you in the morning, she was too lazy to move and didn't follow..."
"Is that so? It's such a coincidence that I haven't encountered it even once, haha."
"Well, that's it. Didn't we just meet him once today? Haha."
Ouyang Rong nodded and said happily.
But immediately, he realized something.
It feels like...something is wrong.
Why is this tone like interrogating a prisoner?
He is not a prisoner, but you are treating him like a prisoner with your eloquent words. Why is he still feeling a little panicked?
Ouyang Rong was a little wary:
"Why does Rong Nushi ask these questions?"
Rong Zhen looked with his sleeves up, without looking at him, and curled his lips and asked:
"You said you taught her?
"If I am right in Wangqi, I am a middle-grade Confucian sect Qi practitioner. Aren't you Confucian sects with higher realms and deeper thoughts?
"She still needs you to teach her?
"Ouyang Lianghan, you are only a ninth-grade, low-grade Qi practitioner. Are you sure you are the one teaching her? Not her teaching you?"
In front of Ouyang Rong, her tone suddenly sounded disdainful.
Ouyang Rong, who was originally suspicious, suddenly became upset and said calmly:
"Rong Nu Shi looks down on the ninth grade? The lower grade is not worthy of being conspicuous, right?"
"no."
He snorted: "You'd better not..."
She interrupted: "I just have a little doubt about your ability."
"..." Ouyang Rong.
After a while, he said seriously:
"In the history of Rong Nu, there are different professions and specializations. I may not be as good at refining qi as my junior sister, but as my junior sister said, she also needs to learn from me in some aspects, so she has been practicing with me these days.
."
"That's right." Rong Zhen nodded vigorously.
Ouyang Rong, who was about to regain his position, was stunned by the sudden change of attitude:
"What did you say?"
Rong Zhen pursed his lips, looked into his eyes and said:
"I said, you are right, you are indeed very powerful in some aspects, have profound insights, and are worth learning from."
She nodded: "You, my little junior sister, have pretty good taste, just like me."
Ouyang Rong chewed for a while and asked tentatively:
"Rong Nu Shi will also learn from me?"
"Uh-huh." She said noncommittally.
It should be considered a compliment... right?
Ouyang Rong smiled and wanted to ask again. Rong Zhen suddenly asked:
"Is she a virtuous person?"
"What?"
"I would like to ask, your little junior sister is in the sixth level? Are you a sixth-level Qi Refiner from the Confucian Sect?"
"Yes. Rong Nu Shi has a good ability to look into the air."
Rong Zhen asked calmly:
"I remember correctly, wasn't she a seventh-grade book reader before? How come she is so fast?"
"If I tell you, it's this little ninth grader, Xiaoxiao, who helped her, Rong Nu Shi Xin?"
Rong Zhen stared at him for a while, then looked at the red dress waiting tenderly beside the carriage in the distance. She nodded slowly:
"No wonder she likes to follow you."
"What do you mean?" Ouyang Rong frowned.
Rong Zhen ignored him.
The girl in palace clothes stood on the high platform, squinting her eyes slightly and staring at the river in the distance with her sleeves.
The petite figure wearing a simple white palace skirt is bathed in the gauze-like light golden sunshine. The cold and cold temperament in the past has become lighter with this change of tone.
Before the two of them could chat more, there was a sudden noise from the crowd, as if they were cheering for something.
Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen immediately followed their gazes and saw that on the horizon at the far end of the Xunyang River, where the sky was high and the sea was vast, the golden surging water was pushing a huge official ship from Yangzhou towards everyone.
Ride the wind and waves.
A quarter of an hour later, the official ship transferring from Yangzhou docked heavily at the cleared pier.
The ship's plank lowered with a "bang".
The crowd that was originally whispering among each other suddenly fell silent and waited silently.
Ouyang Rong, Rong Zhen, Wang Lengran, and Li Dalang took the lead and stepped forward.
After a while, a bearded man appeared on the deck. He jumped off the ship with a vigorous step.
This bearded man was about thirty years old, very fair, but tall, burly, and powerful.
"Prince Wang, Chief Ouyang, long time no see!"
I heard his voice was strong and his laughter was hearty.
After getting off the boat, he looked around at the people receiving him. After the tall bearded man's eyes fell on a certain ice-cold girl in palace attire, his attitude became a little more serious, but his tone was somewhat reminiscent:
"Rong Nushi, when we came to Xunyang from Luoyang together, we should have been at this pier. We said goodbye here, and Rong Nushi disembarked early... In the blink of an eye, more than half a year has passed, and Rong Nushi's style is still the same."
It's Khufu!
Ouyang Rong and Li Dalang looked at each other with some surprise in their eyes.
Khufu had served as a lieutenant envoy once before, but it didn't go well at that time. I originally thought that he would be demoted and punished when he returned, but now... I don't know what he went through after returning to Luoyang.
However, since we are acquaintances, it will be easy to handle.
Li Dalang breathed a sigh of relief and winked at his friend.
Ouyang Rong remained silent and turned to observe.
Faced with Khufu's familiar attitude, Rong Zhen nodded as a greeting.
She looked past Khufu and fell on the other people on the deck.
"My lord, the envoy, I haven't seen you for a long time, but it's still the same as before? My lord, the envoy, is more heroic than last time, and my subordinates admire me."
Wang Lengran's old face forced out a flattering smile.
"You're welcome, Governor Wang, and you are in good spirits."
Khufu said a few polite words and turned to look at Ouyang Rong.
The two looked at each other briefly for two and a half breaths.
Khufu nodded to him as a greeting.
He turned around and went to chat with Li Fusu who was leaving Jiangzhou.
Their attitudes towards Ouyang Rong and Wang Lengran were almost the same, polite and courteous.
Ouyang Rong raised his eyebrows and glanced at the back of the tall eunuch with a beard and beard.
"Envoy Hu Zhong, go this way."
"Okay, okay. Governor Wang will lead the way."
Wang Lengran took Khufu and took the lead out of the pier. The crowd who came to greet him spontaneously separated a road to let them pass.
Li Dalang also followed.
Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen fell behind.
Rong Zhen looked back at the crowd on the deck who were following Khufu down one after another. He frowned slightly and stepped forward to follow Khufu.
Before leaving, she suddenly put the oil paper bag into Ouyang Rong's hand and left coldly.
Ouyang Rong was slightly stunned, Shao Qing, and shook his head.
He did not follow immediately, but stood there, opened the oil paper bag, twisted a piece of pastry, put it in his mouth and chewed it.
"I'll fall down if I don't eat." He muttered.
At this time, I saw a slightly fat young man walking down from the rear deck.
He was about twenty-seven or eighty years old, with an ordinary appearance, a bit broad-minded and fat, with a natural smile on his face and a kind smile.
The slightly fat young man walked up to Ouyang Rong, touched his belly, turned his head, and looked at him eagerly as he ate.
Ouyang Rong stretched out his hand and handed it out without looking back.
The slightly chubby young man stretched out his hand, pinched one in a polite manner, put it into his mouth, and said vaguely:
"It's delicious. It must have been made by Rong Zhennvshi. It's really a blessing that I have cultivated for eight lifetimes. I can taste it."
"Bought on the street, one tael of silver and three big boxes." Ouyang Rong asked with a smile: "Who are you?"
The fat young man who flattered the wrong person is not upset:
"I am a gentleman from Jingzhao, Si Tianjian, a young spiritual master, Lin Cheng, who treats others with sincerity."
"I have admired you for a long time." Ouyang Rong cupped his fists.
The fat young man smiled: "Who is your Excellency?"
He casually said without politeness: "I am the most beautiful young man in the top 30 of Jinshi Department in the first year of Jiushi. He is the seed of studying in Bailudong Academy. He is famous all over the world for being a lecherous gentleman. Her Majesty the Queen has appointed the Pearl of Southeast Asia. He is the founder of Xunyang Grottoes in Broken Wing Qu.
Ouyang Rong, a young official in Jiangzhou, was a Rong who joined the army with his pen."