Chapter 718 Long time no see, Xiao Huaimin [Please vote for me!]
In the somewhat dark living room, Yan Liulang was drinking tea and waiting in the company of Magistrate Meng. Wang Caozhi quickly returned and came to him, calling out breathlessly:
"Yan, Brother Yan!"
Yan Liulang put down his teacup, turned around and saw that Wang Caozhi's expression was not only happy, but also a little strange.
"Brother Wang sent people to Guanyin Temple to investigate." he asked.
Wang Caozhi nodded like a fool: "Yes, yes, I went. I went there myself."
"Oh? How's the situation? Did you find anything?"
In the empty hall, the short young man's tone was still a bit unbelievable:
"I found the person, and he is really in Guanyin Temple!"
…
"Did Qian Chen find it?"
"Found him, this person is at Guanyin Temple."
"Talk about it."
"Brother Wang went there in person. This Qian Chen lived in the guest house of Guanyin Temple. No wonder he couldn't be found in the city at first. This person never passed through Hukou County, nor did he go to the military camp. Instead, he got off the boat
I went to the Guanyin Temple in Fenghuangling. The temple had a lot of visitors, so I hadn’t noticed this before.
"And according to Wang Caozhi's investigation, this guy named Qian Chen should have donated 100 yuan in advance in the name of Princess Anhui in order to pave the way for Princess Anhui to come to the temple on the 15th to burn incense and worship Buddha.
After receiving the money, he also discussed with the abbot of Guanyin Temple about hosting Princess Anhui.
"He is now the guest of the abbot of the temple. He lives in the guest house arranged by the abbot. The reason why Brother Wang's people were not found before is because..."
In the morning, the sun is shining brightly.
In the yard of Yin Bingzhai at the Huaiye Lane residence, Yan Liulang, who had hurried back, was stopping in the courtyard, bowing his head towards the study and cupping his hands, telling the story of the situation in Hukou County.
Speaking of the latter, he said a few words for Wang Caozhi and others in Hukou County.
Ouyang Rong, who was looking down at the book in the study, waved his hand and interrupted:
"As long as you find him, I still believe in his ability even though he didn't fish for anything. This time, Qian Chen's whereabouts did exceed our expectations...
"What's the situation now? We found someone at Guanyin Temple. How did we deal with it?"
Yan Liulang said respectfully:
"As soon as Brother Wang found the person, he came back and informed Beizhi, and told the general situation of the investigation, which was reported to the Ming Dynasty. Beizhi took a step ahead and hurried back to resume his life.
"Before leaving, Brother Wang asked Bizhi to tell him that now that they have found the person, they will continue to keep an eye on Qian Chen. They will not slack off and will not follow this person again. After the operations of the past few days, they
Now in Hukou County, a huge new network has been laid. Qian Chen can't escape, if there is any other change.
"If there is any new news later, Brother Wang will have someone bring it back as soon as possible. There will be people watching, including Duan Quanwu and the military camp."
Ouyang Rong heard this and stared at the book in his hand. After being quiet for a while, he nodded gently:
"I understand. Thank you for your hard work, Rokuro. Please step back."
"Yes, Mingfu."
"etc."
Just as Yan Liulang was about to turn around and leave, he heard a call from Ouyang Rong and turned back curiously:
"What's wrong, Ming Mansion, do you have anything else to say?"
Ouyang Rong took out a red paper invitation from the neatly piled letters on his desk and handed it to the table:
"Take it. My aunt specially told me to give it to you. She said you have worked hard this year. Don't forget to attend her birthday tomorrow night. Also, don't bring any gifts. My aunt said you are not allowed to bring them, otherwise she will send you a gift."
I lost my temper..."
Yan Liulang was stunned for a moment, then stepped forward and picked up the invitation.
He lowered his head and looked again and again, his face slightly moved: "Mingfu, humble position..."
Ouyang Rongtian waved his hand calmly:
"Okay, take it. Listen to aunt. You don't need to bring any gifts. Just arrive. If there's nothing wrong with the places you were asked to supervise in the city, you don't have to be tight all the time. Come over and have a meal together tomorrow night. Fifteen
No matter how busy we are with the celebration ceremony on the 15th, we won’t miss this meal. Dalang and the others will also come by then, and we can have a couple of drinks.
"By the way, Xiu Niang has also prepared some rice wine and will bring it over when the time comes, just in time to try it."
"I know, Mingfu! I will definitely be here tomorrow night."
Ouyang Rong smiled: "Okay, let's go."
Yan Liulang put away the red paper invitation, clasped his fists heavily, and left the courtyard.
In front of the desk in the study room, Ouyang Rong stopped smiling, dropped the book in his hand, and breathed a long sigh of relief.
The man named Qian Chen who quietly left Wei Anhui's residence for Hukou County was finally found.
The results are somewhat reasonable, but also unexpected.
He actually went to prepare for Wei Anhui for her to leave Xunyang City and go to the Guanyin Temple of Zen Buddhism to worship Buddha.
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips, stood up and wandered around the study room twice before exhaling again.
He picked up his robe and put it on, turned around and went out, preparing to go to Prince Xunyang's Mansion to inform everyone.
In addition, Pei Shisanniang and the Ice Drinking Room Company can also slightly reduce the amount of ice transported.
If you think about it carefully, transporting ice cubes on such a large scale might arouse suspicion.
…
Xunyang Grottoes.
bamboo forest.
White mist filled the forest, and the afternoon sunlight was difficult to penetrate, making it look increasingly hazy.
A cold figure of a girl in palace clothes walked out of the forest, came to the bamboo courtyard, and opened the firewood door.
Her figure paused in front of the door for a moment.
I looked up for a while and looked at the hazy white mist that even the sunlight could not penetrate.
After a while, Rong Zhen's sleeves came back to the house.
She took her little hand out of her sleeve and placed a piece of leftover wood on the table.
Rong Zhen, who had just finished eating in the old musician's yard, walked to the well, took a ladle of water, lowered his head and washed his hands carefully.
After washing her hands, she returned to the table, sat down with her back straight, and continued to work meticulously.
I saw the girl in palace clothes in front of the table holding a sharp small carving knife with a pair of flawless white hands. Then she picked up the lump of wood next to her and started carving seriously.
She got this piece of wood from Senior Yu.
The old musician used the leftover wood after he finished making the one-stringed harp, which is not a rare thing.
But it needs to be used really well.
At this moment, the lump of wood gradually turned into a roughly round bead under the carving of her skillful hands.
Rong Zhen paused and played with it for a moment, then continued to polish...
About half an hour later, Rong Zhen put down the sharp carving knife and spread out his palm. On it lay an extremely round wooden bead.
She took a small jar of precious wax oil and applied it, waxing and polishing it.
When he was done, Rong Zhen threw the round, shiny, delicate wooden bead into the small porcelain bowl prepared nearby.
There was a "click" sound.
The brand new wooden beads rolled into the porcelain plate hit other beads, making a sound of metal and stone impacting.
I saw that there were other similar beads in this small porcelain bowl. They were made of different materials, including black mountain stone, ice flower seeds, red agate, and ebony...
They are colorful, but like the latest small wooden beads, they are all round, shiny, and about the same size.
Rong Zhen carefully picked out a few more defective ones in the small porcelain bowl, continued to polish them with the knife until they were round and perfect, and then stopped.
She carefully selected and counted seventeen beads, stringing them one by one with a red string.
During this period, I still have the leisure to match the color of the beads...
After stringing the seventeenth bead she was satisfied with, the girl in palace clothes took off the string of white jade beads given by His Majesty on her wrist without hesitation.
She used a knife to open the rope, removed one of the white jade beads, and pieced it together on a string for her newbie.
Finished.
Rong Zhen breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, I made this thing just one day before Ouyang Lianghan's aunt's birthday.
She is busy with work and can only find time to make one bead every day.
In addition, at the main grotto, Rong Zhen also carefully prepared a gift to give to Ouyang Lianghan on the day of the celebration ceremony.
In front of the table, the white and delicate palms of a girl in royal attire with sawdust left on them tightly grasped this new string of Buddhist beads.
This thing is called Eighteen Seeds. It is a special bracelet in northern Buddhism. It is used to pray for blessings and eliminate disasters. Each string of Eighteen Seeds is composed of eighteen different materials of gold, stone and wood. Which one goes with which one?
There is no strict emphasis on it, the main consideration is the size of each seed, and it only needs to be beautiful when paired together. In addition, each bead also represents a different meaning. The black mountain stone symbolizes wealth and prosperity, and the ice flower mani seed symbolizes happiness and health...
This bunch of eighteen seeds is really going to be given to that guy's aunt.
Keep her safe.
Rong Zhen can't go to his aunt's birthday ceremony tomorrow empty-handed.
And as long as it is given by her, it is naturally a heavy gift.
If she didn't leave a good impression on Ouyang Lianghan's aunt before, then she might be impressed this time...
When Rong Zhen lowered his eyes and looked lost in thought, a knock on the door and a report from a middle-aged female officer suddenly sounded in the courtyard outside:
"Ms. Shi, Princess Anhui is here. She is at the main grotto and wants to see you."
"The princess is here with her groom and her entourage again?"
"Yes."
Rong Zhen’s tone was lonely:
"Go and send a message that I am feeling unwell and cannot accompany you."
The middle-aged female officer took the order and went out immediately.
A quarter of an hour later, the middle-aged female officer returned to the Zhuyuan again, looking a little confused:
"Ms. Shi, Princess Anhui is concerned about you and has come with you. She is waiting not far outside the hospital and wants to see you."
Rong Zhen continued:
"Go and send a message, saying that I am feeling better, but I am busy with something, so please come back, Princess."
The middle-aged female officer seemed stunned for a moment and went out again.
Not long after, the middle-aged female officer came back to resume her duties.
Finally, Princess Anhui was sent away.
The middle-aged female officer took a look at Rong Zhen's expression, and she didn't know where the princess had offended the female historian.
She asked cautiously:
"Ms. Shi, the princess will leave Xun for Hukou County the day after tomorrow. I'm afraid today will be the last time we see her."
"oh."
Rong Zhen's response was a little cold.
The middle-aged female officer stopped asking any more questions and turned around to leave.
But I heard Rong Zhen’s voice coming from behind;
"Wait a minute, this time the princess came to the grotto, who was there to receive her?"
The middle-aged female official reported a list of names, including Grandma Song and some female officials of the Supervisory Council, as well as some of the main generals of the White Tiger Guard. Wei Mi of the Xuanwu Guard was not there.
Rong Zhen suddenly asked: "Where is Yi's command?"
"I went to Xunyang City to find Yuan Changshi, but I haven't come back yet."
"Okay, step back."
"Yes, Ms. Shi."
…
Xingzifang.
Chengtian Temple, a Zhaiyuan.
Yuan Huaimin returned to his yard in a depressed mood.
Although the fact of going on duty every day does make people feel depressed, but now it is off duty time, and there is no overtime work. Logically speaking, it should be the happiest time of the day, but Yuan Huaimin can't bring up any interest.
It was like there was a piece of iron weighing on my heart, and I became bored with everything in front of me. I just wanted time to pass by quickly and get through that day.
Yuan Huaimin sighed and opened the courtyard door.
In the courtyard, Li Yu was not there, probably in the neighboring courtyard. Because Yi Qianqiu came last night, Li Yu silently moved to the courtyard next door that the two had prepared in advance. He also moved his luggage and the straight wooden sticks he had collected.
Went there, just in case.
Yuan Huaimin wandered around the yard for a few times, his face a little dazed. After a while, he went to the bedroom and took out a few straight wooden sticks from Brother Li from the depths of the cabinet. He lowered his head and played with it, but his mood was a little absent-minded.
of.
In the past, he would have carried the straight wooden stick out of the house and walked around it a few times to show off to his friends in the temple.
Today, Yuan Huaimin is like a rotten eggplant, lowering his head and touching his stick, listless.
"Dong dong dong."
There was a knock on the door in the empty courtyard.
Yuan Huaimin suddenly trembled, but soon he realized that it was not Qiuniang who was here.
Because she didn't need to knock on the door, she just kicked her.
There is a knock on the door now, not a kick on the door.
Moreover, he had already promised her to go to the celebration ceremony to paint the next day.
Also includes the incident involving Liang Han.
After Qiuniang got the answer, she let him go and no longer forced him.
Yuan Huaimin took a deep breath and quickly adjusted his mood.
He stuffed the straight wooden stick under the table again, rubbed his face, and walked towards the courtyard door.
"Who is it? Brother Li?"
There was no answer outside.
Yuan Huaimin walked over with a strange look on his face and opened the courtyard door.
I saw a rickety figure at the entrance of the courtyard.
He seemed to be a short and smart little old man, with his hands behind his back and his back facing Yuan Huaimin and the courtyard gate.
He was wearing more antique clothes than the men of the Zhou Dynasty, including a pair of straw sandals and linen clothes with short sleeves. His back was relaxed and elegant. There seemed to be a scroll hanging on his waist, wrapped in gray linen. The exposed scroll was
It seemed to be made of bronze, which made Yuan Huaimin vaguely familiar.
At this moment, perhaps because he heard the sound of the door opening behind him, the little old man turned around and looked at Yuan Huaimin, who had a puzzled look on his face after opening the door, and looked him up and down.
Inside and outside the door, the two people looked at each other face to face.
The lean old man has a face full of wrinkles and small eyes that narrow when he smiles.
The moment he saw this visitor, Yuan Huaimin froze on the spot as if someone had cast a body-holding spell on him.
The little old man who brought the scroll stood on tiptoes, patted his shoulder with a smile, and said with some emotion:
"It's been a long time, little Huaimin. You've made your mark. I heard that you are now painting paintings for saints. It's like the waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves ahead, and a new generation replaces the old."