The Yuanminglou Dinner was organized by Wang Caozhi and several large grain merchants, and was specially held to entertain young county magistrates.
The guests also included a group of Longcheng squires besides the Liu family.
The attendees are all participants in the newly constructed Zip Yi Canal.
Originally, Ouyang Rong would not participate in such banquets and social gatherings in the past.
Either the Prime Minister of Diao County comes to participate, or Liu Lang goes to go through the motions and give him a drink.
Even though the restaurants have a dazzling array of fine wines and delicacies, they usually don’t have enough chopsticks to hold them. Unless you sit at the table with children, you can eat and drink in peace. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be nice to go back to Meiluyuan for dinner? You can still go back to the study after eating.
Check out Wei Lai's tea ceremony skills, and maybe delve deeper into water treatment...
But today, Ouyang Rong not only came, but also brought his junior sister with him.
After all, tonight is special, there are fish to take the bait.
Xie Lingjiang rarely participated in this kind of social interaction between men.
However, at this dinner, I don’t know if there was a noble daughter of the fifth surname like Xie Lingjiang present, or a group of grain merchants such as Wang Caozhi. The squire saw that Ouyang Rong had brought her here and misunderstood something.
After a dinner party, no one offered Ouyang Rong too many drinks, they only served as he ordered.
Ouyang Rong was so happy.
Ms. Xie bit her lower lip lightly and looked down at the purple-red liquid swaying in the luminous cup. She turned a deaf ear to the smiling looks cast by the people around her from time to time and did not explain anything.
Occasionally, she couldn't help but quietly raise her head and look at the young man picking up food who was surrounded by Wang Caozhi, shopkeeper Li, Cheng Yuanwai and others, chatting and vying to please him.
The young man is neither humble nor arrogant, and he interacts well with the old people. He turns his head from time to time, looks at a certain guest, and answers questions confidently with a smile. The atmosphere at the table becomes more and more harmonious.
Xie Lingjiang looked at it silently, his pretty face couldn't help but be fascinated.
Of course, she, as the nominal master's staff member, knew the final outcome of the Broken Yiqu incident.
Under the operation of the eldest brother, Longcheng County Government not only bought all the grain reserves of more than 300,000 yuan from the Wang family brothers, a group of grain merchants, and squires in the form of debt, but also used the new construction of the Zheyi Canal and the new ferry to
All the debts in the hands of these debt-holding merchants were recovered.
It is true that he is a half-empty white wolf.
And not only that, the latter also poured a lot of money into the new construction and helped the Longcheng County Government to build it. At the moment, they are busy with Zheyi Canal, going in and out of Longcheng County these days, transporting materials
, searching for craftsmen made the progress of Zhiyi Canal a lot faster.
Moreover, the start of new construction means the emergence of a large number of labor positions, making full use of the idle young people in the disaster relief camps...
Each party took what they needed, and the work-for-relief effect was remarkable. At that moment, she saw that Longcheng County was in full swing inside and outside.
In the entire county, everyone is busy working within the circle drawn by the senior brother, but only one family is excluded.
And Xie Lingjiang knew that the senior brother came here tonight to take back the remaining family.
In the large private room on the second floor of Yuanming Building, glasses were exchanged, glasses were exchanged, and the dinner was coming to an end.
Ouyang Rong learned from Wang Caozhi and others that the search for sluice repair craftsmen outside the county was not going well. However, when he heard this, he did not rush too much and just said that he would do what he could.
After three rounds of drinking, Wang Caozhi, blushing drunkenly, approached Ouyang Rong and whispered:
"Brother-in-law, you have to be careful with the Liu family recently... We did touch the Liu family's cake, but they haven't done anything yet. It's very wrong..."
Ouyang Rong laughed. It didn't mean much, but he nodded in agreement and accepted the good intention.
At present, he is the backbone of proposing and promoting the new construction of Zheyi Canal. Of course, the merchants and gentry at this table do not want anything to happen to him.
Ouyang Rong knew this very well.
And then, several grain merchants and squires came out with a wave of "revelation of true feelings" under the influence of alcohol, asking Ouyang Rong to be careful about the Liu family's dog jumping over the wall.
Seeing this scene, anyone could not help but twitch the corners of their mouths.
Everyone at the dinner table has obviously been fighting with Ouyang Rong for half a month.
However, as the banquet ended, Wang Caozhi and other grain merchants and the squires soon realized that the reminder they had just given to a certain young county magistrate seemed superfluous.
The door of a luxurious box diagonally opposite opened.
Liu Ziwen, and a lame middle-aged boy servant.
He was standing at the door of the compartment diagonally opposite, seemingly waiting respectfully.
The former was dressed in a round-collar brocade robe as an ordinary member of a wealthy family, but the grain merchants and squires who went out recognized the young head of the Liu family at first sight.
"Your Excellency, the county magistrate, the common people have been waiting for you for a long time. Please show me your face and seat."
Ouyang Rong looked calm and walked straight past Liu Ziwen, who was bowing respectfully. After walking a few steps, he seemed to have regained his composure and glanced at Liu Ziwen and the other two.
He didn't say anything, nodded imperceptibly, and led Xie Lingjiang to turn around and walk into the luxurious box.
Liu Ziwen looked a little embarrassed and did not look at the grain merchants and squires who were looking at him with surprise or amusement. He and his servants immediately turned around and followed the box, closing the door tightly.
Outside the door, everyone who was cut off from sight was a confused person. Seeing the scene that just happened in front of them, they immediately understood most of it, and they couldn't help but look at each other with narrow smiles.
…
This private room faces the street, the windows are closed, and the space is large, but there are very few people sitting there, so it seems a bit empty.
Ouyang Rong took Xie Lingjiang and sat down together.
In the middle is a huge round table filled with delicacies.
Opposite the two of them, Liu Ziwen also sat down, followed the lame servant who came to the door, and stood quietly behind him.
Neither Ouyang Rong nor Xie Lingjiang touched the food and wine on the table.
The former said directly:
"Master Liu, please come here, but what advice do you have?"
Liu Ziwen shook his head:
"I don't take advice seriously. Today, Liu set up this table of apology wine and respectfully invited the county magistrate. He just wanted to make a proper apology."
His tone was quite sincere:
"My third brother is arrogant and domineering, does not know what is good or bad, and has repeatedly offended the county magistrate. As an elder brother, Cao Min has failed to discipline him well. He not only brought shame to the Liu family, but also caused trouble to the county magistrate."
Speaking of this, Liu Ziwen ordered without looking back: "Go and bring that evil beast up."
The lame servant answered the door and walked out. After a while, when he entered again, he was followed by a strong Kunlun slave. The Kunlun slave was carrying a pale and weak young man on his back.
Obviously, the third young master of the Liu family, who used to be arrogant and domineering, has not recovered from the nearly fatal seventy-year-old boy, and is now very "quiet and honest".
Liu Ziwen looked forward without looking at his third brother, with a serious expression on his face:
"Kneel down and apologize to the county magistrate and Miss Xie."
Kunlun slave put down Liu Zilin and walked out of the door.
Liu Zilin's body was like a pile of mud, spread out on the ground.
This third young master of the Liu family, who used to be arrogant, arrogant and overbearing, seems to have become much more gloomy and quiet after being severely beaten by life.
Under his brother's gaze, he climbed up with great difficulty, knelt in front of the table, lowered his head, making it difficult to see his face, and only his weak and hoarse voice could be heard:
"Your Excellency, County Magistrate, thank you... Miss, I offended you so much. It was... I was too loud that day, and... I still hope Haihan, Your Excellency has a lot of..."
The next few words were squeezed out one by one by the kneeling young man with his head bowed, almost trembling.
This wave of bowing his head and admitting his mistake would probably hit him as hard as kowtowing to the humble Hu Ji Ke on Luming Street that day...
However, the three people sitting at the dinner table did not care much about the feelings of the kneeling young man.
Liu Ziwen smiled slightly, rolled up his right sleeve and stood up, picked up the wine bottle, and poured a glass of wine himself.
He held the cup with both hands, leaned forward, handed it to Ouyang Rong, and said sincerely:
"The common people would like to toast the county magistrate with a glass of wine. I hope you will be considerate of this."
Ouyang Rong looked away from the blushing young man kneeling in front of him and glanced at the thin white porcelain cup on the table with relatively clear liquid.
Xie Lingjiang reached out to twist the wine glass and looked at it for a while. I don't know how she identified it. Anyway, she didn't take out any silver needle or hairpin to test the poison... Xie Lingjiang quickly turned his head and nodded slightly towards Ouyang Rong, indicating that he was innocent.
poison.
Ouyang Rong still didn't reach out to touch the toast.
He didn't speak either, as if he was looking down and distracted.
Liu Ziwen suddenly seemed a little embarrassed.
The atmosphere in the box fell into silence for a while.
Liu Ziwen's face showed no annoyance, and he narrowed his eyes slightly. He turned his head and looked at Liu Zilin, who was still kneeling with his head bowed, and said coldly:
"Look at the good things you have done, the magistrate still hasn't forgiven you."
Liu Zilin trembled all over and wanted to speak again: "I..."
Liu Ziwen ignored him and looked at Ouyang Rong, who was motionless. He smiled apologetically, and then ordered without looking back: "Go and bring that bitch up for a toast."
The lame boy went out silently, and after a while, another person came in.
See who's coming.
The young county magistrate's expression did not change.
Beside him, Miss Xie, who was sitting upright and not squinting, her long eyelashes trembled.
It was the tall Hu Ji named Zhiying.
Liu Ziwen tilted his head slightly, but his eyes were fixed on Ouyang Rong's white porcelain thin-legged cup that had never been moved. He calmly said to Hu Ji who was kneeling on the ground:
"Go and toast to the county magistrate and Miss Xie. This whole thing happened because of this bitch. If you and Miss Xie don't drink from you, then...you can commit suicide and apologize."
As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell into silence.
Yingniang trembled and fell to the ground.
From the corner of his eye, Ouyang Rong saw under the table that the little junior sister's bare hands were suddenly clenched on her lap.