No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 707 Li Guoer: Don’t play me to death [ask for monthly ticket! ]

"This princess has no objection. I will listen to Master Ouyang."

In the Xunyang Palace, in a boudoir, in a study on the third floor of a red building, there were two figures.

Ouyang Rong just went to see his junior sister first, and then came next door and found the little princess.

At this moment, he talked about Lu Ya with Li Guoer who was flipping through a book and asked for her opinion... Li Guoer only answered without turning her head.

"it is good."

Ouyang Rong sat upright in his seat, picked up the teacup without looking away, and took a sip.

Li Guoer stood in front of a row of tall bookshelves inside the study. The afternoon sun shone on half of her cheek. Her skin was white and shiny. The mark of plum blossom makeup on her forehead was as red as blood. Her beautiful profile was filled with a serious and focused expression.

Li Guoer lowered her head in front of the bookshelf, slowly flipping through the books page by page. After a while, she asked back:
"Mr. Ouyang, do you have anything else to do?"

Ouyang Rong looked down at the creature that was struggling at his feet, picked it up, and stroked its furry head. He looked a little hesitant.

The matter about the night-shining pearl might be the "object with the image of the bright moon" that Li Guoer had always wanted to find, but he had never told Li Guoer about it... and felt a little embarrassed.

In the end, Ouyang Rong still didn't take it out, and shook his head and said:

"Nothing, I just feel a little troublesome to Your Highness."

"It's okay, I'm used to the hassle."

"..."

Ouyang Rong regained his composure and said,
"If there is anything else in the future, Your Highness, please let me know!"

Li Guoer said calmly: "Okay, I'll have it now."

Ouyang Rong was stunned for a moment: "What? Any instructions?"

Next to the bookshelf, Li Guoer gently turned a page, seeming to be immersed in reading.

She said: "Tell me the whole story of this matter. What is the origin of the man that Lu Ya is going to help find?"

Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and then told him the general outline of the incident with the thin-faced man in detail, including his views on the conversation with Rong Zhen on the issue of whether the White Tiger Guard soldiers of Hukou County should stay or go.

Li Guoer put down the book, and Ouyang Rong saw her slightly narrowed eyes and said:
"You mean that someone from Princess Anhui contacted Miaozhen privately and now has gone to Hukou County, presumably to look for Duan Quanwu... so you think there's something fishy about this person, right?"

"almost."

Li Guoer pointed his index finger at his lips, thought for a moment, and asked in detail:

"How many people know about this now?"

Ouyang Rong said softly, "Besides my people, the only people in the palace are you and my junior sister. I haven't told the prince yet, mainly because the matter has not been investigated clearly. If I tell them rashly, the prince and his wife will be more prejudiced against Princess Anhui, and they will blame Dalang even more, especially the matter of Qin Ying, which will easily bring up old scores."

"You mean, Wei Anhui might not know about it? But isn't this her man? How could she not know anything about him coming out of her house?"

Li Guoer walked out from behind the bookshelf, holding a scroll of scriptures in her hands, with a sarcastic arc on the corner of her lips:

"You really treat her like a little white flower. You men are so sympathetic to women that you can even find excuses for beautiful women."

Hearing the words "little white flower", Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at Li Guoer.

If Wei Shaoqi were here, he would probably give a thumbs up to this statement.

"Why are you looking at me, Princess?"

"fine."

Ouyang Rong shook his head and continued:

"It's not that I'm being sympathetic, I just don't want to make Dalang sad, especially when there's not enough evidence. Anyway, no matter if Wei Anhui is a good girl or not, Dalang can't get in touch with her. Just treat her as she is and assume the worst. However, don't rub salt into Dalang's wounds for no reason. Dalang has done pretty well these days. Last time, Princess Anhui invited him many times, but he didn't go. He took the initiative to refuse and reported it honestly."

"That's right."

Li Guoer nodded gently: "But he is still thinking about it. Don't think that if you hide it well, others can't see it, so you can just hide it from your father."

She said again crisply:
"In fact, brother, you just don't have enough experience in relationships. A man should have no problem finding a wife. But you are still obsessed with a woman you shouldn't like. Brother, you are not rational enough and a little childish."

Ouyang Rong coughed.

Li Guoer squinted her eyes slightly, as if smiling:

"Why, did you touch someone's sore spot?"

Ouyang Rong didn't answer.

Li Guoer nodded to himself:
"Hmm, so it's empathy. I was wondering why you care so much about my brother's feelings. You understand my brother, right? You have formed a bond with a woman you shouldn't like."

Ouyang Rong didn't want to answer.

Li Guoer changed the subject: "But I still say that, my brother is not you. You understand but don't encourage him. You are you and he is him. He can't handle it as well as you do, and it's easy for him to get himself into trouble."

"Your Highness, please be busy first."

Ouyang Rong stood up and was about to leave, but Li Guoer stopped him:

"and many more."

"What's the matter?"

"There is actually something about what you just said. I don't know if you noticed it."

"Your Highness, please speak."

Li Guoer analyzed:

"Did you notice Rong Zhen's attitude? She advocated a celebration ceremony this time, and she seemed to be looking forward to the rebels from the Tiannan Rivers and Lakes coming."

Ouyang Rongduo glanced at her and nodded:
"That's true. Duan Quanwu's decision to bring people back on the 15th was probably her idea. She supports this. I could sense that when I talked to her."

"That's right." Li Guo'er pondered, "Before the Buddha landed, she was still hiding it. Now that the Buddha has landed ahead of time, is she so sure of capturing the rebels in Tiannan Jianghu? Is she expecting them to come?"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "In fact, part of the reason may be... she has a grudge against the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower that I disguised as, and it's not a small one. She has always wanted to take revenge."

Li Guoer asked curiously: "How did you offend her?"

Ouyang Rong was vague: "Unexpected."

Li Guoer looked him up and down and said with interest:

"This princess remembers that she has a very good relationship with you now."

Ouyang Rong looked somewhat helpless and said:

"I just feel a little guilty. I'm afraid that she and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau will catch me. I have to build a good relationship with them and keep track of their progress to avoid being caught."

Li Guoer seemed not to hear and continued to talk to herself:
"This Miss Rong Zhen, this princess has seen this kind of woman. She is very arrogant, but cold on the outside and warm on the inside. She appears cold on the outside, but once she gets hot on the inside, no one can stop her. The contrast is huge. The most important thing is that this kind of woman's love and hate are particularly clear... Tsk tsk, Ouyang Lianghan, please don't play with this little girl."

Without waiting for Ouyang Rong to speak, Li Guoer chuckled, waved her hand, and went downstairs.

Ouyang Rong looked at her disappearing back and shook his head speechlessly. After a while, he put down the teacup, went downstairs and left.

……

Governor's Mansion, meeting hall.

Today it is empty, with only a few figures.

Ouyang Rong, Pei Shisan Niang, Yan Liulang, and Magistrate Diao. "Brother-in-law."

Wang Caozhi strode in, picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

"all gone?"

Ouyang Rong put down the teacup and asked.

Wang Caozhi nodded and said:
"Well, everyone has left. The arrangements are roughly complete. Taoist Lu will accompany Magistrate Meng back to Hukou County first. I will send my men to go with them. When they arrive in Hukou County, the people who are following them will contact them... I will go back to the grotto to pack up my things and then hand over to Madam Pei. I will also rush over. The boat will be in the afternoon."

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly: "Thank you for your hard work."

Pei Shisanniang poured a cup of hot tea for Ouyang Rong and comforted him softly:

"Don't worry, sir. With the help of County Magistrate Meng and the presence of Taoist Prisoner Lu, a small Hukou County will definitely be able to find someone. It's just a matter of time."

Yan Liulang also nodded: "That's right, and we must grasp the key point and focus on supervising Duan Quanwu to see if anyone has contact with him."

Wang Caozhi agreed: "Good idea."

After a while, Ouyang Rong changed the subject.

Today he summoned Pei Shisan Niang and Wang Caozhi to discuss Pei Shisan Niang's joining the group so that she could also participate in the subsequent construction of Xunyang Grottoes.

This was actually promised by Ouyang Rong a long time ago.

Now that Pei Shisanniang has finished the renovation of the old houses in Xingzifang, it is time to let her join the partnership, which would be a deeper bond of interests.

This is also the reason why Wang Caozhi did not go to Hukou County today and stayed here to deal with this matter first.

In addition, Ouyang Rong recently had an idea to let the grain merchants in Xunyang Grottoes who had followed him for a long time, and the current Pei Shisanniang, and the Yang merchants under her, work together to prepare a chamber of commerce.

It is similar to the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce that had previously huddled together for warmth.

However, this new chamber of commerce will use the Xunyang Grottoes as its initial interest bond, which will also make it convenient for him to go to other places to do work in the future. Whether he stays in a local area as a governor or goes to the capital, it can follow him.

Ouyang Rong has only proposed an idea so far, and the name has not yet been decided.

But at this moment, Wang Caozhi and Pei Shisan Niang had already started a serious discussion, and the two temporarily put aside all their conflicts.

Ouyang Rong let Wang Caozhi and Pei Shisan Niang talk on their own, and he turned to discuss with County Magistrate Diao.

Before this, he entered the Xunyang Grottoes for a ten-day retreat and asked Pei Shisan Niang to privately find Magistrate Diao. At that time, a retreat route from Xunyang Ferry to Longcheng County was arranged for the Xunyang Palace.

Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment, then stepped forward and whispered a few words.

Magistrate Diao nodded seriously.

After a while, Magistrate Diao whispered:
"Understood, sir. Dragon City will be ready at any time."

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly, then frowned, not knowing what he was thinking.

After a while, the private meeting ended, and Magistrate Diao left with a happy face. Being entrusted with important tasks by the leader, he had no worries about making progress.

Ouyang Rong turned around and handed Pei Shisan Niang a letter.

"Master, what is this?"

Pei Shisan Niang opened it curiously and looked down at it.

Ouyang Rong said softly:
"Shisan Niang, you did a good job in renovating the old house in Xingzifang this time. Although you said you didn't lose money, I know that for businessmen like you, if you don't make a profit, you actually lose money. Even if you don't care, in the long run, your people will eventually become disloyal. Not everyone has such a high level of awareness as you.

"Please keep this letter of recommendation. You can give it to Madam Xie in Yangzhou when necessary. You Yangzhou merchants should have a base in your hometown of Yangzhou. If anything happens, you can go to Madam Xie and tell her my name."

Pei Shisan Niang was a little surprised and thanked her quickly: "Thank you, sir. This letter is worth a thousand gold."

Xie Xue'e's husband and my junior sister's uncle-in-law is the governor of Yangzhou. Being able to get in touch with the wife of the governor of Yangzhou is of course worth a fortune. Even if he does nothing but just reports Xie Xue'e's name, most of the problems in Yangzhou can be easily solved.

After a while, Ouyang Rong bid farewell to Pei Shisan Niang, left the governor's mansion, and went to Xunyang Grottoes with Wang Caozhi.

In a familiar pavilion, I met Rong Zhen again.

The lady looked a little impatient and asked him, "Why are you here again?"

Ouyang Rong smiled and said, "Help Cao Zhi pack up his things."

Rong Zhen was puzzled: "Pack up? Where is he going?"

"Go back to his business. Anyway, the cave is quiet now and we don't need him anymore. He can't just stay here forever."

Wang Caozhi, who had just finished packing, popped his head out from behind Ouyang Rong and said with a playful smile:
"Good morning, Sister Rong. Goodbye, Sister Rong."

Before Rong Zhen could frown and teach him a lesson, Wang Caozhi had already run away.

Ouyang Rong looked helpless and pointed at Wang Caozhi's back: "I'll go and see you off."

Rong Zhen snorted coldly, as if she remembered something, and she shouted, "After you send the person off, remember to come back later. There is something."

Ouyang Rong asked curiously, "What's the matter?"

Rong Zhen said softly: "The old senior is leaving."

Ouyang Rong paused and asked, "Mr. Yu?"

She nodded: "Yes."

"when are we leaving?"

"Send them away first, and we'll talk later when you come back."

Rong Zhen waved her hand, with a pretty face, and left for the time being.

Ouyang Rong nodded thoughtfully, turned and left.

On the way back to Xunyang City, Ouyang Rong and Wang Caozhi rode in the same carriage. On the way, they exchanged some words about Hukou County, and then they came to Xunyang Grottoes.

Before boarding the ship, Wang Caozhi suddenly asked:
"I have been in the grotto for a long time and often see Ms. Rong Zhen. I found something. I wonder if my brother-in-law has noticed it."

Ouyang Rong asked curiously: "What did you find out?"

"I found that Ms. Rong Zhen was always cold or indifferent to others. Anyway, she never smiled. But I only saw her smile at you, my brother-in-law. She only showed this expression when talking to you."

Ouyang Rong asked: "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything. I just think it's interesting. It doesn't mean anything else. Anyway, that's it..."

Wang Caozhi said a series of words like a jingle, slipped onto the boat, and his back disappeared on the deck.

"Is that so? Why does it seem like she's cold to everyone, so cold to the point of being rude? How can she treat everyone equally..."

Ouyang Rong muttered something, his brows furrowed for a long time, and he watched Wang Caozhi's boat sail away quietly.

He turned around, with his back to the river, and walked forward with his sleeves rolled up, silently on the busy street.

At some point, the young man with rolled sleeves looked back as he passed by the corridor where he and she had guessed riddles together during the Lantern Festival.

The red lanterns and the grandfather and grandson setting up stalls are no longer there, but the lady seemed to have smiled once that night when he walked back in a dashing manner, holding the hairpin prize between his fingers.

For some reason, the faint laughter of a little princess yesterday echoed in my ears.

"...Ouyang Lianghan, please don't spoil the girl..."

(End of this chapter)