Chapter 163 People who are useful to the imperial court

A few days ago, it was raining heavily in Longcheng County.

The sun is shining today.

Rarely does the sky clear up.

The Su Mansion on Luming Street seems to have followed the name of Su Xian, the master of the Su family. At the beginning of its construction, many interesting and exquisite Jiangnan gardens were built.

Some are full of flowers and trees, courtyards, towers and pavilions, towering strange stones, and scattered rockeries.

Some are whitewashed walls and blue tiles, several poles of green bamboo, and picture scrolls on the windows, all of which are dazzling.

There are also springs and pools, low walls with leaky windows, exotic flowers and plants, and winding corridors.

All kinds of different styles.

It all shows the elegant taste and intention of the owner of the forest garden, who is aloof from the world and a rich man in leisure.

When Ouyang Rong came here for the first time, he almost got lost, but fortunately, there was a servant girl from the Su residence to lead the way.

However, because he occasionally came to find his younger junior sister or Su Dalang, after he came a few times, he gradually became familiar with the way.

The same is true today.

In the morning, on the southeast side of Su Mansion.

Outside a slightly remote garden named Juxian Garden, in a high platform and pavilion for people to rest, there are several figures drinking tea and waiting.

But the tea is almost cold.

“Mingfu, where is Su Dalang? Didn’t you tell us to go to Yunshui Pavilion to keep healthy today? We agreed to gather here, why is there no one now? The tea is cold.”

Yan Liulang, who rushed to wait excitedly, complained a little:

“Hey, it’s hard to wait for a holiday to come out to play, but Da Lang just let us pigeons, no, wait a minute, he has a treat!”

Yan Liulang gritted his teeth and said.

He didn’t wear a blue police uniform today, but a black round-neck soap robe, quite neat and dashing.

This high platform and pavilion is located in the center of the pond, and is connected to the shore through a wide and narrow hydrophilic walkway.

Surrounding it is a pond with dark blue water, in which there are a few golden carp.

Meilu Garden is next door, Ouyang Rong came earlier than Yan Liulang, and waited longer.

But at the moment, he was in the water pavilion, leaning on the railing with great interest, holding a box of bait in his left hand, and twirling his fingers to lightly sprinkle it into the pond.

The golden carp flicked its tail slightly.

“Maybe he’s taking a bath and changing clothes or something.”

Ouyang Rong fed the fish slowly, turned his back to the Juxian Garden where Dalang of the Su family lived not far away, and said softly:

“Before you arrived, he came out for a while, looked at the happy one, and said that he just finished today’s morning class, and he will send the teacher out later, and then he should be able to rest for half a day…

“Hey, why is it the same as school holidays, but brother Su’s studies seem to be really tight, and there is only half a day off every month.”

Ouyang Rong sighed.

Yan Liulang took a long breath:
“Hiss, it’s only been a long time? Are you working so hard on your studies now?

“Isn’t it about looking for flowers and asking willows, reciting poems to match, and adding fragrance to red sleeves? I used to think that being a scholar and studying was easier than us rough people playing gongs in the county government.”

“Half a day is not enough?”

Ouyang Rong has a straight face:
“Only those who are useless to the court and society will take a long vacation. For a pillar like Dalang, a star of scholarly circles, taking half a day off is already the highest tolerance he can ask for himself.”

“…” Yan Liulang.

“Mingfu, what about you?”

“Me? Am I here to accompany you?”

Ouyang Rong sighed and shook his head, put down the round box of baits in his hand, reached out to take the handkerchief from Liu Ashan, and wiped his hands.

He turned his head and said solemnly:

“A few days ago, we dealt with the affairs of the Liu family. Everyone cooperated beautifully. I took you out to play and reward you. This is called team building, do you understand?”

Yan Liulang and Liu Ashan looked at each other in dismay, not knowing what “team building” was, but it didn’t hinder understanding.

Moreover, the young county magistrate in front of him often came up with some weird words. The two people who hadn’t read much could only think of them as scholars with rich knowledge. Similar to “Zhihu Zheye”, they were all words of sages in ancient books.

As for why Master Xie, who is well-versed in sage books, sometimes stares at them in bewilderment… It goes without saying, of course, it is because the knowledge mastered by the senior brother is more extensive and profound than that of the younger sister.

“Also, let’s not go to the Yunshui Pavilion to keep in good health today, Liu Lang don’t think about this all day long. I will tell Da Lang when he comes out.”

Ouyang Rong shrugged:

“Let’s go out more and do other things that are beneficial to the body and mind, and don’t keep thinking about health preservation.”

Yan Liulang whispered: “But I think the health-preserving tea ceremony is also very beneficial to the body and mind…”

“Ashan’s family is about to make an engagement for him. Don’t spoil Ahshan.” Ouyang Rong pouted, “Besides, I can’t go now even if I want to.”

Yan Liulang was curious: “Ah, why is this?”

“The last time I came back, I asked the city magistrate in the yamen to send an official document, asking Yunshui Pavilion to order rectification.”

“…” Yan Liulang.

His eyes were slightly resentful, “Mingfu, I heard from Brother Ashan that Miss Wei Lai has returned recently, you don’t have to worry about Mingfu…”

“It has nothing to do with Wei Lai.”

Ouyang Rong shook his head, nodded again and said:

“To open a brothel, you must have the business license of the Imperial Court Jiaofang Division. They are a restaurant for eating and watching theaters. It is illegal and out of order. This is not acceptable.”

Yan Liulang paused for a while, and muttered in a low voice: “The Ming government is really strict.”

Ouyang Rong’s face became more serious:
“It can’t be strict, I don’t know about other places, but it has to be like this in Longcheng County. It’s not impossible to have brothels, but they must comply with the regulations, and the source of prostitutes inside must also be legal.”

He shook his head: “Otherwise, if wild prostitutes are allowed to develop, the world will tend to decline, and it is not surprising that there will be some forced prostitutes in the end. This is not good, very bad.”

Yan Liulang closed his mouth, put away his cynical expression just now, and nodded:

“The Ming government is still considerate.”

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

at this time.

Not far away, on the path leading to this pond in Juxian Garden, a tall figure hurriedly appeared.

“Lianghan, Liulang, it’s too bad.”

The frowning Su Dalang trotted all the way from the narrow path, broke into the water pavilion, and sighed to Ouyang Rong and others who were stunned:
“I don’t seem to be able to go. I was going to send Mr. Yuan away, but I don’t know why. Today, the old man became interested and said that he would give me a few more lessons and teach me how to write parallel essays.

“Lianghan, Liulang, I have to stay with the old man, you go and play.”

Su Dalang was like a defeated rooster, sighing, completely different from his appearance in the morning.

Ouyang Rong couldn’t help but look at him more, “Your holiday once a month…doesn’t even have half a day off?”

Su Dalang nodded bitterly.

Yan Liulang couldn’t help but patted him on the shoulder, comforting him:

“It’s okay, it’s okay, Dalang, in the words of the Ming Dynasty, Dalang, you are called someone who is of great use to the court and the country, it is a good thing.”

Su Dalang was taken aback, “What do you mean by someone who is of great use to the court and society?”

Ouyang Rong glared at Yan Liulang.

The latter shrank his head, then seemed to think of something, and turned his face seriously and said:

“By the way, Da Lang, why don’t you give us the money, isn’t it a treat, and we will help you spend it.”

“…”

Su Dalang was speechless for a long time, but he still silently reached into his bosom and took out the silver beans.

He looked serious and said:

“It really deserves my invitation. Lianghan, Liulang, and Brother Ah Shan have been waiting for a long time. Are you going to Yunshui Pavilion? Well, then I will…”

“Just kidding, don’t take it seriously, don’t listen to Liu Lang’s nonsense.”

Ouyang Rong quickly pressed Su Dalang’s hand and shook his head.

He pondered for a while, then frowned slightly and asked:
“Da Lang, this Mr. Yuan is the mentor you often mentioned that your father found for you?”

Su Dalang’s face became more solemn, he nodded and said:
“The old man’s surname is Yuan, and his style name is Xiangshan. He used to be a well-known official of the imperial court, but later retired…Mr. Yuan is highly respected and knowledgeable. My father told me to follow and study hard.”

Ouyang Rong saw Su Dalang’s face, although his expression was serious, his eyes still seemed a little disappointed.

He tried: “Why don’t I intercede for you and see if I can extend your half-day leave, you’re really tired.”

“Let’s forget it.” Su Dalang hesitated, “Mr. Yuan is a nice person, but his temper is a bit weird.”

He shook his head, turned away from the subject, and prepared to say goodbye:

“Lianghan, Liulang, you guys go, I have to go back, I really can’t accompany you to Yunshui Pavilion to drink health tea this time, eh.”

Ouyang Rong just wanted to speak.

An old voice suddenly came from the shore not far from the water pavilion;
“What health tea do you want to drink? Dalang, is this the friend you were waiting for?”

Ouyang Rong, Yan Liulang, and Liu Ashan all turned their heads curiously.

I saw an old scribe wearing a purple Confucian shirt, surrounded by four book boys, walked through the narrow path on the pond, and walked into the high platform and water pavilion in the middle of the water.

The old scribe was about seventy years old, with gray hair and beard, many age spots on his face, and a cane in his hand.

Several bookboys behind him held the book case respectfully.

Even Ouyang Rong saw someone bringing a teacup.

The shelf is not small.

“Teacher, why are you here?”

Su Dalang immediately went up to meet him, and supported the old scribe respectfully.

Yuan Xiangshan nodded and said, “I’m here to see the friends you made.”

Su Dalang: “Teacher, brother Lianghan and brother Yan are going back, and this apprentice will go back to class now…”

Yuan Xiangshan shook his head and said nothing.

Standing on crutches, he led the book boy to sit straight in the main seat near the center of the lake in the water pavilion, raised his eyelids, and looked at Ouyang Rong and the others one by one.

“I’m not very fit, so I take the liberty to sit down, everyone, please sit down too.”

After Yuan Xiangshan sat down, he took the tea from the book boy, took a sip, and then spoke slowly.

Su Dalang cast a helpless look.

Seeing this, Ouyang Rong and the others looked at each other, but they did not sit down, but stood still.

Yuan Xiangshan was not polite any more, and after asking Su Dalang the names of Ouyang Rong and others, he cleared his throat and said:
“What health-preserving tea from Yunshui Pavilion, where are you guys taking Dalang?”

Yan Liulang coughed, “I didn’t go anywhere, I just planned to go out for a spring outing, old man…”

“咚咚-“

Yuan Xiangshan suddenly looked at the ground with his crutches, interrupting Yan Liulang’s explanation:

“Hmph, don’t think that the old man doesn’t know. The old man is not a rotten scholar. He also came from your age. He still doesn’t know the twists and turns among you young people?

“What to drink health tea, what kind of health tea to drink at a young age, isn’t this just a code, maybe it means going to a brothel song shop to find flowers and ask willows.

“Stop coaxing the old.”

The people in the water pavilion were suddenly dumbfounded.

Yuan Xiangshan lowered his head again and took a leisurely sip of tea, nodded and said:

“Heh, did the old man guess right? You guys, drinking any kind of tea will only harm you…”

“…” Ouyang Rong, Su Dalang and others.

Yuan Xiangshan turned his head and frowned at Su Dalang:

“Seeing your anxious look this morning, the old man guessed whether you will learn well, and you are right.

“Hey, you shouldn’t take this vacation. If you relax a little bit, you’ll be wild. Now that you’ve even drunk health-preserving tea, what are you going to do in the future? What kind of tea do you want to drink?”

Su Dalang opened his mouth: “Teacher, my student…”

Yuan Xiangshan interrupted with a light tap on his crutches, lowered his eyelids and said:
“Your parents have high hopes for you, and entrusted you to the old man, let you study hard, look at you, do you live up to the ardent expectations of your relatives?

“What are you, you come here and stand, and I will talk about you when you go back.”

Su Dalang nodded with a sad face, and stood obediently behind the stern old scribe sitting on a pole, holding a teacup for his teacher. .

Seeing this, Yan Liulang couldn’t help explaining:
“Old man, you really misunderstood, we really are not going to drink tea this time…”

“That means you’ve been there before?”

“…”

Yuan Xiangshan shook his head in disappointment, glared at Su Dalang and said:
“Have you been there last time, to be honest? Dalang, you, you, how can I be so relieved to give you a vacation as a teacher, if you don’t pay attention, you will be spoiled…”

Su Dalang’s face was flushed, and he whispered urgently: “Teacher, the student is wrong, don’t talk about it, Lianghan and the others are still here…”

My teacher said these words directly and unceremoniously in front of his friend.

It’s not just a matter of not being worthy of his face.

Su Dalang’s face was very hot, and he couldn’t help casting apologetic looks at Ouyang Rong, Yan Liulang and others.

Ouyang Rong shook his head slightly.

However, he couldn’t help but glance sideways at Su Dalang’s “father-like” master.

The latter is still eloquently exhorting.

Ouyang Rong’s mind flashed the scene he saw in Su Dalang’s study last time.

He did understand some things, but he couldn’t help but sigh when he looked at Su Dalang again.

“Da Lang, I understand that you are an adult and an adult, but let’s see what time it is and what situation you are in?”

Yuan Xiangshan folded his palms, leaned on his crutches, and knocked on the floor to admonish him. He didn’t seem to notice whether his words would embarrass Su Dalang, Ouyang Rong and others, or the old man didn’t care.

“Don’t say that you share the worries with your parents, but at least don’t let them worry about it. Now is the time to focus on your studies. Have you finished reading “Erya”? How about “Zhou Li”? Let’s put aside the love between men and women first. There is also fun, let’s put all these aside, and study hard first…

“Heaven is about to send you a great mission, so human beings must first work hard on their minds and minds, exhaust their muscles and bones, and starve their bodies… It doesn’t mean that you will work hard on your muscles and bones, starve your body skin, how about you work hard on your mind a little bit?
“You, you, you really want to be a teacher to death.”

dong dong dong——!
The sound of the cane knocking on the ground resounded in the waterside pavilion, and the old scribe kicked his nose and stared with a stern tone.

“Yes, the students are afraid, the teacher calms down, the teacher calms down…”

Su Dalang hurriedly passed the tea, coaxing him with a serious face.

Ouyang Rong glanced sideways at the master and apprentice, but said nothing.

It’s also not very suitable for making a sound.

However, a certain person didn’t speak, but Yuan Xiangshan seemed to be aware of someone’s calm eyes.

The old scribe with wrinkled forehead frowned slightly, and then smoothed it out.

He returned the teacup to Su Dalang, and suddenly turned his head to Ouyang Rong who had been standing silently with his sleeves wrapped around him, and said:

“Your name is Ouyang Lianghan, the new county magistrate of Longcheng County?”

Everyone held their breath and looked at Ouyang Rong.

I saw Ouyang Rong nodding his head, and bowing his hands was polite three times:
“Mr. Yuan, I have admired your name for a long time, and I am disrespectful and disrespectful.”

(End of this chapter)