"Tan Lang is going to a dinner party?"

"Roughly the same."

"Private family dinner, or public banquet?"

"Eat whatever you want, a small dinner in Xunyang Building. Auntie, I won't take you with me."

"Okay, Tanlang, please be safe."

"Um."

In the evening, at the Huaiye Lane residence, Ouyang Rong spread his arms and finished dressing with the busy help of Zhen Shuyuan and Ye Weila.

When he went out this time, he actually wore an ordinary soap suit and a futou, which was not as troublesome as wearing official uniforms on duty in the past. However, Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weilai and other female relatives in the family were particularly concerned about the male master's clothes.

They circled around him to check and dress him up, and then let him go after tidying up.

Ouyang Rong walked out and the cold and charming woman in a skirt who saw him off suddenly said, "By the way, Tan Lang, there is something I forgot to mention."

"What's up."

"Didn't I receive a famous invitation at Xunyangdu when I first came here? That woman, Mrs. Pei, came to visit me personally yesterday and invited me to attend some women's gatherings in the city."

Ouyang Rong turned around and asked directly: "Auntie, do you want to go?"

"I don't want to move around much." Zhen Shuyuan shook her head, and suddenly smiled and said: "Actually, I feel that the woman is a bit careless and showing off her kindness. We are both women, Tan Lang. Auntie, my nose is very sharp, so

We can’t go even more, and we can’t cause trouble to Tanlang.”

Ouyang Rong looked at Zhen Shuyuan, a little surprised, lowered his eyes and nodded:

"Auntie is still considerate, well, then don't go. From now on, I will decline any invitations there. If you approach me in a roundabout way, just say I'm not at home."

"Okay." Zhen Shuyuan nodded: "I will refuse any gifts or anything else."

"Thank you for your hard work, auntie."

Ouyang Rong patted his sleeves and left the Huaiye Lane mansion with the breeze in his sleeves.

Zhen Shuyuan looked at her nephew's handsome back with mixed feelings and muttered:

"Well, I don't know who Tan Lang went to meet for dinner, why he is so happy, and when he comes back from work today, he is in such a good mood...

"Could it be that I'm having dinner with Huan Huan? Well, it's not like... I was so busy the past few days. Huan Huan came and Tan Lang wasn't here. It took so long for the beautiful woman to dry out, ugh."

Zhen Shuyuan turned her head and looked at Ye Weilai, who was watching obediently.

The two women turned back together.

Before entering the house, Zhen Shuyuan suddenly remembered something and looked down at the skirt she was wearing, especially the pure goose-yellow silk at the crooks of her arms.

"The woman surnamed Pei is well-dressed, and she seems to like wearing silk. The silk she wore when we visited yesterday was really nice, and she does look like a lady.

"Well, let Banxi go to the tailor shop in the city another day and buy one..."

The cold and charming woman in the skirt nodded and murmured, then walked through the door with lotus steps.

…

Ouyang Rong did not go to have a private meeting with his junior sister tonight as Zhen Shuyuan expected.

Now that we have arrived in Xunyang City, the junior sister cannot often disguise herself as a man and follow her. After all, she is a noblewoman with the fifth surname, so she still has to take care of the Xie family in Chen County.

So these days, the junior sister is staying with Wei Mei at Prince Xunyang's Mansion, Li Guo'er and the others, and doesn't have much time to see Ouyang Rong during the day.

Tonight, Wang Caozhi and others invited her to a banquet at Xunyang Tower, but Ouyang Rong didn't even invite her.

He was dressed in low-key regular clothes and wore a skirt knife, and attended the meeting alone.

Arrive at Xunyang Building and go to the reserved small box.

Almost no one recognized Ouyang Rong along the way.

After all, as the governor of Jiangxi, he has kept a very low profile. Apart from the dinner on the day he took office, he has not attended any banquets.

No one knew or disturbed him, so Ouyang Rong felt quite good.

Shaoqing, led by a pretty maid, Ouyang Rong arrived at a low-luxury box on the third floor overlooking the Xunyang River.

"Brother-in-law!"

As soon as Ouyang Rong walked in, he heard a shout that echoed throughout the box.

I saw a "whirlwind" coming towards me.

A short young man rushed to the door to greet him.

Ouyang Rong stretched out a palm and pressed it on the short young man's chest.

Wang Caozhi found that he could not make half a step forward, but this did not stop his enthusiasm at all.

The short young man who was blocked by the palm of his hand leaned his head behind the weak crown Chang Shi, stretched his neck and looked out the door: "Brother-in-law, where is our sister?"

"..."

Ouyang Rong and the grain merchants in the box behind him were speechless.

However, when thinking about Ouyang Rong's current official position and career prospects, as well as the huge profits gained from the previous construction of the Zhiyi Canal in Longcheng County, shopkeeper Ma and other grain merchants immediately understood it very well, and even looked at the low-key official with a long history at the door.

His eyes couldn't help but become hot.

Wang Caozhi rubbed his hands and asked enthusiastically: "Brother-in-law, why didn't our sister come?"

Then he winked and said: "Brother-in-law, there is no second half tonight. This meal is also vegetarian, without any meat. It's okay if you bring our sister here. Sister Xie is in Xunyang City. How dare I be so ignorant?"

Ouyang Rong gently pushed Wang Caozhi away and walked into the box, "Don't yell, I will definitely beat you up if I hear this."

"Brother-in-law, you don't understand women at all. It's too late for her to praise me."

Ouyang Rong ignored this guy whose face was thicker than the city wall.

"Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li, Shopkeeper Sun..." Ouyang Rong walked to the table, picked up a glass of wine, glanced around, and accurately stated the names one by one, and raised his glass:

"You're all fine?"

Shopkeeper Ma and other big grain merchants were flattered, so they quickly returned the favor and drank it all in one gulp.

"It's just the little people who are ignorant and haven't celebrated Mr. Ouyang's promotion yet! It's a small gift, but I hope you'll accept it."

Ouyang Rong declined politely, and everyone pushed and pulled him. After some pleasantries, they all sat down.

Wang Caozhi stood up and bent down to pour wine into the wine glass in front of Ouyang Rong: "Brother-in-law, just accept it. If you don't accept it, everyone will feel uneasy."

Ouyang Rong shook his head, "Old rules, don't deal with these, let's talk about business."

Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma and other grain merchants looked at the weak-guan Changshi with complex expressions.

They had thought that the young county magistrate would have a prosperous career and a smooth journey with his considerable political achievements.

But no one expected that he would be promoted so quickly. Just after Zheyi Canal was completed, he was promoted to the fifth rank of Changshi and the first state official.

This speed made even Wang Caozhi's eyelids jump when he first heard about it.

Unlike many philistine and shrewd grain merchants, he has the vision of family background.

It can be seen at a glance that behind this rapid promotion, he must have been appreciated by a noble person, and this noble person may even be the Empress Wei.

This is the real gold content behind the youngest fifth-grade long history in this dynasty.

"Brother-in-law." Wang Caozhi toasted with a toast and asked directly, "Why are we summoned here this time? Why do we need to talk about it in person on the spot?"

Shopkeeper Ma glanced at the night view of Xunyang outside the window and asked calmly: "Sir Ouyang, could it be that... well, there is a slight problem in the Jiangzhou lobby and we need a little help?"

Ouyang Rong turned to look at Shopkeeper Ma and said nasally: "Hmm, Shopkeeper Ma has heard some rumors, why do you ask this?"

Shopkeeper Ma sneered: "My master, I know the officialdom of Jiangnan Road very well. I heard a little bit of rumors, but I don't know whether they are true or not..."

"I heard that the gentleman with the highest seat in the Jiangzhou Hall made his fortune and was promoted through the Wei family.

"As for Mr. Ouyang, you...well, of course you are an upright gentleman. You are currently the second-in-command in Jiangzhou Hall. Have you ever been made things difficult for?"

Ouyang Rong raised his eyebrows slightly.

I'm a little surprised how well-informed these businessmen are.

But think about it, the merchants of this era, if not the white gloves of the imperial court or local officials, or the money bags of wealthy families, no matter how bad they are, they must be people with a keen sense of smell who will seek advantages and avoid disadvantages.

If you are a human being, you are just a walking fat sheep, and you will not be able to sit at this table tonight.

At this time, there was a burst of pipa sound from the downstairs outside the box, ranging from slow to fast.

Ouyang Rong came back to his senses and whispered to everyone:

"When I came, someone told me that this Jiangzhou Hall has been standing for more than 600 years since it was established in Xunyang County in the early Han Dynasty.

“The governors and magistrates of the Qin and Han Dynasties followed the governors and governors of the Qian Dynasty, one after another, like crucian carps crossing the river.

"Sometimes, I sit here alone and look around. I am always curious and confused. Is there anything that can be left behind for a long time?"

Ouyang Rong turned around and toasted:

"Xunyang City is still the same Xunyang City, just like the sound of the pipa in the Xunyang Tower. When the old strings are broken, new sounds come again, playing endless pipa music.

"Tonight, I invite you all to come. We will not talk about the honor or disgrace of one person or one official. We will only talk about the win-win situation between people and business and the prosperity of future generations."
To be continued...