Chapter 3: This is a High-Stakes Game
Ouyang Rong lay on the bed with his eyes closed, and he thought of that study group whose name sounded particularly proper.
Actually, when the group was first established, it was indeed for postgraduate entrance exams, but as everyone knows, in the end, a study group discusses everything except studying.
Initially, someone mentioned games in their free time from studying—at this moment, no one realized the seriousness of the problem—and naturally, they started talking about playing together… then it became a gaming group, but this was only the beginning.
One day, a new group member was added, with an avatar of a funny smiling face wearing a feathered fan and a turban. He was indeed a guy who was bold and dared to know everything. Soon, the group entered political discussion mode.
Later, the 'group version' was updated again. The administrators stopped sending study materials and instead sent mysterious codes, audio, and graphic content that gradually depleted the physical and mental energy of the study group members and caused severe malnutrition… So, on a dark and stormy night, they silently added a note to the group name, and it eventually became “Certain University Gentlemen's Study Group (No Girls Allowed)”.
“Now it’s good, I’ve truly become a Gentleman,” Ouyang Rong lamented.
The day before yesterday, after he crawled out of the underground palace, he fainted outside the Bethlem Royal Hospital and was sent back to Sanhui Courtyard by Xiufa and the other young monks to recuperate. He was sometimes conscious, sometimes unconscious, and thus remained bedridden intermittently for two days.
He had finally digested most of the 'fighting' memories in his mind.
Regarding his original self, there was good news and bad news.
The good news was that his original self was a Gentleman.
The bad news was that his original self was a Gentleman!
It might sound a bit confusing.
His original self also had the compound surname Ouyang, and his given name was Rong, but he also had a courtesy name, Lianghan.
He was orphaned at the age of four, frail and sickly. His mother, Lady Zhao, remained chaste and raised him alone, nurturing him diligently, hoping her son would become a dragon. Ouyang Lianghan indeed lived up to expectations, possessing a benevolent and filial nature, renowned in his hometown. He was also diligent and eager to learn, entering White Deer Grotto Academy after achieving first place in the county examination.
In the Jiushi First Year of the Wei Zhou Dynasty, at the tender age of eighteen, he passed the imperial examination, his name spreading throughout Jiangnan Province. This was the youngest Southern Jinshi since the founding of the Wei Zhou Dynasty, and even the Li Gan Dynasty.
Why was "Wei Zhou" mentioned, and then "Li Gan"?
This is because the current world was originally conquered by Li Tai Zong eighty years ago, and the dynastic title was Gan. However, after the third emperor of Great Gan died, Empress Wei, the Empress Dowager, began to rule from behind the curtains, successively deposing two sons, ascending to the throne herself, overthrowing the Gan dynasty in one fell swoop, changing the dynastic title to Zhou, moving the capital from Chang'an to Luoyang, calling it "Shen Du", and establishing the Great Zhou Dynasty, which has been eight years to date.
And now, in the Wei Zhou court, undercurrents are surging. There are still many former officials of Li Gan who are loyal to Great Gan, and with the Empress aging, the struggle for the imperial succession between the Li and Wei families has entered its final stages… Ouyang Rong somewhat understood why Xiufa had changed his words to 'former dynasty' the other day.
However, as he digested this memory, it all seemed so familiar… Yet, after careful scrutiny, he realized that this dynasty was vastly different from the Tang and Wu Zhou dynasties he was familiar with in his previous life. Not only did some key figures not match up, but most notably, this world seemed to have a niche group called "Practitioners," who had existed since the pre-Qin period and had fully participated in nearly a millennium of historical processes.
It was said that there were Practitioners in the current Great Zhou court and army, and it seemed they each had systems related to the Yinyang Family and the Military Strategists… And what people said about the deepest and largest Practitioner forces in the world left Ouyang Rong somewhat speechless—they were the three sects of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, also known as the three prominent upper sects. It was said that there were also some reclusive ones overseas and in famous mountains and great rivers, but they were not actively involved in worldly affairs, and acts of chivalry disrupting order were not often heard of…
Back to his original self.
Because he was the youngest Jinshi to pass the imperial examination in the Jiushi First Year and also possessed a handsome appearance, he was directly chosen as the Top Scholar at the Apricot Garden Banquet in Shen Du Luoyang that year, making him one of the most prominent figures among his peers, second only to the new Zhuangyuan. It could be said that he was full of youthful ambition, galloping on horseback, and seeing all of Chang'an's flowers in one day.
Countless wealthy families wished to find a son-in-law among the successful candidates, but unfortunately, his original self was a Gentleman. During the imperial examinations in Luoyang, he never once visited a brothel, earning him the nickname "indifferent to women" among the Shen Du literati.
If it were only that, Ouyang Lianghan would at most be a newly rising ornamental figure among the Shen Du literati's pure stream. What truly made his name famous throughout the land was… he really stepped up when it mattered.
At the Apricot Garden Banquet in Luoyang, our newly successful "Top Scholar," after a few cups of wine, dared to submit a memorial directly to the court, his face flushed, advising Empress Wei against starting wars on the borders and to allow the people to recuperate.
However, whether it was good luck or someone of high standing speaking for him, the Empress, upon hearing his name, was not angry but pleased, smilingly reciting, "The Zhou state rejoices, and Rong has a good pillar."
This is a line from a poem in the "Daya" and also the allusion for the courtesy name given to Ouyang Lianghan by his teachers at White Deer Grotto Academy. It roughly means: The people of the Zhou state are all joyful, and the country has pillars of strength for peace.
Unexpectedly, the Apricot Garden Banquet turned a dangerous situation into safety. Empress Wei accepted his advice, praised him as a "Southeast hidden gem," and appointed him as a Palace Censor. The last person to receive such an honor was the current Chancellor, Di Fuzi, who was once highly praised by the Empress as "the one and only in the south."
However, after being granted an official position at the Apricot Garden Banquet, Ouyang Lianghan had not yet taken office when a family letter arrived, informing him of his mother's passing. Without a word, he resigned from his post and left the capital to return home for mourning. During this period, he mourned with utmost sorrow, and at the time, it was said that among officials of the court in the eighty years of Gan, he was the most meticulous in observing mourning rites.
Thus, Ouyang Lianghan's name for his extreme purity and filial piety became widely known, and the stories of his mother's kindness and son's filial piety also spread widely, almost like the twenty-four paragons of filial piety of his time. Even the imperial court exceptionally posthumously conferred upon his mother the title of Imperial Lady and erected a memorial arch to commend her…
With this series of opportunities, it should have been a smooth path to high office upon his return to the capital. However, the title of "Gentleman", certified by the entire world, was not so easily earned.
After his period of mourning for his mother ended, his original self returned to the capital and, immediately after taking office, once again risked his life to offer blunt remonstrance.
This time, he directed his criticism towards Princess Chang Le, who was immensely powerful in court and enjoyed excessive favor, exposing her for extensively acquiring property and competing with the people for profit, as well as hosting banquets and gatherings to build up her faction.
Princess Chang Le was the youngest daughter of the Empress. In a situation where only a few of the Li Gan princes remained after being ruthlessly slaughtered by their iron-blooded mother, she was still able to bounce around and live well, naturally enjoying the profound affection of Empress Wei.
The Empress was slightly angered and immediately dismissed Ouyang Lianghan from his official position in court, ordering fifty strokes of the rod. If it weren't for the persuasion of veteran officials from the White Deer Grotto Academy faction, both in and out of court, he would have almost been sentenced to prison.
Not long after, perhaps due to the brewing public opinion among the Shen Du literati, his original self was suddenly reinstated and promoted. However, it was a promotion in name but a demotion in reality, as he was kicked out of Shen Du and sent to Jiangzhou in Jiangnan Province, one of the Ten Provinces, to serve as the County Magistrate of Longcheng, a remote county.
How could the seventh-rank County Magistrate of Longcheng, far from the bustling Luoyang, compare to the esteemed and leisurely ninth-rank Palace Censor, where one could "only send off spring with wine, and pass the days with nothing but chess"?
But after this incident, the four characters 'Ouyang Lianghan' became synonymous with Gentleman, making his name famous throughout the land. Literati and pure-minded scholars from both the North and South praised him without reservation, hailing him as "Lianghan, a true Gentleman."
However, Ouyang Rong, having largely digested these memory fragments, sighed.
Lying on the bed with his eyes closed, he reached out and pointed at his nose, scolding himself with a wry smile:
“Good fellow, you're truly a prime example of someone with a muddled head. This wave of losses is immense. Besides a bit of false fame, you've lost so much that you're left with nothing but your underwear. No, wait, there's also this officially certified handsome Top Scholar face that can't be taken away… But you were used as a tool without even knowing it, and a tool that was discarded after use, one that the person behind you was afraid to get their hands dirty with.
“That Wei Family Empress, a hen usurping the rooster, established her nation illegitimately. This Great Zhou Dynasty, though seemingly flourishing, is actually like a fire cooking oil. The hearts of the Li Gan royal family have not been lost; even if they are currently timid and few imperial family members remain, the popular will is still with them.
“Inside and outside the court, there are probably many who sympathize and miss the old dynasty. The Guanzhong aristocracy who followed the dragon during the nation's founding are still deeply entrenched, especially the traditional conservative literati. Li Gan cultivated scholars for seventy years; these ties are not easily broken. Perhaps your teachers and the prominent figures from White Deer Grotto Academy are also secretly aligned with the pro-Gan faction, hoping the Empress will return power to the Li family and then follow another dragon… But you, on the other hand, well done.
“Alas, no matter how arrogant Princess Chang Le may be, her surname is Li. Perhaps those few remaining Li family descendants have been relying on her to cover for them and develop in secret all these years. In the grand scheme, she stands with the pro-Gan faction. Why did you contend with her? You were directly… used as a swift blade by Wei, and did they protect you afterward? You only relied on your false fame and your background from the Academy, but perhaps the officials in court who once paved the way for you now look at you as if you're an idiot…
“Those literati below are merely opportunists who seek fame and enjoy watching the show. What good is the false fame they give you? And do you believe that sending you to Longcheng County to manage the floods might also be a trap, banking on you being a mere ornamental figure? If you fail to control the floods, even this bit of false fame will be gone…
“Forget it, I won't talk about it anymore. None of these people are good.”
Ouyang Rong opened his eyes and stared at the bed curtain, muttering, “Even I, a mere armchair politician, understand these principles. How could you, a Jinshi, lack this much intuition? All you can do is study and take exams, right?
“...What? You said you actually guessed some of it, but still submitted a memorial early the next morning? The officials in court remained silent, and you couldn't bear to stay silent once you saw it? You even had your old servant prepare a coffin before you went to court that day?”
The bedchamber was silent for a while.
“Alright, no wonder you're more accomplished than me, it's just a bit life-threatening.”
Ouyang Rong sighed, got out of bed, and walked to the washbasin by the bed, putting on his clothes.
He glanced at the distant mountains outside the small window: “This is a high-stakes game.”
Then he looked down at his gaunt face in the water basin. To be fair, he did look a bit like Hu Ge, specifically from Chinese Paladin 1. He just didn't know if the wound on his forehead would leave a scar…
Forget it, giving others some leeway is also a form of Karma, isn’t it?
One small trick to accumulate Karma every day, Ouyang Rong smiled, and his mood didn't seem so bad anymore. Perhaps one day, when he had accumulated enough Karma, the Buddha would send him home, wouldn't he?
“My original self and I are almost identical. Is this me from a parallel dimension, my past and present life? Looking at it this way, I actually have a lot of potential in studying, as long as I don't have to memorize those damn words…”
Suddenly, Ouyang Rong’s hand, which was washing, immediately withdrew. Without time to wipe it, he darted back into the covers like a startled rabbit, lay down again, and closed his eyes, feigning rhythmic breathing.
Outside, a series of messy footsteps approached from far away.
The past two days, various people had come to see him, including the County Assistant, County Commandant, and Chief Clerk of Longcheng, as well as local gentry and prominent figures. However, he had not met them due to his "unconsciousness."
There were some things Ouyang Rong hadn't fully thought through yet, and he temporarily didn't want to see these feigning foxes.
Before the people outside even arrived, Ouyang Rong heard two voices arguing in the corridor. One of them was quite familiar, the other unfamiliar.
“Don’t stop me, Xiaoye. What have you done to Mingfu? Why won’t you let me see him? Are you doing that trick again, keeping the patient barely alive, the ‘slow stream’ kind of business?!”
“Xiaoyan Catch Cop, you can’t joke around like that. You’re also from Longcheng County. How could our Donglin Temple do something like those roadside quacks?!” Xiufa seemed startled.
“Hmph, it better not be. Xiaoye tells you, Mingfu is a Jinshi personally appointed by our Great Zhou Emperor. If anything happens to him in your temple… you all better prepare to spend the rest of your lives, young and old, building pagodas.”
“Alas, Catch Cop is joking. The Prefect, at first glance, is a man of overflowing righteousness. He will most likely be enshrined in the Confucian Temple alongside Sage Confucius in the future. With such good fortune, how could anything happen?” Xiufa sighed, “...Building pagodas, our temple truly cannot build any more pagodas. Several have already mysteriously collapsed.”
“I knew your temple was morally bankrupt,” the person called Xiaoyan Catch Cop said, somewhat exasperated. “Then why won’t you let me see Mingfu?”
“Our Abbot said that the Prefect is mentally exhausted and needs quiet rest.”
“Still resting? He hasn’t woken up for almost three days! You guys lied to me earlier, saying he’d be fine in two days at most! I believed your nonsense!”
“This… I don’t know either, little monk. It’s strange, why isn’t the Prefect awake in broad daylight? He always gets up to eat at meal times.”
“Get lost!”
“Ow, it hurts, Catch Cop, Catch Cop, you can’t kick! Our old saying in Longcheng is: first, don’t hit a monk, second, don’t hit a thin, sickly person. I’m both! Oh, stop hitting a person outside the mundane world! It’ll deduct Karma…”
“I’ll square your head!”
“…” Xiufa.
Creak—
Ouyang Rong heard the sound of the room door being pushed open from outside.
“Mingfu!”
Ouyang Rong, with his eyes closed, felt a gust of wind rush past him. The person had arrived.
This person should be Yan Wuxu, the son of the Longcheng County Commandant. Similar to Ouyang Rong, he had recently replaced his father as the Chief Catch Cop in the yamen. He was the head of the Catch Cops.
However, although he seemed a bit boisterous, he was quite diligent and responsible. It was he and a few cooks who had jumped into the water to rescue Ouyang Rong when he fell in that day. Also, "Mingfu" seemed to be a respectful term for the County Magistrate…
Impressions flashed through Ouyang Rong's mind. At the same time, he felt his arm being pushed a few times. He continued to feign sleep with his eyes closed, relaxing his breathing.
The person by the bed seemed to stare at him for a while, and then… suddenly, with a "clink," he violently drew his sword.
Oh my god! It's over… Ouyang Rong's breathing hitched. At this moment, only one thought occupied his mind:
Is it Princess Chang Le? Or someone sent by Wei to finish him off? Is it really necessary to be so ruthless…
Soft-hearted, no angst, no knives, no abuse for the main female character. There's a career line and a romance line, with appropriate doses of daily sweetness. It's a lighthearted and humorous style, so feel free to enjoy~