If anyone in the General's Mansion were to be murdered, his position as Prefect of the Capital Prefecture would be in jeopardy. Now that Ouyang Zhide is on a mission outside the capital, the Emperor will certainly take the matter very seriously if anything happens at the General's Mansion. Even if it weren't the General's Mansion, but somewhere else, if ten people died in a single day, it would be a major case, a real headache for the Prefect of the Capital Prefecture. Therefore, there's no time to give Old Madam Ning any face; investigating the case is the key.
Old Madam Ning hadn't expected that her intervention would alarm even the Prefect of the Capital. Wouldn't this escalate further? If word got out, not only would people say she was incompetent at managing the household, but even worse things might happen. Old Madam Ning suppressed her alarm and softened her voice: "My lord, in my opinion, it must be some kind of prank. My son, De'er, spends most of his time outside the Great Wall and has little contact with the people in the capital. It's unlikely he would offend anyone. The women in our household rarely leave the house and have no chance of offending anyone. I think it's just some kind of prank, a threat. If we were truly frightened, it would be beneath our dignity. Therefore, I think we should let this matter rest. If this person is among the crowd, he will understand my kindness in letting him go. I hope he will never do such a thing again to atone for his past sins."
As Old Madam Ning spoke, her eyes swept over the crowd outside the General's Mansion. Those people paled upon hearing this, involuntarily taking a step back, afraid of being mistaken for the person who hung the object and facing blame. However, their fear was fleeting. The object had clearly been found outside the General's Mansion; they were merely passersby, trying to uncover the truth. How could Old Madam Ning have made them the culprits? They were far more innocent than the women in this haunted house. No one was a fool. The infighting among the women in the inner quarters was never-ending. Who knew what evil deeds the General's Mansion had committed to deserve this punishment? Now, to exonerate themselves, they were trying to frame them. How utterly despicable was Old Madam Ning!
Thinking this, the people in the crowd became restless, and many began to point at Old Ning and berate her.
"Stop spouting nonsense. This thing is hanging outside your general's mansion, yet you're trying to frame innocent civilians to take the blame for you. That's a truly insidious trick."
"Haha, this old lady has been denying everything since she came out, insisting it's a prank. She's trying to discredit the General's Mansion. But we're not blind or deaf. We clearly heard screams coming from the General's Mansion earlier, and they sounded like something about hands, hands. There's no mistake. This old lady is really something else. She can't handle the trouble herself, so she pushes it onto innocent people. She's so good at shirking responsibility. Did she foresee this happening today? Could this be her doing?"
Although these words were ridiculous, Old Madam Ning's previous remarks had angered many people. As soon as she finished speaking, quite a few people nodded in agreement, saying, "I think it's pretty much true. This old lady wasn't exactly a kind old woman to begin with, so it's not surprising that she would do something like this."
"That's right. There have been a lot of rumors in the capital lately. It's not impossible that the old lady did something irrational in a fit of anger. Afterwards, she regretted it and hung the things outside the mansion so that she could easily frame someone to take the blame for her. What a vicious heart."
"Ah! How terrifying! She's a vicious woman. I had heard that the old lady of the General's Mansion had raised her son with great difficulty and that she was a kind-hearted person. It seems that it was all an illusion. She's a venomous woman with blood on her hands."
"Yes! Poisonous woman, old poisonous woman, an unforgivable old poisonous woman!"
"You old vile woman!"
"..."
In an instant, everyone outside the General's Mansion shouted, waving their arms and yelling. Old Madam Ning was so angry that her face turned ashen, and her body trembled and swayed. She had to be supported by the people around her to keep from falling, but judging from her constantly changing expression of anger, she was clearly not in good shape.
The Prefect of Jingzhao didn't want to cause a disturbance and wanted to stop these people from chanting slogans, but there were too many people, and he didn't have many constables with him, so it was impossible to disperse them. Moreover, Old Ning's words earlier were indeed biased, so it was easy to understand why these people were angry and hostile towards her. Furthermore, the presence of a pair of bloody hands outside the General's Mansion was not a glorious thing for the Jingzhao Prefecture. He would have already put in a lot of effort to get Old Ning to tell the truth, but if she was provoked into telling the truth by these people, she might actually help him solve the case. Therefore, the Prefect of Jingzhao kept his mouth shut and stood aside to wait and see Old Ning's reaction.
"Nonsense, you're all talking nonsense! I would never do such a thing. I was the one who helped Aunt Ming get together with her. I would never..." Old Ning was pushed to her limit by these people. It was as if if she didn't speak up, their spittle would drown her. They had just accused her of a crime without her knowledge. Of course, Old Ning didn't care about any of that. In a moment of anger, she blurted it out.
"Oh, so the person with the severed hand is Consort Ming from the General's Mansion? I heard that Consort Ming's family, the Minister of Revenue, is quite close to the Crown Prince. The General's Mansion has fallen out with the Hong family because of the eldest daughter's matter. Do you think it's possible that...?" As a result, the two sides had a conflict, and Consort Ming was killed in retaliation? As for other secrets in the mansion, such as Consort Ming causing Consort Hua's miscarriage, they naturally wouldn't spread them around easily. These common people like to magnify small things; the wider the scope, the more fodder they have to talk about.
However, upon analysis, their statement did indeed make some sense, immediately drawing agreement from others.
"Yes, that's very possible."
Seeing these people's increasingly outrageous claims, Old Madam Ning was furious. Since this morning, nothing had gone smoothly. The fact that Consort Ming's severed hand was linked to someone outside the mansion, and these lowly commoners dared to harbor ill will towards her, now able to pin everything on her. Old Madam Ning wished she could send people to kill all these gossipy people. However, despite her anger, she knew she absolutely couldn't do such a thing, otherwise it would solidify her guilt. Old Madam Ning gritted her teeth in anger and roared, "Shut up! Don't talk nonsense! Consort Ming was silently harmed last night. She's alive and well now, and the General's Mansion will certainly not mistreat her. This was definitely not done by anyone in the mansion. Judging from the fact that it happened so silently last night, even the maids on night watch didn't notice, it's likely the work of ghosts, not human hands."
Old Ning's words created a somewhat oppressive atmosphere. People in this era deeply believed in ghosts and spirits, and often attributed problems they couldn't resolve through words to supernatural beings. Old Ning's statement made it difficult for them to say anything, lest they offend the gods or evil spirits, and she would be the one to suffer.
At this moment, a low, hoarse voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "I heard that there was a big fuss at the General's Mansion a while ago, saying that the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion was a jinx. However, it was later found that the Taoist priest who made the accusation was fake, and Ouyang Yue was fine. Could it be that the rumors about ghosts in the General's Mansion are true, but since the Third Miss Ouyang is not in the capital now, the ghosts and evil spirits are from someone else?"
Yes, since Ouyang Yue isn't in the capital, she couldn't possibly be remotely controlling someone to do evil. It definitely couldn't have been done by this Third Miss Ouyang; that person must still be in the General's Mansion. The previous events certainly had nothing to do with the Third Miss Ouyang, otherwise she wouldn't have been forced to leave the capital. It's clearly someone else entirely, perhaps even a jinx. It's just that the Third Miss Ouyang had a bad reputation before, making her the first person that came to mind. Now that she's gone, it further proves that this person does exist, and is indeed in the General's Mansion.
"Hey, isn't that the most famous person in the capital?" Suddenly someone in the crowd exclaimed in surprise. Everyone looked up and saw Rui Yuhuan standing next to Old Madam Ning, who was shrinking back and looking rather timid.
"Huh? This is Rui Yuhuan? She's quite pretty, but her heart is black. She caused a family to turn against each other. There's no one in the world as shameless and despicable as her."
"In other words, the general meant well, but who would have thought that this orphan would actually steal the affection of someone else's granddaughter and force her out of the capital. If I were that Miss Ouyang, I would be disgusted to death. This person has a sweet tongue and gets pampered, making people lose all sense of right and wrong, even pushing away their own flesh and blood. She's quite capable. You all need to keep a close eye on your husbands. This little vixen may look gentle and weak, but she's always up to tricks. Who knows, one day she might bewitch your man and even force us, her old wives, to leave."
"Pah! Can't you say something nice? But you're right, these kinds of sluts are the worst. In all those brothels in the capital, which one of these sluts doesn't have this weak and pitiful look, seducing countless men into bankruptcy? These orphans are the most heartless and have no self-respect. Isn't that what they say: 'Whoever feeds you is your mother'? Once you pay them, they'll just be as depraved as those sluts in the brothels."
Many women in the crowd echoed her sentiments, directly equating Rui Yuhuan with a prostitute in a brothel. Such insults were already disgusting, especially since Rui Yuhuan had indeed spent three days in a brothel—those three days were the most unbearable memories of her life. Now, these people were bringing it up again, as if the bloody truth was right before her eyes. Her face twisted with rage, her eyes turning a terrifying, sinister red with hatred. She roared, "Shut up! You old vile women who only know how to gossip all day long, how dare you slander my innocence! You all deserve to die!"
Rui Yuhuan's appearance was really not good, even somewhat ferocious, which startled the onlookers. The discussion in the crowd stopped instantly, but the next moment it erupted into a deafening commotion.
"See? This person's true colors have been revealed. He's not some weak and pitiful person at all; he's clearly a demon."
"Ah! There's a ghost haunting this General's Mansion. Could it be her? Speaking of which, it seems that as soon as Rui Yuhuan entered the General's Mansion, one thing after another happened: the scandal in the Ning family, the eldest daughter's self-immolation, the falling out with the Hong family, and then the forced departure of the Third Miss Ouyang. Could all of this have been secretly orchestrated by this woman?"
"A jinx! She's absolutely a jinx! She bewitched this old lady and forced her to flee the capital, leaving her own granddaughter with no way out. This bastard, everyone, beat her to death!"
"Ah, no, no, stop it, all of you!"
Suddenly, the crowd erupted in chaos, with people throwing whatever they could find at Rui Yuhuan. In just a moment, Rui Yuhuan was struck in several places, some even wielding stones and bricks, relentlessly hurling them at her. In no time, Rui Yuhuan was covered in dirt and grime, one brick striking her squarely on the head, causing blood to gush from her brain.
The Prefect of Jingzhao was immediately startled and roared, "Stop! All of you, stop right now! If anyone dares to lay a hand on me again, don't blame me for being ruthless. I'll take you all to the Jingzhao prison and see if you dare to cause any more trouble!"
Some people in the crowd continued throwing things, but immediately quieted down. They had only come to watch the spectacle; their anger stemmed from Old Madam Ning's suspicions, and seeing a lowly woman like Rui Yuhuan acting so arrogantly in the General's Mansion, they felt sorry for Ouyang Yue and started making a scene. However, when it came to their own safety, they dared not act impulsively again.
Old Madam Ning was furious. Trembling, she pointed at the crowd and said, "Your Excellency, the Prefect of the Capital, quickly, quickly take these wicked people to the prison for severe interrogation! They dared to harm people like this before you even questioned them. Who knows how many evil deeds they have done behind your back? You must not let them go. Avenge Yu Huan!"
Seeing Old Madam Ning's furious expression and the tender care she showed in protecting Rui Yuhuan, the Prefect of the Capital's expression was filled with mockery. The recent rumors in the capital had indeed been true for Old Madam Ning. She was utterly foolish, inciting the people's anger at a time like this; this matter would only spiral out of control. Just as the Prefect of the Capital had thought, the people hated Old Madam Ning intensely, and their hatred for Rui Yuhuan was equally intense. However, with the Prefect of the Capital having spoken, the General's Mansion held more sway than they did, and no one dared to speak or act recklessly now. But the deep hatred they harbored for both women meant that things would definitely not calm down afterward.
The Prefect of Jingzhao said sternly, "I'd better help this young lady into the mansion for bandaging. I will send someone to inquire about today's events later, so I won't disturb you any longer. Alright, everyone go back now and don't block the entrance to the General's mansion. If anything happens, I'll take care of the person responsible."
After speaking, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture left with his men. He didn't want to get involved in matters concerning officials of the imperial court; he'd let them handle it themselves. As soon as he left, the common people glared resentfully at the General's Mansion and dispersed, though they lingered in small groups along the road, discussing the matter incessantly.
Within a day, news spread that Rui Yuhuan was a jinx, bringing constant disasters to the General's Mansion. The rumors grew increasingly exaggerated, claiming that Rui Yuhuan was possessed by a ghost, having bewitched Old Madam Ning, causing her to become confused and disown her relatives, recognizing this demon instead. This led to a series of calamities in the mansion, even forcing her granddaughter Ouyang Yue to flee the capital. Yet Rui Yuhuan lived ostentatiously in the General's Mansion, controlling Old Madam Ning, and today she had even caused Concubine Ming to lose a hand—she was truly a jinx, bringing misfortune to anyone who came into contact with her. Some even secretly speculated that Old Madam Ning would eventually be killed by Rui Yuhuan; seeing how much she sided with him now, it seemed she was destined to die. Such a jinx didn't discriminate; the closer the person, the more likely they were to be cursed.
But no one sympathized with Old Lady Ning. Countless people in the capital secretly cursed her, wishing she would be cursed to death by Rui Yuhuan and suffer the consequences of her own actions. Some small gambling dens even set up bets on this, with small stakes and wagers on when Old Lady Ning would die—some saying one day, one month, two months—and others cursing her to die a violent or tragic death. It's as if the people of the capital were possessed; the depth of their hatred and resentment towards Old Lady Ning was evident in these bets.
Of course, Old Lady Ning and Rui Yuhuan were despised by the entire city, and those who were close to them were also implicated, such as Old Lady Ning's maternal family, the Ning family.
The Ning family, one of the five great families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was already a world apart from ordinary people, causing them to feel a sense of inferiority. In this situation, their instinct is to elevate this status, implicating the Ning family in failing to raise their daughter, to the point that even their legitimate daughter couldn't distinguish right from wrong, driving away her own granddaughter and spoiling some unknown bastard. Old Madam Ning's every action represented the Ning family; now, not only were Old Madam Ning and the General's Mansion disgraced, but the entire Ning family was also brought shame upon themselves.
That day, some people even threw stones at the gate of the Ning residence in a fit of anger. This infuriated Ning Baichuan, the Imperial Censor. As an official responsible for overseeing the conduct of court officials, he was now being implicated by the old Ning family, a blow to his reputation in court. Even today, before leaving court, the Emperor glanced at him and said, "Imperial Censor Ning has been troubled lately; you should take care of your health." These seemingly concerned words from the Emperor filled Ning Baichuan with dread.
In this capital city, even the smallest matter can become a huge scandal, let alone something so disgraceful. People are eager to spread the word, and everyone they meet will talk about it. Who doesn't know about this now? So many people are waiting to see the Ning family make a fool of themselves. The Ning family's reputation, built up over the years—from the Ning family's birthday banquet to Ning Xihai's death from pleasure-seeking—and considering the General's Mansion's past misdeeds and Old Madam Ning's recent actions, if the Ning family doesn't take action, perhaps even before the officials and common people give up, the Emperor will be the first to eliminate the Ning family.
The significance of these powerful families lies not only in their prestige and influence, but also in their role as the emperor's right-hand men. If these men bring shame upon the emperor and are despised by the entire city, then their elimination is necessary. On his way back to his residence from the palace, Ning Baichuan grew increasingly alarmed. Upon arriving at his residence, he smashed things. Huang and Shang, having received the news, naturally came out to greet him. Upon seeing them, Ning Baichuan immediately roared, "No matter what method we use to resolve this matter, if all else fails, we'll do as the rumors in the capital say: kill my aunt, and then kill that Rui Yuhuan to appease public anger!"
"Oh no, how can that be? The General's Mansion is a military mansion; there must be people protecting it in secret. If this fails and people find out, the reputation of our Ning family will be completely ruined." Madam Huang's heart skipped a beat as she immediately said this. She wasn't trying to speak well of Old Madam Ning, but rather she cared more about the Ning family and her son. If this matter were to spread, it would only cause more trouble.
Ning Baichuan naturally knew this, but he was so angry that he couldn't vent his anger. He had reached the point where he wanted to tear his aunt, Old Madam Ning, apart. The noble eldest daughter of the Ning family, who had received a good education, had become a figure hated by everyone in the capital. Only death could appease public anger. Naturally, he wanted to kill her, but he knew it wouldn't be easy: "No matter what, we must sever all ties with this matter. The reputation of my Ning family can no longer be dragged down by this old hag."
Ning Baichuan, usually a man of great composure, now wore a fierce expression. The old Ning family, being close relatives of the Ning clan, had benefited from Ouyang Zhide's influence, and naturally couldn't sever that connection. Even though Ouyang Zhide was ordered to the capital, the Emperor probably hadn't completely lost favor with him, but the Ning clan couldn't afford to wait; a swift and decisive victory was necessary.
Madam Huang was startled: "Then your sister..."
Ning Baichuan said coldly, "What does it have to do with my aunt and my sister? Fortunately, my sister is smart and didn't participate in this matter from beginning to end. It's just as the rumors in Baixing say. My aunt has been bewitched by that jinx Rui Yuhuan and is no longer a normal person. If all else fails, we'll kill my aunt and make it look like she was killed by Rui Yuhuan. Then the Ning family will personally kill that rotten Rui Yuhuan to appease public anger."
Seeing that Ning Baichuan still had affection for Ning Shi, Madam Huang felt relieved. She felt no sympathy for the old Ning Shi whatsoever. Calmly, she analyzed the situation carefully, saying, "This matter is probably not easy. Perhaps we should spread the word first: the Ning family has endured humiliation and repeatedly tried to persuade Ning Taohua at the General's Mansion, but to no avail. They were even once thrown out by her. The Ning family isn't acting out of pity, but rather because Ning Taohua has gone too far. This has gradually solidified the fact that Ning Taohua has been bewitched, making it seem like she's being controlled out of necessity. This way, we can at least garner some sympathy, and naturally, it won't have anything to do with our Ning family."
Ning Baichuan thought about it carefully and also felt that it made a lot of sense: "Alright, let's leave this matter to Mother."
The next morning, Madam Huang and Madam Shang arrived at the General's Mansion in a very conspicuous manner. All along the way, their weeping could be heard from the carriage. They kept lamenting how Old Madam Ning had become like this, and how if she had listened to their advice and sent Rui Yuhuan away sooner, none of this would have happened. The carriage wasn't soundproof, and being on a main street, it naturally attracted attention and sparked gossip. Madam Huang and Madam Shang, their eyes red and swollen from crying, entered the General's Mansion. Those who had followed them wondered if the mistress of the Ning family had come to persuade them.
Inside Anhe Hall, Rui Yuhuan was recovering from a head injury, and Old Madam Ning had lost her spirits, often staying by her side to comfort her. Although she was extremely annoyed by the rumors circulating outside, she could only fum in anger. She had sent people to refute and explain the rumors, but without exception, they were all turned away. Old Madam Ning was now like a rat crossing the street; she had never been so miserable. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, until finally she collapsed in bed and couldn't get up.
When Huang and Shang heard that Old Ning was ill, they assumed she was faking it. They pushed aside the servant who came to announce her arrival and rushed into Old Ning's room. Seeing that Old Ning's pale face didn't seem fake, they felt no sympathy. If it weren't for Old Ning, they wouldn't have to go through all this trouble, putting on so many acts, almost crying their eyes out. And Old Ning dared to fall ill? She must think someone was to blame. If she didn't die from this illness, it would be more advantageous for them.
Huang and Shang exchanged a glance, both seeing the coldness in each other's eyes. Huang said sarcastically, "Peach Blossom, you really are sick, aren't you? But this is the worst possible time. What's wrong? You've done so many wrong things that you're scared now, aren't you? You're pretending to be sick to avoid us because you're afraid we'll come knocking on your door. You're really getting more and more capable. You haven't done anything serious, just resorting to these low-class tricks. Where did the resourceful Ning Taohua go? Judging from your current behavior, you're probably not even as good as a shrew from the marketplace."
Old Ning lay there, utterly exhausted, her face flushed with anger at Huang's sarcastic remarks. She wished she could slap Huang across the face and smash her mouth.
Madam Shang's voice was weak as she softly advised, "Mother, please stop. Aunt is weak and needs recuperation. She certainly didn't mean to skip your greetings, and she probably hasn't been bewitched by that jinx, Rui Yuhuan. Alas, Aunt has indeed changed a lot lately. Her former shrewdness is nowhere to be seen. Grandmother, do you know there are betting pools outside? I say that Rui Yuhuan is a real menace! These people are so despicable, placing bets on when Grandmother will be cursed to death by Rui Yuhuan! Aunt..." "People with such auspicious zodiac signs aren't so easily cursed to death. Even if Rui Yuhuan has the worst jinx, it should last for more than a year. These rumors come and go quickly. By then, these people will have stopped running the betting pools. Aunt might as well place a big bet then; maybe she can leave more wealth for her descendants. That wouldn't be a bad thing." Shang's voice was soft, as if she respected Old Ning, but every word she spoke was about the betting curses. Her words clearly carried a gloating tone, waiting for Old Ning to bring about her own demise.
Old Ning was so angry that she was practically spitting fire. Her face turned bright red, and her trembling eyes were almost as big as a bull's eyes. Suddenly, she pulled off the quilt and pounced on Shang.
Shang was startled and cried out, "Help! Help! My aunt has gone mad! My aunt has really gone mad! She suddenly attacked me! Quick! My aunt has gone mad! Hold her down!" Then she shouted outside, "That damned Rui Yuhuan! Who is this jinx? She's driven my aunt insane! We can't let her get away with this! Bring Rui Yuhuan here!"
Rui Yuhuan was recuperating in Anhe Hall when she gave the order. The servants that Shang Shi brought from Ning Mansion immediately ignored the obstruction of the servants in Anhe Hall and dragged the injured Rui Yuhuan over like a dead dog.
Looking at Rui Yuhuan's weak and pitiful appearance, Shang was furious. It was all because of this little bitch, and she would never forgive her!
☆, Chapter 103, Relationship Broken Down (Monthly Ticket!)
Rui Yuhuan, feeling weak, was resting in her room when several fierce-looking old women suddenly rushed in and dragged her out. She tried to struggle, but these damned women were extremely rough, pinching and twisting her. Rui Yuhuan finally gave up and followed them out to see what was happening. As soon as she stepped out, she felt an extremely cold gaze sweep over her. She was startled and looked up, only to see a very elegantly dressed woman sneering at her. Rui Yuhuan knew she was in trouble.
Shang smiled coldly, looking at the frail-looking Rui Yuhuan, a mocking curve forming at the corner of her mouth. Those restless, shameless women in her husband's room were arrogant and conceited in front of others, but in front of her husband, they were all so weak and pitiful. Even she had fallen for their shrewishness several times. How could she not know that these were just tricks used by these lowly women? They might fool those foolish men, but they wouldn't fool her.
Seeing Rui Yuhuan's state, Shang Shi became even more certain of her earlier suspicions. Rui Yuhuan was definitely not an innocent and kind woman; her tricks were probably not only underhanded but also somewhat malicious. Even if she disliked Ouyang Yue, Ouyang Yue was still her niece in terms of social status. Her own relative had been humiliated to this extent by an outsider's illegitimate child. This alone gave her ample reason to deal with Rui Yuhuan.
"So it was this slut who was causing trouble in the General's Mansion. I really didn't expect her to be so beautiful. She actually has such great abilities. We should really broaden our horizons." Although Madam Shang was smiling, Rui Yu Huan's heart suddenly tightened. She had a bad feeling!
The next moment, Madam Shang coldly stared at Rui Yuhuan: "I'm quite curious, how did such a lowly person, with no talent, no looks, and no background, gain power in the General's Mansion? I think it really has something to do with the rumors circulating in the capital." The servant beside Madam Shang looked at Rui Yuhuan and asked curiously, "I wonder what rumors you're talking about, Madam."
Madam Shang chuckled softly, "You fool! Don't you know about all the rumors circulating in the capital lately? They say Rui Yuhuan is a jinx, and whoever encounters her is doomed. Didn't you see how my aunt looked before? Look at her now, so haggard, and her reputation has been ruined by Rui Yuhuan. How could this have happened before?" The servant exclaimed in surprise, "Madam is right, that's exactly what they say!"
"It's not just the General's Mansion that's been dragged down by her bad luck; even our Ning Mansion, which is only related to the General's Mansion by marriage, is now suffering the same fate. Every day, there are people causing trouble outside. Our Ning Mansion is a wealthy family; how can we stoop to the level of these foolish commoners? But this jinx's skills are truly terrifying. It hasn't been long since she caused so much harm. If it continues, perhaps everyone in the capital will be cursed to death, injured, or impoverished. That would be a grave sin. Just thinking about it is terrifying. It's heartbreaking to have such a vicious woman hiding among us." Madam Shang's words became increasingly serious, eventually linking Rui Yuhuan to the lives and safety of the entire capital. These words were spoken within the General's Mansion; if they were to spread, Rui Yuhuan would surely be cornered outside the General's Mansion, with people demanding her execution.
Rui Yuhuan's face was deathly pale. Weak from excessive blood loss, she slumped to the ground, looking utterly miserable. Little did she know that this appearance only fueled Shang Shi's hatred: "If I don't go to hell, who will? For the safety of the people of the capital, I am willing to be the villain today and deal with this vile woman."
Rui Yuhuan's heart skipped a beat, and she could no longer pretend. She raised her head and roared angrily at Shang Shi, "No! Who are you? Although you are the mistress of the Ning family and have some kinship with the General's Mansion, you are not the head of the General's Mansion. You don't have the right to overstep your bounds in the General's Mansion. What, is the head of the Ning family such an unruly person? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" There was one thing Rui Yuhuan would never learn: she was good at acting, good at pleasing those she wanted to please, and she was also very clever; her schemes were sometimes quite insidious. But her pitiful and pathetic identity was always a pain in her heart. She had a sense of inferiority, even though she had never shown it in public before. Deep down, she always felt that the people of the General's Mansion, those noble ladies of the capital, looked down on her as an orphan. In reality, this problem does exist, which makes Rui Yuhuan feel even more inferior. As a result, she tries harder to do better and surpass all the lowly women who are inferior to her but occupy the status of noble ladies.
This situation only triggers her instinctive resistance when she's ridiculed for her status or other factors at crucial moments. Like a hedgehog, she'll prick others first, regardless of the consequences, just like she is now. She clearly knows she's inferior in skill, status, and power, yet she can't tolerate the Shang family looking down on her in the slightest. This feeling fuels a deep-seated hatred within her, her expression twisted, and she coldly stares at the Shang family. The way she grits her teeth makes it clear to everyone in the room that she harbors hostility and murderous intent towards them.
A powerless orphan girl, relying solely on the favor of Old Madam Ning, dared to disregard her, the matriarch of one of the five great families, and the wife of a third-rank official—a woman of dubious status. If before Madam Shang merely disapproved of Rui Yuhuan's petty schemes that caused the Ning family to suffer, now she harbored a deep-seated murderous intent towards Rui Yuhuan. Fine, this little bitch dared to defy her even at a time like this; then she would let this little bitch know what a miserable consequence would come from defying her.
"Guards, beat her to death!" At Shang's command, a row of burly, rough-looking servants who had accompanied her stepped forward, each carrying a thick wooden plank, their faces expressionless as they stared at Rui Yuhuan. Rui Yuhuan was startled. She had just injured her head; if she didn't rest properly, she could become mentally impaired or even die. Now, at the very time she should be resting, not only had Shang dragged her to the main hall of Anhe Hall without any explanation, but now Shang actually wanted to beat her. How could this be allowed? Who did Shang think she was? Did she really think that just because she was the mistress of the Ning family, she could boss people around in other households? How arrogant!
"Stop! You dare! Anyone who dares to touch me today will have their entire family lose their lives in the future. I'll make sure they all pay with their lives if they touch me." Rui Yuhuan's eyes were extremely cold, and her gaze swept over them, truly intimidating the servants who were about to attack.
Enraged, Madam Shang gave a wink to her personal maid, who, understanding the situation, snatched a paddle from one of her hands and struck Rui Yuhuan hard on the back, snarling, "You shameless wretch! What do you think you are? A noble princess, a golden branch of the imperial family? Even the princesses of the Great Zhou Dynasty are all bound by propriety. You treat your life like a game and dare to utter such vile words. This lowly jinx is no normal person. You're a treacherous dog, an ungrateful wretch. The General's Mansion provides you with food and drink and lets you recover from your injuries, and now you want to use this to blackmail the General's Mansion and cause trouble. You clearly have ill intentions, wanting to harm everyone in the General's Mansion, and even more so, the Ning Mansion. This kind of person cannot be allowed to live. Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven and beat you to death, you jinx!"
As she spoke, the old woman's face darkened, her eyes flashing with a murderous glint, and the paddle in her hand swept down like a gust of wind, striking Rui Yuhuan heavily.
"Clap clap clap".
"Ahhh! Stop! Stop it! You wretched slave, stop now! I won't let you get away with this!" Rui Yuhuan's bones were almost broken from the beating, but her curses only made the madam hit her harder. Seeing the danger, Rui Yuhuan immediately tried to escape by jumping up and running away. But since Shang Shi had captured Rui Yuhuan earlier, the hall was now full of her people. Where could Rui Yuhuan escape to? She was immediately held down, and seeing the large board about to strike again without mercy, Rui Yuhuan dared not wait to be beaten. She struggled and pushed the two away, but the board followed closely behind. Escaping was impossible, so Rui Yuhuan could only run wildly around the main hall of Anhe Hall.
What to do, what to do? She couldn't just wait to die here. The only one who could help her now was Old Madam Ning. She had to see Old Madam Ning. However, Madam Shang had anticipated this and had people standing at the entrance to the inner hall. If she escaped there, she would surely be caught, walking right into a trap. Rui Yuhuan's eyes turned cold. Suddenly, she grabbed a chair and smashed it at Madam Shang. Madam Shang screamed and stumbled backward in shock. The servants who had been chasing her were also stunned and rushed to see what was happening. The inner hall was instantly lost.
Great opportunity!
Rui Yuhuan rushed into the inner hall. As long as she got through this door, she would be fine. She would also make Shang pay a thousand times the punishment. She would return every single blow that Shang had struck her with!
"Bang!"
Just as Rui Yuhuan rushed over, someone suddenly walked out and bumped into her. Rui Yuhuan was thrown backward. Shang Shi, who had already recovered, said even more coldly, "Quickly grab this slut! Hurry up! Whoever does something that satisfies me today will be rewarded with five taels of silver."
"Oh!" The servants who came out of the Ning residence were immediately excited. The monthly salary of the maids here was limited, and five taels was enough for their expenses for several months. They looked at Rui Yuhuan with starry eyes, like wolves pouncing on their prey, determined to catch her.
Rui Yuhuan had no time to denounce the person who bumped into her. She quickly rolled on the ground a couple of times, trying to get up and escape. However, a foot suddenly appeared from behind and kicked her hard in the buttocks. She cried out in pain and fell face down, her face also getting scraped. Then her head was pulled up sharply, and a cold voice said, "Trying to escape? Where do you think you're going? No one has ever escaped my punishment. You know you're wrong but refuse to admit it. Today, I'll teach you a lesson, you slut." As he spoke, a large slap immediately came down on Rui Yuhuan's face.
The man had incredible strength; Rui Yuhuan was immediately struck so hard that she saw stars, trembled all over, and felt dizzy.
"Slap! Slap! Slap!" Several blows followed in quick succession. Rui Yuhuan could almost hear the protesting sound of her neck being violently slapped. She even felt that the next moment, this old bitch might break her head and kill her. However, her body was already weak, and she had used all her strength to escape. Now, being beaten again, she had no strength left to resist. Blood gradually seeped from her mouth, and her face turned bright red from the beating.
Shang felt a slight sense of satisfaction, but it wasn't enough. The thought of Rui Yuhuan's arrogant demeanor when she talked back earlier still filled Shang with anger. As the matriarch of the Ning household, Shang was of considerable status, but she had a living mother-in-law, Huang, above her, and a younger sister-in-law who was constantly vying for power with the other concubines. Her position, though seemingly prestigious, was far from easy, and she often harbored a burning resentment with nowhere to vent it. However, given her status, the concubines in the household dared not go too far. As for Ning, her younger sister who was favored by Ning Baichuan, Shang had suffered some losses at her hands, but Ning hadn't gained any advantage over Shang either. Shang looked down on ordinary people, but this lower-class person, Rui Yuhuan, dared to despise and question her—something she couldn't tolerate.
A cold smile flashed in Shang's eyes, and she suddenly grinned maliciously: "What are you good for? You're beating so weakly. The Ning family has been raising you for nothing. Give you a good beating. I want to see a satisfying sight."
The servants of the Ning family were stunned. Rui Yuhuan gritted her teeth and stared at Madam Shang. However, the next moment, her eyes widened as she saw that the old nanny had put a ring on her finger. But this ring was definitely not an ordinary thing. On the outside, it looked just like a plain silver ring. But when Rui Yuhuan got closer, she noticed that there were three very thin hidden studs on the back of the ring, in the palm area. Realizing what it was for, Rui Yuhuan screamed in terror. Ignoring all the pain in her body, she crawled away as fast as she could.
However, other servants were already waiting there. One of them kicked Rui Yuhuan in the face, making her dizzy and unable to get up. The next moment, her head was lifted high into the air. Rui Yuhuan screamed in terror, "No, no, don't do this! You can make me do anything, but you will never do this! No! Ahhh!"
Rui Yuhuan screamed, and the old woman slapped her across the face. A sharp pain flashed across her face as she was slapped, and tears streamed down her trembling face. Then, she was slapped hard on the other side as well. Even though Rui Yuhuan wanted to fight back, her limbs were held down and her head was pressed down. She could only let the old woman continue to slap her with the ring containing the hidden nail. She could only feel the hidden nail cutting and scarring her face. Her face gradually became wet, and her nose was filled with the smell of blood. Rui Yuhuan was furious beyond measure. Her mind was dizzy and trembling, but she could not think of anything.
She...she was disfigured. Her beauty, which she was so proud of, was ruined just like that. She was filled with hatred!
The old woman slapped Rui Yuhuan several times before retreating. She removed the bloodstained ring from her hand, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and put it away. Seeing Rui Yuhuan covered in blood, her face a bloody mess, Shang Shi's anger subsided somewhat. Seeing Rui Yuhuan, Shang Shi instinctively equated her with the other concubines in the manor who vied for the emperor's favor. However, those lowly women were protected by Ning Baichuan, so she couldn't go too far. She didn't care about Rui Yuhuan at all; venting her anger on her was a blessing for Rui Yuhuan. Her eyes narrowed slightly: "Hmm, why did you stop? This jinx brings disaster to the world; she can't be allowed to live. You're punishing her now for the safety of the people. Letting her go like this, do you want to harm others?" Clearly, Shang Shi's ultimate goal was to eliminate Rui Yuhuan; the previous actions were merely a process of venting her anger, and the final outcome remained unchanged.