Baili Gan was stunned, while Baili Qia's face turned ashen. He roared, "You unfilial son! Tell me, all these years you've refused to return to the manor because you're afraid I'll discover this! You're simply infuriating! You're driving me crazy!" Baili Gan had always been a very gentle person, and few people had ever seen him so angry.
With a "smack!", Baili Qia suddenly smashed the back of the chair, picked up a piece of rotten wood, and charged at Baili Gan: "You unfilial son, how could you do such a thing? I'll beat you to death today!" As he spoke, he slapped Baili Gan's buttocks hard with a "smack".
"Ouch!" Baili Gan cried out in pain, saying repeatedly, "Father, don't listen to her nonsense. I'm perfectly normal. She was just joking."
"You're joking! I saw you flirting with Prince Chen with my own eyes just now, and you still want to deceive me? You've got some nerve!" With that, Baili Qia chased after him. Baili Gan, facing his father, naturally didn't dare to act recklessly. Baili Qia, who was also skilled in martial arts, repeatedly struck Baili Gan until he cried out in pain.
Baili Chen sighed, "Wife, do I still need to have my hand cut off to cure the poison?"
"Cut off his hand, but he'll have to wash it hundreds of times when he gets back." Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chen with sympathy, but her eyes were narrowed as she stared at Baili Chen's stiff face. Judging from what had just happened, Baili Chen and Baili Gan were obviously acquainted. Why would Baili Gan suddenly provoke them? Was he really after Baili Chen? Baili Gan really did look like a homosexual!
Bai Lichen twitched his lips, unsure how to explain himself.
Listening to their conversation, Leng Caiwen's eyes lingered on Ouyang Yue, lost in thought. Baili Nan had been sitting quietly the whole time, watching Baili Qia chase after Baili Gan without saying a word. But now, looking at Leng Caiwen, her expression changed. She walked to Leng Caiwen's side and whispered, "Second Young Master Leng, how have you been?"
"Greetings, Princess Nan." Leng Caiwen greeted her immediately. Seeing Leng Caiwen's unfamiliar words, Baili Nan frowned. "Why is Second Young Master Leng so reserved? This is not like your usual self."
Leng Caiwen laughed and said, "Before, when we didn't know Princess Nan's identity, we had no scruples. Now that we know, if we still act like before, wouldn't that be too unruly?"
Baili Nan replied, "This princess does not mind."
Leng Caiwen said sternly, "But I do mind."
"You! Do you need to be so distant with me now? Wasn't it good the way we were before?" Baili Nan was a little annoyed, but Leng Caiwen stopped talking. Baili Nan bit his lip and glared at him angrily, but found that Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue had already turned to look at them. Baili Nan's face immediately darkened, and he turned to sit down. However, he looked at Leng Caiwen with great anger.
“Cousin, it seems you and your cousin have a close relationship,” Ouyang Yue couldn’t help but say.
Leng Caiwen shook her head: "When I was young, I met Princess Nan, who was disguised as a man, on a trip. We got along well and agreed to travel together. That was all." Ouyang Yue didn't quite believe it. Judging from Princess Nan's appearance, she was clearly in love, and the object of her affection was her cousin.
"Clang!" Leng Caiwen couldn't help but tap Ouyang Yue on the head: "Stop thinking about this. Let's find General Xuanyuan and the others first."
Ouyang Yue wholeheartedly agreed. Looking at the father and son still chasing after them, Ouyang Yue and Leng Caiwen were different from ordinary cousins. Their personalities dictated their actions, and Leng Caiwen wouldn't go too far. Since Baili Chen was usually present, these gestures became quite natural, and they both took it as a sign of affection. The two deliberately avoided thinking about the underlying reasons, but to outsiders, it didn't seem that way. At least in Baili Nan's eyes, Leng Caiwen had never been so intimate with any other woman.
Baili Nan looked at Ouyang Yue, her heart tightening involuntarily. With her womanly insight and her feelings for Leng Caiwen, she could easily tell that Leng Caiwen's gaze towards Ouyang Yue was off. Even if he tried to hide it, the occasional moments of absent-mindedness she witnessed were enough for her to sense that this was the look a man would give a woman. Baili Nan clenched her fists slightly, her face turning pale.
At this moment, Baili Qia and his son also stopped. Ouyang Yue stepped forward and said, "Cousin, please hand over my brother and the others. He is really not suitable for you."
"Shut up!" Baili Gan roared, his body still aching from the dozen or so blows the old man had given him. "This young master is perfectly normal, so stop talking nonsense!"
"Is that so! Then you should hand over my brother, the Princess Consort, so that you can show that you are normal and have no selfish motives." Ouyang Yue continued to press.
"Hiss!" Baili Gan, in pain, said with a stern face, "Release the person." He was speaking to his guards, but his eyes were blazing as he looked at Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue, however, was unmoved, her expression a mixture of sighing, sympathy, and complicated emotions.
Baili Qia stood to the side, panting. He had suddenly become angry because of his son's actions and had forgotten that Ouyang Yue and the others were also present. He was a little embarrassed now, but since he had already chased and beaten Baili Gan, there was no need to pretend anymore. He walked over and reached out to pull Baili Gan's son up, saying, "Ouch, Father, stop! It hurts!"
Baili Qia said with a stern face, "You scoundrel, what good deeds have you done all these years? Tell me clearly, is there really something wrong with you? Do you really like men?!"
Baili Gan's face darkened, but Ouyang Yue interjected, "Uncle, if my cousin really is... well, there's still human law to deal with it. But if he has unusual tastes, then it'll be difficult. Sigh..." Ouyang Yue didn't forget to add fuel to the fire, and Baili Gan's gaze towards her was beyond fire.
In fact, Baili Gan and Baili Chen's experiences were somewhat similar; both were physically weak from childhood. However, Baili Gan was much luckier than Baili Chen, as his family treated him well, sending him to learn martial arts to strengthen his body. Because of this, Baili Gan, as Baili Chen's cousin, felt sorry for him and cared for him like a younger brother. However, the two didn't spend much time together, and Baili Gan's personality was truly unpleasant; Baili Chen was always indifferent to him. This led Baili Gan to be somewhat proactive and one-sided in his feelings for Baili Chen, often making small moves that made Baili Chen avoid him even more. Having heard that Baili Chen had gotten married while he was away learning martial arts, he returned to see him. Of course, he was also very curious about his sister-in-law, who was known as the most beautiful woman in the world, and was thinking about how to try to get closer to her when the opportunity arose.
Actually, he hadn't really planned it all out. He just really wanted to flirt with the beautiful woman. It just so happened that Xuanyuan Chaohua appeared. How could he, as the heir of the Prince of De, not know about such a heroic figure of the Great Zhou Dynasty? What happened afterward was, of course, intentional on his part.
But he didn't know that his sister-in-law was a picky girl. Ouyang Yue naturally understood this as well. But this man dared to play her for fools. How could she not get some retribution? Being beaten and scolded was the least of his worries. If he fell into Ouyang Yue's hands, Baili Gan would definitely experience what it meant to wish he were dead!
"Father, it's really not true! What I'm saying is true. I like women, and I have absolutely no interest in men!"
"Then why did you flirt with Prince Chen!"
"Sigh, have I gotten used to it?"
"Smack!" Baili Gan was slapped hard on the head. Baili Qia said angrily, "You're used to it, and you still say it's not true!"
Baili Gan was truly suffering in silence, and no one listened to his solutions. In addition, Ouyang Yue would occasionally chime in, making Baili Qia even more suspicious. Baili Gan's ears were so red they looked like they were about to be twisted off. Baili Qia then grabbed his other ear and began to interrogate him severely. Baili Gan couldn't help but shout, "Cousin, say something! You know I'm not like that!"
Baili Chen frowned: "So that's how it is. I was wondering why you were always bothering me. It turns out you had such feelings for me. I...you...you're despicable!"
"You bastard! How dare you lay a hand on your own cousin! I'll beat you to death today!" Baili Qia was furious. He only had one son, Baili Gan. If this son liked men, how could he continue the family line? He even suspected that his son had some serious problem, which was why he liked men. "Someone, summon the imperial physician to the manor to treat the young master."
Baili Gan was almost in tears, clutching Baili Qia's arm tightly and saying anxiously, "Father, you can't! Even if the imperial physician treats me and I'm fine, this shameful thing will still get out!"
Baili Qia sneered: "What face do you still have now? I need to see if you're normal or not, that's the most important thing."
Baili Gan was so angry he felt like dying, but Baili Chen's voice drifted over: "You deserve it, you should have coveted my wife." Baili Gan retorted angrily, "I was just looking, what am I coveting?" Baili Chen just snorted, and Baili Gan really shot himself in the foot this time.
Before long, Xuan Yuan Chaohua and the others were released. Bai Lichen and the others immediately took their leave and went back, completely ignoring Bai Ligan's desperate attempts to persuade them to stay and plead for help. Before leaving, they could still hear Bai Liqia's angry shouts and Bai Ligan's constant explanations.
"Cousin, cousin, my sister-in-law wishes to visit Prince Chen's residence tomorrow, is that alright?" Baili Nan quickly asked. Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Of course, you are very welcome." After saying that, the group left Prince De's residence and went to Prince Chen's residence first. Ouyang Yue was afraid that Princess Shuangxia would worry about Xuan Yuan Chaohua's arrest, so she did not say goodbye. After being taken away and tossed around for so long, they needed to be cleaned up. Otherwise, it would be strange if Xuan Yuan Chaohua returned to the residence like this, without arousing suspicion.
However, as soon as she entered the hall, Lü Yan suddenly knelt down with a "thud." Everyone was stunned, but Lü Yan cried out, "This humble woman never expected to meet Prince Chen, Princess Chen, and General Xuanyuan today. This humble woman begs Prince Chen, Princess Chen, and General Xuanyuan to save my sister."
This Green Beauty looked incredibly strong and resolute, yet she was now sobbing uncontrollably, as if she were crying out all her grievances—clearly, she had been wronged. Xuan Yuan Chaohua, who had been chatting amiably with the three women, felt a strange familiarity with Green Beauty and couldn't help but feel sympathy. He said, "Miss Green Beauty, what grievance do you have? Whom do you want to save? You can tell me, and I will help you if I can. Please get up."
Ouyang Yue also said, "Yes, Miss Lüyan, why don't you get up and tell me slowly?"
Lüyan seemed to realize that she had been abrupt, and said with a blush, "Lüyan and my sister have depended on each other since we were little. My sister was captured and given away to be a concubine. I followed her all the way to the capital to find my sister. I lost my composure for a moment, please forgive me."
Looking at Lü Yan, Ouyang Yue felt a deep affection for the woman and couldn't help but ask, "May I ask what Lü Yan's sister's name is, and who exactly took her away?"
At this point, Green Beauty's expression turned angry: "My older sister's name is Pink Beauty, she was..."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Yue was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "Fenyan?! That new beauty in the palace?!"
Everyone's expression changed. A beauty in the palace, the emperor's woman—who could help with this?
Upon hearing this, Lü Yan turned pale and actually stood up and rushed towards a pillar. Xuan Yuan Chao Hua was startled and rushed over to stop her, shouting, "Miss Lü Yan, you mustn't!"
Seeing Lü Yan's fiery temperament, Ouyang Yue was startled. Seeing her brother's anxious expression, her face changed, but she still said, "Miss Lü Yan, if you want to save your sister, you need to explain the whole story clearly. Otherwise, even if we wanted to help you, we couldn't." Ouyang Yue wasn't one to seek trouble, but she always had her own purpose in everything she did. Hearing Ouyang Yue say this, Baili Chen didn't stop her, assuming his wife had other considerations, which was indeed the case.
Ouyang Yue had seen this Fenyan before in Consort Sun's Mingxiang Palace. Although it was only a brief encounter, Ouyang Yue was certain that Fenyan was just a newly arrived beauty in the palace and had no right to meet Consort Sun, who was second only to the emperor in the harem. At the time, it seemed that she had not been informed by the outer gate and thought that she must have a close relationship with Consort Sun, so she did not think much of it.
But now it seems that Fenyan was likely forced into the palace. If we can really use this as a starting point, we might be able to take this opportunity to strike at Consort Sun. Although the matter of Baili Le has been resolved, there's no guarantee that there won't be a second or third person who wants to take advantage of her brother. If we can think of a way to solve the problem once and for all, that would be good. That is to make Consort Sun suffer herself, which would create a deterrent effect.
Upon hearing this, Lü Yan cried and laughed at the same time, saying, "You're willing to help me, you're willing to help me, thank you, thank you... I'll tell you, I'll tell you... This is what happened..."
☆、193、The Root of Evil、Sweet Words Between Husband and Wife
In the main hall of Prince Chen's mansion, all the servants had been dismissed, leaving only a few masters: Baili Chen, Ouyang Yue, Leng Caiwen, Xuanyuan Chaohua, Li Rushuang, and the two newly acquainted young ladies, Qi Qi and Lü Yan. At this moment, Lü Yan sat in a chair, speaking with a sorrowful expression.
Fenyan and Lüyan were biological sisters, sharing the same parents. Their original surname was He, and they were blessed with both parents, who were kind and filial. Although their life wasn't particularly wealthy, it was happy and fulfilling, and they were content with it. However, their family later moved, and they left their somewhat turbulent border town to Qizhou City, not far from the capital.
In fact, the three major states of the Great Zhou Dynasty were the same in meaning as the capital. Originally, there were four state cities planned. However, the capital city had the imperial palace, where the emperor held court and conducted official business. Therefore, as the central hub of the country, it was called the capital city. The other three states were also of great importance and none of them should be underestimated.
Qizhou City is a vast area, and every place still harbors a certain degree of prejudice against outsiders. Therefore, it is quite difficult for newly arrived people to survive at first. Fenyan and Lüyan's father was a strong-willed and proud man. At first, he only thought that he could support his family through his own efforts. The He sisters' father was also a knowledgeable and learned man. He was the most learned member of the He family, so the best job he could get in Qizhou City was as a teacher. Each of the three major cities had a First Academy, and there were many more smaller academies below it. The He sisters' father was a teacher at the First Academy.
Although the teachers at the First Academy didn't earn much, their families did odd jobs, so they didn't have to struggle for a living. For a time, the He family was self-sufficient in Qizhou Prefecture, living a respectable life. As they grew older, the two sisters became more and more beautiful. Ouyang Yue had seen Pink Beauty before; her face was delicate yet innocent, and her figure was incredibly alluring. Most men would be captivated by her. As for Green Beauty, Ouyang Yue looked closely and couldn't help but admire how beautiful the sisters were.
Compared to her sister, Lü Yan lacked some of the delicate femininity of a woman, but possessed a dashing and heroic air that most women lacked. Her brows and eyes exuded a commanding presence, and her features were very three-dimensional. However, her eyes were like stars and her lips like cherries, and she didn't appear overly masculine in the areas that should belong to a woman's gentleness. This was the so-called combination of strength and beauty. These two sisters truly had their own unique charm, and if the two sisters stood together, most men would probably find it hard to resist.
It was precisely because the two sisters grew increasingly beautiful that the He family encountered great trouble.
Although the First Academy of Qizhou Prefecture was self-sufficient and responsible for its own profits and losses, money was no object, and no one would refuse to spend it. While it recruited mostly talented students, there were also some who were good for nothing but sent to the First Academy for the sake of reputation. Generally, they could get in by paying a large sum of money to the academy. These spoiled brats and纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy families who live in luxury and are dissolute) made up about two-fifths of the entire Qizhou Prefecture. These people naturally formed two factions with the truly talented students of Qizhou Prefecture. However, there were also some students from poor families who had saved up money to get in. These people were inevitably more profit-driven and were thus exploited by these纨绔子弟.
Qizhou Prefecture had an affiliated girls' academy, small in number but noticeably more formal, requiring entrance exams. The sisters, Fenyan and Lüyan, were exceptionally talented from a young age due to their father's influence, and thus entered the academy, quickly rising to the top five. However, as the saying goes, "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down," and the sisters became targets of resentment. Adding to this, the纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy families who are dissolute and dissolute) who did nothing but steal and commit petty crimes, and were also driven by lust, gradually set their sights on the girls' academy. They even set their sights on Fenyan and Lüyan, among others from less privileged backgrounds, and some even offered betrothal gifts to marry the sisters.
How could the He sisters' father marry his daughters to such men? Wouldn't that ruin his daughters' lives? If they married them, they could forget about having a good life for the rest of their lives. So they refused immediately. But these men didn't let them go. Instead, they pressured them again and again. One of them, who was even more ruthless, sent men to burn down the He sisters' house on a dark and windy night.
Lu Yan had known martial arts since childhood and was more alert than others when falling asleep at night. She was so frightened that she got up to call her parents and sister to leave. However, the fire was huge, and the He family parents were burned alive in front of them in order to protect the two sisters. This incident greatly affected the two sisters and even frightened them. But at this moment, their cousins appeared, buried the He couple, and even helped them avenge their parents by eradicating the playboy and his entire family from the territory of Qizhou Prefecture. This was a major event and a great thing in Qizhou City, as there were far too many young girls who had been harmed by this playboy.
Later, the two sisters learned that the family that had taken them away was none other than the Sun family, one of the five most prestigious families in the Great Zhou Dynasty. They had indeed heard about this from their elders, who said that there was a family surnamed Sun in the capital who were their cousins. If needed in the future, they could go to the capital to recognize their relatives. The He sisters were already destitute, so they accepted this relative. However, the Sun family was in no hurry to take them back to the capital. Instead, they bought another house for the two sisters in Qizhou Prefecture. The two sisters were deeply grateful and admired the Sun family from the bottom of their hearts.
Little did they know, there's no such thing as a free lunch. The Sun family's appearance when they were in danger and their care for them at that moment was a calculated move. They had their eyes on the two sisters, Fenyan and Lüyan, and wanted beautiful women to enter the palace to secure Consort Sun's favor.
Originally, the candidates could be chosen from the Sun family, but Consort Sun was unwilling. If someone of higher status from the Sun family entered the palace and gained favor, they might disregard her. She also looked down on many of those of lower status, feeling that even if they entered the palace, it would be difficult for them to maintain Emperor Mingxian's favor. Therefore, she shifted her focus to her cousins in the Sun family, and sure enough, they found the sisters Fenyan and Lüyan. With the sisters' captivating charm, if they entered the palace and worked together, it would be difficult for the Emperor not to favor them!
Everyone was puzzled, and Li Rushuang couldn't help but ask, "If that's the case, then why was only your sister allowed into the palace, and what about you, Miss Lüyan?"
As Lüyan spoke, her eyes reddened, as if the question had touched a raw nerve. She gave a cold laugh and said, "The Sun family was entirely malicious. My sister is different from me; our personalities are very different. I'm straightforward and say what I mean, and I don't like to hide anything. To put it nicely, that's called being frank; to put it bluntly, it's being impatient and lacking in common sense. My sister, on the other hand, has been well-educated and intelligent since childhood. She's proficient in everything a woman should know, and she's very meticulous. If she wanted to hide something, I would never find out. But one night I couldn't sleep and wanted to go talk to my sister. Before I even got close, I heard faint voices coming from her room. Afraid something might be wrong, I carefully and silently approached, pried open the paper door, and looked inside. Do you know what I saw…?" At this point, Lüyan's face was filled with boundless anger and a palpable murderous intent. Her extreme anger made her tremble slightly, and her eyes widened like saucers.
No one spoke. Seeing Lü Yan like this, they didn't know how to comfort her, and they also knew that what they saw was probably horrifying and tragic.
Lüyan took several deep breaths before gritting her teeth and saying, "Among the people from the Sun family who came, two stewards were sent to take care of us. My sister and I were very grateful, thinking that the Sun family had thought of everything. But who knew that they were just there to watch over us? Those two stewards were shrewd, a man and a woman, a married couple. I saw these two constantly directing... directing four young men to surround my sister. They took off all their clothes, forcing my sister to serve these four men in all sorts of humiliating positions..." Lüyan clenched her fists, her eyes already bloodshot. "I was furious at the time, and I rushed in to demand an explanation. But the ridiculous thing is that although my skills are not bad, I am still far inferior to four adult men. When those two stewards saw me come in, their faces had already changed. They even said, 'It's good that I'm here, so there's no need to bother, just come at me.' It was only when my sister knelt on the ground and kowtowed until her head was bruised that they sheepishly stopped. At that time, my sister and I hugged each other and cried bitterly. I didn't even know that my sister had silently endured such pain!"
Qi Qi sat down next to Lü Yan and held her hand tightly. "Lü Yan, don't be sad. We'll help you. Don't be sad. Cry it out. It'll make you feel better." Lü Yan kept holding back, but the more she thought about it, the more painful it became.
Lü Yan looked at Qi Qi, her eyes sparkling, which finally turned into gratitude: "Qi Qi, thank you so much. Actually, I had a purpose in meeting you back then, because I was afraid that the Sun family was still watching me, so I deliberately used an excuse to hitch a ride with you to the capital. I... I'm sorry."
Qi Qi smiled gently: "What are you saying? I've come to regard you as my best friend all this way. If it weren't for your care along the way, it wouldn't have been easy for me to make it to the capital safely."
Ouyang Yue frowned slightly, wanting to say something but ultimately remaining silent. Leng Caiwen, however, spoke without restraint: "The palace maids entering the palace undergo strict screening. If a woman has lost her virginity, no matter how capable she is, she cannot enter the palace." Leng Caiwen was right. No matter how noble your family's status, if you are no longer a virgin, no amount of money can get you into the palace. You must be of impeccable character and a virgin. Even if Consort Sun held immense power and influence, sending a woman who had lost her virginity there wouldn't necessarily be possible without smoothing things over at every level. This matter was extremely difficult, with almost zero chance of success.
As soon as Leng Caiwen finished speaking, Lü Yan angrily retorted, "What do you mean? My sister has already suffered enough. Are you mocking her?" Lü Yan was very sensitive about her sister's situation and immediately yelled at Leng Caiwen. Leng Caiwen didn't say much, but just looked at Lü Yan calmly.
Green Beauty trembled, and said with great embarrassment, "Sister didn't lose her virginity... The Sun family used some method to train people without making them lose their virginity. Those men didn't... Later, I asked my sister, and she said... said they used other methods. My sister cried a lot at the time, and I didn't want to upset her, so I didn't ask any more questions. But my sister never lies, and I believe what she said is true; she didn't lose her virginity. Since I've been exposed, the people of the Sun family also want to harm me. Sister is clever; we used some tricks to get me out of the mansion. But I was worried about my sister, so when I went back, they had already left. I knew they had come to the capital, so I followed them all the way here, wanting to rescue my sister from this misery."
Green Beauty's words made Ouyang Yue instantly understand; she knew that there was indeed more than one place where that could be done.
It was not uncommon for palace maids and eunuchs to have romantic relationships, but not all of them had that opportunity, or even mutual affection. Sometimes, because they were so lonely, it was common for two maids or eunuchs who were in love to help each other. Baili Chen lived in the palace and understood these sordid things, and he genuinely felt sorry for Fen Yan.
Consort Sun went to great lengths to secure the Emperor's favor. To ensure Fenyan gained experience, she maintained a final line of defense while simultaneously exposing her to the pleasures of love and physical intimacy. This early training gave Fenyan a greater advantage over the other noble ladies who entered the palace at the same time, making her more appealing to the Emperor. Furthermore, Fenyan was a distant cousin of Consort Sun; this relationship naturally drew the Emperor's attention. It was truly an excellent method for securing the Emperor's favor.
Green Beauty gritted her teeth and said, "My sister did it all for me! If it weren't for rescuing me, she might have escaped too, but I couldn't have done anything. Before I went to the capital this time, I had already made up my mind to die together with her. At worst, I would expose the scandal of the Sun family, and then I would die with my sister. No matter what, I will never let the Sun family go!"
As they were talking, Lü Yan suddenly stood up and ran outside. Everyone was taken aback, but Xuan Yuan Chao Hua stood up without thinking and said, "I'll go check on Miss Lü Yan." Then he went out.
"Brother Xuanyuan!" Qi Qi cried out anxiously, but Xuanyuan Chaohua left without looking back. Qi Qi's face turned pale, her hands clenched tightly, and her body stiffened.
Ouyang Yue looked thoughtful, and Li Rushuang's eyes reddened as she listened, her tone becoming indignant: "I never imagined that the Sun family had done so many dirty things in secret. It's utterly despicable and shameless, and extremely hateful."
Leng Caiwen shook his head and said, "In fact, there are many such cases. The Sun family is not the first, nor will it be the last. I'm afraid that even if we save them once, we can't save them a second time."
Li Rushuang stared wide-eyed: "Is Second Young Master Leng so heartless? I only felt sorry for Miss Fenyan and Miss Lüyan. Their biological parents are dead, and they thought they had found a backer and could live a stable life. Who knew it was all a huge conspiracy, all a ploy? They must have been in so much pain. They thought a good backer had come, that hope had arrived, but instead, they were pushed into an even more miserable place. Can't I even say a few words of sympathy?!"
Leng Caiwen disregarded Li Rushuang's rebuke. Men and women certainly have different thoughts on such matters, and they differ greatly in many other areas as well. Having frequented brothels for years, Leng Caiwen had witnessed countless tragic lives. Some initially strong-willed individuals ultimately became slaves to reality; others remained strong from beginning to end, but none of them fared well. He had initially been overcome by compassion and tried to save people, but with so many people in the world and injustices occurring daily, could he possibly save everyone? Leng Caiwen only frequented brothels for drinks; he might help those within his power, but given his family background, it was impossible for him to be overflowing with compassion and save everyone. Moreover, many things were not as simple as they appeared on the surface.
Ouyang Yue said to Li Rushuang, "Rushuang, that's not what my cousin meant."
Leng Caiwen chuckled, "My cousin understands me best." Seeing that Li Rushuang's eyes had widened, he said, "Miss Li, don't forget, that so-called Pinky Girl now has another title, Pink Beauty."
Li Rushuang's body trembled, and she suddenly understood Leng Caiwen's meaning. She could sympathize with Fenyan and Lüyan, but Fenyan was now the emperor's woman. If they were to save her, how could they do so? Wouldn't it backfire and cause trouble for themselves? This was the biggest problem!
Is it really necessary for them to be so kind to someone they've just met, to the point of being willing to behead them all? Even if Li Rushuang is bursting with enthusiasm and really wants to save them, is there any way to achieve the best of both worlds? One problem after another arises. It's not simply a matter of sympathy and doing everything in their power to save them. There are great risks involved, and probably none of them have a particularly good solution.
Ouyang Yue glanced calmly out of the hall. She had clearly seen her brother's expression earlier. Fate is a strange thing. Often, a single glance, a casual remark, a simple smile, or even just a chance encounter can lead to love at first sight. Her brother was clearly a little nervous about this girl, Lü Yan.
In truth, Ouyang Yue knew very well that her grandmother felt somewhat indebted to her brother. Her brother had been raised by her from a young age, and she had been very strict with him. Furthermore, because of Xuan Yuan Chaohua, her grandmother had previously had opportunities to choose wives for him, some of whom she herself found suitable, but she had suppressed them all. Her brother's early marriage would not be beneficial to either them or the Princess's residence. Actually, her grandmother was currently very anxious about Xuan Yuan Chaohua's future marriage. Because of Princess Shuangxia's previous deliberate suppression, Xuan Yuan Chaohua had become accustomed to his current life. He wouldn't even give a second glance to any woman other than Princess Shuangxia and Ouyang Yue, so how could he possibly marry and have children? However, Princess Shuangxia couldn't say anything, and could only worry in her heart.
Ouyang Yue was also somewhat anxious about this. Baili Le had forced her brother into marriage before, and there were quite a few women in the Great Zhou Dynasty who were eyeing her brother. Even if Baili Le was gone, there might be other Miss Les. Once her brother reached that age, such things would probably continue. Hiding at the border was not a solution. If he could really get married and have children, coupled with the ancestral precepts in the family genealogy and his grandmother's protection, this would probably be the best way to reduce trouble.
But all of this is predicated on her brother's consent and on him having a woman he likes. Otherwise, it would all be in vain. Now that her brother finally has someone he likes, he is still a troublesome person. But as his sister, Ouyang Yue hopes that her brother will be happy. It's not easy for him to have someone he likes. In fact, her true intention is to help them be together.
Baili Chen reached out and grasped Ouyang Yue's hand. The couple exchanged glances and both gleaned some information from each other's eyes, probably thinking the same thing.