Baili Chen smiled with relief, holding Ouyang Yue in his arms as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He rested his head against Ouyang Yue's chest and rubbed against her repeatedly, saying, "Yue'er, as long as it's you, I'm not afraid of anything."
"You bastard, you idiot, you moron!" Ouyang Yue suddenly started pounding Baili Chen's back like a madwoman, but Baili Chen didn't care. He leaned against Ouyang Yue's chest, gently wrapped his arms around her waist, and let Ouyang Yue vent her anger.
Ouyang Yue's entire body was trembling, filled with immense fear. Knowing that she had almost killed Baili Chen with her own hands, she was terrified beyond control. Her mind was a complete mess, and she didn't even know what she was doing.
After letting Ouyang Yue vent for a while, she calmed down on her own. The two of them lay on the ground, embracing each other. Ouyang Yue said in a low voice, "Just now, my mind was controlled."
"Yes, I know. The real you would never hurt me."
"You big fool, if I had woken up any later, you would have died. Couldn't you have suppressed me first and then slowly brought me to my senses? What would I have done if you had really died?" Ouyang Yue's eyes were a little red, and she felt extremely guilty.
Baili Chen laughed happily: "It's alright. Even if I die, my wife will be with me. I'm not afraid. What does death matter?"
Ouyang Yue fell silent, then turned around, cupped Baili Chen's face in her hands, and slowly pressed her red lips to his, her eyes deep and unfathomable: "I want you now, I want to force myself on you!"
Baili Chen laughed heartily: "Alright, please come and pick this flower of my wounded heart."
"Hmph!" Ouyang Yue bit down hard on Baili Chen. She needed to feel this man; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to calm down. She would be overwhelmed by guilt and fear. She was afraid that she would lose him if she was scared.
The sounds of primal lovemaking gradually filled the room, this time especially intense and passionate. Baili Chen was also afraid. He didn't know why Ouyang Yue was acting that way, but he was afraid that he would really be strangled to death by Ouyang Yue. Yes, he was afraid. He now realized how cowardly he was, how afraid he was of leaving this world, leaving his wife. He couldn't bear to, and didn't want to.
The bed was shaken so hard it felt like it was falling apart, and it only slowly came to a stop after a long time.
Baili Chen's chest was covered in sweat, and he was slightly out of breath, but he held Ouyang Yue tightly against his chest. Her soft body pressed against him from behind, but that wasn't enough. His large hands possessively caressed Ouyang Yue's entire body, and when his breathing stabilized a little, he said, "Just now... what exactly happened..."
Ouyang Yue lay on his chest, her expression turning cold. Her silky black hair cascaded over most of her body, creating a striking contrast with her fair and beautiful back, making her exceptionally beautiful and alluring. She reached out and gently wrapped her arms around Baili Chen's shoulders: "I can't explain it clearly. At that moment, I couldn't control myself at all. It was as if my mind was cursed. I didn't have any memory of what happened before, only vague memories starting from when I was crying."
She seemed to be controlled, her mind was being controlled.
Baili Chen's breathing was noticeably heavy. Ouyang Yue was too dangerous. If someone was really controlling her, it was fine this time it was him, but what if it was someone else next time? Would she be able to come back alive?
The two remained silent for a long time. Ouyang Yue said, "I suspect it is the Holy King of Miao Jiang."
"he?!"
Ouyang Yue raised her head, her jade-like chin resting on the rough, splintered skin, causing a slight pain. Baili Chen, however, seemed unconcerned, lingering over the chin before feeling more at ease: "Yes, you were also poisoned by a Gu, didn't you think of anything?"
Baili Chen was taken aback, then suddenly exclaimed urgently, "You mean the Mother-Child Gu!"
Ouyang Yue nodded, but her eyes were somewhat cold and deep.
“When I was removing the Gu from you, I also learned a bit about Gu poisons. Among them was a Mother-Child Gu, which is an extremely domineering Gu poison. So the Mother and Child Gu are connected and have a certain degree of interoperability. The Child Gu is cultivated by the Mother Gu with the essence and blood of the Gu Master. So to some extent, those who are poisoned by the Child Gu are also controlled by the Mother Gu. During this period, when the Mother Gu issues commands, the Child Gu, that is, the host of the Child Gu, will be controlled, lose its rationality, and can only obey the host of the Mother Gu.”
Baili Chen's tone was also off as he said, "Furthermore, this Mother-Son Gu is extremely domineering and mysterious, and very few people know about it. Even in Miao territory, very few people know the method of using this Mother-Son Gu. It can be said to be a secret plan passed down from generation to generation by the Holy King of Miao territory. This Mother-Son Gu is a good way to control people, but it is also a constraint on the Mother Gu, because each person can only use this Mother-Son Gu once in their lifetime. It seems that this Mother-Son Gu was indeed created by the Holy King of Miao territory."
Ouyang Yue was puzzled: "But I ask myself if I still have that keen sense for foreign affairs. I really can't figure out when he put the curse on me."
Baili Chen remained silent, for he too was unable to explain, nor did he know. Moreover, controlling a person was not limited to the Mother-Child Gu poison alone. There were many Gu poisons in Miao territory, and those that could control people, such as the Gu poison that Rui Yuhuan had used on Old Ning, also had the effect of controlling people's hearts. Of course, compared to the domineering Mother-Child Gu, it was definitely not as effective, but it could still make her instinctively and unreasonably trust Rui Yuhuan. Furthermore, this kind of Gu poison could be used on anyone as a host, as seen in the tragic and disgusting way Rui Yuhuan died in the end.
The people of Miao territory were well aware that the Gu poison itself would cause some damage to the original body. At the very least, the more potent the Gu poison, the weaker the body would become, requiring a long recovery period. The reason the Miao Holy King had kept the Tianshan Snow Lotus and hidden it at the bottom of the pool was precisely for his own healing purposes, but in the end, it benefited Baili Chen. Moreover, the Miao Holy King had also used such a domineering mother-child Gu poison. Although its primary purpose was to restrain Ouyang Yue, he didn't believe that the mother Gu poison would truly be without any harm to the Miao Holy King.
But why did he invest so much money in this?
The two of them huddled on the somewhat messy bed, pondering for a long time without coming up with a solution. Ouyang Yue raised her chin slightly and placed it on Baili Chen's chest, saying, "Do you think there's any truth to the treasure that the Miao Jiang Holy King mentioned to me?"
Baili Chen narrowed his eyes: "You mean it's related to this? But he's not much older than me. He was very young when my mother-in-law was still alive. He was already making his move back then. Is he some kind of monster?" Besides, how did the Miao Jiang Holy King know that Leng Yuyan had a jade pendant that was the key to unlocking the treasure? It just doesn't make sense no matter how you look at it.
Ouyang Yue paused for a moment: "I can't be sure if he knew, but how did he know about this treasure?"
The two were silent for a while, then Baili Chen patted Ouyang Yue's hair and said, "Don't think about these things for now, let's rest. You're tired too."
Ouyang Yue touched her cheek. There was still one extremely difficult thing to deal with. If she had the Mother-Child Gu in her body, would she still hurt Baili Chen and lose her mind if the Miao Jiang Holy King controlled her again? She was also a little scared, but she couldn't think of a better way to break the horn. If only there was something that could protect her mind.
"Mind?!" Ouyang Yue was startled. A thought flashed through her mind, and she began to ponder.
Meanwhile, in a bedroom of a villa in the capital.
"Pfft!" A man sitting cross-legged on the bed suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face turned deathly pale, and he lurched forward, almost falling off the bed.
He lay half-lying on the edge of the bed, and after a while, he slowly straightened up. The blood seeping from the corner of his mouth made his face even more eerily beautiful. After a long while, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, looked at the blood-red stain on the back of his hand, and his eyes were deep and unfathomable: "It actually failed?"
The Mother-Child Gu technique is a closely guarded secret of the Miao region. Only a true Miao Holy King can learn and master it in each generation. Even if outsiders hear rumors about the Mother-Child Gu, they only lack the details and cannot be considered to truly know it. The real Mother-Child Gu is extremely powerful, but the side effects are also very obvious. Each use weakens the user, and recovery takes at least half a month to a month. If the offspring Gu backfires, the situation will be even more serious, which is the situation the Miao Holy King is currently facing.
Because of Ouyang Yue's uncontrollable actions, the Zi Gu instantly backfired, and the Miao Jiang Holy King was also injured.
He clutched his chest, leaning against the headboard. After a moment of silence, he laughed: "Good, good, as expected of the woman I've set my sights on. She's truly extraordinary."
The Miao King leaned against the headboard, the eerie smile on his face fading, replaced by a gentle, yet genuine, expression. He ran two fingers through the hair that fell over his shoulder: "This Ouyang Yue is making me increasingly possessive."
His eyes gleamed with a kind of fervor, a kind of madness. He chuckled softly, "Ouyang Yue, I never expected that what I originally wanted to obtain the secret of the treasure from her would turn out to be a charm that is no less than that of the treasure itself. It's truly remarkable."
With his head tilted slightly back, his protruding throat was somewhat noticeable, revealing his graceful neck. The Miao King's eyes were slightly narrowed, and his gaze held a hazy and profound expression.
The next day, the Empress Dowager, with the help of Granny Zhan, got up to wash and eat. Only the two of them remained in the hall when a young palace maid walked in. The Empress Dowager was drinking porridge when she put down the bowl, looked at the palace maid, and sneered: "Looks like it was another failure."
The palace maid stood straight without saying much. The Empress Dowager snorted coldly: "What about your previous promise? I wanted the lives of Baili Chen, Baili Su, and Ouyang Yue. Unfortunately, I failed. It seems that this Miao Jiang Holy King is far from being as invincible as he claimed. He has truly disappointed me."
The palace maid raised her head, looked at the Empress Dowager, and said coldly, "Your Majesty's wisdom far surpasses that of ordinary people; she has other methods."
"Hehe, a method!" The Empress Dowager laughed mockingly: "I no longer trust him. Why have he tolerated a woman so many times and gone through all that trouble? If she were handed over to me, even the torture inflicted on Ouyang Yue would be enough to pry her open. How come the Holy King of Miao Jiang is now playing the heroine? Go back and tell him that I can't wait for his scheme to succeed again. I will make my own decision."
The palace maid narrowed her eyes and said expressionlessly, "My master just asked me to deliver this message. Your Majesty, please be patient. My master already has a complete plan. If you interfere, it will only disrupt his plans. As for Ouyang Yue, you must not touch her under any circumstances. As for Baili Chen and Baili Su, they are fine."
"Hmph! I no longer trust him. I will make my own decision on this matter. Don't forget, my relationship with him is merely one of cooperation. He has no right to order me around." The Empress Dowager said impatiently.
The palace maid's face darkened: "If the Empress Dowager insists, she will have to bear the consequences herself, and she shouldn't blame her master for being ruthless."
"He dares to threaten me!" the Empress Dowager suddenly shouted, a hint of murderous intent flashing in her eyes.
The palace maid sneered, "Your Majesty must know better than anyone how you became Empress Dowager, and how you've persecuted those who disagreed with the Lin family's policies and refused to submit to you. The matter of the Prince Chen's wife is of utmost importance. Your mistress has been working on this for over a decade, and no one can be allowed to sabotage it. Your Majesty, you'd better think carefully." With that, her eyes turned cold, a threatening glint in them, and she turned and left. As soon as she stepped out of the hall, the palace maid immediately bowed, appearing weak and submissive, completely lacking the arrogance and sharpness she displayed when facing the Empress Dowager.
"Smack!"
Enraged, the Empress Dowager grabbed the bowl in her hand and smashed it on the ground, spilling white porridge all over the floor. Zhan Mama quickly came over and gently patted the Empress Dowager to calm her down: "Empress Dowager, please calm down. It's not worth it for such a bold and reckless servant. You'll only hurt yourself if you get angry."
The Empress Dowager's face darkened: "Hmph, what is that Miao Jiang Holy King? When I take control of the Great Zhou in the future, a small Miao Jiang will be wiped out with a wave of my hand. I have cooperated with him for so many years, and he really thinks I can't do without him? He actually dares to threaten me. What a damned thing!"
Over the years, the Empress Dowager and the Miao Jiang Holy King have indeed cooperated a great deal, and the Empress Dowager has indeed benefited from the Miao Jiang Holy King in many ways. Countless officials, families, concubines, maids, and eunuchs have died at the hands of the Empress Dowager over the years. The most notable example is Empress Bai. Back then, Baili Chen was poisoned by Gu. Those who know the truth know that he was implicated. The Gu poison was originally placed in Empress Bai's body. Not only did it cause Empress Bai great pain, but it also caused her body to deteriorate rapidly due to childbirth. Furthermore, because of the Gu poison's domineering nature, it was eventually left in Baili Chen's body, causing Baili Chen to suffer inhuman torment and pain from Gu poison since childhood.
Although the Empress openly harmed the White Empress, the White Empress was no ordinary person and did not fall for Empress Lin's schemes. Instead, it was through Empress Lin that the Empress Dowager secretly placed a curse on the White Empress, which was the real reason for the White Empress's death during childbirth.
The Empress Dowager cooperated with the Miao Sage King for two reasons: first, the Sage King was superior to the Miao King; second, he possessed unparalleled mastery of Gu poison. It was precisely because of this skill that the Empress Dowager initially cooperated with him. Although the Sage King harbored ambitions, the Empress Dowager's ambitions were far greater, and she didn't care about his ambitions at all. If she hadn't used this to entice the Sage King into cooperation, the Empress Dowager wouldn't have been so successful over the years, eliminating so many major threats and ultimately firmly establishing the Lin family as the leading family in the Great Zhou Dynasty, with the Crown Prince as the first in line to the throne.
But now all of this has gone wrong. Not only did the Crown Prince die tragically, but the Lin family is also facing decline. The Empress Dowager has to be anxious. If things continue like this, she will have less and less power to control, and the grand plan she vowed to complete will die in the womb.
After much deliberation, the Empress Dowager came up with a solution: first, eliminate the major threats posed by the Prince Chen's residence, the Princess's residence, and the General's residence. She wouldn't give Princess Shuangxia a chance to retaliate, so she had to strike first. She didn't care what the Miao Jiang Holy King's reasons were for not wanting to deal with Ouyang Yue; Ouyang Yue had become a threat to her, and she had to eliminate her. After temporarily eliminating the Prince Chen's residence and taking over their power, this was the fastest way to recover her strength. Therefore, even if it meant becoming an enemy of the Miao Jiang Holy King, she had to do it.
The two were partners. Although the Miao Jiang Holy King helped her, she couldn't completely trust him. The Empress Dowager also dared not fully accept the help of the Miao Jiang Holy King's power. Finding a way to consolidate her own power was the best option for her.
Granny Zhan kept trying to soothe the Empress Dowager, who had already calmed down. At this moment, the Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes and suddenly curled her lips: "Fine, I will find a way myself."
The Empress's death, the exile of the second branch of the Lin family, and Lin Chenglu's three-day execution by slow slicing were all the beginnings of the Lin family's downfall. All the official families in the capital were on edge. Even the Empress and the Lin family, the number one family among the five great families, had fallen to such a state in an instant. What else could the others have to be proud of? If they really angered the Emperor, they would all only have death as their fate.
After the incident involving the Lin family, all the various forces and families quieted down, and the chaos in the capital was instantly quelled. Even if this was only temporary, no one dared to make any move and risk being caught in the crossfire. In particular, the court officials and wealthy families who had previously been on good terms with Lin Chenglu or had been eager to curry favor with him were now all eager to grab anyone and start cursing Lin Chenglu. In order to distance themselves from him, the second branch of the Lin family had almost become a target of everyone's hatred in the capital.
Of course, compared to the hypocritical pronouncements of the court officials, the common people genuinely hated the second branch of the Lin family. Back then, Xuan Yuanhu guarded the border, earning the title of the Great Zhou's First General, the Ghost-Faced General, for a reason. He led his troops like a god, repeatedly repelling foreign invasions. Such a person was like a god in the hearts of the people. Moreover, aside from his somewhat ugly appearance, Xuan Yuanhu was truly without fault, and his love with Princess Shuangxia was something to aspire to. These people spontaneously hated Xuan Yuanhu, and some, unable to contain their anger, threw rotten eggs and vegetable leaves outside the Lin residence every day. For the past few days, no one in the Lin family dared to leave their residence; the front and back gates were tightly shut, for fear of being attacked if they went out.
Who isn't a fool? Lin Chenglu confessed to this, but is the Lin family truly innocent? Even if they are truly innocent, no one will believe it. Besides, they are not innocent at all, so it's normal for them to be resented. But what can they do? This matter has aroused public anger, and all they can do is lie low and wait for people to gradually forget about it.
Two months have passed in the blink of an eye, and winter has arrived. A light snow has fallen in the capital, and the winter hunt is about to begin. After the turmoil in the capital this year, the emperor did not want to restrict the court officials too much, so he specially opened up the hunt this year. Both civil and military officials can participate, and ministers of the fifth rank and above can bring their families.
As members of the royal family, the princes' mansions naturally participated, and the various military and general mansions were also very enthusiastic. However, Liu Shi would not participate in the case of the general's mansion because Ouyang Zhide had not returned. But this situation would not last long.
Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide, who were forced to leave the pass and were defeated before, launched several wars one after another after returning this time. The wars were of varying sizes, but the results were all quite good. They have now forced the various countries to retreat to their original garrisons. Emperor Mingxian was overjoyed when he learned of this. Now that the border is peaceful, Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide can be allowed to return to the capital this year. Xuanyuan Chaohua also has a major life event to deal with during this trip back to the capital, which is to marry Li Rushuang.
This time, Li Rushuang and Ouyang Yue became even closer. Of course, the usually straightforward and cheerful Li Rushuang would blush from time to time when Ouyang Yue teased her, showing the coquettishness of a young girl.
On this trip, Ouyang Yue rode in the same carriage as Li Rushuang, while Baili Chen and the others rode horses outside. Baili Su was too young to participate in the hunt, and since the weather was getting colder, Ouyang Yue sent him to the princess's residence to be looked after by Princess Shuangxia.
There were three royal hunting grounds: one in the suburbs, one in a mountainous area bordering Qizhou and the capital, and the other in a grassland off the outskirts of Yuezhou Prefecture. The grassland was vast, surrounded by mountains, with two streams and a waterfall at its back, making it a place for both hunting and sightseeing. It was suitable for hunting in all four seasons. The royal hunting was divided into two periods a year, one in spring and summer and the other in winter. The three hunting grounds were decided by Emperor Mingxian according to his whims, which was also a way to avoid threats.
This year we're going to Yuezhou Prefecture. Located north of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Yuezhou Prefecture is colder than the capital and the other two prefectures, making it a perfect summer retreat. However, it's also colder in winter. Yuezhou is most famous for the Tianshan Mountains, making it the prefecture with the most mountains.
Li Rushuang reached out and lifted the curtain, looked outside, and said with a smile, "I've always heard that Yuezhou is a good place, a land of outstanding people and beautiful scenery, and the Five Elements Temple is right here. It's a place where the people live in peace and tranquility."
Ouyang Yue also said, "In previous years, there have not been many hunting trips to Yuezhou. It is probably because the Lin family and the Empress's affair caused panic in the court and among the people, so the Emperor specially chose this place."
Li Rushuang's expression darkened upon hearing this: "The Empress has committed so many immoral acts over the years, she deserves to die, and it is a fitting end. It's just a pity that the entire Lin family didn't suffer this time." It would be extremely difficult to bring misfortune upon the Lin family this time. This opportunity was indeed excellent, but Lin Chenglu sacrificed himself to protect the Lin family, abandoning his wife and children. Naturally, the other branches of the Lin family wouldn't be foolish enough to walk into the line of fire. There is also the Empress Dowager above them. Even if Emperor Mingxian wanted to completely destroy the Lin family, he couldn't do anything about it.
Ouyang Yue sighed, leaned against the car wall, and said slowly, "She's probably just a scapegoat. The real mastermind hasn't shown up yet." Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes, already having some thoughts in mind.
Li Rushuang was puzzled, but she didn't ask any further questions. Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "As for my future sister-in-law, has your dowry been prepared? I'll let you in on this beforehand. If the dowry is too small, you won't be allowed to enter my brother's house. I, as the younger sister-in-law, will also get some good things."
Li Rushuang blushed instantly, and the elegant lotus flower on her forehead also showed a touch of coquettishness, making Li Rushuang even more beautiful: "You eccentric, you're making fun of me."
"One thing at a time. It's true you're my friend, but a future sister-in-law should take care of her younger sister, shouldn't she?" Ouyang Yue said with a smile, making Li Rushuang's cheeks blush even more.
"I'm not going to talk to you anymore. You're so sharp-tongued, I can't win an argument with you." Li Rushuang shook her head, afraid that if she said anything more, her face would burn.
Discussing matters between men and women in private is not very proper, but she and Ouyang Yue are too familiar with each other, and they will be family in the future. Her parents often remind her to get along well with Ouyang Yue and not to have any conflicts between sisters-in-law after marriage. However, whenever Ouyang Yue mentions it, she can't help but think of that handsome, dashing, and brave man, and she feels extremely shy. She is not even like the bold Li Rushuang anymore, but there is nothing she can do about it.
She hadn't realized it before, but she knew she liked Xuan Yuan Chaohua. However, she never imagined that her longing for him would be so deep after he left. But at least she could wait for him again.
Seeing Li Rushuang's blushing, shy yet expectant expression, Ouyang Yue smiled. She then placed her hands on her lap, calming her mind. Since being controlled by the mother gu that night, Ouyang Yue had discovered that her previously intractable cultivation technique had actually improved. In the following days of practice, she broke through the bottleneck and advanced directly. Now, with her mind at peace, she was confident she could contend with the mother gu. She could have secretly adjusted her breathing to slowly kill the offspring gu, thus tiring the mother gu and severely injuring the original user, while also freeing herself from control. However, firstly, her cultivation technique hadn't reached its peak, and the outcome against the offspring gu was uncertain. Secondly, Ouyang Yue had already considered her options. If she could maintain her composure, would she be able to remain clear-headed and know the mother gu's true intentions the next time it controlled her? If so, wouldn't that be a powerful weapon in her hands? What could be better than knowing the mother gu's true thoughts and using them against her?
The caravan traveled for about ten days before stopping outside the hunting grounds. It's worth mentioning that the Empress Dowager also came along this year, so when Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang dismounted, the Empress Dowager was already surrounded by noble ladies and young women, like a star being fawned over.
Ouyang Yue pulled Li Rushuang along, gently smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes, and said, "Let's go, let's go and pay our respects to the Empress Dowager."
"good."
The two women approached gracefully, both exceptionally beautiful. One was Ouyang Yue, and the other was Li Rushuang, who would become the future wife of the Great General. Naturally, they were also objects of the Great Zhou people's efforts to win them over. Upon seeing the two approach, the crowd quickly parted to make way for them: "Granddaughter-in-law greets Imperial Grandmother."
"This humble woman greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
"Get up, all of you. You must be tired from the long journey. Don't all stay here with me. Go and get some rest first, or you might suffer in the hunting trip tomorrow and the day after." The Empress Dowager spoke with her usual gentle smile, and the noble ladies and young misses laughed and chimed in.
"Oh dear, I am not good at such things. I only came here to join in the fun. I hope Your Majesty will not think I am ignorant and will allow me to learn something from you."
"Yes, yes, I am so frail that I probably can't even lift a bow and arrow. I wonder if I could follow the Empress Dowager and learn some skills."
"This humble woman..."
The Empress Dowager nodded with a smile: "That would be good, but if you come here to hunt just to keep this old woman company, you'll be a bit bored. Seventh Prince's wife is the most beautiful woman in Langya Continent, skilled in both literature and martial arts. My old arms and legs can't move her, but Seventh Prince's wife is excellent. I think she's not as good as you, so I'll have a competition with her. It'll be a good omen for us here."
"Oh, how do we compete? Are you going to go in person?" At this moment, Jiang Xuan walked over, dressed in a bright red riding outfit, looking quite dashing. She slightly raised her chin and looked at Ouyang Yue with indifference.
"Of course, the seventh prince's wife won first place in the horsemanship competition herself. It's a pity that I was unwell at the time and stayed in the palace, so I didn't get to see it. This is a rare opportunity." The Empress Dowager looked at Ouyang Yue, her eyes flashing, and her smile became more and more kind.
"Princess Consort Chen, I now challenge you. Do you dare to compete?" Jiang Xuan sneered arrogantly at Ouyang Yue, her grip tightening slightly. Hunting was her favorite pastime. During the Great Campaign, she had used such competitions to secretly eliminate many annoying young ladies from noble families. Ouyang Yue was skilled in both literature and martial arts, was she? She would still die at her hands.
This time, Jiang Xuan was absolutely certain that Ouyang Yue would die.
Ouyang Yue looked at Jiang Xuan, her eyes deep and unfathomable: "Very well! This princess accepts!"