Fu Meier wasn't as impulsive as Mu Cuiwei. Her words were a diversionary tactic, using Ouyang Yue's words to shut her down. As a noble lady from the capital, Ouyang Yue should naturally be tolerant. To argue with a servant would be beneath her dignity. Besides, didn't you say this was a sacred Buddhist site? You should treat people kindly. Holding onto others' mistakes doesn't make you a kind person.
Ouyang Yue looked at Fu Meier with a half-smile, but the latter's face was still bright and beautiful like the sunset, though a cold glint flashed in her eyes, clearly indicating her reluctance. Fu Meier's direct words were intended to conveniently ignore her earlier accusations against Rui Yuhuan. Of course, Rui Yuhuan was already in the wrong, so she certainly wouldn't dwell on it at this point; in the end, she would gain nothing and would obediently shut up, leaving the matter to Fu Meier, Mu Cuiwei, and Ouyang Yue.
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly: "So it was Miss Fu's maid who was gossiping. Miss Fu is really too lenient. Miss Fu is, after all, the legitimate daughter of a wealthy family. Although she is not as noble as the daughter of an official, she is talented, beautiful, and well-mannered. However, her kind nature is a trap. Miss Fu's maid is so ignorant of etiquette. I was able to forgive her today out of a desire to avoid trouble, but if she offends Miss Fu next time, and you cannot afford to offend your benefactor, the one who will suffer will not be the maid herself, but Miss Fu, and even the entire Fu family. Miss Fu needs to properly discipline your personal maid's words and actions, otherwise, if she suffers losses in the future, won't Miss Fu have to cry with her? By then, it will be too late to regret it."
"Cough..." Leng Caiwen couldn't help but cover his mouth and cough lightly. Ouyang Yue's words and sarcasm were so sharp that they were almost deadly. Look at how Fu Meier's face turned pale and red, so embarrassed that she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Her venomous words were almost as good as poison.
Ouyang Yue glanced at Leng Caiwen indifferently, and the latter immediately lowered his hand, blinking innocently as if he wasn't the one coughing. Of course, no one paid attention to him at this moment. Everyone else was slightly twitching at the thought of Ouyang Yue's sarcastic words to Fu Meier.
Fu Meier was so angry her eyes rolled back, her hands clenched into fists, trembling. Otherwise, she feared she might have punched Ouyang Yue in return. Ouyang Yue not only mocked her as a merchant's daughter, implying she was of lowly birth, but also subtly accused her of being incompetent at managing people. She argued that all her hard work in earning the reputation of being one of the three most beautiful women in the capital was in vain; she couldn't even manage her own servants. What use was a reputation then? Had she become dull-witted from studying, possessing only a pretty face but no real skills? Of course, on the other hand, one could also assume Ouyang Yue didn't believe Fu Meier's story. Of course, few people present believed Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei's excuses. What kind of maid would be so disrespectful, casually accusing a young lady of another family of having an affair? Wouldn't that invite retaliation? Ouyang Yue mocked Fu Meier for being cowardly, but this time it was her. If she offended someone even more powerful in the future, such ridiculous words would only provoke more anger, and Fu Meier would suffer in the end.
Fu Meier intentionally flattered Ouyang Yue to make her forgive her. Ouyang Yue could let it go, but she couldn't simply let it pass peacefully. Not giving Fu Meier a taste of her own medicine wasn't in her nature. After speaking, Ouyang Yue smiled at Li Rushuang: "Rushuang, let's go back. You've really been implicated today. You kindly accompanied me for a walk, but ended up being accused of adultery. Tell me, how can I apologize? I'll agree to anything you say."
Li Rushuang's face, which had been filled with rage and gritted teeth, now showed a blank expression as she stared at Ouyang Yue, somewhat bewildered. How could the situation have changed so drastically in the blink of an eye? She was still quite confused about the situation, but she knew very well that Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei had been outmaneuvered. A smug glint flashed in her eyes as she sighed, "I'll think about how to apologize first and then tell you. Today was truly unlucky. I just wanted to take a walk to clear my head, but I didn't expect to run into something like this. Humph!" The two of them left as they spoke, and the crowd parted automatically, watching them go in silence.
Baili Chen stood behind, watching Ouyang Yue's retreating figure, a smile playing on his lips. He coldly swept his gaze over Fu Meier, Mu Cuiwei, Rui Yuhuan, and Ouyang Rou, saying to them, "If there's nothing else, go back and rest. To make such a fool of yourself in a solemn place like a Buddhist temple—I really don't know who taught you this. It's outrageous." With that, he flicked his sleeve and left with a cold face. The others immediately bowed respectfully to Baili Chen, their faces filled with embarrassment. Just now, Fu Meier and the others had mentioned that the Third Miss Ouyang had a secret rendezvous with the Seventh Prince. This was only because the Seventh Prince had been frail and sickly since childhood, unlike the other princes who were more concerned with appearances. Otherwise, if they had truly pursued the matter with Fu Meier and the other two, they certainly wouldn't have let it go so easily today.
The others looked at Fu Meier and the others with disdain, and then left one after another, as if they did not want to associate with them.
As soon as they walked away, Leng Caiwen smiled at Baili Chen and said, "Seventh Prince, you really know how to recognize and use people. You were enjoying your time with your beauty under the moon and flowers, and I not only didn't get to accompany you, but you also had to drag me out of trouble. You always end up losing out, and I'm never the one who benefits." Leng Caiwen shook his head and sighed, looking helpless.
Baili Chen looked at him and pursed his lips: "Oh, what advantage do you want to gain?"
Leng Caiwen smiled and looked back at him: "That's hard to say. I'd love to experience what it's like to meet a beauty under the moon and flowers next time."
Baili Chen's gaze gradually turned cold as he looked at Leng Caiwen, who returned his gaze with a smile. Dai Yu, watching from the side, couldn't help but frown and coughed, "Does the Seventh Prince want to discuss matters here? Aren't you afraid that the walls will hear us?"
Bai Lichen's lips pursed even more deeply as he got up and walked towards his room. As he entered, Leng Caiwen said, "In this world, the difference in social status is always a problem. No one can escape this hurdle. That's why I say it's good to be a playboy. You won't have to climb up to anyone or settle down with anyone."
Baili Chen turned around instantly, squinting at Leng Caiwen, who had already turned and left. Baili Chen's eyes darkened, and he went into the house. Dai Yu, who left with Leng Caiwen, said, "Why provoke the Seventh Prince? Do you like Miss Ouyang so much?" Although Ouyang Yue was indeed a rare woman, Dai Yu only admired her and had no other intentions. In his opinion, it was not a wise choice to antagonize the Seventh Prince because of Ouyang Yue.
Leng Caiwen tilted his head and smiled: "What are you talking about? I don't understand what you mean. Ouyang Yue is indeed quite interesting, but have I ever said that I like her? You're overthinking it."
Dai Yu pursed her lips and looked at Leng Caiwen, who had already put his hands behind his back and looked up at the night sky. Then he chuckled and said, "Dai Yu, what do you think about us getting some wine in a Buddhist temple? Wouldn't that be a thrill of cheating? That's a good idea, isn't it?"
Dai Yu snorted: "I'm not going to mess around with you. I'm going to rest."
Leng Caiwen exclaimed in disappointment, "Hey, what's the point of going to bed so early? Come on, have a drink with me. You'll find my idea is pretty good. Come on, come on..."
The two figures gradually disappeared into the night sky, and their voices faded into the distance.
Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang returned to the courtyard, but Li Rushuang didn't go back to her room. Instead, she followed Ouyang Yue directly to her room, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something but didn't know where to begin. Earlier, they had been having a lot of fun playing in the back mountain when suddenly Baili Chen's guard whispered something in his ear. Baili Chen's expression immediately changed, and he told them to come down the mountain immediately. She had been having a great time and was somewhat reluctant, but Yue'er pulled her down the mountain. The Seventh Prince and his guards left even faster. She didn't know what had happened, but judging from the situation, it must be very serious, so she didn't dare delay. However, she hadn't expected that as soon as they came down, they would hear shouts not far away. She listened out of curiosity, but what she heard enraged her. Every word was directed at Yue'er, and the insults were utterly vile. Only then did she understand what had happened.
She felt a sense of relief at the time, thankfully the Seventh Prince had received the news and left first; otherwise, if they had been trapped on the mountain by these people, they would have had no way to explain themselves. She didn't know how the Seventh Prince had left so quickly, ending up behind the others, which made them completely innocent. But after the tense moment passed, other worries arose in Li Rushuang's heart.
Seeing Li Rushuang's furrowed brows and obvious frustration as she pondered something, Ouyang Yue couldn't help but ask, "Rushuang, what do you want to say? Just say it."
Li Rushuang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Yue'er, you and the Seventh Prince..." Judging from the fact that Baili Chen deliberately tied her up today in order to see Ouyang Yue, Baili Chen clearly did it on purpose. With Baili Chen's status and appearance, what kind of woman couldn't he have? Even Li Rushuang sometimes lost her mind when she looked at Baili Chen's enchanting face. She never had any infatuation with Baili Chen. She was afraid that Ouyang Yue would lose her heart if she couldn't hold on.
“Moon, although His Highness the Seventh Prince is exceptionally handsome, my mother is right. A woman's marriage is a lifelong commitment; beauty fades with time, but true love is hard to find. It's not just about looks. Even if the Seventh Prince is outstanding in appearance, would you be willing if he couldn't bring you happiness? His health is such that he's frequently vomiting blood and bedridden. Moon, to be frank, I rarely make friends, but I like you very much, and I don't want you to be a widow in your old age, heartbroken and desolate. Besides, the Seventh Prince seems very good at charming women; you're so innocent and kind, I'm afraid you'll suffer greatly in the end.” Li Rushuang said earnestly, “Furthermore, there are many troubles in the royal family; one wrong move and you'll be in trouble. It's best to avoid getting involved.”
Ouyang Yue looked at Li Rushuang with some surprise. Li Rushuang had always been straightforward and guileless, but Ouyang Yue hadn't expected her to be such a rare intelligence. She wasn't less thoughtful than anyone else; in fact, she thought much more deeply, seeing through the many people's lifelong pursuits that ultimately amounted to nothing. Just as Li Rushuang had said, Ouyang Yue believed she wouldn't like Baili Chen. Firstly, she didn't feel a strong sense of belonging to this other world; secondly, she didn't want to get involved with the royal family. But Ouyang Zhide's victory had already brought so much trouble; if she married Baili Chen, who knew how many more problems would arise? Besides, Baili Chen had so many suitors; even if he himself didn't fancy them, Ouyang Yue hated constantly swatting flies for him.
Ouyang Yue is a very selfish person; she won't do anything that doesn't benefit her. From the beginning, she felt that getting close to Baili Chen would be troublesome, and now she feels that way even more. Good looks can't put food on the table; Baili Chen's appearance is somewhat alluring to her, but not enough to make her fall in love. Li Rushuang's words struck a chord with her.
Ouyang Yue nodded, took Li Rushuang's hand and said, "Rushuang, I know you are advising me out of good intentions. Don't worry, I was jilted by Hong Yicheng before, and I will never make the same mistake again. No matter how good-looking or how noble his status is, it will never be my standard for choosing a husband."
Li Rushuang showed a hint of joy, but then said with concern, "However, it seems that the Seventh Prince is quite fond of you. I can tell that. Speaking of the Seventh Prince, he is also very pitiful. He was born with a lot of illnesses and falls ill every few days. I don't know how long his body can last. It's a pity for his stunningly handsome appearance."
Ouyang Yue chuckled: "Didn't you just say that his good looks were a hassle? Why are you saying it's a pity now?"
Li Rushuang blushed slightly and pouted, "How can that be the same? If you like him, then it's troublesome. Neither of us likes the Seventh Prince. What's wrong with just admiring his face? Being good-looking isn't all a sin. At least it's pleasing to the eye. We're looking at him with an appreciative attitude, so it's natural to feel a little sorry. If the Seventh Prince had died earlier, wouldn't we have lost a beauty to look at? Of course, it would be a pity."
Dongxue followed behind the two of them. When she heard Li Rushuang's words, she couldn't help but look up at Li Rushuang. She couldn't help but twitch her lips and thought to herself, "This Miss Li is really straightforward. If these words get out, it's like cursing the Seventh Prince to die. But what she said makes sense. The saying 'beautiful women often have tragic fates' mostly refers to this kind of person."
Ouyang Yue was amused; she found Li Rushuang's innocent charm endearing. Li Rushuang, feeling slightly uncomfortable from the laughter, pursed her lips and remained silent…
Once the previous farce was over, those who had wanted to watch the show had long since left. Ouyang Rou, along with her maid, sensed something was amiss and immediately said, "It's so late, Xiang'er, let's go back first and help me bathe and rest."
"Yes, Miss." Xiang'er immediately responded and left quickly with Ouyang Rou. She could also sense the anger emanating from Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei. If they didn't leave soon, they might be affected, so she left as quickly as possible.
Rui Yuhuan's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately realized something was wrong. She whispered, "Second Miss, please wait. I'll go back with you."
However, as soon as she took a step, Mu Cuiwei flashed in front of her and blocked her way: "Miss Rui, why are you in such a hurry to leave? Shouldn't we still have things to talk about?"
Rui Yuhuan bit her lip slightly and clenched her fists to calm herself down. She said, "It's late. I have nothing to say to Miss Fu and Miss Mu. Please let me pass by, Miss Mu. It's getting late, everyone should get some rest."
Fu Meier sneered, "Miss Rui just did such a wonderful thing. Miss Mu and I wanted to thank you. Why are you leaving so soon? Don't be in such a hurry. You can leave after we've thanked you." The fire that Fu Meier had been suppressing gradually ignited. Her face darkened, and her eyes turned icy as she stared at Rui Yuhuan.
Fu Meier knew from the morning that Rui Yuhuan harbored inappropriate feelings for the Seventh Prince, but considering her status as an orphan, she had no right to compare herself to her. Furthermore, the Seventh Prince had publicly humiliated Rui Yuhuan in front of everyone, so she didn't take Rui Yuhuan seriously at all, regarding her merely as a clown. However, she never expected that Rui Yuhuan would be so bold as to play her like this.
She and Mu Cuiwei had previously gone out for a stroll after dining at the vegetarian restaurant, but unexpectedly ran into Ouyang Rou, who was furiously looking for someone with her maid. Naturally, she asked out of curiosity and, upon hearing that Rui Yuhuan and Ouyang Yue were both out of their rooms, she became quite interested. She instinctively disliked Rui Yuhuan and Ouyang Yue; both of them greatly annoyed Fu Meier. Then, upon encountering Rui Yuhuan, she was shocked to hear such explosive news: the Seventh Prince had actually gone out with that vile woman, Ouyang Yue! With the Seventh Prince's nobility and charisma, how could that lowly girl Ouyang Yue possibly have the right to lay a finger on him? She was utterly unworthy.
No matter how smart Fu Meier is, she loses some of her rationality when she encounters people and things she likes. She didn't think carefully about the credibility of Rui Yuhuan's words, and wanted to embarrass Ouyang Yue because she was angry. In the end, she was the one who was most embarrassed. Looking at Ouyang Yue's mocking face, she felt like she was being scolded for being stupid every time she thought about it. But who caused this stupidity? It was all Rui Yuhuan's fault!
Fu Meier now understood why Rui Yuhuan had said those things to her. It turned out that Rui Yuhuan had planned to embarrass her from the very beginning. She and Rui Yuhuan, her rivals, were naturally furious upon meeting. She looked down on Rui Yuhuan, but she wouldn't let go of any opportunity to humiliate her, and Rui Yuhuan must have felt the same way. So, even though she knew the Seventh Prince and Ouyang Yue weren't together, she deliberately provoked her, causing her to become angry and create such a ridiculous situation, making her lose face in public.
What Fu Meier hated most was Rui Yuhuan's public lie, which made the Seventh Prince misunderstand her as malicious. This was probably Rui Yuhuan's goal: to feign pitifulness in front of everyone, thus highlighting her own wickedness, both to humiliate her and to make the Seventh Prince despise her. What a brilliant scheme! She had actually been fooled. The Seventh Prince's cold gaze as he left terrified Fu Meier and fueled her rage. It was all Rui Yuhuan's fault! How dare she scheme against her! What audacity!
To make things easier, Rui Yuhuan hadn't even brought Douya with her. Now, she was all alone, surrounded by Fu Meier, Mu Cuiwei, and their maids—six people in total. Rui Yuhuan considered herself clever, but she was utterly powerless and couldn't possibly break free from their encirclement. She was terrified, beads of sweat forming on her face, but she forced herself to remain calm and said, "Miss Fu, Miss Mu, what do you mean by this? I need to go back and rest now. Please do me a favor and don't do anything unnecessary, otherwise you'll only make a fool of yourselves. The Seventh Prince has already been reprimanded; if you two cause any more trouble, I'm afraid he won't be able to explain himself, which will also damage your reputations. You two are both intelligent people; you should know what to do."
Mu Cuiwei's face darkened, and she immediately slapped Rui Yuhuan. A loud "slap" rang out in the night. At the same time, Mu Cuiwei said angrily, "You bitch, do I need an orphan like you to scold me? What are you? You're not even worthy to lick my shoes!" Mu Cuiwei was also very angry. Although she had no ulterior motives towards Baili Chen and was a member of the Second Princess's faction who was hostile to Baili Chen, she was still intimidated by Baili Chen, the most favored prince. All of this turned into anger that she wanted to vent on Rui Yuhuan.
"You, you dare hit me!" Rui Yuhuan covered her face, looking incredulous. She was born on the border, where the people were warm and straightforward. Rui Yuhuan was always obedient and well-behaved, loved by everyone. Everyone doted on her. Even after her parents died and she became an orphan, she was taken back to the General's Mansion by Ouyang Zhide. Old Madam Ning treated her better than anyone else. When had she ever been beaten like this? Rui Yuhuan glared angrily.
Fu Meier sneered: "Hit you? Of course we'll hit you. Today we're not just going to hit you, Cuiwei. We should also let Miss Rui see who she is. Otherwise, she'll think that she's a little orphan girl made of gold, and that everyone has to give her some face."
Mu Cuiwei sneered in return: "You're right, we're not hitting you. You should thank us; we're helping you. You offended us today, and we're magnanimous enough to let you off the hook, but next time it's someone else, we won't let you off so easily. Get her down."
"You dare? I'll call for help! The Seventh Prince will come to save me! You will all be punished! I advise you to release me quickly, otherwise it will be awkward for everyone, and don't blame me then!" Rui Yuhuan immediately screamed in fear.
Fu Meier, unable to bear it any longer, raised her hand and slapped her hard across the face: "You slut! You think the Seventh Prince treats you like a precious gem? Don't you remember how he treated you during the day? Someone as lowly as a blade of grass as you doesn't deserve the Seventh Prince's help. After all this talk, you still don't understand your place. It seems I have to teach you a lesson you won't learn your lesson." Fu Meier waved her hand, and two of her and Mu Cuiwei's four maids grabbed Rui Yuhuan's arms. Rui Yuhuan struggled fiercely, but the maids pinched her flesh hard, causing her to gasp in pain.
"No, that's too light. Miss Rui clearly didn't enjoy it. Didn't you two get slapped just now? Why don't we let Miss Rui experience it too?" Mu Cuiwei's eyes lit up. She always loved seeing people in pain, and she immediately gave the order.
The two maids who had been implicated because of Rui Yuhuan's outburst flashed coldness in their eyes. They had been beaten because of this wretched woman, and as servants of their mistress, they dared not resist. But this woman was different. The two maids immediately raised their hands, one on each side, and slapped Rui Yuhuan's face hard. The force of their blows was so great that they echoed in the night, the crisp sounds almost blending into a single tone.
Rui Yuhuan's cheeks were swollen and red from the beating, and a look of pain flashed across her face. She wanted to scream for help, but the two maids were too ruthless and didn't give her a chance to shout. The sound of slapping kept ringing out in the air. In no time, Rui Yuhuan's face was completely swollen, and her eyes seemed to be bloodshot, making her look blurry and red. She was trembling all over from the humiliation and screamed angrily in her heart!
Unfortunately, no one could hear her, while Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei kept instructing the four maids to hit and pinch her. Rui Yuhuan felt constant pain all over her body and wished she had a knife in her hand to mercilessly kill all these vile people. Unfortunately, she not only had no knife, but she was also powerless to resist.
"Thump!" Finally, the four maids got tired of hitting her and let go. Rui Yuhuan collapsed in pain, her knees buckling and her body tilting to the side.
Fu Meier approached slowly with a sinister smile, saying maliciously, "Cuiwei, didn't you say she's only fit to lick your shoes? I think so too. Let her taste what it's like to lick shoes." A hint of malice flashed through Fu Meier's mind. This bitch dared to embarrass her in front of the Seventh Prince; she would make sure she never had the face to show anyone again!
Mu Cuiwei walked over with a cold laugh: "Even if you hadn't said it, I had the same idea."
Rui Yuhuan, who had been slumped to the ground, suddenly raised her head and shouted in terror and anger, "You...you dare!"
☆、089, Punish Rui, that scumbag woman!
Rui Yuhuan instinctively leaned back, struggling to get up despite the aches and pains she had suffered. However, being weak and having just been treated so cruelly, she was no match for the agile Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei. She had barely sat up when Fu Meier, Mu Cuiwei, and the other four surrounded her again. Rui Yuhuan's heart skipped a beat, and she shook her head repeatedly, saying, "No! You can't do this to me! No!"
Rui Yuhuan struggled fiercely, but Mu Cuiwei grabbed her neatly combed hair and pulled her hard in front of her. Rui Yuhuan cried out in pain and was dragged half a step away from the ground. Her exquisite hairstyle immediately fell apart, and Mu Cuiwei pulled up a strand. Rui Yuhuan's tears fell in pain, and she reached out to pull it away, but Mu Cuiwei would not give her a chance to break free. While pulling her hair hard, she slapped her already swollen face. Her face swayed back and forth as she was slapped, and her hair was naturally pulled painfully.
Rui Yuhuan kept crying out in pain, "Quick...let go, it hurts so much, let go!" Rui Yuhuan was both in pain and angry. At this moment, she didn't know how to describe her feelings. She never expected that she, who was always invincible, would suffer such humiliation one after another today. She was so angry that she wanted to bite her tongue and commit suicide.
Although Fu Cuiwei was indeed from an official family, her behavior was despicable; she was one of the three ugliest women in the capital. So what if Fu Meier was beautiful? Could she change her lowly status as a merchant? Rui Yuhuan never thought either of them was superior to her. Just because Fu Meier liked someone didn't mean she couldn't touch them—why?! She was indignant!
"Fu Meier, Mu Cuiwei, how dare you humiliate me like this today? Aren't you afraid that one day your infamy will spread throughout the entire capital, even the entire Great Zhou? Miss Mu is already one of the three ugliest women in the capital, and you may not care about her notorious reputation. But Miss Fu, your reputation as one of the three most beautiful women in the capital is not easily earned. Are you willing to let it be ruined like this? Miss Fu is a smart person; you should know what's important. If you do something unnecessary and tarnish your reputation, then it won't be me who's crying." Rui Yuhuan struggled to raise her head, a cold smile on her face, looking at Fu Meier, whose expression had changed.
Rui Yuhuan appears to be a well-behaved, obedient, and beloved young lady in public, but in reality, she is quite different. She is cunning and shrewd, and she understands Fu Meier's intentions perfectly. Fu Meier always strives for perfection in public, and as is typical of women, she wants to present herself well to the one she pleases. Fu Meier is infatuated with the Seventh Prince, Baili Chen, and is determined to appear absolutely perfect in his eyes. This is why Fu Meier became angry at Baili Chen's cold words; she felt her image in his eyes had been damaged, hence her anger and resentment towards Rui Yuhuan. Knowing this, Rui Yuhuan is not afraid of them. Fu Meier's mindset is precisely what she has in mind, which is why she can manipulate her. Not wanting her reputation to be damaged or to appear even more pathetic in front of Baili Chen, she is determined to back down.
Fu Meier hesitated for a moment, while Rui Yuhuan smiled smugly. Fu Meier was just a rich young lady from the capital. Merchants only care about profit and prioritize interests above all else. Fu Meier was already tainted by money and would naturally understand this principle. Rui Yuhuan was certain that Fu Meier thought she was extraordinary, but compared to her, she was far inferior.
Fu Meier had been too angry just now, and was startled by Rui Yuhuan's reminder. Yes, although she hadn't known Rui Yuhuan for long, she knew she was a master actress. If this matter escalated, Rui Yuhuan could go out and complain, using today's events to accuse her of being not only vicious but also ruthless. Such rumors would damage her reputation as a gentle and virtuous young lady. The Seventh Prince already held a grudge against her today; if this bad reputation spread, wouldn't she lose all her chance?
No, this can't go on. Fu Meier's heart was already wavering with fear, but anger also flashed through her mind. It was bad enough that Rui Yuhuan had schemed against them, but now she was using this matter to blackmail them. Although Fu Meier was the daughter of a merchant, she was no ordinary merchant, but the daughter of the richest man in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Although she wasn't as noble as the daughters of officials, her quality of life was better than those so-called daughters of officials. Having been pampered and spoiled since childhood, when had she ever been threatened like this? Rui Yuhuan had not only humiliated her first, but now she had left her speechless. This made her feel extremely aggrieved, and her expression turned cold as she looked at Rui Yuhuan.
Fu Meier remained calm, but Mu Cuiwei was far from composed. Rui Yuhuan had just humiliated her and Fu Meier in front of everyone, subjecting them to countless scornful looks and disdain. What did she care about saving face now? She had completely lost it. Rui Yuhuan's words had some effect on Fu Meier, but for Mu Cuiwei, they only fueled her raging anger. This fire rose from the depths of her heart, directly attacking Mu Cuiwei's head. She felt a surge of heat rush to her head, and in a fit of rage, she raised her leg and kicked Rui Yuhuan in the shoulder.
"You slut! You dare threaten me? Who do you think you are? A lowly orphan, practically begging to be offered to the Seventh Prince, a whore he didn't even want, and you dare to act tough in front of me? You think you're worthy? You slut!" Mu Cuiwei's foot was raised and couldn't be pulled back. Her face was ashen with rage as she kicked Rui Yuhuan hard in the shoulder and chest, but Rui Yuhuan's soft breasts sank in as she stepped on it. Mu Cuiwei was even angrier. "You slut, you still dare to play tricks on me at a time like this? I'll kill you!"
"Bang!" Mu Cuiwei stomped on her foot again in anger, kicking Rui Yuhuan hard in the chest. Rui Yuhuan thought that Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei were frightened by her and was secretly pleased with herself. She never expected that Mu Cuiwei would suddenly kick her. She was not prepared at all and was kicked away. Then came her scream of pain, "Ah!" Rui Yuhuan clutched her chest and felt a series of excruciating pains. Her whole body trembled and her face was covered with a layer of fine sweat. She fell to the ground and groaned in pain.
Fu Meier initially frowned at Mu Cuiwei's behavior, but seeing Rui Yuhuan's miserable state, her expression turned cold. This bitch dared to threaten her! Didn't she even know who she was? She was delusional, dreaming of things she would never need, and dared to act so smugly in front of her—utterly despicable. Hmph, Rui Yuhuan was nothing more than an orphan adopted by the General's Mansion. Even if she went outside to cry and complain, what could she do? What storm could she stir up? As the legitimate daughter of the Fu family, she would definitely find a way to shut Rui Yuhuan up. Why should she be afraid of Rui Yuhuan? Not only did she not need to be afraid of Rui Yuhuan, but Fu Meier's anger also flared because of Rui Yuhuan's attitude.
Rui Yuhuan felt as if her chest was about to burst from being stepped on, but Mu Cuiwei didn't let her off the hook. She walked over and raised her foot to kick Rui Yuhuan again. Rui Yuhuan immediately screamed in fright, "Miss Fu, Miss Mu, I'm innocent! I didn't do it willingly! I was forced! I didn't mean to be your enemy! Please listen to me!" Rui Yuhuan's original confidence had completely vanished. Looking at the cold faces of Mu Cuiwei and Fu Meier, she knew that if she continued to be stubborn, she would only suffer. She never liked to be taken advantage of, so she cried out in alarm.
Mu Cuiwei snorted coldly: "You still want to talk nonsense here? Wait until I've had enough of beating you before I give you a chance to speak."
Rui Yuhuan cried out in fright, "No, you have to listen to me, otherwise you two ladies won't feel comfortable if the wrong person is hit. I'm only thinking of you two ladies, you two ladies must listen to me." Large beads of sweat rolled down Rui Yuhuan's forehead. She felt her chest was numb and swollen. She was afraid that Mu Cuiwei would ruin her breasts if she went down. She tightly protected her chest and spoke urgently.
Mu Cuiwei ignored her and raised her leg to kick. Mu Cuiwei was known as one of the three ugliest women in the capital not because of her appearance, but because of her vicious actions. She had beaten to death the concubine who competed with her mother for favor, earning her the title of one of the three ugliest women. Over the years, under the command of the Second Princess Baili Jing, Mu Cuiwei was someone that everyone in the capital, except for the royal family, avoided. Even if she really did something to Rui Yuhuan today, would the General's Mansion really hold her accountable for an orphan girl who had lost both her parents? What a joke. Mu Cuiwei wasn't stupid; she naturally knew how to handle things. Rui Yuhuan dared to scheme against her, so she had to bear the crazy consequences of her schemes. However, Mu Cuiwei didn't care. Fu Meier, on the other hand, was somewhat concerned about Rui Yuhuan's words. Although she knew that Rui Yuhuan was quite cunning and liked to act, she was very curious about her confident words. Anyway, Rui Yuhuan was now in their hands, and they could do whatever they wanted with her. They figured Rui Yuhuan couldn't pull any tricks.
Fu Meier immediately stopped Mu Cuiwei and said, "Cuiwei, please calm down and listen to what this vile woman has to say."
Mu Cuiwei frowned: "What can she say? It's just sophistry. Let me beat her up first, then you can ask her questions. It'll be the same."
Upon hearing this, Rui Yuhuan immediately spoke up: "Miss Fu, Miss Mu, I am innocent! Everything I did was at someone's behest, not of my own volition. You see, I am but a helpless orphan, how could I do something so self-destructive as to offend the noble ladies of the capital? Where would I get the guts? I'm not stupid, how could I not know that offending the noble ladies of the capital is tantamount to ruining my future? But I had no choice." These noble ladies of the capital may not seem to have much power, but their backgrounds are all extraordinary, and they love to cultivate small cliques. Offending one of them is almost like offending their entire circle. Mu Cuiwei is also a person of the Second Princess; ordinary people wouldn't want to offend either of them. Rui Yuhuan's words stunned Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei, who fell silent and stared at her.
Rui Yuhuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then said helplessly, "The two young ladies know that I'm currently living in the General's Mansion. The General's Mansion is practically my benefactor; this life of dependence isn't easy. I can only obey orders here, especially since the General dotes on Miss Ouyang the Third. I never dare offend her." Rui Yuhuan carefully observed their expressions, and seeing their eyes turn colder, she added, "Whatever Miss Ouyang the Third orders me to do, I dare not utter a single word of dissent. I also attended the Ning Mansion's birthday banquet last time, so I know very well about the conflict between Miss Mu and Miss Ouyang the Third. Miss Ouyang the Third isn't a magnanimous person; on the contrary, she's quite petty. After returning to the manor, she repeatedly cursed Miss Mu in front of me. She's been trying to find..." "This is an opportunity to get revenge on Miss Mu. What happened today had nothing to do with Miss Mu; it was Young Master Hong's fault. But Miss Ouyang still has some feelings for Young Master Hong, so she shifted the blame onto Miss Mu and Miss Fu. No matter how Yu Huan tried to persuade and explain, she wouldn't listen. Finally, Miss Ouyang suddenly came up with a plan: to have Yu Huan pretend to come out and then find an opportunity to lure the two young ladies to the back mountain, just to humiliate them in public." Rui Yu Huan's face flashed with worry. "I wouldn't dare do this, but in the entire General's Mansion, I'm afraid no one dares disobey Miss Ouyang. She forced me to put on this act, and Yu Huan had no choice. Please understand, young ladies. Yu Huan has actually been very conflicted. All of this was made by Ouyang Yue; it's all her fault."
"What! It's Ouyang Yue again! That bitch! Every time I run into her, nothing good ever comes of it. I haven't even settled accounts with her for what happened before, and she dared to frame me, making me lose face in front of so many people! It's outrageous!" Upon hearing this, Mu Cuiwei's eyes blazed with fury, her gaze wide as she roared in anger. Having suffered several losses at Ouyang Yue's hands, Mu Cuiwei already harbored deep hatred for her. Rui Yuhuan's words ignited a desire in her to immediately confront Ouyang Yue and cause a complete uproar. She refused to believe that with the Crown Prince and the Second Princess protecting her, she would be afraid of that bitch Ouyang Yue.
"Come on, I'm going to find that bitch Ouyang Yue. How dare she scheme against me! I'll show her what I'm capable of!" Mu Cuiwei was furious. After saying that, she was about to take her maid to find Ouyang Yue and settle the score.
Fu Meier's eyes flashed, she smiled coldly, and reached out to pull Mu Cuiwei back: "Cuiwei, don't be impulsive. The truth is not something that Rui Yuhuan can decide on her own."
Mu Cuiwei stopped and looked at her: "What do you want to say?"
Fu Meier stared coldly at Rui Yuhuan, a mocking smile on her face: "Miss Rui, since you say that all of this was instigated by Ouyang Yue but you have no evidence, just like you clearly wronged me and Cuiwei, but you can turn around and lie as if it were true. Now you can lie too."
Rui Yuhuan's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, "No, I'm telling the truth. Miss Fu, didn't you notice that during the day, the Seventh Prince took great care of Ouyang Yue? Miss Fu is superior to Ouyang Yue in every way, yet Ouyang Yue has a bad reputation, which is truly infuriating. Ouyang Yue has ulterior motives towards the Seventh Prince, so she maliciously spread rumors about this matter. Not only can she scheme to embarrass Miss Fu and Miss Mu, achieving her revenge, but if this matter blows up, Ouyang Yue's reputation will be damaged. Given General Ouyang's prestige, the Seventh Prince will likely find it difficult to refuse her, and he will definitely want to marry her. This is Ouyang Yue's series of motives, each one vicious and treacherous. She is utterly shameless. Every word I've said is true; I would never dare to utter a single falsehood."
Fu Meier's face immediately darkened. Upon hearing Ouyang Yue's purpose, her eyes clearly flashed with intense killing intent. Her fists clenched tightly, and she gritted her teeth. However, her anger didn't last long before she calmed down and looked at Rui Yuhuan with a mocking smile. Her eyes grew even colder: "Miss Rui seems to know Miss Ouyang very well. She even knows everything she's thinking. What did she tell you?"
Looking at Fu Meier's expression, Rui Yuhuan felt a little scared, but still nodded and said, "Yes, yes, yes, in order to scheme against the two young ladies, Ouyang Yue told me about this plan, so of course I know about it."
Fu Meier's smile grew even colder: "Oh, so Ouyang Yue trusted you so much that she told you everything, yet you betrayed her at the crucial moment? After all, scheming against an official's daughter is nothing compared to ruining a prince's reputation. Ouyang Yue may not be smart, but she's not that stupid. Since you gained her trust, why did you betray her at this time? Rui Yuhuan, Rui Yuhuan, do you really think I, Fu Meier, am someone who's been fooled so easily that I can't even see through your little trick?"
Mu Cuiwei's face also flashed with anger: "Rui Yuhuan, you really never learn. You've been playing tricks on us time and time again. Do you really think we're so easy to fool? Fine, since you never learn, I'll make you learn until you do. Grab her."
Rui Yuhuan cried out, "No, what I said is true. It was indeed Ouyang Yue who asked me to do it. I was just too scared because Miss Mu beat me up, so I said it. I didn't lie."
Fu Meier suddenly squatted down, grabbed Rui Yuhuan's hair, and pulled her back hard. Rui Yuhuan immediately looked up, staring at her in terror. Fu Meier's face was indescribably cold: "I'm not lying. Do you think I'm blind? How come I never saw Ouyang Yue looking at the Seventh Prince with such affection? As for you, you can't hide your infatuation no matter what. If it were out of jealousy, I would have dealt with you first. But you, you slut, are really cunning, ungrateful, and vicious. The General's Mansion has really pitied you for nothing. Not only did you try to scheme against Ouyang Yue, but you also schemed against me and Cuiwei. In the end, you still want to find another way to get away with it. Do you really think I and Cuiwei are fools who would be deceived by you again and again?"
"Bang!" With that, Fu Meier grabbed Rui Yuhuan's head and slammed it to the ground in anger. Rui Yuhuan's screams of pain were all drowned out by the ground, and she trembled all over.
Fu Meier was gritting her teeth in anger, her face contorted with rage. She felt she had been incredibly unlucky lately. First, she was swindled out of money by Ouyang Yue while vying for a private room with Mu Cuiwei—a small amount she could ignore. Then, she had intended to do some good deeds for her family to gain some benefits, but she had messed things up, causing her family to lose over 100,000 taels of silver. Even her usually kind father had lost his temper with her for the first time, locking her in the courtyard as punishment. Today, Ouyang Yue had even outdone her poem, making them all lose face. Fine, let's leave all that aside for now. After all, everyone in the capital knew Ouyang Yue's foul temper; she was like a stubborn plaster—once you were on her, you couldn't get rid of her, and most people didn't want to mess with her.
But who is Rui Yuhuan? How dare an orphan girl who is nobody ride on her head? If she lets Rui Yuhuan deceive her again and again, wouldn't she be the biggest joke?
"Eat, give me some!" The more Fu Meier thought about the pent-up frustrations of the past few days, the angrier she became. She grabbed Rui Yuhuan and slammed her to the ground. The ground was just ordinary sand, and when Fu Meier pressed her down, Rui Yuhuan naturally cried out in pain, her mouth immediately filled with dirt. Rui Yuhuan thrashed her neck in agony, but Fu Meier wouldn't let her resist. She loosened her grip for a moment, then pressed down hard again. Rui Yuhuan immediately spat out another mouthful of dirt; the bitter taste made her stomach churn, and she felt nauseous. Fu Meier smiled coldly, pressing her head down and rubbing it against the ground. Rui Yuhuan didn't even have time to close her mouth before she swallowed several more mouthfuls of dirt. A stinging pain shot through her lips. Rui Yuhuan struggled to get up, but her arms were held down tightly. She could only let Fu Meier rub her face against the ground and swallow the dirty sand. Rui Yuhuan whimpered angrily, but all she heard was Fu Meier's chilling laughter.