Aunt Hong was so angry that she trembled like a leaf. She pointed her finger at Ouyang Rou, but she was too angry to say a word for a long time. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she spat out a mouthful of blood. Ouyang Rou was right in front of her, and the blood sprayed all over Ouyang Rou's face. Ouyang Rou screamed and hurriedly wiped her face with her sleeve, completely ignoring Aunt Hong.
Ouyang Yue stood outside the cell, calmly observing Aunt Hong. If Ouyang Rou was despicable, then Aunt Hong was far more so. Over the years, Aunt Hong had been subservient and obsequious, two-faced in public and private, and had taught Ouyang Rou all these insidious tricks. It could be said that Ouyang Rou had inherited her true skills. Whether in dealing with people or in scheming, their hearts could be extremely ruthless, as long as they achieved their goals. They could appear kind and amiable, just to lower people's guard, and then stab them in the back with a fatal blow.
Over the years, Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou have committed countless despicable acts. However, Aunt Hong never imagined that when it came to matters of mutual benefit, they would clash, and with such a fatal degree. Aunt Hong should have foreseen Ouyang Rou's selfishness and fear of being harmed, because that was the nature she had raised in Ouyang Rou—unscrupulous in achieving her goals, regardless of who the other was, ruthlessly eliminating anyone who stood in her way to pave her own path. But now, with that person in her shoes, she couldn't bear it.
Ouyang Yue felt no sympathy for Aunt Hong, because this was what she deserved, and this was the consequence of her own actions.
Ouyang Rou wiped the blood from her face and looked at Aunt Hong anxiously, saying, "Aunt, did you hear me? Please promise me! If you take all the blame, I'll be fine."
Aunt Hong gritted her teeth, her face filled with undisguised pain and anger: "You beast, you actually betrayed me for your own sake! No, I'll drag you down with me!"
Ouyang Rou burst into tears, hugging Aunt Hong and pleading, "Auntie, I didn't want to either! I was just so scared of dying. Didn't you say, 'As long as the green hills remain, there's always firewood to burn'? As long as I'm alright, I can still avenge you. Auntie, haven't you always said I'm your only hope in this world? I will definitely live well for you. Please forgive me. Over the years, I haven't really been involved in any of this. If I'm convicted like this, how innocent I am! Wasn't it all thanks to you, Auntie, who connected us? Auntie, please promise me!"
"Get out, get out of here... get out of here... I never gave birth to a beast like you." Aunt Hong trembled with anger, and blood flowed more from the corner of her mouth. When Ouyang Rou heard Aunt Hong's determination, she immediately frowned and said, "You actually disagree? Fine, you don't care about the bond between mother and daughter at all. You can't blame me for that."
"Slap!" With that, Ouyang Rou slapped Aunt Hong hard across the face. Aunt Hong, who was already vomiting blood from anger, collapsed to the ground, coughing up a small pool of blood. Ouyang Rou didn't stop there. She pounced on Aunt Hong and began hitting her face repeatedly, even punching her repeatedly with her fists. Before the Ministry of Justice had even started the torture, Ouyang Rou had already taken matters into her own hands: "Speak! Do you plead guilty? Speak now!"
Aunt Hong was beaten powerless to fight back, panting heavily, her heart filled with an overwhelming anger. She didn't know if it was rage, resentment, or hatred; she only knew that she was about to go mad. She didn't know what kind of emotion it was; she just felt utterly hopeless. Looking at Ouyang Rou's ferocious expression, forcing her to confess, Aunt Hong was overwhelmed with inexplicable sorrow: "I regret it! I regret it! Why did it turn out like this? Why?" Aunt Hong cried out in anguish, her voice desolate, helpless, and sorrowful, echoing in the prison cell, carrying a profound sense of despair.
Ouyang Rou retorted angrily, "Tell me quickly, do you agree or not? Otherwise, if something really happens, don't blame me for being ruthless." Then, she whispered in Aunt Hong's ear, "Actually, this whole thing was your idea. You even sent Cao'er out. You're just admitting a fact. What's there to disagree with? Do you really want to kill me? Do you want to make sure the Hong family has no bloodline left? In the afterlife, the ancestors of the Hong family will blame you for cutting off my last line of ancestor."
Ouyang Rou was merely the grandson of the Hong family, hardly a descendant of any lineage. However, if Aunt Hong and the others were to serve their sentences, Ouyang Rou would be right; she was indeed the last remaining bloodline of the Hong family, albeit impure, but that was the truth.
Aunt Hong burst into tears of grief and anger, shaking her head repeatedly. Ouyang Rou, however, did not give up trying to persuade her. Seeing this, Ouyang Yue turned and left, saying, "Let's go, there's nothing more to see."
Chuncao and Dongxue also wore expressions of mixed emotions. Watching Ouyang Rou cling to Aunt Hong, muttering incessantly, and Aunt Hong's furious expression, they felt a pang of unease. Finally, Aunt Hong seemed to say something, and Ouyang Rou suddenly hugged her, but Aunt Hong cried even louder. For some reason, their hearts tightened. Aunt Hong was so hateful; they felt no sympathy for her, yet seeing this scene filled them with an indescribable sorrow.
Ouyang Yue stood outside the Ministry of Justice prison, gazing at the sky with a blank expression. Finally, a cold smile curved her lips. She hadn't expected to witness such a scene. Her original intention in coming today was merely to provoke Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou, but the final result was astonishing. Ouyang Rou had actually chosen to betray Aunt Hong at a crucial moment. She could even understand Aunt Hong's unbearable grief.
But no one can be blamed for all of this. It can only be said that what Aunt Hong instilled in Ouyang Rou from a young age ruined her. If she hadn't taught Ouyang Rou to fight for what didn't belong to her, and to be so selfish, would Ouyang Rou have become like this? She was simply—like a mad dog. Aunt Hong was right in her final words; Ouyang Rou's behavior was that of a beast!
Just then, a carriage slowly drove into the Ministry of Justice prison. A man in black sat quietly inside. Ouyang Yue saw Leng Sha and paused for a moment before walking over. Leng Sha immediately lifted the carriage curtain, and Ouyang Yue jumped into the carriage. However, as soon as she entered, her arm was suddenly pulled. Before she could regain her footing, she swayed and bumped into something hard. But this hard object was warmer than she had expected. The next moment, a pair of large hands encircled her, and a warm breath flowed into her ear.
Ouyang Yue turned her head and looked into a pair of deep, dark eyes.
☆、116、Active, Nightmare!
Upon seeing the newcomer, Ouyang Yue paused for a moment, then reached out slightly to push Baili Chen away. However, the latter held her tightly and did not move. Ouyang Yue smiled slightly, but seemed indifferent and fell silent instead.
Baili Chen immediately said to Leng Sha, "Go to the blacksmith's shop."
Outside, Chuncao and Dongxue saw Ouyang Yue get into the carriage, and then a man's voice came from inside the carriage. Chuncao was startled and hurriedly wanted to run to the carriage to see what was going on, but Dongxue grabbed her and said, "Don't move yet, let's follow him."
"You... Miss was taken away by a stranger, aren't you worried? Why did you stop me?" Chuncao said coldly to Dongxue.
Dongxue simply replied, "If Miss is unwilling, who can force her? We just need to follow along."
Chuncao paused slightly, pursed her lips, and looked at the carriage with some worry. In the end, she said nothing and silently followed beside the carriage. Lengsha on the front of the carriage glanced at Chuncao and Dongxue without saying anything, and the carriage slowly started moving.
Inside the carriage, Ouyang Yue was held in Baili Chen's arms, her expression indifferent, though her eyes were slightly narrowed, clearly showing a thoughtful look. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let him act so calmly when Baili Chen was so intimate in the past. Baili Chen narrowed his eyes, tightened his grip on Ouyang Yue's waist, and nuzzled his head against her shoulder for a while. Ouyang Yue still didn't react, and Baili Chen's expression darkened.
The fate of Ouyang Rou and Aunt Hong was already sealed when Ouyang Yue returned to the capital, and Baili Chen naturally played a key role in this. Therefore, he is well aware of what happened at the Ministry of Justice. He gently lifted a strand of Ouyang Yue's hair and brought it to his nose to sniff, before speaking: "What's wrong? Are you saddened by that mother and son? This doesn't seem like my wife's vengeful nature."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow at him, snorted, and said, "Did I say it was for them?" Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou have done plenty of dirty deeds over the years. The things that turned mother and daughter against each other were things they themselves had done. In truth, it's a case of Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou reaping what they sowed, a case of revenge. Besides, their repeated attempts to kill Ouyang Yue were solely for self-preservation; there's no reason to feel sorry for them.
Baili Chen blinked slightly and said "Oh": "If that's not the case, why does my wife look a little unhappy? It can't be because she's disappointed in Ouyang Rou, can it?"
Ouyang Yue glanced at Baili Chen, unsure whether her gaze was one of approval or contempt. Her heart was filled with complex emotions. She naturally thought of Ouyang Su; it was this very person who had separated her and Su'er, it was utterly unworthy. Looking at Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou, she felt how undeserving it was for Su'er to be sent back. Of course, she did feel a little sympathy for Aunt Hong. Aunt Hong was selfish, ambitious, and the Ouyang Rou she had raised had inherited these traits perfectly, and now seemed even more so, a true beast. Aunt Hong must be filled with regret now, but there's no going back.
"What are you going to the craftsman's shop for?" Ouyang Yue stopped thinking about what had just happened and raised her eyebrows as she looked at Baili Chen.
A glint flashed in Baili Chen's eyes: "My wife has been away for so long, we need to replenish our hidden weapons, otherwise I won't feel at ease."
Ouyang Yue snorted at him but didn't say anything more. During her time outside, she had indeed used up quite a bit of the set of weapons made of old iron. Because the set was very delicate and small, each piece contained a limited number of silver needles, no more than five, and the ring only contained two. Naturally, she needed to replenish these self-defense items frequently. Originally, she had planned to go to the blacksmith's shop after leaving the Ministry of Justice, so Baili Chen's guess was correct.
Baili Chen smiled like a fox, wrapped his arms around Ouyang Yue's waist, and breathed softly into her ear. Feeling Ouyang Yue stiffen, Baili Chen laughed and said, "My wife, have you missed me these past few days? I've missed you so much! Since returning to the capital, I haven't been able to get used to not having you by my side every night. I often can't sleep at night, and I sit on the edge of the bed staring blankly at the night sky. It feels so desolate."
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Do you feel lonely and miserable? There must be plenty of people who would like to spend the night with you. Why are you here feeling sorry for yourself and trying to gain sympathy?"
Baili Chen pouted, his red lips like a ripe cherry, looking incredibly tempting and making one want to take a bite. His delicate brows were also filled with sorrow: "How can you say such things, my wife? You know I've made up my mind about you. I want to be with you day and night. As long as I'm with you, I don't want to think about anything else. How can anyone else be worthy of being with me like this? My wife's words are so heartbreaking. Feel it, my heart is cold."
As he spoke, he directly pulled Ouyang Yue's hand to his chest, feigning an expression of utter frustration and impending faint. Ouyang Yue sneered, "Cold? It's warm here. Listen to Baili Chen's nonsense." Her expression remained indifferent. Seeing this wasn't working, Baili Chen could only purse his lips and say, "Wife, I'm penniless now. You can't be so cold. All my wealth is with you. If you ignore me, I'll have nothing left."
"How could the most favored seventh prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty be in such a sorry state? If you wanted it, you could get it easily. How come you, who called yourself a treasury, are now crying poor?" Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chen with slightly cold eyes.
The latter was completely unaffected by Ouyang Yue's sarcasm, and just looked at her with a wronged expression and said, "Alas, Father Emperor has given me a lot of things, but those things are not things that can be sold or traded casually. I don't have any spare money right now. All my possessions have been given to my wife. If my wife ignores me, I will definitely have a hard time."
Ouyang Yue snorted: "Yes, I see. I'll return the things to you later. Don't try to play the poor card in front of me. I wouldn't dare accept something from the Seventh Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty."
"No...no, how can I accept something given to my wife? Wouldn't that make me a laughingstock?"
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Now you're not letting people laugh at you anymore. You keep sticking to me, the infamous person in the capital. It's so embarrassing."
Baili Chen grabbed Ouyang Yue and his lips seemed about to kiss her. Ouyang Yue immediately dodged, but then heard Baili Chen say, "What's shameful about it? They just don't know how good my wife is. It's even better this way. Only I know, and no one will compete with me for her. Otherwise, I'd have a terrible headache. Don't you think so, my wife? Ouch!"
As soon as Baili Chen finished speaking, he cried out in pain. Ouyang Yue's fair fingers touched his waist, then twisted it in the opposite direction, as if she could pull out a piece of tender flesh. Baili Chen howled in pain, and the sound made Leng Sha, Chuncao, and Dongxue outside the carriage twitch. Leng Sha, who was driving the carriage, heard the sounds inside the carriage most clearly. She thought to herself, "When did our majestic master become so clingy and shameless? She's practically begging to be beaten!" If she were a woman, she would have already turned on her master after being teased like that.
"Wife...Wife, please be gentle, it hurts! Wife, I can't take it anymore!" Then, a sound like a woman in heat came from inside the carriage. Leng Sha forgot to crack his whip, letting the carriage turn into the street. Chuncao was already red with anger. If Dongxue hadn't been holding her back, she would have rushed into the carriage and slapped Baili Chen hard. This was simply too shameless! If anyone didn't know better, they would think her young lady had forced herself on him. Her young lady was an innocent girl; wouldn't her reputation be ruined even more? Would her young lady ever be able to get married again?
Even Dongxue's forehead twitched slightly, with veins bulging, showing her great distress. She could only hold onto Chuncao, who was a female teaching assistant. If she were to enter the carriage at this moment, the result would only be more awkward, and things would become even more complicated.
"Slap!" Ouyang Yue twitched her lips and slapped Baili Chen on the forehead. The latter cried out "Ouch, ouch!" twice. Seeing Ouyang Yue crossing her arms and looking at him with a sinister smile, he immediately shut his mouth and carefully leaned closer: "My wife, I don't care how you hit me, as long as you don't get angry."
"Hmph!" Ouyang Yue turned her head away, knowing full well that they were now in the city center. If Baili Chen continued his nonsense, the whole street would probably know that two people were having an affair in a carriage, and even doing something outrageous. She had witnessed firsthand how shameless Baili Chen could be, and this was only a slight restraint.
Baili Chen chuckled and moved closer to Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue glanced at him coldly and said, "Stop! Stay away from me. This is my last line. If you dare to mess around again, don't blame me for turning my back on you." Seeing that Ouyang Yue's expression didn't seem fake, Baili Chen quieted down. However, his eyes were bright and he kept blinking at Ouyang Yue, looking at her with such affection that it made one's heart tremble.
Ouyang Yue crossed her arms, leaned against the carriage, and closed her eyes to rest, refusing to look at Baili Chen. Baili Chen pouted in dissatisfaction, but there was nothing he could do. He thought maliciously, "Hmph, once I've won her over, I definitely won't spoil this woman like this anymore. The more I spoil her, the more outrageous she becomes. Now she won't even let me touch her hand, let alone have a kiss. How despicable!" He planned to tie her to the bed the moment he got her, letting her do whatever she wanted, and see if she wouldn't beg for mercy then.
Baili Chen revealed a sinister and lewd smile, which looked rather eerie. His eyes flickered as if peach blossoms were falling, and his whole body seemed to bloom with joy. Ouyang Yue completely ignored him. She had some experience in this kind of thing; if you gave him face, he would never let it go. So she ignored him for the time being.
Soon the carriage entered Juyuan Street. When they arrived at the blacksmith's shop, Leng Sha was the first to knock on the door. As he stood by the door, the dilapidated door suddenly opened, and a pair of smelly black cloth shoes flew out. Leng Sha immediately shook his head, smelling the traces and stench left by the shoes as they flew by, but said expressionlessly, "Senior Tie, I apologize for disturbing you." After saying that, he pulled the carriage inside.
In the hall, Old Tie sat with his legs crossed, his bare feet dangling. Seeing everyone enter, he couldn't help but snort, "No manners at all. Why didn't you bring my shoes in?"
Not wanting to stoop to Tie Lao's level, Leng Sha immediately went out and returned a moment later with a worn-out shoe. He put the shoe on Tie Lao, who snorted and looked at Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen: "Hmph, you're bothering this old man again. This old man can't take any more trouble. I hope it's not some kind of trouble again." As he spoke, his eyes swept over Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen, seemingly somewhat surprised.
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "I really do have something to trouble you with, Elder Tie. I've been away for over a year, and my hidden weapons need an update. With Elder Tie's skills, you can't find another like him in the Great Zhou Dynasty. I would like to avoid troubling you, but I can't find another person. So I have to trouble you again."
Old Tie twitched his beard and squinted at Ouyang Yue, saying, "You little girl, your words are getting sweeter and sweeter. Humph, if it weren't for the fact that you really couldn't find anyone else and had to come to me, I wouldn't have bothered with you."
Ouyang Yue immediately nodded and said, "Yes, yes, that's exactly right. We can only trouble Elder Tie for this."
Old Tie nodded with great satisfaction: "Bring the things here."
Ouyang Yue immediately gave a wink, and Chuncao handed over a small box. Tie Lao took the box and started to walk back, but at that moment, he heard someone behind him say, "Wife~" Tie Lao's body trembled, and he turned around abruptly, only to see Baili Chen looking at Ouyang Yue with a resentful expression. He immediately widened his eyes in surprise. Baili Chen looked over at this moment, his eyes fixed on Tie Lao, who shuddered and ran into the inner hall as if fleeing.
Oh my god, is that really that brat? He's terrifying! Is he really the same cold and heartless guy from before? Could he be possessed by a ghost? Should we find a monk or Taoist priest to perform a ritual to exorcise the ghost? That would be too scary.
When Lao Tie returned, he saw Ouyang Yue sitting on the left side of the hall, with Baili Chen sitting below her like a submissive wife, leaning slightly forward, seemingly saying something while looking at Ouyang Yue with a fawning expression. However, Ouyang Yue ignored him. Baili Chen complained with a wronged expression, "Wife, you've become so cold since you returned to the capital. Do you intend to start something and then abandon me?" He bit his lip slightly, looking sad.
Thankfully, Lao Tie hadn't drunk any tea or anything like that, or he would have sprayed it all over his face. Even so, the box he was carrying almost fell over because she was so startled. Fortunately, although he was extremely frightened, he was still quite agile and managed to regain his balance at the last moment. But looking at Baili Chen, it really looked like he had seen a ghost this time.
Not to mention him, even Leng Sha, Chuncao, and Dongxue were all twitching on their faces, looking out of the hall with some reluctance, not looking at Baili Chen.
"Don't talk nonsense. What do you mean by starting something and then abandoning it? What do I have to do with you?" Ouyang Yue frowned as she looked at Baili Chen. This guy was getting more and more outrageous.
Baili Chen pursed his lips and said resentfully, "What are you talking about? In that...that place, you didn't...you didn't force me...and then I did it willingly because I was afraid you'd get hurt...and then you did it to me...we were so close, we couldn't be closer than that, you said we...um." Ouyang Yue's face darkened, and she shoved a teacup lid into Baili Chen's mouth. The latter's eyes widened, and he was stunned for a moment.
Ouyang Yue stared at him with extremely cold eyes, snatched the box from Lao Tie's hand, and walked out. Lao Tie stared blankly at Ouyang Yue and said bluntly, "I didn't expect... you two would develop so quickly. You two..." Then, with a pained expression, he said, "You little girl, how could you have made a lifelong commitment so easily? And how could you choose this scoundrel? You've suffered a loss, a huge loss! You're too impulsive, you should have looked around more. There are so many good men in the world, and I'm older and more experienced than anyone else. How could you have fallen for this scoundrel?"
Baili Chen immediately stood up and retorted, "Pah, you shameless old man! You think you're so experienced? Don't you know your age? You're old enough to be a wife's grandfather, and you still want to offer yourself up? Shameless!"
"You've got some shame! How can you keep pestering an unmarried girl like this? How are you supposed to face her?" Old Tie was so angry that he was puffing out his beard and glaring at her.
“My wife will definitely marry me in the future, so what’s wrong with me doing this? Let’s get to know each other sooner rather than later, so we don’t have any disagreements in the future. Don’t cause trouble here.”
"Hmph, you really have a deep affection for me. Are you afraid I'll ruin things?"
"Shameless old man!"
"Shameless brat!"
The two argued so fiercely that their faces turned red, which surprised Ouyang Yue. Baili Chen was usually very reserved; to put it bluntly, he was an excellent actor in public. He hadn't forgotten the proper behavior and conduct expected of a prince. Except for his behavior towards her, she had never seen him argue with anyone like this before; they were clearly quite close. When he contacted her under the guise of coldness, she had suspected a connection with her old friend, but she hadn't expected their relationship to be this good. The two of them looked like grandfather and grandson, their quarreling mannerisms almost identical.
However, seeing the two arguing, Ouyang Yue immediately darkened her face, picked up her things, and walked out.
Upon seeing this, Baili Chen snorted, turned around, and left, completely ignoring Lao Tie. Lao Tie stroked his beard and raised his eyebrows, saying, "How come this kid was right? He actually managed to win over this little girl. Sigh, the flower has been planted in the wrong place." Lao Tie shook his head and sighed, seemingly somewhat regretful, but a faint smile remained on his face.
Baili Chen followed Ouyang Yue into the carriage, smiling as he looked at her. However, Ouyang Yue looked at him coldly. Baili Chen pursed his lips and whispered, "My wife is angry."
Ouyang Yue ignored him completely, and Baili Chen sighed softly: "Wife, don't be angry. You know how hard it was for me to pursue you. I couldn't let go of anything that might affect our relationship. I was just saying it for fun, but in the end, you had to say I was wrong. I was just venting my anger."
Ouyang Yue looked at him calmly, and when the latter became uncomfortable under her gaze, Ouyang Yue said, "Come here."
"Huh?" Baili Chen was taken aback, not quite understanding, but still leaned in. Suddenly, he felt something soft wrap around his neck, followed by an even softer, more fragrant and sweet touch on his lips. Baili Chen froze, while Ouyang Yue's kiss came and went quickly, their lips just lightly touching before Ouyang Yue pulled away, only to look at Baili Chen and suddenly curl the corners of her lips slightly: "Thank you, I feel much better."
After saying that, she jumped out of the carriage and returned to the General's Mansion with Chuncao and Dongxue. Baili Chen was somewhat stunned, his fingers lightly covering the corner of his lips, his face showing a strange mixture of surprise and excessive joy, which finally turned into a silly grin. This... this was probably the first time his wife had willingly given him a kiss, even if it was just a little bit, it felt really good.
Baili Chen felt a surge of pride. Sure enough, his wife was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. While he was still far from winning her heart, he saw hope. Gently stroking his lips, Baili Chen felt a pang of regret. Why had he been so overjoyed that he forgot to react? He should have just pressed down on his wife and given her a deep kiss. Now that his wife was back home, he was left feeling restless and uneasy. How could he possibly sleep?
Leng Sha had already started the carriage, but he kept hearing Baili Chen's occasional low sighs, silly laughs, and mutterings. He shuddered; his master was becoming increasingly strange.
Two days later
That night, all was quiet.
The night wind kept whistling against the window frame, making "whoosh" and "swish" sounds in the air, bringing a sense of loneliness and eeriness to the night. On the bed in the master bedroom of Rouyu Courtyard, a figure kept rolling around, sometimes murmuring softly, her body moving erratically. In the dark night, it was impossible to make out her face.
"Ah, no!" Suddenly, the figure on the bed sprang up and sat up straight, letting out a scream that echoed through the night. Suddenly, there was a "thump" in the outer room, as if something heavy had fallen to the ground, followed by an anxious voice: "Miss, are you alright?"
Ouyang Rou stared blankly, ignoring Xiang'er who was on night watch. Xiang'er was very anxious and couldn't help but push open the door, lighting a candle and holding it over with trembling hands. But when she saw Ouyang Rou, she almost raised the candle and threw it at her, letting out a scream.
But then she saw Ouyang Yue sitting on the bed, her face covered in sweat, her complexion extremely pale, her eyes staring straight ahead with bloodshot veins, her lips bitten raw, and her white night clothes disheveled, as if she had encountered a ghost. Xiang'er trembled with fear and cautiously asked, "Miss... are you alright?"
Ouyang Rou seemed to only then notice Xiang'er entering, turning her head stiffly to look at her without saying a word. Xiang'er's heart skipped a beat; could something have happened to her young mistress?
It turned out that after Ouyang Yue went to the Ministry of Justice prison that day, Ouyang Rou used coercion and inducement, even physically forcing Aunt Hong to change her testimony. Yesterday, the Ministry of Justice officially opened the trial, and Aunt Hong changed her testimony. It turned out that it was Aunt Hong who had asked Cao'er to go out and find people, and the two testimonies matched. In addition, although Hong Dabao and others had been in direct contact with Aunt Hong over the years, Ouyang Rou was only concerned with collecting money to buy clothes and jewelry and rarely made a formal appearance. Therefore, she was released without charge. After returning to the General's Mansion, Ouyang Rou took two thorough baths and then slept to recover.
However, these past two nights, her behavior has become somewhat strange, like now, when she's dazed and looks very odd.
Ouyang Rou looked at Xiang'er, a cold glint in her eyes: "Get out."
Xiang'er was very worried about Ouyang Rou's appearance, but she didn't dare to argue. She immediately lowered her head, left the candle to Ouyang Rou, and returned to the outer room. She lay on the bed but couldn't fall asleep. She listened to the sounds inside and heard Ouyang Rou muttering something in a low voice. Her heart tightened even more. Was her second sister stupid?
Inside the room, Ouyang Rou's face flashed with fear. She gripped her collar tightly, and her face turned pale again.
She had hoped everything would be alright once she returned to the General's Mansion, but unexpectedly, she kept having the same dream for the past two days. In the dream, she saw Aunt Hong and others being executed. On the execution platform, a group of people with severed limbs, looking utterly horrific and miserable, were forced to kneel. Aunt Hong kept turning her head, seemingly searching for something. Then, her gaze fixed on a certain spot. At that moment, her gaze shifted back to where Aunt Hong had been looking. There, Ouyang Rou stood at a doorway, simply watching Aunt Hong, seemingly relieved.
When Aunt Hong saw her, she went berserk and charged at her, roaring, "You beast! How dare you betray me! You'll die a horrible death! I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"
In her dream, she said something, and it was unclear why Aunt Hong could hear her. Aunt Hong became even more agitated, raising her severed hand, revealing only the blood-stained sleeve of her garment, and making her look even more ferocious and terrifying: "Ouyang Rou, I will not let you go! I will definitely not let you get away with this! I will make you suffer from nightmares day and night! I will make you die a horrible death! You beast, you would even betray your own mother for your own sake! You beast!"
Then she felt something suddenly wrap around her from upstairs, her neck was being tightened, her body seemed to be suspended in mid-air, and she was having more and more difficulty breathing. Her eyes were wide open, her tongue was sticking out, and she was in great pain. Finally, she stopped struggling little by little and was strangled to death.