Ouyang Yue felt a little wronged and turned to look at the maids standing to one side. There were three of them, all with their heads down, as if what had just happened hadn't occurred and they hadn't seen anything. Ouyang Yue, however, hid the coldness in her eyes and could only lower her head and helplessly reply, "Yes, Grandmother, Yue'er will do it again."
Then Ouyang Yue picked up a new set of teacups and walked towards Old Ning Shi with more steady steps than before. Suddenly, a foot stretched out from under her feet. Ouyang Yue's lips curled into a smile as she raised her leg and stomped on it hard, using every inch of her strength to stomp on that leg twice as hard.
"Ugh..." She could hear a muffled sob in her ear. Ouyang Yue turned her eyes slightly and saw a little maidservant in a light pink dress with fair skin beside her. She was in so much pain that her face was pale, and large beads of sweat kept rolling down her face. Her eyes were wide open, and she was biting her lip tightly to keep from screaming. But because of the pain, she couldn't help but let out a low sob.
Ouyang Yue's lips curled up slightly, but her body suddenly turned around, and the teacup in her hand flew up in an arc with a "whoosh" and landed with a "smack, thud, bang".
...
"Ouyang Yue, you did this on purpose!" Rui Yuhuan's suppressed angry shouts rang out in the room. She had already finished wiping her clothes and was standing on the other side of Old Ning Shi. Ouyang Yue's teacup had somehow managed to fall on her head. She immediately felt a chill run down her spine and her clothes felt sticky and uncomfortable.
Ouyang Yue exclaimed "Eh!" and said strangely, "Miss Rui, where did you go? Look what bad luck! It hit you on the head. You know I'm terrible at rules. These things need a lot of practice before I can get the hang of them. What are you playing with me for? Although this game is quite interesting, I can't keep letting Miss Rui get soaked in tea."
"Who wants to play with you?" Rui Yuhuan said angrily, clearly quite upset.
"Oh, really? Then why did you run off to that side? Weren't you standing on Grandma's side? I didn't even notice. I almost tripped and fell, and I deliberately threw it in the opposite direction from where you weren't, just so you wouldn't get hurt again. Look at the mess this has made, another misunderstanding." Ouyang Yue sighed, but her face betrayed a hint of reproach towards Rui Yuhuan. "Look, if you had just stood still in your original spot, this teacup wouldn't have hit you. Who told you to change places? I didn't have time to keep an eye on you all the time. Now that the teacup is broken and water is spilled, I'm more innocent than you."
Rui Yuhuan's hands trembled with anger. Old Madam Ning frowned as she looked at Ouyang Yue: "You still have the nerve to talk back? Look at you, you don't even know the proper etiquette for serving tea. What else can you do? The General's Mansion has raised you for so many years, and this is the only good-for-nothing we've ever raised? It's simply outrageous."
Ouyang Yue nodded repeatedly and said, "Grandmother is right. Yue'er has not learned the rules well. Mother is better at it. Why don't you let Mother do it? Yue'er will watch carefully from the side and learn well before fulfilling her filial duty to Grandmother."
Ning was taken aback, then immediately said, "The worse you do in following the rules, the more you should learn them and demonstrate them through your own actions. How can you give up just because you encounter a setback? If you were Ning Guan, you would never learn the rules. Keep going."
Ouyang Yue said somewhat awkwardly, "Mother, do we really have to continue? But I can't do it well. What if I make another mistake?" She looked so aggrieved and submissive that it was hard to say anything to her.
Ning said, "This is nothing. The rule is to practice more. If you can't learn it, keep practicing until you can. With your grandmother there to help you, just keep going."
Ouyang Yue sighed, "Alright then."
Rui Yuhuan was furious. She gritted her teeth and glared at Ouyang Yue. She limped into the inner room to change her clothes and then came out. As soon as she lifted the curtain of the inner room, she peeked out.
"Whoosh, thud, snap!" She immediately heard the familiar sound again, then felt a pain on her head, and a stream of water slid down her face. Rui Yuhuan felt the veins on her forehead bulging, and said coldly, "Third Miss, shouldn't you have thrown it at that spot this time?"
When Ouyang Yue saw Rui Yuhuan come out and was once again splashed with teacups, her newly changed clothes were soiled again. She covered her mouth with her hand and exclaimed, "Miss Rui, why are you out again? Really, you're such a troublemaker! Why are you always interfering when I'm learning etiquette? This teacup hit you on the head again, what a waste of my time! And you, why did you have to come out at this time? Are you deliberately trying to make a fool of me? Yes, I've never learned etiquette since I was little, but no one taught me. My grandmother was so kind to watch me learn etiquette and even had my mother give me pointers. I was so happy. But look at you, always causing trouble. It's ruined my concentration. I'm not learning anymore! Even if my father scolds me, I won't learn anymore. How can I learn with someone like this around?"
As she spoke, Ouyang Yue sat down to one side, looking annoyed. Even Old Madam Ning and Madam Ning herself seemed indifferent, silently fuming. Rui Yuhuan's anger, which had been about to erupt, suddenly caught in her chest and throat, neither rising nor falling. She trembled violently with rage, barely managing to stay upright by leaning against the doorframe. It was clearly Ouyang Yue's own fault for being so blind, always targeting her, which was why she failed. Now she was blaming her! She had always stood quietly; how could this have anything to do with her? Of course, Rui Yuhuan always ignored the fact that she had deliberately tripped Ouyang Yue.
Old Madam Ning said with a stern face: "You're always like this, never persevering. You give up as soon as you encounter difficulties in learning anything. And it was clearly you who made Yu Huan get drenched in tea multiple times, how can you blame others instead, and you still won't admit your mistake."
Ouyang Yue snorted in dissatisfaction: "Grandmother, if Yue'er knew how, she wouldn't need to learn etiquette from Mother, and she wouldn't need to pass Grandmother's eyes. Yue'er only needs to learn because she doesn't know how. Of course, I can't do as well as Mother. I'm unsteady on my feet, and I don't even know where I'm going to fall, let alone care where this teacup will swing. At times like this, everyone is looking out for themselves first. Miss Rui, please be quicker and more efficient next time. I'm just a beginner in etiquette, and I'm so annoying. I can't control myself at all. Please don't go near my teacup lid. That way, we'll all be happy."
So, after all that, Ouyang Yue still felt it was Rui Yuhuan's own fault. Why did she always have to get so close to her teacup lid? Everyone else in the room was fine, but Rui Yuhuan was always the one who got hit. If Rui Yuhuan didn't do it on purpose, then she was just incredibly unlucky; she always seemed to get hit, and deserved it.
The maids in the main hall of Anhe Hall trembled slightly, their lips pressed tightly together to suppress their laughter. Watching Rui Yuhuan's anger rise and fall, yet she couldn't vent it, she resembled a furious hen pacing on the floor, utterly speechless. One of the maids, her face deathly pale, kept pulling her foot away. A chill ran down her spine; had the Third Miss crippled her foot? Why was she still in so much pain? She stared at Ouyang Yue with alarm in her eyes.
Seeing Rui Yuhuan's appearance, Old Madam Ning immediately had someone help her downstairs to wash up. However, she was furious when she looked at Ouyang Yue: "Come in with me and help me wash up."
Ning Shi followed her in, first taking the basin brought by the servant, wetting the cloth, and carefully wiping Old Ning Shi's face and hands, then helping her undress. Old Ning Shi looked at Ouyang Yue with very cold eyes and said, "You come here, do it with your mother."
At this moment, the servants helped Old Madam Ning put on her clothes again. Ouyang Yue walked over leisurely, but coincidentally, Rui Yuhuan had already changed her clothes. When she saw Ouyang Yue carrying a basin over, she was immediately frightened and stood at the door, not daring to go over. At this moment, Ouyang Yue was already wiping Old Madam Ning with a cloth. As soon as she touched Old Madam Ning's face, Old Madam Ning immediately said, "What kind of behavior is this? Didn't you see your mother's technique just now? The angle of your wrist was wrong, and the force in your hand was even more wrong. I taught you step by step, and you are still so useless. If you had learned the rules yourself, I don't know how ugly you would have been."
Ouyang Yue didn't care at all, blinking her eyes and saying, "Huh, is the technique wrong? Is it like this... like this... like this?"
"Ugh, look at yourself! What are you doing? Are you trying to suffocate me? You have such a vicious mind! Don't you know I'm doing this for your own good? Let's do it again! Let's do it again! Let's do it again!" Old Madam Ning was furious. She shouted as Ouyang Yue took the cloth and rubbed it hard on Old Madam Ning's face, as if she were scrubbing the floor. She didn't know her own strength at all. Old Madam Ning felt like her nose was about to be poked through. She was furious.
Seeing that Ouyang Yue was walking quite steadily this time, and seeing her make a fool of herself, Rui Yuhuan immediately came over, took the cloth from Ouyang Yue's hand, and gently wiped Old Madam Ning's hands: "Third Miss, the old lady is so precious, you have to be gentle, like this... like this... and like this..." She looked very proud, and Old Madam Ning also echoed and praised Rui Yuhuan.
Ouyang Yue nodded thoughtfully and said, "Miss Rui is really amazing. Her technique looks even better than Mother's. No wonder she has always served by Grandmother's side. She really has a divine talent."
Rui Yuhuan paused, wondering what Ouyang Yue meant by "Heavenly Vice-Minister." Did she mean she was born to be a servant? The thought of Fen Die bossing her around made Rui Yuhuan grit her teeth, her face flashing with boundless hatred.
Ning Shi's expression also changed upon hearing this, and her eyes turned to Rui Yuhuan with coldness. She was from one of the five great families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, how could she be compared to an orphan like Rui Yuhuan? She didn't know what she had done to make Old Ning Shi dote on her, and now she wanted to surpass her.
Dream on!
Ning said coldly, "Yue'er, since you didn't do it well, let's start over. This time, be gentle. This face-washing task is very simple, you can do it."
Ouyang Yue had a faint smile on her lips as she held the basin. Suddenly, she slid her foot forward, causing everything in her hand to fly out.
"Splash, splash."
"Bang, whoosh, splash."
This time, the commotion was much greater than before. Ouyang Yue lunged at the entire basin, slapping the cleansing cloth directly onto Rui Yuhuan's face. The entire basin of water spilled onto Old Ning's bed, instantly soaking Old Ning and Rui Yuhuan. They felt a chill run through them and instinctively shivered.
Rui Yuhuan angrily grabbed the handkerchief and threw it at Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue cried out in surprise and dodged.
"Smack!"
Someone behind her was hit. Ouyang Yue turned around in surprise and saw a person standing there. After a moment of silence, the person pulled down his veil, revealing Ning Shi's gloomy face. His cold eyes swept straight at Rui Yuhuan: "Rui Yuhuan, what are you doing? You are the first person in the General's Mansion to dare to be so rude to me."
Madam Ning gritted her teeth in anger, and Rui Yuhuan was also taken aback. Despite her considerable benefits within the General's Mansion, she had never dared to directly confront Madam Ning. Her favor with Old Madam Ning didn't mean Madam Ning couldn't deal with her; they both came from the Ning family, and Madam Ning now had the entire Ning family's backing. Even Old Madam Ning hadn't directly clashed with Rui Yuhuan in the past year, let alone Madam Ning herself. She immediately explained, "This…this, I was just too angry, and I wasn't targeting Madam just now; I was targeting the Third Miss…"
"Third Miss, Yue'er is the legitimate daughter of the family. What mistake has she made? There are elders above her. Does she need to be taught a lesson by someone of her own generation? What right do you have to teach her a lesson? And whose petty authority are you using to lecture her?" Ning Shi immediately rebuked coldly. Normally, Ning Shi would never stand up for Ouyang Yue, but now that Rui Yuhuan had offended her, she was even more angry.
"Madam, please don't misunderstand. I... I was just too angry, that's why I made a mistake," Rui Yuhuan explained nervously.
"Angry? Accidental? You think you can get away with this? Rui Yuhuan, you've been in the General's Mansion for too long. Don't forget who you are. Don't think you can act with impunity just because you have connections. Don't forget how you were disfigured and crippled. You should think carefully about whether that little feather is enough to command you, or you'll be the one who suffers the most in the end. This time it was just a wet towel, but next time it could be a knife, and I guarantee you'll be dead before me." Ning Shi snorted coldly. Now she was no less confident than Old Ning Shi. Apart from the respect she usually showed her as an elder, Ning Shi wasn't afraid of Old Ning Shi in other matters. At this moment, she said coldly, "Mother's bed is all wet. We need to change the bedding. I'll go and have someone prepare some things first, then I'll head back."
Upon seeing this, Ouyang Yue smiled slightly and said, "Tomorrow is the day for Yue'er to establish the rules. Yue'er will come tomorrow." With that, she turned and left Anhe Hall.
Inside the main hall, Old Madam Ning was panting heavily with anger: "You disrespectful brats, you're all a bunch of disrespectful brats! What did she mean by that? Is she implying that I spoil you? And that stupid Ouyang Yue, when has she ever done anything right? She actually dared to leave like that. How hateful!"
Rui Yuhuan was also quite angry, but she suppressed her anger and advised, "Madam, please don't be angry. Madam and the Third Miss didn't mean anything by their words. Please don't hold it against them. You're a magnanimous person."
Old Mrs. Ning sighed deeply: "If only they were half as sensible as you."
Rui Yuhuan said nothing, only instructing servants to tidy up the house and change Old Madam Ning's clothes. She herself then changed as well. Looking at the three sets of clothes she had just changed out of, a sinister glint flashed across Rui Yuhuan's face. How could it be such a coincidence? Ouyang Yue always managed to get away with things like this. She didn't believe it was a coincidence, but so what? Ouyang Yue had finally pushed her too far. Her suggestion that Old Madam Ning establish rules for the household was nothing more than minor rules like having Ouyang Yue serve tea and water. Whatever Ouyang Yue's ulterior motives, she was definitely going to fall into her trap this time.
Rui Yuhuan smiled coldly, stood up, thought for a moment, and said, "Go to Xiangning Courtyard."
Two maids immediately followed, including the one whose leg had been stepped on by Ouyang Yue earlier. These two were specially transferred by Old Madam Ning for Rui Yuhuan's convenience in the mansion. Rui Yuhuan had already trained these two to obey her every command a year ago.
As soon as Rui Yuhuan announced her arrival at Xiangning Courtyard, Qi Mama, who was by Aunt Ming's side, came out to greet her: "Oh, it's Miss Rui. Please come in." However, she looked at Rui Yuhuan with a scrutinizing gaze.
Rui Yuhuan smiled and agreed, letting Qi Mama look her over. The two soon arrived at the inner room, where Aunt Ming was lying quietly on the bed. Since she was in the room, her face was not covered by a veil. Seeing her repulsive appearance, Rui Yuhuan felt a flash of disgust, but she quickly concealed it.
Aunt Ming said coldly, "Miss Rui, what brings you here today? What brings you here?"
Rui Yuhuan laughed and said, "What Aunt Ming said is true. We are all in the General's Mansion, so it's normal for us to visit each other from time to time."
Aunt Ming glanced at Rui Yuhuan indifferently. She really did come and go often. Would she only come to Xiangning Courtyard after a year? Rui Yuhuan glanced at Mama Qi, then turned to look at Aunt Ming, as if she wanted to talk behind someone's back. Aunt Ming sneered, "It's alright, we're all my own people. Miss Rui, just say what you want to say. What is there to hide now?"
Seeing that Aunt Ming's tone was unfriendly, Rui Yuhuan smiled even more warmly and said, "Aunt Ming, this concerns the whole year, and also the Third Miss's affairs. Can all these people listen?" Besides Qi Mama, there were also Aunt Ming's two personal maids, Yang'er and Xiao'er, in the room.
Aunt Ming's expression slightly changed. After a moment of silence, she gave Mama Qi a meaningful look. Mama Qi immediately understood and left with Yang'er and Xiao'er. However, she was somewhat surprised. What could Aunt Ming and Rui Yuhuan possibly have to talk about? What had happened this past year?
"Everyone's gone out, just tell me what you need."
Ignoring Aunt Ming's coldness, Rui Yuhuan slowly said, "Speaking of which, a lot has happened this past year. First, there were several major disputes in the mansion, which caused some chaos. The General's Mansion also left the capital due to the imperial decree. I don't know what the Third Miss was thinking later, she also left. Originally, this matter could have been resolved, but someone in the capital spread those rumors that shouldn't be taken seriously. Alas, while everyone in the General's Mansion was busy with this matter, Aunt Ming was attacked and lost both hands. It's truly a case of misfortunes never coming singly."
Rui Yuhuan's voice was extremely calm, but her eyes gleamed with smugness as she looked at Aunt Ming: "However, I have received some news. I heard that our Third Miss was once hunted down while she was out there. I don't know who hired an assassin organization to deal with her. I heard it was quite dangerous at the time, and I don't know how she managed to escape. But I think that when the Third Miss returns to the capital this time, she will definitely find the mastermind behind this and take revenge."
As he spoke, he stared straight at Aunt Ming, who visibly stiffened and asked anxiously, "What exactly do you want to say!"
☆、119, who is plotting against whom?
Aunt Ming said with a stiff face, "What does all this have to do with me? You came all this way just to tell me this?"
Rui Yuhuan smiled faintly, looking directly at Aunt Ming. No one knew what Ouyang Yue had done during the year she was away from the capital. However, when Fen Die was ordered to find Ouyang Yue, she did find some clues. The Blood Killing Alliance had taken on a case before, which was also the last case they took on, which was to assassinate Ouyang Yue. There were also clues indicating that the Blood Killing Alliance had indeed tried to take action against a woman. As for why they failed, no one knew.
Not only that, but the Bloodthirsty Alliance and the First Killing Alliance then went to war. The reason for this sparked speculation among the imperial court and especially among the martial arts world. Some speculated that the First Killing Alliance and the Bloodthirsty Alliance had a conflict over a case, perhaps one wanted to kill and the other wanted to save, or both wanted to kill, but the Bloodthirsty Alliance ultimately won the case. Over the years, the Bloodthirsty Alliance had been trying to rival the First Killing Alliance, taking on cases that the First Killing Alliance wouldn't take, and cases that the First Killing Alliance wanted, would take, or planned to take. The two alliances had long had an irreconcilable conflict, and now, with the conflict escalating because of one person, and the Bloodthirsty Alliance mobilizing all its forces because of this person, wasn't this the perfect opportunity for a raid and assassination?
Of course, all of this was the result of Pink Butterfly's analysis after her return. Rui Yuhuan was listening from the side at the time. She wasn't interested in the bloody battle between these two major killing alliances; she was only thinking that both of them were after Ouyang Yue—one wanted to kill her, and wasn't Ouyang Yue's biggest enemy the General's Mansion? Thinking it over, the only one who could have done this and had the resources to do so was Aunt Ming. A year ago, Aunt Ming's hand was suddenly cut off, which also puzzled and confused her. Now, connecting it to the Bloodthirsty Alliance or the First Killing Alliance, her doubts immediately vanished.
She was now certain that it was Aunt Ming who, by using her status as the daughter of the Minister of Revenue or a concubine of a general, contacted the Bloodthirsty Alliance, thus implicating the interests of the two assassin organizations and causing their bloodshed. Similarly, knowing this news gave Aunt Ming leverage over her. Although she was already confident in controlling Aunt Ming, having her weakness would only make her work more effectively for her.
Rui Yuhuan said softly, "Aunt Ming, you don't need to be so nervous. We're all in the same boat, and I would never do anything to harm you."
Aunt Ming sneered: "Is that so? Then why has Miss Rui been so reluctant to see me lately? In my Xiangning Courtyard, it's usually very difficult to even see a grasshopper, let alone an outsider. This is the first time you've seen me here."
Rui Yuhuan knew that Aunt Ming was angry. Originally, she had planned to give up on Aunt Ming, thinking that with her disfigured face, broken limbs, and inability to take care of herself, she was truly useless to her. However, when Fen Die brought back this news, she was shocked. Yes, Aunt Ming could no longer cause any trouble in the General's Mansion, and she could never regain Ouyang Zhide's favor. She seemed useless, but she forgot that Aunt Ming had the Ministry of Revenue behind her. The Ministry of Revenue could do many things. For example, hiring an assassin organization to assassinate Ouyang Yue. In some matters, Aunt Ming would still benefit more than her. Thinking of that plan, she immediately ran to see Aunt Ming.
“Aunt Ming, you’ve misunderstood me. When I was kicked out of the General’s mansion, it took a lot of effort to get the Old Madam to bring me back. After I came back, I had to appease the Old Madam first. You know the Old Madam; she’s the most suspicious person. If I had too much contact with anyone in the mansion at this time, she would probably become suspicious too. When I learned that you were injured, Aunt Ming, my heart ached terribly. I’ve endured so much to come see you now. Every night, I don’t know how long I have to think before I can finally collapse and fall asleep. This past year, I haven’t had it any easier than you, Aunt Ming.” Rui Yuhuan looked at Aunt Ming with a sorrowful expression.
Aunt Ming sneered inwardly. She knew perfectly well that Rui Yuhuan was faking it, but even so, it made Aunt Ming feel better. For the past year, no one had come to Xiangning Courtyard. She was truly lonely, even wondering if the people in the General's Mansion had forgotten her. Rui Yuhuan's visit meant she was useful and knew of her hatred for Ouyang Yue. That was good; she still had a reason to live. "Hmm, Miss Rui, is there something you need this time?"
Seeing that Aunt Ming was no longer dwelling on the past, Rui Yuhuan smiled. This was also why she had approached Aunt Ming first. They shared a common enemy, Ouyang Yue, and both were intelligent women. Even if they knew the other's intentions were impure, so what? As long as they could work together to deal with Ouyang Yue, they would be on the same side, sharing common interests, and that was enough. Rui Yuhuan looked around to make sure no one else was in the room, then said, "Aunt Ming, the Third Miss has caused so much trouble for the household. Who do you think hates her the most, and who does she hate the most?"
Aunt Ming pondered with a composed expression, then suddenly widened her eyes and said, "Miss Rui means..."
Rui Yuhuan sat on the edge of the bed, gazing intently at Aunt Ming, and said, "If this were Aunt Ming, how would you have reacted? Sigh, family members aren't close to you, and you even side with an outsider. To be honest, if I were in Miss Ouyang's shoes, I wouldn't feel at ease either. When Miss Ouyang suddenly left the capital without saying goodbye, I thought about it and realized it was quite normal. If it were me, I probably would have left in a fit of anger too. Originally, this was just a small conflict between family members, but it was blown out of control by some people, and now it's spiraling out of control. I'm worried for them."
Rui Yuhuan was naturally referring to Old Madam Ning and Ouyang Yue. In the General's Mansion, probably no one was unaware that Old Madam Ning's rule-making was aimed at Ouyang Yue. Even those who didn't know beforehand, the fact that she had Old Madam Ning make the rule-making while deliberately keeping Ouyang Yue there, clearly showed Old Madam Ning's intention to torment Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue wasn't stupid; she probably realized it too. Earlier at Anhe Hall, the more Rui Yuhuan thought about it, the more she felt that Ouyang Yue was deliberately causing her trouble, repeatedly splashing water and tea on her.
Thinking this, Rui Yuhuan's eyes turned cold. Ouyang Yue only knew these petty tricks, which were nothing compared to her plan. She was just deliberately suffering a loss to make Ouyang Yue smug and lower her guard. Looking at Ouyang Yue's smug expression, did she really think she was angry? That's what she thought, but looking at Rui Yuhuan's cold expression, she wasn't as indifferent as she thought. On the contrary, she hated her intensely and wished she could have just killed Ouyang Yue back then. If it weren't for her, she might have ruined everything.
Aunt Ming looked at Rui Yuhuan thoughtfully. She couldn't believe that Rui Yuhuan could say such things. She wondered who had caused the relationship between Old Ning and Ouyang Yue to deteriorate to this extent. If Rui Yuhuan really wanted to ease the tension between the two, they would never have ended up like this. She didn't believe that Rui Yuhuan wasn't secretly using comfort as a pretext to sow discord. But none of this concerned her. Aunt Ming sighed, a glint of light flashing in her remaining eye. "Miss Rui is right. It's because the Old Madam and the Third Miss are both too stubborn that things have developed to this point. We're all worried sick watching them. We hope the Third Miss can understand the Old Madam's good intentions. This time, the Old Madam is actually doing it for her own good. Although the rules are the strictest for the Third Miss, the Old Madam is thinking of her in every way. The Third Miss is fourteen now, and it's time for her to start getting anxious. She hasn't been properly educated before, and the Old Madam probably wants to make up for it all this time. As the saying goes, a strict teacher produces outstanding students. If she's not strict, she might not be able to teach the Third Miss well. When she marries into her husband's family, it will be even more troublesome. She'll be the one who suffers. We all understand the Old Madam's good intentions."
Rui Yuhuan smiled, knowing that Aunt Ming understood her meaning, and said, "That's exactly right. But looking at the Third Miss today, oh dear, it's really worrying. She won't listen to anything we say. If the Third Miss keeps acting like this, she might cause even bigger trouble, and then no one will be able to help her."
Aunt Ming sighed, "The Third Miss likes to show off and relies on her cleverness, which often leads her to do foolish things. This time, facing the Old Madam directly, I think she will restrain herself a bit."
Rui Yuhuan chuckled softly, "I hope so."
Aunt Ming nodded in agreement, and Rui Yuhuan said, "Aunt Ming seems to be much better after her injuries."
"Is this how it is?" Aunt Ming sighed. Rui Yuhuan pretended to check the injuries and whispered a few words in Aunt Ming's ear. Aunt Ming was stunned and lowered her voice, "This... do we really have to do this? If it fails, this will be a disaster."
Rui Yuhuan sneered, "Aunt Ming, you're not a coward. You even went so far as to send someone to assassinate Ouyang Yue. Why are you scared now? You should know that by using Ouyang Yue, we can completely eliminate us. We can also ensure that Ouyang Yue suffers eternal damnation and dies without a burial place. When the matter is exposed, even Ouyang Zhide won't let her go. No, Ouyang Zhide will be the first person to want to kill Ouyang Yue. This is a golden opportunity. Aunt Ming is a smart woman. Do you think she wouldn't know how to choose?"
Aunt Ming's expression changed rapidly several times before she finally said, "I hope the Third Miss will be sensible and obedient, and stop causing the Old Madam any more worry."
A smug glint flashed in Rui Yuhuan's eyes. Aunt Ming's words meant that she had agreed to her suggestion. She patted Aunt Ming's shoulder lightly and said, "Don't worry, the Third Miss will understand in the end. Aunt Ming, you should rest well too. I've been out for a while, and I should go back to see the Old Madam." Then she lowered her voice and said, "As for what to do, we'll contact each other later."
Aunt Ming nodded. Rui Yuhuan had already walked out. Aunt Ming looked at her, but a glimmer of excitement flashed in her heart.
Yes, Rui Yuhuan's wicked scheme is indeed brilliant. And once it succeeds, Ouyang Yue will be universally condemned, even Ouyang Zhide won't tolerate her. Not only that, Rui Yuhuan can then use this opportunity to spread the word outside the manor, thus debunking the rumors that she's been a jinx for over a year. The blame will fall solely on Ouyang Yue, making her the most vicious person in the world. No matter how she dies, no one will plead for her; they'll only say the punishment is too lenient, and that her revenge has been achieved.
Rui Yuhuan, oh Rui Yuhuan, you are indeed an exceptionally vicious person, but it doesn't matter to her.
next day
Ning brought people to Anhe Hall to establish rules and regulations. Afterwards, Ouyang Yue stayed behind to establish rules and regulations for Old Madam Ning. Today, Old Madam Ning had learned her lesson. She didn't let Ouyang Yue fetch water or serve tea. She just sat in front of the hall and made Ouyang Yue repeatedly perform the actions of bowing and kneeling. Moreover, the rules and regulations had to be in place. The kneeling had to make a sound, and no prayer cushions were allowed. Ouyang Yue's knees had to touch the ground directly. Just thinking about it, Ouyang Yue's knees would probably be ruined after establishing rules and regulations for a whole day.
Ouyang Yue, however, acted as if nothing was wrong, obediently doing as instructed. Rui Yuhuan was quite surprised, because Ouyang Yue's expression remained unchanged throughout, as if she felt no pain at all. Old Madam Ning was also taken aback, glancing at the others in the room. Seeing Fen Die standing to one side, she pointed at her and said, "What are you standing there for? Go help the Third Miss establish the rules."
Rui Yuhuan's expression changed, but she quickly stepped in front of Fen Die and walked towards Ouyang Yue. Fen Die was startled and also took a few steps, rushing in front of Rui Yuhuan and even turning back to give her a cold look. Rui Yuhuan was clearly taken aback, and immediately stopped, awkwardly retreating to the side. Ouyang Yue's eyes shifted slightly, subtly glancing at Fen Die and Rui Yuhuan, her lips slightly pursed. How could the relationship between these two, master and servant, be so strange, as if it were reversed? Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes.
At this moment, Pink Butterfly approached Ouyang Yue, placing her hand directly on Ouyang Yue's shoulder and attempting to slam her to the ground. Pink Butterfly was skilled in martial arts; such a force would likely leave Ouyang Yue bedridden for at least ten days to two weeks, if not shattered. The moment Pink Butterfly exerted force, Ouyang Yue was startled. Although she had anticipated Old Ning's torment today and had taken some precautions, it didn't mean she could escape unscathed from Pink Butterfly's subtle attacks. Was Pink Butterfly trying to use Old Ning's words to torture her? Was this Rui Yuhuan's idea, or hers...? Given the situation just now...
In an instant, Ouyang Yue's thoughts changed several times. She suddenly twisted the ring on her hand, preparing to make a move on Pink Butterfly. At this moment, Madam Xi suddenly rushed over, holding a tea set in her hands, and said, "Madam, this servant has brought you tea."
Rui Yuhuan's expression changed, and she shouted, "It's just delivering tea. You're not new to this job, Madam Xi. But you're making such a fuss about delivering tea. That's really inappropriate."