Many people hate Baili Jian, such as the Crown Prince who has been fighting with him, Baili Chen who was just framed, and even those in the court who have been exploited by Baili Jian. Fu Shun has already secretly spread the news of Baili Jian's escape from prison, so Baili Jian is doomed!
Emperor Mingxian gently sipped the tea leaves from his teacup, gazing at the golden tea, lost in thought. Fu Shun, naturally, stood obediently to the side, not disturbing him.
Suddenly Emperor Mingxian said, "Fushun, tell me, doesn't the seventh prince look more and more like Yanran?"
Fu Shun was taken aback, opened his mouth but didn't know how to speak. Emperor Mingxian didn't seem to want him to speak, and murmured, "They're really becoming more and more alike. Do you know how I feel every time I see the seventh prince like that?"
Fu Shun didn't know, didn't want to know, and dared not guess. Emperor Mingxian, holding a teacup, suddenly slammed it down on the table. His eyes swirled with blackness, making it impossible to discern whether he was happy or angry. Emperor Mingxian merely curled a cold smile at the corner of his lips: "I will definitely take my revenge! This is just the beginning, just the beginning!"
Yanran was the former empress's maiden name; her full name was Bai Yanran.
The Fifth Prince, also known as Prince Baili Jian, escaped from prison and was eventually found dead in the wilderness with his eyes cut off. Several mysterious men in black were lying next to him, who, according to the inference, should be the secret guards of the Sun family. As a result, the Emperor also sought out Consort Sun.
Consort Sun trembled, her face deathly pale. Her usually alluring features now held a rare vulnerability and pitifulness. She wept incessantly, shaking her head, "Your Majesty, I am innocent! The Sun family would never commit such a heinous act. Besides, the truth of the matter is still undetermined. Jian'er would never do something so impulsive. Whether Jian'er is innocent or not is for Your Majesty to decide after your investigation. Jian'er has always been very intelligent and composed. This sudden imprisonment... Your Majesty, I suspect someone is trying to frame Jian'er! Your Majesty, please find this person and avenge Jian'er!"
Emperor Mingxian pondered, "Aren't those people the secret guards of the Sun family?"
Consort Sun sighed and shook her head: "Your Majesty, my family has always kept a low profile over the years. These secret guards were generals who followed my great-great-grandfather into battle. They were originally wounded soldiers. The secret guards were created so that they could legitimately receive help and assistance from the Sun family. After so many years, they are now practically defunct. If I truly had such capable secret guards, how could I have allowed Jian'er to be injured? If I dared to do so, I would certainly protect Jian'er's safety."
In fact, Consort Sun wasn't wrong. All five great families possessed secret guards, but these were kept strictly secret. While others had their suspicions, they rarely used them. Everyone knew they existed, but the form and true nature of their operations remained unknown to outsiders. These secret guards were one of the five great families' safety nets, not to be used lightly. However, the Sun family's secret guards were the most concerning. Other families, such as the Lin and Ning families, were primarily composed of civil officials, so even if they had their own, they wouldn't be as of concern.
However, the reason why the Sun family was able to have the reputation of being one of the five great families was because the great-grandfather of the Sun family was a military general who was fierce and had a high reputation in the army. Although the descendants of the Sun family did not have the prestige and reputation of their great-grandfather, they were still not to be ignored because their great-grandfather had always served as a military general. Thus, the secret guards trained by a military family were the most noteworthy.
In fact, the Bai family, one of the five great families, also had military backgrounds. However, there were no famous descendants in this generation, and none of their elders were particularly outstanding. Although there were many people in the court who had previously received favors from the Bai family, they were all unlikely to achieve great things.
The Leng family, which ranks first among the five great families but is slightly second, is also a family with a long history of over a thousand years, with civil officials as its origins. Although they keep it hidden, Emperor Mingxian still has some knowledge of it. In addition, the Leng family has never participated in the struggle for the princes, so Emperor Mingxian is relatively at ease with the Leng family.
Emperor Mingxian said calmly, "Since the Fifth Prince has gone, I will not pursue the matter of who it was. Rong'er, I have doted on you for many years, and you can see that I truly love you. I hope you will not do anything to disappoint me, understand?"
Consort Sun, her eyes brimming with tears, nodded repeatedly, saying, "Your Majesty, I understand, I understand." Emperor Mingxian then said a few more words and left.
Consort Sun stood quietly, slowly extending her handkerchief to gently touch the corner of her eye. A cold smile played on her lips. She wouldn't casually reveal the Sun family's trump card. Jian'er was dead just like that, and the Emperor didn't even seem to care. This filled Consort Sun with immense resentment, making her even more convinced that someone had deliberately orchestrated this. Those secret guards were trained by the Sun family over many years; she knew their strength very well. And there weren't many people who could easily mobilize such a large force to kill them. If it weren't for mobilizing a large number of troops, even a dozen or twenty people wouldn't have been so easily wiped out without any resistance.
"Jian'er, you died so tragically!" Consort Sun's mind was still replaying the servants' report of the horrific scene of Baili Jian's death. An arrow had pierced through his eye and the back of his head, a gruesome sight. However, the smile on Baili Jian's face was even more horrifying. Consort Sun could believe how badly Baili Jian had been tortured.
And there are no more than three people who can do all of this!
Emperor Mingxian, the Crown Prince, the Empress, and the Lin family's forces, as well as Baili Chen and the Princess's family, are all involved. The other three major families also have similar strength, but at this time, they dare not act rashly. Therefore, the murderer can be easily found. As for suspects, they are naturally the Empress, the Crown Prince, Baili Chen, and the Princess's family. They are now in a situation of irreconcilable enmity.
Consort Sun's face flashed with an extremely cold expression: "Jian'er was my last support! How dare you treat him like this, cutting off half of my hope for survival? Do you think I would not retaliate after being treated like this? You are simply delusional. Crown Prince, Baili Chen, I will deal with you one by one. Now that Jian'er is dead, I will make you all be buried with him!"
After a while, Consort Sun calmed down, turned around and sat on the high chair, and suddenly asked Granny Qi, "What has Baili Mao been doing lately?"
Granny Qi hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, ever since Leng Caidie from the Leng family married Prince Sheng, Prince Sheng has rarely left the manor. I heard that the two of them are very loving and inseparable. Even the concubines and maids in Prince Sheng's original manor have all been dismissed one after another. However, this is just what outsiders say. I know for sure that it seems that Consort Leng is quite shrewd."
Consort Sun nodded slightly: "Speaking of which, this Cai Die is also my cousin. I used to like her very much. Now we are all family. Why doesn't she come to the palace more often to chat with me? Really, go and inform her to come to the palace in the next few days."
Granny Qi's eyes flickered slightly as she responded repeatedly. Consort Sun, however, curled her lips into a smile. Although Consort Sun hadn't been there when the Second Madam Sun of the Leng Mansion and Ouyang Yue had argued, she knew all about it. At this moment, her eyes turned cold, and it was unclear what she was thinking.
The day after Baili Jian's death, the people the emperor had sent to Qizhou to investigate Baili Jian's villa returned. Of course, they also brought Xuan Yuan Chaohua, Ouyang Zhide, and the deputy generals of the two who had been implicated. The group returned in a grand manner and went directly to the palace to report to Emperor Mingxian.
The evidence they collected was enough to prove that Baili Jian did indeed have plans to rebel. Emperor Mingxian then sent people to the border to replace the rotten weapons. The gold and silver that were found were directly ordered by Emperor Mingxian to be put into the national treasury. The Prince's mansion was confiscated, and everyone in the mansion, from the master to the servants, was exiled.
Emperor Mingxian also rewarded and punished Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide, who were wronged by a great injustice.
In total, the Great Zhou Dynasty had over 800,000 troops, which is a round number. Xuan Yuan Chaohua currently has 220,000 troops under his command, which is about one-third of the Great Zhou Dynasty's total military strength. Ouyang Zhide has spent half his life on the battlefield and now has 100,000 troops under his command. Although it is not much compared to the total number, Ouyang Zhide had no backing and relied solely on his own strength to make it all the way up, which is truly remarkable.
Emperor Mingxian was also very generous this time, bestowing an additional 50,000 troops upon each of them. Xuanyuan Chaohua had 270,000 troops, and Ouyang Zhide had 150,000, bringing their combined total to 420,000 troops, equivalent to half of the Great Zhou Dynasty's military strength. Both of them had a complex familial relationship with Ouyang Yue and had been wronged at the same time, so they were of one mind. Emperor Mingxian's decision was quite risky, and Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide dared not accept it, but Emperor Mingxian insisted. This reward immediately caused a great deal of discussion in the court, with everyone wondering what Emperor Mingxian's intentions were.
Of the 800,000 men in the Great Zhou Dynasty, 400,000 have been removed from this force. Of the remaining 400,000, 200,000 are under the control of Emperor Mingxian, who oversees the security of the capital, a crucial responsibility traditionally held by trusted advisors. The remaining 200,000 are distributed across various prefectures and counties, each commanded by one of the three generals. This reinforcement of troops at the two major border posts effectively protects the borders. The previous two border campaigns ended in defeat, with the Great Zhou losing two cities. Although they ultimately held key passes and prevented the enemy from advancing, the Great Zhou suffered a significant loss of face. In the event of another battle, the Great Zhou must win decisively. Therefore, Emperor Mingxian's troop reinforcements are seen as an attempt to salvage the nation's reputation.
As for the newly added 100,000 troops, 50,000 each for Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide, the remaining 50,000 were allocated by Emperor Mingxian, while the remaining 50,000 from the three major prefectures were rearranged. As soon as Emperor Mingxian gave the order, people went to carry it out. After these people were reorganized, they would accompany Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide when they returned to the border. This process would take at least another month.
Before entering the palace, he was a criminal awaiting punishment; when he came out, he was a spirited general again. Many court officials secretly murmured that the emperor's favor towards Ouyang Zhide and Xuan Yuan Chaohua had not ended. They had to get close to them and win them over.
Outside the palace, a motorcade was on the move. The lead carriage was decorated with the finest gold silk and adorned with pearls and jade, exuding extravagance. Just as Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide were leaving the palace, the curtain of the carriage suddenly opened, and Ouyang Yue stepped out and landed gently. She then reached out and gently helped Princess Shuangxia out. In the slightly more understated carriage behind, a noblewoman in red stepped down carrying a lovely two-year-old boy. Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide were visibly excited upon seeing this.
"Grandmother, Yue'er, you've arrived!" Xuan Yuan Chaohua rushed over.
Ouyang Zhide also came over and bowed to Princess Shuangxia: "Your humble servant greets the Princess and Princess Mingyue."
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back." Princess Shuangxia was usually dignified and rarely lost her composure, but now she couldn't help but be moved. She excitedly held Xuanyuan Chaohua's hand. Everyone knew that this time it was a life-or-death situation. If it weren't for the fake Lüyan as a witness, Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide probably wouldn't have been able to find a way to return safely.
Ouyang Yue immediately helped Ouyang Zhide up, saying, "Why is Father being so particular about these things with his daughter? Brother and Father must be very tired from the journey. Why don't you go back and rest first? The Princess's Mansion will hold a welcome banquet for you all in three days. We can talk about it then."
At this moment, Madam Liu walked over with Ouyang Tong in her arms and said, "Master, you must be tired. Let's listen to Princess Mingyue and meet again in three days. We can talk about it then."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide were indeed very tired from the journey, both physically and mentally. If they were even a little slower or made a slight mistake, they would not be able to return safely. Now was not the time to talk, so they nodded and agreed to return to their respective residences first.
Ouyang Yue was staying at the Princess's residence. She had just sent Xuan Yuan Chaohua back to Chaohua Pavilion when she heard that Li Rushuang had arrived. Ouyang Yue hurriedly sent a servant to invite her. Li Rushuang was wearing a beautiful white dress embroidered with pink lotus flowers. As she walked, she resembled a pink lotus blooming among the clouds, exuding an extraordinary temperament. As soon as she entered, she asked, "Yue'er, General Xuan Yuan and General Ouyang have returned. Are they alright? Did they suffer any hardships on their journey?"
Ouyang Yue smiled at Li Rushuang, but a strange glint flashed in her eyes. Why did Rushuang seem so eager today? Even when she had something to do, she never seemed this way, and her expression also seemed somewhat...
Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes and asked, "Ru Shuang, whose news do you want to know more about, my father or my brother?"
Li Rushuang, who was walking towards Ouyang Yue, suddenly froze upon hearing this!
☆、200、Chaohua X Rushuang、A child?!
Li Rushuang was stunned, seemingly even more confused than Ouyang Yue, and asked in bewilderment, "Yue'er, what are you trying to say?"
Ouyang Yue's lips curled up slightly: "It's nothing, I just asked a couple more questions because I saw how much you care about my brother and father."
Li Rushuang raised an eyebrow slightly, pursed her lips, and remained silent. Ouyang Yue didn't dwell on the matter for long, replying, "My brother and father were wronged. When they were forced out, Baili Jian sent people to kill them to silence them, but they were rescued first, thus averting their immediate crisis. Later, they secretly hid in Qizhou to find the Prince's residence where he kept his military supplies. It would be impossible for them not to have suffered along the way, but now they have finally been exonerated, which is a good thing."
Li Rushuang nodded slightly and walked over. Ouyang Yue also reached out and pulled her over. Li Rushuang said, "Father and Mother mentioned before that this time it was really dangerous. But I didn't expect that Ouyang Rou would be so shameless and vicious. Everyone says that a married woman's family is her only support. It's really chilling that she would maliciously harm the General's Mansion like this."
At this point, Ouyang Yue's expression turned cold. She had once intended to kill Ouyang Rou, but she was, after all, Ouyang Zhide's daughter. At Ouyang Zhide's request, Ouyang Yue had considered reconciling, but Ouyang Rou didn't appreciate it and repeatedly caused her trouble. This was Ouyang Yue's bottom line; she hadn't expected Ouyang Rou to be so ruthless. While Ouyang Yue had played a role in instigating the incident involving Aunt Hong, Aunt Hong and her family knew that embezzlement was strictly prohibited by the Great Zhou Dynasty, yet they still dared to commit such a heinous crime. Even without Ouyang Yue, they would have been in trouble sooner or later. It could be said that Aunt Hong and her family deserved their fate; they had no one to blame but themselves.
Ouyang Rou's attribution of all this to Ouyang Yue and the General's Mansion is unwise and even ungrateful. Even if Ouyang Zhide treated Ouyang Rou worse than Ouyang Yue, she was still his daughter. Ouyang Zhide had never wronged Ouyang Rou and even pleaded for her once. That alone was worth more than everything before. It's just that Ouyang Rou didn't know how to be grateful.
In fact, Ouyang Yue felt that Ouyang Rou's death was too easy. What about her brother, father, and the other implicated deputy generals? What about the thousands of soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty who died needlessly? Could Ouyang Rou and Huang Yu's infighting and deaths simply avert this? But now was not the time to dwell on these things. What Ouyang Yue was truly worried about was Emperor Mingxian's recent reinforcement of Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide's troops!
Ouyang Yue laughed: "My brother just went back to rest. Your timing is a bit off. Why don't you have lunch here? You should be able to see him this afternoon."
Li Rushuang immediately sensed something was amiss in Ouyang's words: "Yue'er, what exactly are you trying to say? Ever since you came into this house, you've been acting strangely."
Ouyang Yue chuckled: "Strange? How is it strange? Do you think I'm strange?"
Li Rushuang nodded seriously, and Ouyang Yue chuckled and said, "It's nothing. Hey, didn't I talk to you about my brother before? But you refused outright back then. And you seemed so eager when you came in just now. I thought you had changed your mind. Aren't you a little looking forward to it?"
Li Rushuang was stunned and said, "Did I act very eager just now? Yue'er, you must have misunderstood."
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly and remained silent, only gazing gently at Li Rushuang. Li Rushuang's expression changed slightly, and she seemed somewhat embarrassed: "Since General Xuanyuan has already rested, I won't disturb him any longer. My father and mother are actually quite worried, so they sent me to inquire about the situation. They are still waiting for my reply. I'll come another day."
Ouyang Yue took Li Rushuang's hand and readily agreed, "That's good. We can't let Uncle Li and Aunt Li worry. My brother's welcome banquet will be held in three days, together with Father's. We will definitely invite Uncle and Aunt then, so they can put their minds at ease."
Li Rushuang nodded in agreement and left the princess's residence, while Ouyang Yue looked at Li Rushuang thoughtfully.
Li Rushuang boarded the carriage, but she was not calm. She muttered to herself, "Did I seem too eager? I was only worried about Xuanyuan Chaohua because of Yue'er. After all, if something happens to him, Yue'er will be implicated too. How eager could I be?" Although she said this, Li Rushuang's heart was filled with complicated and unsettling feelings.
Ouyang Yue didn't stay at the princess's residence for long. During this time, Princess Shuangxia had been overseeing things, but she was actually worried about her grandson and was probably on edge at all times. Now that Xuanyuan Chaohua had returned, Princess Shuangxia also needed to rest and recuperate, so she didn't stay long.
Baili Chen stayed at the Prince Chen's residence. Upon hearing that Ouyang Yue had returned, he came out to greet her. As soon as he returned to his bedroom, Baili Chen wrapped his long arm around Ouyang Yue and pulled her into his embrace: "Brother-in-law is alright, my wife can rest assured."
Nestled in Baili Chen's arms, Ouyang Yue lazily squinted her eyes like a cat, turned around and wrapped her arms around Baili Chen's shoulders: "Husband, I love you so much!"
Baili Chen was stunned for a moment, staring intently at Ouyang Yue, and remained silent. It's no wonder Baili Chen was taken aback; in the past, when asked to express her love, Ouyang Yue would be incredibly shy, her lips as hard as a clam shell. If Baili Chen hadn't always used a combination of gentle persuasion and firmness, she would never have heard a single word of affection from him. When had Ouyang Yue ever been so proactive? It was both a delightful surprise and a source of some worry.
Baili Chen immediately wore a bitter expression: "Wife, you suddenly did this... I wasn't prepared at all, what is this...?" Could it be something else?
Ouyang Yue squinted at Baili Chen, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Baili Chen's face, pulling it hard to the left and right. "Tell me what you were thinking about me just now. You definitely didn't think anything good about me, did you? You've got some nerve! What do you think I've done to wrong you that I would act so subserviently? Tell me!" As she spoke, she pulled him even harder, causing Baili Chen to cry out in pain.
"My wife, my wife, I was wrong. It's just that I lack experience. As long as you say so from now on, how could I overthink things just because I'm not used to it?" Baili Chen immediately apologized with a good attitude.
Ouyang Yue snorted: "Hmm~ What you're saying is that I was wrong, because I didn't say anything before, so you thought it was normal."
Baili Chen quickly shook his head, "No, no." Then he reached out and gently held Ouyang Yue's fair hand, freeing his flushed face, and said, "Of course I believe my wife. Besides, it's hard to find someone better than me in the world. I'm just embarrassed. My wife, you've really misunderstood." As he spoke, he stretched out his arms and hugged Ouyang Yue's arms, preventing her from doing anything else. Only then did he feel at ease and rest his head on Ouyang Yue's shoulder.
Ouyang Yue stopped teasing him and pointed to the bed. Baili Chen was overjoyed, his face beaming like a flower. If he had a dog's tail, he would be more loyal than a loyal dog.
However, just as he was about to press down on the bed, Ouyang Yue reached out and lifted his chin, saying with a light laugh, "Not now. I refuse the punishment for your previous distrust!"
Baili Chen's face fell, looking like a stray puppy. Ouyang Yue ignored him, just twisting her neck with a mischievous smile on her face. Helpless, Baili Chen went straight to the bed, picked up Ouyang Yue and held her in his arms. He didn't do anything inappropriate, and reached out to stroke the stray hairs on Ouyang Yue's forehead, saying, "How is your brother-in-law?"
Ouyang Yue suddenly sighed: "Although my brother didn't show anything, I could sense that he still has a tribulation he can't get over. Even if it weren't him, anyone else would have lost this battle, but he just feels that if he hadn't trusted the fake Lüyan, the fake Lüyan wouldn't have had so many opportunities. He resents himself a lot."
Baili Chen remained silent: "Given his personality, he is indeed that kind of person, but there's nothing we can do to help him with these things; he'll have to work on it himself."
They understood all this perfectly well, but concern clouded their judgment, and Ouyang Yue couldn't help but worry: "What I fear most is that from now on, my brother will probably never like women again. It's not just about himself, but also about the continuation of the Xuanyuan family's lineage and offspring. He can't do that. If he just marries any woman, how can he be happy?" Having transmigrated from modern times, Ouyang Yue didn't really care about having a son or a daughter, but that was unacceptable in ancient times. The preference for sons over daughters was deeply ingrained, and the birth of a son to carry on the family line was a must. Moreover, the Xuanyuan family had only had one son for generations. Although Xuanyuan Zheng was adopted, since they had changed their surname, the responsibility of continuing the family line naturally fell on Xuanyuan Chaohua's shoulders, so it wouldn't be easy for him. Perhaps, because of this issue, Xuanyuan Chaohua would really have to find a woman to marry.
Baili Chen sighed, "But what can we do now..."
Ouyang Yue turned to look at Baili Chen and said, "Husband, do you remember me telling you about Ru Shuang?"
“You did say that, but didn’t Li Rushuang directly reject you back then? You’ve never liked forcing people, and she’s a friend, aren’t you afraid she’ll have a problem with you?” Baili Chen reached out and pulled Ouyang Yue’s legs up, making her straddle his lap, so the couple sat facing each other.
The position was rather ambiguous; Ouyang Yue was sitting directly on Baili Chen's strong thighs, and could even feel the muscle lines on his legs. With their bodies pressed tightly together, everything was exposed. Ouyang Yue turned her head, blushing, and continued, "Ru Shuang did refuse at the time, but I noticed that ever since she met the fake Lü Yan, she seems to have been particularly concerned about you, brother. She followed you to that narrow alley, she was very concerned about the matter of the real and fake Lü Yan, and she also contributed to finding the real Lü Yan. And, I just saw her at the princess's residence, the way she looked, hehe." Ouyang Yue smiled meaningfully.
Baili Chen reached out and gently flicked Ouyang Yue's nose: "Could it be that you're overthinking it?"
Ouyang Yue glared at her: "Don't you trust my intuition?"
Baili Chen shook his head: "It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that these things are too hard to say. But if my brother-in-law and Li Rushuang are together, it would be good. Someone like Li Rushuang who wants to find a civil official is probably not suitable." Li Rushuang is very straightforward. If she marries one of those civil officials who like to play tricks, they probably won't get along.
"You think they're pretty good too, right? If they're really interested, wouldn't it be great if we played matchmaker?" Baili Chen nodded thoughtfully. "It's worth a try." But then his expression suddenly changed, and he said with a mischievous smile, "Wife, are you comfortable sitting here?"
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chen with suspicion, then suddenly sensed something was wrong, and her face flushed red: "I'm going down!"
Baili Chen then gently supported her waist with his large hand to prevent Ouyang Yue from escaping: "Wife, I've never tried this before. This time it was clearly your initiative, so you can't cheat and run away."
Ouyang Yue reached out and pinched Baili Chen's waist: "What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't mean that at all."
But Ouyang Yue didn't use any force, and the waist area was a very sensitive spot. The pinch didn't make Baili Chen stop; instead, he groaned in a very lewd voice, making Ouyang Yue even more embarrassed: "That's enough, what are you yelling about? People will misunderstand."
Baili Chen felt very wronged: "My wife, you ambushed me, and I feel uncomfortable. Can't I even say anything? As long as my wife wants it, I will fully cooperate. You don't need to torture me like this."
Ouyang Yue's face darkened. This man was really spouting nonsense. However, she was also feeling increasingly uncomfortable down there, her face as if it were bleeding. Although she was much bolder in her actions, Baili Chen was still her only man. Women tend to be shy in such matters. However, Ouyang Yue, who was always very opinionated, did not show any helplessness.
"Wife, let's try this angle."
Ouyang Yue's face was flushed red. Baili Chen was already blowing hot air into her ear, not giving her a chance to refuse, and directly pulled off her clothes. The atmosphere in the room was hot and intense. Ouyang Yue felt drenched in sweat, but Baili Chen only grew more and more aroused, repeatedly tormenting her. It was clear he enjoyed it. Exhausted, Ouyang Yue thought to herself, "I will never cooperate with Baili Chen in this position again. I'm so tired..."
Three days later at the Princess's residence, Princess Shuangxia personally hosted a welcoming banquet for Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide. Regardless of their status, they commanded considerable respect from other families in the capital. Furthermore, each of Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide held 50,000 troops under Emperor Mingxian. Such troop deployments were common in every dynasty, often occurring after defeats. Moreover, given the losses suffered by Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide in these two battles and their unjust treatment, further deployment was justified.
The crucial question is, this was dispatched directly from Emperor Mingxian's hands. Isn't that a bit like pulling the tiger's hair out of its own hands? Of course, this was Emperor Mingxian's own decision. To outsiders, it was a different story. Emperor Mingxian's regard for the two of them was absolutely extraordinary. Who wouldn't take the opportunity to win them over? Even if the relationship wasn't particularly close, they couldn't afford to incur resentment. So, although the princess's residence originally only intended to hold a private banquet, quite a few people came upon hearing the news. Princess Shuangxia had already planned ahead, and the servants in the residence had all been warned, so there was no confusion or helplessness.
Princess Shuangxia, Ouyang Yue, and Baili Chen were busy greeting guests in the hall, while Xuan Yuan Chaohua was constantly being pulled aside to offer congratulations and so on, keeping her extremely busy until the banquet began, when things quieted down a bit. Taking advantage of the opportunity to urinate, Xuan Yuan Chaohua escaped to catch her breath and went to the garden to find a rock to sit on. However, Xuan Yuan Chaohua's expression darkened.
Although Xuanyuan Zheng was adopted by Princess Shuangxia, she treated him like her own son, loving Xuanyuan Chaohua selflessly. Xuanyuan Chaohua has always been hardworking and ambitious; his excellence stems not only from talent but also from his own efforts, and he has been consistently successful since childhood. His initial conflict with Baili Chen was because they were the same kind of people—young men often possess ambition and fighting spirit, and Xuanyuan Chaohua and Baili Chen were no exception. This also speaks to their excellence.
But this man, who had always been so confident in himself, was actually tricked by a woman, and he even gave her his heart. This made it difficult for Xuan Yuan Chaohua to forgive his own foolishness. In order not to worry his grandmother and sister, Xuan Yuan Chaohua did not show it, but he was resentful to himself. He had been so careless in matters of the heart. If it weren't for Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue's secret help, he would already be meeting his parents in the afterlife. How could he face his grandmother, who had always had high expectations of him, how could he face Yue'er, and how could he face the ancestors of the Xuan Yuan family?
Xuanyuan Chaohua sat on the rock, sulking, when suddenly he heard light footsteps behind him. He turned around abruptly and saw Li Rushuang, dressed in a willow-green belted skirt, swaying like a pink lotus flower in spring grass, her figure graceful and beautiful.