Baili Cai felt bitter: "Seventh brother, I didn't know either. I was deceived by second sister. However, it is my fault that I frightened seventh sister-in-law."
“You are indeed guilty. If Yue’er has any problems when we get back today, I will drill a hundred holes in you. If she has two problems, I will drill two hundred holes. So you had better pray that Yue’er is alright, or I will make you wish you were dead!” As Baili Chen spoke, his face was clouded with malice. His sinister expression made Baili Cai tremble all over, feeling inexplicably afraid.
Baili Chen had always been a sickly prince, and even with his favored status and arrogant, domineering behavior, he rarely showed such an expression. Baili Cai suddenly wanted to laugh, laughing at Baili Jing's self-righteousness. What kind of devil had she provoked? Baili Cai laughed inwardly, as if venting her anger. She could predict that Baili Jing would pay the price for her actions today. However, Baili Cai was pragmatic and said, "Seventh Brother, don't worry. If Seventh Sister-in-law really has any problems, Fourth Sister-in-law wouldn't dare to live on!" If Ouyang Yue really had a problem, Baili Chen would definitely retaliate. Knowing she couldn't avoid it, she might as well have committed suicide. Besides, judging from Ouyang Yue's appearance, apart from being a little pale, she seemed to be fine. Baili Cai comforted herself with this thought.
"Come here!" Baili Chen said coldly to Baili Cai. Baili Cai was stunned, but still obediently walked over. Just then, Baili Chen suddenly shouted, "Open your mouth!" Baili Cai instinctively opened her mouth, and "Ah!" The next moment, a brown pill suddenly flew into her mouth. She closed her mouth in pain and swallowed it with a "gulp".
Baili Cai was shocked and reached down to try to get it out, but Baili Chen's cold voice rang out: "Don't waste your energy. That pill melts in your mouth. You can't get it out."
Baili Cai's expression changed drastically: "Seventh Emperor... what did Seventh Emperor Brother feed me?!" Because Baili Cai suddenly felt that her stomach was bloated and painful, and the pill was starting to take effect?
"What is it?" Baili Chen gently patted Ouyang Yue's back, his smile tinged with sarcasm: "Of course, it's poison."
Baili Cai's face paled, and she said anxiously, "Seventh Brother, Seventh Sister-in-law seems to be alright now. I know you're unhappy that I brought her into danger this time, but I didn't know things would be so complicated and dangerous. I had no intention of harming her. Why do you want to kill me, Seventh Brother... Ugh." At this moment, Baili Cai felt a sharp pain in her stomach, which even caused her whole body to convulse and tremble. It hurt, it hurt so much!
In no time, large beads of sweat rolled down Baili Cai's forehead, and she was in so much pain that she didn't even have the strength to scream.
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Cai, her eyes flickering slightly, but she felt no sympathy. Yes, Baili Cai was pitiful; she was forced to obey Baili Jing's orders. However, Ouyang Yue wasn't a saint. Even if Baili Cai had her reasons, she still chose to harm her. If Baili Chen hadn't intervened, Ouyang Yue would have been even more ruthless, certainly not giving Baili Jing another chance to harm her. But Baili Chen's move suddenly made Ouyang Yue's heart stir; clearly, her husband's method was more advantageous to them.
Baili Chen sneered: "You should thank Yue'er for seeing that you're not seriously injured, otherwise you would be a corpse by now."
Baili Cainu's face turned deathly pale: "This is the imperial palace! How dare you be so bold, Seventh Prince? What good will it do you if you are discovered?"
"Don't try to provoke me. If I dare to poison you, why would I be afraid of being found out? Your life is in my hands now. If I tell you to go east, you can't go west; if I tell you to die, you can't live. As long as you're not afraid of death, you can naturally expose the matter. But how many people will believe it is another matter," Baili Chen said nonchalantly.
Baili Cai's expression was strange, her eyes flickering, and finally she gritted her teeth and said, "What will it take for Seventh Brother to let me go?"
Baili Chen sneered: "I let you go because you overestimated yourself. I was just helping you out of convenience. Otherwise, would you be alive now? I'll give you a chance. This poison isn't incurable. I'll send someone to deliver the antidote to you once a month. If you don't believe me, you can try it. When the time comes, you'll feel like your liver and intestines are being torn apart, as if a thousand insects are gnawing at you. You'll be in pain for five days, and then your whole body will rot and you'll die a very gruesome death."
Baili Cai shuddered, gritted her teeth, and frowned as she said, "I... Your Highness will obey Seventh Brother's orders."
Baili Chen smiled, "Good, Fourth Princess is indeed a clever person." Then Baili Chen looked down at Ouyang Yue, his hand landing on her slightly pale lips. He slowly channeled his inner energy into her. Ouyang Yue was startled, squinting at Baili Cai, who was looking down and unaware. She immediately understood that Baili Chen was using teasing her to regulate her body so that Baili Cai wouldn't find out. Then she heard Baili Chen say, "Yue'er, what if Second Princess knew that her plan not only failed but also brought one of her important pawns to our side? Wouldn't she be furious?" Seeing Ouyang Yue's lips slowly turn red, Baili Chen's expression softened, and he even smiled a little.
In a corner where only the two of them could see, Ouyang Yue gently kissed Baili Chen's finger and winked to indicate that it was okay. However, Baili Chen withdrew his inner strength, but he was reluctant to let go of his finger. His wife's lips were the softest thing in the world, and he truly loved them.
Helpless, Ouyang Yue reached out and grabbed it, chuckling, "If I were the Second Princess, I'd be furious, or at least suffer internal injuries."
Bai Lichen sneered, "She won't suffer internal injuries; she'll only reap what she sows!"
Baili Cai looked at Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue. The two of them were smiling as if they were bathed in a spring breeze. Who would have thought that they were talking about how to punish someone? It was as easy as discussing how nice the weather was. They were so calm and nonchalant. But those two smiling faces made Baili Cai feel a chill in her heart.
Two strikingly beautiful people, a man and a woman, stood together, a scene of breathtaking, poetic beauty. Their smiles and expressions were almost identical, possessing a captivating charm. Yet, Baili Cai felt a chill run down her spine. This was how these two discussed life and death, wasn't it? Of course, what difference was there between what they were saying and life and death? There were numerous civil and military officials in Chengde Hall, plus countless female palace women. What kind of enormous impact would be caused by luring those poisonous snakes there? Baili Cai dared not even imagine the consequences. Yet, to them, it was the most natural conversation imaginable, vanishing in the blink of an eye, their laughter and conversation turning the world upside down. Suddenly, Baili Cai felt utterly foolish and laughable.
She used to think that her seventh brother had nothing to offer except for his enviable face and the fact that he was deeply favored by their father. But just now, his subordinate was able to produce snake-repelling medicine. That natural domineering aura was something that the sickly, dying man could never have done.
Baili Jing, you deserve it! You dared to frame me, you trampled on me like this, look at the kind of person you've messed with! This Seventh Prince is clearly a ruthless character who pretends to be weak while actually being strong. In all these years in the palace, they've all been deceived by his appearance. I'm afraid that if she hadn't harmed the Seventh Prince's wife today, the Seventh Prince wouldn't have shown these signs in the palace. This kind of person is the most terrifying. Baili Jing's ruthlessness and hypocrisy, and Baili Le's arrogance, are all derivatives of the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince. But these are all on the surface. As the saying goes, you can guard against thieves within your own family, but it's hard to guard against them. Those who originally thought Baili Chen was a spoiled and sickly playboy will only understand after suffering a great loss!
While Baili Cai was shocked, she also felt a burning desire for revenge and a sense of pleasure. She was now looking forward to seeing how Baili Jing would react when she found out about all this; it would definitely be quite a spectacle!
"Come here. This is the antidote to temporarily suppress the poison in your body. The next one won't be for another month." Baili Chen was in a better mood now, with a faint smile on his face. He beckoned Baili Cai over, but Baili Cai didn't act recklessly. She carefully walked over, and Baili Chen took out a red pill and handed it to Baili Cai. Without thinking, Baili Cai put it in her mouth and swallowed it. As soon as she swallowed it, she felt the pain in her body subside a little.
Ouyang Yue laughed: "The Fourth Princess is really brave. She's not afraid that this is an even more poisonous one, and she just swallowed it."
Baili Cai also laughed: "I am already under the control of my seventh brother and sister-in-law. Even if it's a more poisonous drug, I will take it. Besides, I feel that this is indeed the antidote. Why should I hesitate?"
Ouyang Yue's eyes crinkled into a smile: "Fourth Princess, you are truly a rare and intelligent person." Turning her head, she looked at Baili Chen, her eyes crinkling even more, "Husband, shouldn't we go watch the show?"
Baili Chen reached out and tapped Ouyang Yue's delicate, white nose, saying, "You're so naughty." His doting expression made Baili Cai, who was standing to the side, momentarily lose her composure, a hint of envy flashing across her face before she lowered her head.
Baili Chen said to Baili Cai, "It is not appropriate for Yue'er and Fourth Princess to go back together. Fourth Princess, you should go first. I'm sure you know what to do, so I don't need to say more."
Baili Cai said respectfully, "Seventh Brother, rest assured, Fourth Sister knows what to do and will never implicate Seventh Brother and Seventh Sister-in-law." After saying that, she turned and left.
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Cai and said with an ambiguous expression, "Is it really a good idea to keep Baili Cai here?"
Baili Chen held Ouyang Yue's hand: "Now the Empress and the Crown Prince's faction is all-powerful in the palace and is almost out of control. Baili Jing wants to deal with you for no reason. She probably thinks we are the Crown Prince's biggest rivals. She wants to get rid of us first. In the future, she will only use more and more methods to deal with you, me, and the children. It is never a bad thing for the enemy to have a capable spy."
Ouyang Yue said, "It's a pity that Baili Cai didn't succeed this time. She will always be suspected by Baili Jing, so she may not be able to achieve the desired effect."
Baili Chen stroked Ouyang Yue's waist and couldn't help but gently press her pulse. As a martial artist, he knew a little about pulse diagnosis, and having followed Master Minghui since childhood and been afflicted with a Gu poison, he had naturally learned some basic medical knowledge. He felt that Ouyang Yue's pulse was quite normal, and her pregnancy pulse seemed fine too. He would still need to check her more carefully when they got back, just in case, but he was somewhat relieved and said, "It all depends on her own abilities. If she can't even get past this hurdle, then we have no use for such a useless spy."
Ouyang Yue nodded. As for using Baili Cai, they felt no remorse.
In this palace, it's all about mutual exploitation. Trying to remain untainted, acting like a saint or a saintly figure, will likely lead to your demise without even knowing how you died. Baili Cai understands this well; otherwise, why would she have remained subservient to Baili Jing for so many years? In Baili Jing's presence, she's no different from a servant than a princess. Baili Cai should be grateful that Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen didn't kill her today. In this palace, the worst thing you can do is leave a loose end. This is why Ouyang Yue felt Baili Cai was no longer useful. However, Baili Chen is so confident, and Baili Cai, having been with Baili Jing for so many years, knows many of her secrets. For that reason alone, keeping her alive is indeed very useful.
The two strolled leisurely toward Chengde Hall. Although something had just happened, the palace was actually quite large. It was a long distance from the Empress Dowager's quarters to Chengde Hall. The Empress Dowager had to travel by sedan chair, but these people could walk there, which would take a long time. Given the tense situation just now, not much time had actually passed. So when Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen emerged from the path, there were still groups of people from various residences chatting and laughing as they walked toward Chengde Hall.
When these people saw Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue bowing to them, the two of them politely returned the bows one by one, and even gathered together to walk towards Chengde Hall.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager had not yet arrived in Chengde Hall, but the Empress had come early to greet her. Baili Jing naturally followed closely behind. However, the greeting was just a formality, as all matters were handled by palace servants. The Empress had simply been sitting there earlier. Seeing Baili Jing enter with a strange smile on her face, the Empress couldn't help but ask, "Jing'er, you look so happy. Did something good happen?"
Just as Baili Jing was about to speak, she pursed her lips and smiled, "Nothing, Mother. I just suddenly remembered a joke my brother told me a while ago, and the more I thought about it, the more interesting it became, so I was secretly laughing."
"You are so mischievous. What kind of joke was that? Tell it to your mother so she can have a laugh." The Empress looked at Baili Jing with a loving expression.
Baili Jing smiled and said, "It's a story about a litter of foxes. Once upon a time, there was a pair of celestial foxes who had seven cubs. The eldest cub was exceptionally intelligent, seemingly inheriting all the perfections of heaven. He was destined to be the future leader of the fox clan. The other six cubs, though brothers, were far less intelligent and capable than their elder brother. However, these six were extremely ambitious and constantly plotted to cause trouble for their elder brother. The elder brother, with his intelligence, defeated them time and time again, sparing them each time. Unfortunately, they were ungrateful and even devised more vicious schemes, ultimately reaping the consequences and dying as a result. After returning home, I thought a lot about this story and concluded that many things in this world are predetermined. What doesn't belong to you should never be touched, or you will suffer a fatal fate."
The Empress was taken aback, but after a moment's thought, she suddenly understood what Baili Jing meant. Those seven foxes were none other than the princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the large fox naturally referred to the Crown Prince, Baili Cheng.
The Empress was delighted to hear this and laughed, "This story is quite interesting. I didn't expect you, the Crown Prince, to tell such a story. It's very interesting to listen to."
Baili Jing laughed, "Yes, it is indeed very interesting. It's just that there are some self-righteous people in this world who dare to snatch and touch anything, but in the end, they still die a violent death." Baili Jing's eyes darkened. Baili Jian will not have a good death. He will be left in the wilderness and die without a complete corpse. This is the result of daring to compete with the Crown Prince for the throne. Everyone will die.
Baili Jing held her teacup, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at the clear blue tea. A sense of satisfaction welled up within her. Ouyang Yue was truly a wretched woman; she'd only recently been recognized as a relative and married the Seventh Prince, but alas, she was unlucky enough to become pregnant first. That was what made her deserving of death. Furthermore, Baili Jing couldn't help but recall her first meeting with Ouyang Yue, also in the palace, when Ouyang Rou clashed with Ning Xishan. Back then, Ouyang Yue was merely a notorious legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion. How long had it been? She had grown to such a level. Of course, this alone wasn't enough to make Baili Jing resent Ouyang Yue and wish her dead, but that person…
Hmph! No matter what, Ouyang Yue can't protect her child!
Just then, a commotion arose outside Chengde Hall, as officials, their families, and concubines began to enter. Baili Jing's expression changed, becoming calm and reserved. The gloom on her face just now seemed like an illusion. Most of the people who entered bowed to Empress Baili Jing, and the two of them politely waved their hands, saying no to the formalities.
Just then, Baili Jing saw a woman in pink walk into the palace. Baili Jing was taken aback. The woman in pink walked straight towards her and said as she got closer, "Second Imperial Sister."
Baili Jing was stunned for only a moment, but quickly regained her composure and said in a low voice that only the two of them could hear, "Yes, the matter is done."
Baili Cai lowered her head, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. When she looked up, her expression had changed to respect, even with a hint of fear: "Second Imperial Sister, it was Fourth Imperial Sister's incompetence that the matter was not accomplished..."
Bai Lijing's face suddenly darkened: "Didn't get it done?! You didn't dare to do it, did you? When I asked you to do it before, you made excuses and procrastinated. It seems you didn't put your heart into it at all. Bai Licai, well done now, you dare to disobey my orders."
Baili Cai's face turned pale with fright: "Second Imperial Sister, please calm down. How could Fourth Imperial Sister dare to disobey your orders? This matter is quite complicated. It's not that Fourth Imperial Sister is unwilling to act, but..."
"And what?" Baili Jing asked with an unfriendly expression.
Baili Cai looked somewhat puzzled and said, "Second Imperial Sister, the sachet you gave me earlier was given to a maid for safety. Because there were so many people around, and I was afraid that the strange smell would attract a swarm of snakes before I could even make a move, and I wouldn't be able to deal with Ouyang Yue. Instead, I would be in trouble myself. So, for safety, I gave it to the maid next to me. Then, I guarded the path to block Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law's way, but she didn't show up. So, I sent two maids to look for her, but they couldn't find her for a long time. I was worried that things might go wrong, so I came here to report to Second Imperial Sister first."
Baili Jing stared coldly at Baili Cai: "Useless thing. After raising you for so many years, is this the kind of good-for-nothing I've raised? You can't even handle this small matter. How can I entrust you with tasks in the future?"
Baili Cai trembled with fear, her lips shaking as she cried, "Second Imperial Sister, please calm down. It's my fault, my incompetence. I promise it won't happen again, sob sob sob..." As if remembering Baili Jing's tricks against her, Baili Cai burst into tears.
Their commotion attracted attention, even drawing the Empress's gaze. The Empress gave Baili Jing a warning look, but Baili Jing's eyes turned cold as she rebuked Baili Cai, "Alright, stop crying. Let's leave it at that for now. We can deal with it another time. Besides, since those two maids had the items, and the plan was revealed to them, it's probably not impossible. Let's wait and see." Those two maids were her trusted confidantes, sent to monitor Baili Cai. Entrusting this plan to them was far more reassuring than to Baili Cai. After thinking it over, Baili Jing felt much more at ease.
Just then, the noise outside the hall grew louder, and Baili Chen carefully helped Ouyang Yue in. Baili Jing's face immediately darkened. Those two palace maids had messed things up, so how come Ouyang Yue was perfectly fine?
"The Emperor has arrived! The Empress Dowager has arrived!" Just then, the announcements rang out simultaneously.
Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen were among the last to enter the main hall, so just as they sat down, Emperor Mingxian and the Empress Dowager entered. Everyone knelt down and said, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager!"
The voice resounded throughout the hall, echoing continuously, carrying a powerful and awe-inspiring sense of authority. The Emperor smiled and raised his arm, saying, "All of you may rise from your formalities. Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, a truly grand event for the Great Zhou Dynasty. Today we should share the joy with the people, for the world is one family. There is no need for restraint today; eat and have fun to your heart's content."
After Emperor Mingxian finished speaking, the Empress Dowager laughed and said, "Your Majesty is right. I am so old now that I no longer care about worldly things. I only hope that the Great Zhou Dynasty will be peaceful and prosperous, and that the people will live and work in peace. All the ministers have worked hard for the country and the people and are also meritorious officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Today you are happy and think that continuing to serve the country is the best gift you can give me."
"Your Majesty is wise, Your Majesty is wise! Your subject will certainly serve you with utmost loyalty and repay the court." The words of Emperor Mingxian and Empress Dowager were quite heartwarming, and everyone responded loudly, creating a truly joyous atmosphere.
Baili Jing's face was gloomy, but at this moment Emperor Mingxian waved his hand and the banquet began. The first program was naturally a song and dance performance.
However, just then, before the geisha and musicians could even take the stage, a hissing sound suddenly rang out in the hall. At first, everyone was puzzled and wondered where the sound was coming from. Could it be a new piece of music?
Then, just as one of the young ladies' expressions changed drastically, she suddenly jumped onto the table, pointed at the ground, and shouted, "Snake! Snake!"
Everyone's expression changed drastically when they saw the snakes suddenly surging into the hall; their faces were filled with fear!
How could there be snakes in this main hall!
Baili Jingxin was indeed agitated. How could these snakes appear in the main hall? Shouldn't they be dealing with Ouyang Yue? What on earth is going on?
☆、211、Bai Lijing poisoned!
There was no time for Baili Zaijing to wonder where these snakes came from, because in just a short while, a large number of snakes had already flooded into the hall.
"Ah, a snake! How can there be a snake? Run!"
"Snake! Snake!"
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"
"Protect the Emperor! Quickly, protect the Emperor!"
"Protect the Emperor and Empress Dowager!"
"Protect……"
The main hall erupted into chaos, filled with shouts that were so loud they hurt the eardrums. But no one paid any attention to it. The usually dignified and reserved ladies and young ladies had no regard for etiquette. They lifted their skirts and jumped onto the tables. Those who knew martial arts used tools to pick the snakes out, but there were so many that they couldn't possibly pick them all out.
Among them, Baili Jing was the most astonished. How could there be so many snakes? Especially when she saw several snakes with colorful bodies and triangular heads, Baili Jing's expression changed drastically. She glared fiercely at Baili Cai. Wasn't this meant to deal with Ouyang Yue? Not only was Ouyang Yue unharmed, but how did these snakes get into Chengde Hall? It must be because Baili Jing did nothing. Did this bitch deceive her?
However, Baili Jing followed the others' example and first found a high place, hoping that the snakes would get away as soon as possible. Now was not the time for revenge; avoiding danger was the key. Baili Jing jumped and stood on the table, and kept throwing things off the table: fruit, plates, teacups, etc. She didn't put down anything she could throw. Baili Jing was really determined and ruthless. She actually managed to kill one snake by sheer luck and injured two others. However, the snakes did not retreat because of Baili Jing's fear. On the contrary, because of the death of their kin, more snakes gathered around Baili Jing.
Baili Jing's face changed drastically with fright, and she screamed, "Help!"
Unfortunately, at this critical moment, cries for help are constant, and with so many voices, it's impossible to tell who's who, and nobody really cares about Baili Jing. Most of the soldiers in the hall are protecting Emperor Mingxian and the Empress Dowager; who has time to care about anyone else?
Baili Jing felt a surge of hatred. Damn Baili Cai, what did that idiot do? How could she have led these snakes here? How hateful, so hateful!
"Ah! It bit me! It bit me! Help! Help!" Just then, a young woman behind her cried out in terror. Baili Jing's heart skipped a beat. These snakes were cold-blooded animals; they would bite without warning. What should she do?
She hurriedly looked around and saw that the palace maids who had been protecting her were now also entangled by the snakes. The soft, slithering snakes kept approaching, flicking their red tongues. The palace maids were surrounded and unable to get close enough to rescue her. At this moment, Baili Jing felt a mixture of hatred and fear.
After today, she'll definitely teach Baili Cai a lesson! That damned bitch!
"Ah!" Just then, Baili Jing suddenly felt a flash before her eyes. When she came to her senses, she felt a pain and numbness in her arm. Then she opened her eyes wide and saw a brightly colored snake with a triangular head. Its pair of eerie green eyes were staring at her, making her feel terrified and her spine go cold. The snake seemed to be hissing, which sounded increasingly jarring and abnormal.
Baili Jing was shocked. She had only one thought in her mind: kill the snake so that it could not bite her again.
"Snap!" Baili Jing suddenly grabbed half of the snake's tail, specifically its seven-inch mark, and then squeezed it tightly, pulling it backward with all her might. The snake was instantly stretched into a thin line, seemingly hissing in pain. Baili Jing also felt her own pain intensify, but she couldn't care less. This snake had to die, it absolutely had to die!
Perhaps driven by the instinct for survival, Baili Jing's hand acted like a pair of pliers, squeezing the snake's tail until it curled up. Just as Baili Jing was feeling smug, the snake's tail suddenly curled up and "poof" stabbed at Baili Jing's arm.
"Ah!" Baili Jing cried out in alarm, because she felt as if her entire hand had gone numb, suddenly unable to exert any strength. Not only that, but she now felt waves of weakness throughout her body. The snake's eyes appeared even more eerie green, with blood seeping from its tail. However, the eyes that were looking at Baili Jing were even darker, filled with a deathly resentment. Baili Jing trembled all over. She knew that the snake venom had already entered her body. At this moment, she felt that starting from her arm, her entire body was limp and without any strength. At the same time, she felt waves of stinging pain attacking her. At first, it felt like needles were pricking every part of her body, a pain she could still bear. But then came the feeling of thousands of ants gnawing at her, followed by the feeling of her bones being constantly crushed, which caused her to collapse to the ground, her body convulsing.
"Hiss, hiss!" Just then, all the snakes in the hall, as if stimulated by something, began to retreat continuously. In no time, they were all gone. These snakes came and went so quickly, it was truly bizarre. However, no one paid any attention to this at the moment. Everyone was still shaken. The ladies and young women, who had never seen so many venomous snakes attack before, were now pale with fright, huddled together, trembling, and some had even started to sob.
Although the screams from before had subsided, the current sound of distress and fright was even more unsettling.
Emperor Mingxian's face darkened: "Investigate! Find out for me exactly what happened, where these snakes came from, and how so many snakes got into the palace. Investigate thoroughly for me!"