Sun was knocked to the ground by the slap and couldn't get up. She made a painful "hoarse" sound from her throat. Tears and snot fell down her face, whether from the pain or from crying. She looked so bad that it was really damaging to the reputation of the second wife of the Leng family. But Sun couldn't care less about that at the moment. She just kept crying in frustration.
Dongxue had already walked to Sun's side. The bloody smell emanating from her, typical of an assassin, made Sun feel a chill run down her spine. Dongxue squatted down and waved her hand. Immediately, servants from the Prince Chen's mansion appeared. Two held down her legs, two held down her hands and shoulders, and others held down Sun's waist and head. In an instant, Sun had no room to struggle.
"Ah! Let me go! Let me go! You audacious and lowly servants! If you dare touch me, I will kill you all! Princess Sheng will not let you off either!" Sun shouted angrily, struggling incessantly, but it was all in vain for the people holding her down. They only listened to Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue.
At this moment, Dongxue suddenly flung her hand and went straight to the boot. When she raised her hand again, she was holding a dagger with a cold, sharp gleam on its surface. Sun was so frightened that she trembled all over. Ouyang Yue had tried to cut out her tongue before. Was this a torture device?
No! No! I don't want to!
Sun Shi desperately twisted her head, but the servant held both of her faces with his hands, even prying open her mouth so that Dongxue could pull out and cut off her tongue. Sun Shi trembled with fear, but now that she was being held down, escaping was virtually impossible. Her face was deathly pale, and she screamed in despair, but who could save her now?
Seeing this, Leng Yuren felt a little sorry for him. Unlike his elder brother, Leng Yuren didn't only have one wife, Jiang Shi. Because he had official duties to attend to, and as a high-ranking official, how could he not have women sent by his colleagues in his household? He had three concubines, and each of them was like a confidante, rarely causing him any trouble. Even when they competed for his favor, they never did so in front of him. On the contrary, his principal wife, Sun Shi, had always caused him trouble. It was hard to say that Leng Yuren had much affection for Sun Shi, but it was undeniable that Sun Shi had been with him for many years and had indeed helped him a lot.
Sun was a military officer by birth, and the Sun family had indeed helped him a lot when he was told to join the military. Because of this, Sun didn't like him much, but she wasn't too bad to him either. After all, she had lived with him for more than twenty years, and if she died like this, Leng Yuren would feel terrible. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he couldn't help but look at Ouyang Yue: "Princess Consort Chen, she knows she was wrong. I can be sure that she really knows she was wrong, and this kind of thing will never happen again. Please, Princess Consort Chen, spare my wife."
“Absolutely not. After I insisted on using torture, what Second Madam Leng did and said, surely Second Master Leng knows? Letting me release such a person who talks nonsense and speaks foully, if this gets out, where will I put my face! Do you think Second Master Leng thinks your plea can make up for the face I lost!” Ouyang Yue said ruthlessly with a cold laugh.
Leng Yuren frowned, but he knew it was true. The majesty of the royal family was actually a very ethereal thing, but you couldn't ignore it, because if you were implicated in anything because of it, you would be guilty of a thousand deaths.
"Pull!" Baili Chen shouted coldly, and Dong Xue had already stabbed Sun Shi in the mouth with a dagger.
"Princess Consort Sheng has arrived!"
"Stop right now, all of you!" Just then, a shout came from outside. Leng Caidie, dressed in colorful silk, stormed into the hall. When she saw the scene in the hall, she took a step back, her face filled with shock and anger: "You dare, you dare! Stop right now, release my mother!"
However, Leng Caidie thought she was someone special. Even in the Chen Prince's residence, the Princess Consort of Sheng had no influence. Although she instinctively retrieved the Winter Snow Dagger, none of the people holding down Madam Sun made a move. Leng Caidie was so angry that her head throbbed. After becoming the Princess Consort of Sheng, she was always greeted with utmost respect wherever she went. Yet, the servants of the Chen Prince's residence didn't even give her that much face. Leng Caidie felt like she was being slapped in the face, making her furious: "Seventh Imperial Brother, Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law, is this how you treat your own family? Tell these lowly servants to stop!"
Baili Chen glared coldly at Leng Caidie, "Are you ordering me around?!"
Leng Caidie was startled, for she could see the cold glint in Baili Chen's dark eyes. She wondered if he would just walk over and snap her neck if she said yes. Leng Caidie shrank her neck slightly, but Sun Shi cried out in agony, "Caidie, save your mother! Save your mother! They're going to cruelly cut out my tongue!"
"What!" When Leng Caidie entered the hall, she saw these people holding down Madam Sun. She never expected that they would use the torture of tongue-ripping. This was extremely serious, and it was a blatant slap in the face! They were both princesses, but Ouyang Yue acted without any scruples, even daring to harm her own mother. If she couldn't protect Madam Sun, she would never be able to hold her head high in the royal family again. Moreover, their next plan had already died before it even began, and she absolutely could not allow that!
"Seventh Imperial Brother, Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law, what do you mean by this? You're spreading rumors! No matter what, Mother is a noblewoman of the court, but how can you just punish those common people like that? Besides, even ordinary people can't be killed indiscriminately; that's called disregarding human life. With your intelligence, Seventh Imperial Brother and Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law, surely you understand this. If you insist on doing this, I, the Princess Consort, will have no choice but to go to the palace to seek justice. I believe the Censor will be very happy to make a big deal out of this matter. Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law is pregnant; that's no longer a shield. With Father's fairness and impartiality, he can handle it however he wants." Leng Caidie's words were a blatant threat.
However, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue sneered. Ouyang Yue laughed and said, "Oh, Princess Sheng wants to go to the palace to file a complaint with the Emperor. I also have the same idea. It would be better to hand this vicious woman with foul words over to Father Emperor to deal with, so that I won't feel upset every time I talk about her. I believe Father Emperor can give me a reasonable solution."
Leng Caidie's previously arrogant face changed. Seeing Ouyang Yue's attitude, she wasn't afraid of being reported to the emperor at all. Could there be something she didn't know? Actually, when Sun Shi and Ouyang Yue had a big conflict, Sun Shi's people from the Leng residence went to the Sheng Prince's residence to ask Leng Caidie for help, thinking that as the Sheng Prince's wife, she should be able to save Sun Shi. At that time, the servants were in a hurry to leave and didn't know the details, so on the way there, they only gave a half-baked explanation, saying that Sun Shi was in danger and asked Leng Caidie to come to the Leng residence quickly. Leng Caidie didn't know anything about what had happened, so now she was caught off guard.
Leng Yushan looked at Leng Caidie indifferently, having no goodwill towards this niece whatsoever. Back in the manor, Leng Caidie, relying on her relationship with the Sun family and being the second daughter of the main branch, the only legitimate young lady in the manor, was extremely arrogant and domineering, making her incredibly annoying. After marrying Baili Mao, she continued to rely on being the Crown Princess and now the Princess Consort of Sheng, showing little respect for him. Her etiquette always revolved around royal rules, and she always acted arrogantly when returning to the manor. Even when something was wrong, or when Jiang Shi and Sun Shi had conflicts or arguments, Leng Caidie would intercede and blame Jiang Shi, completely disregarding her elders. It was clear how much the main branch of the family loathed her.
Leng Yushan said in a deep voice, "Princess Sheng, if we're talking about this matter, it really is my sister-in-law's fault. Everything was fine afterwards, but who knew that my sister-in-law would suddenly be rude to Princess Chen and say something..." Leng Yushan then recounted everything that had just happened, and the more he spoke, the uglier Leng Caidie's expression became.
She was indeed a princess, and if Ouyang Yue were to casually seduce anyone, she could easily spread rumors about Ouyang Yue's reputation. However, that was only if she held Ouyang Yue in her hands. In this situation, it was entirely Sun's fault. No matter how proud Leng Caidie was, she wouldn't believe that the imperial authority could be easily challenged by any court lady. Even among relatives, no one would dare to play with the imperial dignity. Baili Nan did enter the mansion and said some unpleasant things before being kicked out by Ouyang Yue. However, Baili Gan later brought gifts to apologize, showing that the Dewang Mansion also knew it had fallen short. The best solution was for the two mansions to resolve this matter quietly. If someone were to use this as an excuse, wouldn't it be seen as an attempt to sow discord, disrespect the imperial family, and incite internal strife within the royal family? Such accusations could easily be leveled against Sun, and she would undoubtedly die in the future. Even Leng Caidie felt a chill run down her spine, her heart tightened, and her throat became dry. She didn't know how to respond to what was to come.
Ouyang Yue's eyes even curved into a smile as she said, "Does Princess Sheng wish to enter the palace with me? There's no better time than today. I also think it's best to let the palace handle this matter. We're both young, and it's inevitable that we might make some mistakes."
If this were to enter the palace, Leng Caidie herself would be implicated even if she was innocent. There was no guarantee that someone with ulterior motives wouldn't accuse her of instructing Sun Shi to say those things. If that happened, it would really annoy the Empress or the Emperor, which would be a great disadvantage to their future plans. Leng Caidie's expression changed rapidly, but in the end she smiled, though the smile was somewhat ugly: "Seventh Sister-in-law, look at what you're saying. This is all a family matter. Why make such a fuss in the palace? We're all family. There's no such thing as holding a grudge overnight."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Is that so? Didn't Princess Sheng just suggest going to the palace to ask Father or Mother for a decision? Princess Sheng is truly a fickle person, changing her mind so quickly." Ouyang Yue was subtly mocking Leng Caidie's hypocrisy.
Leng Caidie's lips twitched slightly, but she didn't say anything harsh. She just smiled and begged, "Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law, please forgive my mother this time for the sake of my younger brother's wife. My mother is just straightforward and sometimes too impulsive. She tried to help you resolve this trouble before she even understood the situation, but she didn't use the right approach. Please forgive her this time, okay?" From childhood to adulthood, there were very few people who could make Leng Caidie speak so humbly.
Looking at Leng Caidie's behavior, Ouyang Yue curled her lips into a cold smile: "It's not that Seventh Princess Sister-in-law is unreasonable, but it's a pity that Second Madam Leng's previous behavior was too much. If I let her off the hook just because you, Princess Sheng, came to beg me, does that mean that in the future, as long as anyone looks down on me, insults me a few times, and then tries to curry favor with me or has someone of some status plead for me, I will let them go? Is there such a good thing in the world, or do I look like a pushover, someone who can be trampled on at will?"
Leng Caidie's expression changed. Ouyang Yue's words were a direct insult to her, but she could only grit her teeth and explain, "That's not how it is. What I meant was..."
"Enough! I don't want to listen to your nonsense here. This tongue must be plucked today. Leng Sha, go and keep watch. If anyone dares to stop us, arrest them and we'll make a decision later!" Baili Chen waved his hand impatiently. Leng Sha responded and stood not far from Leng Caidie. His murderous aura made Leng Caidie tremble with fear.
"Seventh Imperial Brother, Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law, you...you are so unreasonable and disruptive to the harmony of the royal family. Aren't you afraid that Father will be displeased? Let's just let this matter go. It's better for both of us." Leng Caidie didn't stop them, because she hadn't even started, so why couldn't she even speak?
Baili Chen coldly turned his head, his peerless face now filled with frost: "If I, this king, want to disrupt the harmony of the royal family, I will kill you along with me today!"
"Thump thump thump!"
"You!" Leng Caidie was so frightened that she took several steps back, her face turned pale, and she pointed at Baili Chen with a trembling hand, but she found that her throat was dry and she could no longer speak.
Leng Yushan and Leng Yuren both sighed and chose not to say anything more. It would be useless to say anything. With Sun's temperament, she was bound to cause trouble sooner or later. This time, she kicked Ouyang Yue, this iron plate, and it was her own fault. Leng Caidie was both angry and scared, her fists clenched tightly, and her body trembled slightly.
"Ah!" Dongxue pulled Sun's tongue out hard, causing Sun to burst into tears and snot, in excruciating pain. The gleaming, cold dagger gently slapped Sun's face. Sun felt that Dongxue's pretty face was filled with a chilling aura, like a demon from hell. Just one look from her made Sun feel stiff and trembling all over, unable to muster any strength to resist.
"Is her tongue going to be cut off like this? No! I don't want to!" Sun cried miserably, but Dongxue showed no sympathy whatsoever. The dagger slid slowly down Sun's cheek toward her mouth, and suddenly stood up when it reached her lips. "Ah!" Sun screamed in fright.
Because of her sudden movement, she was immediately slashed by the dagger, blood flowing out. The cold-blooded Dongxue slashed in with a swift motion, and Sun felt something gushing from her tongue. She was filled with pain, fear, and hatred, and screamed, "Ahhh! You slut, it's broken! It's broken! Your tongue is messed up! You slut, you won't die a good death! Even as a ghost, I, Xuanyuan Yue, will haunt you! You worthless slut, you dead slut! I will haunt you every day, making you wish you were dead!"
"Hiss!" The people in the hall seemed to catch their breath instantly, staring at Madam Sun with wide eyes in disbelief.
Sun Shi didn't realize her tongue had been cut off, yet she still couldn't speak, babbling incessantly. Leng Caidie was the first to react: "Mother, shut up! Shut up right now!" Leng Caidie's angry shout finally brought Sun Shi back to her senses. She then stared blankly for a moment, her face turning as white as paper, her body swaying even more violently, as if she were about to freeze to death on a snowy winter's day. She stammered, "I...I...talking nonsense...talking nonsense...please...please..."
Sun trembled all over, her heart pounding as she looked at Ouyang Yue. Just a few words had been exchanged, and Ouyang Yue had already threatened to tear out her tongue. Would she go even further? The more she thought about it, the more frightened Sun became, her whole body shaking like a leaf, her eyes bulging outwards, utterly terrified.
However, at this moment, Dongxue suddenly frowned, looked at Sun Shi, and stood up with a sudden change in expression. Dongxue's change of expression also made everyone's eyes shift to Sun Shi's lower body!
Right where Sun was standing, a pool of yellow liquid was flowing from her body, and it smelled foul. Everyone's expression changed drastically. Ouyang Yue hadn't said anything yet, and Sun had actually lost control of her bladder out of fear, and even leaked so much in front of everyone. It was simply... simply speechless!
Ouyang Yue's expression changed, and she smiled slightly as she looked at Leng Caidie, whose face was ashen: "It seems that Second Madam Leng knows she was wrong. Princess Sheng pleaded for her before, so I can do the tongue-splitting punishment, but she must also be slapped twenty times, otherwise she will not learn her lesson."
Leng Caidie wanted to thank him with a smile, but her lips twitched for a long time and she couldn't manage a smile: "Thank you! I am very grateful for Seventh Sister-in-law's understanding and kindness." However, when she turned her head and looked at the increasingly wet body covered in trembling water, Leng Caidie felt like she wanted to die.
As the dignified Princess Consort of the Prince of Sheng, a true member of the royal family, she had a mother who was so frightened that she lost control of her bladder. The thought of it made her so ashamed that she wanted to bang her head against the wall. But this matter was not over yet. She couldn't even take Madam Sun downstairs to change clothes and come back. Smelling the faint odor in the room, Leng Caidie felt frustrated and resentful, thinking that she shouldn't have come today. That damned mother of hers had done such a shameful thing. How hateful!
Leng Yushan, Leng Yuren, and the others who hadn't left the hall were all dumbfounded. This Madam Sun, who was usually very particular about her appearance, always wanted the best of everything, and was extremely arrogant, was now behaving like a dog, which was utterly shocking. They were all secretly mocking her, especially the servants who had been tormented by Madam Sun. They thought maliciously, "This is what they call 'the wicked are naturally brought down by others.' Look at how vicious and arrogant she usually is, but now she's scared to death. Even we servants wouldn't do something so shameful. And she's supposed to be the second wife of the Leng family, and from a prominent family? This kind of behavior is truly despicable."
Sun realized what had happened to her, and in her shame, she fainted. However, Ouyang Yue only slapped her this time, and she would never let her go. Dongxue grabbed Sun by the collar and slapped her directly with her right hand.
"Clap clap clap!"
"ah!"
Before long, the pain woke Sun Shi, who stared at Dong Xue with eyes as wide as a bull's. Dong Xue, however, didn't care at all, a cold smile playing on her lips. She used all her strength with each slap, and before long, Sun Shi's face was swollen. Dong Xue didn't let up, and slapped her twenty times in a row before stopping. Sun Shi's face was so swollen that her eyes and nose were almost squeezed out. Sun Shi squinted, her mouth swollen like a sausage, and she trembled but couldn't say a word.
But she clearly saw Dongxue's mouth moving, as if she was saying: You piss-er!
Sun was extremely ashamed. She kept rolling her eyes, her chest heaving. With a "vomit," she spat out a mouthful of blood. Then, her eyes rolled back violently, and she collapsed to the ground with a "plop," having truly fainted.
Seeing this, Ouyang Yue sighed, "I hope Second Madam Leng will remember this lesson. Although it's her own mouth, some words, once spoken, can be fatal. For the sake of Princess Sheng, I'll let it go this time. But if there's a next time, what I want isn't just her tongue, but her freedom for the rest of her life." Her words were subtle, but everyone knew that Ouyang Yue was issuing an ultimatum: if there was a next time, she would kill Madam Sun!
Leng Caidie forced a smile that looked more like a grimace and said, "Thank you for your 'understanding,' Seventh Princess Sister-in-law. I am extremely grateful."
"You yourself said we're family, so it's only right that I, the Princess Consort, spare Madam Leng. Princess Consort Sheng, you're too kind."
Leng Caidie's lips twitched, her face trembling with rage, almost as if the muscles in her face would eventually necrotize from the constant shaking. She gritted her teeth and said, "Hurry up and help the Second Madam back to her room!" The servants, as if waking from a dream, hurriedly dragged Madam Sun towards the inner hall, but couldn't help but hold their breath. Why did the Second Madam seem to have more than just lost control of her bladder? Why did she smell of feces?!
The servants' faces turned ashen. How could the second madam be so easily frightened? She had only been slapped a few times, yet she had soiled herself in fright. And this was someone from a respectable family; she was even worse than them, these servants. How utterly lowly!
Ouyang Yue sighed, "I never expected that coming to the Leng residence to deliver a message would cause such a huge uproar. I, the princess, am helpless."
Leng Yushan and Leng Yuren's expressions twitched. They thought to themselves, "Is this still a disturbance? You've turned the Leng household upside down!" But they dared not say this aloud, knowing that Ouyang Yue could turn on them at any moment. Leng Yushan continued to apologize on behalf of Madam Sun, but Ouyang Yue waved her hand, saying, "The punishment has already been given. This princess consort will naturally not hold a grudge. Let it teach Second Madam Leng a lesson. Master Leng, I wonder if my mother's old courtyard is still there? This princess consort would like to go and see it."
Leng Yushan was taken aback, but a hint of joy flashed in his eyes: "Yes, yes, yes! Mother has missed Yuyan very much over the years. No one is allowed to touch her courtyard, and she is regularly cleaned. My little sister's courtyard is exactly the same as when she left. I will send someone to take Prince Chen and Princess Chen there right away."
Ouyang Yue nodded, and soon Leng Yushan and Leng Yuren followed. However, as they left the hall, Ouyang Yue glanced at the three people standing with their heads bowed, a cold smile playing on her lips. Along the way, Leng Yushan kept telling Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue about Leng Yuyan's life in the Leng residence. At first, Ouyang Yue was indifferent, even somewhat uninterested, but as the story progressed, she couldn't help but ask questions when she encountered something that interested her. The journey together was quite pleasant.
Before long, Ouyang Yue arrived at a quiet little courtyard surrounded by trees on three sides. In front of the courtyard was a patch of winter flowers. Although they were not as vibrant as those in spring and summer, they had their own unique beauty with the cold pride of winter. Ouyang Yue couldn't help but be a little dazed. She didn't expect that her hobby was so similar to her mother's.
"Princess Consort Chen, aren't you going in to take a look?" Leng Yushan asked, seeing Ouyang Yue staring at the flowers for a long time without saying a word. Ouyang Yue turned her head and said, "This princess consort wants to stroll around with the prince. We don't need anyone here. Can you leave first? When this princess consort is about to leave the manor, I will naturally send someone to find the Leng family head."
Leng Yushan was taken aback, but then he understood that Ouyang Yue wanted to express her feelings. It was indeed inconvenient with them around. He smiled and said, "Princess Consort Chen can stay as long as she wants. Ever since I heard that Princess Consort Chen would be coming to the Leng residence, my mother has already asked the main kitchen to prepare dishes. They are all Yuyan's favorite dishes. I hope Princess Consort Chen will do me the honor of having a meal."
Ouyang Yue's expression remained unchanged: "We'll talk about it later."
Leng Yushan didn't try to persuade him further and left with Leng Yuren. But once they were a short distance away, Leng Yushan turned to Leng Yuren with a stern face and said, "Second brother, what's wrong with your wife? It's one thing to let her act recklessly all the time, but how can she be so rude? Even if Xuan Yuan Yue is related to the Leng family, she's still a member of the royal family. How can we offend her so easily? Look at what she said, she's no different from a shrew! It's simply hateful!"
Since Leng Yuren entered the court and rose through the ranks, Leng Yushan had never argued with him or reprimanded him. But this time, Leng Yushan unleashed a torrent of abuse, which Leng Yuren could only endure. Sun Shi had truly lost face today; he felt like he wanted to dig a hole and disappear. It was a slap in the face! He also began to hate Sun Shi in his heart.
After Leng Yuren and Leng Yushan left, Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen didn't rush in. Baili Chen draped a cloak over Ouyang Yue's shoulders, and the two stood in front of Leng Yuyan's courtyard looking at Donghua. The other guards stood in various places to protect her. The two were silent for a while, but after a while, Ouyang Yue couldn't help but sigh: "The people in the Leng family are really muddleheaded."
Baili Chen couldn't help but sneer: "They are indeed very foolish. I only wanted to deliver a message for Caiwen, but who knew I would see such a stupid side of them."
Ouyang Yue was somewhat annoyed: "I know perfectly well that my cousin was harmed by Leng Caixi, but I have no evidence at all. How can I deal with Leng Caixi based on mere speculation?"
Baili Chen snorted: "With that Sun family supporting her, it won't be easy to deal with Leng Caixi." Then Baili Chen said, seemingly puzzled and dissatisfied, "I had the chance to deal with this Sun family just now, why did you let her go in the end?"
Ouyang Yue shook her head: "It's all because of my cousin. He seems carefree and doesn't care about anyone. You've known him for many years and you know that he's a family man. Although Sun Shi and Leng Caixi have wronged him, my cousin wouldn't do anything to harm them. Sometimes I think my cousin is really foolish. These people have bullied him so much, why should he care about their lives?"
Baili Chen paused for a moment: "The people of the Leng family don't know that this is all a conspiracy by the Sun family. I'm afraid it won't be long before they slowly infiltrate the Leng family. At that time, the Leng family will just be an empty shell. What's the use of fighting for it then?"
Ouyang Yue sighed, "All of this is done in the shadows. How could they possibly understand? That Madam Sun is just a direct descendant of a collateral branch in the Sun family. How could she possibly summon the Sun family's secret guards? What kind of person is Leng Caixi? He has no ability, no talent, and he's incredibly stupid. I saw how scared he was just now. He wasn't even half as calm and collected as the two sons of the Third Master of the Leng family. He's utterly hopeless. If I were from the Sun family, I would also find this person to control. After killing my cousin, the future head of the Leng family would definitely be Leng Caixi. It's precisely this kind of incompetent person that they can control. Who else would they support if not him?"
Baili Chen said, "Consort Sun is dead, and the Sun family is currently at a weak point. Because of Fu Meier, even though many of the Fu family's properties were later seized, the Sun family still managed to plunder several profitable shops and gain considerable benefits. Now is the time for them to expand their power. They are determined to win the selection of the deputy commander in the palace this time. If it weren't for Caiwen competing for it, why would they have to abduct and kill my cousin? Leng Caixi is just a pawn. Whether this matter succeeds or not, no one will come to the Sun family. What a good plan!"
Both of them sighed, but Ouyang Yue said, "How could they know that my cousin has no intention of vying for the position of family head and deputy commander? Besides, my cousin will be bedridden for at least a few months this time. He has no energy to care about these things. They are really judging others by their own petty standards. With Leng Caixi doing this, my cousin probably won't return to the Leng family. None of this has anything to do with us. Whoever becomes the head of the Leng family in the end has even less to do with us. Family ties in the Leng family are weak. If it weren't for that, my mother wouldn't have died outside back then."
Bai Lichen comforted him, "Don't overthink it. How can we possibly manage these things?"
"I'm just a little unconvinced." After saying this, the two went into the house to visit Leng Yuyan's house. However, just as they were leaving, two heads peeked out from a small pile of artificial rocks in the lower right corner.
It turns out that Leng Yuyan's place was originally surrounded by trees on three sides, with some artificial rock formations more than two meters long and wide in front of the two sides, for the sake of setting the scene. After the two people peeked out and looked around, they secretly left Leng Yuyan's courtyard. After leaving the area, the two quickly found a secluded place.
"I never imagined we'd all been fooled," one of them said bitterly.
"Brother, what should we do next? If we continue to follow Leng Caixi, we'll end up with nothing."
"Caihe, let me think about it some more." Indeed, these two were none other than Leng Caixin and Leng Caihe, the two sons of Leng Yujian from the third branch of the family. They had actually been secretly following Ouyang Yue and the others, wanting to hear what they were saying. Sure enough, after Leng Yushan left, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue had no more scruples, and they were able to hear some secrets as they wished.
In fact, those involved in Leng Caiwen's injury included the brothers Leng Caixi, Leng Caixin, and Leng Caihe, as well as Madam Sun and the Sun family. The two brothers were originally very jealous of Leng Caiwen, but they were, after all, the sons of the third branch of the family. If they went too far, Leng Yushan might get angry and expel the third branch from the Leng family, leaving them with nothing. So, they only dared to follow Leng Caixi and cause trouble, not to do anything else. They originally didn't dare to assassinate Leng Caiwen, but Leng Caixi gave them a guarantee and promise. As long as Leng Caiwen died, Leng Caixi would most likely succeed in taking the position of deputy commander, and the position of head of the Leng family would then be decided between the two brothers. As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold, which is why the two brothers Leng Caixin and Leng Caihe got involved. However, after listening to Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue's words and analyzing them, they also felt that it made sense.
Actually, they had their doubts at first, but Leng Caixi's guarantee was so tempting, and the killer was from the Sun family. So what were they afraid of since they didn't have to get involved themselves? But if, as Ouyang Yue said, the Leng family was controlled by the Sun family, then what benefit would they have? It's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. This kind of thing is even more terrifying than letting someone like Leng Caiwen be the head of the family.
Leng Caixin squinted: "Leng Caixi is a real scoundrel. He actually plotted against us two brothers like this. If he really succeeds, where will we two brothers have a place in the Leng family? The Sun family is also a place that eats people without spitting out bones. We have followed Leng Caixi for many years and know a lot of his ugly deeds. In the end, the first thing he will do is to harm our two brothers' lives."
Leng Caihe gasped, "This... then brother, what should we do now?"
Leng Caixin sneered: "How? Since the Sun family treats us as pawns, they don't realize that pawns also have thoughts. The Sun family is in a difficult situation now, so they care a lot about this deputy commander position. We just can't let them succeed!"
"Brother, what do you mean?"
"Find an opportunity to meet the Crown Prince, or go to the Lin family. The Lin family is no pushover either, let them fight over it. Anyway, we two brothers won't get the deputy commander position. When Leng Caixi messes things up, the first family to settle scores with him will be the Sun family. If we can really cripple or kill Leng Xi, then we two brothers will truly have a chance to become the future patriarchs of the Leng family."
Leng Caihe nodded emphatically upon hearing this: "Brother is right. Let's leave the manor immediately to handle this matter. This matter should not be delayed. We have learned some things about the Sun family by following Leng Caixi. Even if we are at the very least on the side of the Lin family and the Crown Prince, we will still be able to get on his good side. If we can gain the Crown Prince's attention, we will be promoted and ennobled in the future, and we will trample Leng Caifeng, Leng Caiwen, and Leng Caixi under our feet!"
"Yes, let's leave the manor now!"
Unbeknownst to the two, their entire conversation was overheard by a black-clad figure whose tattoo remained motionless on a nearby tree branch. As soon as the two left the mansion, the black-clad figure relayed their words to Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen. Ouyang Yue laughed, "Your Highness, they really fell for the trap!"
Baili Chen couldn't help but kiss Ouyang Yue: "My wife's plan to sow discord is truly brilliant. By deliberately letting Sun Shi go, you're escalating the conflict between the Sun and Leng families. I've heard that my Ninth Prince has been getting very close to both the Ning and Sun families lately. The Ning family even intends to marry their eldest daughter, Ning Xishan, to my Ninth Prince as a concubine. My Ninth Prince is bound to help the Sun and Leng families seize this deputy commander position. With the Lin and Leng families being such opportunists, they're sure to stir up this mess!"
"A scheme to sow discord? Heh, of course we need to sow discord!" Ouyang Yue's plan has already distracted the second and third branches of the Leng family, and has also subtly brought the conflicts between the four major families into the open. It would be strange if things didn't get chaotic.
Ten days later, Emperor Mingxian personally took charge, and the battle for the position of deputy commander of the imperial palace began!
☆、220, The Death of Leng Caixi! (Seeking votes for the company's annual meeting~)