"Oh, they...please come in." Ouyang Yue didn't stop, but slowly pulled Baili Su along, occasionally wiping Baili Su's forehead with a handkerchief as he walked and was covered in sweat. That's one good thing about Baili Su; after all, he's not a real child, so his willpower is quite good. He didn't complain of being tired at the moment and slowly followed Ouyang Yue's instructions to walk forward.
"The young master has started learning to walk, and he's doing a pretty good job. He's so cute." The first thing Liu saw when she entered the room was Ouyang Yue pulling Baili Su forward. Baili Su's chubby face was still adorable, but his eyes were unusually serious. He was constantly taking steps forward with his short legs. His short, chubby legs lifted and landed on the ground, looking weak and powerless, but it was hard to ignore the strong desire this little boy showed to walk.
Ouyang Yue stopped, picked up Baili Su and wiped his sweat. She also had time to look at Liu Shi. Today, Liu Shi was wearing a red dress embroidered with begonia patterns, with jade rings and pearl hairpins. She looked at Baili Su with a smile and seemed a little surprised. Her temperament was becoming more and more composed. Standing next to her was a boy in a short jacket. The boy looked about four or five years old. His eyes were bright and clever. When he saw Ouyang Yue teaching Baili Su to walk, he looked at his younger brother with great interest.
"Tong'er is here, come to your sister." Seeing Ouyang Tong, Ouyang Yue smiled and waved. Ouyang Tong saw the beautiful sister and immediately ran over with his short legs. If Ouyang Yue hadn't caught him well, he would have almost rushed out, which startled Liu Shi so much that she almost screamed. Ouyang Yue grabbed him and smiled at Baili Su, saying, "Su'er, this is your uncle."
Baili Su looked at Ouyang Tong. Such a young child, yet he was made to call him uncle. It would make him look less senior to those who weren't there. He wouldn't call him that.
"Sister, is he my little nephew? He's so cute!" Ouyang Tong blinked her eyes, looking at Baili Su with obvious affection. She took a few steps and stopped in front of Baili Su, then rummaged around in her pocket and pulled out a small purse. "This is a gift from your elder to you." She tried very hard to act like a kind elder, but she was too young, and no matter how she tried, it looked a bit awkward. Instead, she looked adorably cute, which made Ouyang Yue chuckle.
Madam Liu shook her head and said, "When we were at home, I told Tong'er that he kept asking me about my seniority, and he even secretly asked the nanny who served him. The nanny was almost driven crazy by it. But I did mention the proper etiquette for elders, and he remembered that. It's really..."
Baili Su seemed a little angry. This little brat who had recognized his relatives so readily, but as soon as he heard there was a gift, since it was free anyway, he surprisingly put aside his unhappiness. He took the purse from Ouyang Tong with his chubby little hands and handed it directly to Ouyang Yue, meaning to help him open it. After all, he couldn't talk too much right now, it was really tiring.
Ouyang Yue understood immediately, opened her purse, and inside was an exquisite longevity lock. The tassels below the keyhole were inlaid with red, green, and blue gemstones, making it more ornate than ordinary longevity locks. This was a gift from Ouyang Zhide to Ouyang Tong, Ouyang Tong's favorite toy. Although Baili Su's past habit of collecting various jewelry and other items from noble ladies had an element of malice, it was also true that children love colorful things, so it was indeed irresistible. Baili Su held it in his hand and played with it for a while. Seeing that he liked it, he decided to accept the little devil as his uncle. However, the boy was unwilling to call him uncle, so he reluctantly held his hand as a sign of friendship.
This delighted Ouyang Tong immensely. Ouyang Tong had always been in poor health and stayed in the courtyard. Later, things at the General's Mansion became less chaotic, and his health improved. However, Liu Shi had risen from the rank of concubine and wasn't very outgoing, nor did she have many friends. Ouyang Tong was even less likely to have any playmates of the same age. Therefore, he was extremely fond of Baili Su as soon as he saw him. In fact, he had always carried this item with him because he liked it. Originally, he only intended to give him a purse, but now that he liked it so much, he forgot everything else.
The two children sat together, holding hands, and started playing. With Chuncao and two nannies watching over them, nothing would happen. Ouyang Yue then sat down with Liu Shi to talk. Ouyang Yue glanced at Ouyang Tong: "Tong'er, something seems wrong." Liu Shi's face stiffened. Ouyang Yue frowned, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Liu's face was not good, and she said with some resentment, "It was just a few days ago. Tong'er was a little bored at home, and I also wanted to buy some things, so I took a few maids and servants out. When we went to the jewelry shop, we ran into Madam Shang from the Ning family. She said a few sarcastic things to me, and I couldn't help but retort. We almost got into a fight, and Tong'er was a little frightened."
Ouyang Yue sneered. Ever since Ning Xishan married Baili Mao, the eldest branch of the Ning family had become increasingly arrogant and looked down on many people. Furthermore, rumors circulated that the former Grand Master of Ceremonies, who was in charge of sacrificial rites, was getting old and frequently feigning illness. The Emperor intended to find a replacement, but lacking a suitable candidate, he consulted with others. Baili Mao and his cronies recommended Ning Baichuan. Although the position was high-ranking, it seemed to lack real power. However, those who held this position were highly respected, and since it was only a concurrent post, Ning Baichuan also controlled the Censorate, possessing the power to impeach officials. Therefore, having an additional official position was beneficial to them. In addition, Ning Xishan was currently favored by Baili Mao, and the Ning family had recently gained considerable influence. The Shang family was never easy to deal with, but Jiang Xuan had previously caused trouble for the Ning family. Unexpectedly, before the infighting between the two branches had subsided, the sudden appointment of Ning Baichuan as a concurrent post had likely resulted in a complete defeat for the second branch.
Suddenly, Liu realized something and said, "Oh right, Ning is probably not going to make it."
Ouyang Yue nodded. Ning Shi had not been treated well since returning to the Ning residence, and with Jiang Xuan causing trouble again, it was truly remarkable that Ning Shi had survived until now. Ouyang Yue thought for a moment and said, "It seems that I, the Princess Consort, should prepare a funeral. When my grandmother died, there were people spreading rumors. No matter how badly she treated me back then, she was still my elder, and I should at least show her some respect."
Madam Liu didn't believe that Ouyang Yue really wanted to give a gift; she thought he might give something disgusting. She smiled and nodded, saying, "Of course, I should also think of a gift, so that no one can say anything about it."
Ouyang Yue glanced at Ouyang Tong and Baili Su, who were already playing together with toys, and then looked away: "If Madam has some free time, she might as well come to the Prince's Mansion more often. Su'er doesn't have any friends of the same age, so it would be good for him to have a companion."
"I am very happy that the Crown Prince can play well with the boy."
Just as Ouyang Yue was about to say something, she suddenly heard a commotion outside. Before she could speak, a servant came over and said, "Your Highness, Princess Jiang Xuan has brought some people and blocked the entrance. She says she wants to see Your Highness."
Liu frowned: "If you want to see someone, why bring people to block the door? What are the rules?"
It's pointless to talk about rules with that arrogant young master. Ever since Ouyang Yue took the matter to the Ning family, Jiang Xuan and the eldest prince Jiang Qi have been quiet for a while. Are they getting restless again? "Please come in."
A moment later, Jiang Xuan entered with two maids and several tall, burly guards. Seeing the two children playing, Jiang Xuan's eyes darkened slightly. She smiled and said to Ouyang Yue directly, "Princess Consort Chen seems to be quite carefree. I've been in this Great Zhou for a while now, and I've had my fill of sightseeing. I'm thinking of returning home."
“So the princess is going back to her country. That’s a real pity. But the princess has been in the Great Zhou for quite some time now, so it seems it’s time for her to go back. I’m afraid the Emperor and Empress of the Great Zhou must be worried.” Ouyang Yue nodded with a smile, her face full of agreement.
Jiang Xuan arrived uninvited and sat down more naturally to the side. Her eyes, somewhat lost in thought, glanced at Baili Su, who was playing with Ouyang Tong. She couldn't help but sigh, "Speaking of which, I haven't been able to complete my business in the Great Zhou. I don't know if my father and mother will blame me. However, the itinerary is already set and cannot be delayed. My trip to the Great Zhou has caused some inconvenience to Princess Chen. Therefore, before I leave, I would like to hold a banquet and find a good opera troupe. I would like to ask the Prince Chen's Mansion to grace us with their presence."
Although it was an invitation, Jiang Xuan showed no sign of compromise. Ouyang Yue smiled faintly, her eyes like slowly flowing lake water, without stirring up any ripples. She said with a smile, "Princess Jiang Xuan has come to invite me personally, so naturally this princess consort has no reason not to accept."
"Then this princess will await the arrival of Princess Consort Chen. An invitation will be sent then." With that, Jiang Xuan rose to leave, but before departing, she couldn't help but glance at Baili Su one last time. Ouyang Yue's lips curled into a cold smile…
☆、258、Shifting the blame eastward, the death of the Ning family!
Liu was a little nervous and couldn't help but say, "Why does Princess Jiang Xuan seem a bit strange? Could she be up to something? Perhaps Princess Chen should find an excuse not to go?"
Ouyang Yue smiled at Liu Shi, gave him a comforting look, and then glanced at Ouyang Tong, who was playing happily. Baili Su, though unwilling, was waving his little hands excitedly with bright eyes. His eyes were somewhat dark, like a sword about to be drawn: "I promised Father that I would protect Tong'er. Father will probably be late returning from the capital this time, so I can't let anything happen to you and cause Father sadness."
Madam Liu was somewhat moved, but still said, "It wasn't a big deal. That Shang was just being nosy. Although Tong'er was frightened and cried at the time, he's just a child and wouldn't remember those things. He's long forgotten them. Now that Prince Chen has left the capital, Your Highness, you shouldn't get involved in these things. It won't do you any good. I'm not weak when it comes to Tong'er, and I won't let him get hurt."
Ouyang Yue said, "But as his sister, I still need to do something for him. Since Jiang Xuan's intentions are not good, this is a good opportunity."
Before Liu could say anything more, Ouyang Yue smiled and said to the child, "Child, come here to your sister."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Tong's eyes lit up. He turned around and ran towards Ouyang Yue at a brisk pace, like a little colt. He bumped into Ouyang Yue's arms, startling Liu Shi so much that she almost screamed. Ouyang Yue had already covered Ouyang Tong's head with her hand, so there was no problem. Ouyang Tong grinned with bright eyes and said, "Sister."
Over there, Baili Su was also helped by Dongxue to Ouyang Yue's side. Ouyang Yue reached out and stroked Ouyang Tong's head, smiling, "Tong'er, do you want to stay here with your little nephew for a few days?"
Ouyang Tong nodded repeatedly, smiling happily, and clapped his hands, saying, "Yes, yes! My brother-in-law just left the capital, and my sister is unhappy. I want to stay with her and make her happy." Although he said this, his little eyes kept glancing at Baili Su. Did this little kid already know how to say one thing and mean another? Ouyang Yue found this amusing. Baili Su pouted but didn't say anything to refuse.
Looking at Liu, Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Madam, why don't you stay at the Prince Chen's residence? It'll keep me company."
Seeing this, Liu didn't refuse anymore and smiled, "That would be wonderful. Actually, I'm quite bored in the General's Mansion. It would be great to be able to chat with Princess Chen to relieve my boredom." But in her heart, she was thinking to herself, "This Princess Chen is known for her cunning, and she never fails to do what she says. What is she planning to do about what happened before? It's really intriguing."
In the northernmost part of the Ning residence, in a secluded and desolate courtyard, the place was utterly dilapidated and overgrown. The fence surrounding the courtyard was of unknown age, rotten from bottom to top, trembling as if it could break at any moment. Wild grass grew everywhere, leaving only a narrow path about two meters wide, not unlike any other path carved out of a mountain village or forest. Entering the house from the courtyard, the scene was even more appalling. The house itself was sparsely furnished, and the small room was divided into three sections. The room, in the main hall, contained only a broken table and two crooked chairs with missing legs. There was nothing else. To the right, behind a curtain, was a dark room, pitch black without a window. If the door were closed, it would be almost like a small dark room. To the left was the master's living room, which was also in a terrible state. There was a large wooden bed with the bed boards sticking out, covered with two not-so-new sheets and a quilt. In the corner was a small table with a chair underneath, and that was it.
At this moment, there was a woman lying on the bed? Calling her a woman would be an understatement. This woman had a dark and gloomy complexion, her cheeks were deeply sunken, her lips were chapped, and her eyes were bloodshot and mixed with a sallow color. After lying on the bed for a while, she suddenly clutched her chest and leaned over the edge of the bed, coughing, looking very painful.
"Why are you coughing again? You're such a jinx, always on the verge of death. You're such a bad luckman." Suddenly a voice came from the doorway. The woman looked up and saw a maid looking at her with disgust. She was filled with hatred, but suddenly she smiled, her smile carrying a hint of flattery: "Miss Xue'er is here. Please have a seat."
The maid named Xue'er's face changed upon hearing this: "Sit down? Your room is filthy and smelly. There's no place for me to stay. Only someone like you, who's barely alive, would dare to cling to someone else's place. I'm not trying to be mean, but you were originally the legitimate daughter of the Ning family, practically a mistress of the Ning family. To be divorced and sent home by General Ouyang is a great disgrace to most families. How can you be so shameless? What's the point of living like this? Look at what you eat every day. It's so rotten that even a dog wouldn't eat it, yet you eat it happily every day. I don't know whether to say you've lost all your shame or just be pitiful."
Xue'er shook her head, and a gloomy look flashed across Ning Shi's face as she lay half-reclined on the bed, her eyes darkening, but she quickly concealed it and said, "Thank you so much, Miss Xue'er, for bringing me food."
Xue'er waved her hand: "It was the First Madam who took pity on you and sent me to bring you food. If you want to thank someone, you should thank the First Madam for her kindness. By the way, you don't know, do you? These days, the First Madam has been frequently seeking medical treatment for Miss, saying that Miss's health is almost fully recovered and she will soon be pregnant with Prince Mao's child. That will be another great joy for the Ning family. These past two years, you've really ruined the Ning family's reputation, almost making the masters unable to hold their heads up. Tsk tsk tsk, if it weren't for Miss's talent, the Ning family would probably never be able to hold their heads up again. You should thank Miss, you know?"
"Xishan is pregnant?!" Madam Ning was taken aback and hurriedly asked.
"It'll be over soon, aren't you happy? It's no use telling you. You're just a hen that can't lay eggs, you can't have children at all. Otherwise, why would you have been divorced after so many years in the General's Mansion? A woman like you should have died sooner. The food is here, eat quickly, the servants will come to collect it in a while." After saying that, Xue'er threw the basket in her hand onto the bed with a thud. The basket was very poorly made, probably something that was about to be discarded. A branch was sticking out, and the cover on top was useless. When it was thrown onto the bed, it fell over. Inside, there was only a bowl of plain white rice and a small bowl of something that looked like cabbage in water, two of which had fallen onto the bed.
A flash of hatred crossed Ning's eyes, but she carefully picked up the cabbage and placed it back in the bowl. This was the scene Xue'er witnessed before leaving, and she almost vomited. This was the former eldest daughter of the Ning family, reduced to such a miserable state. If it were her, she would have preferred to die. How could this woman have endured for so long? She wondered what she was thinking. Xue'er sighed, but she didn't feel any regret for what she often did.
Ever since Ning Shi caused the Ning family to lose face and almost had Ning Xihe chosen by the Huang family for a forced marriage, no one in the household took Ning Shi seriously. Shang Shi and Ding Shi even harbored deep resentment towards Ning Shi and did many things to torment her. Ning Shi suffered a stroke and her body weakened, but perhaps due to her stubbornness, she clung to life. Shang Shi and Ding Shi constantly sent people to humiliate Ning Shi, and she heard these words every day until she was numb to them. However, she knew perfectly well that this numbness was merely a facade; in reality, the hatred in her heart was driving her to the brink of madness.
There were no chopsticks prepared in the basket. Shang and Ding had sneered at her, stuffing rice and vegetables into their mouths with their hands, laughing at her for being like a beggar, degrading her to the level of mud anyone could trample on. Ning quietly ate her rice and vegetables, her eyes dark and sinister. She didn't want to die; she was clinging to this last breath to take revenge. Everyone in the Ning family, especially the most hateful Liu and Ouyang Yue, she wouldn't let a single one go. She would send them all to hell!
A person walked silently into the room. When this person came in, Ning Shi was already stuffing her mouth with rice, with only one bite left. A hint of disgust flashed in the person's eyes. After watching Ning Shi finish eating, he looked up and said, "Do you have anything to say?"
Ning lay weakly on the bed, looking up sadly: "Everything I said is true. I've seen that jade pendant before. It was the one that that little bitch Leng Yuyan wore. Ouyang Zhide took it out and later gave it to Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue used to show it off to me with great joy. There's no mistake about it."
"This is just your side of the story; there is absolutely no evidence."
Ning Shi's lips twitched: "Who is Princess Jiang Xuan? What can't she get if she wants it? Now that Prince Chen has left the capital, what can Xuan Yuan Yue, a woman with a child, do? Xuan Yuan Yue is a royal wife, and now that her husband is not by her side to protect her, as long as someone is found to ruin her reputation, do you think the royal family will want such a lowly harlot? At that time, no matter what the royal family does, as long as Princess Jiang Xuan secretly intervenes, that bitch Xuan Yuan Yue will do anything to save her life. However, just to be on the safe side, it's best to capture Baili Su. I don't believe Xuan Yuan Yue would dare to abandon the young prince's life, otherwise even if Baili Chen comes back, he won't let her off."
"Crack!" The newcomer suddenly lashed out with a whip, striking Ning Shi directly. Ning Shi screamed in pain, a bloody welt appearing on her body. It was unclear whether the person did it on purpose; the whip was painful but left a mark without tearing Ning Shi's flesh. The man coldly said, "You don't need to tell me what the princess wants to do. You're incredibly audacious, daring to point fingers at the princess. You deserve to die!"
Ning was in so much pain she could barely breathe. Her face was pale and she trembled as she looked at the person who had come to her: "I...I dare not, it was just a suggestion...just a suggestion..."
"You must understand, this is the last time. If the princess fails to get what she wants from Xuanyuan Yue this time, you will die!"
Ning stretched her neck and screamed, "No, there is, there must be! I saw it with my own eyes, I will definitely find it!"
The man's eyes flickered, he snorted coldly, and turned to leave. After a while, Ning Shi felt that the man was definitely gone, and her face became even more gloomy: "Damn princess, you slut, you're all lowly sluts. You'll all get your retribution. In the end, you'll be played with by a bunch of men, made a fool of in front of everyone, and turned into promiscuous bitches!"
Ning clenched her fists, her fingertips digging into the wooden bed, ignoring the splinters of wood piercing her skin. She felt only endless hatred. Back then, Ouyang Yue had caused her to lose everything and be divorced by Ouyang Zhide. Then Jiang Xuan suddenly appeared and tortured her, revealing the whereabouts of the jade pendant, further fueling the hatred of the first and second wives towards her. The two families tormented her back and forth, making her life even worse than when she first returned to the manor. She hoped that after this, they would both be defeated and killed, all of them dead!
Ning's face was contorted with rage, and he was lost in a frenzy of thoughts.
Just then, as the person who had suddenly appeared was about to leave the Ning residence, two people suddenly emerged from the back door. One of them was clearly a noblewoman, dressed in a blue dress embroidered with white peonies, with a dazzling array of gold hairpins around her head. She was none other than Madam Ding, the second wife of the Ning family. Madam Ding looked at this person and smiled, "Please wait here."
"You've been following me!" The man's face darkened.
Ding didn't mind and said with a smile, "Please don't be in a hurry. I'm here to do some business with you."
"Hmph, you think you can do business with me!" The man sneered, his eyes full of disdain. Ding was displeased but did not show it. She said, "I don't know why you often come to torment Ning Shi, but I can cooperate with you. If you can help me seize power in the Ning family, I can help you. And don't you think that I am still the wife of the second branch of the Ning family? Compared to Ning Shi, who is about to die, the fact that I can still appear at the high-society banquets in the capital is much more useful. I will definitely be an asset to you, won't I?"
The man paused for a moment, then said, "Wait for news. I'll come back."
"Alright, then I'll wait for your news. However, for the sake of cooperation, I'll need to know your true identities and purposes."
The man gave Ding a cold laugh, then turned and left. Ding's maidservant couldn't help but say, "Madam, this man is very strange. We've observed him secretly, but we haven't found anything. We only know that he goes to Ning's place regularly. Could he be her lover?"
"A lover? Ning Shi, a powerless and ugly woman with one foot in the grave, what right does she have to find a lover? Even if you sold her to a brothel now, no one would want her. I'm afraid Ning Shi has some secrets I don't know about. But it doesn't matter. This person doesn't look like an ordinary person. As long as we use their power to suppress the eldest son's family, that will be fine." Ding Shi's eyes were somewhat cold.
When Ning Xihe married the Crown Prince and became his consort, the second branch of the Ning family was incredibly prestigious. Although Madam Shang was jealous, she tried her best to please the second branch. But who knew that Ning Xihe was not destined to be the Crown Princess? She died mysteriously not long after. The second branch of the Ning family wanted to seek an explanation, but did they have the right to question the Crown Prince? Even though Ning Baichuan blocked them from going, the Crown Prince's residence deliberately suppressed the matter, and it was left unresolved. How much hatred must the second branch have felt?
To make matters worse, Shang Shi was always sarcastic and cynical. This was bad enough, but Ning Xishan, a girl who was utterly unremarkable in the capital and far inferior to Ning Xihe, had somehow married into the Sheng Prince's mansion as the Princess of Mao. From then on, Shang Shi became even more outrageous, constantly openly and subtly belittling her. Even the old lady, Huang Shi, no longer treated Shang Shi the same as before, always thinking of her, even though she knew the second branch of the family was heavily suppressed. Previously, in the Ning family, because Ning Baichuan had entered officialdom, the family affairs should have been managed solely by the second branch, while the household affairs were handled by... With Madam Ding managing the household, the eldest branch of the family was very envious. To prevent her from acting recklessly, Madam Ding gave her some unimportant tasks, but also some lucrative ones. This also benefited Madam Shang. However, after Ning Xishan became the concubine of Prince Mao, Madam Shang devised several evil schemes to take away all the power from her. Now, the eldest branch of the family is the only one in the Ning household. Ning Baichuan is also the Imperial Censor, and he may soon be able to take on another position. Madam Shang has taken over all the affairs of the household, so the second branch of the family has no say.
When Madam Ding was in power, her family was wealthy, and she would sometimes contribute to the household finances for appearances. Although she would try to recover her losses, it was no secret that she was involved in managing the household affairs. Therefore, although Madam Huang looked down on Madam Ding's background, she rarely embarrassed her. Madam Shang knew all this, but after she took power, she revealed all of this. Knowing the truth, she insisted that Madam Ding had benefited from the household finances, causing some of Madam Ning's businesses to suffer losses and forcing Madam Ding to continue to contribute money. She even gave up managing the household affairs, yet she still expected Madam Ding to accept this injustice in silence. Even a clay figure has three parts of character, let alone Madam Ding, who has never been easy to deal with. Madam Shang's bullying was too much, and Madam Shang had long wanted to take action. However, some time ago, when she went to vent her anger on Madam Ning, she accidentally learned that someone was secretly meeting with Madam Ning. At that time, she remained calm and secretly observed several times before deciding to find this person.
Jiang Xuan's banquet was held at the Da Gan Post Station. This post station was only used for exchanges between envoys of the two countries and was essentially just a place to stay. Of course, it couldn't be as scenic as the mansions of noble families. However, due to the prosperity of the Da Gan Kingdom, the post station was originally a converted villa. So, while the scenery here wasn't exceptional, it was still quite nice. There was a back garden outside the main hall, and Jiang Xuan's banquet was being held here.
Jiang Xuan suggested holding a banquet, but it was Jiang Qi who posted the invitations, so quite a few people were invited, especially young men and women.
Ouyang Yue, on the other hand, was escorted here by someone sent directly by Jiang Xuan. Not only that, the person also pleaded with Ouyang Yue to bring Baili Su along. So when Ouyang Yue and Liu Shi arrived, everyone was a little confused when they saw Baili Su. Few people would bring such a young child to a banquet, fearing that something might happen to him. Furthermore, the banquet organizers were also afraid of taking responsibility if something went wrong. However, seeing that Jiang Xuan was not unhappy at all, but instead chatted and laughed with Ouyang Yue very affectionately, and occasionally touched Baili Su's little face, everyone didn't take it seriously. Although they all bowed to Ouyang Yue with proper etiquette, the difference in their status was too great, and these people did not dare to speak to her rashly.
Therefore, Jiang Xuan pulled Ouyang Yue into the master bedroom. As soon as the two sat down, Jiang Xuan's expression changed: "Princess Consort Chen, let's not mince words. Hand over the jade pendant, and we'll keep to ourselves from now on. Besides, that thing originally belonged to my mother's family. You have no reason to keep it. If you feel you're at a disadvantage, this princess is willing to pay ten thousand taels of gold to buy it."
Ouyang Yue sneered inwardly. This was blatant extortion and lying through her teeth. If she hadn't known this beforehand, and hadn't been repeatedly manipulated by Jiang Xuan, she might have actually believed Jiang Xuan's story. On the surface, however, she asked with feigned doubt, "Princess Jiang Xuan, why do you say such a thing? I, the Princess Consort, have never liked to lie. I truly do not possess the ancestral jade pendant of the Empress of Daqian's family. If I were to contradict myself, may I be struck by lightning." That was indeed the Xuanyuan family's heirloom jade pendant, of course not belonging to the Empress of Daqian.
Jiang Xuan's expression changed, but her eyes darkened. She didn't care whether Ning Shi was lying out of hatred; she would seize any opportunity. This concerned her happiness, and she absolutely had to get the jade pendant before leaving. Anyway, the jade pendant now had a provenance—either Ning Shi or Ouyang Yue. As for it being stolen by bandits, Jiang Xuan didn't care much. Although the possibility was low, she had already sent a message back to her father, asking him to send people to search for it. Her main priority now was to find it in the Great Zhou so that her plan could be implemented: "Princess Consort Chen, you are a smart person, and I like to talk to smart people. You can't use that jade pendant for anything. Although my mother's family once said they would do something for the owner of this jade pendant, the two families are of different status. If they were to make a deal in secret, some people might not think well of it. So, this deal is most likely to fail. What use can the jade pendant be for you, Princess Consort Chen? Just give it to me, and I'll give you ten thousand taels of gold. It's a good deal."
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly, her eyes as clear as crystal, as if all secrets could be exposed. She said, "Princess Jiang Xuan is willing to spend ten thousand taels of gold to buy such a small piece of jade pendant. It is far beyond its value. Even if I did have it, given how much Princess Jiang Xuan values this jade pendant, I would not believe such a statement."
Jiang Xuan's face turned cold: "Don't be so stubborn. You must know very well that I am about to leave. This is my last effort before that. I never fight a battle I can't win. Princess Consort Chen, do you think you have the ability to escape my grasp?"
"Does Princess Jiang Xuan intend to force me?" Ouyang Yue's eyes gradually turned cold.
"That's right, so what if I force you? I forced you out today because I wanted to force you, and I won't give you a chance to resist." Jiang Xuan smiled confidently at Ouyang Yue, a smile that was also somewhat eerie.
Ouyang Yue sneered disdainfully: "This is the Great Zhou Dynasty. If you dare to do anything that is detrimental to the Princess Consort, even if you are a princess of a country, you will not be able to leave safely. For a piece of jade pendant, you would do something that would harm the peace between two countries. Princess Jiang Xuan is not such a foolish person."
Jiang Xuan chuckled softly, "To tell you the truth, my purpose today is you. As the Princess Consort of Chen, you are a member of the royal family and have given birth to the first grandson of the Great Zhou Emperor. You are very important to them. If someone so important is discovered to be having an affair with a man, and that man presents a lot of evidence to prove that the child you are carrying, Baili Su, is his child and not Prince Chen's, do you think you will die first, or will I, the princess, die first?"
Ouyang Yue's expression suddenly turned cold: "I never imagined that Princess Jiang Xuan would behave so despicably. No wonder she is still unmarried at this age. You are probably not a woman who values herself, given that you would do such a thing."
"Slap!" Jiang Xuan slapped Ouyang Yue hard across the face: "It's none of your business to talk about what I do. Look at this pretty little face. She's going to cry her eyes out. It's heartbreaking to think about."
Ouyang Yue turned her head to the side, gently stroking her face. She had deliberately chosen not to dodge earlier, and instead said to Jiang Xuan in a low voice, "Many people saw me and Princess Jiang Xuan leave earlier. If something happens to me, Princess Jiang Xuan, you will definitely be suspected as well. Moreover, why did Princess Jiang Xuan tell me about such a vicious plan? This gives me time to prepare, which is not good for Princess Jiang Xuan's plan."
"Because in a little while, I, the princess, will appear intimately with you in front of everyone. You can choose to tell them my plan to do to you, or you can run away, but I will definitely catch you." Jiang Xuan chuckled softly. Even if she told Ouyang Yue the whole plan, so what? She, a princess of the highest order, wanted to ruin the reputation of another country's queen. Not only would no one believe it, but even if someone did, would Ouyang Yue have the face to say it? In the end, people would only think that Ouyang Yue was crazy.
Of course, if Jiang Xuan dared to let Ouyang Yue come, she wouldn't give Ouyang Yue a chance to escape.
"Then let's give it a try!" Ouyang Yue got up and walked out.
“Princess Consort Chen is truly wise for a lifetime but foolish for a moment. Do you think that I, the princess, dare not do anything within the Great Zhou territory? But don’t forget, this post station is my place, and your child is here. I am very grateful that you brought him here today.” Jiang Xuan suddenly sneered. Ouyang Yue turned her head, squinted at Jiang Xuan, and chuckled: “Then Princess Jiang Xuan, let’s wait and see.”
As she walked out of the room, Ouyang Yue paused, her mind racing with thoughts. Her expression darkened. She hadn't expected Jiang Xuan to be so vicious. After all, this was the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty. If Jiang Xuan dared to do such a thing, she could forget about returning to Daqian safely. Even if she was a princess, the royal family of a country would never allow her to commit such an insult. She never expected Jiang Xuan to be so audacious.
When Ouyang Yue arrived at the garden, she looked around and suddenly realized that Liu Shi and Dong Xue, who were carrying Baili Su, were gone. Ouyang Yue's heart sank, but her face turned cold. Jiang Xuan had indeed made a move.
"Bang!"
Just then, Ouyang Yue was suddenly bumped by someone. The person was so strong that she was almost knocked away. If she hadn't quickly regained her footing, she would have been dragged away.
"Crackling sounds!" Suddenly, a fierce fight broke out outside. The group, who had been chatting and laughing, were shocked to see a group of men in black rushing into the Da Gan Post Station. The leader shouted, "We've captured the Da Gan Crown Prince and Princess. We have everyone here. Kill them all without mercy!"
With a "whoosh!" he slashed, instantly killing the noblewoman closest to him. Blood gushed from her neck, and she died on the spot with her eyes wide open.
"Ah! Murder!"
"Help!" Chaos erupted immediately. The man in black waved his hand, and a cloud of powder suddenly flew up from behind. Ouyang Yue, who had already run to the side amidst the chaos, saw the powder and immediately held her breath, pretending to faint. The men in black slashed at her several more times, and several of them died on the spot. But at this moment, people in the field began to faint one after another. Ouyang Yue observed with half-closed eyes that no one had been injured, but they had all fainted. The powder must have been some kind of sleeping potion.
Ouyang Yue's heart tightened slightly. This was different from what Jiang Xuan had said. Were these people Jiang Xuan's, or were they someone else's? Before Ouyang Yue could think for long, the men in black, after controlling the person, slowly walked towards Ouyang Yue. They seemed to stand above her and look at her for a while before saying, "This is it. Take him away!"