"Sigh..." Baili Su sighed immediately, this time as if he was exhaling a turbid breath, looking even more worried than before: "When will this end?" He looked at Baili Chen with a resentful expression, his eyes full of accusation, as if saying how useless the father was, unable to even win back his own woman, how could he have the nerve to do that?
Baili Chen blushed with anger, reached out and slapped Baili Su on the head, snorting, "Don't look at your dad like that, it looks like you're itching for a beating."
Baili Su immediately retorted, "No way! I don't have paranoia. You're just using this as an excuse to settle a personal score!"
Baili Chen ignored him and quickly left, naturally following Ouyang Yue. Although he had heard Ouyang Yue's footsteps earlier and had deliberately acted out the latter part to make her feel guilty and accept him sooner, he was still worried about her safety once she left. Well, ever since he found Ouyang Yue, he had been afraid she would mysteriously disappear again, and he had become somewhat anxious and insecure.
Ouyang walked along the street, a blank look in her eyes. She couldn't pretend she hadn't noticed the heartache she felt at that moment. She was originally a materialist, and she had never thought that she could be reborn or travel through time after death. But she was clearly in another world now, and she was certain that the past three years were not a dream. Now, Baili Chen claimed to be her husband, and Baili Su claimed to be her son. It was somewhat ridiculous, yet not so ridiculous. Instinctively, she believed them and instinctively wanted to be close to them. Even though she remained wary, she found it was futile. Watching them sigh and lament, her heart ached as if being cut by a knife—an emotion she would never have felt before.
She was originally an orphan, raised by the country. She was willing to dedicate herself to the country. She also had comrades-in-arms. When they were on missions, some of them died or were seriously injured. She would feel heartache, but this kind of heartache was completely different. She couldn't explain the feeling. She only knew that her emotions were controlled by these two people. Even if she hadn't regained her memories, she knew that it was impossible to continue pretending not to care. Even if she hadn't regained her memories, it was impossible to completely leave these two people. Moreover, these two people had no intention of letting her go.
So, is she really going to go with them? One is the Crown Prince, the other the Heir Apparent, the most likely to ascend the throne in the future. Is she really going to live a life confined to the inner palace? Is this what she wants? How did she choose before? Why did she agree so easily? What happened between them? Is this really the choice she wants?
A series of questions filled her mind, even Ouyang Yue herself was stumped. Since she was old enough to understand things, nothing had ever made her so confused. How could she have become so indecisive? This was so unlike her.
"Yue'er!" Suddenly, a cry of surprise rang out from behind. Ouyang Yue was startled, and then she felt herself bump into a broad chest. A carriage suddenly sped past. If Ouyang Yue, who had been lost in thought, hadn't dodged in time, she would have been in danger. The man behind her was the one who helped her.
Ouyang Yue turned her head and saw Baili Chen's shocked expression. Then he shouted angrily, "What are you thinking! Why didn't you watch the car? You scared me to death!" Ouyang Yue was held tightly in Baili Chen's arms, so she could feel his heart pounding wildly. He was really scared, and his breathing was unsteady. He was even more frightened than she was.
Seeing Ouyang Yue blinking at him, Baili Chen was a little annoyed: "You...are you pretending to be innocent? Don't you know how dangerous it was just now? And you still act so nonchalant, it's infuriating!"
Ouyang Yue seemed a little strange, her eyes fixed on Baili Chen, which made Baili Chen feel somewhat awkward. He thought that Yue'er might have been frightened, perhaps by his yelling and cursing at her. But Baili Chen also felt angry. It had been so dangerous just now, and he would never admit his mistake this time. He hadn't cursed her wrongly. This bad girl had made him worry so much, so let her be scared.
In fact, Ouyang Yue found Baili Chen quite novel at this moment. During this time, she had only seen Baili Chen being gentle and constantly trying to please her. She had never seen Baili Chen angry before. For some reason, this angry look made a certain image flash through her mind. Although the image disappeared very quickly and she couldn't remember it, in that instant, she saw his terrified, ferocious, and desperate screams. He kept reaching out to grab something, but failed. Just that one image made her heart ache.
"Yue'er, what's wrong?" Baili Chen was startled. Seeing Ouyang Yue suddenly clutching her chest in pain, he asked anxiously, "Yue'er, are you feeling unwell? It's my fault. I shouldn't have yelled at you. Let me help you back to see a doctor."
Ouyang Yue raised her head, her eyes extremely bright, like the purest crystal in the world, reflecting Baili Chen's entire face, which was a handsome face filled with tension and worry. Ouyang Yue shook her head: "No, you should scold me more, that would be good."
"Huh?" Baili Chen was taken aback. He thought, "Why do I have to scold her more?" The Yue'er of the past would never have made such a request. This time when he met Yue'er again, she seemed to be a little different.
Ouyang Yue pursed her lips, knowing the reason for Baili Chen's surprise. Did she like being scolded? She just said helplessly, "The way you were scolding people just now suddenly made me think of something, maybe it was how you used to be. But it was too fast, and I didn't remember anything."
"..." Baili Chen was stunned for a moment, then he gripped Ouyang Yue's shoulders tightly with both hands, his face extremely excited, his eyes sparkling with surprise and joy: "Yue'er, do you mean you remembered!"
"It's not that I remembered, it's just a fleeting image, it doesn't mean anything!" Ouyang Yue corrected.
Baili Chen's mouth stretched almost to his ears: "Yue'er, don't worry, I'll scold you from now on, I'll scold you until you cry every day, then maybe you'll remember me."
Ouyang Yue's face darkened: "You dare? I'll definitely stay even further away from you then."
Baili Chen looked utterly defeated. What was going on? But then he heard Ouyang Yue slowly say, "The scene in my mind shows that you seemed to be very emotional and in great pain at that time, but I can't remember the specifics. Try to think about when that happened."
Bai Lichen pulled Ouyang Yue and said, "Let's go back first." Although the people of Baicheng are very honest, it wouldn't be good if someone saw the two of them tugging at each other. Fortunately, everyone on the street who knew Ouyang Yue knew that the two of them were husband and wife, otherwise Ouyang Yue would probably be accused of being unfaithful.
The two quickly returned to Ouyang Yue's house. Baili Chen ignored Baili Su, who was approaching, and said directly to Leng Sha, "Go, take the young prince to read. I have something to discuss with the Crown Princess." Baili Su was extremely displeased upon hearing this and almost jumped up in anger. However, after hearing Baili Chen's response, he immediately quieted down, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Ouyang Yue. He obediently allowed Leng Sha to lead him away. "The Crown Princess seems to have thought of something. I'll accompany her to take a look."
As soon as they entered the room, before Ouyang Yue could even speak, she was suddenly pulled into Baili Chen's tight embrace. When she looked up in surprise, she saw Baili Chen's face looming close. Before she could react, Baili Chen had already captured her lips. Startled, Ouyang Yue tried to push him away, but Baili Chen quickly grabbed her hands and pinned her legs together, trapping her in his arms. He then seized the opportunity to deepen the kiss, a domineering yet passionate one.
Originally, Ouyang Yue had the strength to refuse, but she didn't expect her body to be restrained. She herself felt a strange familiarity and longing for this kiss, and gradually she gave up the struggle and finally succumbed to the kiss.
Baili Chen's kiss was passionate, filled with urgency, a desperate desire for Ouyang Yue to know the depth of his feelings. For a moment, he made no other move, only deepening the kiss until Ouyang Yue's eyes were misty and she unknowingly succumbed to it. Then, he turned around and pulled Ouyang Yue into his arms, walked to the bed, and gently laid her down. His lips immediately attacked again: "My wife, this is what I think impressed you the most."
Since Ouyang Yue lost her memory, Baili Chen hadn't called her "wife." This was to avoid offending her, as Ouyang Yue had initially been resistant to them, and calling her that too often would only make her resentful. Baili Chen wasn't like Baili Su, who could easily fool her with childish sweet talk. He didn't know how long he had waited for this title. The moment he uttered it, Baili Chen felt the dormant beast within him awaken. He wanted nothing more than to devour Ouyang Yue whole, to keep her by his side every day, and never let her leave again. He couldn't bear another separation, another time for Ouyang Yue to forget him. Finding love again wasn't the scary part; the scary part was the fear that long afterward, his love would treat him like a stranger, still wary of him. He felt that would drive him mad.
"No...no way..." As soon as Ouyang Yue had a chance, she was about to refuse.
However, Baili Chen's eyes were bloodshot, and he said in a suppressed voice, "Wife, give it to me! I can't wait any longer!"
"Ugh..." Ouyang Yue's words were all cut off. Baili Chen even took the opportunity to tie Ouyang Yue's hands. Was he planning to force himself on her? Ouyang Yue was furious and kicked Baili Chen, aiming straight for his genitals. Baili Chen was shocked and quickly raised his hand to stop the kick: "Wife, I have to use this method to help you regain your memory. To be honest, we had a night like this in Tianshan. I am doing this to help you regain your memory."
The crucial moment had arrived, and Baili Chen wasn't about to compromise himself. Although he spoke only half-truthfully, their first intimate encounter had indeed been on Mount Tian. From that point on, they were practically husband and wife. Although Yue'er wouldn't admit it, he knew she had already fallen for him. Baili Chen pressed down on Ouyang Yue's foot, leaned close, and whispered in her ear about their initial meeting, their battle of wits as the masked man in black, his journey to Mount Tian while afflicted with a Gu poison, and how the poison manifested itself. While Baili Chen subtly concealed some details from Ouyang Yue—for example, they hadn't actually had sex—he naturally overlooked this. Now was the time to seize the opportunity; otherwise, he'd be a complete fool.
This Ouyang Yue was not the same person she had been when she first transmigrated. Back then, she had spent some time in the General's Mansion, engaging in wits and battles with the old Ning family and other concubines, and was quite knowledgeable about the proper conduct of women in ancient times. Even then, she had done something as simple as keeping warm for Baili Chen. Now, having just transmigrated, her mind was largely that of a modern person, and she was not as conservative about such matters as before. For some unknown reason, she fell silent, letting Baili Chen proceed as he pleased.
Upon seeing this, Baili Chen didn't care whether Ouyang Yue was considering the feasibility or something else. He just wanted to take advantage of her first. Even if Ouyang Yue didn't regain her memories, she wouldn't be able to get rid of him now.
No one noticed when they were completely naked; the atmosphere in the room was incredibly passionate and intense. The man's heavy breathing and the woman's soft, seductive gasps soon alternated or occurred simultaneously. Their lovemaking lasted the entire afternoon. Throughout the process, the two were extremely in sync, without the slightest awkwardness or discomfort. If you asked them if they weren't husband and wife, no one would believe it. As their lovemaking slowly came to an end, the well-matched couple on the bed embraced. Baili Chen's lips curled into a gleeful twitch as he repeatedly pulled back, letting out a long breath. As always, his hand gently caressed Ouyang Yue's jade-like back afterward.
Ouyang Yue sighed inwardly. She really wasn't a virgin anymore. Although she had prepared herself, she had no memory of the first night in both her lives, which made her feel inexplicably melancholy.
"Wife, what's wrong?" Ouyang Yue had sighed unconsciously, which made Baili Chen nervous. Was she regretting her decision...?
Ouyang Yue felt embarrassed. How could she possibly voice her sigh? She simply shook her head and said, "I... I'll see if I can remember..." At this point, there was no point in being reserved anymore, since they had already... you know.
Baili Chen remained silent, waiting for a moment before being startled by Ouyang Yue's even breathing. Turning his head, he saw that Ouyang Yue had fallen asleep with her head on his arm. He was momentarily speechless, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Clearly, his wife hadn't figured it out. But it didn't matter; at least they had taken things a step further. Baili Chen smiled, a sly glint in his eyes.
The next day, Ouyang Yue regretted it. She had barely woken up to find a man on top of her, looking lustful. Still slightly dazed, she was once again taken advantage of by Baili Chen. If the first time was an accident, the second was an accident, but surely the third couldn't be an accident? After being successfully ambush three times, Ouyang Yue became surprisingly calm. This man was handsome, doting on her, and in terms of masculinity, it wasn't that she was lustful, but at least he made her feel comfortable and good. It wasn't something to be ashamed of, so she decided to reluctantly accept it for now. At least for the time being, this man wouldn't betray her. She could worry about the future later. When the time came for her to leave, no one could stop her.
So Baili Chen became increasingly audacious, as if he wanted to make up for the past three years. Whenever he had free time, he would drag Ouyang Yue to do his favorite things. Every time he went out, he would see Baili Su's extremely unhappy and depressed face. But Baili Chen's excuses were good; this method was the easiest way to make Ouyang Yue recall the past. Baili Su had to endure his unhappiness. He endured it for half a month, but Ouyang Yue still showed no signs of recovery. Baili Su realized that Baili Chen was lying to him. He was always clinging to his mother, making him feel deeply neglected.
One day, Baili Su was furious and about to unleash his anger on Baili Chen when he discovered that Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue were missing. They had left only a letter saying that Baili Chen had taken Ouyang Yue to a place they used to frequent to seek inspiration for their memories. Baili Su was enraged, but he was too young to know about his parents' love story. Although Leng Sha knew about Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue's past, he couldn't guess where they had gone. So Baili Su was depressed and sat by his door every day, looking around in frustration. His resentful yet persistent waiting was enough to make mushrooms grow on him.
Meanwhile, where were Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue? The two had gone to Tianshan. According to Baili Chen, they wanted to go to the place where their relationship had progressed the most and feel it again. Besides, it wasn't far from Baicheng, so it was a good place to experience it. Baili Chen, familiar with the way, led Ouyang Yue from the mountain pass to the cave entrance, explaining and breaking the formation as he went. Then, following the previous route, they first arrived at the cave where they had been naked together.
Ouyang Yue was somewhat speechless, and after a pause, she said, "Is this the place?"
"Yes, our first intimate night was right here." Baili Chen nodded with utmost seriousness: "Has anything come to mind, my wife?"
Ouyang Yue was speechless and shook her head. Baili Chen smiled and said, "It's okay, we still have time. Let's wander around here some more. Oh, by the way, let me take you to see the Wolf King and his wife. Back then, you even grilled for them and conquered them in no time. Later, you obtained the Tianshan Snow Lotus because of them."
"Alright." She's quite skilled at things like barbecuing, which are related to wilderness survival, so this is something she can do.
The wolf king and his wife were sunbathing by the stream with a group of offspring when they saw Ouyang Yue. They jumped up and ran towards her, especially the wolf queen who pounced on her. Her enthusiasm touched Ouyang Yue. Baili Chen watched from the side, with the wolf king standing beside him. Baili Chen glanced at him sideways.
So Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen settled down there, planning to stay for three to five days to see the effects. That night, the two went to the edge of the cold pool. Baili Chen was quite surprised to find that the rock walls on both sides had been destroyed, and it looked like the work of a martial arts master. He felt a chill in his heart. The Heavenly Snow Lotus was supposed to grow on the Heavenly Mountain. They had found it strange that it grew in the cold pool. Could it be that someone had deliberately nurtured it? Of course, Baili Chen did not say this to Ouyang Yue.
The two spent the night in the cave, and it was another night of passionate lovemaking. Unfortunately, Ouyang Yue still hadn't regained her memory. However, since it was a rare treat for the two of them to be alone there, Baili Chen wasn't in a hurry to go back. The two stayed there for ten days before reluctantly leaving. Apart from some animals, it was just the two of them there, and their tender affection was irresistible.
However, just as they were leaving Tianshan, Ouyang Yue suddenly turned her head and glanced at them. Then, she turned around abruptly, slapped Baili Chen hard on the back, and said angrily, "You lied to me!"
Baili Chen was completely stunned by the slap, looking at Ouyang Yue in confusion. Ouyang Yue snorted, "Didn't I do that to save you back in Tianshan? I made that clear, you bastard, talking nonsense!"
Baili Chen was stunned, but the next moment he burst into laughter. Seeing Ouyang Yue's annoyed expression, he laughed even louder, but the more he laughed, the more tears streamed down his face. He pulled Ouyang Yue into his arms and said, "My wife, you remember!"
Ouyang Yue was stunned for a moment, and seemed to only then realize what was happening. Her expression became somewhat strange, but the next moment she reached out and hugged Baili Chen back: "Yes, it seems I really remember everything. I remember how shameless you used to be."
Baili Chen's smile deepened, and he gently stroked Ouyang Yue's cheek with his back hand: "It's good that you remember."
"Yes, I'm sorry you've suffered these past few days," Ouyang Yue said with some guilt, reaching up to rub the back of her head where a bump that had been there before had completely disappeared. In her memories of both her past and present lives, wasn't regaining memories always a matter of great stimulation? Why couldn't she remember anything no matter what stimulation she received, but suddenly remembered as she walked outside? The timing of this memory recovery was too inaccurate and too bizarre. But it was good that she had recovered, so that was something to be satisfied with.
"What does suffering matter as long as my wife can come back to me?" Baili Chen rubbed his face against Ouyang Yue with great affection, then said with a smile, "Besides, I didn't mean to lie to my wife. Before, my wife wouldn't let me get close, so I had to come up with these excuses. My wife, don't you know me? With such a beloved woman by my side, and the most beautiful and alluring woman in the world, even the most virtuous man like Liu Xiahui couldn't resist. Isn't this just me trying to bring myself some good fortune?"
Now that things have come to this, what's the point of arguing? Ouyang Yue didn't say anything, but instead tiptoed and gently kissed Baili Chen's lips: "So, I do have something to tell you."
"What's up?"
"I think we should go check out the cliff at the hunting grounds first."
"What? No way! It's too dangerous there!" Baili Chen refused outright.
“But we must go to this place; it’s a matter of great importance.” Ouyang Yue held Baili Chen’s hand tightly, insisting on going. Baili Chen didn’t understand, but after thinking for a moment, he nodded.
The two didn't return directly to Baicheng. Instead, they disguised themselves and headed towards the hunting grounds. Two days later, Ouyang Yue led Baili Chen over the other side of the cliff, the very spot where Ouyang Yue had fallen. It had taken her almost two years to climb down back then, but this time it was much easier. After about half a month, the two appeared in a cave. Ouyang Yue lit a tinderbox and had Baili Chen cover the entrance. They then went to the bottom of the cave, where a pile of broken stones lay. This was the spot where Ouyang Yue had planned to clear a passage. Baili Chen could tell that the passage was at least ten feet deep. He could only imagine how difficult it must have been for Ouyang Yue all by herself.
"Do you have that jade pendant with you?" Ouyang Yue suddenly asked.
"Yes, I've always kept it with me." When he came to the hunting grounds, Baili Chen brought Ouyang Yue's mother's family heirloom jade pendant with him. However, he disguised it on the outside, making it look no different from a normal jade pendant, just for decoration.
When they left the manor, Baili Su was sent to the princess's manor, and the manpower of the Prince Chen's manor was also withdrawn. Even though the place where they hid the jade pendant was very secure, it was still safer to keep it on their person than to leave it in the Prince Chen's manor at that time. Ouyang Yue had been wearing the jade bracelet given to her by the White Empress the whole time. Not only that, Ouyang Yue also took out a small cloth bag from her bosom, which contained a pair of strange red balls that looked like jade but were not. When these three items were taken out, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue both felt that something was wrong. The two looked at each other and put the three items together. The three items seemed to be of the same origin and began to tremble very strangely. Ouyang Yue immediately took off the white jade bracelet. However, for a moment, the three items only trembled slightly and then became quiet again.
Ouyang Yue said, "Husband, can you tell if there's anything wrong here?" Ouyang Yue pointed to the cave wall inside.
Baili Chen stepped forward and tapped and pounded on it for a while, then suddenly said strangely, "This cave wall seems to be hollow?"
“That’s right, that’s why I stopped digging. I was afraid that hollowing out the cave wall would cause it to collapse, so I gave up digging. But when I had dug about ten feet, I found this.” As she spoke, Ouyang Yue took out a crystal that looked more like a gemstone. Baili Chen took it and examined it carefully, and was surprised: “This is a top-grade amethyst!”
"That's right!"
Baili Chen felt a warmth in his hand as he held the gemstone. The Great Zhou had initially risen to power through rebellion, directly suppressing the previous dynasty. At that time, the Great Zhou's treasury was empty, and they had resorted to robbing high-ranking officials' tombs to replenish it and fund their military. The previous dynasty, on the other hand, was an extremely prosperous one, producing some exceptionally wise and intelligent emperors in its early years. It was a powerful and prosperous nation, once the largest country on the Langya Continent. The Great Zhou of that era, facing the previous dynasty, was like a mouse before a cat, utterly lacking the assertiveness it now displayed towards the Great Zhou.
However, every dynasty eventually declines, and no one can change that. The early period of the dynasty was good, but in the middle period, several major corruption cases occurred, including two cases involving more than a hundred court officials and dozens of members of the royal family. This caused the people to distrust the previous dynasty. Later, with several mediocre emperors, most of the emperors in the later period only knew how to enjoy themselves and did not make any progress. They were extremely extravagant, using the resources of the whole country to build luxurious palaces. They would spend lavishly on their favorite concubines, causing the people to suffer and live in misery. Finally, the ancestors of the Great Zhou took this opportunity to start a rebellion, which was supported by the people.
Even if it weren't for the ancestors of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the previous dynasty would have been destroyed by another rebel army. However, at that time, the Great Zhou Dynasty was merely a poor rebel regime with an empty treasury. They began to plunder the treasures of the previous dynasty. The previous dynasty was extremely luxurious and wealthy, but that was just a rumor. They supposedly obtained a batch of precious mines from somewhere, but because it involved state secrets, few people knew about it, and in the end, the country was destroyed. The ancestors of the Great Zhou Dynasty never found out the secret of those precious mines, and it was just a rumor, not necessarily true. However, there was a reason why the rumors circulated on the continent at that time. The previous dynasty possessed purple gemstones, which were extremely rare on the Langya Continent, and they produced a considerable amount. However, given the previous dynasty's tribute mining capabilities, it was impossible for them to have so many purple gemstones. This source couldn't be explained, so there was a persistent rumor that the previous dynasty's abundant wealth was related to this. Moreover, purple was a noble color in ancient times, so these purple gemstones were naturally favored by the royal family and powerful families. Each one was priceless. Although other countries also had them, none of them had the confidence of the previous dynasty.
How could there be a purple gemstone in this cave, which is suspended in the middle of a cliff? And it was even dug out from the cave wall. Could this place be the treasure of the previous dynasty, or something else?
“I also thought this matter was probably of great importance, so when I took on missions this past year, I secretly inquired about it, but I didn’t have any clues, as you know.” Ouyang Yue asked, and Baili Chen shook his head: “But why are these three things so subtly connected?”
Ouyang Yue said, "You haven't forgotten what the Miao Jiang Holy King said back then, have you? This family heirloom jade pendant of the Xuanyuan family is the key to the treasure. At the time, I was very suspicious of his purpose in saying it. Now that I think about it, there is probably more than one key."
"You mean these three?" Baili Chen was taken aback. The two squatted on the ground, examining the three objects: a white jade bracelet, a jade pendant, and a red ball that looked like jade but wasn't, and whose name they didn't know. How could these three things be put together? The two couldn't figure it out for a long time. Baili Chen said, "I think we should dig some more."
Ouyang Yue thought for a moment: "Why don't we dig half a foot at a time first? If it's hollow inside, we won't be completely caught off guard."
When they arrived, Ouyang Yue had already suggested buying some tools, which made things much easier for her than if she had done it herself. Digging the cave wasn't as difficult as she had imagined. Three days later, Baili Chen suddenly exclaimed, "There seems to be a door here."
The two men immediately grabbed their tools and began digging and prying. After about an hour of work, a wooden door, roughly half a person's height, stood before them. They were stunned, then overjoyed. There really was a secret here. They looked at the door; it was made of thousand-year-old sandalwood, not only thick but also resistant to breakage, impervious to all poisons and incorruptible for eternity—a rare and priceless treasure. Yet, this thousand-year-old sandalwood had only been used to make a door, an extreme display of luxury. If there weren't valuable items behind it, no one would believe it.
At first glance, the sandalwood door was carved with a pattern: auspicious clouds and ancient vines, a five-clawed dragon soaring proudly, and a phoenix spreading its wings below, amidst lush green forests and blooming flowers. "No, something's not right here," Ouyang Yue said, pointing to the center of the door. Baili Chen immediately moved closer and saw that it was carved with a waterfall and stream. From afar, the scenery was beautiful, but upon closer inspection, they found that there were many uneven areas. Of course, it could also be said that it was precisely because of these uneven areas that the cascading waterfall could be realistically carved. However, Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen touched it and then pressed the three objects in their hands directly into the empty space. Just then, the door suddenly made a slight click. The two of them immediately stepped aside, but there was no movement inside. They pressed one hand on each side and slowly pushed the door open. Ouyang Yue, holding a torch, walked inside.
Just after they entered, the sandalwood door suddenly closed slowly. Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen were startled and quickly took down the three keys from the door. With a loud "bang," the door closed. However, the darkness they expected did not occur. On the eaves of the cave walls, there were two rows of glowing pearls, each about the size of a thumb, spaced three meters apart. This was truly extravagant. Even Baili Chen, who came from a royal family, felt a jolt in his heart upon seeing this.
Ouyang Yue blew out the torch in her hand, but the two did not let their guard down. On the contrary, they became more and more cautious as they walked. However, they didn't know why this place was so strange. Since they entered, there had been no danger at all, which was really eerie. After passing through a long tunnel, there was a row of stone doors. At first, the two were very careful, but in the end, they found that there were really no traps here. Not only that, but the inside was full of chests of jewels, each of which was priceless. Finally, they reached the end of this tunnel, where the stone doors were particularly large, each one the size of three ordinary stone doors. Obviously, this was the most important place.
However, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue became even more cautious. They both noticed numerous dead flying insects in front of the stone gate. Some had turned to ash due to the passage of time, while others, dried by the wind, would turn to powder if stepped on, though still retaining their appearance before death. Without exception, these insects were entirely black, as if splashed with ink. Baili Chen was startled: "This gate is highly poisonous!"
Ouyang Yue's face also showed an extremely serious expression. The two of them stood in front of the door, staring at the young lady with wide eyes. After a while, they each tried to find a way to open the stone door. The stone door was poisoned, but since someone had built it, there must have been a way to open it. Sure enough, after picking at the wall for a while, they discovered several uneven holes in the door. Seeing this, the two of them realized why there were no mechanisms in the cave. The cave was built in the middle of a cliff, and it was almost impossible for anyone to climb up. Of course, Ouyang Yue was really lucky to have fallen here by chance. Otherwise, the two of them would never have bothered to climb the cliff. Although Ouyang Yue fell from above, the cave she fell into was actually on the side. When she fell, Ouyang Yue and the two men in black struggled. Perhaps because of this, they fell in different places. Ouyang Yue accidentally fell to the other side and was rescued. The probability of her finding this cave was extremely low.
If the two hadn't seen the door close and quickly grabbed the three keys, they would probably have been waiting to die here. What need was there for any mechanism since they were going to die anyway? They might as well save themselves the trouble. Besides, the builder had anticipated people's thoughts and deliberately smeared poison on the largest stone door. Judging from the deaths of these flying insects, it was definitely an extremely poisonous substance. The two pressed the three keys against the wall with handkerchiefs, and the door opened slowly with a click. This time, they immediately took the keys down, wrapped them tightly in the handkerchiefs, and stuffed them back in. They were also afraid that there might be poison on the wall, so they would naturally wash it carefully when they got back.
However, when the two entered the room, they both gasped in astonishment. The room was filled with treasures. Gold bricks alone piled up to form two mountains, occupying almost a fifth of the stone house. On the other side, jade and gemstones were scattered about, including raw stones and various lifelike jade pendants and women's ornaments. There were small mountains of various gemstones and porcelain. The so-called luminous pearls were like candy beans, scattered all over a large area. The sheer number of them was overwhelming. The colors were so dazzling that the two quickly closed their eyes to adjust. When they opened their eyes again, they were still shocked by what they saw. This was truly a treasure trove. Both of them came from respectable backgrounds and considered themselves not greedy or ignorant, but looking at this room full of worldly treasures, anyone would be tempted. This treasure was at least the treasury of ten Great Zhou Dynasties. It was simply too amazing!
The saying goes that treasures can bewitch people's hearts. With such a vast amount of treasure, it's no wonder that the Emperor of Da Gan specially sent Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan. If not for that, Jiang Xuan wouldn't have plotted to frame Ouyang Yue. In the end, she didn't come to the winter hunt, and perhaps she wouldn't have died. In a sense, Jiang Xuan's death was also caused by Da Gan's greed. Whether this treasure is as the Miao Jiang Holy King said or not, at least in terms of quantity, it definitely has the power to drive other countries crazy. This treasure is enough to make a country prosperous for thousands of years. As long as there aren't several generations of overly tyrannical and immoral emperors, and the people don't reach the point of public outrage, it will be fine. With this treasure, it's enough to establish a country.
Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue exchanged a glance. This matter was far too important. After the initial excitement over the treasure, their hearts tightened again. If this news got out, not only would the Great Zhou be affected, but they themselves would also face death and consequences. This would be something that would drive the entire Langya Continent crazy.
"Let's go back quickly," Baili Chen said. Ouyang Yue nodded hurriedly, and the two returned the way they came. Although it had taken them a long time, fortunately, the treasure-building site wasn't really inhumane. As long as you had three keys, you had a better chance of surviving here than ordinary people. After they went out, they heavily disguised the entrance to the cave. However, the two were still a little uneasy, probably because they were carrying a great treasure.
After returning to Baicheng, Ouyang Yue, Baili Su, and Baili Chen spent a few more days enjoying themselves before heading back to the capital. More than three years had passed, and Ouyang Yue had finally returned safely. The news that Baili Chen had never given up and had personally found her and restored her memories spread, causing quite a stir. However, Baili Chen was now the undisputed Crown Prince, and no prince in the court could rival him. Everyone could see how much Baili Chen cared for Ouyang Yue, yet no one dared to speak ill of her. In fact, many people envied the loving relationship between Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue.
Inside Chengxiang Palace, the Empress Dowager received the news and overturned the table: "How is this possible? I sent assassins to kill Ouyang Yue back then, how could she still be alive!"
Granny Zhan's face was also extremely pale: "I heard that she got stuck on a tree branch on the cliff and then climbed up by herself, but she suffered a head injury when she fell and lost her memory. She wandered around for two years. Finally, His Highness the Crown Prince sent people to find clues and found the Crown Princess who was temporarily living in Baicheng."
The Empress Dowager's face was gloomy. Her reputation had been severely damaged by her attempt to kill Ouyang Yue. The subsequent large-scale compensation payment by the Great Zhou Dynasty had further jeopardized her position and reputation. The Empress Dowager was already extremely troubled, but this was all under the condition that Ouyang Yue was dead. If Ouyang Yue had not died in the end, wouldn't all the accusations she had suffered be even more ridiculous? Wouldn't that be laughable?
The Empress Dowager's expression was extremely sinister: "Very well, I don't care whether she had amnesia at the time or how the Crown Prince found her. The Crown Prince doesn't care, but I, as the Empress Dowager, can't ignore her. There are many ways to investigate women in our palace. Send a few nannies. Anyway, I have no face to argue with her. At this point, I'm willing to ruin her. These three years are not a long time, but they are not short either. How did the Crown Princess survive alone outside? If something happens to her, it will not only make the royal family lose face, but also bring shame to the Crown Prince. I'm doing this for the Crown Prince's sake."
Granny Zhan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized that some of the palace nannies had undergone special training. They were very knowledgeable about a woman's chastity and whether she had engaged in sexual intercourse. They could even make a deduction from the frequency of sexual intercourse in recent times. The Empress Dowager wanted to send someone to investigate the Crown Princess. Humph!
Granny Zhan narrowed her eyes and led her people to the Crown Prince's residence, which was formerly the Chen Prince's residence. At this time, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue were talking in the hall. As soon as Granny Zhan entered, she said with a smile, "This servant congratulates the Crown Princess on her safe return after three years."
"Thank you for your trouble, Granny Zhan." Ouyang Yue said calmly. Granny Zhan narrowed her eyes and smiled, "The Empress Dowager is very concerned about the Crown Princess. As soon as she heard that the Crown Princess had returned, she sent me to visit her. Of course, the Empress Dowager also gave her a very important instruction. The Crown Princess has been away for three years, and I'm afraid it may have left her with some health problems. There are nannies in the palace who specialize in these things. The Empress Dowager asked her to take a look at the Crown Princess."
Ouyang Yue's lips curled slightly. What kind of illness would require a palace maid to come and see her? Could their skills compare to those of the imperial physicians who had spent their lives immersed in medical arts? How ridiculous! This palace maid was definitely not that simple. However, Baili Chen's face darkened upon hearing this: "No need. Go back and tell the Empress Dowager that I thank you here. However, the Crown Princess has just returned to the residence and needs to rest. She does not need any examinations."
Ouyang Yue had already sensed that Zhan Mama's visit was ill-intentioned, but she didn't think too much about it. However, seeing Baili Chen's gloomy face, she sensed something was wrong. Zhan Mama smiled and said, "The Empress Dowager is also doing this for the good of the Crown Princess. The Crown Prince is the future ruler of the country, and nothing is a trivial matter. Moreover, the Crown Princess has not returned for three years, so this routine matter still needs to be handled."