Ouyang Hua completely ignored Ouyang Rou and sneered at Ouyang Yue, "Third sister, you have done such a cruel thing. Even I can't help you today. Men, take them to Anhe Hall and obey Grandmother's orders!"
The group immediately moved to Anhe Hall. Ouyang Yue walked beside Ouyang Hua and said, "Eldest sister's scheming is truly remarkable. She set up such a trick to make me fall into it."
Ouyang Hua narrowed her eyes and sneered: "What are you saying, little sister? You pushed your own sister into the water, what a vicious act! I did it for your own good, I didn't want you to go down to an abyss of no return. It was out of my love that I sent you to Grandmother to 'repent'."
Ouyang Yue smiled mysteriously: "Then thank you for your kindness, elder sister."
Hmph! Let's see how long you can be so smug. Once you're at Anhetang, don't even think about leaving safely. Ouyang Yue, you're dead meat!
Before long, everyone entered Anhe Hall. Old Madam Ning sat in the seat of honor, with Madam Ning sitting below her. Concubine Ming and Concubine Hong stood on either side of Old Madam Ning, and both of them showed a cold smile when they saw Ouyang Yue!
☆, Chapter 043, A Series of Intricate Schemes (Please add to your favorites!)
When Aunt Hong saw the blood on Ouyang Rou, she exclaimed in shock, "What happened? How did the Second Miss get injured? Quickly, fetch a doctor!"
Xiang'er's face turned pale: "The doctor has already been summoned. Aunt Hong, you should help the Second Miss in to see her first. The Second Miss has already suffered enough. Her own sister pushed her into the pond to try and drown her. It's lucky she's alright." Xiang'er started to cry, tears streaming down her face.
"What's going on!" Old Madam Ning's face immediately darkened. Who else could Ouyang Rou's younger sister be but Ouyang Yue!
"What else is there to say? Quickly help the Second Miss inside!" Aunt Hong kicked Xiang'er, and with a wink, two maids immediately came up to help Ouyang Rou downstairs.
Ouyang Hua sighed deeply: "Grandmother and Mother, after Second Sister was rescued, she did testify that Third Sister pushed her down in an attempt to drown her. There were many servants there at the time, and they can all testify to this. As for the reason, we will have to ask Mr. Ning about his relationship with my sister."
The old Ning family and Ning family members, who were clearly implying something, both frowned. Putting aside how vicious and ruthless Ouyang Yue was in pushing her own sister into the water, if she did this because she was caught having an affair, the situation would be even more serious!
Old Madam Ning's eyes darkened as she looked at Ning Zhuangxue, who was wrapped in a bed sheet, and felt a tightness in her chest: "Tell me, what happened!"
Ning Zhuangxue pursed his lips, lowered his head, and remained silent. Old Madam Ning slammed her hand heavily on the low table beside her: "Tell the truth!"
Ning Zhuangxue was startled and instinctively glanced at Ouyang Yue. That look contained a wealth of emotions; others couldn't fathom his thoughts, but it was enough to show that the two had a close relationship. Old Madam Ning stared coldly at Ouyang Yue, then roared again, "Speak! Tell me everything, from beginning to end!"
Ning Zhuangxue sighed, a look of sorrow on his handsome face: "I am grateful for the kindness of the old lady and have the honor of teaching in the mansion. On my first day, I met the Third Miss. At that time, I did not know the Third Miss's identity, but she warmly led the way to me upon seeing me. During this time, the Third Miss has been indifferent to me in the classroom, but she has been passing me notes in private from time to time. I have always been careful not to overstep my bounds, but the other day, the Third Miss sent me a note saying that if I do not wait for her in the garden today, she will make it impossible for me to teach in the General's Mansion, and even make it impossible for me to survive in the capital. I have no choice but to accept this!"
“A note? I never wrote one!” Ouyang Yue sneered.
Old Madam Ning's face was gloomy as she turned to Ning Zhuangxue and said, "How can your one-sided account be taken seriously!"
Ning Zhuangxue's face was somber: "This concerns the Third Miss's reputation, and I was reluctant to speak of it. But now I cannot let the Old Madam down. This is the note that the Third Miss sent last night." As he spoke, he took out a purse from his body and took out several notes. Although the top few notes were blurred and illegible, the handwriting on the two innermost notes was still clear, undoubtedly from Ouyang Yue!
Old Madam Ning threw the note directly at Ouyang Yue's face: "Look at this! The General's Mansion has always been strict with rules, how could they raise such a scoundrel like you!" Now, thinking back to what Granny Ai had said before, she was even more convinced that Ouyang Yue did not know how to respect herself and was willing to debase herself by liking a poor scholar without any official rank!
Madam Ning came from a prestigious family, and the General's Mansion was also a newly wealthy family. Ouyang Zhide had always doted on Ouyang Yue. It was just that Madam Ning didn't like Ouyang Yue without any reason. However, as the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion, Madam Ning never thought that she would marry down!
She opposed Hong Yicheng's marriage back then, but fortunately she could see the future development of the Hong family and eventually acquiesced. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy for Hong Yicheng and Ouyang Yue to get engaged.
The daughter of the Ouyang family must marry neither into a family that has been prominent for generations nor into an unknown person.
Old Madam Ning had taken good care of Ning Zhuangxue's mother before, but that didn't mean Ning Zhuangxue was a suitable match for the General's daughter. So how could she not be furious! She wished she could have Ouyang Yue beaten to death right now, so that she wouldn't continue to make the whole capital laugh at the General's mansion and at her!
Ouyang Yue calmly unfolded the note, squinted at it, and had to admit that the handwriting was eight or nine parts similar to hers. Ouyang Hua and the others had really put in the effort!
"Hehehe." In the hall, Ouyang Yue suddenly chuckled, her voice low and dark with an indescribable chill. "Big sister, has Mr. Ning finished speaking? It's my turn to speak."
Ouyang Hua sneered disdainfully. What else could she do at this point? This fool was courting death. "Sister, things have come to this, you might as well just accept it. We all know that you were just jilted by Young Master Hong and became the laughingstock of the capital. Mr. Ning is also a handsome and talented man, so it's only natural for you to settle for second best. Don't wallow in self-pity. Grandmother is always the most kind and will definitely handle this fairly. Don't be afraid, sister!"
Ouyang Yue tilted her head slightly, smiling brightly: "Does eldest sister believe that I have something to do with Mr. Ning? Eldest sister has always been the most knowledgeable and literate person in the mansion. You can't hold a grudge just because Granny Ai has been strict with you and lenient with me lately. We are good sisters!"
This is exactly where Ouyang Hua's sore spot is hit!
Ouyang Hua considered herself the most outstanding of the three young ladies in the manor, but she was surpassed by someone she considered a good-for-nothing. How could she not hold a grudge and not want to kill Ouyang Yue!
"Third sister has no right to say that, isn't it you! Second sister was pushed into the pond by you!" Ouyang Hua glared angrily, playing the role of a good older sister protecting her younger sister.
Ouyang Yue sneered: "There are so many servants here. Tell me one by one, when you arrived, who did you see involved with Mr. Ning? Was it the Second Miss or the Third Miss? Remember to tell the truth, or you'll have your tongues cut off and be bitten by evil spirits in hell after you die, and you'll be mute in your next life!"
The servants present shuddered. Dongxue glanced at them and said, "At that time, I saw Mr. Ning and the Second Miss embracing each other tightly, and they were making... very strange noises."
Ouyang Yue blinked: "What strange sound?"
Dongxue's usually icy face flushed bright red in an instant: "It's like a man and a woman..."
"You're talking nonsense! I've always been upright and honest, and I'm nothing like the Second Miss!" Ning Zhuangxue retorted angrily.
"This servant... also saw the Second Miss and Mr. Ning embracing." The servant behind her whispered, and as soon as she said this, the servants behind her erupted in chatter, all claiming that they had seen it too.
Ning Zhuangxue's face flushed red with anger: "Madam, you are wise. When I saw the Third Miss push the Second Miss into the pool, I was so eager to save her that I didn't think much of it. But it's definitely not what they said!"
Ning Zhuangxue's involvement with the two young ladies of the General's Mansion caused Old Madam Ning's expression to darken slightly. At this moment, Orange Robe, one of Old Madam Ning's four maids, walked in looking disheveled: "Old Madam, this servant has caught the arsonist!"
"Bring her up!" As soon as Old Madam Ning finished speaking, two rough-working maids carried in an old woman dressed in a dark blue jacket. Upon seeing the woman, Madam Ning, who had been sitting quietly to the side, was shocked!
Isn't this the head of the kitchen under her supervision?
So there really is a fire in the backyard! It seems that Ouyang Hua and her group not only want to trample on her, but also to take over the real management of the General's Mansion!
Ouyang Yue didn't care that Ning Shi would be affected, but if Aunt Ming Ouyang Hua's conspiracy was punished, her future would be even more difficult. Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes and had already made up her mind!
☆、044, reaping what they sowed, the whole group was punished (Seeking first subscription~)
"Kneel down!" As soon as the person was brought in, two rough maids kicked the kitchen manager to her knees. Her knees hit the ground with a crisp sound, and the maid screamed in pain.
Upon seeing the person, Old Madam Ning glanced indifferently at the pale-faced Madam Ning and said, "Isn't this the head maid that Madam promoted? She's so muddle-headed. Caiyue, you've managed this household very well!"
Madam Ning's face paled as she was about to speak when Cheng Yi replied, "Madam, this old woman wasn't negligent. She wasn't even in the main kitchen when the incident happened. After I led people to put out the fire, I questioned a few people and found out that she had been playing cards late yesterday and slept until I woke her up."
Old Madam Ning's face darkened further: "Fine, my General's Mansion is paying you to stay, and you still dare to cheat and shirk your duties. Drag her out and give her fifty lashes, then calculate the losses of the main kitchen this time, deduct her assets as compensation, and then kick her out of the General's Mansion!"
"Please spare me, madam!" Li's mother immediately pleaded.
Madam Ning could no longer sit still: "Mother, Mama Li is related to the Ning family, so I'm afraid it's not a good idea for her to do this."
Li Mama's niece was a first-class maid in the courtyard of Madam Huang, the matriarch of the Ning family, and held considerable influence. Therefore, when the maid approached, Madam Ning readily agreed, knowing that Li Mama often slacked off by playing cards. Old Madam Ning was aware of and tacitly approved of these things, yet now that trouble had arisen, she was being made to bear the entire blame. Moreover, after this incident with Li Mama, it seemed unlikely that she would be able to retain control of the main kitchen—a lucrative position, how could Madam Ning possibly let go!
A dark glint flashed in Old Madam Ning's eyes. Aunt Hong, unable to contain herself, said first, "Madam, normally I shouldn't be involved in the affairs of the household, but now that Second Miss has been pushed into the pond by Third Miss in an attempt to kill her and cover up her shameful affair, and coincidentally, something has happened in the main kitchen under your jurisdiction. Out of pity for Second Miss, I wonder if I could ask if Madam truly knows nothing about Third Miss's affair with Mr. Ning?"
Ning's body trembled, and she glared angrily at Aunt Hong!
Aunt Hong is accusing her of knowing all along that Ouyang Yue and Ning Zhuangxue had an affair, but instead of doing anything to control her, she encouraged Ouyang Yue's arrogance and caused her to do things that damaged the reputation of the General's Mansion!
With the general's return imminent, even if Ouyang Zhide dotes on Ouyang Yue and truly doesn't punish her, if this were to reach his ears, how could Ning Shi not be despised! How could she possibly accept that!
"Aunt Hong, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! I am the legal wife of the General's Mansion, and I come from the Ning family, the same clan as the Old Madam. Has the Ning family ever had a daughter who doesn't know what's important? Aunt Hong comes from a humble background, so don't confuse yourself with me. The kitchen matter and Yue'er's matter have absolutely nothing to do with each other. What are you trying to achieve by making wild guesses?" Madam Ning's words were sharp, directly hitting Aunt Hong's most sensitive issue of background. The latter was so angry that she rolled her eyes and almost lost her temper, lunging forward to tear Madam Ning's mouth apart.
However, Aunt Hong's mouth was indeed quite sharp, and even Old Madam Ning's expression darkened a bit more because the Ning family was involved.
"Ouyang Yue, you are the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion, yet you have the heart of a viper. You dared to kill your own sister. Now that there are witnesses and evidence, I can no longer let you live! Fortunately, your second sister has been rescued, so I can spare your life. Today, I will have someone take you into the mountains. Without my order, you are never to return to the General's Mansion!" Seeing that the matter was getting out of hand, Old Madam Ning was already looking for someone to blame!
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly: "All the witnesses and evidence? Where are the witnesses? Is it Mr. Ning who was behaving improperly with Second Sister, or Second Sister who was touched by a man? As for the physical evidence, everyone in the General's Mansion knows that my handwriting is not beautiful and is the easiest to imitate. I can learn it by imitating a letter-writing teacher at a street stall in a few days. If Grandmother wants this kind of evidence, Yue'er can find a lot. Does Grandmother want to see it?"
When her words were questioned, Old Madam Ning immediately frowned: "How dare you! How dare you speak to your grandmother like that? Do you even know what filial piety and respect are!"
Ouyang Yue's smile faded, her eyes sweeping over everyone in the hall before settling on a corner. A faint smile played on her lips: "Yue'er naturally wouldn't dare question her grandmother, but these so-called witnesses and evidence are simply not convincing to Yue'er!"
Old Madam Ning frowned. Seeing Old Madam Ning shift her gaze, Madam Ning immediately shouted, "Ouyang Yue! How have I taught you all this? Have you even learned the three obediences and four virtues that a woman should know? You made a mistake but dared not take responsibility, and you even dared to talk back to your grandmother. You are simply disobedient and unfilial! How could the General's Mansion have a daughter like you?"
Aunt Hong knelt down with a thud, tears immediately streaming down her face: "Old Madam, you must do justice for Second Miss! Third Miss has caused trouble for Second Miss many times, and she, as her older sister, has tolerated it all. But this time, Third Miss wants to kill Second Miss! If Third Miss's actions are not punished this time, this lowly concubine will never dare to live in the General's Mansion again. If Third Miss can harm Second Miss this time, she can harm you next time!"
"How dare you!" Old Ning shouted.
Aunt Hong pursed her lips, looking aggrieved. Aunt Ming also said helplessly, "Madam, it's no wonder Aunt Hong misspoke. Anyone would be uneasy about this. The Third Miss really went too far."
The entire hall was filled with condemnation of Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue gently touched the gold bracelet, her eyes shining like stars.
At this moment, a person walked out of the hall. The person was slightly plump and had an ordinary appearance, but his smile inexplicably made people want to get closer. It was Zhang Mama, the most favored servant of Old Madam Ning. As soon as Zhang Mama walked in, she glanced at Ouyang Yue with a meaningful look in her eyes, and finally said loudly, "Old Madam, this servant can be a witness!"
Aunt Hong and Aunt Ming exchanged a glance, both seeing joy in each other's eyes. This old lady was the most trusted by Madam Ning. A word from her was more effective than several of theirs. If she testified, Ouyang Yue would definitely be sent away. They would set up an ambush on the way and ensure that Ouyang Yue would be beheaded!
"What are you proving?" Old Madam Ning's expression was not good, because even she thought that this old woman was Ouyang Rou's witness!
Madam Zhang bowed her head respectfully: "This servant can testify that the first thing that happened was that the Third Miss was pushed into the pond by the Second Miss, and the Second Miss then spoke rudely and shouted that she wanted to get rid of the Third Miss. Because she was too proud of herself, she lost her footing and fell into the pond. Furthermore, this servant personally saw that the Second Miss pulled the Third Miss to the back garden. Mr. Ning arrived later. The Second Miss's claim that the Third Miss and Mr. Ning were struggling is completely fabricated!"
"What!" Old Madam Ning was stunned. She hadn't expected things to take such a sudden turn. Wasn't Ouyang Rou just playing with everyone, maliciously framing and murdering her own family, and now she was going to use this trick to frame the innocent!
Aunt Hong, Aunt Ming, and Ouyang Hua were all stunned!
Where did that old hag Zhang Mama come from?!
"Why should what you say be true! The Second Miss would never do such a thing!" Although she said this, Aunt Hong was sweating profusely!
Zhang's mother raised her head, looking at Aunt Hong with a meaningful expression...
"Aunt Hong, because I witnessed what happened with my own eyes!"
Aunt Hong felt a chill in her heart. This Mother Hong actually testified for Ouyang Yue, which was something they had never expected, because everyone in the hall knew how powerful Mother Hong's testimony was! Just now, Ouyang Yue had been denying that she pushed Ouyang Rou into the pool, and Ouyang Hua had deliberately arrived a little later with people to make it seem like only Ouyang Yue, Ouyang Hua, Ning Zhuangxue, and others were present.
Ouyang Yue has always had a bad reputation. When she gets into trouble with someone, people instinctively think she started it. Coupled with the testimonies of Ouyang Rou and Ning Zhuangxue, Ouyang Yue is bound to suffer a lot! Who knew that Zhang's mother would actually see this?
Aunt Hong was somewhat flustered, and Aunt Ming, Ouyang Hua, who was next to her, was equally surprised. Looking at Zhang Mama with her head bowed respectfully, she was filled with mixed feelings.
To give up like this? Absolutely not!
No one knew better than them how much they had sacrificed for this. Leaving aside the cost of hiring Granny Ai, which they split equally with Aunt Hong, even the Ningzhuang School was arranged by Aunt Ming, and that too costly. Add to that the collection of Ouyang Yue's manuscripts for the Ningzhuang School to copy. To drag Ning Shi into this mess, they had servants deliberately gamble with Mama Li, intentionally losing a considerable sum to instill greed. This wasn't a one-day or two-day affair; ever since they conceived this plan, they had people constantly accompany Mama Li to lose money, achieving this result. All this money came from their own pockets!
They even studied the plan for several days and nights to ensure its thoroughness, only to be outmaneuvered at the crucial moment. The power they were about to gain in managing the central affairs was about to be relinquished. Who would be willing to do that?
Aunt Ming said calmly, "Zhang Mama's one-sided testimony is not enough to vouch for the Third Miss. Although Zhang Mama is the Old Madam's most trusted servant, she is still just a servant. The Second Miss is a daughter of the General's Mansion, and Mr. Ning is also a talent nurtured by the Ning family's academy. With their testimony, it is enough to prove that the Third Miss harbors ill intentions! Zhang Mama, are you implying that Mr. Ning, a talent educated by the Ning family's century-old academy, is lying to someone who received a good education in the academy? That's a huge joke. Not to mention the men of the Ning family, even the women are all top-notch ladies from prestigious families. Zhang Mama, are you perhaps being instigated by someone, or perhaps..."
Looking up at the composed-faced Aunt Ming, Zhang Mama immediately shook her head and explained, "This servant absolutely has no intention of questioning the Ning family's scholarship or reputation. This servant would not dare!"
Old Madam Ning's expression darkened slightly. She was proud to be a daughter of the Ning family and could never tolerate anyone questioning anything about the Ning family. Old Madam Ning trusted and doted on Zhang Mama because Zhang Mama had always been good at prioritizing tasks and knew what she cared about. She would never do anything to annoy Old Madam Ning, but that didn't mean Old Madam Ning could tolerate everything Zhang Mama did! Clearly, Old Madam Ning was very strict when it came to matters involving the Ning family, including those around her!
“Mama Zhang, you are the old lady’s trusted servant, so naturally we trust you completely. But you are just a servant after all, so it’s normal for you to compromise when pressured or threatened by some people, isn’t it? Don’t be afraid, Madam Zhang. Just tell us who threatened you and made you give this false testimony. You are the old lady’s servant, who can go over your head? Isn’t that right, Madam?” Aunt Hong said to Madam Ning in a sarcastic tone.
Old Madam Ning narrowed her eyes instantly. This household had always been managed by Madam Ning, and last time, because of the affair involving Ouyang Yue and the other two, she had lost some of her power in managing the household affairs. Old Madam Ning knew Madam Ning very well; both being from the Ning family, they possessed a certain pride and never wanted to lose. How could Madam Ning accept Old Madam Ning taking power from her? If she were to orchestrate this conspiracy, exposing Ouyang Rou and Ning Zhuangxue in a scandal, it would be a blatant slap in the face to Old Madam Ning!
The old Ning family knows the mother of Ningzhuang School, and she also agreed to admit Ningzhuang School. If Ning succeeds in this matter, the old Ning family will lose face in the General's Mansion, and it will be much more difficult to get benefits from Ning next time!
What a Ning family member! What a cunning niece she is, actually scheming against her!
Upon hearing this, Madam Ning stood up abruptly, glaring fiercely at Aunt Hong: "Aunt Hong, you don't need to imply anything. I absolutely did not instruct Zhang Mama to do anything. Since Zhang Mama said that Rou'er pushed Yue'er into the pool, it must be true. Aunt Hong, have you forgotten how much shame Ouyang Rou has brought to my General's Mansion? She lost her virginity before marriage, had an ambiguous relationship with her cousin who worked as a pimp in a brothel, and was punished for offending the Second Princess in the palace. Hong Yicheng doesn't even admit to having any relationship with Ouyang Rou." "You deceived me that day, saying that Ouyang Rou and Hong Yicheng were in love, and I didn't pursue the matter for the sake of the General's Mansion's reputation. But what was the result! No matter how lowly Consort Hong's background is, she is still the daughter of a lowly official, a woman of officialdom. She calls me 'Second Miss' all day long, fawning over me. I let it go because I saw how much you loved your daughter. Alas, what you've done has truly disappointed me. How has this Second Miss become such a lowly woman under your care!"
Aunt Hong's face flushed red with anger, her eyes bulged, her fists clenched, and she gently bit her lip, showing how angry she was and how much she could endure it.
After a long pause, Aunt Hong sneered, "What you say is true, Madam. My humble origins are incomparable to yours. You are being groomed to become the mistress of the household, but unfortunately, you are the mistress of the household... Heh... The Third Miss is becoming increasingly arrogant and presumptuous, often treating the two half-sisters as if they were her own sisters. The servants you recommended to the household are always shirking their duties and doing nothing of importance. The sisters in the household are killing each other. Have you not also failed in your duties, Madam?"
Madam Ning's face darkened, and she suddenly yelled at Lin Mama beside her, "Lin Mama, shut your mouth! How dare you, a lowly concubine in this household, speak to me with such disrespect! If word gets out, people will think I'm a good housekeeper, that a lowly concubine can climb over me!"
Aunt Hong pursed her lips: "Madam, are you angry out of embarrassment? I don't care if I'm beaten, but I'm not convinced! Didn't you see the Second Miss when she was brought up? She was covered in blood, it was such a shocking sight! How cruel and black-hearted the Third Miss is! Madam, are you trying to force me to admit guilt just to cover up the Third Miss's crimes? I'm a woman too, and even if I'm not qualified to admit guilt, the Second Miss was born after I carried her for ten months. If anyone hurts the Second Miss today and doesn't give me an explanation, I will never let this go!"
"Beat her! Lin Mama, beat this disrespectful slut!" Ning Shi was so angry that her chest ached. She shouted angrily. Lin Mama was also a clever and ruthless person. When Aunt Hong and Ning Shi quarreled, she wished she could tear her mouth apart. Now that she had received the order, she rushed out and slapped Aunt Hong's face with her rather thick hands.