But many of these actions weren't voluntary on her part. Even if she disliked Ouyang Yue, she wouldn't treat her own granddaughter this way for a man she liked. If she were sober, she would never have done it. Only now does she truly understand what "sober" means. She wasn't sober then; she was being controlled. She doesn't understand that feeling, but she knows none of it was her choice. While she must admit that many things, given her dislike for Ouyang Yue, wouldn't have turned out well if she were sober, she would never have gone this far. She was controlled by Rui Yuhuan, as if she would unconditionally support whatever Rui Yuhuan wanted to do or whomever she wanted to deal with. She… was helpless.
Ouyang Yue watched all this calmly, watching Old Ning Shi weeping in Ouyang Zhide's arms, but her heart remained calm, without hatred, resentment, anger, or rage.
It's unclear how long Old Madam Ning cried, but she gradually calmed down, probably because she was exhausted from crying. However, the inner room fell into silence again, with only Old Madam Ning's heavy breathing sound remaining, which seemed to be amplified infinitely, causing one's mind to wander.
Old Madam Ning suddenly raised her head and looked straight at Ouyang Yue. She opened her mouth, but for a moment she didn't know what to say. After a long while, she slowly said, "Yue'er, Grandmother is sorry for you." As she spoke, her eyes reddened again.
Ouyang Yue calmly observed Old Ning. She could understand the pain of being controlled, but forgiving Old Ning so easily was impossible. There was one thing Old Ning couldn't deny: without Old Ning's instinctive dissatisfaction and dislike towards her, even if she were controlled, a beginner like Rui Yuhuan wouldn't react as Old Ning did. Perhaps the Gu worm had made her lose her mind, but a truly resolute person, like Ouyang Zhide, might change, but not drastically in a short time. It was merely a medium, something that amplified negative emotions like dislike. Therefore, why should she worry about Old Ning?
Ouyang Yue said softly, "What are you saying, Grandmother? You have never wronged Yue'er."
Old Madam Ning pursed her lips tightly. With her pride, she would never have apologized to a junior, but in that moment of clarity, she realized she had gone too far, and thus had no choice but to apologize. Of course, because of this incident, her previous resentment towards Ouyang Yue had faded; she did owe the child after all. Old Madam Ning sighed and said, "Don't worry, I will make it up to you..."
Ouyang Yue replied softly, "Grandmother, Yue'er has never blamed you. Now please rest and recuperate. As long as you are healthy and live a long life, Yue'er will be even happier."
Old Madam Ning's expression shifted, and her eyes seemed to redden even more. She pursed her lips tightly and just stared at Ouyang Yue without speaking for a long time. Finally, she seemed to sob as she said, "You are a good child, you are really a good child." As she spoke, Old Madam Ning started crying again.
Old Madam Ning's mind was in turmoil. She harbored deep resentment towards Rui Yuhuan for controlling her, even though Rui Yuhuan was dead, her death tragic, yet her hatred remained unresolved. She also regretted her past foolish actions, but what's done is done. And she felt undeniable guilt towards Ouyang Yue. Thinking back, perhaps she had forced Ouyang Yue to leave the capital. She had never paid much attention to this granddaughter. Although she was Ning's daughter, her relationship with this niece wasn't good. Because of Ning's influence, she had always been lukewarm towards her legitimate granddaughter, Ouyang Yue. Of course, she would sometimes give her minor punishments, but in her memories, she often wanted to kill Ouyang Yue. That inexplicable hatred still terrified her. Anyone in that situation would be afraid.
Old Madam Ning was filled with remorse. That bitch Rui Yuhuan died too easily. How dare she treat her like that! She hated her!
Ouyang Yue then said softly, "Grandmother, as far as I know, the Gu worm should have first been nurtured in Rui Yuhuan's body, and then split off from her as the main body. You are the second host, so naturally you have to do what she wants. However, this is not something that can be done overnight. I wonder if Grandmother has any thoughts on when Rui Yuhuan put the Gu on you."
"This..." Old Madam Ning's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. Ever since Rui Yuhuan entered the General's Mansion, she had gradually lost her guard against her. Rui Yuhuan had served her meals and daily life for a long time. If Rui Yuhuan wanted to use a curse on her, she would have had many opportunities. Old Madam Ning had never suspected anything Rui Yuhuan did at the time. Now, if she was asked where Rui Yuhuan would have had the opportunity to use a curse, how could she possibly explain it clearly?
Ouyang Yue had anticipated this outcome and immediately addressed Ouyang Zhide, saying, "Father, although Rui Yuhuan is dead, I have reason to suspect that the poison is still in Anhe Hall. I think the items in Anhe Hall will need to be replaced, and Anhe Hall itself will need to be completely renovated."
The entire renovation would require replacing many items, a massive undertaking and a considerable expense. However, given Old Madam Ning's current condition, it was necessary. Ouyang Zhide nodded and said to Mama Xi, "Mama Xi, make the arrangements. As for the Third Miss, have the entire Anhe Hall renovated and replaced. Mother needs to recuperate in her current state. Perhaps we should move her to another courtyard first, and then she can move back to Anhe Hall once this matter is resolved." Ouyang Zhide's original intention was for Old Madam Ning to move to a separate courtyard to recuperate, but he was also afraid that she would be suspicious. Moreover, his mother's health was poor and she was suffering greatly. If she were to endure further torment and exhaustion, it would be difficult to say how long she would live. Naturally, he changed his tone.
Old Madam Ning naturally had no reason to refuse. She was well aware of her current physical condition; she felt dizzy and weak, and her hatred for Rui Yu Huan was boundless. She deeply resented that after being shrewd for most of her life, her remaining years had been ruined by a wretched orphan. Old Madam Ning was unwilling to accept this. In her old age, she had been tricked by such a despicable person. She was extremely annoyed, but not wanting to lose face further, she could only grit her teeth and endure it.
Madam Xi immediately had a soft couch brought out for Old Madam Ning to lie down temporarily, since it would take time to pack up the other courtyards. Then she called for people to start moving the things from Anhe Hall out. However, while packing up and tidying up the Buddha statues in the inner hall, Ouyang Yue walked in at some point. When she saw the Buddha statues, her eyes flashed, and she suddenly said, "Stop."
Two maids were now agonizing over a remarkably lifelike white jade Buddha statue. This statue couldn't be easily moved, but with the entire Anhe Hall undergoing renovations, it naturally had to be removed. They were unsure how to deal with it first. The statue was made of excellent material, its jade surface crystal clear. Ouyang Yue, however, sneered as she looked at the white jade Buddha: "Smash it!"
"Smashed...smashed?" one of the maids exclaimed in surprise.
Leaving aside the fact that it's a Buddha statue, the material itself is of exceptional quality. In their eyes, it's a top-tier item; if it were sold, it would fetch at least several hundred taels of silver. To smash it like this would result in a huge loss. Moreover, this Buddha statue is a sacred object; smashing it so easily would be disrespectful to the Buddha.
Inside the main hall, Old Madam Ning heard this and her heart skipped a beat: "Don't smash it, don't smash it! Quickly stop Yue'er!" Old Madam Ning said directly to Ouyang Zhide. Ouyang Zhide was taken aback. At this moment, Ouyang Yue had already ordered two maids to bring out the Buddha statue. Ouyang Zhide did not speak, but calmly looked at Ouyang Yue.
Old Madam Ning, however, could not remain calm: "Yue'er, you mustn't! If you smash this thing, it would be disrespectful to the Buddha."
Ouyang Yue calmly looked at Old Madam Ning, but the next moment, "Bang!" A sudden crashing sound rang out in the inner hall. Upon seeing this, Old Madam Ning gasped, "You!"
Ouyang Yue was already half-squatting on the ground, carefully examining the fragments of the white jade Buddha. Suddenly, her expression changed, and she pointed, "Look what this is!"
Everyone looked in the direction she was pointing, and saw that inside the white jade Buddha statue, there was a white thing, resembling an insect egg, gathered into a bulge the size of a fingernail. Old Madam Ning gasped, "This...this is..."
Ouyang Yue said to Mama Xi, "I'll have to trouble you these next few days. It seems that nothing in Anhetang can be overlooked. We must check it carefully. Let's just take this thing out and destroy it."
Madam Xi's expression changed, and she immediately nodded and led her people away. The two maids were also frightened and turned pale. Although they were heartbroken that such things were being destroyed, they dared not be negligent. They had seen the things in the outer hall before, which were simply terrifying, and they did not want to see them a second time.
Old Mrs. Ning sat on the bed, her eyes somewhat glazed over: "That...that is it?" She still couldn't believe it, and didn't want to believe it.
Ouyang Yue looked at her and said, "Grandmother, it seems that Rui Yuhuan has harbored malicious intentions since she entered the manor. The matter of consecrating the Buddha statue was probably fabricated out of thin air, just to make you believe her lies. I never expected her to be so cunning, having already placed the Gu worm eggs inside the Buddha statue. With your daily sincere worship of Buddha, you must be in frequent contact with the statue. In time, she could have allowed the Gu worms to reside in your body and control you without you even noticing. After all, if she were to use Gu in your daily life, with your shrewdness, it would be easy for you to discover it. Anyone in this situation would probably find it difficult to avoid."
Although Ouyang Yue feigned a sigh, she felt little emotion. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Rui Yuhuan's scheme, realizing she herself would have struggled to avoid it. Rui Yuhuan had given her the gift precisely to please her; Old Madam Ning, seeing something so novel, naturally wanted to preserve it, but that very act led to this grave mistake. While Old Madam Ning was indeed to blame, Rui Yuhuan's scheming was undeniably deep.
"This... that vile hussy Rui Yuhuan, how dare she treat me like this!" Old Madam Ning was so angry that she shook her head and fell onto the bed with a "thud." Her eyes were wide with anger, she gritted her teeth, and punched her chest with her fists. The sobs she had been holding back started up again.
Old Madam Ning was filled with hatred; she truly hated her. When Rui Yuhuan first entered the manor, she wasn't entirely unprepared, but Rui Yuhuan had acted so obediently and sweetly, and who doesn't like flattery? Old Madam Ning trusted her completely. After the Gu was expelled, Old Madam Ning assumed Rui Yuhuan had manipulated it through daily life, but little did she know she'd been tricked from the moment Rui Yuhuan entered the manor. Who could have imagined Rui Yuhuan would place the worm inside the Buddha statue? Old Madam Ning offered incense and prayed daily, sometimes even personally dusting the statue; naturally, she would come into contact with it, and that's how she became infected.
She was filled with remorse. If she could do it all over again, she would have stabbed that vile woman to death the moment Rui Yuhuan entered the manor. But everything was irreversible, and Rui Yuhuan's previous use of the Gu poison had severely weakened her. Before, perhaps due to the Gu poison, she hadn't felt anything, but now she felt utterly powerless. Even when she had used all her strength to punch just now, she only felt a slight tightness in her chest. Was her body truly finished?
Old Madam Ning was trembling with anger. Seeing this, Ouyang Zhide took Ouyang Yue and left, but he couldn't help but sigh, "It's my fault. If I hadn't brought Rui Yuhuan into the General's Mansion, none of this would have happened."
Ouyang Yue looked at him and said, "I'm afraid even if Father doesn't bring Rui Yuhuan into the General's Mansion, she will find other ways to get in. Judging from the efforts Rui Yuhuan has made, I'm afraid this is unavoidable."
Ouyang Zhide shook his head, looking annoyed, and turned to leave. Ouyang Yue glanced at her, then turned back to Mingyue Pavilion. Chuncao was waiting outside the pavilion. When she saw Ouyang Yue return from afar, she went to greet her with an undisguised smile on her face. Ouyang Yue couldn't help but laugh and say, "What's making you so happy?"
Chuncao covered her mouth and laughed, "This servant has just never heard of such a thing before, so it's just novel to me."
Given the commotion at Anhe Hall, it would be strange if the news hadn't spread throughout the General's Mansion. Upon hearing this, Chuncao, though she hadn't witnessed the events firsthand, could imagine the scene. While the imagined scenario horrified her, the fact that it could eliminate Rui Yuhuan and force Old Madam Ning to set aside her prejudices was excellent news for Ouyang Yue and the people of Mingyue Pavilion. How could she not be happy? Chuncao's admiration for Ouyang Yue grew even stronger. Her mistress was truly too clever; by using this opportunity to bring down Rui Yuhuan, making her reap what she sowed, and exposing her ugly face to everyone, it was incredibly satisfying.
At this moment, Hei Da had returned to Yihe Pavilion: "General, I am incompetent and failed to catch Pink Butterfly."
Ouyang Zhide asked with a stern face, "Have you sent anyone to continue investigating her?"
Hei Da nodded in response, "Yes, I have already sent men to continue searching for her whereabouts. Once found, she will be captured immediately."
"Hmm." Ouyang Zhide placed his hands on the table, his expression gloomy. He had already tried to persuade Rui Yuhuan to tell the truth, but just as Rui Yuhuan was about to explain the mastermind behind her, she was killed by Pink Butterfly's arrow through the heart. Wouldn't his clues be cut off again?
Ouyang Zhide was now also alarmed. What grudge did the person behind this have against the General's Mansion, and why would they want to harm it? This thought filled Ouyang Zhide with turmoil. Starting with Rui Huaicheng, wanting to harm him was somewhat understandable; after all, he was the General of the Garrison, very important to the Great Zhou Dynasty, and his presence was a threat to other countries, especially the nomadic tribes. Everyone hated him to the bone. If these people wanted to harm him, he wouldn't be surprised. But could they have bribed Rui Huaicheng? As for Rui Yuhuan, she was just a helpless young woman. He had brought her to the capital, and she should have been extremely grateful. Generally speaking, no one would be foolish enough to want to harm him. Yet Rui Yuhuan had done so, and acted as if she wanted to disrupt the entire General's Mansion—it all seemed utterly illogical. If this person could target her, how effective would it be against the inner quarters? If you can control the inner quarters, you can control him. As for matters of the court, even Old Madam Ning wouldn't dare to hinder him too much. Even if you control the people led by Old Madam Ning, how much help can they provide? Ouyang Zhide really couldn't understand this.
The most crucial problem now is that no one is explaining any of these doubts, which makes him even more worried.
As soon as Ouyang Zhide and Ouyang Yue left, Madam Xi immediately sent someone to help Old Madam Ning to a courtyard on the west side, not far from Anhe Hall, to stay temporarily. Old Madam Ning dismissed the servants and lay in bed with her eyes wide open, unable to fall asleep. Madam Xi came over and said softly, "Old Madam, you must be tired too. Please rest."
Old Ning's voice was very low and hoarse. Suddenly, she turned her head, her eyes reddening and swollen from crying: "I've been shrewd for half my life, but I've been caught off guard and made a fool of myself. It's ridiculous."
Madam Xi immediately comforted her, saying, "Madam, please don't overthink it. Rui Yuhuan's motives were impure to begin with. It's impossible to guard against such a person. Anyone would fall for her tricks. Fortunately, Madam has been cured of the curse and is fine now. That's what's most gratifying. Madam should be happy."
Old Ning smiled sarcastically: "Happy? How can I be happy? With this broken body, I know that my body is no longer good, and it's hard to say how much longer I can live."
Madam Xi was startled and said, "Madam, you must not say such curses about yourself. You will surely live to be a hundred years old."
Old Madam Ning said calmly, "You don't need to lie to me anymore. I know my own body better than anyone else. My body is ruined. Rui Yuhuan has caused me a lot of trouble."
Madam Xi, unsure what to say, fell silent. She was already aware of these matters. When Physician Liu diagnosed Old Madam Ning's poor health, Madam Xi was responsible for prescribing medicine. Ouyang Zhide had also informed her of Old Madam Ning's condition, and she understood that Old Madam Ning had indeed been severely harmed by Rui Yuhuan. If it were a younger, stronger woman, she might be able to recover, but at Old Madam Ning's advanced age, she was likely only destined to slowly await her death.
Old Madam Ning was proud all her life. How could she bear such a situation? She must have been in great pain, a hundred times more pain than she showed. Old Madam Ning sighed, "I used to dislike Ouyang Yue very much. Of the four children in this household, Hua'er is the most like me, well-mannered and knowledgeable. Ouyang Rou is much less so, but at least she has a silver tongue, so she's not truly disliked. I used to like Tong'er as a boy, but it's a pity about his health. After we stopped interacting, I didn't have much feeling for him. Only Ouyang Yue, you know very well about my affair with Caiyue. I disliked her, my great-niece and granddaughter, from the beginning. She's not a likable child either. She doesn't learn anything proper for girls and just runs around outside all day. She even seduced men and helped De'er help the Hong family prosper. Tell me, how could I like a granddaughter like that? The older she gets, the stranger her temper becomes, and the more unruly she is. My dislike for her deepens little by little. I once really wished she would die in an accident, so that the General's Mansion wouldn't suffer for her reputation."
At this point, Old Madam Ning's expression suddenly changed, turning somewhat bitter: "But in the end, Hua'er was caught having an affair, and her reputation was ruined. She did have some courage, committing suicide to preserve her chastity; in that respect, she did very well. As for Ouyang Rou, not only did she have an affair with another man and become pregnant, but she also had a miscarriage. Later, in the Ning family, she even had affairs with so many people... Our two concubine's daughters were ruined just like that. Only Ouyang Yue is left, but look at her, she often talks back to me and does things that are incomprehensible. The more I think about her, the more I hate her. I never expected that in the end I would benefit from her. If it weren't for her, would I have died so confusedly, and even in the underworld, I would have no face to face the ancestors of the Ouyang family?"
Madam Xi said softly, "Madam, you're overthinking it. I think the Third Miss is a sensible person. She knows that you have no choice but to do this. She still cares about you and is very filial to you. Otherwise, why would she have mentioned the matter of curing the curse to save you?"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Old Madam Ning suddenly reached out and pounded her chest hard. Upon seeing this, Mama Xi was immediately startled and stepped forward to pull her away: "Madam, what are you doing? Stop it! If you keep hitting her like this, your body won't be able to take it."
"If you can't bear it, then let me die!" Old Madam Ning said resolutely, her eyes flashing with pain. Every time she thought about the past, her heart ached as if it were being stabbed with needles. She had done so many foolish things in the past, and now she felt incredibly stupid.
"I've been proud my whole life, I thought I could solve any problem, but who knew I would do so many irreversible things? I regret it, I hate it! Why can't time turn back?" Old Ning cried out, her voice hoarse. Mother Xi, having no other choice, had a glint in her eyes, and quietly raised her hand to Old Ning's neck. With a "whoosh," Old Ning's eyes widened, then slowly closed, and she fainted.
Mother Xi got off the bed and sighed softly, "If only I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place. People always regret things afterward." With that, she turned and left.
That night, the stars twinkled outside, the moon hung high, and the air was cool, bringing a sense of comfort to the night.
Ouyang Yue sat on the soft couch in the outer room, quietly gazing out the window, and couldn't help but say, "The night view is quite nice tonight."
"Yes, Miss, the night is beautiful." Chuncao also sighed. Perhaps it was the relief of getting rid of Rui Yuhuan that made them feel so good, as if they had breathed a sigh of relief. Now everything seemed wonderful.
"Miss, Aunt Liu requests an audience," Dongxue said as she entered the room.
Ouyang Yue was slightly taken aback. Why would Aunt Liu come at this time? But she said, "Go and invite Aunt Liu in."
"Yes." Dongxue responded and left. A moment later, she came in with Aunt Liu and Lü'er. Aunt Liu was about to bow to Ouyang Yue when she saw her, but Ouyang Yue waved her hand and smiled, "Aunt Liu, why are you doing these formalities with me? We don't need these things between us. Come and sit down."
Aunt Liu smiled and walked to the edge of the bed, sitting down on the other side of Ouyang Yue. She couldn't help but look up at the window and then said with a smile, "The night view is indeed very enchanting. I was just thinking that the Third Miss would probably enjoy the night view again tonight, so I came to disturb you. It turns out that's true."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said to Chuncao, "Go and bring some tea and snacks over. I want to have a chat with Aunt Liu."
Chuncao, Dongxue, and Lü'er responded and left. As they were also the maids who had benefited from the situation, they naturally knew that the two masters had something to say in private, so they tactfully left.
Aunt Liu's smile deepened, but Ouyang Yue spoke first: "Is Tong'er asleep? Otherwise, I would like to bring him here and play with him."
Aunt Liu nodded and said, "The Fourth Young Master has fallen asleep. Why don't you bring him here? The Fourth Young Master is very fond of the Third Miss. Although he hasn't spoken yet, I know he often thinks of seeing you."
Ouyang Yue nodded: "This must be blood ties. I also feel a strong connection with my fourth brother. It's an indescribable sense of closeness. It's all thanks to Aunt Liu's excellent upbringing that we siblings haven't become estranged."
Aunt Liu was taken aback, immediately understanding the meaning behind Ouyang Yue's words. This family should have been harmonious and united. However, everyone in the General's Mansion had their own interests, and the children constantly fought amongst themselves. Some didn't want to fight, but were forced to for self-preservation. The Third Miss, and herself, were examples. She had always thought the Third Miss was just bold and lacked common sense, but after getting to know her, she realized the Third Miss was far from that. The Third Miss was very clear-headed; she had simply kept it hidden. But when danger struck, who would risk their life for survival? Aunt Liu couldn't help but feel fortunate for her initial choice, because in this mansion, there was no room for detachment. If you didn't fight, you would be pushed out of the fray—that was something no one could change.
The two talked for a while longer, and then Ouyang Yue suddenly asked, "What brings Aunt Liu here tonight?"
Aunt Liu looked somewhat embarrassed and said, "Please forgive me, Third Miss. Actually, after seeing the scene at Anhe Hall today, I became more and more frightened and couldn't sleep at all. That's why I shamelessly came to disturb your rest, Third Miss."
Ouyang Yue simply smiled faintly: "It's not Liu Yiniang's fault. Anyone would be frightened by that scene. She'll be fine in a few days."
Aunt Liu gazed at Ouyang Yue, her mind racing. She thought to herself, "The Third Miss was so calm back then. Even the General's face changed, but she seemed quite used to it." She was partly afraid, and partly genuinely curious about the Third Miss. The more she interacted with her, the more mysteries surrounding the Third Miss became, so much so that even she, someone who disliked curiosity, was intrigued. However, she dared not ask, fearing that asking too many questions would only bring about her death.
"Yes, it still gives me the creeps to think about it now. Sigh, I never imagined that Rui Yuhuan could be so ruthless, actually using poison to control others. This thing is truly harmful." Aunt Liu shook her head and sighed, somewhat unable to understand.
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow slightly: "Using poison yourself? Does Aunt Liu think Rui Yuhuan is that kind of person?"
"Of course not?" Aunt Liu said instinctively. They both knew Rui Yuhuan somewhat; she was an extremely selfish person. Would she use a curse to harm herself? Absolutely not. It was possible that she would use the curse on someone else to control them, but as for herself, it was simply incomprehensible. Aunt Liu suddenly paused, "Third Miss means that someone put a curse on Rui Yuhuan without her knowing, which is why she fell for it. That person originally wanted to control Rui Yuhuan, and then control the Old Madam."
Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes. It probably wasn't just Old Madam Ning. Rui Yuhuan herself was an extremely shrewd and calculating person. If it weren't for the several times she was framed, causing trouble for others' interests, things wouldn't be like this now. Just look at how she spent a fortune buying things to please everyone when she first entered the manor; Rui Yuhuan wouldn't have reached this point otherwise. However, Rui Yuhuan was far too confident, constantly trying to oppose her and eliminate her. If not for that, she didn't know what the final outcome would be. But what was the person behind it all doing? Casting a spell on Rui Yuhuan, luring her to the General's manor. Knowing Rui Yuhuan as she did, she knew Rui Yuhuan was unaware of this. This showed that the person behind it all was using Rui Yuhuan as a pawn from the beginning. Regardless of the outcome, Rui Yuhuan was doomed; it was only a matter of time.
Could it be a matter between several princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty?
Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes. Although the practice of Gu poison was most prevalent in Miao territory, it didn't necessarily mean that Rui Yuhuan was from Miao territory. Just like Master Minghui, he went to Miao territory out of curiosity in his early years and learned some knowledge about Gu poison. The Langya Continent was so vast that it was hard to guarantee that others had also gone to Miao territory. So, it was impossible to determine who was behind Rui Yuhuan at this time.
Aunt Liu was also a little alarmed by her own thoughts. If that were the case, wouldn't the General's Mansion be targeted by someone? If one plan failed, would someone come up with another? The feeling of being stared at from behind with malicious eyes was truly chilling and uncomfortable.
"Then..." Aunt Liu opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time.
Ouyang Yue replied, "However, it seems this person won't do anything in the short term."
Aunt Liu nodded in agreement; that made sense. She looked up at Ouyang Yue and couldn't help but ask, "What are your plans for the Third Miss?" Aunt Liu knew more than anyone else in the household.
Ouyang Yue's lips curled up slightly, and she suddenly revealed a faint smile: "This matter no longer requires my involvement. Let's see how Father intends to handle it."
"Master?" Aunt Liu was slightly taken aback. That person had a very powerful background. If it were possible to deal with him, it would probably have been dealt with long ago. What could the master do? She still felt that if the Third Miss handled this matter personally, she would probably make sure that person died without a burial place, in order to eliminate any future troubles.
In Xiangning's bedroom, she was huddled up, trembling with fear. Ever since she witnessed that scene at Anhe Hall, she had felt unwell, her body alternating between hot and cold, and the horrifying scene kept replaying in her mind. She felt as if her heart was about to burst out of her mouth; she was terrified.
Rui Yuhuan died just like that. Why were those things flowing from her body? What were they? She had been in contact with Rui Yuhuan; could she have been poisoned too? Aunt Ming was shocked and trembling. Rui Yuhuan had been murdered. She had been in contact with Rui Yuhuan, so she knew very well that Rui Yuhuan's death was definitely related to her plot to poison her. Although she didn't know the specifics, she knew Rui Yuhuan and Ouyang Yue very well. Even with her eyes closed, she could imagine that Rui Yuhuan had failed to harm Ouyang Yue and had instead fallen victim to the poison herself.
No one expected that Rui Yuhuan's death would lead to further events. Aunt Ming hadn't forgotten the assassination attempt on Ouyang Yue when she left the capital. Wasn't that why her hands were broken? With Rui Yuhuan dead, Aunt Ming felt a sudden, inexplicable fear. Would Ouyang Yue retaliate against her next? Yes, she would. If she were in Ouyang Yue's shoes, she would have done the same, let alone Ouyang Yue. That vile woman Ouyang Yue was vengeful and ruthless. Aunt Ming's heart churned; she had a strong premonition that she would be next.
No, she can't just sit here and wait to die, absolutely not, she doesn't want to die like this.
"Xiao'er, Xiao'er..." Aunt Ming was terrified and suddenly cried out.
Xiao'er was on night watch outside tonight. Suddenly, a heavy thud was heard from the outer hall. Xiao'er was clearly startled by Aunt Ming's sudden shout and fell to the ground. Xiao'er rushed in, her clothes still on, looking rather disheveled. Aunt Ming ignored her and said, "Xiao'er, go to the Ministry of Revenue's residence right away and have my parents take me back to stay for a few days. Go quickly."
"Ah? But it's so late now. Going out of the General's Mansion is forbidden, and it's probably difficult to enter the Minister of Revenue's residence either. Besides, the Minister and his wife are probably already asleep. If we go now, we might offend them, which wouldn't be good for you, Aunt Ming." Xiao'er immediately advised, secretly thinking to herself, "This Aunt Ming is getting stranger and stranger. What kind of crazy ideas is she always up to? It's so late; does she not want anyone else to sleep?" No wonder everyone in the mansion dislikes her so much. No one knows better than her, her personal servant. Being by Aunt Ming's side is definitely not a job for a human being.
Aunt Ming's face was ashen as she stared coldly at Xiao'er until Xiao'er felt a chill run down her spine. Then she snorted coldly, "Go there immediately when the gates open tomorrow. Do not delay."
"Yes, I understand. I will definitely not delay Aunt Ming's important matter."
"Get out," Aunt Ming said coldly, and Xiao'er breathed a sigh of relief and withdrew.
However, Aunt Ming did not sleep that night. It wasn't until early the next morning that she finally lay down and closed her eyes to rest for a while. At the same time, a group of guards from the General's Mansion suddenly rushed into Xiangning Courtyard. Hei Da was leading the group. He gave an order: "Surround Xiangning Courtyard, drag Aunt Ming out, and take her to Yihe Pavilion for questioning and to await the General's judgment!"
"yes!"