Xuan Yuan Chaohua noticed Ouyang Yue's displeasure and smiled slightly, saying, "Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to mock or laugh at you. When I said you were cute, it was from the bottom of my heart. I remember you stood up for that incompetent kid hiding in the shadows back then, right? What was that kid's name again?"
Ouyang Yue looked at him expressionlessly. Wasn't that Hong Yicheng, who had been bullied as a child and asked her for help? What exactly did Xuan Yuan Chaohua want to say?
Xuan Yuan Chaohua smiled faintly: "I heard that Miss Ouyang has already broken off her engagement with that Hong Yicheng."
"That is indeed the case. Why does General Xuanyuan ask such a question?" Fortunately, there were two people speaking, and Ouyang Yue, with her modern mindset, didn't mind. At this time, it would be extremely impolite for a man to ask a woman about her marriage.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua simply said, "Men who hide behind women to avoid trouble are the most incompetent. I agree with what Miss Ouyang did."
Ouyang Yue looked at the latter calmly: "Is General Xuanyuan so interested in me? Why are you prying into my privacy like this, even asking what I'm thinking? Is General Xuanyuan so unrestrained with women?"
Xuan Yuan Chaohua looked at Ouyang Yue intently and said, "Think what you want, but I mean no harm and will not hurt you."
"Is that so?" Ouyang Yue said calmly, as the two of them were almost at the front door.
Xuanyuan Chaohua suddenly turned to look at Ouyang Yue: "Miss Ouyang, you should have heard of the beauty pageant in Langya Continent, right?"
"Of course, this is a major event in Langya Continent, and I'm afraid there's no one who doesn't know about it."
"Does Miss Ouyang intend to participate in the beauty pageant?" Xuan Yuan Chaohua asked, his eyes pausing slightly.
Ouyang Yue looked at him calmly: "Why is General Xuanyuan so interested?"
"I was just asking casually. Miss Ouyang just turned 30 this year," Xuan Yuan Chaohua said with a smile.
Ouyang Yue looked at the latter, hoping to see some emotion in his eyes, but in the end she found nothing, so she said, "I have no interest in that beauty pageant and have no intention of participating." At the same time, she clearly saw joy in Xuan Yuan Chaohua's eyes, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua said, "Then I won't disturb you any longer." He nodded to Ouyang Yue and turned to leave. Ouyang Yue stood at the door, watching his carriage disappear into the distance, lost in thought. Wasn't Xuan Yuan Chaohua a bit too strange? Did she really have that charm that made him interested in her? According to Xuan Yuan Chaohua, they met when she was a child. The memory of helping Hong Yicheng chase away bad kids was something the original owner of this body considered very proud, so she remembered it vividly. But now she saw it as nothing more than a child's competitive vanity. Back then, she was just a little kid, her teeth hadn't even grown in yet, and she had a fierce look on her face. Could it be that Xuan Yuan Chaohua could fall in love with her at first sight?
Could it be that Xuan Yuan Chaohua has a strange fetish for pedophilia? Ouyang Yue shook her head slightly. In any case, she didn't want to have any more contact with this strange person, Xuan Yuan Chaohua. Whatever happened between them was none of her business anymore.
Back in the carriage, Xuan Yuan Chaohua suddenly felt a lump in his throat. He pressed his nose and sighed helplessly, "What a troublesome girl." His eyes curved slightly, and he smiled, but it was not convincing at all. He leaned against the carriage wall, and his hand suddenly touched a white tiger on his sleeve. His eyes darkened slightly. Should he take action?
"Go to the palace."
"yes."
On a corridor beside the main gate of the General's Mansion, three people stood quietly. After a long while, the one at the front said, "That person, if I remember correctly, should be General Xuanyuan Chaohua, the grandson of Princess Shuangxia."
The old servant beside the man said, "I saw him from afar many years ago, and he seemed to have about 80% similarity in appearance. It should be the same person."
Ning narrowed her eyes: "But as far as I know, this Xuanyuan Chaohua is a very arrogant person, and because of his noble status, he doesn't like to make friends with others. Why would he suddenly come to the General's Mansion? Moreover, no one in the capital has heard that he will return. What is his purpose in taking such a big risk to come to the General's Mansion?"
If Madam Ning couldn't understand, then Mama Lin, the servant, was even less able to understand, so she could only remain silent. Madam Ning said expressionlessly, "Besides, even if someone is protecting someone, it shouldn't be Ouyang Yue, it should be Master. Did you see them talking and laughing just now? Is that smiling Xuan Yuan Chaohua the kind of person who has the title of Cold-Blooded General on the battlefield?"
Madam Lin thought for a moment and said, "This servant also feels that General Xuanyuan seems to have feelings for the Third Miss... um..."
"explain."
"The way she looked at the Third Miss earlier was rather unusual," said Madam Lin, choosing what she considered the most appropriate word.
Ning sneered, "Do you really think someone like Ouyang Yue could be favored by someone like General Xuanyuan?" Lin's mother didn't speak, but she thought to herself that the look in Ouyang Yue's eyes earlier did seem suspicious. Ning squinted and said, "Let's go to Anhe Hall. How can we not let your mother know about such a big matter?"
Lin's mother's heart skipped a beat. She had no idea what Ning was going to do, but she still quickly followed after her.
In Anhe Hall, since Old Madam Ning had narrowly escaped death, she had exempted everyone in the General's Mansion from imposing rules. Now, Anhe Hall was much quieter. After being announced, Ning went directly to Old Madam Ning's bedroom. Anhe Hall had been completely renovated, and many of the furnishings had been changed. Old Madam Ning was sitting against the headboard, her face somewhat pale. Ning immediately said, "Mother, are you alright? You look a little unwell. We should get a doctor to come and take a look. This can't go on."
Old Madam Ning responded indifferently, "That's how it is. We'll just wait and see."
Ning's expression immediately changed, and she hurriedly said, "Mother, you can't think like that. Your daughter-in-law hopes you will live to be a hundred years old. You must not think like that."
Old Madam Ning glanced at Madam Ning and said, "You're very thoughtful."
Madam Ning sighed softly, but seemed hesitant to speak. After waiting for a while without Madam Ning saying anything, and feeling a bit tired, Old Madam Ning said impatiently, "If you have something to say, then say it. If not, then leave. I want to sleep."
Ning Shi still hesitated, but finally gritted her teeth and said, "Mother, actually, I came here this time because I really have some questions for you, and I want you to give me some advice. I didn't want to bother you lately because you haven't been feeling well, but this is a very important matter, so I have to say it." Old Madam Ning leaned against the headboard, waiting for her to speak. Ning Shi sighed and said, "Mother, Yue'er is fourteen this year, and she still hasn't found a family willing to arrange a marriage. I'm getting a little anxious. If this continues, I'm really afraid she'll end up like her two older sisters... and it will be harder for her to get married."
Ouyang Hua lost her virginity and posted a self-deprecating poem, while Ouyang Rou lost her chastity and made a fool of herself, so naturally no one would want to marry her. Ouyang Yue's reputation wasn't good to begin with, and if she didn't find a husband soon, it would be really hard for her to get married. Fortunately, she was still young, only fourteen years old, and had a few more years to look for a husband. If she waited any longer, it would be really difficult.
Old Madam Ning nodded slightly upon hearing this: "What you said is right. Yue'er is of marriageable age, so it's only natural that you're thinking about these things. Do you have a target in mind?"
Ning shook her head and sighed, "Mother, it's not that I don't want to find a daughter-in-law. I've even tried to sound out people, but as soon as they heard it was Yue'er, well... I'm afraid this won't be settled in a day."
"Yes, as long as you care, that's good. After all, you are Yue'er's mother. You should know what to do about this. This concerns Yue'er's lifelong happiness, so it can't be taken lightly," Old Madam Ning sighed and advised.
Ning sneered, "Mother, don't worry. Your daughter-in-law knows what's important. In the past, because Yue'er was naughty, I always hoped to be stricter to teach her a lesson. As her mother, how could I really want to harm her? I already have a few people in mind, and I won't wrong Yue'er."
Old Madam Ning nodded and said, "Alright, then I'll leave this matter to you. I'm too weak to manage it now, so please take care of yourselves."
Ning immediately agreed, then stood up: "Then Mother needs to rest, so I won't disturb you any longer."
"Hmm, go ahead." Old Madam Ning's voice was already somewhat languid, but as soon as Madam Ning went out, Old Madam Ning couldn't help but ask Mother Xi, "Did anyone come to the mansion just now? Or has something happened recently?" A person can't change so quickly. Judging from what she just said, Madam Ning is very enthusiastic about Ouyang Yue's marriage.
Madam Xi whispered, "Madam, I just received the news. I heard that General Xuanyuan Chaohua came to the mansion just now, and it was the Third Miss who saw him off."
"Hmm? Xuanyuan Chaohua!" Old Madam Ning was also taken aback. "No wonder she suddenly took it to heart. Did De'er also have the idea of matchmaking when she asked Yue'er to send Xuanyuan Chaohua away? Alas, given Xuanyuan Chaohua's status, it's probably very difficult for Yue'er to marry him as his principal wife."
Madam Xi's eyes flickered slightly, clearly understanding that Old Madam Ning was also tempted. During this time, Old Madam Ning had been regretting her past actions, and she had once hovered on the edge of life and death. She no longer cared about many things that she couldn't let go of or understand, but instead felt very guilty towards Ouyang Yue.
Lying on the bed, Old Madam Ning murmured, "Should we go to the Ning family? If they intervene, along with the General's Mansion, it would be a great help to Yue'er. This Xuan Yuan Chaohua is a rare young talent, and I've heard he's very arrogant and difficult to approach. I overheard him saying he seems to have a good impression of Yue'er. If we can bring them together, it would be my way of making amends to Yue'er." After all, Xuan Yuan Chaohua is a man of exceptional background, talent, and appearance. Most importantly, he has never married or taken a concubine. Of course, in a place like the border, no one knows whether there are concubines to warm the bed, but the rumors of Xuan Yuan Chaohua being cold-blooded and ruthless in the army, with clear rewards and punishments, are widespread.
If it weren't for the fact that Xuanyuan Chaohua was always stationed at the border and rarely returned to the capital, and that Princess Shuangxia held a high position so that no one dared to disturb her residence unnecessarily, Xuanyuan Chaohua would probably have been fought over by the noble ladies of the capital long ago. If Ouyang Yue wanted to marry him, it would be difficult, extremely difficult, far too difficult. However, Old Madam Ning took this to heart: "Mama Xi, why don't you find an opportunity to sound out Yue'er's opinion and hear what she thinks?"
Madam Xi nodded immediately and said, "Yes, Madam."
Old Madam Ning responded faintly and fell into a deep sleep, but Madam Xi's expression darkened slightly, her eyes flickering, as if she were thinking about something.
On the way back, Madam Lin couldn't help but ask, "Madam, you just watched General Xuanyuan leave. Could it be... that you want the Third Miss to marry him?" Based on her understanding of Madam Ning, would Madam Ning be so kind? Madam Lin knew very well that Madam had an almost instinctive aversion to the Third Miss. Although she didn't understand it, she knew that under normal circumstances, Madam Ning wouldn't do anything to benefit Ouyang Yue, even if Madam Ning was Ouyang Yue's biological mother.
"Hmm..." Madam Ning looked at Madam Lin indifferently: "Do you think Ouyang Yue, with her character, is worthy of marrying Xuan Yuan Chaohua?"
Lin's mother's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but say, "This... the Third Miss's temperament is indeed a bit unruly."
Ning snorted coldly, "You're being too subtle. She's not worthy at all. Although she's my daughter, I can't let such an excellent man be harmed for her sake. I've seen Ouyang Yue's ambiguous relationship with Hong Yicheng before, and I don't know what she's been doing outside for over a year since she left the capital. She's only fourteen, not even of marriageable age yet, and she's already so eager to find a man. It's really against the proper conduct of a young lady. If this goes on for too long, and her promiscuous habit gets worse, what kind of trouble will she cause? It will be a huge loss for the General's Mansion. Our General's Mansion can't afford to lose face again. There's no other way. As her mother, I have to take some responsibility. It's time to find some suitable candidates for her. Go and see if any of the private matchmakers in the capital have any suitable candidates. Make a list and let me see."
Madam Lin's heart skipped a beat. She secretly glanced at Madam Ning. There was a lot to learn about official and private matchmakers in the capital. Generally, prestigious families would hire official matchmakers, while ordinary families or those with bad reputations that official matchmakers were unwilling to take on would fall into the hands of private matchmakers. Of course, sometimes private matchmakers would also have some good candidates, but the chances of that were too low. As soon as Madam Ning said this, Madam Lin immediately understood her meaning. She was not planning to let the Third Miss get married. However, she did not say anything and quickly withdrew.
Before long, Ning returned to Shanyu Pavilion. As soon as she sat down in the hall, she revealed a cold smile.
That bitch Leng Yuyan stole the master's affection from her, and she wished Leng Yuyan would die soon. Unexpectedly, she still gave birth to Ouyang Yue for the master. She wished for the mother and daughter to die day and night. Leng Yuyan eventually died, but Ouyang Yue was very tough. From childhood to adulthood, she didn't know how many times she had tried to harm her in secret, but Ouyang Yue had escaped most of them. Ning Shi hated her so much, how could she let Ouyang Yue get away with it?
Xuan Yuan Chaohua, humph! Ouyang Yue has absolutely no chance. How could Ouyang Yue possibly lay a finger on such a heroic figure? Ouyang Yue wanting to marry him is simply dreaming. Anyway, this marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers; Ouyang Yue's fate is still in her hands. She refuses to believe she can't destroy that little bitch. However, she needs to prepare two options: one is a legitimate candidate, and the other... well, it could also be Xuan Yuan Chaohua, but... humph.
Ouyang Yue wanted to fly away from her grasp, acting lawlessly—that was absolutely impossible!
The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.
At this moment, Emperor Mingxian looked at his handsome nephew standing in front of him and smiled happily: "Good, you rascal, you're finally willing to come back and see your family. Don't you think about your aunt? What's the point of her staying in the mansion all the time? Isn't she thinking about you every day? Now that you're back, she can finally be a little happier."
As soon as Xuanyuan Chaohua bowed and stood up, he immediately said respectfully, "Uncle's words are right, so this humble subject has returned."
"And you're still talking, yet you won't let me throw you a big banquet to celebrate." Emperor Mingxian looked at Xuanyuan Chaohua with great dissatisfaction. The latter simply said, "This humble subject only believes that this is a return to the capital to report on official duties, and it's not a big deal. How could I let my uncle go to such trouble? Chaohua is not worthy of such an honor."
Emperor Mingxian shook his head: "That's just your temper. You must be tired after you just got back. Go back and rest first. There's no rush for the report."
"Yes, Uncle, Chaohua is going back now." Xuanyuan Chaohua respectfully withdrew and left. Emperor Mingxian's faint smile changed slightly as he watched Chaohua's departing figure, seemingly lost in thought.
Just as Xuan Yuan Chaohua left the imperial study, he turned a corner and crossed a road. When he approached the pavilion, he found a man sitting there, drinking by himself and enjoying himself. He said indifferently, "Seventh Prince, you have quite the refined taste. You're actually drinking here. Aren't you afraid of being blown away by the wind and getting sick?"
Baili Chen turned to look at him and sneered, "Oh, so it's General Xuanyuan. I was wondering who it was. I felt inexplicably uncomfortable and annoyed today. It turns out it's General Xuanyuan who's back. I was wondering why I was happy to see you."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua's face also turned somewhat cold as he said, "Then it really is my fault. If I had known that the Seventh Prince was so afraid of seeing me, I should have taken precautions earlier. The Seventh Prince has always been in poor health. If he were to fall ill because of this, it would be terrible. I cannot bear such a crime."
"Hmph! You can't even bear the consequences. You dared to return to the capital without Father's permission. What else wouldn't you dare to do? It seems that you've been holding military power for too long, and your temper has gotten the better of you." Baili Chen said meaningfully.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua's expression changed slightly, becoming even colder: "Seventh Prince's habit of speaking without restraint has never improved; it's even worse than when he was a child. He dares to say anything. To me, it sounds like the Seventh Prince has ulterior motives. I advise the Seventh Prince to restrain himself. After all, we are all members of the royal family. We family members may not care, but outsiders might have ulterior motives. If things get out of hand, the Seventh Prince will be in deep trouble."
"Oh? Now it's just the two of us here, who said it, you say it?" Baili Chen looked at him and sneered: "That's true, General Xuanyuan will take this opportunity to find something on me and run to Father to complain. I'll wait and see. General Xuanyuan, please hurry up, I'm waiting to see how Father will punish me."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua sneered: "The Seventh Prince is still the same. He acts lawlessly just because his uncle dotes on him. But you should know that there are different levels of things. You can treat even the sky falling down as a small matter. This is something that I really admire. I'd like to see when the Seventh Prince will cause trouble to the point of breaking the sky. That would be very interesting."
Baili Chen sneered: "That's easy. As long as you start an uprising, I'll naturally have a way to make things worse. Then we'll see who suffers more serious consequences."
Baili Chen and Xuanyuan Chaohua stared at each other coldly, clearly indicating some old grudges between them. From the moment they met, they began to mock and ridicule each other, even saying things that should never be said without restraint. Outsiders would be terrified to hear such things, but they could say them as if nothing had happened. Obviously, this was not the first time, and it was clear that their relationship had indeed deteriorated to a certain extent.
Xuanyuan Chaohua snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves slightly, and said, "This general is going back to the manor to see my grandmother. Would the Seventh Prince be willing to come along?"
Baili Chen raised an eyebrow and said, "I also visit my great-aunt when I have free time, unlike you who rarely comes back, and who knows if you'll be alive to return next time. I won't compete with you for this family happiness, so please go ahead."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua sneered: "The Seventh Prince will die sooner or later because of this mouth of his. I am also looking forward to seeing which one of us will die first. But it seems that the Seventh Prince will die sooner. Don't worry, no matter where I am, I will definitely rush back to your funeral hall to offer incense."
"You really are kind and righteous; I never would have guessed it before," Baili Chen said, squinting his eyes.
Xuanyuan Chaohua smiled faintly, but there was no emotion in his eyes: "You're too kind, Seventh Prince, please go ahead." With that, he turned and strode away.
Baili Chen watched Xuan Yuan Chaohua's retreating figure and gave a cold smile. The entanglement between Baili Chen and Xuan Yuan Chaohua was truly complex and difficult to explain in a few words. They had once been brothers-in-arms, even closer than blood brothers. As for why their relationship had deteriorated to this point, even Leng Sha, Baili Chen's closest and most trusted confidant, didn't know. However, hearing Xuan Yuan Chaohua's words, he couldn't help but frown, his eyes flashing with murderous intent as he stared at Xuan Yuan Chaohua's retreating figure.
Baili Chen saw this, but simply lowered his head and continued drinking without expression.
That night, in Chenyu Palace, Baili Chen lay quietly on the soft couch, not even picking a single grape to eat. The window was slightly open, and the starlight outside swept down, shining like crystals on his jade-like face.
"Whoosh." Suddenly, a whooshing sound rang out in the room. Baili Chen remained silent. After a while, a kneeling sound rang out: "Your subordinate greets Your Majesty."
Only then did Baili Chen lazily turn his gaze to the newcomer and say indifferently, "Just say whatever you have to say."
The man in black hesitated for a moment, then thought for a moment before saying, "I just received news that Xuan Yuan Chaohua went to the General's Mansion today."
"Hmm, General's Mansion, General Ouyang's Mansion?" Baili Chen's eyes flickered, and he frowned.
"Yes, it was the Seventh Prince, the Ouyang General's Mansion. However, Xuan Yuan Chaohua didn't stay long; he went in and came out immediately. It was the Third Miss Ouyang who saw him off." Since returning to the capital, Baili Chen had relayed the message that every detail about the Third Miss of the General's Mansion should be reported. It was fortunate that they had planted spies in the General's Mansion early on; otherwise, this task would have been impossible. The General's Mansion was heavily guarded, and most of the guards had returned with Ouyang Zhide, making it difficult to gather more information inside.
"What is Xuanyuan Chaohua doing at the General's Mansion?" Baili Chen's face darkened, and suddenly he slammed his hand on the table next to him, which was covered with fruit. The table shattered into pieces, and the fruit and snacks were scattered all over the floor. Baili Chen roared, "How dare he have improper thoughts about my wife!"
☆、128, My wife, I was wrong! (Monthly ticket)
Seeing Baili Chen's outburst of rage, the man in black was startled and immediately knelt on the ground with his head down, a hint of fear flashing across his face. He had been by his master's side for a long time, and he was always the one who relayed messages. In the past, when he saw his master, he had never seen him angry about anything. That kind of aura of complete control had never allowed him to see any expression other than indifference and calmness from his master. This was the first time, which showed how angry his master was now.
After venting his anger, Baili Chen gradually calmed down. Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Yue'er were not acquainted, so why would he suddenly go to the General's Mansion? He didn't believe in love at first sight. If he hadn't accidentally discovered Yue'er's differences and paid close attention, he would have almost missed her. How could Xuan Yuan Chaohua, who was in the border region, know so much about Yue'er? It was impossible. However, Baili Chen felt a little nervous.
He squinted at the man in black and said, "You may leave."
"Yes, Master." The man glanced at Baili Chen and left without delay.
Baili Chen sat on the soft couch, tapping his hand lightly, his expression uncertain. No, he couldn't wait any longer.
That night, Ouyang Yue lay quietly in bed, her eyes slightly closed, seemingly lost in thought. She didn't fall asleep, and after some time, her eyes lowered slightly, her face showing tenderness. She slowly closed her eyes and soon drifted into a deep sleep.
Suddenly, Ouyang Yue opened her eyes, her face full of vigilance. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her hand gently reached for the pillow. When she took it down, she was holding a gleaming dagger. Her eyes were cold as she stared outside the bed curtains. By the moonlight, she could vaguely see a figure moving outside. The figure was like a ghost, constantly sliding horizontally, but it did not move forward. Ouyang Yue frowned and slowly sat up, her body half-bent, ready to rush out at any moment and fight to the death.
The shadow flickered "whoosh whoosh whoosh," and Ouyang Yue waited for a while, but the shadow made no further movement. She was a little puzzled, but she didn't rush to get out of bed.
"Hey hey hey..." Just then, the shadow actually let out a sigh, its voice somewhat melancholy, with an indescribable sense of desolation and lowness. Ouyang Yue's eyebrows twitched upon hearing this. "Hey hey hey." The shadow continued to make this sound, without advancing any further.
Ouyang Yue sat on the edge of the bed, coldly gazing outside. The shadow, unaware of this, continued to sigh incessantly, refusing to move forward. Ouyang Yue finally lost her patience, swiftly pulling back the curtains. Sitting on the bed, she saw the person pacing back and forth on the floor and coldly snorted, "What are you doing? Do you know what kind of people trespass into a woman's boudoir?"