Ouyang Yue took out a jade pendant from her bosom. Fen Yan, her face filled with excitement, snatched it and examined it closely. Then, she exclaimed excitedly, "It's this jade pendant! This jade pendant is something Lü Yan has always kept close to her body. She could only get it if she volunteered or was captured. It really is Lü Yan! Princess Consort Chen, please forgive me! I didn't know before, please don't blame me!" If Consort Sun and her ilk had captured Lü Yan, their first instinct would have been to bring Lü Yan in or use her to threaten her. They wouldn't have come to the palace to talk to her like Ouyang Yue did. Moreover, Lü Yan kept this jade pendant close to her body. She wouldn't have taken it out unless she needed it to recognize Fen Yan. So, it was almost certainly Lü Yan's own choice. Fen Yan naturally knew that Ouyang Yue must be one of her own.
"Princess Consort Chen, how is Lüyan doing?" Fenyan asked excitedly, looking at Ouyang Yue.
Ouyang Yue waved her hand and said to Chuncao and Dongxue, "You two go out and keep an eye on things. Those two palace maids might be back soon, so try to delay them as much as possible."
"Yes, Your Highness." The two left quickly, leaving only Ouyang Yue and Fenyan in the pavilion. Seeing Fenyan's excited expression, Ouyang Yue didn't keep her in suspense. "Actually, my acquaintance with Miss Lüyan was just a coincidence. Later, after Miss Lüyan learned of my identity, she told me about you. Moreover, she said that she wanted to save you from your suffering and is now desperately searching for a way to save you."
Upon hearing this, Fenyan couldn't hold back her tears and shook her head, saying, "That girl Lüyan has always been impulsive. She even wanted to come to the palace to save me. How could she possibly enter the palace so easily? She's far too impulsive. No, I don't need her to save me. I'm doing very well in the palace. I'm currently favored by the Emperor. With the Emperor's approval, what suffering could I possibly endure? Princess Consort Chen, I beg you, please, when you leave the palace, you must persuade Lüyan to give up this idea. I'm truly doing very well now. Please don't let her do anything foolish."
Ouyang Yue said, "Lvyan told us everything that happened back then. You were under the control of the Sun family. Not only could Lvyan not accept it, but we also felt very sorry for you after hearing about it. Although Lvyan is impulsive, I can understand her eagerness to save her sister."
Fenyan kept shaking her head, crying even louder, and even knelt down with a "plop," startling Ouyang Yue, who quickly helped Fenyan up: "Fenyan, what are you doing?"
Fenyan's face was pale: "Princess Consort Chen, I beg you, you must stop Lüyan. This palace is heavily guarded; she can't just walk in. Even if she manages to get in, it's almost impossible for her to take me out. We'll likely both die once we enter the palace. She's young; she has so much to do. Unlike me, she can find a good husband and marry into a good family. If she's truly sensible, let her climb up the ranks and marry a powerful husband. Perhaps then she might be able to rescue me. But if she's just like she is now, entering the palace and doing this will only lead to her death. Please, Princess Consort Chen, you must persuade Lüyan for me!" Fenyan spoke with heartfelt sincerity. Coupled with the news Ouyang Yue had just received that morning, it seemed that Fenyan and Lüyan were indeed sisters, that they truly existed, and that they were related to the Sun family. There were also clues to the events that had happened to these sisters in Qizhou.
Ouyang Yue gently patted Fenyan's shoulder: "Miss Lüyan is also very fond of her sister, but don't worry, I will tell her everything. However, I can't guarantee whether she will give up like this."
Fenyan smiled bitterly. How could she not know her younger sister's personality? Just then, she heard Ouyang Yue say, "And has Miss Fenyan ever thought that she could really leave the palace and regain her freedom?"
Fenyan's expression brightened for a moment, but then dimmed again. She said, "I never thought I could leave the palace." She didn't expect to leave the palace, but wanted to regain her freedom. Ouyang Yue naturally understood her meaning. Her mind raced back to what Lüyan had described. Before she was married and entered the palace, Fenyan was no longer a virgin. What could she do outside? That was probably what Fenyan was thinking at that moment.
Ouyang Yue said meaningfully, "As long as there is that expectation in one's heart, no one can guarantee that it won't happen." After saying that, she turned and left. Fen Yan was startled, then her eyes widened as she watched Ouyang Yue leave.
As she turned to the door, she saw Chuncao and Dongxue arguing with two palace maids beside Fenyan: "What happened? Why haven't they come over yet? I'm getting impatient waiting."
Chuncao, however, said angrily, "Your Highness, these two palace maids clearly don't respect you. Look at what they're carrying. Can you even eat these things? Your Highness, what is your status? How could such things be worthy of you? It's obvious that these two did it on purpose."
The two palace maids were equally indignant. One of them said, "Princess Consort Chen, I took the best things from Consort Fen, including tea and fruit given by Consort Sun. They are the finest in the palace. Yet these two insist that I didn't put in the effort. I'm innocent!"
Ouyang Yue merely glanced at them indifferently and then snorted coldly, "Alright, regardless of whether they truly mistreated me or not, I'm not in the mood for shopping today. However, I'm also telling you, this is a one-time thing. If this happens again next time I enter the palace, don't blame me for being impolite. Chuncao, Dongxue, let's go." With that, Ouyang Yue left with her entourage, leaving the two palace maids quite angry.
"What's so great about her? She's just the Princess Consort of Chen. Why would she deliberately torture someone like that?"
"Hmph, the most beautiful woman in the world, huh? I think she's the most petty person in the world. She did this on purpose just because the two of us didn't listen to her."
"Damn it! But next time she comes to the palace, she should stay away, otherwise we'll be in big trouble if she finds something wrong with us."
"That's right!"
When they returned to Prince Chen's residence, Leng Caiwen, Dai Yu, Li Rushuang, and Xuan Yuan Chaohua, along with Qi Qi and Lü Yan, were already waiting for Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue. Lü Yan seemed a little anxious. As soon as she saw Ouyang Yue and the others enter, she rushed over and hurriedly asked, "Prince Chen, Princess Chen, where is my sister? How is she? Is she doing well?"
Ouyang Yue said, "Miss Lüyan, please sit down first. We need to talk slowly." Lüyan nodded, but her eyes remained fixed on Ouyang Yue.
Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue ignored her and sat down in the seat of honor. Ouyang Yue then spoke, "Miss Fenyan is very favored by the Emperor. She was promoted to the rank of Beauty as soon as she entered the palace because of her beauty. Not long after, she was promoted to the rank of Consort. Miss Fenyan is living a better life than you think. She asked me to tell you that she is doing very well and that you should not impulsively go to the palace to save her. The result could be that you both die. This is definitely not what she wants to see. Miss Lüyan, you should think twice before you do anything."
"No! My sister must be having a hard time. I know her personality very well. She's so considerate of others. The more she says this, the more it means she's not doing well. She's saying this on purpose so people won't worry. It must be like this, Princess Consort Chen. My sister is having a hard time. Please save her, I beg you." Green Yan knelt down with a "thud" and started kowtowing repeatedly to the ground, completely disregarding everything else. Her head turned red in just a few kowtows, and the sound of her head hitting the ground was truly heartbreaking.
"Miss Lüyan, please get up. I, the princess, have never said I would ignore this matter. Don't worry."
Green Beauty looked up, her face full of surprise: "Really? Thank you so much, Princess Chen! I will repay your kindness in this life, and in the next, even if it means being your slave." Green Beauty was so excited that she was almost incoherent. Ouyang Yue just smiled. Qi Qi and Li Rushuang couldn't help but tear up. Green Beauty and Pink Beauty's experiences were just too tragic. Compared to them, the other men in the hall didn't show any emotion.
Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue had just returned from the palace and were going to wash up and change their clothes. Entering the palace required wearing court robes, which were very heavy and not as light as their casual clothes at home. However, they had invited everyone present to have lunch together. The host went back to his room first, while Leng Caiwen, Xuan Yuanchao, and the others went to the back garden to wait for a while, so they could chat. Otherwise, it would be boring to just wait for others.
Xuanyuan Chaohua, however, spoke quickly to Lüyan, saying, "Miss Lüyan, I have something I'd like to say to you. I wonder if it would be convenient for you?"
Green Yan was delighted to receive Ouyang Yue's promise, and her expression was very cheerful. She said, "General Xuanyuan, what do you want to say? Let's go outside and talk." Xuanyuan Chaohua nodded, and the two left.
Qi Qi's expression was not good. Watching the two leave, her fists were slightly clenched. Li Rushuang sighed slightly when she saw this and couldn't help but look over as well. Leng Caiwen laughed when he saw this, "Haha, let's go out for tea. By the way, I've been researching a new drinking game recently. Let's try it today with tea instead of wine. How about it, you big blockhead, are you in or not?"
Dai Yu's eyes flickered between Li Rushuang and Qi Qi before she looked at Leng Caiwen: "I hope you don't lose too badly. I won't hold back."
"You're quite magnanimous, aren't you? Did you know I would definitely lose?" Leng Caiwen was so angry that her face turned red and her neck bulged. The four of them then led their servants to the pavilion.
Xuanyuan Chaohua and Lüyan arrived at a secluded spot near the artificial hill in the Chen Prince's mansion. Lüyan smiled and said, "General Xuanyuan, what do you want to say? Why are you being so mysterious?"
Looking at the woman's cheerful smile, Xuan Yuan Chaohua knew that although Lü Yan had always pretended to be completely indifferent while living in the princess's residence, he could sense the anxiety and helplessness hidden beneath her smile. She had suffered greatly, constantly striving to change her situation and rescue her sister. Such a woman was truly admirable: "Originally, after your sister rescued you, you should have left, because you knew what you might face if you returned. But even knowing how tragic your future might be, you still came back. Your familial love is deeply moving. Although I am a man, I greatly admire Miss Lü Yan's actions."
Lu Yan blushed slightly as she looked at Xuan Yuan Chaohua, who was staring straight at her. That day, when she went to the princess's residence with Xuan Yuan Chaohua, she had imagined the aloof Princess Shuangxia to be a very serious person, but in reality, she was a very kind one. Everyone in the princess's residence treated her very well, and her anxious heart gradually calmed down. General Xuan Yuan had always been renowned, but after getting to know him, she realized he was truly an excellent man. He was extremely filial to his grandmother, and excelled in both literature and martial arts. At the princess's residence, she even had Xuan Yuan Chaohua teach her a few moves, which she studied extensively and felt seemed to have improved her martial arts skills. She admired this man greatly, and from a young woman's perspective, Xuan Yuan Chaohua truly deserved to be the ideal husband for all unmarried women in the Ming Dynasty—he was simply too outstanding, so outstanding that it made her feel somewhat ashamed of herself.
Lü Yan smiled and said, "Compared to General Xuanyuan's achievements, what is there for a woman like me to admire? There are not many things that I am so attached to, and my bond with my sister is something I cannot sever. I hope General Xuanyuan will forgive me."
Xuanyuan Chaohua gazed silently at Lüyan, increasingly feeling that Lüyan resembled Ouyang Yue, but...
Green Yan looked at Xuan Yuan Chaohua with a puzzled expression. She sensed that Xuan Yuan Chaohua seemed to have something to say but couldn't bring himself to say it, so she couldn't help but say, "General Xuan Yuan, please feel free to say whatever you want to say."
Xuanyuan Chaohua looked at Lüyan and took a deep breath, saying, "I am somewhat moved by a girl like Lüyan." Lüyan's heart trembled, and her face turned even redder. She looked at Xuanyuan Chaohua with sparkling eyes, but the next moment, Xuanyuan Chaohua's words made her stiffen. "I do like Lüyan, I like your beauty, I like your persistence and dedication, and I also like your personality in many ways, but none of these feelings are enough to hurt my sister."
"General Xuanyuan, what are you saying? How could I hurt Princess Chen? Princess Chen agreed to help me, I'm overjoyed, how could I hurt her?" Green Beauty's eyes were full of hurt.
A hint of sadness flashed in Xuan Yuan Chao Hua's eyes, but he said, "It is very touching that Miss Lü Yan traveled all the way to the dangerous capital to save your sister who is so close to you. However, the matter you asked Yue'er to help you with may put Yue'er in extreme danger, which is something I cannot allow."
Lu Yan was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "Even with the status of Prince Chen, Princess Chen, General Xuanyuan, and Princess Shuangxia, they can't save my sister?" Although Lu Yan had learned a lot from her father since she was a child, she had never lived in the capital and knew nothing about the dangers in the palace. She didn't have a deep understanding of it, but Xuanyuan Chaohua understood it very well.
"What I'm saying might hurt Miss Lüyan's feelings, but my sister is someone I've searched for with great difficulty. As her brother, I've missed many years, leaving her to live in pain. Every time I think about the life she might have had, I blame myself for not protecting her properly and not finding her sooner. My sister is doing well now, and I don't want her to get involved in this kind of thing and encounter danger. It's normal that you don't know about the palace or the significance of Fenyan's existence, but I hope you'll give up the idea of asking my sister for help. She's willing to risk her life for me, but I, as her brother, cannot let her do the same." Xuan Yuan Chaohua looked deeply at Lüyan. She liked this woman very much. Perhaps others had also noticed that, given Ouyang Yue's personality, she appeared to be a very cold person, but for those she cared about, she was capable of anything.
If it weren't for his connection, his sister would never have heeded Lü Yan's request. Ouyang Yue was not only responsible for herself, but she was also Baili Chen's wife. If this matter were to be carried out but failed, not only him and his sister, but even Prince Baili Chen would have to endure Emperor Mingxian's wrath. This was an extremely embarrassing situation, and even Baili Chen could not guarantee his safety. If the matter were exposed, he would be the one who harmed his sister and brother-in-law.
Even though he liked the woman in front of him, he couldn't let this happen. He knew that saying these words would leave a knot in Lü Yan's heart. The two had only known each other for a short time and were only at the stage of mutual affection. His words completely ruined any possibility. But for his sister's sake, this was something he had to do!
Green Beauty trembled upon hearing this, tears welling in her eyes. She looked at Xuan Yuan Chaohua through blurry vision, a self-deprecating smile playing on her lips. Finally regaining her composure, she gently wiped away her tears and whispered, "I'm sorry. I overthought things. I was so eager to rescue my sister that I overlooked the dangers. General Xuan Yuan is right. To make Princess Chen take such a great risk for someone I don't even know is indeed asking too much. But at the time, I only thought that Princess Chen might be able to save my sister, so I didn't think much of it. Now, thinking about it, it's no wonder my sister didn't want me to save her. I'm incompetent, and my impulsive actions only caused trouble for others. I'm truly utterly useless."
Xuanyuan Chaohua opened his face, a hint of hurt flashing in his eyes. Lüyan smiled at Xuanyuan Chaohua: "General Xuanyuan, you are truly the best man I have ever met. You are passionate and decisive, and you dote on your younger sister. If I had an older brother, perhaps my sister and I wouldn't have had such a hard life. I really envy Princess Chen. General Xuanyuan, don't worry, I've thought it through. I was indeed too hasty in this matter. I still insist on rescuing my sister, but I won't be so impulsive in the future. I will find a way myself."
Xuanyuan Chaohua looked at Lüyan but remained silent.
When everyone returned for lunch and gathered together, Ouyang Yue and the others noticed something strange about Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Lü Yan. However, Leng Caiwen, Baili Chen, and Dai Yu tried to get some answers through subtle questioning, but to no avail. Lü Yan kept laughing it off, which only made everyone more worried. At the table, Qi Qi seemed the only one who appeared truly happy. Anyone with eyes could see that she liked Xuan Yuan Chaohua, even though she hadn't said it aloud; her eyes and demeanor betrayed her feelings.
Looking at this somewhat complicated love triangle, Li Rushuang felt a sudden tightness in her heart for some reason.
After lunch, Xuan Yuan Chaohua, Dai Yu, Li Rushuang, Qi Qi and Lü Yan left together. Dai Yu had official business to attend to and parted ways outside the Prince Chen's residence. Xuan Yuan Chaohua personally escorted Li Rushuang back to her residence before taking the two women back to the Princess's residence. However, the next day he discovered that Lü Yan had left, leaving only a note expressing her gratitude for the Princess's residence's hospitality over the past few days, Xuan Yuan Chaohua's concern, and his kindness. She remembered all of this, but she had other matters to attend to and could not stay any longer.
Clearly, Lü Yan understood Xuan Yuan Chao Hua's concerns. Leaving like this meant she wouldn't abandon saving Fen Yan, but she also didn't want to burden others. However, she was all alone, and just a woman; what could she do? Xuan Yuan Chao Hua was extremely worried and sent people everywhere to search for Lü Yan, but when someone intentionally hides, they're not so easy to find.
As time went by, Green Beauty was still not found, but the day came for Xuan Yuan Chao Hua and Ouyang Zhi De to leave the capital.
It was already the height of summer, yet two groups of people were bidding each other a reluctant farewell at the city gate. Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide were leaving through the same gate. On one side were a group from the Princess's Mansion and the Prince Chen's Mansion, while on the other side were a group from the General's Mansion. Ouyang Yue first exchanged a few heartfelt words with Ouyang Zhide before looking at Xuan Yuan Chaohua. Sitting on his crimson Akhal-Teke horse, Xuan Yuan Chaohua was so majestic and handsome that even the maids from the Princess's Mansion, who had come out with Princess Shuangxia and were used to seeing Xuan Yuan Chaohua, couldn't help but be somewhat infatuated.
Ouyang Yue could sense a hint of worry in Xuan Yuan Chaohua's eyes: "Brother, don't worry, the prince and I will send people to find Lüyan as soon as possible, and we won't let her do anything foolish."
Xuanyuan Chaohua sighed, "It's this matter that's causing my sister worry."
Ouyang Yue said with dissatisfaction, "Brother, we are siblings, why are you saying such formal things? You must remember to be careful and not forget that there is Grandmother and me in the capital. You must protect yourself for our sake, understand?"
Xuanyuan Chaohua's eyes were full of tenderness: "Okay, brother will always remember. Grandmother, your grandson is leaving now. Please take care." He then looked solemnly at Princess Shuangxia. Then the sound of horses' hooves pounding the ground rang out, and soon the two troop units left.
"Let's go back." Ouyang Yue felt uneasy. She hadn't actually spent much time with Xuan Yuan Chaohua, only a little over a year in total, but this brother had given her all his love. Ouyang Yue was so smart, how could she not understand why Lü Yan suddenly left when she agreed to save her sister? Her brother had sacrificed his own happiness for her. This made her feel a little guilty towards her brother Lü Yan, and she even ordered an investigation into Lü Yan's whereabouts.
On this very day, Li Rushuang and Qi Qi arranged to go shopping together. However, not long after they left, they rushed into the Chen Prince's residence, accompanied by a woman dressed in green. Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue were talking in the hall when they were startled by their sudden appearance. Just as they were about to speak upon seeing the unfamiliar woman, Li Rushuang exclaimed, "Yue'er, do you know who I met on the street? Lüyan, really Lüyan!" Li Rushuang was probably too anxious, and her words were somewhat incoherent. But after she finished speaking, she pushed the woman beside her forward, an action that everyone understood.
Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue were both stunned when they saw this unfamiliar woman who was supposedly Lü Yan. Ouyang Yue's expression changed drastically, and a strong sense of unease rose in her heart: "What did you say! The real Lü Yan! She is the real Lü Yan, then the previous one was a fake Lü Yan? What is going on?!"
☆, Chapter 195: Framed, Arrested! (Highly Recommended!)
From the moment the strange woman entered the room, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yuexin felt inexplicably nervous, while Li Rushuang and Qi Qi were also flushed. However, when Ouyang Yue asked them a question, they were at a loss for words.
Seeing this, Baili Chen quickly pulled Ouyang Yue aside and said, "Tell me the reason behind this."
Li Rushuang took a deep breath and said, "It's like this. Before, Miss Qi and I went shopping on the street, hoping to take this opportunity to have a good look around. Of course, it would be even better if we could find Lüyan. However, we both thought that finding Lüyan wouldn't be easy. She's deliberately avoiding us." Qi Qi didn't intend to stay in the capital for too long when she first came. Actually, she should have left with Xuanyuan Chaohua, but Xuanyuan Chaohua was leading a team back to Lianguan, and they had to travel quickly along the way. In addition, due to the difference between men and women, it was inconvenient for Qi Qi to go. Afterwards, Princess Shuangxia would send someone to escort Qi Qi back to the border. These past few days, Li Rushuang has been acting as a tour guide, showing Qi Qi around. Of course, this is only one reason. Because Lüyan's matter is troubling, it would be good for them to take the opportunity to look for Lüyan while traveling. So the two of them have been out for the past two days.
But today, something big happened. They went out to buy some daily necessities, and then took Qi Qi to a restaurant to eat. Just as they were thinking of choosing some things for Ouyang Yue and secretly looking for places where Lü Yan might go, a commotion broke out outside the restaurant. Naturally, the two were curious, so they went down to see what was going on. To their surprise, a girl in green was arguing with a young man. The girl in green was pointing at a trembling woman next to her and accusing the young man.
It turned out that this young man was trying to harass someone, and the girl in green happened to witness it. The girl in green had a good sense of justice, so she stepped forward and said a few words. The young man, however, claimed that the woman was his. The girl in green asked a few more questions, and the woman actually nodded in fear, which put the girl in green in an awkward position. The young man was insulting her and even tried to take her away. The girl in green's face changed drastically, and she turned to run away, but the young man grabbed her. As time went on, more and more people gathered around the two of them, which led to the scene at that time.
This wasn't the first such incident in the capital. Li Rushuang and Qi Qi hadn't paid much attention to it initially. Li Rushuang was a sentimental person, but not reckless. Just as she was considering whether to help the woman, the playboy suddenly called out to the girl in green, Lü Yan. The two exchanged a glance, their hearts tightening inexplicably. Just as the playboy was about to commit evil, Li Rushuang and Qi Qi finally decided to save the girl first. Although this would put them at odds with the playboy, they needed to resolve their doubts. After rescuing the girl in green, they asked her the question.
However, this woman was not only really named Lüyan, but she also had an older sister. She had also come to the capital to find her sister. The two women immediately looked unwell. Moreover, both Lüyans could not only name Fenyan, but also knew every detail of their past lives without missing a single detail. It was as if they had the same memories. However, one of them must be a fake Lüyan. Although Fenyan admitted it, she only had one younger sister.
Ouyang Yue's eyes narrowed, and she couldn't help but look at the unfamiliar woman in the hall. This woman was dressed in green, tall and slender, with a perfect figure. Her face wasn't as delicate as Lü Yan's, whom they had met before, but it was still pretty, with bright eyes. More importantly, Ouyang Yue saw the shadow of Fen Yan in Lü Yan; the two were very similar in their eyes and brows. Ouyang Yue's heart sank: "Miss, you say your name is Lü Yan, but do you have any proof?"
Green Beauty looked at these people, bewildered and somewhat exasperated: "What's going on here? You kidnapped me out of the blue and asked if I was real or fake. Of course I'm real! Do you think there's a fake one who looks exactly like me? You guys are really..."
Ouyang Yue said, "That's right. We did receive a girl named Lü Yan before. She came to the capital to find her older sister. She wanted to take her sister away and she was also quite skilled in martial arts." As she said this, Ouyang Yue's eyes flashed with a cold light, carrying a hint of icy intent.
Green Beauty paused for a moment, then said, "I don't know martial arts. I did learn some fancy moves for self-defense at the academy, but I wouldn't say I'm very good at them." Then, realizing something was amiss, she exclaimed, "You mentioned another Green Beauty? Who is she? She chased after me! Where is she now?!"
"That Miss Lvyan has already left."
"What! She left? Why did she leave? What if someone else sends someone to find me and ask me to offer myself to them? That would be terrible! What should I do?!" Green Beauty's face stiffened.
Ouyang Yue suddenly narrowed her eyes and looked at the girl named Lüyan: "To be honest, I have already mentioned this matter to Consort Fen in the palace. Consort Fen and the previous girl Lüyan have already recognized each other. Could it be that you are also trying to take advantage of this situation to gain some benefits?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? I did this to save my sister. Besides, I have something to help her recognize me." As she spoke, she hurriedly turned around and suddenly pulled out a jade pendant. Ouyang Yue's eyes narrowed as she looked at it. Chuncao handed the jade pendant to Ouyang Yue, who looked at it and smiled faintly, "This jade pendant is fake."
"Fake! That's impossible! I always carry this jade pendant with me, how could it be fake! Absolutely impossible!" Green Beauty's expression changed instantly as she shouted angrily, "Give it back to me! Give the jade pendant back to me now!"
"Guards, there is a thief here who is impersonating someone else and trying to deceive people. Lock her up first, and I will think about what to do later."
"Let me go! What right do you have to arrest me? Let me go! You bastards, let me go!" Green Beauty struggled and shouted angrily as she was being held down, but her voice gradually faded into the distance.
"What does my wife plan to do?" Baili Chen asked immediately.
Ouyang Yue said to him, "Husband, this jade pendant is indeed much rougher than the previous one; it's fake."
Li Rushuang immediately said, "So, the original Lüyan was the real one? Then what is this fake one doing here now? Is it because she found out we're looking for Lüyan, and is she trying to sneak in and get some benefits?"
Ouyang Yue replied, "The jade pendant is fake, but I didn't say she was the fake Lüyan."
"Was the previous one fake?" Qi Qi listened from the side, and her expression changed drastically, becoming extremely ugly.
“That’s right. If she were clearly impersonating Lü Yan, what would her purpose be, what would her reason be? And when I deliberately mentioned the real and fake Lü Yan, she not only didn’t panic, but kept trying to prove herself with something. If it were fake, she would never take out the jade pendant knowing it was fake. The only possibility is that even she didn’t know the jade pendant was fake. So she is more likely to be real. Otherwise, this person is not to be underestimated; her acting skills are so remarkable.” Ouyang Yue said calmly.
Qi Qi couldn't help but ask, "Then... then why did the fake Lü Yan deliberately approach me? What was her purpose?" Qi Qi's face was pale. Back then, she had secretly left the border, intending to go to the capital to find Xuan Yuan Chao Hua. Who knew that she would encounter danger on the way? At this time, the fake Lü Yan appeared in a righteous manner to protect her. Although Qi Qi lived on the border, not only her brother but also many border generals took good care of her because she was young and a woman. Qi Qi's nature was actually very simple, and she never thought of all the twists and turns involved.
Not to mention Qi Qi, even Ouyang Yue and the others didn't have much suspicion. Firstly, Qi Qi's relationship with Xuan Yuan Chaohua made people instinctively believe that Qi Qi wouldn't do anything to harm Xuan Yuan Chaohua, thus putting their minds at ease with Lü Yan. Secondly, Lü Yan and Fen Yan's accounts were presented convincingly from both sides, making it difficult to doubt Lü Yan. However, because of the mahjong, she forgot to do one thing: bring Lü Yan into the palace. It wasn't impossible at the time, but Ouyang Yue felt it wasn't the best approach. Given Lü Yan's personality, if something happened in the palace, it would not only alert the enemy but might also implicate Ouyang Yue. Therefore, she only wanted to sound out Fen Yan's intentions, but this turned out to be one of her mistakes.
Baili Chen frowned and said, "The most important thing now is to figure out why this Lü Yan deliberately approached us, what her purpose was, and where she could have gone so suddenly." Baili Chen's men had been sent out, but there was no news of the fake Lü Yan, which was very unusual.
"Smack!"
"Oh no!" Ouyang Yue suddenly slammed her hand on the table beside her. "Quick, let's go to the Princess's residence first. I have something to say to my grandmother." Ouyang Yue's face showed a hint of anxiety. After speaking, she walked out. Seeing that she was so anxious, Baili Chen immediately followed. Li Rushuang and Qi Qi also hurriedly ran after her.
Upon arriving at the Princess's residence, Ouyang Yue went straight to Shuangxue Pavilion. It was Princess Shuangxia's rest time, and normally Ouyang Yue would have waited for her to wake up first. But this time, she couldn't wait! She rushed into the inner hall, startling the old nanny, Shan. Princess Mingyue was usually extremely composed and calm, so why was she in such a hurry this time? Moreover… She was startled and quickly said, "Princess Mingyue, you mustn't! The Princess has just fallen asleep. She doesn't sleep well, and she has only just managed to fall asleep. You mustn't disturb her rest!"
Ouyang Yue pushed him aside and said urgently, "Move aside, I have something to say to my grandmother."
"Princess Mingyue, oh dear, what's wrong with you..." Granny Shan was about to stop her when a lazy yet authoritative voice came from inside. It was Princess Shuangxia's voice. Upon hearing the voice, Ouyang Yue rushed in, followed by Granny Shan, whose expression was not good. Although Princess Shuangxia doted on Ouyang Yue, it did not mean that Ouyang Yue could be ignorant of etiquette.
Princess Shuangxia was taken aback when she saw Ouyang Yue running in. She seemed surprised that something could make Ouyang Yue so anxious. At this moment, Princess Shuangxia was sitting on the edge of the bed fully clothed. Ouyang Yue hurriedly went over and said, "Grandmother, I suspect that my brother may be in danger. I know that you have something to communicate with my brother. Now we need to write a letter as soon as possible to let my brother know what is happening in the capital."
Princess Shuangxia, who had been sitting calmly, paused for a moment upon hearing this, then asked anxiously, "Chaohua is in danger! What exactly happened?"
Ouyang Yue didn't care about any of that. She just said, "Grandmother, I'll tell you about these things later. But right now, the most important thing is to let my brother know about the news from the capital. You send the message out first, and then I'll tell you."
Seeing Ouyang Yue's reaction, Princess Shuangxia knew this was no simple matter and immediately said, "Ah Da." As soon as Princess Shuangxia finished speaking, a man in black flashed into the room. This man in black was the one who had stood up for Ouyang Yue at the Ning Mansion. Ouyang Yue didn't have time to deal with him now. She turned around and ran to the desk on one side of the room, picked up paper and pen and started writing. Then she put the paper into an envelope and sealed it with three layers of security measures. There were two envelopes in total.