Isn't this just another form of self-mockery? The Empress Dowager is so worried that she's exhausted herself. If you don't say she's guilty, probably no one would believe it.
Today, Ouyang Yue seized this opportunity and planned to use it to humiliate the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager's expression changed, and she smiled again, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Instead, her eyes stared at you with a sinister look. The ladies and young women of the various mansions behind her could not see this. If they had, they would have been frightened by this sinister expression and become even more convinced of their decision.
"I know you are a filial child. You may all leave now. I have a few words to say to Princess Chen." After all, they are relatives, and with the Empress Dowager's order, who would dare disobey?
As everyone withdrew, Granny Zhan couldn't help but smile as she saw them off, saying, "The roads are slippery with the snow, ladies and young ladies, please be careful on your way back."
One of the ladies smiled and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Granny Zhan."
Granny Zhan was somewhat puzzled. These people spoke so nicely, yet they were all huddled outside the Empress Dowager's tent, refusing to leave. What were they planning to do? She couldn't help but ask, "Ladies and young ladies, what is this...?"
"Oh, it's nothing, just enjoying the snow scenery here." She said with a smile, looking around. However, the Empress Dowager and Emperor Mingxian's tent was surrounded and protected. There were tents all around, so what good snow scenery could there be to see? This was clearly just an excuse. Zhan Mama's eyes turned cold and she stopped talking. But she had no choice. Her body was getting cold and she had to stay here to keep them company. She couldn't be impolite.
Inside the tent, the Empress Dowager looked at Ouyang Yue with a cold smile: "I have always known that you are a smart person."
"Thank you for the compliment, Grandmother. I dare not accept such praise." Once everyone left, the two of them stopped pretending to be so affectionate, and their expressions became indifferent.
"You may be clever, but you shouldn't be my enemy. Today you even brought these people to ridicule and mock me. This behavior is extremely foolish and laughable." The Empress Dowager looked coldly at Ouyang Yue, her eyes unfathomable. Anyone else would tremble with fear under the Empress Dowager's gaze, but Ouyang Yue was not among them.
"Grandmother, what are you saying? As a junior, I admire you from the bottom of my heart. How could I dare to ridicule or mock you? Grandmother, please don't frighten your granddaughter-in-law anymore. I'm very timid. I'm afraid I'll fall ill and be bedridden when I get back. I won't dare to come and pay my respects to you again." Ouyang Yue said fearfully, but her face was full of mockery.
The Empress Dowager sat up, her face no longer pale. She simply gazed at Ouyang Yue quietly: "You are indeed a clever person, but the only thing you're not clever about is that you don't know how to please me. Instead, you oppose me. Do you understand?"
At this moment, Dongxue brought over a chair and placed it down. Ouyang Yue slowly sat down, her posture very upright, as if she had demonstrated it countless times. She was very elegant and beautiful. Ouyang Yue suddenly said, "Going against you is not smart? Hehe, the Empress Dowager is indeed very domineering and tyrannical."
The Empress Dowager was not surprised by Ouyang Yue's change in address. She simply glanced at Ouyang Yue indifferently and said, "You only realize this now?"
“Yes, I should have known sooner, but I’m a sentimental person and don’t like to doubt others too much, so I only recently figured out the Empress Dowager’s true nature. The Empress Dowager is one of the smartest women I’ve ever met. I’ve only just figured it out, and you’ve already started to act without mercy. But those who actively harm others can never escape punishment, so I’ve managed to escape unscathed. On the contrary, the Empress Dowager brought this trouble upon herself. Don’t you think this is reaping what you sow, and retribution is inevitable?” Ouyang Yue looked at the Empress Dowager with a smile.
The Empress Dowager sneered: "Reap what you sow? I have been fighting in the palace for many years. Such words are the most useless. I only know that if you want something, you have to fight for it yourself. And anything can happen in the process of fighting for it. This time is just a failure, not a complete defeat. There will be many more battles to come. Are you afraid that you will not have the chance to taste the bitterness of losing to me?"
Ouyang Yue shook her head and said, "You're right. I really don't want to try it. I do hope that the Empress Dowager can savor its wonderful taste."
Tai Leng remained silent upon hearing this, while Ouyang Yue slowly spoke: "Actually, the Empress Dowager knows very well why I came today. I have also cooperated in talking with you for so long. Now can you tell me where Ru Shuang is? What have you done to her?"
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow: "Li Rushuang? The Li Rushuang from the Ministry of War? How did you know I would know?"
Ouyang Yue's expression was serious: "Let's not beat around the bush, Your Majesty, please speak frankly. What have you done to her? Your Majesty is not a fool, on the contrary, you are quite clever. Ru Shuang is indeed one of your methods to deal with me, but it is not a very smart one. Jiang Xuan just had an accident. If Ru Shuang has an accident as well, do you think your reputation will be good? Although the position of Empress Dowager is extremely noble, it is not invincible. Is it necessary for Your Majesty to do this just to lure me here?"
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly: "You are indeed very clever. That's right. I had someone lure her away, but so what? You are confident in your intelligence, so go find her." The Empress Dowager tilted her head slightly and sneered, "However, I advise you to act quickly. In this freezing weather, if you wait too long, even if Li Rushuang is found, she will be half-dead. When Xuanyuan Chaohua returns soon, he will only marry a cripple."
Ouyang Yue's face was cold, her eyes like frost. She looked at the Empress Dowager with a deep gaze, as if sharp ice knives were constantly radiating from her eyes. The Empress Dowager sat there, covered with a quilt, but stared at her with a half-smile: "What, aren't you going to go find someone? If you don't go now, you may not have another chance. Now it seems that your friendship with her is nothing more than this."
Ouyang Yue stood up, looking down at the Empress Dowager, her voice as cold as ice: "I hate it when people threaten me, especially when they threaten me with their friends and family. I have never been a kind person. If anyone dares to bully, humiliate, or harm me, I will retaliate tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold. You should also be prepared. I never show mercy to my enemies. Jiang Xuan's fate may be your fate as well."
The Empress Dowager was suddenly startled: "What do you mean? You have nothing to do with Jiang Xuan's affairs. You're the one who harmed her!"
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Wrong! It was Mei who harmed Jiang Xuan, that's a fact that everyone can see. I didn't make a move, I just dodged it. Don't say I'm wrong. Empress Dowager, do you know that the most tragic thing in this world is to spend your whole life longing, yearning, and fighting, but you never get what you want most until you die. And you... what do you want most?"
The Empress Dowager's expression changed drastically, but she remained silent. Ouyang Yue gently touched the corner of her lips: "Perhaps I can guess, perhaps I can't, but none of that matters. Do you think that your scheme to frame my grandfather back then was just for nothing? You are clever, and you will stop at nothing to achieve your goals. You even thought about betraying the late emperor. Every single thing you did will lead to your utter ruin."
The Empress Dowager sneered: "Unfortunately, you won't have any evidence."
Ouyang Yue sighed softly, "It is a person's virtue to know his own limitations. I now know that you will lose because of your arrogance and ambition. Do you want to take the bet?" After saying that, Ouyang Yue left without waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak. She took Dongxue and left.
The Empress Dowager sat on the bed, her face gloomy, her expression constantly changing, her chest heaving, and her breathing somewhat rapid. As soon as Ouyang Yue left, the ladies and young misses naturally followed. When Zhan Mama entered at this moment, she was taken aback. The Empress Dowager was always a very self-disciplined and extraordinary person, and it was rare to see her like this.
"Empress Dowager..."
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes: "This Ouyang Yue is indeed a formidable character, so we must not let her live. This time, she must die here." The Empress Dowager clearly felt the great threat posed by Ouyang Yue, especially after her words before leaving. She had considerable ambition, which she had painstakingly cultivated for half her life. She was determined to succeed and would not allow anyone to thwart it. She would not let anyone who posed even the slightest threat slip by.
Granny Zhan was taken aback: "But Your Majesty, Jiang Xuan just had an accident. If something else happens to her, I'm afraid it won't be good..."
The Empress Dowager shook her head: "No, I can't worry about that now. I'll only be at ease once I've dealt with her. I don't care about what happens after that. Even if it's a bit troublesome, it won't delay me. Go and summon someone. I have something to tell you."
Granny Zhan hesitated, but dared not disobey.
On the other side, as soon as Ouyang Yue turned around and stepped out from behind the screen, she suddenly reached out and poked her eyes. Then she came out with a handkerchief slightly covering her face. When Zhan Mama saw her, she bowed and went inside, so she didn't see the handkerchief that Ouyang Yue took off in an instant. Her eyes were very red, as if she had just been crying. Ouyang Yue's shoulders trembled slightly. She was stunned when she saw so many people outside. She quickly covered her face with the handkerchief, looking as if she hadn't expected these people to still be here.
However, Ouyang Yue's actions were truly self-deceptive. Many people, seeing her red and swollen eyes from crying, initially thought she might be crying because she was worried about the Empress Dowager's condition. But her attempt to cover it up only made people anxious; this was impossible. If she were simply crying because she was worried about the Empress Dowager, that would be filial piety, not shameful, but rather an honorable thing, worthy of being publicized. Clearly, her evasive behavior suggested otherwise. Had this Princess Consort of Chen suffered some injustice from the Empress Dowager, and now she felt ashamed to show this in front of everyone?
The more they thought about it, the more likely it seemed. They couldn't help but wonder what the Empress Dowager had said to Princess Chen that made her sound so aggrieved and distressed.
Many people are wondering why the Empress Dowager didn't look too good when Princess Chen was speaking with her earlier. Could it be that the Empress Dowager is trying to pin the blame for what happened before on Princess Chen? Yesterday, when the incident occurred, the Empress Dowager seemed to be trying to use Ouyang Yue as a scapegoat. Does the Empress Dowager have some old grudge against Princess Chen? Or is the Empress Dowager really that vicious? If it were the Empress Dowager, it might be easier to handle; Emperor Mingxian, holding the position of Empress Dowager, wouldn't just hand her over to Daqian for arbitrary punishment. But with someone else, it's different; this is a certain death sentence.
Mei was also destined to die, but her status was not enough to appease Da Gan. If it were Princess Chen, it would be a completely different story, but Princess Chen was utterly innocent.
Although many people dared not speak the truth at the time to protect themselves, they all saw it clearly: Princess Jiang Xuan's death was entirely Mei's fault. How could the Empress Dowager so easily wrong an innocent person? Where had her original benevolence gone? Or does the Empress Dowager only reveal her truly selfish and vicious side when faced with her own problems?
They went back in small groups to exchange information and then told their families what they had learned.
In their view, if the Empress Dowager's reputation for benevolence was truly widespread, it would only benefit them. However, if she possessed such a vicious nature and was adept at disguising herself for so many years without being discovered, it would be truly terrifying. Just like with the Princess Consort of Chen, the Empress Dowager seemed to be a petty person who liked to settle scores later. After all, the person who spoke back then had offended the Empress Dowager, and they couldn't let her settle scores later, or they would be in trouble.
In that instant, people scattered in twos and threes. Ouyang Yue gently touched her handkerchief, her eyes still red from the tears that naturally fell from the pain, but she had a faint smile on her face: "Is there any news from Ru Shuang?"
"Your Highness, most of the people have already been sent out to search, and the Minister of War has also sent word that they are looking for her. Do you think the Empress Dowager is really going to punish Miss Li?" Dongxue frowned. If that were the case, Ouyang Yue would have a hard time explaining herself. Li Rushuang was not only her friend, but also her future sister-in-law. If something really happened to her, it would be difficult to explain to her brother Xuanyuan Chaohua and the Minister of War's family. Dongxue was also very concerned about this.
Ouyang Yue's eyes suddenly turned icy: "I'm not surprised by what this woman is capable of. She has boundless ambition, and for that ambition, she is willing to sacrifice everything and everyone around her, including her own body."
Dongxue's heart stirred. Back then, the Empress Dowager had considered offering herself to win over Xuanyuan Hu, already abandoning her dignity as a woman. What else wouldn't she do? Dongxue even wondered if the Empress Dowager's favored position and immense power in the palace had been partly due to her being a mistress. Although the palace was heavily guarded and everyone had a clear role, she was also aware of the dark power struggles within. For example, there was the practice of palace maids and eunuchs having affairs, and even palace maids having affairs with guards. Not only them, but some concubines, unable to bear the loneliness, had also had affairs with guards and officials. Of course, some were genuine, some were simply unable to endure the loneliness, and some were framed.
However, one thing is certain: anything can happen in the palace.
Dongxue wondered, the late emperor's death was rather sudden, which was one of the reasons why Emperor Mingxian's reign was unstable and he was almost assassinated. Could the Empress Dowager have also done something to this?
Ouyang Yue was determined to find Li Rushuang. Her previous visit to the Empress Dowager was also intended to test the waters. The Empress Dowager's last words were a mix of truth and falsehood, but they allowed Ouyang Yue to glean some subtle information.
Half an hour later, Dongxue rushed over: "Your Highness, there is news that Miss Li may have gone to the mountains to the north?"
"The mountain to the north? How many people have seen it? It's probably certain."
Dongxue shook her head: "I can't be entirely sure."
"No, send some people to search first. You take a team and come with me to look." Ouyang Yue stood up, but at that moment, snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue took advantage of the snowy weather and decided that it would be better for everyone to return to their tents to carry out their mission.
This hunting ground is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with towering peaks to the north making it the most dangerous place. So even if Ouyang Yue knew there was some conspiracy involved, she still had to go. She was the one who brought Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Li Rushuang together. She wanted them to be happy, and she also wanted them to be safe. Li Rushuang's accident was clearly the Empress Dowager's way of targeting her. Because of her, this matter was inextricably linked to her, and she couldn't let anything happen to Li Rushuang.
Baili Chen and the others were summoned by Emperor Mingxian early in the morning. Although Emperor Mingxian entrusted the matter to the Empress Dowager, it was a matter concerning two countries, so Emperor Mingxian had to consult with his court officials beforehand to think of a good solution.
Ouyang Yue led Dongxue through the snow. The snow had just stopped, and now it was snowing again. It seemed they really wouldn't be able to leave this place for a while. If Li Rushuang were locked up in some cave or somewhere, she could easily freeze to death in the long run.
"If that doesn't work, we'll go to the Emperor to borrow troops. We must find Ru Shuang."
"Yes, Your Highness, I understand." Dongxue and several others protected Ouyang Yue, walking closely towards the North Mountain.
Braving the wind and snow, Dongxue said, "Your Highness, isn't something amiss here? I think the Empress Dowager is deliberately trying to lure you there."
Ouyang Yue nodded: "This Empress Dowager is very cunning. She may have calculated all my reactions to this matter. But she is also a ruthless person. If she is given the opportunity, Ru Shuang will really lose her life. To save Ru Shuang, even if it is a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, I must go."
Dongxue nodded slightly, deeply moved and admiring Ouyang Yue's unwavering commitment to friendship. As an assassin, she had made a living by killing since she was old enough to understand things. Although they had comrades-in-arms in the First Assassin Alliance, Dongxue didn't have many friends. She couldn't help but feel envious. It was Li Rushuang's good fortune to have a friend like her master to protect her.
"Master, there are people ahead," Dongxue suddenly said.
Two people came running from afar. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Dongxue who had been sent out to search for someone. The two immediately knelt down, but Ouyang Yue quickly waved her hand and said, "No need for formalities. What have you found out?"
“Master, it’s snowing again now, which will cover up the footprints that have been there before. If we wait any longer, we may miss them. I found several sets of footprints on a dangerous peak in the North Mountain, including the footprints of two women. They look like they were just made.”
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Yue's eyes lit up: "Take me up quickly, this is very likely left by Ru Shuang."
“Master, that mountain is extremely dangerous. For your safety, I should go up there myself. I will do my best to rescue Miss Li.” The person who reported this said with a slight change in expression.
Ouyang Yue shook her head: "No need, let's talk about it when we get up there." Seeing that Ouyang Yue insisted, the others had no choice but to lead the way.
At the same time, Baili Chen had just finished talking with Emperor Mingxian and others and returned with Leng Sha. However, he found no one in the tent and wondered, "Where did the princess go?"
A maid came and reported, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort heard that Miss Li had come looking for someone but did not know where she was, so she went out. She came back and stayed for a while before going out again with her people. The Princess Consort did not give any further details."
Upon hearing this, Baili Chen's brows furrowed tightly: "Li Rushuang has gone missing?! Leng Sha, quickly take men to find her, and bring the princess back first. I will take care of the rest. Don't let her take any risks."
"Moon!" Just then, a female voice suddenly came from outside. Baili Chen recognized the voice immediately. He quickly lifted the curtain and saw Li Rushuang standing there gracefully, though her face was a little pale: "How come you are here? Weren't you missing?"
Li Rushuang was also taken aback: "Where's Yue'er? I...I don't know what happened either..."
"Come in and explain in detail."
As soon as she sat down, Li Rushuang began to speak: "I originally came to find Yue'er, and coincidentally, a maid claiming to be from the Prince Chen's mansion came looking for me. I chatted with her for a few minutes and felt something was off. At that moment, the maid turned on me and started fighting. I was confident that I could defeat her, but then about ten more people appeared beside me. I was no match for them at all. However, they were very strange. They gagged me, covered my head, and took me somewhere I don't know. After walking around for a while, they suddenly threw me into a grove of low trees. It took a lot of effort to break free of the ropes binding my hands. I was afraid that Yue'er would worry, so I came back to find her."
Upon hearing this, Baili Chen fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "They didn't do anything to you; they just deliberately took you on a tour."
Li Rushuang also looked puzzled: "Yes, they just took me around. After they tampered with my hands and feet at the beginning, they tied me up, gagged me, and covered my head. They didn't hurt me anymore. What are they doing..."
"Oh no! Yue'er is in danger!" Upon hearing this, Baili Chen suddenly exclaimed, "Quickly, take me to the place where we fought before, and then recall the places we went through. Their real purpose is probably Yue'er. Leng Sha, quickly send someone to find the Princess Consort."
"Your Highness, the Princess Consort has sent everyone away to look for Miss Li." Leng Sha returned shortly after leaving, and his words caused both Baili Chen and Li Rushuang to change their expressions.
"Now we can only rely on you. We need to find Yue'er as soon as possible." Baili Chen's face was unusually serious. Li Rushuang didn't waste any words either. Although she had been lying in the snow for a long time and was extremely uncomfortable, Ouyang Yue's danger was the most important thing right now.
Ouyang Yue did send out quite a few people to search for Li Rushuang, but they were scattered, and the number of people protecting her was not necessarily large.
Although Ouyang Yue wasn't stupid, she possessed an instinctive fierceness towards those she cared about—a strong protectiveness. Even knowing there might be some conspiracy involved, she had no choice but to go for Li Rushuang's safety. This was why Baili Chen and Li Rushuang were worried. Ouyang Yue could be incredibly straightforward, especially when it came to those she cared about.
Everyone rushed off to find Ouyang Yue in a great hurry. Li Rushuang had to force herself to calm down and search for Ouyang Yue with her eyes closed. It would have been almost impossible for Baili Chen's men to find someone by their footprints in this snowy weather.
However, by the time they arrived at that place, an hour had already passed.
From afar, on the northern mountain ridge, Baili Chen could faintly hear sounds of alarm, anger, and fighting. His heart tightened, and he hurriedly said, "Quick, there they are!"
The group rushed up the mountain, only to find the ground covered in blood and several corpses, a testament to the intensity of the previous battle. Most of the dead were men dressed in black, indicating that Ouyang Yue's side hadn't suffered a major loss. However, before they could celebrate, they spotted two groups of people locked in fierce combat on the mountaintop.
One group was naturally led by Dong Xue, and the other was led by Ouyang Yue. At this time, neither of them had any subordinates around them. Each of them was surrounded by about ten men in black. Dong Xue was already injured in the arms and legs, but she was still fighting tenaciously against these men in black. Although Ouyang Yue was in a slightly better condition, she was also injured.
It turned out that when Ouyang Yue and Dongxue arrived at this place, a group of men in black suddenly rushed out. Most of them were searching for someone, and there were about a dozen people with them. However, there were a hundred or eighty men in black here. Outnumbered, they were at a disadvantage. Although they fought desperately and killed most of them, Ouyang Yue's men were either killed or seriously injured while protecting her. Now, only the two of them were left to fight.
"Quick, go help!"
When Baili Chen saw Ouyang Yue's injuries, his eyes widened in horror, and he rushed over to help.
However, the men in black were even more anxious than he was: "Quickly, push forward!"
Seeing Baili Chen and the others come to help, the men in black were shocked and angry. Suddenly, they shouted and all five of them struck out with their palms at Ouyang Yue, each aiming for her life. Ouyang Yue was shocked and hurriedly dodged. Then, the five men kicked her with their legs. No matter how fast Ouyang Yue moved, she could not avoid it and was kicked hard. However, the next moment, her expression changed drastically: "No!"
They were already close to a cliff edge, and she was about to be kicked off. Ouyang Yue quickly exerted her strength, trying to use her toes to fly upwards and grab the cliff: "Smash her down!"
The men in black suddenly cried out in alarm and anger. These men in black were clearly assassins. At this moment, the three of them suddenly rushed down, and two of them grabbed Ouyang Yue's hands and slammed her down the cliff.
Seeing this, Baili Chen turned pale and rushed to jump down to save them, but Leng Sha quickly hugged his waist tightly: "No, Master, this is a bottomless cliff, you can't."
"Get out! I want to save Yue'er, Yue'er!" Baili Chen's eyes widened, his pupils instantly filled with blood vessels, and he shouted angrily. He struggled to break free from Leng Sha's arm and was about to rush down when Leng Sha was struck by both palms at once, almost shattering his internal organs. He spat out blood, but held on tightly to Baili Chen. A patch of snow and gravel fell beside them, but it didn't make a sound at all.
This is the highest mountain in the area, extremely high and steep; a fall from it would result in being smashed to pieces: "No! Moon!"
Baili Chen screamed in anger and despair, while Li Rushuang had already collapsed on the ground, her face ashen: "Yue... Yue'er!"