Ouyang Yue was startled, biting her lip slightly and twisting her fingers slightly: "But Peach Blossom didn't bring enough money for her trip, and I'm afraid she doesn't have enough to pay for the room. How can I trouble Young Master Ning again and again? This makes Peach Blossom uneasy."
"Thump." Hong Xuetian suddenly lowered his body and knelt down in front of Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue was stunned, but Hong Xuetian had already reached out to take Ouyang Yue's hand. Ouyang Yue looked startled and was immediately pulled into Dongxue's arms.
Hong Xuetian was initially annoyed, but seeing Dongxue's cold expression and aloof features, he suppressed his displeasure. He thought to himself, "As expected of a young lady from the capital, even her maidservant has an extraordinary air about her, and she's fair-skinned and quite elegant. Once I win over Ning Taohua, I certainly won't let this cold-faced maid off the hook."
Hong Xuetian suddenly looked up at Ouyang Yue, his face full of sincerity, and said, "Miss Ning, please forgive my rudeness. Actually, I noticed you when you were strolling on the street earlier. Your stunning beauty and unparalleled grace deeply impressed me; even a single glance felt like an eternity. From the moment I arrived, I was convinced that you were my true love. Unable to suppress my longing, I boldly invited you upstairs. Although we haven't spent much time together, this brief time has only strengthened my belief that you are the woman I have been searching for all these years, the woman destined for me. I boldly confess my feelings to you, and I beg you to give me a chance to spend more time together. I am willing to go through fire and water for you. Please give me a chance to win your heart."
Ouyang Yue was startled and took a small step back, but Dongxue coldly shouted, "How dare you be so bold as to flirt with my young lady!"
Hong Xuetian shook his head: "No, this is absolutely not flirting. This is Xuetian's heartfelt desire. Xuetian simply cannot suppress his love for Miss Ning, so he dared to express his love so loudly. Miss Ning, Xuetian has no ill intentions, but when emotions run high, Xuetian simply cannot control himself. If Miss Ning does not grant Xuetian's request, Xuetian would rather jump off this building!" Hong Xuetian suddenly stood up, gave the blue-clad man beside him a wink, and then quickly ran towards the window.
The man in blue immediately cried out in alarm, "Young master, please don't! Young master, please don't do something rash! Miss Ning didn't say she wouldn't agree. Please calm down. You are learned, handsome, and devoted; what woman wouldn't fall for you? Miss Ning comes from the capital, is worldly-wise, and will surely recognize your excellence. Please give Miss Ning some time to consider. If you jump impulsively and get hurt, Miss Ning will be heartbroken. Can you bear to see Miss Ning grieve and shed tears for you?"
Hong Xuetian turned to Ouyang Yue with a sorrowful expression: "Miss Ning, is that really what you think?"
Ouyang Yue almost burst out laughing at Hong Xuetian's performance. There weren't many situations that made her want to laugh out loud, but she had to admit that Hong Xuetian did have some acting talent. If he were in modern times, he would definitely be a skilled stage actor. Watching his performance with his blue-clad subordinate, a display of both singing and acting prowess, turning a fine young man into the male lead in a tragic love story, was truly laughable.
However, Hong Xuetian was quite handsome, and as the son of Hong Dabao, the local tyrant of this mountainous county, he could be considered a local prince. Earlier, when they were booking a room downstairs, the blue-clad man had made the waiter change his mind with just a glance. If it were any other ordinary woman, she would surely have been fooled by Hong Xuetian's affectionate demeanor. Little did she know how many women Hong Xuetian had used this trick on; judging from the smug gleam in his eyes, his performance had probably never failed.
Ouyang Yue naturally had to play along. She gently pushed Dongxue away, her face showing heartache: "Young Master Hong, why are you doing this? Peach Blossom has been persecuted to this extent. If Peach Blossom is with you and causes trouble for Young Master Hong, that is not what Peach Blossom wants." Looking at Hong Xuetian, she seemed moved, yet also reluctant, her appearance was very endearing.
Dongxue raised her eyebrows slightly, looking at Hong Xuetian and then at Ouyang Yue. She twitched her lips slightly. Why did she feel that her young mistress was getting addicted to acting?
"No, I'm not afraid, Miss Ning. Don't worry, as long as you give me your heart, Xue Tian will never let you down. I will arrange a very secluded place for you, and I will make sure your enemies can't find you." Hong Xue Tian excitedly walked over and grabbed Ouyang Yue's hand.
Ouyang Yue turned and tugged at Dongxue's sleeve: "But..." She hesitated, but finally gritted her teeth and shook her head, saying, "Young Master Hong hopes you can give me a day to think about it. Let's meet again at Xianghe Restaurant tomorrow morning. I will definitely give you an answer then. I'm sorry..." After saying that, she pulled Dongxue away.
Hong Xuetian reached out to pull her away, but a surge of resentment welled up inside him. He had thought he could get rid of Ning Taohua today, but it turned out he would have to wait another day. However, thinking of Ning Taohua's expression when she left, her delicate, fragile, and reluctant look, he felt it was worth waiting another day.
Just then, a man rushed in from outside. The man was dressed in a gray shirt. When he saw Hong Xuetian, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Young Master, you should go back quickly. The Master is waiting for you at the mansion. He said he has something important to tell you."
Hong Xuetian frowned: "What's wrong with Father now? Has he taken a fancy to some young lady again and wants me to seduce her? How old is he? He's still thinking about romance all the time. Can he even bring himself to do it?"
The man in gray looked embarrassed, but said, "I heard that news came from Red Maple Village. The master wants you to go back quickly."
"Red Maple Village? Oh, then let's hurry back." But as he was leaving, Hong Xuetian clicked his tongue at the house. He was determined to win over Ning Taohua tomorrow, and the thought of it made him incredibly excited.
Outside the Xianghe Restaurant, Dongxue looked at Ouyang Yue with a strange expression: "Miss, you..."
Ouyang Yue turned to look at her: "What do you want to say?"
Dongxue didn't know what to say, so she thought for a moment before saying, "Why is Miss using the old lady's maiden name, and why does she say it so fluently and seem so happy about it? I feel a bit strange about it."
Ouyang Yue laughed and said, "What's so strange about that? Don't you find it interesting?" Dongxue was slightly taken aback, then shook her head, puzzled. "This servant doesn't find it interesting at all."
Ouyang Yue sighed, "Just think about it, wouldn't it be interesting if Hong Xuetian went back and had erotic dreams while calling out Ning Taohua's name?"
Dongxue's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but recall that scene. Ouyang Yue's image in her mind was already deeply ingrained. So when she thought of Hong Xuetian rolling around on the bed calling Ning Taohua's name, she couldn't help but picture Old Ning and Hong Xuetian rolling around on the bed. Dongxue couldn't help but shiver from the cold, and she shuddered violently again.
She thought to herself that she could never let her mistress hold a grudge against her, no matter who else she offended or held a grudge against. She didn't know how her mistress's mind was formed; she could come up with all sorts of outlandish ideas. Who knew when she would be tricked by her? If Old Madam Ning of the General's Mansion found out about this, she would definitely be so angry that she would vomit blood. And that wasn't the end of it.
"Is Miss coming tomorrow?"
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Dongxue, I'm determined to take Red Maple Village. And since Hong Dabao and Hong Xuetian are involved with Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou, I have no reason to let them go. The real show is about to begin. I'm going to destroy everything they have. Aunt Hong has no place in the mansion now. If even her maternal family is wiped out, what do you think will happen to them?" If it weren't for Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou, she wouldn't have traveled all this way. Now that she's run into them, how can she not have some fun?
Her plan was absolutely going to make Hong Dabao and Hong Xuetian cry for their parents; she couldn't wait until tomorrow...
Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue returned to Red Maple Mountain via a small path. As soon as they arrived, they went into the village chief's house. They were discussing something, and the villagers continued to chat and laugh in small groups, unaware of the undercurrents. However, there was a pair of eyes in the crowd that watched Ouyang Yue and the village chief enter the room. Their eyes flashed, and a cold smile appeared on their lips.
At the entrance to the mountain town, dust billowed as three large horses roared in. The man on the lead horse was dressed entirely in black, the setting sun casting a cold light on his face. It turned out he wasn't just dressed in black; he also wore an iron mask, revealing only a pair of unfathomable black eyes. Two other men in black rode on either side of him, their faces cold and emotionless, their presence chilling and unsettling even from a distance—clearly not benevolent.
As soon as the three-man horse stopped, one of the men beside the Iron Mask immediately said, "Master, are we going into the county now, or should we find a room to rest first?"
The masked man slightly raised his head, his eyes sweeping across the street, his voice extremely low and cold: "Find someone first."
"Yes, Master." Leng Han's face darkened slightly. He really didn't understand why his master was chasing after that woman. What was so good about her? They had driven three horses to their deaths. It was truly hateful.
"Giddy up!" Although Leng Han was dissatisfied, he kicked the horse and galloped into the mountainside county. As the horse galloped along, the townspeople avoided him and pointed at him, but he didn't care. He made sure to stop and investigate every inn and restaurant he passed.
The masked man at the city gate narrowed his eyes. That woman had suddenly changed her route, causing him to go astray. She had better be smart and not let him find her so quickly, or he would have to teach her a lesson!
☆、098、Hijacking, Rage!
The next day, Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue bid farewell to the villagers of Hongfeng Mountain early in the morning and headed to the county town on the mountainside.
The two didn't stroll around today. Upon arriving at Xianghe Restaurant, they went directly to Hong Xuetian's private room. Hong Xuetian and his blue-clad attendant were already waiting there. Seeing Ouyang Yue arrive, Hong Xuetian said excitedly, "Miss Ning, I've been waiting here for an hour. I was quite anxious before, afraid that you would dislike me and not come to see me. Miss Ning, a day has passed. What answer have you given me?" Hong Xuetian looked at Ouyang Yue expectantly.
Ouyang Yue lowered her eyes slightly and said shyly, "Peach Blossom also thinks that Young Master Hong is both talented and handsome, and has longed to be with you. I am grateful that Young Master Hong does not abandon me, and Peach Blossom is naturally very willing to grow old with you."
"That's wonderful!" Hong Xuetian's eyes lit up, and he stood up and rushed towards Ouyang Yue. "Miss Ning, please come and sit down. After I went back yesterday, I found several villas for you. They are all quiet and secluded, and fully furnished, making them perfect for a single woman like you. I think you can use some things first, and then we can go and take a look together. There are five in total. If you like them all, I'll buy them all for you."
Hong Xuetian dared to make such a boastful statement. Ouyang Yue glanced at him with a half-smile, then said with gratitude, "Young Master Hong has really helped me a lot. I am very grateful. I feel uneasy because I have no way to repay you."
Hong Xuetian's lips curled into a smile, revealing what he considered a very charming expression: "Miss Ning... no, now I should call you Peach Blossom. Peach Blossom and I are of one mind. From now on, your affairs are my affairs. How can you talk about helping or not helping? Isn't this what I should do? Peach Blossom, you're being too formal. Do you still have any doubts about me? My feelings for you will never change."
Ouyang Yue quickly shook her head, looking deeply at Hong Xuetian: "No, Peach Blossom does not distrust Young Master Hong. Peach Blossom believes in you, and Peach Blossom will follow Young Master Hong's orders in everything."
Hong Xuetian's smile widened: "That's right. It's too formal to call you Young Master Hong. You should call me Xuetian. From now on, I'll call you Peach Blossom."
A slight blush crept onto Ouyang Yue's cheeks: "Xue Tian..."
'Ugh…' Dongxue's hand trembled slightly, and her lips twitched. This was definitely not something mushy. She felt a chill run down her spine. The more she looked at her mistress, the more bizarre it seemed. Her mistress wasn't shy at all; the dark, cold light flashing in her eyes made Dongxue's heart tremble. Dongxue couldn't help but glance at Hong Xuetian. Although he wasn't innocent, he was definitely unlucky enough. Not only was he Hong Yiniang's nephew, but he also dared to flirt with her mistress. Dongxue silently shook her head and sighed.
Hong Xuetian felt someone watching him. When he looked up, he saw a tender look in Dongxue's eyes. Sure enough, this girl also had feelings for him. Although she was not as beautiful as Ning Taohua, she had an outstanding temperament. He couldn't help but think about what it would be like to pin this girl down and let her show a different kind of shyness on her cold face.
"Sigh!" Hong Xuetian couldn't help but suck in his breath. Dongxue looked at his lecherous eyes, her gaze flashing, and stared at him with extreme coldness. Hong Xuetian, oblivious to her own unease, smiled warmly at Dongxue, thoroughly enjoying himself. Dongxue frowned, looking at him as if he were a fool.
Ouyang Yue glanced at Hong Xuetian sideways, then concealed her expression. Hong Xuetian had already looked away and said to his attendant, "Go, prepare some things. Miss Ning and I will go see the villa after we've eaten."
"Yes, young master." The man in blue immediately went down to give the order, and soon a sumptuous meal was served at Xianghe Restaurant. At the table, Hong Xuetian warmly greeted Ouyang Yue, and even Dong Xue was invited to sit down and eat with him. Hong Xuetian acted as a good host, constantly recommending the origins of the various dishes on the table, and even poured three cups of wine for Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue.
An hour later, Hong Xuetian, along with Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue, arrived at the outskirts of Shanbian County in a carriage.
The area was more open than the county town, with two rows of neat houses. Since it was a suburb, there weren't many people on the road, making it very quiet. Moreover, the houses there were quite large, several times larger than those in the county town. Not far away was a lush forest of green willows, just as Hong Xuetian had described, a quiet and beautiful environment.
The carriage stopped in front of a bright red lacquered gate. A middle-aged woman dressed in bright red immediately came out of the courtyard. She smiled as brightly as a flower and waved her handkerchief at Hong Xuetian, saying, "Oh, isn't this Young Master Hong? We've been waiting for you! Please come in."
Hong Xuetian clearly knew the middle-aged woman well, and said with a smile, "Aunt Hua looks even more beautiful today. She's getting more and more beautiful with age."
Madam Hua immediately burst into laughter, shaking her handkerchief even more violently, the air filled with the intoxicating fragrance emanating from it: "Young Master Hong, you really know how to talk, bewitching all the girls here. If you make them unable to entertain guests, Madam Hua will be furious with you."
Hong Xuetian jumped down from the carriage with a smile, reached out and lifted the curtain, but saw Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue, his face clearly changing color: "Miss Ning, please."
Ouyang Yue frowned and looked at him: "This is the secluded courtyard that Young Master Hong said he chose for Peach Blossom? It doesn't look like a nice place at all."
Madam Hua was initially displeased to find two women in the car, but remembering Hong Xuetian's past behavior, she immediately understood and laughed, "What are you saying, young lady? This place doesn't seem like a nice place. I'm not bragging, but the furnishings inside are exquisite and elegant. If I didn't need the money urgently, I wouldn't sell it to anyone."
Hong Xuetian also said, "Miss Ning, please don't take offense. I'm an old acquaintance of Mama Hua, and we often joke around. Please don't take it seriously."
Ouyang Yue hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded and got off the carriage. Mama Hua immediately smiled and introduced, "Miss, you've made the right choice. My courtyard has plenty of rooms, fifty-six in total, and thirty-two young ladies..."
"Girls? How come there are so many girls here..."
"Bang!" Just as Ouyang Yue was about to ask a question, the courtyard gate suddenly slammed shut from the inside. Startled, Ouyang Yue turned to push the gate open, but two burly men immediately appeared and tried to shove her aside. Dong Xue rushed forward and pulled Ouyang Yue down. But in the next moment, both of them felt their limbs go weak, and if they hadn't been leaning on each other, they would have collapsed to the ground without any dignity.
Ouyang Yue's expression changed drastically: "What... what's going on? I have no strength at all."
Dongxue's face was also pale: "Miss, I...I feel the same way, my hands and feet are weak, I can hardly stand up..."
"Hahaha!" Hong Xuetian burst into laughter upon seeing this, his eyes flashing with a hint of coldness as he looked at Ouyang Yue, but even more so with ill intent. "Didn't expect that, did you? From the moment you approached me yesterday, I already knew your purpose. As expected, you're just a bunch of sheltered young ladies, naive and inexperienced in the ways of the world. You actually dared to come out with me. Today, I'll let you have a good time." He then said to his attendants, "Take them away."
"Yes, young master." The blue-clad attendant looked at Ouyang Yue and Dongxue with a lewd expression. In the past, when he worked for the young master, the young master would occasionally reward him with some entertainment. Today's goods were the best he had ever seen in his life, and he was drooling just looking at them. "Take them away." With that, he directed the burly man to take Ouyang Yue and Dongxue inside.
Ouyang Yue's expression changed: "Young Master Hong, what do you mean by this? We have no grudges against each other, why are you treating me like this? Don't you have feelings for me?"
Hong Xuetian sneered, "You're right, I do have feelings for you, but unfortunately you have ulterior motives towards me. Since that's the case, why should I be polite? But don't worry, someone as beautiful as you, as long as you serve me well, I certainly won't make things difficult for you." Hong Xuetian's eyes flashed as he swept his gaze over Ouyang Yue, who was already being led away in a huff.
If Ning Taohua had immediately given herself to him yesterday, Hong Xuetian wouldn't have gone to such great lengths and gone through all this trouble today.
It turns out that yesterday at Xianghe Restaurant, Hong Xuetian had just been called back by Hong Dabao, and that's when he discovered Ning Taohua's identity.
On that day...
Hong Xuetian swung his arm as he returned to the county government hall, where he saw Hong Dabao sitting in the seat of honor and laughing, "Father, why are you so free today? Didn't you go to Aunt Shi's? Would that woman let you get out of bed?"
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Hong Dabao's face, but that was how the two of them usually talked. Two of his aunts had been brought over by Hong Xuetian, so he just coughed heavily and asked Hong Xuetian, "Where were you just now?"
Hong Xuetian sat down in a chair, then picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. The tea was slightly bitter, which made him frown. "What kind of tea is this? Go get another bowl. It's awful." Hong Xuetian looked disgusted. Seeing that Hong Dabao was waiting for his reply, he nodded and said, "It's at Xianghe Restaurant. You know I'm there every day. You called me back just for this."
Hong Dabao continued, "Did you meet two women there? They were both very beautiful and had great personalities."
Hong Xuetian frowned slightly: "What's wrong, Father? You're so well-informed. I've only just won Ning Taohua's favor. Did you beat me to it? This time you're a womanizer. I must taste her first."
Hong Dabao shouted at him, "What nonsense are you talking about? Those two people are not good people."
Hong Xuetian scoffed, "Father, you're just trying to fool me again. They're just two young women, what kind of bad people could they be? They'll be completely obedient to me in bed. If you want to try them out, just say so. Once I've got my hands on them, it'll be easier for you to do things your way."
Hong Dabao glared at Hong Xuetian: "Get serious! I'm being serious. Those two women were sent by Red Maple Village. They deliberately approached you; they definitely don't have good intentions. You need to be careful. They might be plotting something sinister. We've been fighting those people from Red Maple Mountain for over a decade, and these poor folks still dare to defy me. If I didn't know what treasure they were hiding, I wouldn't dare spread it around so easily, and they wouldn't have been able to cause us trouble for so many years."
"People from Red Maple Mountain? Impossible. You didn't see those two women. Their beauty and temperament are something Red Maple Mountain could never produce. Their skin is so smooth you could squeeze water out of it."
"The people inside sent word that they're from the capital, just passing through Red Maple Mountain and want to meddle in this mess. I think those two women are just bored and have nothing better to do. Once this is done, I'll definitely give them a good beating." Hong Dabao's face turned cold. Years ago, he had only heard of the treasures of Red Maple Mountain, and that even children could play with them. They must be hiding even more treasures. Over the years, he had only managed to rise to the seventh rank thanks to his daughter. In this godforsaken place, there was so little to squeeze out of him. If he could get his hands on the treasures of Red Maple Mountain, maybe he could buy his way into an official position.
He remembered when he first entered the capital, the maids of the wealthy families he passed through on the streets were all incredibly beautiful—a true paradise for men. Who knew his scheme would fail so many years ago, and now it's dragged on forever. Lately, he's felt increasingly uneasy. He feels this matter should be resolved sooner rather than later, lest things get complicated. He also doesn't want the secret of the Red Maple Mountain villagers' hidden treasure to be revealed; otherwise, how could they possibly stand up to him? The best way is to seize the treasure, burn the place down, and truly remain unnoticed.
Hong Xuetian was taken aback. He didn't know about this matter, but he knew what his father had been thinking about all these years. That treasure was also something he had always wanted to obtain. Once he had wealth and power, he would be an extraordinary young master even if he went to the capital. Wouldn't women who liked him flock to him like bees? "Then what does Father plan to do? I have an appointment with Ning Taohua at the Xianghe Restaurant tomorrow."
Hong Dabao frowned and thought for a moment: "I'll go as usual, but I must capture Ning Taohua. Then I'll naturally have a way to threaten the people of Red Maple Mountain, and the matter of the treasure can be settled."
Hong Xuetian's face lit up with joy: "Father, do you have any ideas? Tell me."
"Don't worry about that now, you'll find out when the time comes. Just keep an eye on Ning Taohua and make sure she doesn't leave. After this is done, you can have as many women as you want." Hong Dabao's eyes gleamed. He couldn't contain his excitement at the thought of getting his hands on the treasure, and a sinister plan was already forming in his mind.
He felt like he'd heard of Ning Taohua somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place it.
Hong Dabao, of course, couldn't recall. As the matriarch of the General's Mansion, everyone had to address Old Madam Ning respectfully as "Old Madam," and no one dared to call her by her given name. Aunt Hong had only mentioned it to Hong Dabao twice; how could he have such a good memory to remember Old Madam Ning's maiden name? If Ouyang Yue had used her given name, he would definitely have discovered Ouyang Yue's true identity, and perhaps a disaster could have been avoided. However, there's no going back in life, but that's another story.
The burly man led Ouyang and Dongxue into the house, tied their hands, and threw them onto the bed. Hong Xuetian followed them into the room with a smile and said to the blue-clad attendant and the burly man, "You all get out. No one is allowed to come in without my permission."
The blue-clad attendant was taken aback, glanced at the head of the bed with some reluctance, but still obeyed and went out.
Ouyang Yue said with a stern face, "You'd better give up that idea of what you're planning. I'm not someone you can touch. Don't blame me for being ruthless if something goes wrong."
Hong Xuetian smiled broadly and said, "When you become mine, you'll have to think about me. Do you think I'm afraid you'll be rude to me? That's right, the more rude you are to me in bed, the better. I'll be very happy."
Winter Snow shouted, "Shameless!"
Hong Xuetian laughed out loud: "What are you talking about saints in bed? Just be a good boy and I'll make sure you're comfortable."
Ouyang Yue shouted sharply, "Don't come any closer! The consequences of touching me are far beyond what you can handle!"
Hong Xuetian's eyes hardened with even greater determination: "It's too late to say anything now. Today I'm going to mess with you, mess with you badly!"
"Ah!" A gasp escaped Ouyang Yue's lips from inside the room...