The list was accompanied by some ink paintings, which were naturally not comparable to those of others, but they were still enough for Ouyang Yue to match the names with the names. At this moment, Ouyang Yue flipped through two pages, her eyes fixed on eight beautiful and charming women on the list, and she smiled as she looked up: "This says that the eight women in Lingluo are the maids of the Seventh Prince and this princess?"
Bai Heng's heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself, "Sure enough, Princess Mingyue has noticed." "Yes, Princess Mingyue." In fact, when a woman gets married, she usually brings four head maids and, according to custom, second-class maids to junior maids. If the woman doesn't bring any, the man will bring them. But these eight beautiful first-class maids indicate that Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue each brought four. According to the rules of this era, the four head maids of the master are eligible to compete for concubines or maids. If Ouyang Yue doesn't want those four, then all eight will become Baili Chen's personal maids, and he will choose concubines or maids from among them in the future. This is a customary rule. Even if he doesn't choose all eight, he will usually choose one or two, which is quite normal.
Ouyang Yue laughed: "Were these eight people specially arranged by the Seventh Prince?"
Bai Heng showed a hint of surprise: "No, these eight personal maids were sent to Prince Chen's residence by the Third Prince."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Yue's expression immediately darkened!
☆, 171, Men Need Training! (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
"The Third Prince sent someone to deliver it to Prince Chen's residence, hehe." Ouyang Yue suddenly laughed again, her smile very bright. "The Third Prince is quite concerned about his younger brother."
Bai Heng stared intently at Ouyang Yue, but his heart was pounding. Ouyang Yue's smile was clearly very friendly, but he didn't feel that way at all. He actually hoped that Princess Mingyue would really frown and look angry, so that he would have something to say. This kind of appearance just made him feel more terrified.
Leng Sha glanced at Ouyang Yue, then turned away, ignoring Bai Heng's pleading eyes. He looked out the window, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw that all the servants in the room were showing anger. In particular, a servant in a green servant's uniform next to Ouyang Yue had wide eyes, clenched fists and placed at his sides, his cheeks puffed up with anger, like a little frog waiting for its chance to strike. Leng Sha blinked slightly, then lowered his head and looked at the calm sky.
The room was completely silent, and no one spoke for a long time. Bai Heng didn't dare to speak because Ouyang Yue wasn't talking. As for Ouyang Yue, she smiled faintly and continued to flip through the roster. Then she said with a smile, "Oh, there are two more concubines in the mansion, making a total of ten. These two were also given to us by the Third Prince."
Bai Heng twitched the corner of his lips: "Yes, Princess Mingyue, these ten people were all sent by the Third Prince. In fact, the Third Prince sent them out of kindness, and I should thank him."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow: "It's all out of good intentions. It seems Butler Bai knows the inside story quite well."
Bai Heng's eyes twitched involuntarily, and he stared at Ouyang Yue, speechless for a long time: "Princess Mingyue, all the princes, which are now the various royal residences, have already married their principal wives and concubines over the past year. During this period, various forces have been sending people into the residences. Each residence has more than a few people with official titles. At the very least, there are always a few concubines in the harem. Even the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, who are usually abstinent, are not immune. When the Third Prince married his concubine, not long after, his residence took in one concubine and two maids. This is the behavior of various forces to maintain balance, and it is unavoidable."
Ouyang Yue nodded and said, "You're right, the Third Prince did nothing wrong, I don't blame her at all." Ouyang Yue's voice was very calm, and her expression was very gentle, but her eyes did not change at all, remaining very cold.
Bai Heng opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately said nothing. Although the Third Prince's actions might not be wrong—it was inevitable that each prince would have people planted in their household, whether for personal gain or as spies—it was too difficult for any residence to avoid it. The Third Prince could simply send his own people into his residence, giving the Seventh Prince an excuse to take them in. This approach might be good, but Princess Mingyue hadn't actually married into the Chen Prince's residence yet. Even if she had, and felt uncomfortable, she wouldn't have been able to do anything about seeing a house full of women. Who would have thought that the Chen Prince valued Princess Mingyue so much, letting her familiarize herself with the place before even marrying in? Naturally, the matter of the maids couldn't be kept secret. Looking at it this way, this behavior was somewhat excessive, especially for a woman, it was hard to accept.
"Did Prince Chen personally send you to deliver this? So that I, the princess, can learn more about it?" Ouyang Yue asked with a smile.
Bai Heng thought for a moment and replied, "Princess Mingyue, Prince Chen's original intention was simply for the princess to learn more about the general situation in the manor, these..."
"Alright, I understand. I've looked at the roster. I'm sorry to have troubled Steward Bai. Chuncao, you and Dongxue should see them off. Although I've finished looking at the roster, I still need to digest it. I can't reserve two seats for them." Ouyang Yue waved her hand and said with a smile.
This result left Bai Heng and Leng Sha somewhat stunned. Bai Heng couldn't help but say, "Princess Mingyue, before we came here, the Seventh Prince said that if Princess Mingyue disliked anyone or thought anyone was bad, she could say it at will."
Ouyang Yue merely curled her lips slightly. "Whatever," she thought, "why would I show it to her? Baili Chen intentionally kept these people around to avoid trouble. Otherwise, it would be inevitable that several forces would send people to the Chen Prince's mansion later. Whether it's his favor with the emperor or her, Xuan Yuan Chao Hua's sister, marrying into the mansion in the future, it's all inevitable. Although Ouyang Yue said Baili Chen would do it, she wasn't necessarily doing it willingly. How could she not know that?"
A hint of coldness flickered in her eyes. She could understand this, but she couldn't feel comfortable with it. Since these people wanted her to take it for granted, then she would take it for granted. They were just trying to test her limits, so she would show them just how far her limits were!
Ouyang Yue knew that Baili Chen's feelings for her were genuine; after all, he had been willing to shield her from a hidden weapon. At that time, Baili Chen didn't know her true identity; he valued her for who she was. Ouyang Yue wouldn't completely deny these feelings just because she was angry. The Third Prince sent these ten people out of good intentions, and Baili Chen, daring to send the list, probably wouldn't touch it. But not touching it and having so many people causing her distress—she wasn't a cold-blooded animal; she wouldn't remain indifferent. However, if she reacted too strongly, it would only backfire. Now that she had decided on Baili Chen, there were many, many problems they would face. There were many things she couldn't consider entirely from her own perspective. For Baili Chen, being in the royal family, having wives and concubines was normal. Although Baili Chen had promised her he wouldn't have other women, Ouyang Yue always felt that vows could change. She had no idea what Baili Chen would become in the future, so it wasn't advisable to confront him directly now. However, if she thought she would let it go so easily, she would be sorely mistaken.
"Oh, really? I understand. Please thank the Seventh Prince for his kindness when you return to the manor." Although Emperor Mingxian issued an imperial decree granting titles of king to each prince, they only officially moved into their royal residences after their weddings, so the titles were changed at that time.
Bai Heng wanted to say something more, but in the end he obediently agreed and left. Leng Sha also gave Ouyang Yue a strange look and followed her away, thinking to himself, "Princess Mingyue shouldn't be like this. How come she accepted it so readily?"
Little did he know that Ouyang Yue readily accepted the idea. Just moments ago, she had already been contemplating a series of plans to "train" Baili Chen. In her view, Baili Chen was indeed an ancient person; it was difficult for him to accept her ideas so readily. Now, she was going to forbid him from having any women in the future, not even concubines or backup wives. She feared that Baili Chen would become angry about this. Because of things that might happen in the future but haven't happened yet, she didn't want to confront Baili Chen directly. Therefore, Ouyang Yue planned to carry out her plan to "train" him.
Ouyang Yue touched her chin slightly. The best way was to make Baili Chen feel a headache whenever he saw a woman, and want to run away whenever he saw a woman. She wanted him to know the downsides of having too many women. Since she had decided on her man and was ready to marry him and live a good life with him, she would not allow Baili Chen to have any ulterior motives. She was a domineering and possessive woman at heart. But how could she do it?
"Little Princess, the Eldest Princess and Young Master are waiting for you in the Frost and Snow Pavilion. The Eldest Princess wants you to come over." Ouyang Yue was still thinking when a servant came in to announce her arrival.
"Oh? At this time?" Ouyang Yue was taken aback, but then she understood. This mansion was full of Princess Shuangxia's people. Although they wouldn't control her freedom, they could still easily get some important information. They must have known about Baili Chen sending the roster before.
Ouyang Yue stood up, and Chuncao and Dongxue immediately stepped forward to straighten her clothes. However, both of them looked angry. Chuncao's anger was more obvious, while Dongxue's eyes were colder, clearly indicating that she was also very dissatisfied with Feng Lihe's actions.
Ouyang Yue then waved her hand, leading the two of them and her servants to Frost and Snow Pavilion.
"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! He made so many promises to me before, and now he's the one taking people into his household, yet he's sending over the roster! What is he doing? Is he afraid my sister will cause a scene when she marries into the family? Is he trying to prepare her mentally? He's a complete scoundrel!" Before even getting close, Xuan Yuan Chaohua's angry voice could be heard. "No, I have to go find him and ask this bastard what he's up to!"
"Sit down quickly, stop fooling around." That was Princess Shuangxia's voice.
"Grandmother, how can I tolerate this? It's simply outrageous!" The thought of his younger sister having to compete with ten women before even marrying into the family, and the endless bloodshed she would face, made Xuan Yuan Chaohua uneasy. The men of the Xuan Yuan family disliked polygamy; it was too troublesome. But that didn't mean Xuan Yuan Chaohua was naive. On the contrary, it was precisely because he had seen so much that he believed marrying one true love made no difference between marrying one or three. He cherished his own sister with his life and naturally wouldn't want her to be bullied. How could he not be furious?
"Sit down first, and we'll hear what Yue'er has to say in a bit."
"Grandmother, brother." At this moment, Ouyang Yue had already stepped into the room.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua immediately stood up: "Yue'er, don't be afraid. If Baili Chen treats you badly, just tell your brother. Your brother will not let him get away with it."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Brother, don't worry. Your little sister wouldn't be so weak as to let you be bullied. Don't worry, I can accept all of this."
Princess Shuangxia was taken aback: "You accept all of this?" In her opinion, her granddaughter was a stubborn person, not someone who would be so easy to talk to. Back in the Ning Mansion, Princess Shuangxia had once said that she was somewhat similar to Ouyang Yue. That was just a feeling, but after getting to know her better, she understood. Because Princess Shuangxia came from a noble family, she was also very domineering at heart. She could sense that her granddaughter was just like her in this respect, and probably had the same thoughts about her husband's harem.
"Yes, we have to accept it."
Princess Shuangxia looked at Ouyang Yue with some surprise, but Xuanyuan Chaohua was even more furious: "Did Baili Chen say something else? Did he threaten you? Yue'er, you don't need to be afraid of him. Your brother will stand up for you." Seeing Xuanyuan Chaohua's indignant look, Ouyang Yue smiled sweetly.
"Yes, not only should I accept it, but as his wife, I should also consider his needs. Yue'er remembers that Grandmother mentioned to Yue'er before that many noble families in the capital want to meet Yue'er, and it seems that they intend to send a few maids or backup concubines, is that right?"
Princess Shuangxia's expression changed even more, and she looked at Ouyang Yue more seriously: "That's right, they tried to sneak people into Prince Chen's mansion through underhanded means, and you would naturally be a good channel for that, but I've already turned them away before."
Ouyang Yue laughed, "No, Grandmother, don't send them away. On the contrary, the Princess's residence should also hold a banquet and bring in all those who are willing to give away their wives. I will accept them all." Ouyang Yue is the future Princess Consort of Chen, and no one will say anything if she adds a few more people to the Chen Prince's residence. However, all those Ouyang Yue wants to accept are Baili Chen's future women.
Princess Shuangxia and Xuanyuan Chaohua were both stunned. There were more than a dozen people in those families. They had accepted them all. Although they had great confidence in Ouyang Yue, and had never seen any young lady from a prominent family in the capital who could compare to Ouyang Yue, they couldn't help but worry. However, Princess Shuangxia was only stunned for a moment before she came to her senses: "Are you really going to do this?" She couldn't help but smile.
“Yes, that’s how it should be done. Anyone who wants to go can go. As long as it’s recorded, I will bring them all into the Prince Chen’s residence. Grandmother can send out invitations to hold a banquet and let someone leak this news.”
Xuanyuan Chaohua said anxiously, "How can this be, Yue'er? If you do this, won't you be giving those people an opportunity to take advantage of you? There are still almost three months until your wedding. If they get pregnant beforehand, wouldn't that be a slap in your face? I absolutely won't allow that." Xuanyuan Chaohua's face was ashen.
Seeing his expression, Ouyang Yue knew he had misunderstood, and instead laughed: "Brother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
"You think you know what's going on? And why are you so happy to bring women into your own courtyard, bringing in a dozen or even twenty at a time? Are you out of your mind?" Xuan Yuan Chaohua would never have said such a thing before, which shows that he was really anxious this time.
“Brother, I must bring this person in. I’d rather bring him in happily, but bringing him in doesn’t mean I’ll be unhappy. I’m just taking a middle ground.” Ouyang Yue smiled mysteriously.
Xuanyuan Chaohua was exceptionally intelligent and skilled in martial arts. Under normal circumstances, he might have figured this out long ago. However, when it came to his dearest sister, he couldn't think of anything else. He only felt that Ouyang Yue was compromising for Baili Chen's sake, and his heart tightened. He reached out and hugged Ouyang Yue tightly: "Yue'er, don't be afraid. Even if you defy the imperial decree, I won't let you get hurt. At worst, your brother will take you to the border. Once there, even the emperor will find it difficult to touch me."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Princess Shuangxia immediately shouted.
Xuanyuan Chaohua also said with dissatisfaction, "Grandmother, how can I stand seeing Yue'er making such a sacrifice? Wouldn't you feel sorry for her too?"
Princess Shuangxia stood up angrily and poked Xuanyuan Chaohua's forehead with her finger: "You are usually so smart and capable, but when it comes to your precious little sister, why are you so stupid and stubborn?"
"Everyone says she's my precious little sister, of course I have to love her dearly," Xuan Yuan Chaohua said dismissively.
"Pfft!" Ouyang Yue couldn't help but snuggle in Xuan Yuan Chaohua's arms and laugh. She thoroughly enjoyed this kind of affection without any reason. If it weren't for the many taboos between men and women at this time, and the fact that even siblings couldn't be too close, she really wanted to hug Xuan Yuan Chaohua's face and give him a big kiss. How could her stubborn brother be so adorable?
"Moon, why are you still smiling? Aren't you worried at all?" Xuan Yuan Chaohua frowned.
“Brother, I know my limits. I’m not someone who can be bullied just because others want to. This is just part of my plan,” Ouyang Yue finally said.
"What plan? Why do you plan to bring women to Baili Chen? I disagree with that." Xuan Yuan Chaohua said seriously, while Princess Shuangxia had already sat down quietly to listen to Ouyang Yue's words.
Ouyang Yue turned around and hugged Xuan Yuan Chaohua's arm instead: "Brother, have you ever heard the saying, 'Don't bite off more than you can chew'?"
"There is such a saying."
"So, one woman is affection, two women are passionate, three women are flirtatious, but ten or eight is vulgar. There are many women, but some people are not fortunate enough to enjoy them," Ouyang Yue explained.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua's face darkened: "You...you want Baili Chen to...uh..." Xuan Yuan Chaohua found it difficult to speak, and looking at Ouyang Yue, he felt a chill of fear. Was his sister being too ruthless, wanting to make Baili Chen play around until he was impotent? And then impotent? He didn't even realize that his precious sister was not yet married, and it seemed inappropriate to discuss this kind of issue.
Ouyang Yue's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but glare at Xuan Yuan Chaohua, which startled the latter. Princess Shuangxia blushed and her shoulders trembled, as if she wanted to laugh, but she held back and maintained her dignity as a noble princess.
What is her brother thinking? Baili Chen is her man. Would she let a woman get close to him so easily? And what about making him impotent? How is she going to have a son? Ouyang Yue couldn't help but get angry and pinched Xuan Yuan Chaohua's arm. Xuan Yuan Chaohua immediately gasped, "Yue'er, why did you pinch me?"
"I'm going to pinch you, brother, you're so stupid." After saying that, she sat down to the side, still a little sullen. Actually, she suddenly remembered what Xuan Yuan Chao Hua had said, and she was really angry. Did she want to do this? There was no other way, okay? This was to teach him a lesson, okay? How could you catch a wolf if you didn't want to? This would take time.
"Yue'er, it's because your brother is clumsy. Don't be angry. Keep pinching me, I'll pinch you however you want, I promise I won't cry out in pain." Seeing Ouyang Yue's anger, Xuan Yuan Chaohua was stunned. He stood stiffly in front of Ouyang Yue, his face showing embarrassment and unease.
Seeing a handsome and dashing young man standing in front of you admitting his mistake, what woman could stand it? Ouyang Yue twitched her lips and said, "Brother, please sit down."
"Pfft!" Princess Shuangxia finally couldn't hold back. Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Yue looked up and saw that Princess Shuangxia's face was flushed red, her chest was heaving, her shoulders were shaking, and her eyes were filled with tears. She was desperately covering her mouth with a handkerchief to keep herself from laughing and becoming a laughingstock. But she was really too much.
"Well, my nose was itchy just now, so I yawned. Don't mind it, please continue," Princess Shuangxia explained in a slightly rougher voice.
"It would be foolish to believe them," Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Yue thought to themselves, but they wouldn't say it out loud in front of Princess Shuangxia, lest they embarrass their grandmother. Ouyang Yue simply said, "Grandmother, I'll leave the banquet arrangements to you. I'll listen to your advice."
"Okay, I'll take care of it," Princess Shuangxia assured her.
"Then Yue'er will go back first, there are still some things to do over there." Ouyang Yue got up to leave, but Xuan Yuan Chaohua stood up abruptly: "Yue'er, I need to talk to you, wait a moment." He quickly took two steps and pulled Ouyang Yue away.
Princess Shuangxia couldn't help but shake her head and laugh. She didn't mind the two children being a little close at all. Although in this era, even siblings couldn't be too close because of the difference between men and women, this didn't apply to Princess Shuangxia. She was already quite old, and what she liked most was children. Seeing the two of them being close made her the happiest.
The old nanny couldn't help but laugh and said, "The young master seemed very clever yesterday, but why is he so confused today?"
Princess Shuangxia said, "He's just worried and confused." Then she couldn't help but mutter to herself, "I just don't know if Yue'er's idea will succeed."
Granny Shan and Princess Shuangxia both fell silent, because Ouyang Yue's method was actually quite insidious. If it failed, it would only add to her pain. However, Princess Shuangxia also knew that this was a last resort.
"Moon, Moon, what exactly do you want to do? How could you agree to this? You're so foolish!" Xuan Yuan Chaohua followed them all the way to Liuyun Pavilion, still dissatisfied.
Ouyang Yue glanced at Xuan Yuan Chaohua and said, "Brother, do I look like such a stupid person?"
“It didn’t look like it before, but it looks like it now.” As he spoke, Xuan Yuan Chaohua nodded, leaving Ouyang Yue speechless with anger. Chuncao and Dongxue, who had been on edge, were also amused by Xuan Yuan Chaohua’s appearance and started laughing.
"Come with me quickly, so you don't embarrass yourself." Ouyang Yue grabbed Xuan Yuan Chaohua and walked into the hall, waving away most of the servants: "Brother, I told you I can handle it."
“You’re a woman, and once you’ve made up your mind, aren’t you still leaning towards your future husband? They say a daughter is like a bird that’s gone once she’s grown up, and you’re already making a fool of yourself.” Xuan Yuan Chaohua’s words were clearly laced with sarcasm. Ouyang Yue was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, walked over and sat down next to Xuan Yuan Chaohua, embracing his embrace and resting her head against him.
"Brother, I know you care about me, and I care about you and love you very much. Don't worry, you are the man I love most in this world."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua's eyes lit up immediately: "Really, I love him even more than Baili Chen."
Ouyang Yue smiled and nodded: "Of course, you are my brother, we are blood relatives, so of course we are the closest."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua nodded vigorously: "Yue'er, you're right to think that way. The man in this world who would never hurt you is your brother. It's a pity that you'll get married sooner or later, and you'll marry that bastard Baili Chen. It's really hateful. And he doesn't even know how to cherish you. If all else fails, I'll go to the palace and ask the emperor to cancel the marriage decree for you. I can support my sister, Xuan Yuan Chaohua, for the rest of my life. It'll save you from having to deal with other people's messy affairs after you get married. It's better for your brother to take care of you and make you happier."
Ouyang Yue's lips twitched slightly. Actually, Xuan Yuan Chaohua was probably just a sister-obsessed maniac, but she felt quite pleased with herself. She smiled and said, "Brother, the Emperor's words are law; they can't be reversed so easily. Don't worry, my actions will never hurt myself. I'm going to get married sooner or later anyway, so I'll just marry someone I find pleasing to the eye. If I don't like him later, or if he hurts me, I'll definitely leave him and come to you, brother." As she spoke, Ouyang Yue pouted coquettishly.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua immediately felt a pang of heartache: "Yue'er, don't talk nonsense. He wouldn't dare to treat you badly, otherwise I'll skin Baili Chen alive!"
Ouyang Yue laughed and said, "That's right, brother. You're so amazing, how could he dare to treat me badly?"
Xuanyuan Chaohua glared at him: "Oh, you're trying to trick me into talking."
Ouyang Yue smiled even more happily: "Brother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'm serious. If he can't give me what I want, I will leave him without hesitation. No one can force me to do what I don't want to do, but when I want to do something, of course no one can stop me."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua couldn't help but pat Ouyang Yue's head with heartache: "Why are you so strong-willed, girl? You still have your brother if anything happens. Can't you rely on your brother more? I really can't bear to see you get married so early and have to manage all the women in his household. I really regret that I couldn't hold back and revealed your identity back then. That way, I could have silently protected you for many years."
Ouyang Yue hugged Xuan Yuan Chaohua's arm even tighter: "Brother, I know, I know everything. I won't let you be sad because of me. Besides, if you don't acknowledge me, I won't have such a good brother. If you acknowledge me later, I might even blame you."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua patted Ouyang Yue's head: "I can't argue with you. I'll do whatever you want, okay? But you must remember that I can't let you suffer any grievances. You need to know that you and Grandmother are my lifeblood. I'm willing to risk my life for you. There's nothing I'm afraid of, so don't be afraid to put pressure on me. Pressure is motivation, you know?"
"Yes, I know, don't worry, brother." Ouyang Yue smiled sweetly.
Next, Princess Shuangxia dispatched many people from her residence to send invitations to various households. Five days later, Ouyang Yue would be hosting a banquet at her residence, welcoming all noble ladies and concubines to attend. Ouyang Yue's intention for the banquet was simply to allow unmarried women from various families in the capital to meet and socialize, but everyone knew that she was actually looking for a ally. Every household was intricately divided, and Ouyang Yue herself had no one to benefit from her side. Although the Seventh Prince, Baili Chen, was sickly, he was still a noble prince, and many families wanted to marry into his household. Princess Mingyue was clearly afraid she wouldn't be able to handle it all, so she was trying to recruit several young and beautiful women. These families all had their own ulterior motives.
In the Crown Prince's residence, in the Crown Princess's courtyard, Ning Xihe was sipping fragrant tea with her eyes closed. After swallowing, she opened her eyes, savoring the taste. After a moment of calm, she smiled and said, "You mean Xuanyuan Yue is recruiting allies for herself and wants to hold a banquet?"
A young maid was kneeling below. She said, "Your Highness, according to the news from various families, Princess Mingyue is afraid that she can't control the Prince Chen's mansion, so she wants to find two beautiful women to entangle the Seventh Prince. This banquet is real. Many families in the capital have received invitations. However, although the five great families also received invitations, the wording is different."