Ouyang Hua was so reprimanded that his head almost drooped to his chest, and he could only stammer, "Yes, Grandmother is right. Hua'er will definitely pay attention next time."
Ouyang Rou gave a disdainful laugh, but her mind raced, focusing entirely on Hong Yicheng and Lin Baiyu. She was now wondering which of the two would achieve more in the future. Hong Yicheng was arrogant and self-important, but he lacked Lin Baiyu's wealth and influence. Following Lin Baiyu would undoubtedly make her life more luxurious. Unfortunately, her body had been defiled; if it were discovered, it would be a huge loss. Did she have to find a way to get Hong Yicheng to acknowledge her? This was a difficult situation…
Just then, a commotion arose from the street outside. People could hear the crowd shouting excitedly, "General Ouyang is back! Look, General Ouyang is back!"
Old Ning and the others were delighted and crowded to the window to look. Ouyang Yue moved to the side, but when she caught sight of a certain spot, her expression changed drastically!
☆、048, I was so angry that I vomited blood!
From Ouyang Yue's perspective, she could see a procession entering the East City and slowly making its way towards Chenghua Street. At the head of the procession was a tall, upright man in military uniform. He was about forty years old, with a standard square face and an air of authority. He exuded the aura of a general who had stepped out of the battlefield, making him a rare sight indeed.
It was the face of Ouyang Zhide that I remembered.
As Ouyang Zhide led the team into the city, the people of the surrounding two weeks of Dongcheng cheered enthusiastically in welcome.
Throughout history, people have held heroes in high esteem, especially since Ouyang Zhide was a talented general who had repelled the constant harassment of the Great Zhou border. While the people of the capital didn't understand this as deeply as those on the frontier, judging from their excitement, Ouyang Yue thought that if they were on the border, Ouyang Zhide would probably be even more popular than the emperor. Suddenly, everyone understood why Ouyang Zhide was being courted by the major powers in the capital; his involvement would indeed provide considerable assistance to each of them.
However, Ouyang Yue's attention wasn't solely focused on these things. At the very rear of the marching column, a simple, light-colored sedan chair followed quietly, unassuming yet arousing a sense of unease in Ouyang Yue. She glanced at it again; two maids in light-colored robes flanked the sedan chair, and around it were Ouyang Zhide's personal guards, forming a protective encirclement. Unless viewed from the second floor of the restaurant, it would be difficult for the common people outside to notice it at first glance. Even if they did, in the midst of such a warm welcome for Ouyang Zhide, no one would ponder the origin of this sedan chair.
Ouyang Yue turned her head and saw Old Madam Ning and Madam Ning beaming, their eyes seemingly glued to Ouyang Zhide. Their chests puffed out, chins slightly raised, as if they themselves were the ones receiving a warm welcome from the people below. Given their level of focus, they naturally wouldn't notice this detail. Only Ouyang Hua and Ouyang Rou watched Ouyang Zhide enter the city, their eyes flickering and avoiding eye contact. Clearly, although Ouyang Zhide hadn't been back for long, his influence remained. Having done something wrong, these two naturally had no time to pay attention to anything else.
Just then, Ouyang Yue felt someone move their legs beside her. She looked over and saw Xi Mama to the right and behind Old Ning Shi. A look of surprise flashed across her face, but she lowered her head and stopped looking and saying nothing.
Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes. Madam Xi had always been by Old Madam Ning's side, having married into the General's Mansion alongside her. Back then, Old Madam Ning was able to single-handedly support the General's Mansion, and Madam Xi, as her attendant, had contributed significantly. Moreover, she possessed discerning eyes and spoke little. Ouyang Yue's gaze swept over Madam Xi for a moment, then returned to the outside world.
Just as she turned her head, Madam Xi slightly raised her eyes, then her gaze returned to its calm depths...
When Ouyang Zhide's procession reached the middle of the street, there was the Crown Prince, dressed in his formal attire, accompanied by more than ten civil and military officials. When the procession had traveled about ten meters, Ouyang Zhide dismounted first, took two steps, knelt down, and kowtowed: "Your humble servant Ouyang Zhide greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"General Ouyang, please rise." Baili Cheng laughed and stepped forward to personally help Ouyang Zhide up. "General Ouyang, you have made great contributions to the Great Zhou this time. My father ordered me to come and welcome you. My father has also prepared a banquet for you in the palace. General Ouyang, please come with me to pay your respects to my father."
Ouyang Zhide stood up and knelt again in the direction of the palace: "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty."
Baili Cheng didn't stand on ceremony, since it was inconvenient to be on the street. With a wave of his hand, guards cleared the way, and he boarded the Crown Prince's sedan chair, followed by Ouyang Zhide and dozens of civil and military officials, heading to the palace together.
With the main figure gone, the people left one after another, though they still talked about Ouyang Zhide from time to time, their faces showing some excitement.
Inside the restaurant, Old Madam Ning and Madam Ning, their faces glowing, smiled for a long time. "Mother, the General's demeanor is even more impressive than before," Madam Ning couldn't help but exclaim, her face even displaying a girlish charm. Ouyang Yue was somewhat surprised. So this Madam Ning genuinely liked Ouyang Zhide? Why was her attitude towards her so strange? It's a matter of loving what you love, and Ouyang Zhide liked her. Didn't she understand this principle? And he was her own daughter?
“However, it’s not good for De’er to be too prominent now that he’s back in the capital. It’s best to keep this to yourself in private. If you say it out loud, it will make you seem arrogant and people will gossip.” Old Madam Ning nodded. Her usual scolding words sounded particularly charming now, and a smile played on her lips. “Alright, De’er is back. Let’s hurry back to the manor. Although the Emperor is hosting a banquet in the palace, we should still welcome De’er back with the whole manor. Let’s go back and prepare.”
"Yes, Madam. I'll go settle the bill." Madam Xi understood and left the room to settle the bill. Old Madam Ning and the others straightened their clothes and followed her out. Just as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Madam Xi returned to report: "Madam, the manager said that Young Master Lin has waived our bill. No matter how I pleaded, the manager refused to accept the money. What do you think…?"
At this moment, the manager also came out, his attitude as respectful as when Old Madam Ning and the others had come, a stark contrast to Lin Baiyu's cold sarcasm: "Old Madam, the master said that today is General Ouyang's return to the capital. It is an honor for our restaurant for everyone from the General's Mansion to be able to watch the procession return to the capital. The master admires General Ouyang as a national hero, and we cannot accept this money."
Old Madam Ning's expression stiffened. What she said was true, but she wouldn't forget Lin Baiyu's attitude before. It was like giving a stick and then a sweet treat. She didn't like the sweet treat no matter how she ate it, but she couldn't refuse since he had said it: "Then I'll trouble you to tell your master to spend money."
"No expense, no expense." After bowing and scraping as she saw the general's family off, Ouyang Yue glanced towards the second floor before getting into the carriage. There, a bright and beautiful face appeared. Baili Chen smiled slightly, as if greeting her. Ouyang Yue smiled back, nodded, and jumped into the carriage.
In a private room on the second floor, Leng Caiwen laughed and said, "General Ouyang is really lucky with women. Everywhere he goes, there are scandalous things happening." He had obviously also noticed the sedan chair behind Ouyang Zhide's group. "If there's anything interesting, Ninth Prince, you must tell me. You know I love watching a good show."
Baili Chen's gaze was distant; he remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.
The general's carriage returned quickly. Along the way, Ouyang Yue, Ouyang Hua, and Ouyang Rou remained quiet. Ouyang Yue was preoccupied with the small sedan chair, while Ouyang Hua and Ouyang Rou dared not cause any more trouble at this time, thus keeping quiet. Upon returning to the general's residence, Old Madam Ning busied herself preparing a welcome meal, and everyone returned to their respective courtyards. Because Ouyang Zhide had been summoned to the palace by the emperor, and had to report on his duties and attend a banquet, he probably wouldn't be back until evening. Gathering together now would be too noisy, and Old Madam Ning, being overly excited and of advanced age, also needed a nap. Therefore, everyone naturally returned to their courtyards.
As soon as she returned to Mingyue Pavilion, Ouyang Yue turned around and smiled: "Chuncao, Dongxue, go to Rouyu Courtyard and Huacai Courtyard and ask for my 20,000 taels of silver. As for how to get it back, I don't need to teach you, do I?"
Chuncao smiled and nodded: "Miss, don't worry, I will definitely get the money for you."
Dongxue nodded, her eyes unusually bright despite her usual cold demeanor: "This servant will certainly do it well."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Wait a little longer, and then get these things back." Ouyang Yue went into the room, picked up a pen and wrote a list. When she showed it to Chuncao and Dongxue, the two of them were stunned. Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "There are some things that money can't buy. My two sisters are not very considerate. They only brought the money now, so some things are not complete. I'll ask them to get me another set."
Chuncao couldn't help but laugh: "Miss, don't worry, I will definitely handle things well. You'll see what happens then."
Dongxue nodded repeatedly, while Ouyang Yue watched the two leave with a smile, a cold sneer on her lips: "Things that can be solved with money are never a problem. It's just that it feels good to squeeze money out of a miser!"
Ouyang Su floated out at this moment, nodding hurriedly: "If you ask me, 20,000 taels is still a bit too little. We should empty their entire fortune to feel satisfied."
Ouyang Yue chuckled. It turned out that she thought she was ruthless enough, but her darling was much ruthless than her!
Rouyu Courtyard
As soon as Ouyang Rou returned to Rouyu Courtyard, she felt as if her whole body was falling apart. Not to mention that she was already injured, she had bumped her wounds several times on the way there in the carriage, and then she was also traumatized at Xiangmanyuan. As soon as she stepped into Rouyu Courtyard, her body went limp. If it weren't for the quick thinking of her maid, she would have collapsed to the ground.
"Quickly, help Miss inside to rest."
"Miss, are you alright? Should we call a doctor to take a look?" Xiang'er asked with concern. Ouyang Rou was feeling weak all over. "Quickly apply the medicine. I feel like it's cracked open again."
"Okay, I'll get the medicine right away."
Ouyang Rou's injury was only a few days old, and even a slight tug could cause the wound to reopen. Coupled with the collision during the day, it was bound to cause more problems. Xiang'er hurriedly found some medicine and was about to apply it to Ouyang Rou when Cao'er walked in. "Miss, Chuncao, the maidservant of the Third Miss, has arrived."
"What is she doing here? I won't see her!" Ouyang Rou was in a terrible mood and had no desire to see a guest, especially a lowly maid.
“But…but she said she came to collect a debt. I told her that Miss was tired and needed to rest, but she looked like she would make a scene if I didn’t invite her, so I didn’t dare to delay her,” Cao’er replied softly.
Ouyang Rou gritted her teeth. She had agreed to take five thousand taels of silver in the carriage, but it wasn't necessarily out of her own free will. She had only been back at the manor for a short time, and hadn't even had time to apply the medicine, yet Ouyang Yue had sent someone to collect the debt. How could she be so unreasonable! However, Ouyang Zhide was now back in the capital, and if Ouyang Yue really made a scene, she would be in deep trouble. Despite her hatred, she still held back and said, "Let her in. Xiang'er, go to Caiyun Courtyard and call Aunt Hong over. Bring her more silver and say I need it urgently."
Soon Chuncao was brought in. Ouyang Rou couldn't lie in bed to apply the medicine, so she had to stand to avoid hurting her bottom. As soon as Chuncao came in, she gave a graceful bow and went straight to the point: "Second Miss, Third Miss sent me over when she returned to Mingyue Pavilion. When will you give Third Miss the five thousand taels of silver that you promised? Third Miss is waiting to buy a gift for the General."
Ouyang Rou's expression was very unpleasant: "Third Sister is really impatient. I'm right here in the manor, how could I possibly run away? Besides, I promised her something, and I'll keep my promise. Why are you in such a hurry!"
Chuncao shook her head in disapproval: "Second Miss, it's not that I'm being nosy, but it's no wonder Third Miss is anxious. After all, some people take money too seriously. Take, for example, Second Miss's five thousand taels of silver. That's enough for some commoners to spend several times more. It's a considerable sum. A lady from a prestigious family like Second Miss naturally wouldn't care about five thousand taels, but Third Miss is a big spender and can't save any money at all. Third Miss is probably the poorest mistress in our household. Naturally, Third Miss can't be as calm and collected as Second Miss. It's understandable that she's anxious, isn't it?"
Chuncao's words sounded like she was criticizing Ouyang Yue for praising Ouyang Rou, but upon closer inspection, since Ouyang Yue was so poor, and you still promised to give her five thousand taels of silver, it would seem stingy and miserly if you then tried to refuse. Moreover, it would be like breaking your promise. This effectively shut down any words Ouyang Rou might say to refuse, making her face turn red with anger!
At this moment, Aunt Hong also rushed over with her maid. As soon as she entered the door, she asked, "Second Miss, what happened?" Just now, when Cao'er went to her place, she anxiously told her to bring more silver, but she didn't know exactly what had happened. Aunt Hong naturally thought that something serious had happened to Ouyang Rou, but as soon as she entered the door, she saw Chuncao standing there with a smile, and all her words were stuck in her throat.
"What are you doing here, Chuncao? Nothing else, you can go back now." Aunt Hong waved her hand, as if to shoo her away.
However, Chuncao did not leave. Instead, she smiled and said, "Aunt Hong, I will leave as soon as I get the money. I won't take up any more of your time."
"Silver? What silver?" Aunt Hong's hand tightened. Ouyang Rou had told her to bring silver, so she naturally thought of this as well. She looked at Ouyang Rou with a questioning gaze. Ouyang Rou had no choice but to briefly explain what had happened in the carriage. However, she did not mention that she had been forced by Ouyang Yue and was extremely humiliated. She only said that Ouyang Yue did not have any money and wanted to get some from her to buy a welcome gift for the general.
But who is Aunt Hong? Ouyang Rou is her own flesh and blood. How could she not know that Ouyang Rou would never be so good to Ouyang Yue, and even spend her own money to buy gifts for Ouyang Yue? Ouyang Rou must have gotten some leverage from Ouyang Yue, which is why she agreed.
Aunt Hong didn't have much silver on her hands, only a few hundred taels. It seems that the five thousand taels were counted as going into the hands of the two of them. After giving Ouyang Yue this silver, the two of them were almost completely drained of their resources. They would definitely have to be more restrained in their actions in the future. How could the two of them be willing to do this? They felt extremely aggrieved!
"What kind of gift is Third Miss buying that costs so much money? Everyone in the manor knows how much the General dotes on you. If you want to please the General, the gift itself is enough. But the gift you've bought with this much money seems rather vulgar. Besides, even in the best jade shops in the capital, a top-quality jade piece costs only three to five thousand taels. Third Miss, you're asking for twenty thousand taels. That's outrageous! Even if Second Miss and I tried to come up with five thousand taels, we still couldn't afford it."
Chuncao said with a half-smile, "So, Second Miss doesn't want to keep her promise? Well, there's nothing I can do then. Third Miss will have to leave without any gifts. When the General asks, Third Miss will have to tell the truth: Second Miss owes Third Miss five thousand taels of silver and hasn't paid it back. How can Miss have any money left to buy the General a gift? I'm afraid she won't be able to fulfill her filial duty. If the General gets angry, Third Miss might say something else after being so frightened. Alas, Third Miss has almost lost her life twice in such a short time in the manor. I wonder if the manor is bewitched. Why is it only our Miss who is being harmed?" Chuncao looked heartbroken as she finished speaking.
Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou were told that the veins on their foreheads were bulging out – this was a threat, a clear threat! If they didn't give five thousand taels, Ouyang Yue would definitely exaggerate what had happened at the General's Mansion recently, and then Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou would be in big trouble!
Aunt Hong gritted her teeth in hatred: "When did this money become something that the second young lady owes the third young lady? Was it a joke between the two sisters on the carriage? How could you take it seriously?" Even though she was a little scared, Aunt Hong was still unwilling to accept that five thousand taels had gone down the drain.
“Ah, Aunt Hong, you can’t say that. This money is clearly owed by the Second Miss to the Third Miss, and the Second Miss hasn’t denied it. You just want to deny it like this.” Chuncao raised an eyebrow. “Alright, since that’s the case, I won’t bother you any longer.”
Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou exchanged a glance. Why was Chuncao so decisive? They left as soon as they said they wouldn't give her the money. At this moment, Chuncao had already walked out of the inner room and into the courtyard. She cleared her throat and suddenly shrieked, "Oh dear, my poor Third Miss! All she wanted was to show her filial piety by preparing a gift for the General and get back the money that was rightfully hers. And some people are making excuses all the time! How can such a thing be allowed? They owe money and don't pay it back, and they even have the nerve to say they're right! Heaven, open your eyes! Are you going to let our Third Miss's sincere filial piety be hurt like this...?"
Chuncao's wailing startled the servants of Rouyu Courtyard. Hearing her words, and hearing her crying and screaming while standing in the courtyard, it was clear that the Second Miss owed the Third Miss money and wouldn't repay it, leaving the Third Miss without even enough money to buy a gift for the General. It seemed she wasn't going to pay it back, and even spoke rudely. They thought to themselves, "This Second Miss looks so kind, but everyone serving in Rouyu Courtyard knows she's stingy and miserly. It's no wonder she'd do something like this. She's truly uncouth. A young lady of the General's Mansion, supposedly well-educated and reasonable? Refusing to repay debts is something only rogues and scoundrels do. How could she possibly do something like this!"
Ouyang Rou and Aunt Hong were completely shocked by Chuncao's behavior. They rushed out and found Chuncao with her chin upturned, looking grief-stricken. The two were so angry that they almost collapsed. What was originally just a verbal promise had become something they owed in the mouths of Ouyang Yue and her servant. They had spent money and were still humiliated!
"Shut up! This is Rouyu Courtyard. How dare you cause trouble here? If you keep this up, don't blame me for being impolite!" Aunt Hong's face turned red with anger, slightly tinged with purple. She came from a poor family and always treated money like it was nothing. Taking money out of her bag was more painful than being stabbed several times!
"Aunt Hong, please spare me! I didn't want to either! As soon as Miss returned, she lay in her room and cried uncontrollably, saying she had no money to choose a good gift for the General. Seeing Miss like that, I wish I could take her pain away. Aunt Hong, please don't be angry. I know you don't want the money, but please, for Miss's filial piety, return the money. As the saying goes, 'A good loan is easy to repay, and a good loan is easy to borrow again.' We're all from the same household; it's not good to make a scene over money." Chuncao cried, tears streaming down her face, sounding pitiful. Her accusatory voice pierced the hearts of Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou. Even the servants from Rouyu Courtyard came out upon hearing the commotion, feeling great sympathy for Ouyang Yue, and their gazes towards Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou changed.
That's not all. Chuncao's howl just now was heard not only by Rouyu Courtyard but also by the servants in other courtyards. Now, several servants who were pretending to pass by but actually came to watch the excitement have arrived outside Rouyu Courtyard. If Chuncao makes a scene, and Old Madam Ning is happy because the General is returning to the mansion, if things turn unpleasant, Aunt Hong will be completely ruined. The wounds left by the beating on her body have not yet healed. She knows very well that if it happens again, she will be crippled!
"Stop crying! Here! Here! I've given you the money!" Aunt Hong trembled with rage, her words laced with a chilling hatred. The servants of Rouyu Courtyard lowered their heads in dismay. Aunt Hong's words only fueled the misunderstanding that the money was borrowed from the Second Miss Hong and Aunt Hong by the Third Miss. They were merely asking for their belongings back, yet they were being treated like enemies. Aunt Hong and the Second Miss seemed utterly wicked. Some of the servants in Rouyu Courtyard felt a deep sorrow; what good could come of serving such mistresses…
Ouyang Rou was also quite angry, but she knew that there was no point in saying anything more at this time, so she simply waved her hand and went into the house. Meanwhile, Aunt Hong had her personal maid fetch some silver. Ouyang Rou took two thousand taels, and Aunt Hong took three thousand taels, which finally made up the difference.
Chuncao counted the silver notes and, seeing that the number matched, immediately beamed with joy. She then pulled out a piece of paper from her bosom: "Aunt Hong and Second Miss are so generous! Our Third Miss also said that because she is so short of money, she doesn't even have some medicinal herbs in the small storeroom of Mingyue Pavilion. Moreover, since the General is coming back, Miss also said that she wants to entertain him properly. There really isn't anything presentable in the small storeroom. So, please take these things as well."
Aunt Hong's eyes widened. This Ouyang Yue was going too far! She was really pushing her luck. After taking all the money, she still wanted to swindle them out of their best medicinal herbs. Dream on! Dream on!
Chuncao continued, "Our young lady has recently suffered quite a fright. Her face has become thinner, her complexion is poor, and she has dark circles under her eyes. If the general sees her, he will surely ask questions, and the young lady hasn't figured out how to answer them yet. Sigh, it's really worrying."
Aunt Hong was breathing rapidly, her chest trembling with anger. She thought to herself, "I've already taken five thousand taels of silver, what's a few missing herbs?" She was too lazy to bother with Chuncao and simply waved her hand. Ouyang Rou thought the same thing and said to Xiang'er, "Go, go and get it according to the list. Hurry up and let her take the things and leave!" Ouyang Rou wasn't as angry as Aunt Hong, after all, the money was a reward from her elders and also from Aunt Hong, Ouyang Zhide. It wasn't like Aunt Hong who often saved up here and there, so she was a little short. But even so, she was still so angry that her face turned red and her eyes widened, making her look very ugly.
However, when Xiang'er brought the items over one by one, the two women were stunned. There were top-quality ginseng, deer antler, angelica, the finest bird's nest, premium Longjing tea, and so on… It seemed Ouyang Yue had ordered everything from the small storeroom of Rouyu Courtyard. Each and every one of these items was the most valuable thing there, and she had taken it all! The two women rolled their eyes in anger. Seeing this, Chuncao immediately bowed and said, “Aunt Hong, Second Miss, Miss is waiting for me to report back. I can’t delay any longer. Sister Xiang'er, please have two people help me carry it back.”
As she spoke, Chuncao carried the ginseng and other items out. Xiang'er was stunned for a moment, then immediately beckoned two maids to follow and move the things away as well. She knew Ouyang Rou's temperament; if she stayed any longer, she would inevitably suffer from Ouyang Rou's anger. It was best to make a quick getaway now!
Chuncao acted swiftly, making Aunt Hong dizzy with anger, her body swaying as she sat, unable to stop her in time. Ouyang Rou, however, stared wide-eyed, never expecting that Ouyang Yue not only wanted her money but was trying to plunder her entire fortune. These things were the result of her hard work, including money she had swindled from Ouyang Yue years ago, gifts from Hong Yicheng, and gifts from Ming Dawu who abused his power as a general. It was all she had saved up over the years! She could feel her heart bleeding, and she trembled with anger, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
Aunt Hong suddenly stood up, her finger trembling as she pointed at Chuncao's hurried departure: "She, she... she's gone too far!" Then, with a "poof," she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and her body swayed as if she were about to fall.
"Auntie!" Auntie Hong's personal maid was about to help her up, but she was too late. Auntie Hong's fall caused her to bump into Ouyang Rou behind her. Ouyang Rou screamed and was thrown backward. The two of them fell to the ground. Ouyang Rou fell backward, landing on her buttocks first. Her eyes widened in pain, and she screamed, "Ah!"
The commotion startled everyone in Rouyu Courtyard. Cao'er and her maids came to help the two women. Since they were already in Ouyang Rou's room, they were temporarily helped onto the bed. Ouyang Rou lay on the bed, howling in pain, while Aunt Hong rolled her eyes in anger and kept moaning. The sounds of the two women rose and fell, making the servants in Rouyu Courtyard shudder. They really wanted to get as far away from these two as possible!
Cao'er was extremely busy, helping the two of them up and then looking for a doctor. She kept complaining in her heart, wondering why being the second young lady's maid was so tiring. Not only was she never free for a moment, but she was also always being dragged into the second young lady's affairs!
Meanwhile, Dongxue was ordered to go to Ouyang Hua's Huacai Courtyard.
Ouyang Hua was being helped to wash his face by his maid Ling'er when Cai'er came forward to announce that Dongxue had arrived. Ouyang Hua's handsome brows furrowed slightly: "Bring her in."
Dongxue walked in, bowed, and said directly, "Miss, I have come to collect the silver on the orders of the Third Miss."
"Silver? What kind of silver?" Ouyang Hua asked, startled.
Dongxue thought she was trying to renege on the debt, so she said directly, "It is the eldest young lady who owes the third young lady 15,000 taels of silver. The third young lady ordered me to come and collect it."
"What!" Ouyang Hua's eyes narrowed immediately. So much had happened since she left home today, and Ouyang Hua was genuinely caught off guard, not realizing she owed Ouyang Yue money. She had only casually agreed to the money to appease Ouyang Yue, and she knew she had a way to shut Ouyang Yue up after returning home, so she hadn't taken it seriously. Who knew that Ouyang Yue would send someone to collect the money as soon as she got back, catching Ouyang Hua completely off guard.
Dongxue's expression grew even colder: "The eldest young lady owes the third young lady 15,000 taels of silver, and this servant has come to collect it."
"You... so much silver, where am I supposed to get so much all at once? I just agreed during the day, why are you in such a hurry, sister?" Of course, Ouyang Hua didn't want to give it to her, and this was all her savings. She didn't have any spare money, and it would be difficult to even get her maids to do anything. Ouyang Hua really regretted agreeing so readily in the carriage.
Dongxue continued expressionlessly, "The eldest young lady owes the third young lady 15,000 taels of silver, and this servant has come to collect it."
"You! Did you even listen to what I was saying?!"
Dongxue's expression remained unchanged as she continued, "The eldest young lady owes the third young lady 15,000 taels of silver, and this servant has come to collect it."
"You wretched maid! You're just trying to provoke me!" Even Ouyang Hua, with her good temper, was driven mad by Dong Xue!
Dongxue didn't even blink, and said, "The eldest young lady owes the third young lady 15,000 taels of silver, and this servant has come to collect it."
Ouyang Hua's expression twitched strangely, as if she was so angry she was having a spasm, or perhaps she was so angry she was laughing. In any case, it was very strange. After a while, she snorted and said, "Is that all you can say? How could Third Sister send such a blockhead like you? You're really incompetent. I think I should suggest to Grandmother that we replace you as our maid. Otherwise, all the servants in the mansion will follow suit and cause trouble."
Dongxue's lips curled slightly, a hint of mockery in them, before she quickly concealed it, her voice flat and emotionless as she muttered, "The eldest young lady owes the third young lady fifteen thousand taels of silver, and this servant has come to collect it."
"Alright, since it was Miss who agreed, we will naturally give it to her. Yang'er, go to my room and get some silver." Just as Ouyang Hua was furious and about to punish Dongxue, Aunt Ming's voice suddenly came from outside the door.
In fact, after learning that Old Madam Ning and the others had returned, Aunt Ming went to Huacai Courtyard to inquire about some news. She listened outside the door for a while. Of the two maids Ouyang Yue had brought in last time, Dongxue was cold and aloof, and Aunt Ming had never seen her interact with any servants. Even when she did, she was cold and unresponsive, barely uttering a word. Qiuyue, on the other hand, was much gentler, but Ouyang Yue rarely let her leave the courtyard to handle matters, so Aunt Ming had no way to get in touch with her. Therefore, Aunt Ming wanted to start with Mingyue's servants, but she couldn't find a good candidate for the time being.
Besides, it's obvious that we won't get anything else out of this Dongxue, so there's really no point in continuing this entanglement.
When Ouyang Hua saw Aunt Ming arrive, her expression changed slightly: "Aunt, are you really going to give it to me?"