Ouyang Hua's face showed displeasure, and she said coldly, "Why does Second Sister keep trying to drive me away? You're worried about Third Sister, but don't I, as the eldest sister, am worried too? I think it would be better if I helped Third Sister find a place, and Second Sister went to inform Grandmother and the others."
Ouyang Rou inwardly resented Ouyang Hua's persistent pestering, but outwardly disagreed, saying, "Elder sister, you should know that Third Sister is still unconscious. At this time, it's not advisable for her to move around too much, as this will only worsen her condition. Elder sister is usually the most understanding, so why are you in such a hurry today? Besides, it would be too much trouble for you to make this trip. Do you really want Third Sister to be bedridden?"
Isn't that right?! That's not what you really think!
Ouyang Hua sneered inwardly, seemingly persuaded. He glanced at Ouyang Yue and nodded, "Alright then, I'll go and send a message to my grandmother and the others." With that, he turned and left.
Ouyang Rou was still worried and pointed at Xiang'er, saying, "Xiang'er, go and check if the young lady has really gone to her grandmother's place. We must not let her come back."
"Yes, Second Miss." Xiang'er nodded, her expression slightly somber. She glanced at Ouyang Yue and sighed inwardly. If possible, she truly didn't want to harm the Third Miss for the sake of the Second Miss. In her opinion, the Third Miss was cheerful and didn't like to engage in crooked schemes, making her far superior to this seemingly kind but actually wicked Second Miss. Unfortunately, her indenture was with her, leaving her no choice but to obey.
Xiang'er quickly caught up with Ouyang Hua, while Ouyang Rou and Cao'er each supported one of Ouyang Yue's arms. Ouyang Rou stared at Ouyang Yue with cold eyes: "Hmph! After today, you, this so-called legitimate daughter, the most beloved daughter in Father's eyes, will only become a joke. At that time, I will definitely trample you under my feet. Come on, help her to the agreed place!"
After a while, Xiang'er didn't return. Instead, Ouyang Hua arrived with two maids, a cold smile playing on her lips. "What is Ouyang Rou up to? She actually helped Ouyang Yue in this direction. This is truly heaven's help! Now, no matter what, no one will guess that I'm the one in trouble." She then turned to Huan'er, still worried, and asked, "Huan'er, have you spread the news yet?"
Huan'er immediately nodded: "Don't worry, Miss. A few days ago, I sent out the message as you instructed. Young Master also harbors a deep grudge against Third Miss, and he agreed to this matter as soon as he was asked. When I entered the manor before, I also had someone make a call. Now Young Master is just waiting for Third Miss to take the bait."
Ling'er, standing nearby, couldn't help but sneer, "Originally, if Miss had taken matters into her own hands, some strange occurrences might have been discovered. Now, Second Miss foolishly insisted on helping Third Miss in. If problems arise, it will be Second Miss's fault, and it will have nothing to do with you, Eldest Miss. It seems even Heaven couldn't stand it anymore and is helping Eldest Miss. Normally, Second Miss wouldn't care so much about such things!"
Ouyang Hua smiled coldly, "Hmph, Ouyang Rou is definitely going to play some tricks, but unfortunately she doesn't know the principle of 'the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.' Once she goes down this path, she won't be coming out alive today. Ling'er, go ahead and secretly inform Aunt Ming that the plan is going smoothly!"
"Yes, Miss, I'll go right away!" Ling'er turned and left happily.
Ouyang Hua, holding Huan'er's hand, sneered, "Let's go. With such a commotion, how can I not go and see? This time, Ouyang Rou and Ouyang Yue jumped into the trap themselves, so they can't blame us. I want to see how they'll fight me now!"
"Miss is the wisest," Huan'er immediately complimented, and the two quickly left.
As the path returned to calm, two figures emerged from the two rows of willow trees that ran through it. Standing at a distance, they were like a scenic view. One was dressed in a light gold brocade robe, exuding extraordinary nobility. The other, dressed in brown, remained slightly bowed, holding the hand of the gold-robed man with utmost respect.
As soon as the two women stood still, the man in gold sighed, "Wherever you go, you'll find these sordid things. Two sisters from the same household fighting so viciously, what a tragedy!"
The man in brown raised his head, looking in the direction Ouyang Hua had left, and sighed softly, "Madam, should we get involved in this matter?"
The man in gold seemed to have a hint of mockery on his face: "Manage? Can you manage it all? This inner courtyard is filthy, so many things happen every day, how can you manage it all? I'm just here to see the fish today, help me over there."
"Yes, madam."
A moment later, the woman in golden robes, supported by the man in brown robes, disappeared back into the willow grove. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that behind the two rows of willows lay a small, inconspicuous pond, seemingly naturally formed, yet teeming with lively fish. Seeing the woman in golden robes approaching, they all swam towards her. The woman in golden robes smiled…
As soon as the woman in gold left, the willow grove beside them trembled slightly, and two bodyguards in tight-fitting clothes followed them away.
Ouyang Rou and Cao'er helped Ouyang Yue hurry along the path, their brows furrowed with tension. They became even more anxious when they felt Ouyang Yue move slightly beside them: "Hurry, hurry, walk faster! If the medicine takes effect here, we won't be able to pull her anymore! Hurry!"
Cao'er was also sweating profusely with anxiety. The two quickened their pace. It was as if they had walked this road tens of thousands of times, and they knew it very well. Moreover, the environment on both sides of the road was very quiet and peaceful. However, the further they walked, the more remote it became. There was not a single person on this road. The two became more and more nervous and quickened their pace.
When they finally reached the fork in the road, Ouyang Rou couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief: "It's to the left, go this way!"
"Ugh!" Ouyang Rou pulled the person and ran quickly, when suddenly she heard a muffled thud and her right side sank. She almost lost her grip on Ouyang Yue. She turned her head angrily, but saw a dark shadow flash in front of her. Then she felt a pain in the back of her head, her vision went black, and she collapsed.
"Thud, thud." Ouyang Rou and Cao'er fell to the ground one after the other. Ouyang Yue, who was being supported by the two of them, was about to collapse when her body suddenly straightened up, her eyes snapped open, and there was no trace of confusion in her eyes, but a sharp glint of intelligence.
A dark shadow flashed beside her, and Dongxue was already standing next to her: "Miss, what should we do with the Second Miss and this maid?"
Ouyang Yue looked at the unconscious Ouyang Rou, picked up her purse, and sneered with narrowed eyes: "We'll do whatever they want, that's called playing along!"
Dongxue's eyes grew colder and sharper as she pulled Ouyang Rou up without any gentleness. How dare she harm her young lady like this!
Just then, light footsteps came from behind, followed by a deliberately hushed voice: "Miss, we're almost there. Young Master is waiting on the right side of that fork in the road."
"Good, well done! If this succeeds, I will reward you handsomely when we get back!" the person called "Miss" immediately praised.
The person who had spoken earlier spoke again, but there was an undisguised joy in her voice: "It is my blessing to be able to serve the young lady. How could Huan'er dare to ask for any other reward!"
Ouyang Yue and Dongxue exchanged a glance. Ouyang Hua had actually come along too, and judging from the looks of it, she had been waiting here all along to plot against her. She and Ouyang Rou were truly on the same wavelength, and Ouyang Hua really wished her dead!
Dongxue whispered, "Miss, what should we do now?"
Ouyang Yue's face turned cold: "Let's throw Ouyang Rou and Cao'er aside first, hide, and wait for them to come before we make our move. Since we're playing, playing once is still playing, so why should I care about playing again?"
"Yes, Miss." With that, Ouyang Yue and Dongxue each grabbed one of them and quickly slipped into the woods beside them. After leaving Ouyang Rou and Cao'er behind, Ouyang Hua and Huan'er soon came running over. The two of them didn't notice their surroundings at all. As soon as they reached the fork in the road, they ran to the right.
At this moment, Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue exchanged a glance. Ouyang Yue's eyes flashed, and at the same time, Dong Xue jumped out.
"Who goes there!" Ouyang Hua heard the noise and turned around. He saw a figure flash before his eyes, and then his body went limp.
Huan'er was in a similar situation to Ouyang Hua. After they both collapsed, Dongxue couldn't help but ask, "Miss, what should we do with them?"
Ouyang Yue frowned. It turned out that after Chuncao and Qiuyue noticed the unusual behavior between Ouyang Rou and Cao'er, they sent Dongxue to keep an eye on them. Dongxue then discovered that Ouyang Rou had been in contact with Hong Yicheng recently, leading her to suspect that Ouyang Rou intended to harm her. Of course, Ouyang Yue wasn't entirely sure how, but seeing Ouyang Rou's unusual behavior today, and her casual actions during the talent show, was quite different from her usual show-off persona.
Ouyang Yue secretly observed Ouyang Rou, noticing that Ouyang Rou had been watching her closely. So, when Mu Cuiwei was punished after the talent competition, Ouyang Yue was aware of Ouyang Rou's every move. She even knew what Ouyang Rou had thrown into her purse when she approached. Her decision to hold her breath and faint was a calculated move to turn the tables. She hadn't expected Ouyang Hua to be involved. Now, with four people involved, things were complicated. After all, she originally had a counterattack plan, but now...
"Dongxue, go to the right and see what Ouyang Hua is up to."
"Yes, Miss."
Dongxue disappeared in a flash, but returned a moment later with a strange expression. Ouyang Yue frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"
“Miss, there are about ten men in the pavilion not far away, led by Ning Xihai of the Ning family. The others all look like scoundrels. If you take Miss there…” Dongxue didn’t finish her sentence because she felt the chilling aura emanating from Ouyang Yue. Her eyes were filled with a sharp killing intent, but her face wore a serene and beautiful smile. The contrast between the two only intensified Dongxue’s fear.
“If I really hadn’t realized I was being set up by Ouyang Hua, then I would have been raped by these ten men today. Fine! No matter how strong a woman’s mind is, if she were treated like this, she probably wouldn’t want to live anymore…” Ouyang Yue said calmly, but Dong Xue’s body suddenly turned cold.
But Ouyang Yue's face was beaming with an even brighter smile as she looked down at the unconscious Ouyang Hua: "Compared to Ouyang Rou, Ouyang Hua's schemes are far more insidious and ruthless. How could I not retaliate? Dongxue, I've suddenly thought of a very interesting plan. If I don't give them a proper beating, I'll really be letting them down after all the trouble they went through to scheme against me." Dongxue could clearly see that Ouyang Yue's eyes were as if covered by layers of ice and snow, cold and filled with murderous intent.
"Miss, but those ten men have all been immobilized by pressure points, it seems someone is helping us in secret," Dongxue suddenly said upon seeing Ouyang Yue's condition.
Ouyang Yue's eyes flickered slightly as she turned to look at Dong Xue, who nodded vigorously: "It's true."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow: "Oh? This really makes things easier for us."
"Take Ouyang Rou and Cao'er there, and feed this to Ouyang Hua." With that, Ouyang Yue took out the thing that Ouyang Rou had put in her purse and handed it to Dong Xue. Dong Xue fed it to Ouyang Hua, and then the two of them, along with Ouyang Rou and Cao'er, quickly went to the pavilion on the right.
Just as Dongxue had said, ten men, led by Ning Xihai and all with somewhat lewd appearances, stood motionless, unable to even move their eyes. Ouyang Yue's eyes turned cold as she walked towards Ning Xihai and suddenly reached out and slapped him hard on the left chest.
Ning Xihai, who had been silent, shuddered and coughed up blood with a "pfft," but his face showed no sign of pain. Ouyang Yue did not stop there. Seeing this, she reached out and slapped him three more times. Blood kept flowing from the corner of Ning Xihai's mouth, and even his eyes began to bulge out, but his expression remained unchanged, like a wooden puppet, letting Ouyang Yue do as she pleased.
Have you brought everything I asked you to prepare?
"Miss, the things have been brought."
"Okay, sprinkle it in the air."
Dongxue and Ouyang Yue immediately stepped back. Dongxue took out a packet of medicine, opened it, and quickly sprinkled white powder around the ten people: "Release their acupoints!"
"Snap snap snap snap snap." Dong Xue was extremely fast, and in no time all ten people's pressure points were released, but the ten people did not wake up immediately. "Put Ning Xihai on the ground, and Ouyang Rou on top of him."
Ouyang Yue kept giving instructions, and Dongxue did as she was told. However, when she was releasing Ning Xihai's acupoints, Dongxue specifically checked his pulse.
Ning Xihai's breathing was weak, and her heartbeat was barely perceptible. Hadn't her young mistress almost shattered her heart just now? She was slightly alarmed. The technique was perfectly timed, just a hair's breadth away, but unless one was a martial arts master, they wouldn't have noticed. They would only perceive Ning Xihai's naturally weak heartbeat, not suspecting external damage. But in this situation, even the slightest stimulation would have been fatal!
She was utterly shocked, but Dongxue didn't stop and finished immediately. Ouyang Yue waved her hand and said, "Let's go!"
The two quickly returned to the fork in the road and saw that Ouyang Hua and Huan'er were still unconscious. Dongxue grabbed Ouyang Hua, while Huan'er was left where she was. The two then quickly turned left and ran towards them.
This path was originally very secluded, but at the left end there was a small bamboo house.
"Miss, there's someone lying over there."
As soon as they arrived, Dongxue said, and the two rushed over, only to see a servant lying on the ground. Ouyang Yue's eyes flashed with a strange light: "Let's go inside first."
The two pushed open the door and entered, only to see a person lying crookedly on the ground. Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue exchanged a glance and realized that Hong Yicheng had also fainted. The two went forward to check and found that he had only been acupunctured, and the method was the same as that used on Ning Xihai and the others in the pavilion. Ouyang Yue's heart stirred slightly, but she took out a pill and fed it to Hong Yicheng before throwing Ouyang Hua on the bed. Then she and Dong Xue left the room.
Upon reaching the door, Ouyang Yue saw the servant lying on the ground, also struck by pressure points. She turned to leave, but Dongxue asked doubtfully, "Miss, aren't you going to take care of this person? If he wakes up halfway through, he'll cause trouble."
Ouyang Yue said calmly, "No need for further words, let's go!"
Dongxue glanced at the servant on the ground, then turned and followed Ouyang Yue away. As soon as they left, three men in black appeared in the courtyard. One of them frowned and waved his hand. Immediately, someone stepped forward, pulled up the servant, and twisted his head with both hands, causing it to slump limply. The man was already dead, unconscious. One of them waved again, and the other two immediately dragged the servant away, clearly intending to dispose of the body. The man in black glanced in the direction Ouyang Yue and Dongxue had left, then also vanished.
“Miss, you calculated that if we don’t move, will they come back to clean up the mess?” Dongxue asked immediately.
Ouyang Yue looked thoughtful, but stood up and said, "They are professional assassins, so they are more likely to clean up the mess than we are, aren't they?"
Upon hearing this, Dongxue's body trembled and her eyes widened, only to see that Ouyang Yue had already left. After the two of them finished doing this, they walked back along the path, but not in the direction of the garden.
"Miss, what's going on here..."
“Ouyang Rou and Ouyang Hua took me away. If someone discovers anything, how will you explain my disappearance?”
"this……"
"First, find a place that is not too secluded, but also not too easy to find, and not too far from here."
After walking for a while, the two returned to the place where Ouyang Hua had come from. They crept into the thicket of willow trees and gradually ventured inside.
"rustle!"
"Miss, watch out!"
Just then, two swords flashed past their eyes. The swords were incredibly fast, and each strike was a deadly attack. The tips of the two swords were clearly aimed at Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue's foreheads. The two were shocked. This was definitely a master. If it weren't for the subtle movement and the force of the sword energy cutting through the air, which alerted them, they would have already been injured. But even that was enough to surprise them.
Given that Ouyang Yue was a special agent in her previous life, her keen senses are beyond question, and Dong Xue was once an assassin from the First Killing Alliance, how could they not be shocked that the two of them only realized the danger when it was already upon them?
The two barely dodged the sword strike, but the blade spun rapidly and slashed again. Ouyang Rou and Dong Xue rolled on the ground in a sorry state, their bodies twisting strangely. Dong Xue immediately used her lightness skill to escape, while Ouyang Yue dodged left and right with incredible speed. However, the two swords remained relentlessly pursuing them, each strike aimed directly at their vital points. Ouyang Yue grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed. She found that her once-proud skills were now making her feel constrained. Just then, the attackers targeting Dong Xue suddenly turned, and both swordsmen simultaneously thrust their swords at Ouyang Yue. Startled, Ouyang Yue turned, barely dodging one sword, but the other was already within an inch of her throat.
Dongxue exclaimed in shock, "Miss!"
Today's birthday banquet for Madam Huang of the Ning family is very grand. Every main courtyard and garden has been carefully decorated. Today, Mingle Hall has become the place to entertain guests. Of course, it would be really boring if so many noble ladies and young ladies stayed in Mingle Hall to chat idly, or stayed in the back garden to compete in their talents and gossip with the young ladies and masters of various mansions.
Therefore, to make the mansion more lively today, Madam Huang specially invited the famous Sixi Troupe from the capital to sing and celebrate.
Huang, along with Old Madam Ning, Madam Ning, and a group of elderly ladies and noblewomen, chatted for a while, but found it rather dull. So, at Huang's suggestion, everyone went to the central courtyard of the Ning residence where the stage had been set up. This central courtyard was located in the middle of the Ning residence, with open access in all directions. Setting up a singing troupe here would undoubtedly be the most lively and best place.
Moreover, a stage had been set up here, and not only noblewomen like Madam Huang and Madam Ning, but also young masters and ladies who had nothing to do would gather around and sit together, listening to music from time to time and chatting privately from time to time. The atmosphere here was quite lively.
Just then, a commotion arose at the entrance of the central courtyard, and then a group led by Baili Chen walked in. Immediately, a sharp-eyed servant reported this, and Huang Shi and her entourage stood up, knelt down, and said loudly, "Your subject/your wife/student/commoner/pays respects to His Highness the Seventh Prince."
Before Huang and her entourage could even get up, they saw Baili Jing arrive with Baili Cai and the other young ladies. They immediately kowtowed and greeted her: "Your subject/your wife/student/commoner/pays respects to the Second Princess and the Fourth Princess."
Baili Chen glanced at the table indifferently, seemingly looking at the seating arrangement. Huang Shi's eyes swept over him, and immediately someone moved the main seat for Baili Chen to sit down. Seeing that his expression was not good, Baili Jing said in a cold but dignified manner, "Get up. Today is Old Madam Huang's birthday banquet. You are the birthday star, so there is no need for such formalities. Old Madam Huang, would you please sit to my side and watch the music?"
Madam Huang immediately showed an expression of being flattered and nodded hurriedly: "This is truly an honor for this humble woman." Then she invited Baili Jing to take a seat, and the other noble ladies took their seats as well.
Meanwhile, in the main courtyard, the male guests, mostly gentlemen and sons of various families, were being entertained by Ning Baichuan, the eldest son of the Ning family, and Ning Baishi, the second son. This was a calculated arrangement; most of them were officials in the court, including Ouyang Zhide. Ouyang Zhide's presence today was not only as Ning's son-in-law but also as his nephew, a dual role that added to the intimacy. Moreover, Ouyang Zhide had just returned from the border and was currently enjoying immense popularity. While it seemed everyone had come to congratulate Huang Shi, it was unclear how many had come specifically for Ouyang Zhide.
Meanwhile, Ning Baichuan, along with Ouyang Zhide, exchanged pleasantries with the male guests visiting the mansion, creating a lively atmosphere.
Among the guests, only one person seemed a little off. His expression grew increasingly impatient, and he beckoned to a servant who immediately whispered in his ear, "Go and see what the young master is doing. He's been missing ever since we arrived at the manor. Let's make sure nothing goes wrong." The servant acknowledged and immediately left to look for him.
At this moment, someone looked over and immediately smiled at the man, saying, "Young Grand Tutor Hong, I haven't even offered you a cup yet. You've been silent since you arrived at the mansion. Are you afraid of my cup of wine?"
Hong Wantang, known as the Junior Grand Tutor, is Hong Yicheng's father and the current Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. According to the rules of each dynasty, there are two Grand Tutors: one is a true minister who assists the country, while the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince is usually a key minister who is being prepared for the next emperor. For the convenience of the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince is mostly called the Junior Grand Tutor.
Hong Wantang immediately laughed and said, "I can't hold my liquor, and I still got caught by Lord Liu. Please have mercy, please have mercy..."
"That won't do..."
The two chatted and laughed for a bit, but no one noticed Hong Chengtang's unusual behavior.
On the stage in the central courtyard of the Ning Mansion, the song of "Sanlang's Birthday Celebration" was being sung. A young maidservant in a maid's uniform silently entered, glanced around, and quickened her pace upon seeing Consort Ming sitting behind Old Madam Ning. She then beckoned towards that spot. Yang'er, who was serving Consort Ming nearby, saw this and immediately came over. The two whispered a few words in each other's ears, and the maidservant stood to one side. Yang'er turned back and whispered something in Consort Ming's ear. Consort Ming's eyes lit up, but a hint of coldness appeared on her face.