Who knew that she would soon hear the news that Ouyang Yue was actually Xuan Yuan Chao Hua's younger sister? Fu Mei'er was shocked to hear this. She was furious, regretful, and resentful. She was just a merchant's daughter, and even so, she was the most perfect in terms of talent, beauty, and charm. But when she was with others, they always had to ask about her background first. She hated this so much. She never expected that Ouyang Yue would be even more superior to her. Where was the fairness in this world? Why did Ouyang Yue get all the good things? What was she anyway?
But now the situation is one where the power is stronger than the other. Fu Meier was unwilling, but she dared not do anything disrespectful to Ouyang Yue. She could only suffer in silence.
As soon as she left, Li Rushuang's gaze, which had been scrutinizing Fu Meier, was filled with a broad smile. Ouyang Yue simply smiled and watched without saying a word. After a while, Li Rushuang withdrew her gaze and laughed, "Oh, Miss Fu, are the wounds on your face almost healed? Those horrifying bumps on your face have mostly subsided, with only a few spots remaining. Miss Fu is truly lucky; you haven't been disfigured. No, is this what you call luck, or is it because your skin is so thick that even a bee can't sting it?" Li Rushuang looked at Fu Meier with a puzzled expression, as if she wanted an explanation.
Fu Meier clenched her fists in anger. What did Li Rushuang mean by that? Calling her shameless? Was that something a daughter of an official would say? So sharp and sarcastic, clearly driven by jealousy. Fu Meier raised her head, glanced at Ouyang Yue, who sat silently in the high seat, then at Li Rushuang, who looked smug. A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips: "I think I belong to the former category, because I'm lucky."
Li Rushuang gave an incredulous "Oh?" as if to say, "How could this be? You must just be shameless." She kept winking at Fu Meier, as if to say, "I know you, you're just too embarrassed to admit it." Fu Meier snorted and said, "Because I'm lucky enough to have good skin, even those heartless little beasts wouldn't bear to leave scars on my face, so I was able to recover quickly."
Fu Meier didn't forget to salvage her own reputation, which was truly shameless. Li Rushuang couldn't help but chuckle and laughed, "Hmm, what Miss Fu says is true. But in the end, Miss Fu's luck is still limited. She only attracted bees, not butterflies. Otherwise, with Miss Fu's cunning, the scene of butterflies fluttering around you would be quite beautiful."
Fu Meier's face stiffened. Of course, that's how she found it, and she had practiced at home beforehand; the scene was naturally quite beautiful. Unfortunately, she failed at the crucial moment. Afterwards, Fu Meier couldn't help but have her suspicions. She strongly suspected that someone might be deliberately retaliating against her, and had done something bad to turn the butterfly into a bee. The results of her investigation left her very frustrated. It seemed that it really was because the butterfly was busy at the time, and the bees had free time, so a swarm came?
Fu Meier pursed her lips and remained silent, her sullen expression quite satisfying to watch. Ouyang Yue had no intention of continuing her interaction with Fu Meier; achieving their desired effect was enough. She said indifferently, "Miss Fu is a clever woman. I think you already know why Ru Shuang and I have come to see you today." Fu Meier's expression clearly changed, but she quickly regained her composure. Ouyang Yue sneered, "Miss Fu is a smart and responsible woman. You wouldn't want to break your promise and become the laughingstock of others, would you?"
A cold glint flashed in Fu Meier's eyes. After thinking for a moment, she took two steps and stood in front of Ouyang Yue, saying, "Princess, it's not that I don't want to keep this promise, but I'm weak and my facial injuries haven't fully healed. Princess Mingyue and Miss Li came in such a hurry, which seems rather coercive. I'm afraid it won't sound good if word gets out."
Ouyang Yue laughed: "Oh, what do you mean by that, Miss Fu? Are we here to pressure you? Is that what you think, Miss Fu? As a citizen of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and a member of the royal family, there are many things to do. I am a role model for many people. Miss Fu, do you think that if I, the princess, am someone who doesn't keep my promises or agreements, what will the world think of me? Miss Fu should know that the reason I came here with Ru Shuang today is actually for your own good."
Fu Meier sneered inwardly. They'd already come to her doorstep, and Ouyang Yue really dared to say such things, even claiming it was for her own good. For her sake, she should have completely forgotten about the bet and never mentioned it again. Now, every time she thought about it, her heart ached. She was filled with resentment and hatred.
Li Rushuang nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's right, that's right. If it weren't for your own good, would we have come? Besides, if it weren't for your own good, why would we have chased away so many people in the hall just now? We were just trying to save face for you. If Miss Fu doesn't appreciate this at all, I don't think we need to save face for you anymore. Yue'er, I think we should call Master Fu and the others over. I think there are quite a few people in this mansion who want to see the love shadow we've been talking about. Just thinking about it makes us look forward to it, doesn't it?"
Ouyang Yue nodded: "That's right. In that case, I also think we should bring everyone here. Anyway, Miss Fu doesn't care. If we worry about this for her, Miss Fu will probably think we have ulterior motives. In Miss Fu's eyes, we are not acting out of kindness, so what difference does it make? At worst, we'll just make her dislike us even more."
Fu Meier's face trembled, she gritted her teeth, her heart filled with bitter hatred. Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang really dared to say such things, claiming it was for her own good. Did they think she was an ignorant village woman? They came to attack and belittle her, yet they wanted to gain a reputation for always being good to her. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. But Fu Meier could only grit her teeth and pretend she hadn't heard them.
Ouyang Yue said, "Since that's the case, Li Ru will send someone to call Miss Fu to 'kneel down' and fulfill her promise. Your promise is to kowtow to Ru Shuang thirty times, and each kowtow must make a sound and you must shout 'I was wrong.' Not one less is acceptable. Of course, we won't take advantage of you or ask you to do more than one. Let's begin."
Fu Meier gritted her teeth, glaring at Ouyang Yue. If Ouyang Yue weren't already Princess Mingyue, would she need to fear her? Even so, so what? She was just a princess from another family. The Great Zhou Dynasty had many true princesses, including many imperial relatives. Ouyang Yue might seem noble, but she was far inferior to the Emperor's own daughters, the Second and Third Princesses. Fu Meier was on good terms with the Second Princess—a fact known to almost everyone in the capital. If Ouyang Yue punished her like this, wouldn't it be a slap in the face to the Second Princess? She refused to believe Ouyang Yue didn't care. Princess Mingyue was someone she hadn't easily obtained.
Fu Meier snorted coldly and said, "Princess Mingyue, it is said that we share both glory and loss. I know that you are now of noble status, but you are still a member of the royal family. In fact, most of those who are truly members of the royal family are their own people. I am a servant of the Second Princess, and I follow her lead in everything. In the end, I am related to Princess Mingyue by marriage. I acted impulsively back then, which made you both uncomfortable. I apologize to Princess Mingyue and Miss Li. Please forgive my rudeness and let this matter go."
"Hmm?" Ouyang Yue couldn't help but smile as she looked at Fu Meier. She knew Fu Meier wouldn't admit her mistake so easily; she was the kind of person who would stubbornly refuse to admit it even if she didn't want to admit it. Suddenly, she reached out and slammed her hand on the low table next to her: "How dare you, Fu Meier! How dare you maliciously criticize the Second Princess! What is your punishment?" Ouyang Yue's move was so fast and so unexpected that both Fu Meier and Li Rushuang were startled and looked at Ouyang Yue in surprise.
The latter looked at Fu Meier with a face full of anger. Fu Meier's sneer deepened. Sure enough, this Ouyang Yue had ulterior motives. She had been forced to this point by just a few words from her. This look was clearly the result of her guilty conscience and the anger she showed because her secret had been exposed. Humph, she thought she could play with her with such a little trick. She was really overestimating herself.
Ouyang Yue's eyes darkened, but her face remained angry as she said, "Fu Meier, are you saying that the Second Princess doesn't want you to fulfill your promise?"
Fu Meier sneered. In her opinion, Ouyang Yue was clearly using her anger to hide her fear. She said with some smugness, "That's right. As the Second Princess's person, if I lose face, the Second Princess will also lose face. The Second Princess is of noble status. How can she lose face because of me? Of course she would not want that."
Ouyang Yue looked at Fu Meier with eyes as sharp as ice, but a meaningful smile played on her lips: "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely certain!"
Ouyang Yue suddenly shouted, "Guards! Drag this poisonous woman who maliciously slanders the Second Princess out! Today I will bring this wicked woman to the palace to see the Second Princess. If the Second Princess truly wishes to do so, this matter can naturally be dropped. If not, humph, daring to maliciously frame the noble princess, this princess will punish such a poisonous woman!"
Fu Meier's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately exclaimed, "No...no, Princess Mingyue, you can't do this!"
Ouyang Yue's expression hardened further: "What? Even at a time like this, you still want to order this princess around? It seems you've never learned your lesson. Guards, slap her!" This time, Ouyang Yue traveled in the princess's carriage, naturally bringing a team of guards with her. These guards belonged only to the princess's residence, and in the Fu residence, they naturally only obeyed Ouyang Yue's orders. Immediately, four of them rushed in. Upon seeing Fu Meier, one of them quickly went over and slapped her twice, causing her to stumble back two steps before falling to the ground with a thud. However, she didn't dwell on the pain, because something even more serious awaited her. These people dared to hit her, and they certainly dared to send her to the Second Princess.
She knew very well that the Second Princess had always treated her fairly well, but if she became arrogant and caused trouble for the Second Princess, then the Second Prince would be the first to deal with her. She could already imagine the consequences of being dragged away by Ouyang Yue: "No...no, I can't..."
"No? Why not? You have shown disrespect to the Second Princess. As a member of the royal family, I naturally prioritize the Second Princess. Miss Fu, do you think that's wrong? But none of that matters, because this matter is not up to you." Ouyang Yue's voice came coldly.
Fu Meier's face was pale, and she said with great indignation, "Since I am the Second Princess's person, the Second Princess knows very well that I respect the Second Princess very much. How could I do what Princess Mingyue said? Does Princess Mingyue think that everyone in the world is like you and has no reason to maliciously criticize others? The Second Princess will understand my feelings for her. I would never do what Princess Mingyue said."
Ouyang Yue's eyes shone even brighter, but they stung Fu Meier like icy hatred. Ouyang Yue's voice was low and sharp: "Very well, Fu Meier is indeed eloquent. You actually want to use the Second Princess to pressure me. But if I really send you there, the Second Princess will definitely accept my good intentions gladly. Have you forgotten where you made that promise with me back then?"
Fu Meier was taken aback and remained silent. Ouyang Yue said, "It was in the main hall of the banquet, in front of the Empress Dowager, the Empress, the concubines, and the famous noble ladies and young ladies of the Great Zhou Dynasty. You don't know how many people were there, Miss Fu, and even I haven't counted them. But one thing is certain: they were all aware of our bet, and it was done voluntarily by both of us. I ask you again, in front of so many people, you lost the bet, so you should have fulfilled your promise and honored it. Now you're saying that the Second Princess would have deliberately protected you because you lost the bet? Are you saying that the Second Princess is the kind of despicable, incompetent person who doesn't keep her word and uses her power to oppress others, or are you trying to frame the Second Princess?" "The master disrespected the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and other elders, turning her into a disrespectful and unfilial poisonous woman. Oh, Miss Fu, as the Second Princess's person, actually did such a thing. This princess truly feels sorry for the Second Princess. She cares for and trusts so much, yet she enjoys stabbing her in the back, and dares to claim her innocence, blaming everything on the Second Princess, this wise princess who loves her subordinates so much. Very well, this princess has truly broadened her horizons today. When I return home today, I will have my grandmother hear this, so that she will have something to talk about next time she enters the palace or attends a banquet." Ouyang Yue smiled at Fu Meier, "If that's the case, this princess would rather thank Miss Fu for solving a difficult problem for my grandmother."
Fu Meier's face paled and then turned pale, her eyes filled with a dark, brooding intensity. She glared at Ouyang Yue with a look of vengeful hatred, as if she wanted to devour her whole. But Ouyang Yue merely smiled faintly at her, yet this sent shivers down Fu Meier's spine. Fu Meier absolutely believed what Ouyang Yue said; she would do it. For Ouyang Yue, this would not only be harmless but also an opportunity to suppress her. If she were in Ouyang Yue's shoes, she would probably make the same choice. She was ninety percent certain that Ouyang Yue had come for this very purpose: to deliver a heavy blow, leaving her speechless and dying an unexplained death.
Fu Meier's heart trembled, and her body suddenly slumped down with a "thud." Fu Meier had already knelt on both knees and kowtowed heavily to Ouyang Yue. Fu Meier's face was pale and bruised, as waves of humiliation washed over her. Her teeth were clenched, and her face was a mixture of red and blue, showing how intense her inner turmoil was. Unfortunately, in the end, she could only give in: "Please forgive me, Princess Mingyue. I absolutely did not have the slightest intention to disrespect the royal family or the Second Princess. This is all a misunderstanding."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow: "Oh, according to Miss Fu, that means you're saying something bad about this princess."
Fu Meier clenched her fists tightly, the veins on her arms bulging. The stinging pain in her palms told her that her nails were digging deep into her hands, probably piercing them. But it was this pain that kept her awake; otherwise, she would have been so angry with Ouyang Yue that she would have scratched Ouyang Yue's smug face. Fu Meier took a deep breath and quickly said, "Please don't misunderstand, Princess Mingyue. Meier had no such intention. Meier just felt that what I said earlier was indeed abrupt and caused Princess Mingyue to misunderstand. I apologize."
Ouyang Yue shook her head: "Your disrespect to me is nothing, but our relationship has never been good. I'm just speaking up for the Second Princess."
Fu Meier was secretly angry, but forced a smile and said, "Princess, please forgive me. It was Meier who misspoke. It was Meier's fault."
Li Rushuang nodded repeatedly: "Of course it's your fault. How dare you say that the Second Princess deliberately made you break the agreement and not fulfill your promise? Who do you take the Second Princess for? How could the Second Princess let you do such a thing? Miss Fu is clearly very smart and extraordinary, how come she seems so confused now?"
Fu Meier's face was stiff, and she couldn't even manage a smile. Ouyang Yue thought that even if she felt that the princess's rank was neither high nor low, she was still a princess and she couldn't openly offend her for the time being. But who was Li Rushuang? Following Ouyang Yue's side, she still wanted to act like she had the final say. She was truly hateful! But she couldn't do anything about Li Rushuang, which really infuriated her: "Yes, Princess Mingyue and Miss Li are right. It was Meier's fault. Meier spoke impulsively and said the wrong thing, which made the princess and Miss Li worry about Meier. Meier feels very guilty."
Ouyang Yue nodded slightly and said, "Actually, how could I not have considered Miss Fu's concerns? What Miss Fu said is quite right. You are a person of importance, and it would indeed be a bit embarrassing to make you fulfill your promise like this. However, this matter is not without room for negotiation. The facts can still be discussed."
"Discuss, what does Princess Mingyue mean?" If it's negotiable, Ouyang Yue is willing to discuss it. She didn't think Ouyang Yue would be so kind, but Fu Meier was moved by what she heard.
Ouyang Yue smoothed her sleeves and said, "If you want to use other methods, then you have to smooth things over, use money to smooth things over, use money to shut people up. However, there were too many people present at the time, and the money would probably be at least two hundred thousand taels. As long as Miss Fu takes out two hundred thousand taels for this princess, this princess will naturally do everything she can to calm things down and will certainly not do anything to embarrass Miss Fu."
Fu Meier's face twitched violently. Two hundred thousand taels! Ouyang Yue really dared to say that. Back then, because of the shop, she had caused her family to lose more than 100,000 taels. That 100,000 taels was equivalent to the annual income of one of their Fu family's very good shops. Two hundred thousand taels was equivalent to the income of two or three shops. Even if she was willing, her father was not, and her family and clansmen were even less likely to agree. In the end, it was very likely to cause an escalation of family conflicts and plunge the family into chaos.
Fu Lin's ability to make the Fu family the richest merchant in the Great Zhou Dynasty in such a short period of time shows his exceptional shrewdness and ability to assess situations appropriately. The reason he made such a huge sacrifice is simply because Fu Meier did not want to fulfill her promise. Not to mention Fu Lin himself, Fu Meier was well aware that Fu Lin would not intervene in this matter, much less provide her with 200,000 taels of silver.
Fu Meier was extremely embarrassed. Ouyang Yue's request was clearly a mockery of her, a mockery of her overestimation of her abilities. Ouyang Yue had never even considered using other methods to offset the bet. Fu Meier felt that Ouyang Yue's request for her to ask questions was clearly a mockery and ridicule of her, which was extremely hateful: "Princess, this is... 200,000 taels of silver. Do you know that even the Fu family would find it extremely difficult to earn 200,000 taels of silver?"
Ouyang Yue blinked and laughed, "Oh, the Fu family, the richest family in the Great Zhou, doesn't even have this kind of wealth and resources? Hehe, is it just an empty reputation, not something they truly deserve, but a deception of everyone?"
"Of course not. The Fu family can afford it, but the amount is too much for me to come up with."
“We have it, but we can’t produce it. Perhaps it can’t be given to Miss Fu?” Ouyang Yue said meaningfully. Fu Meier’s facial muscles twitched violently, and she knelt heavily on the ground with a “thud.” Her eyes flashed with a cold light. She knew that if she didn’t admit it, Ouyang Yue would say more sarcastic and insulting things to her. She also knew that she couldn’t avoid this matter today.
"I was wrong……"
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow and said, "Miss Fu, you've knelt before the wrong person. In the bet, I said that if Miss Fu lost, she would have to kneel and kowtow to Ru Shuang thirty times, saying 'I was wrong' with each kowtow, not to me."
Fu Meier trembled with rage, gritting her teeth as she said, "Princess Mingyue, don't you think this is going too far?" She could accept it if it were Ouyang Yue, after all, she was a princess of the dynasty, and even on ordinary days, she would have to bow to her. But what was Li Rushuang? She was just a young lady from a wealthy family, just like her. Neither of them was superior to the other, yet she was being made to kowtow to Li Rushuang. What kind of nonsense was this?
Ouyang Yue's face darkened: "Miss Fu, do you mean you don't want to keep your promise? That's fine, Ru Shuang, let's go." Ouyang Yue stood up readily, and Li Ru Shuang revealed a meaningful smile, which made Fu Meier uneasy.
Her body trembled, and while still kneeling, she turned around and said, "I...I do, I do!"
Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang turned their heads, and Ouyang Yue said, "This is by no means a matter of us forcing Miss Fu."
"Yes, it was Mei'er's own choice. Mei'er felt that the bet was very important and that she had to apologize to Miss Li no matter what."
"Yes, Ru Shuang, come and sit down. Miss Fu is truly a young lady who keeps her promises."
Li Rushuang nodded with a smile, the lotus flower on her forehead seeming to bloom again, and she laughed heartily. This was the moment she had been waiting for: "Alright, Miss Fu, please."
Fu Meier felt the veins on her forehead bulging like steel bars. She straightened her back, then bent forward and kowtowed to Li Ma Rushuang, saying, "I was wrong." With the first kowtow, Fu Meier's eyes reddened. She had worked incredibly hard since childhood, and was the only merchant's daughter to become one of the three most beautiful women in the capital. Her talent was undoubtedly exceptional, yet because she was a merchant's daughter, she was still ridiculed by many. Even with her renowned talent, it didn't stop others from always looking down on her. Her efforts were unimaginable to many.
As the only legitimate daughter of the Fu family, she had lived a life of luxury since childhood, even though she was just a merchant's daughter. She was in no way inferior to many noble ladies, and perhaps even better. Who could possibly humiliate her like this? Let alone Ouyang Yue, even the Second Princess, no matter how noble, would still have to be wary of her status as the daughter of the Fu family. Being the richest family in the country was her guarantee. Even with her humble origins, she never felt inferior. But the daughter of the Minister of War, a woman once ridiculed in the capital for her ugliness, had actually made her kneel and kowtow, crying out that she was wrong. The more Fu Meier thought about it, the more aggrieved she became, and tears streamed down her face like a broken kite string.
"I was wrong..." Fu Meier kowtowed again and said repeatedly, but her tears flowed even more fiercely.
Li Rushuang, Ouyang Yue, how dare you humiliate me like this! This matter will not end here. As she cried, Fu Meier's tears stopped, and her face turned extremely sinister.
Ouyang Yue watched all this indifferently, without a trace of pity. When Fu Meier harmed Li Rushuang, did she show any tenderness? If Rushuang hadn't been willing to get a tattoo on her face, she would be too ashamed to face anyone now, confined to her home, her life ruined. What did Fu Meier do back then? She demanded Rushuang fulfill her promise to serve her. For Fu Meier, merely making her kowtow three times and say "I was wrong" was far too lenient. However, she couldn't make a greater promise in the main hall, so she had to settle for this less-than-ideal solution.
As for her claim of saving face for Fu Meier, that's probably not entirely true. Within the Fu family, there are those who truly hate Fu Meier. Her deliberate call for people out today will only make people more curious about what's going on. The less we see, the more exciting and stimulating the rumors will be.
"Bang bang bang bang bang!" Fu Meier kowtowed repeatedly, each time harder than the last. The murderous aura on her face grew stronger and stronger. Then, when she took someone's pulse, she resembled Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang, like a ghost, with an unusual smile on her face.
Li Rushuang felt a pang of unease, a deep sense of unease settling in her heart. She looked up, intending to help Fu Meier up, but Ouyang Yue pressed her hand down. Li Rushuang paused, falling silent. She simply felt Fu Meier's state was rather unsettling, but if she did so, Fu Meier would likely hate and resent her even more. If she could make Fu Meier get up at any time, why had she insisted in the first place? Wouldn't that be contradicting herself?
After kowtowing thirty times, Fu Meier knelt on the ground, her body swaying, her chest rising and falling, her facial expressions changing rapidly like a palette of colors. Her forehead was red and even bruised from the kowtows. Just now, she had imagined the ground as Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang, wishing she could just smash them to death. In the end, she couldn't control herself. Now, as she stood up, she felt a wave of dizziness and constant sharp pain. Fu Meier regretted it even more. Her hatred for Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang made her chest tremble.
Ouyang Yue stood up, glanced at Fu Meier, and said, "I greatly admire Miss Fu. Now that the matter is settled, I will take my leave. If Miss Fu has time after her injuries have healed, she is welcome to visit the Princess's residence anytime."
Fu Meier's eyes held an indescribable gloom as she coldly laughed, "I just hope Princess Mingyue won't find Meier annoying then."
"Ru Shuang, let's go." Ouyang Yue turned and said, and Li Ru Shuang immediately agreed. The two of them left with the people from the princess's residence.
Fu Meier remained in the same position as when she was on the ground, silently watching Ouyang Yue and the others leave. After an unknown amount of time, Fu Meier suddenly jumped up and swung aside the table and chairs on the side: "Bitches, these two bitches, how dare they insult me like this! I will never let them get away with this, never!" Her expression was now ferocious and ruthless.
Fu Meier cursed and swore, her voice sharp and unpleasant, causing the Fu family members who were waiting outside and about to enter the hall to mock her to stop in their tracks. No one dared to provoke Fu Meier, who was now acting like a madwoman. How many people in the Fu family hadn't been secretly punished by Fu Meier but could only suffer in silence? She was definitely not someone to be trifled with.
Li Rushuang glanced at Ouyang Yue in the carriage: "Yue'er, looking at Fu Meier like that, I really feel a little uneasy." Li Rushuang wasn't afraid of Fu Meier, but seeing Fu Meier's appearance earlier, she really regretted it. That look was like an angry ghost, always giving her a bad feeling.
Ouyang Yue took her hand and gently patted it: "Since it's already happened, don't overthink it. It won't be easy for Fu Meier to deal with you and me. Besides, even if we don't do anything, Fu Meier will use this as an excuse to stop. Don't forget that we can never be friends with her, we're enemies. With a relationship like that, it's not a big deal if we really provoke her once or three times. And this is what you deserve. Ru Shuang, you can't have goodwill towards your enemies, that will only lead you to your doom." After saying that, Ouyang Yue stroked the lotus tattoo on Li Ru Shuang's forehead.
Li Rushuang stiffened, then calmed down and said, "Yue'er, you're right. Any kindness we show her will become a sword that will pierce us in the future."
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly, but a glint flashed in her eyes. Li Rushuang's assessment wasn't wrong; if things continued to go on like this, trouble was likely. Ouyang Yue slightly lifted the carriage curtain, squinting as she looked outside. Even before their initial conflict, Fu Meier had already shown hostility; their relationship was destined to be one of mortal enmity. To avoid future trouble, she wasn't afraid to act as a butcher, sending Fu Meier to the underworld. Ouyang Yue's eyes turned cold, as if she were contemplating a plan.
After sending Li Rushuang back to the Li residence, Ouyang Yue led her people back to the princess's residence and went directly to Shuangxue Pavilion. Princess Shuangxia was sitting on a high seat, sipping tea. Ouyang Yue walked over with a smile and said, "Grandmother, Yue'er is back."
"Yes, you're back. I hope nothing happened." Princess Shuangxia extended her hand.
Ouyang Yue smiled and placed her hand on it: "Grandmother, with my current status, there aren't many people who would want to cause me trouble. Grandmother, please don't worry."
Princess Shuangxia touched Ouyang Yue's hand and sighed, "You shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against others. Besides, with your identity..." Princess Shuangxia sighed, "If it weren't for the pressure at the time, that child Chaohua wouldn't have revealed your true identity. But now is the real trouble for you."
Ouyang Yue also understood that the fact that Xuan Yuan Chaohua was Xuan Yuan Chaohua's younger sister was enough to drive countless people crazy. Using her to consolidate the status and position of the aristocratic family, and using her to win over Xuan Yuan Chaohua, the fiercest struggle would probably be among the princes, which was indeed a troublesome matter.
Princess Shuangxia suddenly asked, "Yue'er, do you have someone you like right now?"
Ouyang Yue's heart stirred. She looked up at Princess Shuangxia's wise eyes and was momentarily at a loss for words. Princess Shuangxia smiled kindly: "The Xuanyuan family has not had a daughter for generations. Your grandmother will do everything in her power to protect you. So as long as you like someone, even if he is just a beggar, your grandmother will support you. But a woman like our Yue'er would never marry someone like a beggar and cause your grandmother worry. Hehe, your grandmother just wants to tell you that you can rest assured about your marriage. No one can force you if it's not someone you like."
Ouyang Yue was deeply moved. Princess Shuangxia's marriage was a promise, but she knew clearly that once she regained her true identity and returned to her ancestral home, not only would she not be able to decide her own marriage, but Princess Shuangxia would also have a hard time. Emperor Mingxian would probably use her marriage to measure the power in the court. For Emperor Mingxian, what did the marital happiness of a daughter and a niece who was no longer even a cousin have to do with her? Royal relationships have always been very cold.
Ouyang Yue couldn't help but reach out and wrap her arms around Princess Shuangxia's waist, gently nuzzling her with a look of admiration: "Grandmother, don't worry, Yue'er won't do anything to worry you or cause you any trouble. Yue'er has made a mistake in her marriage."
Princess Shuangxia patted her shoulder with a smile: "You're smart, I know that."
The two exchanged a smile, as if unspoken words lingered in their eyes before dissipating.
Five days later, an invitation suddenly arrived from the Crown Prince's residence. The Crown Prince was hosting a banquet and invited all the families in the capital to the Crown Prince's residence. The main invitees were noble men and women from the capital. In the residence of the Eldest Princess, Ouyang Yue received an invitation personally written and delivered by the Crown Princess.
Ouyang Yue squinted at her, a meaningful smile playing on her lips!
Chapter 156, The Bloodshed at the Crown Prince's Residence! (Seeking monthly votes)
Crown Prince Baili Cheng received an imperial education from childhood. The founding emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty established the dynasty after a period of financial shortage. He required his descendants to be low-key and simple. Most emperors followed this principle. As the future heir apparent, the Crown Prince naturally had to follow the will of his ancestors. Among the princes of this generation, it was probably only Baili Cheng who didn't care. The others couldn't help but care. From the outside, all the princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty seemed very simple, but this was only in comparison to the average noble family.
As the Crown Prince, Baili Cheng treated this matter as an imperial edict. He had been the Crown Prince for many years, and banquets were rarely held in his residence. Therefore, it was unlikely that anyone would refuse the Crown Prince's invitation to this banquet. Even if they had other commitments, they would put them aside and come to show their support.
Early that morning, Ouyang Yue had lunch with Princess Shuangxia and Xuanyuan Chaohua. Afterwards, Xuanyuan Chaohua led a group of people, and Ouyang Yue and Princess Shuangxia rode in the same carriage to the Crown Prince's residence. Along the way, Ouyang Yue saw a scene that was not as grand as the imperial palace banquet, nor as crowded with visitors, but the Crown Prince's banquet was certainly no less impressive. Even some officials who were affiliated with other forces were also heading to the Crown Prince's residence in their carriages, showing just how bustling the road was.
Upon seeing Princess Shuangxia's carriage procession outside the Crown Prince's residence, a servant immediately ordered, "Quickly, quickly remove the threshold and let the princess's carriage pass."
At the same time, someone shouted: "Princess Shuangxia, Princess Mingyue, and General Xuanyuan have arrived!"
At the same time, shouts rang out from inside, and the news of Princess Shuangxia's arrival spread quickly. After getting off the carriage, Princess Shuangxia and the others were led by the Crown Prince's attendants to the flower hall. The Crown Prince's residence had two gardens in total. Although the Crown Prince's residence was not luxuriously decorated, the gardens were very elaborate. Flowers of each season were planted and arranged in various shapes, which was very ingenious. Because there were many people attending the banquet, although the Crown Prince's residence also had a hall for guests, the banquet was held in the garden.
At this time, most of the people from each household stayed in the garden and would attend the banquet later. Princess Shuangxia, being of noble status, naturally could not squeeze into the back garden with the others before the banquet started, so she was arranged to wait in the flower hall.
Crown Prince Baili Cheng, Crown Princess Xuan Yue, and Consort Mu Cuihuan, along with their servants, came to pay their respects to Princess Shuangxia. Ouyang was not familiar with the people in the Crown Prince's residence, but he took the opportunity to meet them first.
Crown Prince Baili Cheng, dressed in an earth-yellow dragon robe with his jade crown tied high, strode in. His noble bearing made him quite a presence. The Crown Princess and Consort were both rare beauties, and both had close ties to Baili Cheng. Princess Xuan Yue was the daughter of Grand Tutor Xuan Bin, while Consort was Mu Cuiwei's cousin, Zhou Dazhou, the daughter of the second branch of the Mu family and the governor of Yuezhou, Mu Liren. These two women were not prominent in the capital and were very low-key, rarely attending banquets, so many people were not familiar with them.