Xie took the lead and said with a smile, "Please take your seats, Prince Chen and Princess Chen."
Baili Chen nodded, led Ouyang Yue forward, and calmly sat down. The Xie family and the others' expressions changed slightly. They were all stunned by Ouyang Yue's sudden invitation; none of them expected her to come so abruptly. They were unsure of her purpose and felt quite awkward and uneasy. The Leng family had gone too far with Leng Yuyan's matter back then, which was why Ouyang Yue had always refused to acknowledge the Leng family. Even though Ouyang Yue was now Princess Mingyue and married Baili Chen, the current Princess Chen, such a large family as the Leng family didn't want to cause trouble or get involved in the royal family's power struggles. Since Ouyang Yue had no such intention, they naturally wouldn't take the initiative. They initially thought Ouyang Yue's visit was related to Baili Chen, but judging from her cold demeanor, it didn't seem so. This made them wonder if Ouyang Yue had come to seek justice for Leng Yuyan.
Now that Ouyang Yue had taken her seat, and Xie Shi sat at the head of the left, the people from the Leng family all took their seats in turn.
As the patriarch of the Leng family, Leng Yushan smiled and said, "It is an honor and a blessing for the Leng family that Prince Chen and Princess Chen have graced our humble abode with their presence." Leng Yushan and Leng Yuren were siblings, but they had taken different paths and their appearances were quite different.
Both Leng Yushan and Leng Yuren were good-looking, but compared to Leng Yushan, who had the image of a gentle and refined scholar, Leng Yuren, like his profession, had a sharper edge and the image of a standard military general. Although Leng Yushan was smiling, his eyes were carefully observing Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue. At this moment, a maid served tea, and Ouyang Yue took a light sniff before putting it down: "Patriarch Leng, there is no need to be so polite. I have only come to deliver a message."
Everyone in the Leng residence was stunned. They really didn't understand why the Prince and Princess Chen needed to come in person to deliver this message. They could have just sent someone. Or was this message so important that it might be some kind of order from the Emperor? Everyone straightened up and looked at Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue, listening to their explanation.
Ouyang Yue gently stroked the jade bracelet on her left wrist. The white jade bracelet emitted a warm luster, its priceless value immediately apparent. Moreover, its transparency was of the highest quality. Madam Sun's eyes narrowed slightly. The princess consort of the prince's household was indeed different; even her daughter didn't possess such a thing. It seemed Emperor Mingxian truly doted on Prince Chen; otherwise, why wouldn't the Ninth Prince have such a valuable bracelet? Madam Sun felt a pang of jealousy. Although Leng Caidie had married Baili Mao and was his principal wife, Baili Mao had always been relatively unknown. He had originally been just a follower of Baili Jian; what could he possibly achieve? Now, even as a prince, he was the least favored among the princes. Originally, Madam Sun had disagreed with Leng Caidie's marriage, but what could she do when the Emperor issued a decree? Besides, things had changed now. Who said the weak would always be weak? If things succeeded, her daughter would also receive unparalleled glory.
Leng Yushan asked, "I wonder what message Princess Chen wants to convey?"
Ouyang Yue looked at Leng Yu, then glanced at Leng Caifeng to the side, and curled the corner of her mouth: "It's about the Second Young Master Leng." Because Ouyang Yue had never acknowledged anyone from the Leng family, she still addressed them politely in public, but in private she would address Leng Caiwen as her cousin.
"Brother, what happened to him?" Leng Caifeng's face darkened as he asked this, and he glanced in the direction of Leng Caixi. If it weren't for that bastard Leng Caixi causing a conflict with his second brother over a woman, would his second brother have left home? This matter was Leng Caixi's fault, and if anyone should leave, it should be Leng Caixi. But before the eldest branch could even do anything, Leng Caiwen had already left, and with Sun Shi mediating, the matter was temporarily put on hold.
The eldest son's family only has two brothers, Leng Caifeng and Leng Caiwen. Although Leng Caifeng has always had some opinions about his younger brother Leng Caiwen, feeling that Leng Caiwen is too irresponsible, they are still brothers after all. Leng Caifeng had taken care of his younger brother a lot when they were young, so if something really happens, no one can help.
Seeing Leng Caifeng's expression, Ouyang Yue's eyes lit up slightly. "So you didn't know about this? Before, because of his good relationship with the Prince, the Second Young Master Leng suddenly came to the Prince Chen's residence and asked to stay. It wasn't our business, so we didn't ask any questions. However, the Second Young Master Leng was seriously injured a while ago, and he was probably dead by now. Fortunately, Physician Liu's medical skills were superb, and he was able to save the Second Young Master Leng's life. However, he is still lying in the Prince Chen's residence, and it will probably be difficult for him to fully recover in a month or two."
"Hiss! My second brother is in trouble! What happened? How could there be an assassination attempt? He's been rescued? Is he really alright?" Leng Caifeng, who was usually very serious and composed, couldn't help but be shocked at this moment.
The eyes of Xie and Jiang also instantly reddened, and Leng Yushan's eyes widened as they all looked at Ouyang Yue.
Ouyang Yue remained silent, her gaze sweeping over the second son's body before she said, "He's out of danger now, but the ordeal the Second Young Master Leng has endured is no small matter. Physician Liu previously remarked that the fifth stab, the one that struck his back, would have crippled him for life had it not missed. It's only because the Second Young Master Leng is incredibly lucky and possesses exceptional martial arts skills that he hasn't survived."
Upon hearing this, Jiang nearly fainted. Of the two children, Jiang actually favored Leng Caiwen more. Leng Caifeng had always been as steady as an old man, while Leng Caiwen was lively and energetic. Although he had caused a lot of trouble since childhood, he had also attracted most of Jiang's attention. Moreover, Leng Caiwen was very good at pleasing people, so Jiang naturally doted on her younger son more. When Leng Caiwen forced her to leave the Leng household, Jiang didn't show it outwardly, but she deeply resented the second branch of the family. The Sun family, originally from the Leng family's political rivals, had clashed with Jiang many times after entering the household due to their sharp and sarcastic nature. Jiang usually tolerated it because although the Sun family came from a prominent family, they weren't from the legitimate line. Someone who pretends to be a legitimate member without being one is inherently inferior; she uses sharp behavior to assert herself, which is actually very low-class. Over time, Jiang couldn't be bothered with such a person, as she felt it lowered her status. This fostered Sun's arrogant nature. What good children could someone like her raise? Leng Caidie had always been very competitive in the household, and because she was the only legitimate granddaughter, Xie doted on her. Although Leng Caixi was a son born out of wedlock, Sun couldn't give birth to a son, so she spoiled Leng Caixi to prevent him from feeling superior. Leng Caixi and Leng Caidie were all like Sun—they were competitive, regardless of their ability or whether something belonged to them. Jiang had always been patient, hoping for harmony in the family. However, when Leng Caiwen left the manor last time, Jiang almost took action. It was only after Xie and Leng Yushan persuaded her that she held back. After all, Leng Caiwen's departure wasn't without its advantages; at least she wouldn't have to worry about such things every day. Moreover, Leng Xifeng was gradually gaining influence in the court, so Leng Caixi wouldn't dare to cause him trouble. Therefore, Jiang didn't do anything in the end. But now, upon hearing that Leng Caiwen was being chased after after leaving the manor, she realized that if it weren't for Leng Caixi, this wouldn't have happened. The hatred in her heart was stirred up.
Leng Yushan was also shocked and furious. He gritted his teeth and said, "Princess Consort Chen, I don't know who did this."
Baili Chen frowned and said, "On the surface, it is not clear who did it, but one thing is certain: none of the guards I sent out to accompany me have returned. Those guards were all handpicked by me, and they are probably no less capable than the secret guards of the Leng family."
Everyone was shocked because Baili Chen revealed the secret guards of the Leng family. In such a wealthy family, these matters are confidential and never mentioned. Even if someone asks, they will not admit it. Although everyone knows the truth, what can be done if they don't admit it?
Everyone knew the truth, but Leng Yushan immediately retorted, "What are you saying, Prince Chen? How could the Leng residence have secret guards? That's just hearsay."
Baili Chen smiled faintly, but said, "Whether it's nonsense or not, I don't know. Let me just use this as an analogy. If the Leng family had secret guards, my guards would be no worse than them. It's a pity they're all dead. I not only suffered a great loss, but Caiwen was also injured. I'm quite depressed right now." As he spoke, Baili Chen stroked his chin and said, "Speaking of which, it seems that Caiwen was driven out of the mansion because of some conflict with the family. So, if the Leng family had secret guards, would there be a situation where the father would try to harm the son?"
Leng Yushan stood up abruptly, his face frosty, his former gentle demeanor gone. He said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, please be careful with your words. How could there be such a cruel biological father in the world? Even if there were, let alone the Leng family, they would never harm their own family members."
Baili Chen said "Oh," and Ouyang Yue looked at Leng Yushan calmly: "Why does Patriarch Leng need to be so angry? The more you act like this, the more guilty you seem."
Jiang said in a deep voice, "Princess Consort Chen, you are also pregnant now. You will understand after you give birth. You would never be cruel to your own child. It is understandable that you would be angry to be spoken to like this. You would not allow others to slander your precious child like this."
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Like jade and treasure, I really didn't see it coming. If Young Master Leng were doing well, he wouldn't have abandoned his own family and become a dependent. My lord naturally treats Young Master Leng sincerely, but Young Master Leng is not necessarily happy. People shouldn't be afraid of what others say if they do something. If you have the will, doing it perfectly so that no one can find fault with it is the right thing to do."
Leng Yushan and Madam Jiang both fell silent, finding these words utterly refutating. If they hadn't failed to protect their son, such a thing wouldn't have happened. While Leng Yushan was the head of the Leng family, Leng Yuren was a military officer in the court. Although Leng Yushan controlled the entire Leng family, Leng Yuren also wielded considerable power. When Leng Caiwen and Leng Caixi became enemies, they could have fought, but since Leng Caiwen chose to leave, they didn't pursue the matter to prevent the Leng family from collapsing. Therefore, they weren't entirely without fault in this matter.
But speaking of which...
etc!
Leng Yushan's brows twitched suddenly. A flash of inspiration had just crossed his mind: if a father wouldn't kill his son, then the Leng family wouldn't send secret guards to harm Leng Caiwen. And since Leng Caiwen's interests were most closely tied to the Leng family's, if the Leng family wouldn't, then which other family would see Leng Caiwen as a thorn in their side?
Although Leng Caiwen is from the Leng family, he has always been very free-spirited and loves to run around. With Leng Caifeng entering the court as an official, it is highly likely that the position of Leng family patriarch will be passed to Leng Caiwen. However, this does not matter much to the other four major families. If the future patriarch is shrewd and capable, they would be happy to find someone as free-spirited as Leng Caiwen, as this would maximize their interests. Therefore, for the other families, there will be no problem with Leng Caiwen succeeding as the patriarch of the Leng family. Compared to Baili Chen's guards and the forces that were completely wiped out, the forces that he would most likely think of are the secret guards of the five major families and the royal secret guards. Leng Caiwen has not entered officialdom, and Leng Yushan is also in his prime. He will not step down for at least three to five years. There is still a long time before Leng Caiwen takes over. At present, Leng Caiwen can be said to pose no threat to them. Why would they risk antagonizing the Leng family to harm Leng Caiwen?
This person must have a significant conflict of interest with Leng Caiwen. While Leng Yushan's branch of the Leng family might not do it, there's still the second branch. Leng Caixi fought with Leng Caiwen over prostitutes back then; why can't he do it this time? Leng Caixi may not have the power, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have someone behind him! After much thought, the most likely person to harm Leng Caiwen is Leng Caixi!
Leng Yushan's face was gloomy, so dark it could drip ink. His eyes were filled with malice as he stared at Leng Caixi. At this moment, Leng Caixi had her head down and her shoulders were hunched over. This made Leng Yushan even more furious: "Leng Caixi, tell me, did you do this?"
No one returned at the time. Although Leng Caiwen knew that Leng Caixi was responsible, he had no evidence. When Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen came to the Leng residence, it was naturally their responsibility to find evidence.
Upon hearing this, Leng Caixi shrank even further, this time even his head shrinking back, wishing he could become a thousand-year-old king of turtles and burrow into his shell and never come out. But wasn't his behavior tantamount to admitting guilt? Leng Yushan clenched his fists: "You actually dared to harm your own brother! Back then, you actually fought with your own brother for a prostitute. You could do such a despicable thing. I originally wanted to punish you on behalf of the family head, but I spared you because you were still young. I didn't expect you to not restrain yourself and have become even more arrogant. Now you even dare to kill your own brother. You deserve to die!" Leng Yushan roared in anger.
Seeing this, Xie was about to speak, but ultimately swallowed her words, looking at Leng Caixi with disappointment and murderous intent in her eyes. Leng Caixi was merely a son of a concubine, a far cry from Leng Caiwen, the legitimate son. Furthermore, Sun Shi had never been favored by Xie, and consequently, she didn't like Leng Caixi much either. Now, this damned scoundrel dared to harm Caiwen; he deserved to die!
Leng Yushan sneered, "Guards! Leng Caixi has actually committed fratricide. According to the Leng family rules, he should be beaten to death!" Leng Yushan spoke without any mercy, which shocked the members of the second branch of the family.
Leng Yuren had been sitting silently to one side, unaware of the matter. Back then, Leng Caixi and Leng Caiwen had fought over a prostitute, and the eldest son's family had done nothing to pursue the matter. Leng Yuren, however, felt deeply ashamed and ordered Leng Caixi to be flogged twenty times and confined to bed for a month. Otherwise, the eldest son's family wouldn't have let the matter rest so easily, as Leng Caixi had at least received some punishment. But this time, the incident was far too serious. If Leng Caixi had truly committed such a crime, he would be undeniably guilty and face certain death.
As a powerful and noble family, this clan has always had strict rules, and most rewards and punishments within the clan are decided by the clan head. Only when the clan head has made a mistake, or when it involves the interests of the entire clan, will the clan elders speak up. The clan head has immense power, including the right to expel anyone from the clan, and also the power of life and death. This is a microcosm of the imperial court; in this Leng family mansion, Leng Yushan is a local tyrant.
But Leng Caixi is also Leng Yuren's son, and he has the important responsibility of continuing the family line. Leng Yuren naturally couldn't bear it, but he couldn't get a word in edgewise because he was too ashamed.
Upon seeing this, Madam Sun shrieked, "Brother, what are you doing? When did Caixi say he did it? Don't make false accusations. Caixi is just heartbroken because he heard Caiwen suffered so much. None of us expected Caiwen to be assassinated. We are all deeply saddened to hear this. Brother, instead of trying to find the real culprit, why are you showing off your power to your own family?" Madam Sun sneered, looking at Ouyang Yue, and said, "Furthermore, I've also heard that Caiwen's injury seems to be related to Princess Chen. Prince Chen sent guards to accompany her, but only Caiwen returned alone, which makes the story highly suspicious. Caiwen is currently staying at Prince Chen's residence, and we haven't seen her. Can't we just believe whatever you say? Even if some people want to kill her to silence her, we wouldn't know, would we, Your Highness?"
Outsiders may not know Leng Caiwen's thoughts, but her mother, Jiang Shi, is well aware of them. Looking at Ouyang Yue, Jiang Shi's heart skipped a beat. What if love turned to hate? It's true that Prince Chen and Caiwen are friends, but Ouyang Yue is in between. What if Caiwen's affection for Ouyang Yue led Prince Chen to plot murder, using this opportunity to harm Caiwen, and then pulling a fast one to absolve himself? This wasn't entirely impossible. Jiang Shi immediately showed a suspicious expression.
Ouyang Yue looked at Madam Sun and sneered: "Second Madam Leng really knows a lot. You even know about this kind of thing. But do you know what the real secret is about Second Young Master Leng's trip out of the capital this time?"
Sun opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly shut up and snorted coldly, "I didn't do this, how would I know? It's the Princess Consort of Chen who has such a big mind, doing such a thing and now she comes to cause trouble. It's truly an eye-opener."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Oh, what has this princess done? Tell me, Second Madam Leng."
Madam Sun raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, and said, "I heard that the Prince of De's heir and Princess Nan left Prince Chen's residence yesterday. Princess Nan was even kicked out of Prince Chen's residence and was strictly forbidden from ever setting foot on the gates again. I heard that Princess Nan was just stating the facts. Some people are fickle and two-timing, but it made some people angry and ashamed. Princess Nan is really pitiful. She was just stating the facts. Those who did such shameless things haven't realized their mistakes yet, and instead, they made Princess Nan lose face. How pitiful."
Ouyang Yue wasn't angry, but her eyes clearly darkened: "Oh, Second Madam Leng really knows a lot. It seems she's been keeping watch over the Chen Prince's residence all along. The Leng family didn't even know about yesterday's news, but Second Madam Leng already knew. No wonder she came from the Sun family; her shrewdness is truly remarkable. I've heard that these five great families all have deep-rooted resources. The Leng family doesn't have any secret guards. I wonder if the Sun family does. Second Madam Leng comes from the Sun family and has had such high prestige in the Leng family for many years. I imagine that sending out two secret guards wouldn't be difficult for either the Sun or Leng families."
Sun's expression suddenly changed: "You're talking nonsense. I have no idea about any secret guards."
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Why is Madam Leng so agitated? I was just guessing. You're acting as if I've hit a nerve."
"Princess Consort Chen, you've done something shameless and are trying to find a scapegoat. You should think twice. You yourself said that I am from the Sun family. I have a clear conscience and am not afraid of you, but don't try to pin this on me." Madam Sun shouted urgently.
Ouyang Yue looked at her silently, then suddenly pointed her jade-like finger at Madam Sun: "You lowly woman, you have disrespected me, the Princess Consort, and even attempted to slander my innocence. Drag her away and beat her to death!"
Everyone was shocked to hear this. Ouyang Yue was so bold! However, this was the Leng residence, and Ouyang Yue couldn't command anyone here. But before the thought even crossed their minds, the black-clad man beside Baili Chen flashed forward and kicked Sun Shi in the stomach. Sun Shi cried out and fell to the ground clutching her stomach. The black-clad man immediately drew his sword, still sheathed, and struck Sun Shi with the hilt.
"Bang, thud!" In just one sound, Sun's eyes widened in pain as she screamed loudly. Everyone seemed to hear the sound of bones cracking.
"Bang, bang!" In just a few blows, Sun was already howling incessantly, her eyes rolling back as if she were about to meet the King of Hell at any moment.
"Stop!" Leng Yuren shouted, reaching out to strike the man in black. The man in black, Leng Sha, who was Baili Chen's right-hand man, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, dodging the attack with a sidestep. Leng Yuren instantly withdrew his palm, quickly dodging to the side and striking at Leng Sha. Leng Sha's expression was cold and stern as he kept dodging, while Leng Yuren pressed forward relentlessly.
At this moment, Baili Chen's cold voice came: "Don't play with Second Master Leng anymore. Let's end this quickly. If you kill him, I, the King, will take care of it for you."
As soon as Baili Chen finished speaking, everyone in the hall was instantly shocked. Did Baili Chen mean that he didn't care if Leng Yuren died?!
Upon receiving the order, Leng Sha suddenly stopped dodging and directly extended a palm towards Leng Yuren's face. Leng Yuren instantly broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly retreated, but Leng Sha pressed forward relentlessly. Moreover, Leng Sha was an assassin by trade, and when truly enraged, he exuded a chilling aura and a palpable killing intent. The situation had completely reversed. Leng Yuren dodged, but Leng Sha's attacks were relentless and vicious. Each time, Leng Yuren managed to dodge, but each time, he was left drenched in sweat with fear.
Others might not see it clearly, but he knew best about his fight with Leng Sha. This man hadn't used his full strength at all; in fact, you could say he was just toying with him. He could have killed him in one move, but Leng Sha deliberately withdrew his strength at the most critical moment, only forcing him back. Leng Yuren had never felt so frustrated in all his years as an official. He shouted, "You dare!"
"Bang!" Leng Sha suddenly raised his foot and kicked Leng Yuren's leg. Leng Yuren knelt on the ground with a "bang," declaring that he had lost the fight.
Leng Yuren thought angrily, "How dare you assault a court official! You're asking for death!"
"Thud!" Just then, Baili Chen suddenly threw something on the ground. The object was golden and had the character "御" (Imperial) on the front. Leng Yuren was taken aback when he saw it: "Second Master Leng, what else do you want to say? With this gold token, I can kill you first."
Leng Yuren broke out in a cold sweat and dared not speak. Baili Chen, however, glared coldly at Madam Sun: "This is the kind of person the Sun family has raised—someone who can't stand up to scruples and speaks such nonsense. Not only does she not understand respect for others, but she also dares to slander the Princess Consort's reputation. She deserves to die! The Leng family can be said to be the most prestigious family in the Great Zhou Dynasty. How come they've had this kind of daughter-in-law for over twenty years and still haven't taught her properly? It seems the Leng family is truly all show and no substance, unworthy of being a prominent family in the Great Zhou!" Anyone who wasn't a fool could feel Baili Chen's anger at this moment.
Ouyang Yue said softly, "Why should Your Highness get angry with such a person? Madam Xie, what will you do about the Second Madam's disrespect towards me? You should know that I could kill her at any time based on what she just said! Or is it that the Leng family is only superficially respectful, but in reality, they all have the same attitude towards me, and she is just reflecting everyone's true feelings? If that's the case, I need to think carefully. So this is how bad I am at dealing with people, and this is your opinion of me?" Ouyang Yue seemed to be reflecting on herself, but her words made Xie and the others' hearts skip a beat.
Not only is Ouyang Yue related to them, although they haven't officially acknowledged her yet, they still share a blood relationship. Moreover, she has Baili Chen, the General's Mansion, and the Princess's Mansion behind her. If they are hated by such people, what good is the Leng family's thousand-year heritage? If Baili Chen eventually becomes emperor, no one from the Leng family will escape. There will only be one outcome: death! Furthermore, they don't want anyone to know that they forced Leng Yuyan back then, and now they're still not letting go of their grandson Ouyang Yue. The Leng family can't afford to lose face like that.
Madam Xie said urgently, "Princess Consort Chen, please calm down. It is my fault for not disciplining her properly. I am willing to bear all the blame." Madam Xie was, after all, Ouyang Yue's nominal maternal grandmother. If she took the blame, how could Ouyang Yue possibly do anything to her?
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Fine, you all want to protect Sun Shi, well done, Your Highness. Let's go to the palace now. I'll go see my mother right now and have her judge me. Not only will I make sure Sun Shi dies, but the Leng family won't have a moment's peace either. I've said my piece: if I don't bring you down, you'll bring me down, and it'll be a fight to the death!"
Madam Xie was startled, her whole body went limp, and Madam Jiang rushed over to support her. Madam Xie said in a trembling voice, "No, no, Princess Consort Chen, that's not what I meant. I didn't intend to protect Madam Sun, absolutely not." Madam Xie might have had that thought, but she actually wanted to downplay the matter. She regretted saying those words as soon as she finished speaking, but unfortunately, she couldn't take them back.
Leng Yuren stood up and suddenly said, "Princess Consort Chen, no matter what, this is Yuyan's maternal family. It's not good for anyone to let things get to this point. Your maternal grandmother is old and her words may be biased. Can you forgive her this time for your mother's sake? The crimes committed by Madam Sun should naturally be borne by her alone. If Princess Consort Chen is still not satisfied, however you punish her, it is what the Leng family should do. This humble citizen will absolutely not stop you."
Ouyang Yue sneered at Leng Yuren: "My mother's family, all I see is a bunch of rabble, stubborn and incompetent. But I should thank you for forcing my mother to leave the Leng family, otherwise my brother and I wouldn't be here. But don't talk about maternal grandparents, you're not worthy!"
Madam Xie's face turned pale, and her lips trembled as she cried, "It was my fault back then. I was too concerned about the reputation of the Leng family, which led to Yuyan running away from home. It was my fault, it was my fault! I deserve to die! I deserve to die!" Madam Xie's eyes reddened, and she burst into tears. She pounded her chest with her fists, and it wasn't faked. The fists trembled so hard that one could hear the sound of her chest pounding. However, she was not young, and if she pounded her chest a few more times, she would be seriously injured.
Jiang cried and tried to stop her, saying, "Mother, Mother, please don't be like this. I know you're upset too. It's all a misunderstanding. Nobody meant it."
Ouyang Yue looked at them calmly, but her heart was filled with complex emotions. The people of the Leng family were too old-fashioned, and as one of the five great families, they were too arrogant. Even if they knew the mistakes they made back then, they couldn't bring themselves to admit them, which made them both hateful and infuriating. However, it was impossible for Xie Shi to be truly heartless towards her daughter; her actions just now were undeniable.
Xie's hand was pulled away, but she was sobbing uncontrollably. Ouyang Yue frowned as she looked at her: "Take Old Madam Leng away to rest first."
Leng Yushan was taken aback and immediately waved for Jiang to take the person away. However, he hesitated when he stood in front of Ouyang Yue. The events that had just occurred in the hall were urgent and the situation was both serious and not serious. For a moment, he was speechless.
Ouyang Yue pointed to Sun Shi, who was beaten to the ground and could not get up, and was now only groaning, and said: "This matter was all caused by Second Madam Leng. You are all too eager to protect people. I, the Princess Consort, can let it go, but Second Madam Leng has to be punished."
Leng Yushan glanced at Leng Yuren with a warning in his eyes. Leng Yuren fell silent, realizing that he couldn't do anything about it now. Leng Yushan quickly said, "What Princess Consort Chen said is true. The second son's wife was disrespectful and didn't sleep with anyone before. She should be punished, she should be punished!"
Ouyang Yue walked towards Madam Sun, but before she had taken two steps, an arm wrapped around her waist. Baili Chen, however, was worried and supported her. Ouyang Yue glanced at him, smiled happily, and then walked towards Madam Sun. Leng Yushan, seeing this, couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. Ouyang Yue looked very much like Leng Yuyan. The three siblings, Leng Yushan and his siblings, had a good relationship, especially Leng Yushan and Leng Yuyan. Leng Yuyan was exceptionally talented in poetry and literature, and it was Leng Yushan who had guided her. However, Leng Yuyan's running away from home made everything complicated.
When Leng Yushan became the patriarch of the Leng family, only someone in his position could understand that it wasn't simply about managing the family. He had to consider everyone in the Leng family; every decision he made affected the safety and interests of the family, and he also had to constantly monitor the court's movements. Internal struggles within a large family were inevitable, and he had to keep a close eye on things to prevent them from going astray. Sometimes, the decisions he made weren't what he truly wanted, and some were even painful decisions, but at this point, he had no choice but to make them, leaving him feeling helpless.
When Ouyang Yue's identity was revealed, the Leng family held a meeting regarding whether or not to acknowledge her. Leng Yushan and Madam Xie naturally hoped to recognize her, as it was a regret for Leng Yuyan. Unfortunately, the Leng family had maintained neutrality for many years, and at this time, they couldn't acknowledge her; otherwise, the Leng family's position would be extremely awkward. The Leng family's thousand-year-old foundation couldn't be changed because of one person. But now, looking back, Leng Yushan felt that the conclusion of their initial discussion seemed to have been wrong.
Given what has happened, how can they possibly have the face to acknowledge each other again?
However, at least Caiwen has a good relationship with Prince Chen and Yue'er, so they haven't completely broken off their ties. It's good enough that they still have some connection.
As Ouyang Yue approached, Dongxue squatted down behind her and roughly grabbed Sun's chin, lifting her head sharply upwards. Sun screamed in pain. Sun was lying face down with her head held high. Her clothes were stained red from the blows Leng Sha had struck her buttocks. Leng Sha's martial arts and strength were said to be equivalent to five blows from others. Although Leng Sha hadn't struck her many times, Sun had taken a full beating. She was in so much pain that her whole body was convulsing. Now, with her chin being lifted so sharply, she felt her neck being pulled, as if it were dislocated. Her throat was throbbing with pain.
"You...you dare to hit me? I am from the Sun family, the second wife of the Leng family. Do you want to offend both families?!" Madam Sun's face was contorted with rage. She had never suffered like this before. Every blow from the board felt like her bones were being shattered. She hated it!
"Offend? What is there that I, the Princess Consort, dare not offend? Even if you die, what can the Sun family do to me?!" Ouyang Yue sneered, but her dark, bright eyes made Sun Shi tremble all over.
The Sun family has always been the Sun family's backer. In the past, no one dared to disrespect or refuse to give her face when the Sun family was mentioned. However, the Sun family was just a government official's family, a large family. Ouyang Yue was a member of the royal family. Would anyone be so foolish as to openly oppose the royal family? Even if they hated her, they would do it in secret. The fact that the Sun family said such a thing shows that she is not very smart, and is actually quite stupid.
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Sun, you know best how many tricks you've used. You could do whatever you wanted in the Leng Manor before, but now that you dare to mess with me, the Princess Consort, I will absolutely not let you off! Blame it on your stupidity, so stupid that I have no choice but to take action against you!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Sun turned deathly pale and trembled, stammering, "You... what do you want to do, Master? Master, please beg me!" Madam Sun hurriedly pleaded with Leng Yuren for help, but Leng Yuren remained silent with a stern face. Madam Sun suddenly became frightened. When someone reveals even their most powerful backer and trump card, yet it proves utterly useless, that person has become a lamb to the slaughter, left to be cut down at will. Only now did Madam Sun finally realize her predicament, and she finally felt truly afraid.
Sun burst into tears, crying and begging, "Princess Consort Chen, spare my life! It was my fault! It was my foul mouth that spoke recklessly! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it! Please, Princess Consort Chen, forgive me this time! I really won't dare to do it again! Please, Princess Consort Chen, spare my life!" Just now, Ouyang Yue didn't even give Xie Shi any face, so what was Sun Shi compared to her? She really didn't have the slightest thought of resisting now. At this moment, she would do anything to save her life, even if it meant calling Ouyang Yue "Mother."
Looking at Sun's disgraceful state, Ouyang Yue sneered: "There are many things in this world that cannot be undone or regretted. Since you dare to be so disrespectful and even insult my reputation, you must bear the punishment you deserve. I will now punish you to make an example of you!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Sun trembled all over. What! She had begged so much, and Ouyang Yue still wanted to cut off her tongue. What a cruel heart she had!
☆、219, Punish! A scheme to sow discord!
“Princess Consort Chen, no! I am still your second aunt! How can you treat your own family like this? Even Yu Yan would not rest in peace in the afterlife! She was such a kind and gentle woman. If she were alive, she would never allow her daughter to commit such a heinous act as patricide! Princess Consort Chen, please think carefully!” Madam Sun said sharply.
Ouyang Yue coldly looked at Madam Sun: "Second Aunt? This Princess Consort has no second aunt, and you are not worthy of it. If you cared about even a shred of kinship, you wouldn't have said those things just now. You should know that it only made me resent you more, and resent the Leng family even more. You are the sinner of this Leng family, because you have cut off another factor that prevented this Princess Consort from recognizing the Leng family." As she spoke, she looked at Dongxue, "What are you waiting for? Cut off Madam Leng's tongue and see how she can still say such nasty things in the future. This Princess Consort is helping you atone for your sins!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Sun jumped up and shouted, "You worthless wretch who gave birth to sons without an ass! How dare you treat me like this? My daughter is also Princess Sheng, of the same rank as you. If you dare to touch me today, I will definitely make her punish you! I will definitely!" Ouyang Yue's pleas for mercy were completely unsuccessful, so Madam Sun simply stopped talking and continued to act according to her own nature.
Upon hearing this, Baili Chen's face turned cold. Leng Yuren exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no!" Just then, a figure flashed in the hall and appeared directly in front of Madam Sun. With a loud "bang," the figure slapped Madam Sun on the shoulder. Madam Sun screamed and flew straight backward, crashing into a chair behind her with a "thud." The force of the impact was so great that she didn't stop. She felt a loud booming sound in her ears. Madam Sun fell to the ground, bounced up again, and finally fell back to the ground with a "thud."
"Pfft...!" Sun stared blankly, but her first reaction was to tilt her head and vomit a mouthful of blood, soaking the front half of her clothes.
Leng Yushan and Leng Yuren were both startled. They saw Baili Chen staring at Sun Shi expressionlessly, his eyes flashing with a cold and ruthless killing intent, saying each word clearly, "You! Deserve to die!" Their hearts skipped a beat. Suddenly, they understood that this Seventh Prince was hiding his true strength. His move just now was swift and decisive, with both power and technique at their peak. Only top experts could pull off such a feat. It seemed the rumors were wrong; perhaps there were twists and turns they didn't know about.