Chenghua Street is a commercial street in the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty where the upper class likes to gather. The people who walk there are all somewhat literate and speak with a certain elegance, but their mean nature has not changed at all!
In an instant, Ouyang Yue became the target of everyone's criticism. The onlookers wanted nothing more than to stick their fingers into Ouyang Yue's head and curse her for her bad character. Ouyang Yue remained calm in the face of these people's accusations, and no one noticed that her eyes were becoming colder and sharper.
Ming Dawu was initially somewhat afraid, but seeing the situation, a smug look appeared on his face. He patted his behind and stood up. He had heard that this third young lady was quite brainless, and he wouldn't give up until he had gotten some benefits out of her for ruining his plans!
The two women who had bumped into Ouyang Yue and were pulled behind her exchanged a glance, looking somewhat worried. One of them, with a cold expression, had already frowned and her eyes were icy. Ouyang Yue glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but turn her head. She saw the woman's expression, which she hadn't had time to look away from. Her heart stirred. She had originally noticed Ming Dawu and deliberately caused trouble for him, not because she really wanted to save him. But now she had changed her mind.
Turning around, he immediately shouted, "You audacious madman, chasing and attacking a woman in the street, what is your punishment!"
Ming Dawu sneered, "These two were originally my men. What I want to do is my business. Don't meddle!"
Looking at Ming Dawu's changing gaze, Ouyang Yue smiled inwardly. Her opening salvo had really hit the mark: "Hmph! Don't think I don't know where you're from. Trying to force a woman into prostitution in broad daylight! How could I ignore you when I've caught you in the act!"
Ming Dawu sneered: "I have their indentures. Don't talk nonsense about forcing women into prostitution!"
Ouyang Yue demanded sharply, "Then tell me, what do you do? And why did you use such foul language before?"
With a "thump," one of the two people behind Ouyang Yue suddenly knelt down, crying, "Miss, please save us! This villain is from Fei Cai Courtyard. He wants to take us back to... to serve customers. We refused, so he tried every way to torture us until we were forced to. We had no choice but to escape because we didn't want to debase ourselves. If we are taken back, we won't survive!"
The woman was clearly in great distress; she burst into tears as soon as she finished speaking, her whole body trembling. Her humiliated and resentful expression immediately drew a lot of sympathy.
Ouyang Yue's face darkened: "So, they're from that lowly place. They really are villains who force women into prostitution. Go find the Prefect of the Capital. Such villains who disrupt public order must be severely punished!"
The expressions of those around him changed instantly, their stances reversed. Ming Dawu's face darkened, and he shouted, "She's talking nonsense! She's just a maid I bought to be my concubine. She's the kind of woman who likes to climb the social ladder. She'll try to kick me to the curb once she's hooked up with someone better. Don't believe her!"
The murmurs started again, and then someone in the crowd said, "I recognize this person. I saw him at Fei Cai Courtyard when I was drinking with someone last time. He's lying!"
The discussion resumed, this time criticizing Ming Dawu's evil deeds. In fact, there were no human rights in this era. Once a contract of servitude was signed, one was at the mercy of their master. However, Ming Dawu was also involved in forcing women into prostitution, so the matter cannot be simply described as a master-servant affair.
Ouyang Yuechong said to Chuncao, "Chuncao, go find someone and arrest these people for me. They do such evil things in broad daylight and then deny it. It's outrageous!"
Upon hearing this, Ming Dawu's face flashed with ferocity. He gave his men a look, and two of them secretly crept up behind Ouyang Yue to snatch her away. Just as they got close, they suddenly felt a gust of wind blow in front of them, and with a series of "bangs," they were slammed hard against the back of their heads. The two men immediately rolled their eyes back and passed out.
The man in the carriage suddenly paused, then asked, "Did you see a shadow fly by just now?"
Leng Caiwen shook his head: "Where did this shadow come from? You must be seeing things."
The man frowned, his gaze towards Ouyang Yue becoming even more intense.
Outside, Ouyang Yue angrily said, "Fine, you still want to grab someone from my hands? You're so bold! I'll show everyone what it means to fight evil and uphold justice!"
As she spoke, she rushed towards Ming Dawu and punched him hard. Ming Dawu did not expect that Ouyang Yue, who looked so weak, would have such a heavy punch. He was knocked to the ground by the punch. Ouyang Yue said to the two women behind her, "This man has committed many evil deeds. This is your chance to get revenge. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and hit him!"
The two women were stunned. The one with the cold expression suddenly lit up her eyes and rushed over, raising her leg to stomp hard on Ming Dawu's stomach. The woman who had been crying earlier was stunned, probably thinking of the humiliation she had suffered before. Her eyes turned cold and she also ran over. Together with Ouyang Yue, they attacked Ming Dawu hard. Ouyang Yue even deliberately turned her foot to the side and kicked Ming Dawu hard on the head!
The onlookers were stunned for a moment, then suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Ming Dawu. Ming Dawu, on the other hand, was being beaten until his eyes were seeing stars, crying out in pain. He tried to get up but felt he had no strength at all. In the end, he could only shout, "Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! Miss, Miss! I'm your relative! How could you do this to me!"
When Ming Dawu shouted, everyone was stunned. What was he doing? He had been spewing vulgarities at people before, and now he was trying to claim kinship. Who would believe that?
Ouyang Yue spat and said, "Who's your relative? Don't talk nonsense!"
Ming Dawu quickly replied, "It's true! I'm a distant cousin of your second young lady. I've even visited your residence twice. The gatekeeper must recognize me. We're really relatives!"
Ouyang Yue sneered inwardly, having taken the bait, but outwardly she feigned anger: "You're talking nonsense! How could my second sister, such a gentle and kind woman, have a relative like you who forces women into prostitution and makes them thugs in brothels? Don't you dare slander my second sister's reputation! What evidence do you have!"
"I have one, I have one! This is a token my cousin gave me, a plaque from the General's Mansion, to make it easier for me to come and go." Ming Dawu was also a little dazed from the beating. He would never have said this when he was sober. Since the gatekeeper of the General's Mansion was Ouyang Rou's man, there was nothing wrong with it. Ouyang Rou had repeatedly told him not to take out the token in front of others, just in case she couldn't explain it.
Ming Dawu was extremely anxious and couldn't care less about anything else. Ouyang Yue's kick had put Ming Dawu in grave danger, so what could be more important than his life?
Ming Dawu hurriedly reached into his clothes and pulled out a small iron plaque with two large characters engraved on the front—General. It was hanging up with vermicelli, clearly something for a daughter's household.
Those who had come to watch the spectacle were taken aback. Although Ming Dawu was Ouyang Rou's cousin, they were not siblings. The fact that he gave her such an important item that allowed her to enter and leave the General's Mansion, and that it was also her token, unexpectedly made people think that the two of them were having an affair.
When Ming Dawu took out this thing, he was already putting Ouyang Rou's reputation on fire. This was exactly the effect Ouyang Yue wanted, to lead Ouyang Rou step by step into the abyss. She would repay her predecessor tenfold or a hundredfold for what she had done to her!
☆、012、Ruined reputation!
Holding the token, Ouyang Yue felt increasingly cold inside. Ouyang Rou had actually conspired with others to allow Ming Dawu to freely enter and leave the General's Mansion in order to ruin her reputation. Not only was she ruthless, but she was also incredibly audacious!
The humiliation they inflicted on her predecessor is now being repaid to her; how can she tolerate this!
A glint of light flashed in Ouyang Yue's eyes, and the token in her hand suddenly fell to the ground with a "thud." Ouyang Yue cried out in surprise and hurriedly tried to pick it up, but no matter how she tried, she pushed the token further away because she was too flustered, and the two characters "General" on the front of the token were particularly obvious!
The token was very small, and those watching the commotion who couldn't see the words clearly before could now see them all, and immediately started making a ruckus.
"I never imagined the Second Miss of the General's Mansion would be like this. Heh, handing over her personal keepsake to an outsider—that's illicit exchange!"
"I don't think so. I've met that second young lady. How could a gentle, willow-like woman be so shameless?"
"You don't understand! Some women pretend to be chaste and virtuous, but in reality they're just harlots. They can be incredibly wild in bed. I suppose this second young lady has that potential!"
"Hehehe, is that so? She's just a concubine's daughter from the General's mansion, yet this young master dares to ask for her hand in marriage. Why not bring her back and see for yourself!"
If Ouyang Rou were here, she would be furious. She was perfectly fine in the General's Mansion, yet people were already calling her a slut and a whore!
Seeing that she had achieved her goal, Ouyang Yue immediately picked up the token, clutching it tightly to her chest, and shook her head desperately: "You are not allowed to talk nonsense, and you are even more not allowed to slander my second sister. I know my second sister best; she would never do such a thing. This token... this token is completely fake! He's lying; he made up a fake one to deceive you by claiming kinship. You must not believe him! If you continue to spread rumors and cause trouble, I... I will not let you get away with it! Do you hear me!"
Ouyang Yue screamed in the end, but her face was full of surprise and doubt, which was not convincing at all. In the end, her face turned as white as snow, and her eyes widened, as if even she did not expect that Ouyang Rou would be such a promiscuous woman!
Chuncao, as if struck by a sudden thought, exclaimed, "Miss, Second Miss and Young Master Hong aren't... Ah!"
"Chuncao, what nonsense are you spouting, you lowly creature! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll... I won't let you serve me anymore!" Ouyang Yue shouted at Chuncao through gritted teeth.
Chuncao was stunned and quickly pleaded, "Miss, Miss, please don't abandon Chuncao! You're the only one in the manor who's good to Chuncao. Chuncao can't live without you!" As she said this, Chuncao suddenly remembered that her mistress had been seriously injured and almost died. After waking up, she seemed to have really become smarter. Although she suspected that all of this was an act by her mistress? Was it to ruin the second young lady's reputation? But it just didn't seem to be any different from her mistress's previous behavior. She couldn't quite explain what kind of feeling it was!
If Miss really becomes sensible and smart, she won't be bullied by others anymore. Miss Er's decision to break off the engagement was clearly out of good intentions, but in the end she became a vicious woman. Chuncao feels very sorry for her.
However, those who were listening intently to watch the conversation had a different thought: Young Master Hong, which Young Master Hong?
Isn't this most famous Young Master Hong in Jingcheng the eldest son of the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor's Mansion, Hong Yicheng, one of the three talents of Jingcheng? That's how it is with celebrities; whenever something happens, they're the first ones contacted. Could it be that the Second Miss and Young Master Hong are having an affair? Everyone was very curious, but judging from Ouyang Yue's expression, they knew she wouldn't say anything.
Some people were shocked because, as far as they knew, Ouyang Yue and Hong Yicheng were already married, so how did her sister Ouyang Rou have any connection with them?
People in ancient times had very little entertainment, so the more you kept things from them, the more they would want to know. Just because Ouyang Yue didn't say anything didn't mean they didn't know through other channels. Everyone in the General's Mansion knew that Ouyang Yue had been jilted by Hong Yicheng.
If these people find out, then the fact that Ouyang Rou is a promiscuous woman who likes to seduce men will be established, and it will also clear Ouyang Yue's name.
She couldn't possibly carry this undeserved reputation for the rest of her life because of Ouyang Rou's scheme! She loved the tit-for-tat game! If Ouyang Rou could use her reputation against her, why couldn't she?
If she's going to play, she's going to play big!
The general's mansion is her home, that's true, but are there any women in that house who are genuinely good to her? Why should she care about others!
The silent pointing and whispering of the onlookers had a more serious effect than any spoken words. Seeing this, Ouyang Yue's face turned red, and she shouted at these people, "You've misunderstood! This person has absolutely nothing to do with my second sister! Don't believe his nonsense!"
After saying that, he turned around, got into the carriage, and left. The two women who had bumped into Ouyang Yue saw that Ming Dawu looked angry but dared not speak out, so they did not follow the carriage, but silently followed it away.
The people on the street, as if they had been choked and suddenly freed, burst into a commotion.
"Is it true?!"
"No, I need to find someone to ask around!"
"I think this third young lady is just a bit naive. She's the kind of person who would ruin her own sister's happiness!"
"Speaking of which, Lin Baiyu of the Huaiyuan Marquis's Mansion is no match for Hong Yicheng, this newly appointed nobleman. If you were a woman, which would you choose?"
"Oh, you mean..."
One of them, who considered himself very clever, shook his head and said, "Let me tell you, there's a lot to learn here. Go find some people who are connected to the General's Mansion and ask them how the Third Miss's marriage with Hong Yicheng is going, and you'll understand!"
"Yes, my aunt's third great-aunt... knows the vegetable seller at the General's Mansion. I'll go ask her!"
"I'll go too..."
With a whoosh, the whole street returned to calm.
Inside the carriage, Leng Caiwen stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "Wow, this is explosive! Ouyang Rou is in real trouble this time! Hahaha!"
Leng Caiwen looked smug, while the man in the car seemed thoughtful. Suddenly, he said to the person outside the car, "Let's follow them and see."
"You're so interested in Ouyang Yue? That's rare!" Leng Caiwen was very interested, but when the latter closed his eyes and ignored him, he pouted and didn't say anything. However, thinking about what had just happened, he narrowed his eyes and pondered for a while.
As the carriage drove away, Ouyang Yue had the driver stop at Langhuan Street, the premier commercial street in the capital. Although it was also a commercial street, it was a level above Chenghua Street. Ouyang Yue had not forgotten the purpose of her trip: to find a suitable place for Ouyang Su to stay.
"Miss, we have arrived at Langhuan Jade Pavilion."
Ouyang Yue helped Chuncao out of the car and saw the two women from the street standing behind the car. When Ouyang Yue got out, one of the women, who was crying, tried to rush up, but was stopped by the cold-faced woman. The two women lowered their heads and did not speak, but waited quietly.
Ouyang Yue raised the corner of her mouth. They were quite patient. She would give it another try and then decide whether to take them in.
Langhuan Yuge is the largest and most luxurious jewelry store in the capital. It sells antiques and accessories, including men's and women's headdresses. However, if you want to buy a piece of jewelry that you like at Langhuan Yuge, you have to be willing to spend money and be able to afford it.
Ouyang Yue took a few steps, and a clever-looking servant dressed in a gray jacket immediately walked out of Langhuan Jade Pavilion: "This servant greets the guest. Please come in."
Langhuan Jade Pavilion has five floors. The first floor displays exquisite small jade items and ordinary men's and women's accessories. The second floor has noticeably more valuable items. The third floor displays women's ornaments, separated from the lower floors by beautifully designed screens, making it convenient for ladies and young women from various households to shop. It is entirely staffed by female waitresses, avoiding any awkwardness between men and women. The fourth floor contains various private rooms for customers purchasing rare items. The fifth floor is a restricted area and has never been open to the public.
Ouyang Yue went straight to the third floor. She wanted to find a host body for Ouyang Su, which required a personal accessory. The most convenient option was various women's ornaments. However, the host body was very particular. As the saying goes, jade can generate spirits, so the host body had to be something that could easily generate spiritual energy. Generally, things like gold and silver were not considered.
However, Ouyang Yue looked at all the jade ornaments on the third floor, but none of them caught her eye.
Just as Ouyang Yue was shaking her head, somewhat disappointed and considering switching to another shop, a waitress came over carrying a tray. Ouyang Yue glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, but suddenly stopped and quickly stepped forward: "Has anyone ordered this piece of jewelry?"
The waitress paused, seemingly not quite understanding why Ouyang Yue was so agitated. The item she was holding was clearly an old-fashioned and unremarkable piece of gold jewelry. Nevertheless, she politely said, "This piece was just delivered by the shopkeeper. It was placed on consignment by a customer at Langhuan Jade Pavilion. If you like gold jewelry, Miss, we have even better styles in our shop."
The female waitress thought about the strange things the shopkeeper had said when he took out the item, such as that as long as it was meant to be, he would not charge a penny, and that each of them would receive a small share of the profits from each item they sold. Naturally, the female waitress did not want to do business at a loss!
Ouyang Yue's eyes lit up, and she grabbed the gold bracelet from the tray. No! This was definitely not an ordinary piece of jewelry!
☆、013、Mysterious Seller!
Picking up the gold bracelet, that inexplicable feeling deepened.
The gold bracelet on Ouyang Yue's wrist was indeed very ordinary in style, with only a row of flowing cloud patterns encircling the entire bracelet. With a gentle lift, Ouyang Yue discovered that the bracelet was extremely light, yet it appeared to be made of pure gold, which only piqued her curiosity further.
Having been a special agent for so many years, Ouyang Yue had a very strong sixth sense. Although she couldn't guarantee it would be accurate every time, she didn't want to miss out on this gold bracelet, so she smiled and asked the waitress, "How much is this gold bracelet?"
The waitress was a little unhappy to see that Ouyang Yue clearly liked the gold ornament, but as waitresses of Langhuan Jade Pavilion, they were all rigorously trained and naturally could not go against the wishes of their guests. Although Ouyang Yue was young, the style and fabric of her clothes were very nice, and she did not want to offend anyone.
Thinking seriously about what the shopkeeper had said, he replied, "As you know, this gold bracelet was placed in the shop for consignment by someone. That customer said that if the bracelet were to find a kindred spirit, he would not charge a penny, but only if the person could wear it!"
Every time Langhuan Jade Pavilion delivers ornaments, the male and female waiters will try them on first to assess their feel and advantages in order to sell them well. This gold bracelet came from the shopkeeper and passed through the hands of the three of them, but none of them could wear it. In addition, the style was very outdated, so they did not think it could be sold.
However, Langhuan Jade Pavilion charges according to regulations for consignment sales, so the shop doesn't lose money. It's a wonder this young lady likes it so much; she has no taste whatsoever!
After hearing this, Ouyang Yue played with the bracelet for a moment, a glint of light flashing in her eyes. Wearing it meant she wouldn't have to pay a single penny? Such a rule was quite interesting. Could it be that someone wanted to use her to climb up the ranks to the General's Mansion, and was doing this on purpose? But the gold bracelet looked very ordinary, just like the original owner's impulsive nature, she couldn't see through it at all. Was it because the original owner had an eccentric personality? Or was there some other reason she didn't know?
While Ouyang Yue was still hesitating, Ouyang Su, no longer caring about being outside, whispered in Ouyang Yue's ear, "Mom, I want this, I want this, I feel it will be a very good host, I want it!"
Ouyang Yue had never seen Ouyang Su so insistent on anything. Her hesitation immediately lessened, and her eyes brightened even more. Gold was a mundane thing and could not be used to nurture a spirit. Could this gold bracelet really have some special properties? Su'er would not joke about his own body.