After thinking for a moment, Dongxue replied, "It's to protect myself!"
Ouyang Yue suddenly smiled and said, "Wrong! Martial arts are for killing!"
Dongxue froze, staring sharply at Ouyang Yue, who said calmly, "Dongxue, it's time for you to show your loyalty. I need you to do two things..."
☆、045、Murder to silence witnesses!
Ouyang Yue's smile was extremely bright, but Dong Xue felt a chill run down her spine. Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes and waved her hand: "Dong Xue, come closer."
Dongxue lowered her head and whispered instructions into Ouyang Yue's ear. The more Dongxue listened, the wider her eyes became, until her face even stiffened, unsure of how to react, her heart pounding again.
A hand rested lightly on her shoulder. Dongxue stiffened and slowly turned to look at Ouyang Yue, whose face still held a faint smile: "Dongxue, you've killed people, haven't you? I can tell."
Dongxue's face was pale, and she pursed her lips without speaking. Ouyang Yue's voice seemed to carry a calming power: "There's nothing to be afraid of. I trust you, so I'm waiting for you to tell me your past willingly, but that doesn't mean I'll wait forever. You should know that I bought you because you know martial arts. I don't have many people I can use, and you're a good helper. Now tell me, will you do it or not!"
A mix of emotions swirled in Dongxue's eyes. Finally, she took a deep breath and knelt down earnestly and sincerely: "Dongxue swears to heaven that she will obey Miss's every command in this life and will never have any other thoughts. Dongxue's life belongs to Miss, and Dongxue is willing to do anything for Miss!"
Ouyang Yue nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips, and pulled Dongxue to sit down at the table with her: "Then tell me about your past..."
Dongxue took another deep breath, her expression seemingly caught in some kind of vortex, remaining unchanged for a long while. A hint of fear flashed in her eyes: "I... was originally an assassin of the number one assassin alliance in the martial world. I don't remember who my parents are. I only know that since I was old enough to understand, I've been in a dark, sunless cage. In that cage, there were many children about my age. At first, men in black would throw in two live wolves or tigers every day and then close the cage. Those beasts had been starved for several days beforehand, and as soon as they smelled the human scent, they would go berserk and pounce. After those men brought the beasts, they wouldn't appear again unless the beasts were killed or we were all killed. During this period, we also had no food. To survive, we had to fight against wild beasts. Was I four years old, five years old, or six years old at that time?" Dongxue's face was somewhat dazed, but Ouyang Yue understood perfectly.
In that situation, all they knew was to fight, to fight endlessly to survive, and to feed on the flesh and blood of wild animals. Even adults could endure such a life, let alone these young children.
"I don't know how much time passed, or how long we fought those beasts, but they finally stopped throwing them away. But they never appeared again. I'll always remember that time. In the cage, we had no water, no food. Finally, when we were starving to death, someone moved. That person used all their strength to smash into another man, killing him, and began to eat his flesh and blood. His actions seemed to ignite our fighting spirit, and from then on..."
Dongxue shuddered, her voice trembling slightly: "I remember the first time I ate human flesh, the taste was awful, so foul and disgusting. I threw up, but I was so hungry, so very hungry, I..."
It was an extremely dark and painful memory. Ouyang Yue could fully imagine it. She had always thought that Dongxue must have had a hidden past, but she never imagined it was this kind of experience. She admitted that she had killed people. Perhaps many of the missions she had completed were even more cruel than what Dongxue had experienced, but all of that was done willingly. It wasn't the kind of helpless coercion Dongxue faced, nor was it the kind of forced blood-drinking and cannibalism she endured for survival!
"I shouldn't have asked, Dongxue, I'm sorry!" Holding Dongxue's trembling body, Ouyang Yue sincerely apologized.
Dongxue shook her head desperately: "No, I have to say it, I have to say it! This memory is buried deep inside, and it always gives me nightmares at night. I have to say it, I have to say it!"
"Okay, go ahead and tell me slowly, I'll listen. None of this is your fault, you didn't want it to happen, don't be afraid!"
Dongxue calmed down a bit: "I don't know how much time passed, I only know that the number of children in the cage decreased day by day, and when there were only about a dozen left, a group of men in black finally appeared. They only said five words, 'First test passed.' Then we were led out of the cage. We thought these nightmares were over, but who knew that this was just the beginning..."
Dongxue said a lot, and Ouyang Yue listened with a frown the whole time, because the more she listened, the more terrifying the organization seemed to her.
She had heard of the First Assassin Alliance before; it was a notorious assassin group in the martial arts world. It was said that in all its years of existence, there was no mission they couldn't take on, no person they couldn't kill, not even royalty. As long as they could afford it, no matter how heavily guarded the location, it was as easy as slicing through a watermelon for them. However, the First Assassin Alliance had always maintained a strict principle: they would not participate in court intrigues and would never accept missions involving important figures like the emperor or princes caught in the vortex of power.
So even though this First Killing Alliance killed countless people, the imperial court never took any major action.
The imperial court had considered either annihilating them or offering them amnesty, but unfortunately, the assassins of the First Killing Alliance were extremely cautious and would move on after each attack. Some people, even with large sums of money, couldn't find them. Furthermore, it wasn't unheard of for the court to send officials to secretly investigate; however, without exception, these officials all died suddenly and without any explanation.
Moreover, the First Assassin Alliance's core principle has remained unchanged for many years: never accepting jobs involving true power struggles. This is essentially the last line of defense for the royal family, so the matter was eventually dropped. As for the infighting within the inner quarters, these people disdain to participate. Of course, for ordinary families to place a job with the First Assassin Alliance, they would need to have the ability.
The First Killing Alliance always pays exorbitant sums for a single kill, much like some modern businesses that rely on a single job to sustain themselves for three years. Therefore, they never take on small jobs. The First Killing Alliance sounds eerie, and they have absolutely no connection to most people. Ouyang Yue never expected Dong Xue to be a member of the First Killing Alliance. If she had known from the beginning, she wouldn't have saved Dong Xue, because she knew that if the First Killing Alliance investigated, she wouldn't be able to escape unscathed.
Seeing Ouyang Yue's thoughts, Dongxue knelt down with a "plop": "I'm sorry, Miss, for hiding such a big thing from you. I failed my mission and was to be executed by the Killing Alliance. I was chased and killed while I was on the run. I was seriously injured and was saved by Qiuyue. I wanted to go into hiding and didn't want to go back to the Killing Alliance. You know what happened after I met you, Miss."
Ouyang Yue looked at Dongxue, who was looking down with only her black hair visible, and a strange emotion flickered in her eyes. Finally, Ouyang Yue smiled, stood up and helped Dongxue up: "As long as you are loyal to me, I will keep you."
Dongxue was stunned. Her face, which rarely showed any expression, flushed slightly, and her eyes sparkled with gratitude. Finally, she shook her head and said, "Miss did not know my identity before taking me in. But I have always been grateful to Miss and cannot cause you any trouble."
Ouyang Yue smiled, her eyes shining brightly like pure gemstones. She reached out and touched Dongxue's head: "I've never been afraid of your young lady. I've said it before, all I want is your loyalty! As long as you're loyal, I will protect you. That promise will always stand."
Dongxue's lips trembled, unsure of what to say. Ouyang Yue patted her shoulder and sat back down, saying, "But those two things of mine are perfect for you to handle, aren't they?"
Dongxue's face lit up: "Yes, this servant will certainly not let Miss down."
"Okay, go ahead and do it." Ouyang Yue waved her hand, and Dongxue left the room and soon departed from the General's Mansion...
Ouyang Yue rested her chin on her hand, gazing thoughtfully at the backdrop of winter snow.
Inside Anhe Hall, the wooden boards outside were still being used. Each strike felt like a blow to the heart, making one tremble. The one who felt it most deeply was Ning Zhuangxue, because it wasn't just the sound of the boards, but also the screams of Aunt Ming, Aunt Hong, and Ouyang Hua, and the squinting gaze of Old Madam Ning, that made him feel like he was being pricked by thorns.
"Madam, I..."
"Ning Zhuangxue, Ning Zhuangxue, you have truly disappointed me." Old Madam Ning shook her head, her eyes filled with an unprecedented coldness. In fact, Ning Zhuangxue's mother was a generation younger than Old Madam Ning. Back then, it was because Ning Zhuangxue's mother looked somewhat pitiful that Old Madam Ning had helped her. Ning Zhuangxue's mother was also quite shrewd. She knew that in the Ning family, she couldn't survive without relying on a member of the main family. So Old Madam Ning was willing to give her this opportunity, and she naturally seized it. That's how Old Madam Ning truly caught her eye.
Over the years, Old Madam Ning has remained steadfast in the General's Mansion, and she has many channels for information about the main family. One of these channels is Ning Zhuangxue's mother. It is because of this connection that Ning Zhuangxue was able to come to the General's Mansion to teach. Otherwise, with his status as a down-on-his-luck scholar without any official rank, it would have been as difficult as climbing to heaven to enter the General's Mansion! Old Madam Ning trusted him so much, yet he was slapping her face with lies. Old Madam Ning wished she could drag Ning Zhuangxue out and beat him to death with sticks.
Ning Zhuangxue lied and was bribed, even trying to ruin the reputation of the General's daughter. He deserved to be beaten to death, but Old Madam Ning couldn't do that. If she did, all the prestige she had built up over the years would be gone. She was the one who had sent people to find him; hadn't she misjudged him? Besides, he had ruined Ouyang Rou's reputation. Logically, they should be allowed to marry, but how could Old Madam Ning bring herself to do that? The General's daughter, an illegitimate child, marrying a lowly scholar? How could she ever face banquets in the capital again? She'd be drowned in spit!
So one can imagine how furious Old Madam Ning was. Madam Ning sat to the side, watching with a cold smile. Seeing the uncertain expression on Old Madam Ning's face, she couldn't make up her mind and sighed, "Alas, it's because Concubine Ming has only recently taken charge of the household affairs and doesn't know much about how the General's Mansion operates. Her suggestion to have Madam Ning recommend someone was probably well-intentioned, but unfortunately, something went wrong, causing Old Madam to worry instead. It's really not right!"
Ning Shi appeared to be helping Old Ning Shi out of a predicament, but in reality, she was mocking Old Ning Shi for overstepping her bounds and trying to balance the power within the household. Unfortunately, she had chosen the wrong person, and now she had lost face. Who could she blame but herself?
Old Madam Ning clenched her fist slightly: "Go back, the General's Mansion does not welcome you."
"Ah..." Ning Zhuangxue was stunned. When Aunt Ming, Aunt Hong, and Ouyang Hua were dragged out to be beaten, Ning Zhuangxue felt that he would also be implicated. He was feeling very uneasy. He did not expect that Old Madam Ning would let him go like this.
"Can I leave now?" Old Madam Ning frowned at Ning Zhuangxue's dazed look, while Madam Ning herself wore a mocking expression. In truth, at this point, who didn't understand why Aunt Ming had recommended selecting people from the Ning family school to Old Madam Ning, and why Aunt Hong had implicated Aunt Ming and Ouyang Hua? They were just pretending not to understand.
"Get out!" Old Madam Ning shouted directly. Ning Zhuangxue was startled and immediately ran out. When he got to the outer courtyard, he saw that Ouyang Hua and the others had been beaten badly, and there was also the gruesome scene of Ouyang Rou being beaten and covered in blood. He shuddered and ran even faster, as if he were being chased by wild beasts.
He returned to his residence, quickly packed his belongings, and fled the general's mansion as if escaping. Little did he know, a tail was quietly following him...
The forty strokes of the cane outside had been completed. When Zhang Mama came to report, Old Ning was furious, snorting, "No medicine is allowed! Take them all to the Buddhist hall and lock them up. No one is allowed to visit them or bring them food or drink without my permission!"
After Aunt Ming, Aunt Hong, and Ouyang Hua finished their forty strokes of the cane, they felt as if their bodies didn't belong to them. Every part of their bodies ached, and even the slightest movement while lying down caused excruciating pain. If they were sent to the Buddhist hall for a few days without food, water, or medicine, their bodies would rot and they would lose half their lives!
Ouyang Hua trembled, leaning over the torture bench and reaching out his hand with an urgent plea: "Grandmother, please forgive Hua'er this time. Hua'er promises there will never be a second time, really, Grandmother..."
"What are you all standing there for? Take him away!" Old Madam Ning was always a woman of her word; once she spoke, it was like water spilled—no one could beg for mercy no matter who she wanted to punish!
"Grandmother, spare me..."
"Madam, I was wrong, please forgive me this time!"
"Madam, it's all Aunt Ming's fault! I was used! Please forgive me..."
Anhe Hall was finally quiet. Ning Shi stood up and said, "Mother, I'll go back first. There are still some things in the manor that I need to arrange."
Old Madam Ning kept her eyes closed, but spoke calmly just as Madam Ning stepped on the ground: "Mother Li is being lazy and shirking her duties. Send her away. I will arrange for the head cook in the kitchen to go over there myself."
"Mother!" Ning stopped in her tracks, staring at Old Ning in disbelief. Old Ning had made such a fool of herself today, yet she still didn't forget to hold her accountable. That old hag!
"If it weren't for your negligence, this wouldn't have happened today. Go back and reflect on your actions. I'm tired. Zhang Mama, help me into the inner room to rest." Old Madam Ning closed her eyes slightly and reached out her hand. Zhang Mama immediately raised her arm to support her, and the two leisurely left the hall. Madam Ning was furious, her brows furrowed into a knot!
A dark glint lingered in Madam Ning's eyes as she left with a chilling smile. She couldn't overstep Old Madam Ning at the Generals' Gathering, but things would be different back at the Ning family! She wouldn't forget that Old Madam Ning's birthday was approaching—her own mother, after all. And then… humph!
"Thump!" As soon as they entered the inner room, Zhang Mama helped Old Ning sit down, then her body slumped down and she knelt heavily on the ground. Old Ning leaned against the bedside, her eyes closed as if she hadn't heard anything at all, and she herself fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing this, Zhang Mama lowered her head and said, "Please punish me, Madam. It was my negligence that allowed things to escalate to such an uncontrollable point. I have failed your trust."
Old Ning remained silent, sitting quietly like a meditating monk. Zhang's mother dared not remind her, and after speaking, she knelt on the ground, looking respectful and humble.
In truth, Old Madam Ning was conflicted. It was because of Granny Ai's complaint that she feared things would escalate, which was why she had Zhang Mama keep an eye on things. She wasn't unaware of the outcome Zhang Mama would take, but that outcome was directed at Ouyang Yue, not at today's situation. Old Madam Ning had never made such a mistake, never felt so humiliated. Everyone in the mansion seemed to be treating her like a monkey, no one taking her seriously. This made her incredibly angry!
Even though Ouyang Hua and Ouyang Rou were punished, and Aunt Ming and Aunt Hong were stripped of Ning's power, she was not happy at all and still felt very aggrieved!
Because Zhang's mother understood Old Ning, she knew that she had to admit her mistake at this time. Old Ning wouldn't punish her, but she had to make Old Ning feel better.
Sure enough, after a while, Old Madam Ning sighed and said, "Get up. In this family, you're the only one I can confide in."
Madam Zhang shook her head: "No, it is my blessing to be able to hear the old lady speak."
"After all these years, you are still so meticulous. What can I say to you? Get up." Only then did Zhang Mama stand up, still respectfully saying, "The old lady treats this old servant like family, but this old servant cannot be ignorant of her duties and break the rules, making the old lady lose face. That would be a disservice to the old lady's kindness."
Looking at Zhang Mama, Old Madam Ning felt a sense of relief: "You're the most sensible one in this family. None of them are any good. Hua'er grew up by my side, and look at what she's done. She's so naive. She used to be so good at pretending, but now she can't keep up the act at a time like this."
Madam Zhang did not reply. Didn't her words imply that she already knew Ouyang Hua had been eyeing the legitimate daughter, and that Old Madam Ning was also aware of the matter of Concubine Ming being promoted to the position of legitimate wife? Madam Zhang's eyes flickered slightly, but she knew better than to ask, so she remained silent.
Old Madam Ning didn't care at all: "I thought that Aunt Ming was so smart, but it seems she's just a fool."
At this moment, Zhang's mother chimed in softly, "In this general's mansion, the only truly wise person is the old lady. But I saw with my own eyes how she made it through back then. How can anyone else compare?"
"Yes, I broke through to get here, but now that the General's Mansion is in my hands, I can't let it fall into chaos!"
Madam Zhang sighed, "I understand the old lady's deep love for her son."
The chaos in the backyard is not the real concern for the men outside, but rather General Ouyang Zhide. As his mother, Old Madam Ning's thoughts are naturally understandable. Only when the family is harmonious can the men truly have no worries outside. However, it is clear that no one in the backyard understands the meaning behind this.
Looking at Old Madam Ning, Zhang Mama couldn't help but ask, "Please forgive my impertinence, Madam, but why has Madam treated the Third Miss all these years..."
Old Madam Ning's expression changed slightly, and she paused for a moment: "When you went back to visit your family back then, you didn't know that Caiyue's health was damaged when she gave birth to Yue'er, and she will never be able to have children again."
"Ah, Madam actually..." Zhang Mama immediately stopped speaking. So, Ning Shi had a difficult childbirth when she gave birth to Ouyang Yue, which caused her illness? And she couldn't have children afterward. As the head mistress of the household, although her position had never been challenged, not having a son to rely on was a constant source of pain for Ning Shi. So, she harbored resentment towards Ouyang Yue because of this?
Zhang's mother concealed her doubts. When she left the manor years ago, Ning Shi did not find out that she was pregnant, so Old Ning Shi felt at ease letting Zhang's mother go to visit her relatives. However, due to many unexpected events along the way, coupled with the troublesome matters at home, Ouyang Yue was already born when she returned. Zhang's mother did not witness this process at all.
Later, I heard that Ning was very weak when she gave birth. In order to let her take good care of herself, the general specially brought Ning to his courtyard and forbade anyone to visit her. Even if someone did visit, they would need General Ouyang's permission. In fact, during that time, only the general's confidants could enter that courtyard.
So what happened back then was indeed somewhat strange, and Ning's attitude towards Ouyang Yue in recent years was really suspicious, which is why Zhang Mama asked the question. If it was really because Ning was unable to have children after that incident, and therefore took her anger out on Ouyang Yue, it was not impossible. This was a matter of Ning's entire life, and the Third Miss's behavior over the years had indeed been extraordinary. Given Ning's personality, it was understandable.
Ning Zhuangxue, carrying a simple bundle, fled the general's mansion as if his pants were on fire. As he left, he couldn't help but look back, fearing that he might be followed. Seeing that no one was around, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, just as he reached the street corner, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, followed by complete darkness, and then he lost consciousness.
When Ning Zhuangxue regained consciousness, he found himself thrown into the entrance of a very messy alley. The alley was pitch black, and the surrounding air smelled sour and foul. He first glanced around the alley in a daze, and after realizing he wasn't dreaming, he shuddered in fright and immediately reached up to touch the back of his head. A lump hadn't gone down yet, and it was still slightly painful to the touch. He was shocked. Who! Who knocked him unconscious!
He frantically rummaged on the ground, trying to find his bundle. That bundle contained all the silver that Aunt Ming and the others had bribed him with. Now that Ning Zhuangxue had just been driven out of the General's Mansion by Old Madam Ning, he feared she would tell the clan about his actions, leaving them with nowhere to live. Therefore, the best course of action was to take the money and go into hiding. If Old Madam Ning didn't say anything, he would return; if word got out, the silver would allow him to start a small business and live for a while. This bundle was his lifeline; he absolutely couldn't lose it.
But after searching for a while, he found nothing except his hands covered in black ash. A chill ran through him. Had he been knocked unconscious and dragged to this place? Had he been robbed?
Just as he was thinking this, he heard several male voices talking outside: "Brother, the person is inside, and there's quite a bit of silver in the bundle."
Upon hearing this, the man laughed and said, "Good, well done. Go and bring the man out. Let's see if we can find any more silver."
As soon as his elder brother spoke, Ning Zhuangxue's body visibly trembled. He recognized the voice; it was Ming Dawu, who had been instructed by Aunt Hong and the others to come and talk to Ning Zhuangxue. Back then, Ming Dawu had caused Ning Zhuangxue trouble every day, resorting to threats and inducements. How could Ning Zhuangxue forget that voice?
His heart sank to the bottom. Did the General's Mansion have no intention of letting him go? Did Old Madam Ning want to wipe him out completely?!
No! It couldn't be Old Madam Ning. She's a member of the Ning family after all. Although he's only from a collateral branch, he's not someone anyone can just kill at will. Old Madam Ning is from the Ning family; she shouldn't be the culprit. So who could it be? It must be Aunt Ming, Aunt Hong, and the others who wanted to silence him. Although he followed their plan, he actually jumped into the pool and embraced Ouyang Rou. Although he still doesn't understand why he and Ouyang Rou kept bumping into each other in the pool, he can't escape responsibility for Ouyang Rou's miscarriage. Aunt Hong is a cousin of Ming Dawu. Ming Dawu used many tricks back then, and she could see he was ruthless. It's hard to say she wasn't furious and, for revenge, might have killed him to silence him.
Thinking of this, Ning Zhuangxue trembled with fear.
No, that won't do!
He must not be found by Ming Dawu and his men, he absolutely must not be found by them, otherwise he will definitely be dead!
Ning Zhuangxue scanned the alleyway, only to find it was a dead end with no way out. Meanwhile, the footsteps of Ming Dawu and his men were already approaching. Ning Zhuangxue trembled with fear, his face pale, and the words "What to do, what to do" kept echoing in his mind. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he rushed to the alley entrance.
At this moment, Ming Dawu had already walked in, and his underlings behind him said obsequiously, "Big brother, it's right in here, he's lying in there!"
Ning Zhuangxue then picked up a thick wooden stick from the side, his heart pounding with nervousness, his hands trembling as he held the stick. Just then, a leg stepped into the dark alley. Ning Zhuangxue, as if to bolster his courage, shouted "Ah!" and swung the stick at the newcomer.
"Ouch, damn it, which bastard dared to hit me!" It was Ming Dawu who brought the men. He never expected that Ning Zhuangxue would wake up and even hide to commit violence. He was hit hard on the forehead and fell to the ground. He touched his forehead and found his palm covered in blood. He immediately started cursing.
Ning Zhuangxue was somewhat dazed after the beating, but thankfully he wasn't completely terrified. After finishing, he threw the wooden stick, striking the thug who came to grab him, and then ran away. His heart was still filled with fear. It really was Ming Dawu; he'd come to kill him and silence him! What should he do?!
Ming Dawu was hit on the head, and his head throbbed with pain. His nose was probably split open, and the blood wouldn't stop no matter how much he wiped it. Enraged, he jumped up and yelled, "Damn it! That damned bastard! Grab him and beat him to death! Go after him!"
Ming Dawu and his men gave chase. Ning Zhuangxue's legs buckled, and he staggered, nearly falling. He straightened up and ran for his life, but unfortunately, he was a weak scholar who frequented brothels. He was no match for Ming Dawu and his gang of brothel pimps in terms of physical strength. He hadn't run more than a few steps before being caught up from behind. One of them grabbed Ning Zhuangxue's shoulders from behind, and he screamed in fright. Ming Dawu was injured and bleeding, and he was also a little weak. When he caught up, he was holding the wooden stick that Ning Zhuangxue had just thrown. He was panting heavily from running and angry, and he swung the stick at Ning Zhuangxue's head.