The door was suddenly kicked open, and the two girls looked over at the same time. The girl holding the chicken leg saw the masked man rushing over menacingly, but she was instantly stunned and bewildered. However, the next moment she opened her mouth, swallowed the chicken, threw away the chicken leg, and waved with a smile, saying, "Hi, what a coincidence. There's so much food on the table that we can't finish it all. Are you hungry? Why don't you have some?"
Seeing that outsiders had entered, Dongxue had almost finished eating. She put down her teacup and stood behind Ouyang Yue. The iron-masked man's eyes flickered, and then his gaze at Ouyang Yue was like two small fireballs burning, radiating a furious and scorching heat. However, seeing that the girl had already lowered her head and picked up another piece of roast goose to eat, although he did not know what kind of expression was under his iron mask, he could tell from his tightly clenched fists that he was still not very calm.
It's not his fault. He had been worried about Ouyang Yue and wanted to follow her to protect her. But Ouyang Yue had given a false route to Lao Tie. They chased after her for a while but couldn't find out anything. So they thought she might have taken the wrong route. They sent a few people to continue along that route and report back when they had any news. Meanwhile, he led his men back to the original route to chase after Ouyang Yue.
Having just arrived in Shanbian County, Leng Han had only checked inns and restaurants—places convenient for travelers to rest—so they hadn't immediately caught up with Ouyang Yue. It was only by chance that they overheard passersby discussing two beautiful women who were likely to be harmed by Hong Xuetian, and only then did they obtain a clue. They immediately went to Hongfeng Mountain, only to receive news that Ouyang Yue had been kidnapped and was likely in grave danger. One can imagine his fury. Even killing the two wicked men and women couldn't quell his boundless rage and fear. Although rationally he believed Ouyang Yue wasn't someone easily subdued, he was still afraid of what he would find upon her arrival.
But whatever he imagined, it certainly wasn't like this. Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue were eating and drinking as if nothing had happened. If it weren't for their elegant movements, it would have looked like someone who had been starving for three days and was about to die, suddenly given a steamed bun and devouring it. This difference between reality and his expectations left him momentarily bewildered.
The man in the iron mask looked up and saw that the bed curtains were hanging down behind him. Through the hazy gauze curtains, he could vaguely see something moving on the bed, and there seemed to be some soft sobbing or groaning sounds. The man in the iron mask was stunned and looked at Ouyang Yue in confusion. The latter had already picked up a bowl of chicken soup that Dong Xue had served and started drinking it. The man in the iron mask immediately walked in, pulled open the bed curtains, and stared wide-eyed at the scene inside.
Leng Han, who was following closely behind, reacted even more directly, exclaiming, "Damn!"
But on the bed, Hong Xuetian and his blue-clad attendant had been stripped naked, their limbs and bodies bound together, facing each other. Each of them had a black object, probably a sock, stuffed into their mouths. They should have been in great pain, but their eyes flickered with tears, and their cheeks were flushed. The Iron-Masked Man looked down in confusion and immediately understood.
The two men were face to face, practically touching, their desire rising in such a state. However, the sight of these two disheveled men was anything but aesthetically pleasing. Their eyes, brimming with tears and yearning for a savior, darted towards the Iron-Masked Man. A flicker of disgust crossed the Iron-Masked Man's dark eyes, and his eyelids twitched slightly. He angrily flung the bed curtains back to their original position and shouted at his attendants, "I don't want to see them again..."
"Hey, don't move. I still need them. Don't ruin my plans." Ouyang Yue finished her soup and looked up to say this.
The masked man narrowed his eyes slightly, strode over, and sat down next to Ouyang Yue: "They dare to have ill intentions towards you, they cannot be allowed to live."
Ouyang Yue waved her hand, swallowed a mouthful of food, and said, "There are many things going on here. You don't know the details. They are still very useful to me. There's no rush to kill them." Hearing Ouyang Yue's words, Hong Xuetian immediately stretched his neck and whimpered, as if pleading with the Iron-Faced Man or Ouyang Yue. However, his mouth was stuffed with a dirty, smelly sock. Every time he whimpered, he felt a stench being inhaled into his chest, and he immediately felt nauseous and his eyes welled up with tears.
Leng Han frowned: "The smell is awful. Where did you find these socks that haven't been washed in years? The smell is so awful, how can you still eat them?" Her tone was laced with sarcasm. Even an elegant young lady like her probably couldn't stand the smell, yet she was eating so heartily. She was truly unlike those young ladies from the capital.
Dongxue turned around and immediately threw an empty plate at him. Leng Han snorted and looked up to block it. However, several more plates followed, some still splattered with vegetable scraps and oil. Leng Han was startled. Although he had served his master and seen all kinds of dangers, he had never encountered anything so disgusting. Being hit by these things would ruin his clothes. He turned around and dodged immediately, but little did he know that this was just the beginning. Dongxue had already rushed over quickly, holding the oily plate that had just contained chicken legs, and slapped it across Leng Han's face.
"Snap, bang, crash!"
The plate slammed onto Leng Han's face, then fell to the ground with a cracking sound. Leng Han stared blankly for a moment, then sniffed, smelling a greasy odor. He pointed angrily at Dong Xue and said, "How dare you hit me with something dirty!"
Dongxue sneered: "This is the price you pay for mocking Miss. I'm just teaching you a lesson. Your master treats Miss with great courtesy. Do you think you're superior to him?"
Leng Han's expression changed. Although he gritted his teeth and glared angrily at Dong Xue, he could only say, "I didn't mean what I said."
Dongxue coldly replied, "It's even more unacceptable to say something that isn't sincere. And for one's own master, it's even more unacceptable to do something that is outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant."
Leng Han's lips were pursed and twisted into an unreadable shape of anger and hatred as he gritted his teeth and said, "I was wrong."
Dongxue glanced at him indifferently, then walked over and stood beside Ouyang Yue. Leng Han reached out and wiped his face, but seeing the grease on his hands, he immediately shook them off in disgust. He searched around the room, found a handkerchief to wipe his face, and walked over, still smelling of oil. The Iron-Faced Man glanced at him and waved him away. Leng Han breathed a sigh of relief, respectfully withdrew, and went to find water to clean his face.
Ouyang Yue glanced indifferently at Leng Han as he left, then silently continued eating. The iron-masked man stared at the table full of food, noticing that Ouyang Yue and Dong Xue had already eaten a third of it. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you so hungry? Haven't you had any meals these past few days?"
After finishing the last bite, Ouyang Yue rinsed her mouth and wiped it with a handkerchief, saying, "You're absolutely right. Although I used it, I didn't have much of an appetite. Luckily, there are plenty of delicacies here, so I had them prepare some."
The man in the iron mask seemed somewhat puzzled. Hong Xuetian and his entourage were already tied to the bed. When they came in earlier, the madam didn't seem to know anything about the situation here. Yet they were eating so openly, which was quite intriguing.
Dongxue was the only witness besides Hong Xuetian and her servant. Although she was following her mistress and acting according to her plan, the substance that Hong Xuetian had given them to make their limbs weak was useless. However, being tied up was real. Her mistress used some method, and just as Hong Xuetian was about to pounce, she suddenly reached out and restrained Hong Xuetian. The servants outside heard the noise and naturally came in to see what was going on. They were caught by Dongxue, and that's how things turned out.
They tied up Hong Xuetian and his attendants, then demanded a table full of food from him. They then began their meal. That's how it went. Although it seemed simple, only those who were with Ouyang Yue knew how urgent the situation was. She was furious and wanted to break free, but she couldn't. If it weren't for her mistress, they might be in grave danger. Meanwhile, Dongxue was terrified by Ouyang Yue's audacity.
Ouyang Yue seemed to only then remember that the masked man had appeared in the room and asked, "What are you doing here, visiting a brothel?"
The masked man's eyes grew even deeper, but he didn't speak. Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "You haven't eaten, have some too, otherwise all this delicious food will be wasted. This table is worth a lot of money."
The man in the iron mask suddenly snorted, "Even if it's a waste, it's not a waste of your money."
Ouyang Yue retorted, "It's not right to waste other people's money. Young Master Hong is so generous in hosting such a feast, we can't be too disrespectful."
The masked man looked at Ouyang Yue, picked up the chopsticks she had put down, and took a bite of the stir-fried bamboo shoots from the plate next to her. Before Ouyang Yue could speak, he ate it and said, "It tastes terrible. If you really like it, I'll send a chef to make it for you when we get back."
Ouyang Yue watched as the masked man nonchalantly put down his chopsticks, a strange look flashing across her face. "No need," she said, "I can cook myself if I want to eat. I don't need the chef you sent." The key was that they weren't that close yet. Although she and the masked man had maintained a business relationship, they weren't exactly close friends. She knew very little about him, yet he had come looking for her. The masked man's sudden appearance had surprised Ouyang Yue, so she had pretended not to care to figure out why he was there. Now, he was acting far too entitled, even using her chopsticks to eat. Ouyang Yue couldn't help but pout, somewhat displeased.
The masked man said seriously, "It doesn't matter, and that cook is very skilled..." He then looked at Ouyang Yue, "You can cook."
Ouyang Yue rolled her eyes, ignored him, and said directly, "What exactly did you come here for? Don't tell me it's just a coincidence that you came to visit a brothel."
The masked man looked intently at Ouyang Yue: "I've come to find you."
"Oh? What do you want from me? I'll be back in the capital sooner or later. If you need anything, just ask Qiuyue at Meiyi Pavilion. What could be so important that you have to come all this way?" Ouyang Yue's tone was tinged with sarcasm.
The masked man seemed not to hear, but continued earnestly, "I heard you left the capital. Don't forget you still need to provide me with design drawings regularly. If you get into any danger and die, where will I find you? Of course, I'll come and follow you. To prevent you from interfering with my important matters, I have to protect you."
Ouyang Yue stared coldly at him. How dare he curse her to die? Ouyang Yue's eyes flickered slightly: "Since you're willing to be my errand boy, fine then. I happen to have something I need to do, so I'll leave it to you now."
The masked man didn't immediately agree: "The condition is that you can't leave my side at will." Ouyang Yue glanced at him sideways, and the masked man immediately changed his mind, "What I mean is that you can't leave me at will along the way. If something happens to you two weak women, it will be a huge loss for me. I have to get you safely to the capital. But the condition is that you have to promise me one thing after you return to the capital."
Ouyang Yue scoffed, "I won't agree. Help me or not, it's up to you. I didn't ask you for anything." Ouyang Yue wasn't boasting. Since she had already made her plan, whether the Iron-Faced Man came or not made no difference to her. It just made things easier for her if they intervened. Who knew what conditions he would propose after returning? There was no way Ouyang Yue would agree so easily. Besides, she was extremely wary of this Iron-Faced Man.
Leng Lei, who had been following the Iron-Faced Man, looked at Ouyang Yue. He had heard of this woman before; he had seen the design drawings his master had brought back and was very interested in this woman who could draw such exquisite works of art. Now it seemed she was indeed an extraordinary woman. He had never thought a woman who dared to speak to his master like this existed in this world. Leng Lei glanced at the Iron-Faced Man again. Of course, this was the first time his master had been so eager to please him. He didn't think a woman who could design such weapons was a weakling. Take the two of them, the Red Scholar and his servant, for example; such behavior wasn't something an ordinary woman would do. He really couldn't imagine them being in danger.
Leng Lei thought his master wouldn't agree, but the stern-faced man said, "Don't push your luck." Then, as if talking to himself, he said, "I'm doing this for the design drawings. If it weren't for that, I would definitely punish you, you disobedient woman."
Um, does this mean they agree?
Ouyang Yue wiped her hands and patted them lightly: "Since you're already here at Yihong Courtyard, why don't you play around a bit before you leave? There's no rush."
The man in the iron mask narrowed his eyes: "Don't test my patience. If you anger me, I will lock you in a dark room and forbid you to see anyone."
Ouyang Yue scoffed, "Can't you even take a joke? Iron Mask, have your men take these two away. We're going back to Red Maple Mountain first."
The masked man turned his gaze to Ouyang Yue's face, frowning slightly as he said, "Leng Jue."
"What?" Ouyang Yue turned her head in confusion. The Iron Mask had such capable subordinates that even she hadn't detected their presence. "Where is he?"
The masked man's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly remembered something: "My name is Leng Jue, don't call me the masked man."
Ouyang Yue glanced at him, not saying a word, and stood up. She picked up the purse on the table and emptied its contents, finding only two five-hundred-tael silver notes and a few loose coins. Ouyang Yue muttered, "He really is a scoundrel who plagues the village. He must be a freeloader. This is all the money he has in his purse." She threw Hong Xuetian's purse aside, but wrapped up the remaining silver and put it away.
Hong Xuetian and his entourage twisted their bodies, trying to resist, but then couldn't help uttering groans. Ouyang Yue, Leng Jue, and the other four, along with the bound Hong Xuetian, came out. The girls and thugs of Yihong Courtyard retreated upon seeing this. When Ouyang Yue reached the outer courtyard, she smiled and said, "Go tell Hong Dabao that if he doesn't want his son to die, he should send ten thousand taels of gold to Hongfeng Mountain to apologize to the villagers. Otherwise, his precious son won't see the sun the next day. Go." Ouyang Yue waved her hand and left arrogantly. The people of Yihong Courtyard were terrified. Seeing the madam lying on the ground, already dead, they dared not move. Two of the thugs exchanged a glance and immediately ran to the county government to report the news.
The county magistrate was waiting for Hong Xuetian to send someone back with a message, but instead of his son's message, he received the shocking news that Hong Xuetian had been kidnapped by thugs from the Yihong Courtyard. He angrily kicked over a chair and shouted, "What did you say? Xuetian was taken to Red Maple Mountain by those two vile women!"
The thug knelt on the ground, trembling slightly. Although his direct master was Madam Hua of the Yihong Courtyard, his true masters were Hong Dabao and his son. Now that Madam Hua had been killed, they could only seek Hong Dabao's protection and dared not conceal anything: "Yes, yes, Madam Hua has been killed by them. They were too ruthless. Those two vile women kidnapped Young Master Hong, and then three men in black came and started killing people. Afterwards, they took Young Master Hong out of the Yihong Courtyard. Before leaving, they said that if Lord Hong did not bring ten thousand taels of gold to Red Maple Mountain and apologize to the villagers, she would make sure Young Master Hong did not see the sun rise tomorrow."
"What?! How much gold?!" Hong Dabao stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
“Ten thousand taels of gold…” the thug replied cautiously.
A cold, ruthless expression flashed across Hong Dabao's face. Although he had served as the county magistrate of Shanbian County for over a decade and had amassed a considerable fortune through extortion, this amount was still far too much—almost his life savings. Even if he had it, he couldn't simply hand over so much gold to exchange for someone.
However, Hong Dabao was quite conflicted. Although he had brought many women into his household over the years, only two had borne him children. One was his deceased second concubine, who gave birth to Hong Yiniang. The other was his third concubine, who gave birth to Hong Xuetian, but she had also died two years prior. He only had one son and one daughter. His daughter had contributed significantly to his rise in rank and wealth. Hong Dabao loved this daughter dearly, yet he was also somewhat wary of her. She was a concubine in the household of the General of the Garrison, and although she was a concubine, in ordinary families, she was far more noble and powerful than the principal wife. A few whispered words in Ouyang Zhide's ear could bring Hong Dabao countless benefits.
But Hong Dabao truly loved his only son, Hong Xuetian. This son was not only someone Hong Dabao had watched grow up, but he also resembled him in temperament and always knew how to be filial. Although he relied on his aunt Hong, he valued Hong Xuetian far more. His first reaction was naturally to use the silver to save Hong Xuetian, but upon hearing the amount Ouyang Yue demanded, he hesitated. He genuinely couldn't afford it. He had even planned to seize the valuable official position from the villagers of Hongfeng Mountain. Although Hong Dabao was a local tyrant in this mountainous county, generally taking things without paying, there were also some powerful factions within the county, and he didn't dare to act too recklessly. For over a decade, he had tried every means to amass wealth, but he still couldn't produce ten thousand taels of gold. The threat of killing Hong Xuetian because he couldn't pay immediately fueled Hong Dabao's malicious intent.
"Master!" Hong Dabao suddenly shouted. A bearded man with shifty eyes rushed in from outside. Hong Dabao immediately said, "Master, Xue Tian has been kidnapped to Red Maple Mountain. They want us to give them ten thousand taels of gold and apologize to those scoundrels, or they will kill Xue Tian. What do you think we should do?"
The advisor stroked his beard, his small, beady eyes darting around before flashing with a cold light: "Master, I know about what happened at Red Maple Mountain. It was just two women from the capital who gave us the idea. Now it seems that this woman must have devised the plan beforehand, and the young master didn't follow your orders to bring the captured person here, which led to the oversight. We're far from the capital, so even if this woman has some status, she's offended us. If we kill her here and then blame it on Red Maple Mountain, who will know?"
"What does the advisor mean?" Hong Dabao asked, his expression softening considerably upon hearing this.
"Master," the advisor explained with a sinister smile, "as long as we seize the treasure and slaughter all the villagers of Red Maple Mountain, including these two women from the capital, we can easily frame them for a coveted rebellion and the murder of an official's daughter. Not only will no one plead their case, but the wrath of the people from the capital will likely engulf Red Maple Mountain. We'll have both the treasure and our worries gone. Many officials in our Great Zhou Dynasty die from refugees every year, and no one will thoroughly investigate two young ladies. Even if something does go wrong, we've only fed the officials, and with the young lady mediating, nothing will happen."
Upon hearing this, Hong Dabao's eyes lit up: "Master, you are indeed wise. This plan is excellent. However, they are going to execute Xuetian tomorrow, and Xuetian is still in their hands. If we act rashly, Xuetian may be in danger. I wonder if Master has a better plan that satisfies both sides?"
The advisor stroked his beard and gave a sinister smile: "Of course, there are solutions that satisfy both sides."
Hong Dabao immediately laughed and said, "Tell me about it, Master."
The clerk immediately whispered something in Hong Dabao's ear. Upon hearing this, Hong Dabao's face lit up, and he praised, "Clerk, this plan is truly brilliant. Once it succeeds, you will certainly reap the rewards."
The clerk said respectfully, "I am merely doing my job for you, sir. As long as you know that I am loyal and devoted, it is only right that I make the best use of my abilities."
Hong Dabao nodded repeatedly: "Of course, Master, hurry up and make preparations. Tomorrow, we will make sure that the villagers of Hongfeng Mountain and those two audacious and reckless women suffer a terrible death!"
Rouyu Courtyard, General's Mansion in the Capital
Aunt Hong and Ouyang Rou were sitting in the room enjoying tea. Aunt Hong was dressed in a pink long gown with lily blossoms, adorned with a gold hairpin and several gold ornaments, looking extremely luxurious. Ouyang Rou wore a magnificent white robe with gold embroidery along the edges, and two gold hairpins inlaid with emeralds, which looked quite valuable. Each of them held a cup of tea. The maid had already been sent away. She smiled and said, "Auntie, you look so beautiful today. It's a pity Father is away. If he comes back and sees you, regaining his favor won't be difficult at all." Ouyang Rou praised with bright eyes.
Aunt Hong smiled broadly. Ning Shi had long been disliked by Ouyang Zhide. Besides, Ning Shi was the eldest woman in the household, habitually arrogant and utterly devoid of charm. Having been rejected, she certainly had no chance of regaining favor. Aunt Ming, on the other hand, had not only committed a crime but also broken her leg and been disfigured. She rarely went out now, afraid that her grotesque appearance would frighten people—not to mention men, even women found her repulsive. Gaining favor was even more difficult than for Ning Shi. Aunt Hua and Aunt Liu were formidable rivals, but Aunt Liu had become even more discreet since the Ouyang Tong incident. She even avoided paying her respects to Old Ning Shi whenever possible, ignoring Old Ning Shi's dislike. With such poor interpersonal skills, she naturally had no chance of winning favor.
Therefore, looking around the entire mansion, the only formidable rival was Consort Hua. Consort Hua, having suffered a miscarriage, received some pity from Ouyang Zhide. However, there was one thing Consort Hua couldn't match for Consort Hong: firstly, she had no offspring; secondly, she lacked any family support. Besides the General's Mansion, she had nothing. Even though she enjoyed Ouyang Zhide's favor, she didn't win the hearts of the servants. This might seem insignificant, but in crucial moments, the servants played a vital role, and in this respect, Consort Hong had a much greater chance of winning.
Thinking of this, Aunt Hong frowned: "I don't know what's going on with Father. He hasn't sent anyone to deliver money this year. We lost money to Ouyang Yue last time, and with so many things that have happened since, we're not well-off."
Ouyang Rou frowned and said, "My maternal grandfather and uncle are really outrageous. I heard they've each taken in quite a few women, and the money they spend on these women is more than what we get every year. It's truly hateful."
Aunt Hong's face was also cold: "If they weren't still of some use to us outside, why would I bother with them?"
Ouyang Rou slammed her teacup down: "I think Grandpa and Uncle are so engrossed in playing with women that they don't care about important matters anymore. We can't count on them. My cousin died before, so we don't have a contact person with those people. Last time, we almost got exposed and were punished by Father. Fortunately, they killed those two to prevent the news from leaking out. But Aunt, why don't we stop using Grandpa and the others as contacts? Find someone who can benefit us. I really can't trust them."
Aunt Hong nodded thoughtfully: "What you said makes sense, but they are our closest relatives after all, and they are much more reliable than others. Why don't we bring it up again when they send us money in a few days? This time when I go to the capital, I will definitely give them a good talking to. If they cause me trouble because of this, let's see if I can forgive them!"
Ouyang Rou was relieved, but then she suddenly smiled and said, "That fool Ouyang Yue went out of the manor at this time and caused Grandmother to be scolded by her family. Not only did Grandmother not admit her mistake, but now the rumors in the capital are getting more and more outrageous. I heard that those in the Ning family who were criticized are afraid to go out. How can Grandmother expect to get away with this? If Grandmother is like this, Ouyang Yue will definitely not get away with it either."
Aunt Hong sneered, suddenly finding her appetite whetted. She downed a cup of tea in one gulp and let out a long sigh of relief: "So we don't need to rush. Someone will take care of Ouyang Yue for us. We can just watch the show then."
Ouyang Rou suddenly touched the sleeve of her hand and said, "I remember that Ouyang Yue has a piece of Shu brocade that Father brought back last time. It was even a half-finished product with intricate flowers embroidered in gold thread. At the time, I thought that clothes made from that material would be very beautiful. I asked that little slut for some before, but she refused me, saying that she couldn't bear to use the precious things Father gave her. Now that little slut has left the capital without permission and caused such a big impact on the manor, I suppose even if she comes back safely, she won't be able to enjoy these good things."
Aunt Hong was taken aback, but immediately understood Ouyang Rou's words and smiled, "Rou'er is right. Ouyang Yue really has no chance to use these things anymore. She is no longer worthy of using them!"
Red Maple Mountain
As soon as Ouyang Yue and Leng Jue entered the mountain, the villagers of Red Maple Mountain warmly welcomed them inside. The village chief was so excited to see Ouyang Yue return safely that he almost burst into tears, saying, "Miss Ning, you're finally back! If you hadn't come back, all the villagers of Red Maple Mountain would have been in mortal danger. It's so good that you're back, so good!"
"Sister, waaaah, sister, you're back! Xiao Chao was so worried about you!" Xiao Chao ran over like a whirlwind, hugging Ouyang Yue's leg tightly. However, she raised her little head and cautiously looked at Leng Jue and the other two. Ouyang Yue understood perfectly well that they must have done something scary when they broke in. However, she didn't say anything, only saying to the village chief, "Have you caught that spy?"
The village chief sighed, "It was Old Zhang. Nobody expected it."
Ouyang Yue frowned slightly. After thinking carefully, she thought of the gentle old man who had accidentally entered Red Maple Mountain. She was somewhat surprised by this, but not astonished. Some evil people hide behind the mask of good people, so one cannot judge a book by its cover.
"Hey, isn't that villain Hong Xuetian?" Some villagers recognized Hong Xuetian and immediately ran over. Leng Han casually threw Hong Xuetian to the ground, but the villagers were not polite. They shouted and kicked and beat him. Before long, Hong Xuetian and his entourage were covered in bruises, and their faces were so badly beaten that even their own mothers wouldn't recognize them.
"Miss Ning, let's talk in the hall." After the village chief returned to normal, he immediately invited Ouyang Yue and the others inside. Leng Jue and the others naturally followed. The village chief glanced at them, and seeing that Ouyang Yue showed no unusual expression, he said nothing.
There were few people in the hall. Ouyang Yue and her two servants, Leng Jue and his two servants, and several important figures from the village, including the village chief Xiao Chao and Da Shan, were present. The village chief immediately smiled at Ouyang Yue and said, "Miss Ning is indeed exceptionally wise. She managed to capture Hong Xuetian and bring him back. She has brought me a talisman."
"Yes, yes, Miss Ning, that's a brilliant plan."
Ouyang Yue coughed lightly: "I used a pseudonym before. Actually, my surname is not Ning. My name is Ouyang Yue. Please don't be offended if I didn't give my real name."
The village chief's expression remained unchanged, and he simply said, "What are you talking about? How could we blame you? It's naturally more convenient for Miss Ouyang to use an alias when she's out and about. We understand."
Looking at the village chief and their joyful faces, Ouyang Yue said, "I thought Hong Xuetian might use me to threaten you, so I discussed it with the village chief. We decided to turn the tables on them, not only to catch the traitor in the village, but also to turn the tables on them. However, the most likely outcome is that Hong Dabao will be enraged and resort to the most forceful method to resolve the situation."
"What does Miss Ouyang mean?" the village chief asked in surprise.
Ouyang Yue said seriously, "Hong Dabao probably can't come up with ten thousand taels of gold. Even if he could, he probably wouldn't use all his wealth to exchange for it. Moreover, ten thousand taels of gold is not easy for the Huang family to raise. The most likely outcome is that he will lead his men to attack Hongfeng Mountain. So the villagers need to prepare overnight. Tomorrow will be the key day for the villagers of Hongfeng Mountain to face off against Hong Dabao."
The village chief was stunned, but the other villagers exclaimed, "To face Hong Dabao head-on? Our whole village is full of old people, weak women and children. How could we possibly defeat Hong Dabao's men? This... isn't this just courting death?"
"Yes, Miss Ouyang, what do you mean by this? Do you want to watch the villagers die one by one?" Some people had already expressed their strong dissatisfaction with Ouyang Yue's behavior.
Leng Jue coldly observed the group. Ouyang Yue was merely passing through. Although she had ulterior motives for helping, going to such lengths, even risking her own life, to be blamed for acting rashly when it came to matters concerning the safety of their village was clearly ungrateful. Leng Jue's imposing aura, radiating a chilling presence, silenced those who had been about to speak. They knew this was the man who had come to see Miss Ouyang and, in a fit of rage, strangled Old Zhang to death in the blink of an eye. They dared not provoke him.
Ouyang Yue was about to speak with a half-smile when Da Shan suddenly said, "No, we should fight! For the past ten years or so, it's Hong Dabao who has forced us into a life of poverty and destitution. Many of our relatives have died at his hands. Even though he's the county magistrate, we have his son in our hands now. Can he really just ignore his son's life? Even so, we have no trump cards, but we must fight! If we can't defeat Hong Dabao, we will still suffer his persecution, and our lives may even be in danger. We must fight!"