Several guards rushed in and soon dragged the struggling Aunt Ming out. Aunt Ming angrily said, "How dare you disrespect your master! How dare you be so bold!"
Hei Da snorted coldly: "Who do you think you are, a dead man who dares to be arrogant? Take him away!"
Aunt Ming's heart skipped a beat, and her face turned deathly pale. Why had the master sent so many people to arrest her?!
Chapter 125, The Death of Concubine Ming! (Seeking monthly votes)
Aunt Ming was very uneasy, and the guards brought by Hei Da were not gentle. She was dragged directly towards Yihe Xuan. Aunt Ming gradually had a bad feeling, but she still tried to remain calm and kept a blank face. Soon she was brought into Yihe Xuan.
In addition to the regular bedrooms and other rooms used daily, each courtyard of the General's Mansion has a reception hall. However, for convenience, many people prefer to meet directly in the inner room. Right now, in the reception hall of Yihexuan, Ouyang Zhide is sitting in a high position, looking at Aunt Ming with a calm expression.
"Bang!" As soon as Hei Da walked in, he immediately flung his hand, and Aunt Ming was thrown to the ground. She was a little dizzy from the fall. Aunt Ming was furious and couldn't help but say to Ouyang Zhide, "Master, although Hei Da is your subordinate on the battlefield, when you come to the General's Mansion, you have to abide by the rules of the General's Mansion. His disrespect for me is probably a bit negligent towards you as well."
Hei Da coldly stared at Aunt Ming, completely unconcerned about her complaint. Ouyang Zhide simply sat in the seat of honor, calmly observing Aunt Ming without saying a word. This only terrified Aunt Ming more. If Ouyang Zhide had confronted her angrily, hurling insults at her, she would have been more prepared. Firstly, she didn't know why he had summoned her, and secondly, Ouyang Zhide, being a military man, was prone to impulsiveness. The angrier he was, the easier he was to deal with—Aunt Ming was experienced in such matters. But seeing this now, Aunt Ming's heart skipped a beat. How could she possibly react? Yet, Aunt Ming dared not say anything more, simply kneeling on the ground, her two armless arms hanging limply at her sides, her head bowed, her mind racing.
Just as Aunt Ming's heart was in her throat, Ouyang Zhide spoke calmly: "Nixiang, you've been in the General's Mansion for almost twenty years now."
Nixiang was Ming's maiden name. In fact, Ouyang Zhide was not a very romantic person and rarely called Ming by her name. But the fact that he called her by her name at this moment gave Ming a chill down her spine. It was so different from his usual self. What did he want to do? Although Ming had many questions churning in her mind, she still said, "Reporting to Master, Nixiang has been in the mansion for some time now."
“Yes, you’ve been in the household for quite some time now. I still remember how unhappy I was when Mother carried you in.” Ouyang Zhide’s eyes swept over Aunt Ming, and then he continued, “At the time, I really hated Mother for making the decision for me to bring you into the household without my consent, but I couldn’t go against her, so I had no choice but to agree. However, my attitude towards you at the beginning wasn’t very good. Thinking back, I really made you suffer.”
Aunt Ming looked somewhat dazed, as if recalling past events, but then a strange expression flashed across her face. Why was Ouyang Zhide saying all this? He wasn't a sentimental person, so Aunt Ming just listened quietly without answering. Ouyang Zhide didn't mind her reaction and simply said, "Back then, you were very thoughtful and considerate. Most importantly, you were never competitive or greedy, which won my heart."
Aunt Ming pursed her lips, a strange feeling creeping into her heart. How could she not fight for it? It was merely an act in front of Ouyang Zhide. In this inner court, everyone wore a mask; it was a game of life or death. How could she not compete? Moreover, how could someone like Ning, whom she considered inferior in every way, possibly accept her concession? From the moment she married into the General's Mansion, her goal had been singular: to become the General's principal wife. That would be immensely beneficial not only to her but also to her family.
"But now that I think about it, I was wrong about all of this. Nixiang, you are very smart. Whatever you want to do, you will naturally succeed more easily than others." Ouyang Zhide sighed, as if summarizing what had happened before. But Aunt Ming remained silent with a sullen face. The more Ouyang Zhide said this, the more vigilant she became. She always felt that there was something more to his words, which made her uneasy.
At this point, Ouyang Zhide paused for a moment, then suddenly swept his eyes sharply across the room, narrowing them as he looked at Aunt Ming. Aunt Ming was startled, her heart leaped, her throat bobbed, and she was extremely nervous: "Nixiang, you are a smart person, you should know who you can touch and who you can't touch, right? Tell me, who in this mansion is someone you can't touch?"
Aunt Ming inwardly cried out in alarm, for she now understood why Ouyang Zhide had summoned her—it was for Ouyang Yue. The incident involving Old Madam Ning must have greatly troubled Ouyang Zhide, and Aunt Ming herself felt guilty. Her expression changed, but she forced herself to remain calm, saying, "My lord, since entering the manor, I have served you diligently and conscientiously, daring not to be negligent in the slightest. Those you cherish and love, I will naturally treat as my own daughter. Please rest assured, my lord."
Ouyang Zhide glanced at Aunt Ming indifferently, and said with a half-smile, "Oh, so you treat her like your own daughter?"
Concubine Ming paused for a moment, but still smiled and said, "Of course, this humble concubine is wholeheartedly devoted to Master, and everything I do is for your benefit. How could this humble concubine not like the person Master likes?" Concubine Ming's voice was certain, which was quite convincing.
Hei Da coldly observed Aunt Ming. In her haste to leave, she hadn't had time to put on her veil, revealing a gruesome scar on her cheek resembling a large red earthworm, a truly horrifying sight. One eye was tightly closed, its area also marred by numerous scars. Even her smile only added to the horror, devoid of any beauty. Hei Da, having recently been running errands for Ouyang Zhide, naturally knew what he was after. Seeing Aunt Ming's deliberate silence, he found it utterly laughable. This woman, seemingly clever, was actually incredibly stupid.
Ouyang Zhide smiled faintly: "Oh, in that case, I should thank Nixiang for treating me like her own daughter."
Aunt Ming's lips twitched slightly, and she hurriedly said, "What are you saying, Master? The tasks I have done for you are all for your sake. They are what I should do. I dare not accept your thanks."
Ouyang Zhide's eyes had turned slightly cold as he coldly stared at Aunt Ming and said, "Ming Nixiang, even at a time like this, you still want to deceive me? You should know that I have evidence to prove that I have called you here today. Whether you tell me or not makes no difference to me."
Concubine Ming's eyes trembled, but she raised her head and said with a puzzled look, "Master, this humble concubine really doesn't understand what you are talking about."
Ouyang Zhide's eyes grew colder and colder. He glanced at Hei Da, who stepped forward and said to Aunt Ming, "General has long been aware of Aunt Ming's actions in the mansion over the years. The reason General did not pursue the matter was simply to give you a chance to repent. However, you did not know how to repent and have caused today's disaster. Do you know your crime?"
Concubine Ming's one eye darted slightly, and she pursed her lips tightly as she smiled, "Master, you'd better discipline this subordinate. This joke is really not funny at all. My heart skipped a beat. I can't take this kind of joke."
Ouyang Zhide said calmly, "Oh, Nixiang, do you think this is a joke? Am I joking with you?"
Aunt Ming knew perfectly well that this wasn't the case; she was merely stalling for time until she could come up with a solution. Looking at Ouyang Zhide's unreadable expression, Aunt Ming bit her lip tightly, her mind a jumble of thoughts, yet she forced herself to quickly devise a way to escape. Having been in the General's mansion for nearly twenty years, she knew all too well that if Ouyang Zhide were truly enraged, even Old Madam Ning would be afraid. Moreover, Ouyang Zhide's methods were astonishing; for example, the incident in Anhe Hall where he drove iron needles into Rui Yuhuan's foot bones—that was not only painful but also incredibly cruel. As a military officer, Ouyang Zhide knew many military punishments unknown to them. Some of these punishments, used to extract the truth from prisoners, were no less severe than those in the Ministry of Justice or the inner quarters, and perhaps even more excruciating.
Aunt Ming bit her lip tightly, hoping it would bring her to her senses: "Master...Master...this humble concubine is not quite clear."
Ouyang Zhide, however, looked at Aunt Ming with great interest and laughed, "Oh, even at a time like this, you still want to play dumb with me? Nixiang, weren't you always so clever? Why are you pretending to be stupid now?" Every time Ouyang Zhide laughed, Aunt Ming's heart trembled. The muscles on her face twitched slightly, but she quickly regained control, which was truly peculiar. Ouyang Zhide smiled coldly, "Ming Nixiang, just tell me what you've done in the past year or so, what you've done since Yue'er left the manor. If you tell me well, I'll give you a quick death."
Aunt Ming's expression visibly stiffened. In truth, when Ouyang Zhide invited her here, she already had a premonition, but she preferred not to believe it. Given Ouyang Zhide's protectiveness towards Ouyang Yue, if she admitted it, the situation would be far worse than ever before, and her life would be in danger. So, even knowing this, she couldn't admit it. Aunt Ming only whispered, "Third Miss has been away from the manor for over a year now, which is quite a long time. I was wondering when she would return, and I didn't expect her to come back so soon. I was overjoyed, but I haven't had a chance to host a banquet for her yet. Seeing that Master and Third Miss have both returned to the capital safely, it's all thanks to Buddha's blessing. I have a suggestion: why not hold a welcome banquet for Master and Third Miss in the manor? The Rui Yuhuan incident just happened, so a banquet is needed to bring good luck."
“You’re right, we should have a celebratory event, but only if we remove all the troublemakers in the household. That way, the celebration will be more meaningful. Don’t you think so?” Ouyang Zhide said to Aunt Ming with a smile.
Concubine Ming stiffened, forcing herself to remain calm, and said, "A malignant tumor? This lowly concubine... this lowly concubine does not understand what you mean, sir."
Ouyang Zhide had no more interest in playing word games with Aunt Ming and said bluntly, "Nixiang, you don't mean to keep pretending to be stupid, do you? A year ago, you bribed an assassin to kill Yue'er. Have you forgotten that?"
Aunt Ming's face turned deathly pale, and her lips, bitten until they bled, betrayed her. Sure enough… Master knew. She had been so discreet; how did he know? Had he been secretly monitoring them all along? Why hadn't he caught her before she sent men? No, Master must have found out afterward. Yes, that must be it. She wouldn't be finished like this. Aunt Ming's eyes flickered slightly. The Bloodthirsty Alliance had already been swallowed up by the First Killing Alliance. Her father had said that the Bloodthirsty Alliance leader was currently being hunted by the First Killing Alliance and was in hiding. He couldn't possibly return to the capital, a place of trouble; that would only make things more dangerous. If that was the case, Ouyang Zhide, without evidence, couldn't do anything to her.
Concubine Ming pursed her lips and said, "Master, what are you saying? I don't understand. What do you mean by bribing assassins? I'm just a woman from the inner quarters; how could I possibly have the ability to bribe assassins? Besides, I've always genuinely loved the Third Miss. I was so worried about her when she left the capital. For several nights, I just sat quietly until dawn, praying for her safety every day. I would never do such a thing. I don't know who has been spreading rumors to you, Master, and so unjustly accusing me. How can I accept such a thing?"
Ouyang Zhide sneered: "Oh, you still won't admit it? You're really stubborn even when you're about to die. Are you going to wait until I bring out all the evidence before you talk? You should know that if you confess now, I can let you die a quicker death."
"Die!" Aunt Ming's eyes widened, staring at Ouyang Zhide in disbelief. Ouyang Zhide merely returned her gaze coldly, devoid of any emotion. Aunt Ming gritted her teeth, a burning hatred in her heart. Since she entered the manor, Ouyang Zhide had never treated her well. At least Ning Shi was given a grand wedding procession, and Ouyang Zhide had shown her favor then. But what about her? Since she entered the manor, although Ouyang Zhide had been fair, showing some affection to everyone, he had always been indifferent to her.
Although Consort Ming had her own agenda when she entered the manor, she couldn't bear her husband's treatment of her. If it weren't for Ouyang Zhide's attitude, Consort Ming might not have been so obsessed with the title of General's Wife. Otherwise, how could she have ended up like this? Consort Ming shook her head, continuing to deny it. From the moment she entered Yihe Pavilion, Ouyang Zhide had clearly been trying to trick her into revealing information. She was certain that Ouyang Zhide didn't have any evidence; these were just his guesses.
This is a reasonable guess, because there aren't many people in the General's Mansion who could hire assassins to kill Ouyang Yue. One is Old Madam Ning; she comes from the Ning family and is the matriarch of the General's Mansion, so she has the power. Another is Madam Ning herself; for the same reason, she also comes from a prominent family and has the financial resources and influence to hire one. It must be that after Ouyang Yue returned to the capital, she complained to Ouyang Zhide about what happened outside. Ouyang Zhide isn't stupid; he must have thought of the women in the mansion. But without evidence, he can't expect her to confess. Hmph, dream on!
Thinking of this, Aunt Ming felt a surge of confidence and cried out, "Master, what do you mean by this? Why is everything so strange today? Not only did you send these rude servants to bring me here, but they also said these nonsensical things to me. Why do you want me to admit to things I didn't know or did? Master, do you think my disfigurement is an eyesore to you? If so, you can just say so directly. Why go through all this trouble and say these things to insult me? Master, you are my everything. I will obey whatever you say. If you despise me so much, I will naturally obey your every command. But please forgive me for not being able to accept these unfounded accusations."
Ouyang Zhide's face darkened. He hadn't expected that Aunt Ming could still be so cunning even at this point. He said coldly, "You really won't give up until you've hit rock bottom. Fine, bring the people up."
Hei Da immediately responded, and Aunt Ming also knelt stiffly on the ground, her expression unreadable.
"Ooh...it hurts..." A moment later, a suppressed cry of pain suddenly came from the inner room. Aunt Ming was startled and immediately looked up. At this moment, Hei Da had already dragged someone out. When Aunt Ming saw that person, his whole body was stiff and his face was already bloodless.
The man whimpered twice, and as soon as he stepped out of the hall and saw Aunt Ming, he knelt down with a thud and cried out, "Aunt Ming, I'm so sorry! I didn't want to say it, but I just couldn't bear it anymore. I really didn't want to endure that torture that left me neither dead nor alive, but with endless pain. I'm so sorry!"
“Mother Qi…” Aunt Ming’s heart tightened, and her eyes narrowed rapidly. She had been wondering why Mother Qi hadn’t been there yesterday, since Xiao’er had been on night watch. But when she was led out of Xiangning Courtyard, it was eerily quiet; not a single servant came out to check. At the time, she was too scared to think much of it, but now, thinking about it, could it be…
"Plop, plop, plop."
Just then, several other heavy thuds echoed in the hall. When Aunt Ming saw who it was, she gasped. Even Xiao'er, Yang'er, and all the servants of Xiangning Courtyard had been brought here! Aunt Ming's face turned deathly pale. She knelt in the hall, swaying precariously. It was all over. She knew that bringing these people here would inevitably implicate her. However, the most important were Qi Mama, Yang'er, and Xiao'er, because they were closest to her. She often entrusted them with tasks, such as her frequent correspondence with the Minister of Revenue's residence, which involved these three as messengers. However, she was always extremely cautious and had never written anything in their presence. In the past, she would simply wax the envelopes, going through three procedures. Even the slightest trace would be discovered, and nothing had happened over the years. She was certain the letters were always delivered intact, and she would destroy them immediately upon receipt. Therefore, she had nothing to fear.
Aunt Ming narrowed her eyes again. Things would be more troublesome after her hand was broken. She always had Qi Mama and the other two summon servants from the Ministry of Revenue's residence to relay messages personally. If problems arose, they would likely originate here. However, given her mother's methods, betrayal within the Ministry of Revenue's residence was rare. Ouyang Zhide at most knew that she maintained contact with her maternal family, but even that contact during Ouyang Yue's assassination attempt didn't prove anything. Although she was a concubine in the General's Mansion, she was only considered half a mistress. Ouyang Zhide could kill her if he wanted, but that was only because she had the Ministry of Revenue's residence behind her. It wouldn't be so easy for Ouyang Zhide to deal with her privately.
"My lord, I do not understand."
"Hmph!" Ouyang Zhide suddenly grabbed a stack of letters and threw them at Aunt Ming's face. Aunt Ming was shocked when she saw the signature on the letters. This...this wasn't her handwriting. How did these letters end up in Master's hands? Could it be that Mother betrayed her? Impossible, it was Qi Mama, it was them!
Aunt Ming was furious. At this point, it was impossible for her to make excuses anymore. With these letters written by her own hand, the evidence was so conclusive that even if she were to use her eloquence, she would have no way to clear her name.
But Aunt Ming hated those who betrayed her to the core. With a powerful leap, she launched herself towards Mama Qi. Though she had no hands, she wrapped her arms around Mama Qi's ear and bit down hard. Mama Qi cried out in alarm, "Ah! It hurts! Let go! Let go!" Mama Qi could even hear the tearing sound in her ear. Terrified, she struggled to push Aunt Ming away, but Aunt Ming knew the consequences would be dire. She was consumed by rage and needed to vent it. Once her jaws were locked on Mama Qi's ear, she wouldn't let go, her eyes flashing with a chilling, malevolent light, like a demon's.
Everyone else in the hall was stunned. Aunt Ming's face was disfigured, and her current appearance was truly terrifying, leaving everyone speechless. This was terrible for Mama Qi. Aunt Ming kept biting her ear and pulling it outwards. Mama Qi felt a little wetness seeping from her ear, and she trembled with shock. Without thinking, she looked up and slapped Aunt Ming hard across the face.
"Ugh..." Aunt Ming groaned in pain. Seeing this, Qi Mama immediately lashed out with both hands. However, it was difficult for her because Aunt Ming had her left side wrapped around her, but she couldn't withstand Aunt Ming's angry attack in self-defense. Besides, Qi Mama, being a servant, had much greater strength than Aunt Ming. After a few hard slaps, Aunt Ming couldn't take it anymore and opened her mouth with an "Ah!" She released Qi Mama's ear. Qi Mama breathed a sigh of relief, but then saw a patch of blood seeping from Aunt Ming's mouth—it was her blood.
Seeing this, Qi Mama's anger surged. Looking at Ming's sinister expression, she knew Qi Mama had been utterly loyal to Ming over the years. But Ming, being overly cautious, wouldn't tell Qi Mama many secrets. Yet, Ming liked to have Qi Mama do some truly underhanded things. Qi Mama's reputation in the General's Mansion was poor; many kept their distance. In the Ministry of Revenue Minister's household, because she had followed Ming out and hadn't helped Ming become the official wife for years, they resented her. At one point, the Minister's wife even considered replacing her. Yes, she was a servant, but now, knowing she couldn't escape, why did Ming vent her anger on her? Was she destined to be a slave forever, forced to endure Ming's beatings and abuse?
Since none of them will get away with it anyway, she's going to vent all the hatred she's held in for so many years.
Madam Qi's eyes were icy cold. The moment Consort Ming was opened, Madam Qi suddenly grabbed her collar and shoved her violently. Consort Ming fell to the ground with a thud, instantly dizzy. Before she could recover, Madam Qi rushed over, plopped down on Consort Ming, and began slapping her repeatedly. Consort Ming was furious. How dare this lowly servant Madam Qi be so disrespectful! Consort Ming raised her arm to strike Madam Qi, but Madam Qi snorted, grabbed Consort Ming's hand, and suddenly stood up, pulling her violently towards a nearby wooden pillar. Strangely, Madam Qi continued pulling Consort Ming's arms around the pillar without stopping, running forward.
Aunt Ming was shocked. The next moment, she broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, her body trembling like a sieve as she screamed in agony. It turned out that Qi Mama had pulled on Aunt Ming's arm, wrapping her arms around the wooden pillar, causing Aunt Ming's entire body to crash into it. That was the least of her worries. Qi Mama pulled her arm and ran forward with all her might. Aunt Ming was pressed against the wooden pillar, unable to move, and her arms were being pulled continuously. What was the result? The next moment, there was only a "crack" sound. Aunt Ming's arm fell limply, having been torn off by Qi Mama.
Aunt Ming rolled on the ground in pain, her eyes bloodshot as she screamed, "Qi Mama, you wretched servant! How dare you be so disrespectful to me! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" Aunt Ming's screams, filled with pain and hatred, were as horrible as a pig being slaughtered, so loud that everyone in the hall covered their ears.
Qi Mama, having been scolded and remembering the humiliation she had just vented, became energized and charged at Aunt Ming again, kicking her in the ribs. Aunt Ming screamed loudly, the sound echoing throughout the entire Yihexuan.
Ouyang Zhide merely watched coldly. Seeing that Madam Qi still wanted to continue, he waved his hand, and Hei Da immediately rushed over and kicked Madam Qi. Madam Qi was sent flying and landed on the ground, unable to get up for a moment due to the pain. Two guards immediately grabbed the bloodied and mangled Ming Niang and forced her to the ground. Ouyang Zhide coldly said, "Ming Nixiang, as a concubine of the General's Mansion, you don't know how to seek benefits for the General's Mansion. You actually dared to commit insubordination and try to kill the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion. Even if you have a hundred lives, it won't be enough to pay for it. Guards, whip her to death!"
"yes!"
At this moment, Aunt Ming was in excruciating pain all over her body. She knew there was no hope today, but when she saw the two finger-thick whips being brought out, she was still trembling with fear: "I am the only daughter of the Minister of Revenue's family. You can't kill me, sir. Do you want to be an enemy of the Minister of Revenue's family? It's better to have an in-law than an enemy. Sir, you can't kill me."
"Execute them!"
"Slap, slap!"
"Ahhh! Master, do you completely disregard the affection we've shared over the years? Aren't you afraid of the Ministry of Revenue's retaliation? Master, you're a smart man! Why make an enemy of the Ministry of Revenue for Ouyang Yue?" Aunt Ming cried out in pain, her body twisting and contorting, but she couldn't escape the heavy blows of the whip. The places she was struck burned, and the pain spread throughout her body.
Ouyang Zhide stared at her expressionlessly, while Hei Da, hearing so much nonsense from Aunt Ming, snorted coldly and lashed the whip hard across Aunt Ming's face.
"Ouch, ah!"
Instantly, Aunt Ming's face was torn and bleeding, her mouth a bloody mess from the slaps. She could only scream in pain, unable to utter a single word. The only sounds in Yihe Pavilion were the cracking of the whip against Aunt Ming's body and her repeated screams of pain as she was repeatedly knocked unconscious and revived. Even the entire General's Mansion knew that Ouyang Zhide was punishing Aunt Ming. However, no matter how curious they were, no one dared to gather outside Yihe Pavilion to watch. Those who had harbored ill will towards Ouyang Yue were too guilty to even leave the room.
At the residence of the Minister of Revenue, Minister Ming Dequan and his wife, Madam Ding, were drinking tea and talking when suddenly a servant stumbled in. Ming Dequan immediately frowned and shouted, "Can't you see that my wife and I are talking? What kind of behavior is this? Who is in charge of these rules? Take them all away and give them twenty lashes each."
The servant immediately turned pale with fright and cried out, "Master... Master, please spare me! I didn't mean to! It was just... it was just too terrifying!"
Seeing this, Ming Dequan hurriedly asked, "What happened? You seem so anxious. Tell me quickly."
"Master, Madam, outside, four corpses have been sent from the General's Mansion..." the servant said, his face pale and trembling.
"What!" Ming Dequan stood up in shock, then roared, "What does Ouyang Zhide mean by this? He actually sent four corpses to the Ministry of Revenue's residence! What does he mean by this? Send them back! Hmph, does Ouyang Zhide really think that just because he did two things for the Emperor and successfully returned to the capital, he's fearless? He's just a brainless military officer, always acting impulsively." However, Ming Dequan noticed that the servant was trembling and standing there without leaving, so he sternly shouted, "What are you all standing there for? Do as I say! Ouyang Zhide brought dead bodies to my residence; isn't he just looking for trouble? It's utterly despicable!"
Madam Ding, the wife of Minister Hu, also frowned and said, "That's true. What's wrong with Ouyang Zhide now? You know our two families are related by marriage. What good will it do him to disrespect the master like this? He's really a fool."
The servant, trembling, spoke, his voice shaking, "Master...Master, the people who brought the body said...said...that was...the young lady..."
"What did you say!" Ming Dequan suddenly shouted angrily. Ding was also stunned on the spot. However, the next moment, Ming Dequan and Ding rushed outside. Although this concubine was only a daughter of a concubine, she had been very favored since childhood. The two of them cared about her very much. When they rushed to the outside of the mansion, some people had already gathered outside. As soon as Ming Dequan saw this, he immediately waved his hand and ordered people to carry the four corpses in. The gate of the Minister's mansion was tightly closed.
"Open it quickly."
As soon as he entered the text, Mingde exclaimed urgently. Immediately, a servant pulled the white cloth down, and when Ding saw it, she cried out in alarm, "Ah, a ghost!"
The face of the person who was opened was a gruesome sight, as if there was no recognizable part of them; it was a bloody mess, making it impossible to discern their original features. Even Ming Dequan felt a wave of nausea wash over him. The servants, their hands trembling, pulled the white cloths off the other three corpses. These three were in much better condition; at least their faces were recognizable. They were none other than Qi Mama, Xiao'er, and Yang'er. Ming Dequan and Ding Shi felt a chill run down their spines. Without a doubt, the one in the middle, in such a pitiful state, was none other than Aunt Ming.
Ding's body went limp, and she burst into tears, crying out, "Poor Nixiang, how could you die like this, and in such a tragic way? Why? Why did they do this to you?" Ding had never had a daughter, and although she was somewhat wary of Consort Ming, who was born to another woman, she genuinely loved her. Suddenly seeing Consort Ming die so tragically, she began to wail and waile.
With a cold expression, Ming Dequan rushed over, grabbed a guard from the General's Mansion who had brought the four corpses with him, and shouted angrily, "What exactly happened? Who did such a terrible thing to Ni Xiang? Tell me now!"
The guard was startled by Ming Dequan. As the Minister of Revenue, Ming Dequan was usually very conscious of his image and always presented a gentle demeanor; it was rare to see him like this. However, given that his daughter had died, his reaction was understandable. The guard quickly recovered, pulled away from Ming Dequan's hand, and said expressionlessly, "Minister, I am here on the orders of the General to give you a few things."
"What is this!" Ming Dequan's face grew increasingly gloomy. Ouyang Zhide was so bold as to harm Ni Xiang so much and even send her something. It must not be anything good. Looking at the guard's fearless appearance, Ming Dequan felt a chill run down his spine.
At this moment, the guard handed several letters to Ming Dequan. When Ming Dequan saw the top letter, his face grew even more gloomy. He took it out and read it; it was a contract that Old Madam Ning had arranged with the Minister's Mansion to bring Concubine Ming into the household. In the Great Zhou Dynasty, a concubine was not considered a mistress of the household, but she still had certain procedures and status. Of course, she couldn't be married off with the grand ceremony and numerous formalities of a principal wife. They followed a contract similar to a sale, selling one family's daughter to another. However, because of the difference in status, it was different from selling servants. And this was the contract in Ming Dequan's hand.
Mingde trembled with rage. Ouyang Zhide had killed someone, and now he dared to send him a contract, telling him that Nixiang had no further connection with the General's Mansion. Wasn't this a slap in the face? However, when he saw the letters below, his heart skipped a beat. He then gripped the letters tightly, his face turning terribly grim. Finally, he coldly stared at the guards of the General's Mansion and shouted, "Get out! Get out of here now!"
The guards were actually a little scared, after all, he was the Minister of Revenue, and it would be very easy for him to kill them. So they quickly left the Minister of Revenue's office.
Madam Ding, already in tears, angrily cried out, "Master, we must avenge Nixiang! Ouyang Zhide is so audacious, showing no respect whatsoever to the Ministry of Revenue's residence. How can we let this go?" However, Ming Dequan remained silent with a cold face. Madam Ding then said anxiously, "Master, are we just going to let this go? Ouyang Zhide has gone too far. He clearly doesn't respect you at all."
"Shut up!" Ming Dequan snapped, throwing the letters on the ground. Ding Shi, startled, picked them up and her expression changed drastically. These were the letters Ming Yiniang had exchanged with the Ministry of Revenue, requesting the Bloodthirsty Alliance to assassinate Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Zhide had brought all the letters and a corpse, not as a show of defiance, but as an expression of anger. They all knew that Ming Yiniang couldn't possibly persuade the Bloodthirsty Alliance. The Bloodthirsty Alliance had attacked Ouyang Yue precisely because of Ming Dequan's power. Therefore, although Ouyang Yue's peril was directly at Ming Yiniang's behest, the Ministry of Revenue also bore secondary responsibility.
Furthermore, the concubine was merely a concubine in the General's mansion; Ouyang Zhide could kill her if he wanted, and who would dare say anything? Even Ming Dequan, who initially went there on the side of reason, was now in the wrong, and if this matter got out, the Minister's mansion would be in great danger. For a high-ranking official to secretly collude with江湖草莽 (jianghu cao, a term referring to outlaws of the martial arts world) was a grave taboo in all dynasties. If the Emperor's trust in him wavered, it could implicate the entire Minister's mansion.
Of course, it wouldn't be easy for Ouyang Zhide to really deal with the Minister's Mansion, so Ouyang Zhide only sent Concubine Ming to intimidate them, and they had to be intimidated.
Ding gritted her teeth. She was no ordinary woman and knew the seriousness of the situation, but she was still furious: "Master, are we just going to be controlled by Ouyang Zhide like this? Since he tortured Nixiang so badly and sent her here, he must be very angry with you. If we let it go like this, who knows if he will have other ideas?"
Ming Dequan was well aware of this principle. If given time, Ouyang Zhide might even seek revenge, given his temperament. Ming Dequan narrowed his eyes: "No, Nixiang was killed, and as her father, I will certainly avenge her. But not now. If this leads to other troubles, we'll be even more unfortunate than Ouyang Zhide." Ding gritted her teeth, her eyes darkening, while Ming Dequan smiled coldly. Ouyang Zhide was still too young. Although this incident had given him a sense of satisfaction, he didn't understand the extent of the danger posed by the people behind him.
News of Concubine Ming's death by whipping at the hands of Ouyang Zhide spread like wildfire throughout the General's mansion. The mansion was eerily quiet; every servant moved as if they could fly, barely making a sound. Who knew if the master was still angry? They were terrified of being implicated in Concubine Ming's fate. At the same time, they understood even more clearly that the most dangerous person in the mansion was the Third Miss. The master had even executed Concubine Ming, a mistress with such a powerful background, for the sake of the Third Miss; who would dare to offend her?
The next day, Ouyang Zhide had just returned from court and went straight to Mingyue Pavilion. Ouyang Yue had just finished breakfast and was reading a book. As soon as Ouyang Zhide arrived, she got up to greet him: "Father, what's the matter? Why did you come to me in such a hurry?"
Ouyang Zhide had just finished court and was still in his court robes when he came to see Ouyang Yue. Of course, he had something important to say. Ouyang Zhide simply said, "Let's talk in your room." Ouyang Yue nodded. Seeing Ouyang Yue's solemn expression, she knew that this matter was probably not good to let outsiders know. So she gave a wink, and Chuncao and Dongxue were already standing outside, keeping watch for them.
"Father, what's wrong? You look so serious." As soon as she entered the room, Ouyang Yue asked.