Ouyang Yue looked at the fake Lü Yan and said, "Only the smart ones will avoid physical suffering. You'd better watch yourself. Your time is running out. If you refuse to confess, we will definitely think of other ways. You should know that no one here will show you any mercy." After saying that, Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen and the others left. Then, eight people entered the room. Four guarded the room, and four walked towards Lü Yan. Lü Yan was startled. One of them grabbed her head and slammed it hard to the ground.
"Bang!" The sound of the skull hitting the ground rang out instantly. Fake Green Beauty felt a loud bang in her head, as if her ears had gone blind. Her head was throbbing, and she groaned in pain.
As soon as Ouyang Yue and the others left, their expressions turned grim. "This won't do," Leng Caiwen said hastily. "If this fake Lüyan refuses to confess, even though General Xuanyuan and General Ouyang are currently under protection, the Emperor will send people to reclaim their military power. Even if they are cleared of their names, it might not be enough to regain their military power." Dai Yu seemed to be deep in thought.
Ouyang Yue remained silent, while Baili Chen said, "So the most important thing now is to get her to talk and then obtain favorable evidence from her. The attack on my brother-in-law and the others when they returned was probably for this purpose. Although Caiwen's idea is also important, we need to save their lives first. As for the rest, we need to work together to find favorable evidence as soon as possible."
Ouyang Yue suddenly said, "My brother and father were both injured because of bad weapons, and I just happened to offend someone who could borrow that power."
Baili Chen nodded: "Huang Qi and Huang Yu. You rejected Huang Yu's marriage proposal back then, and Huang Yu ended up disfigured and with a broken leg, ruining her career. It's not surprising that they would do something bad. However, it probably won't be easy to do this."
Ouyang Yue sighed, "It's hard to guard against a thief within your own family, even if you guard against him day and night."
Dai Yu asked, "Is it the Princess's residence, the Prince Chen's residence, or the Xuanyuan Army?"
Ouyang Yue's eyes turned cold: "It's not certain yet. It might be the Xuanyuan Army, or it might be one of the three prefectures."
After a moment of silence, Baili Chen said, "Regardless of the circumstances, let's first send someone to keep an eye on the Huang residence and see who they're contacting. Then we'll interrogate this fake Lüyan. We can't let the real Lüyan run around either; she's one of the witnesses, and we also need to verify her authenticity."
Ouyang Yue nodded: "I will go to the palace in a while and bring the real Lüyan in disguise as my maid to show Consort Fen." The fake Lüyan succeeded before because of the rules in the palace, and Ouyang Yue and the others were cautious. This time, they had to do it this way, otherwise they would not be able to confirm the real Lüyan and it was hard to say whether the real Lüyan was part of the plan.
The group immediately split up. Ouyang Yue took Chuncao and Lüyan, who had transformed into a maid, to the palace to see Fenyan. Baili Chen ordered the Huang residence to be monitored, while Leng Caiwen and Dai Yu stayed at the Chen Prince's residence to await news.
In a secluded garden near the Cold Palace in the Imperial Palace, hardly anyone comes by. So, although this back garden can be called a garden, the scenery is very monotonous, with only a few crooked trees surrounding the pavilion. It is quite cool here in the summer.
Looking at the mottled walls of the Cold Palace not far away, Ouyang Yue was the most yin-heavy place in the entire palace. Countless concubines and maids had died here over the generations. Just looking at it from afar sent chills down one's spine. Ouyang Yue suddenly turned to Fen Yan beside her and asked, "Does Consort Fen know what kind of place that is?"
Fenyan said, "Of course I know. That's where the concubines who have made mistakes are kept. Once someone goes in, they can forget about coming out. They either die, go crazy, or are tortured by the people inside."
Ouyang Yue sighed, "Yes, everyone says the palace is wonderful, with endless riches and honors. But there's a saying, 'Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger.' Who knows if you can maintain his favor for a lifetime? Even Consort Sun wouldn't dare to say something so audacious. Right now, isn't she just trying to send people into the palace to help her secure the emperor's favor?"
Fenyan looked unwell, her head bowed and she remained silent. Wasn't she the one in question? Not only was she being forced by Consort Sun, but she was also subjected to cruel training every day, and she couldn't resist in the slightest. How could Fenyan not feel resentment?
Ouyang Yue looked at Fen Yan and said slowly, "Actually, with Fen Pin's looks, you could have lived a good life whether you entered the palace or not. However, it is not surprising that you entered the palace. If you want to blame someone, you can only blame Fen Pin for having a rare and beautiful face."
Fenyan looked up at Ouyang Yue and said, "If that's the case, wouldn't Princess Chen be even more qualified?"
Ouyang Yue smiled: "Yes, that's why I am now the Princess Consort of Chen."
Fenyan immediately shut her mouth. Yes, she had once heard her father casually mutter that all the beauties in the world belonged to the imperial palace. Even if they weren't the emperor's women, they were still the daughters of the emperor's sons. How many could escape such control? It might sound ridiculous, but the royal family was nothing more than a form of control, a way to prove their superiority to the world. No matter how beautiful a woman was, she was still a member of the royal family. Fenyan suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Ouyang Yue said, "Princess Fen, you didn't enter the palace voluntarily, but you still have to live for the people you care about."
Fen Yan was startled: "What happened to Lü Yan?"
"Sister!" Suddenly, the woman standing behind Ouyang Yue trembled, looked up with tears streaming down her face, and said. Upon hearing this, Fenyan froze, looked up in disbelief, and then exclaimed in shock, "Lüyan, how did you get into the palace? Don't you listen to your sister? I can't let you get involved. You must leave quickly! If Consort Sun finds out, you won't get away with it. Go now!"
Green Beauty quickened her pace and ran over to hug Pink Beauty tightly: "Sister, I don't want to leave you again. I want to share your joys and sorrows. I can't let you suffer here alone."
Fenyan looked anxious and hurriedly said to Ouyang Yue, "Princess Consort Chen, what exactly is going on? Didn't I say before that Lüyan shouldn't be allowed to enter the palace? If this is discovered, no one will be in good shape."
"Sister, it was I who begged Princess Chen to enter the palace. I know you suffer in the palace, how could you be happy outside? I know you did it for my own good, that's why you didn't want me to suffer, that's why you didn't want me to enter the palace. But how could I, as your younger sister, be at ease? Only when I see you doing well can I be at peace." Green-Yan cried until her eyes were blurry with tears, making Pink-Yan unable to hold back any longer. She reached out and hugged Green-Yan's neck, "Silly girl."
The two sisters hugged and cried for a while before calming down. Ouyang Yue then asked, "Consort Fen is currently residing in Mingxiang Palace. Has Consort Sun shown any unusual behavior recently?"
Consort Fen shook her head: "No, why is Princess Chen asking this?"
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Princess Fen, please be careful. These are turbulent times." Fen Yan shuddered and suddenly said, "When His Majesty came to Mingxiang Palace before, he was furious after hearing some news. He stayed in the Imperial Study and listened to Consort Sun's report that His Majesty had summoned several trusted civil and military officials to the Imperial Study. I wonder what important matter they were discussing."
Ouyang Yue looked at Fen Yan and smiled: "Thank you for your advice, Consort Fen. I understand. Since the Fen sisters have already recognized each other, I won't disturb them any longer. Staying in the palace for too long might lead to unforeseen complications."
Fenyan nodded, and Ouyang Yue left with Chuncao and Lüyan. Fenyan watched them go far away before taking a detour back to Mingxiang Pavilion.
Just as Ouyang Yue turned to the central courtyard to leave the palace, a man in a blue robe walked over with a group of guards behind him. When he saw that it was Ouyang Yue, he walked over with a meaningful smile and said, "So it's Seventh Brother's wife. What brings you to the palace today?"
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Sister-in-law greets Fifth Brother. I came in to pay my respects to Father and Mother because I miss them. I'm about to leave."
Baili Jian laughed: "What's the rush? Now that we've run into each other, won't my sister-in-law have a chat with me?"
Ouyang Yue shook her head: "My sister-in-law and the fifth prince seem to have nothing to talk about." She turned to leave, but Baili Jian blocked her way with his arm. Ouyang Yue paused slightly, and Baili Jian waved his arm, ordering the guards to take the struggling Chuncao and Lüyan away.
Ouyang Yue smiled: "What do you mean by this, Fifth Brother?"
Baili Jian smiled meaningfully: "I am just giving my sister-in-law a piece of advice. A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on. It is such a pity that my sister-in-law, who is so young, beautiful and talented, died such an unjust and tragic death."
Ouyang Yue's smile deepened: "This princess consort truly does not understand what the fifth prince means."
Baili Jian mocked, "Seventh brother's wife, don't you know about Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide's defeat and capture? Oh, then you certainly don't know that they were rescued by their accomplices. I imagine Father will be furious when he hears this. At that time, it's hard to say whether Seventh Brother can keep his position as a prince. I'm just advising you in good faith. You should make some plans for yourself. You and Seventh Brother have only been married for a short time and don't even have children yet. With my great-aunt's abilities, it's not impossible for you to remarry. Don't waste your time on my sickly but ambitious Seventh Brother. You'll only know how to cry when the time comes."
Ouyang Yue glanced calmly at Baili Jian, a glint of light flashing in her eyes: "I appreciate your concern, Fifth Prince. However, I know your and Father's character; they would never do anything disloyal to the court. This matter must have been maliciously framed, and I will certainly bring them back. Judging from what you've said, Fifth Prince, you and Father are probably being escorted back to the capital. Given their unwavering loyalty to Father and their special place in the hearts of the people, Father won't resort to violence without concrete evidence. As long as they are alive, anything is possible. I believe they will both be alright in the end, and the Seventh Prince will be fine too."
Baili Jian's eyes suddenly narrowed: "I didn't expect my sister-in-law to be so infatuated with the Seventh Prince. This is quite a good thing, but how long it can last depends on your fate." After saying that, he flicked his sleeve, turned around and left. Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Jian, but a cold smile was on her lips.
After Chuncao and Lüyan were released, Ouyang Yue said, "Let's go, leave the palace immediately."
On the way back to Prince Chen's residence, Ouyang Yue kept her eyes closed and remained silent. However, upon seeing Bai Shichen, Ouyang Yue hurriedly said, "Send someone to keep a close eye on Baili Jian. It is highly likely that he was the one who orchestrated this matter."
"Bai Lijian!" Upon hearing this, Bai Lichen sneered, "Don't worry, ever since my brother-in-law's accident, I have secretly sent people to keep an eye on the palace and the crown prince and the other princes. We can always hear about any unusual movements. Does my wife think Bai Lijian is the most suspicious?"
"Originally, Consort Sun should have been closest to Fenyan and Lüyan. To consolidate her favor, she ordered the Sun family to investigate the two sisters and even tried to force them into the palace to help her. Under such circumstances, if she wanted to send someone to do something with these two sisters, Consort Sun would naturally be the most likely candidate. However, Fenyan said that Consort Sun hadn't made any unusual moves. Either Consort Sun really hadn't done anything, or Fenyan was lying. And when I left the palace, I happened to run into Baili Jian. His words exuded a confidence that our entire army would be wiped out, which was definitely not normal. And when I mentioned my father..." "Your Majesty, you've made it clear that things won't end hastily with my brother and father. There will be at least a long investigation period, and even Father might not actually take action." He left somewhat anxiously. "There are actually many doubts if we dig deeper into this matter. My brother wasn't convicted in the end, but it's very possible that he was stripped of his military power. But that will take time. It's also very possible that Father won't punish Xuan Yuan Chao Hua because of Grandmother and others. Husband, what do you think would happen if this is the person behind it all, and if the outcome is completely unexpected?" Ouyang Yue's eyes narrowed, her gaze extremely cold and sharp.
Baili Chen sneered: "Of course we need to find a way to make this frame perfect as soon as possible, so that my brother-in-law and his family have no way to complain and can be executed as soon as possible. If the evidence is insufficient, he will find a way to make it sufficient so that my brother-in-law and his family can be sentenced to death."
"Yes, we were caught off guard before because we didn't expect it, but if we lure them in, we might be the ones caught off guard."
"Pop!"
"My wife is so clever, I'll reward you with a kiss." Ouyang Yue glared at Baili Chen, and said, "How's the interrogation of the fake Lüyan going?"
Bai Lichen's expression changed slightly: "This woman is quite stubborn. She hasn't confessed even after being subjected to torture."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow: "Oh? So tough. Let's go take a look."
After wandering around for a while, the two entered a secluded courtyard in the Prince Chen's residence. Actually, they should have been even more discreet, but mainly because Xuan Yuan Chaohua had not yet been captured, and there was no evidence to prove that Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen were accomplices and would inevitably be implicated, no one dared to enter the Prince Chen's residence without Emperor Mingxian's order. And if Emperor Mingxian wanted to investigate, even the most secluded place in the Prince Chen's residence wouldn't work, so they simply found a place to lock her up first.
"Tell me or not, you bitch, you still dare to be stubborn!"
"Keep hitting him!"
As soon as they approached, they heard angry curses coming from inside. It was clear that the fake Lüyan's silence had angered the people interrogating her. The two pushed open the door, and a stench hit them. The room had become so pungent in such a short time. The men interrogating her immediately bowed and saluted. Baili Chen waved his hand, and they stepped aside. The two entered and saw the fake Lüyan lying on the ground. In just a short while, her clothes were torn to shreds from being whipped. Her legs, arms, and fingers were swollen and discolored. She had been subjected to torture. The fake Lüyan lay on the ground, her body slightly raised, clearly having been severely beaten.
Ouyang Yue walked over, her cold voice ringing out above the fake Lüyan's head: "Have you thought it through? Will you tell me or not?"
The fake Lü Yan slowly raised her head. Her face was now filthy, covered in water, sweat, tears, and pain. But unlike her previous silence, she looked at Ouyang Yue with a cold, mocking smile: "I know nothing. What do you want me to say? I never imagined that the dignified and renowned Prince Chen and Princess Chen would be such a despicable person, resorting to such severe torture to cover up their family's crimes. Even if you beat me to death, I still won't say anything. Bah!" With that, she spat out a mouthful of blood and phlegm, which landed squarely on Ouyang Yue's exquisitely embroidered shoes adorned with gold and lotus blossoms.
A burly guard standing nearby immediately shouted, "How dare you! You're disrespecting the Princess! Do you want to die?!"
"Crack! Crack! Crack!" He then lashed the fake Lüyan with the whip again, the force of which was even greater than before. Right under his nose, the princess had been spit on by this vile woman. They were guilty too, and if they didn't do this, they might be implicated. Seeing the burly guard take action, Ouyang Yue didn't say anything. Chuncao, who was beside him, had already silently wiped Ouyang Yue's face with a handkerchief. Soon, a maid brought another pair of embroidered shoes, which Chuncao quickly put on. The other pair had already been discarded and thrown aside.
Ouyang Yue laughed: "Is Your Highness tired of standing? Why don't you sit down and rest for a while?"
Baili Chen held Ouyang Yue's hand and said, "If my wife doesn't blame her, she should be deeply grateful. A few slaps are too lenient. But my wife is worried that she can't stand anymore, so it's good for her to rest." As he spoke, Baili Chen waved his hand, and in a moment two large, carved rosewood chairs were brought in and placed side by side. Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen then waited in a corner of the room to watch.
Leng Caiwen and Dai Yu, having heard the news, rushed over and added two more chairs. They saw that these people were still taking turns whipping the fake Lü Yan. The fake Lü Yan was furious when she saw so many people watching her being beaten like it was a show, and when she saw Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue smiling sweetly, as if they were flirting. Her expression towards Ouyang Yue even became somewhat ferocious.
Ouyang Yue saw this but only smiled meaningfully. After beating her for about half an incense stick's time, Lü Yan's whole body was like tattered rags, and the exposed skin was covered with bloody welts. Ouyang Yue, holding a cup of tea, slowly said, "Oh dear, what are you doing? You've beaten her so badly. Did I, the Princess Consort, order you to do this?"
"This servant acted on his own initiative, please forgive me, Your Highness." The person in the room immediately knelt down and said. Ouyang Yue sighed, "Alright, alright, ignorance is no excuse. You didn't mean it, so let's just let this matter go. But I don't want it to happen again, do you understand?"
"Yes, I will definitely not repeat this mistake."
Looking at Lü Yan lying on the ground with a shocked and angry face, Ouyang Yue sighed, "Really, such a beautiful woman has been beaten like this by you. It's really pitiful. You should hurry up and get some medicine to treat her wounds. Oh, tie her hands up, otherwise she won't be able to resist scratching, which will only make her more injured."
Now that Ouyang Yue had spoken, who would dare disobey? Immediately, someone brought over a large basin of yellow crystalline substance. Meanwhile, Lü Yan's hands were already tied. Ouyang Yue looked at Lü Yan, who was quietly bound, with a cold, mocking smile on her lips, as if she were laughing at Ouyang Yue's pretense. Baili Chen, on the other hand, had an icy expression: "Down!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
With a "whoosh," the bowl of yellow crystals was poured all over the fake Lvyan. Startled, she instinctively opened her mouth to drink, but the substance was poured directly into her mouth, causing her to choke. However, after experiencing the sensation in her mouth, she was shocked: "This! How can it be sweet!"
Ouyang Yue asked Baili Chen in confusion, "Your Highness, so healing medicine can actually be taken? And it's even sweet! Should I get injured next time so I can experience it?"
"Don't talk nonsense. How could I let you get hurt? You must not even have such a thought."
Leng Caiwen, on the other hand, pretended to look at Dai Yu and said, "Wood, what does it smell like to you? It smells so sweet to me."
Dai Yu frowned: "It seems to be honey!"
"Oh my! Honey! These people are so careless, using honey for treatment!" Ouyang Yue exclaimed in surprise.
Baili Chen shook his head and said, "Yue'er, you don't know this, but honey is indeed a kind of healing medicine."
"is that so?"
"Of course!" Baili Chen and the other two said in unison. Ouyang Yue nodded, but the guards quickly swept a lot of powder around the four of them and Chuncao and the others. Lü Yan was terrified. Just then, a small number of ants began to crawl over from the ground. The number of ants increased and became more and more dense. The fishy smell in the room attracted not only ants, but also a large number of insects that began to crawl towards the fake Lü Yan.
The fake Green Beauty was terrified and cried out in alarm and anger, "No, don't come any closer! Ah!"
However, the ants were terrified of sweetness and wouldn't listen to her, especially since they couldn't understand her. In no time, the fake Green Beauty was covered in ants, a dense swarm that would make even a human's scalp tingle. Finally, the fake Green Beauty couldn't help but cry out in anguish, her voice extremely shrill and her appearance utterly terrified. She even swallowed several ants with one open mouth.
"Xuanyuan Yue, you poisonous woman, you are despicable and shameless, ugh!" Fake Lvyan convulsed in pain, her heart was numb, and she was terrified. She kept cursing, but she found that the more she did so, the more painful it became. With her hands tied, she didn't even dare to save herself.
Of all the people in the room, only she was rolling around on the floor. The insects only attacked her; the others stood in circles of powder, and the insects dared not approach. Before, Fake Green Beauty thought Ouyang Yue was just putting on an act, but now she realized that wasn't the case at all. Ouyang Yue had a backup plan waiting for her, and her methods were so ruthless. Even if it hurt, she could endure it, but now the pain, numbness, and itching were all excruciating. The feeling was far beyond what was just the pain of being beaten; it was a million times worse, simply unbearable.
Until she felt those hateful ants crawling towards her face, swarming into her nose and ears, and even seeing one crawling onto her eye, she screamed in terror and ferocity, "I'll confess, I'll confess everything, get rid of these things, hurry up!" Fake Green Beauty no longer knew what her body was feeling. She only felt that this was the cruelest torture in the world, leaving her with no will to resist. Even if she was betrayed, she would suffer greatly, but at worst, she would die. But now, she was living a life worse than death.
Ouyang Yue asked her in surprise, "Oh, are you really sure? Don't say the wrong thing in your haste, or these little cuties might not be able to come so quickly and won't be able to play with you."
Fake Green Beauty trembled with fear, her eyes wide and blurry, yet she could sense a demon shrouded in black aura looming over her, grinning menacingly. She felt like a tiny ant, helplessly trampled and crushed, utterly powerless to resist. "I'll talk... I'll tell you everything! Help me! I can't take it anymore! Help me!" Fake Green Beauty cried out in anguish.
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Take her out to clean up."
Immediately, someone took a large wooden pole with a large cloth at the end and covered it over the fake Green Fairy, dragging her away. As the sweet scent disappeared, the insects naturally crawled out as well. Then, they took her to a courtyard, brought out a large bucket, and started pouring water over her, causing the insects to scatter in all directions. They then dragged her into a large bathtub. After several attempts, although the fake Green Fairy managed to get rid of the insects, she was nearly breathless from the ordeal.
After changing into simple clothes, she was pulled and thrown to the ground with a "bang." Fake Green Beauty was panting heavily, her eyes rolling back in her head. Although she knew martial arts and had a better physique than most people, even the best person couldn't have any strength at this moment. She was almost losing her last bit of rationality, just like a dying dog waiting to die, panting heavily.
"ah!"
Suddenly, her hair was pulled hard, and she was dragged to a sitting position. The fake Lüyan saw Baili Chen, Ouyang Yue, Leng Caiwen, and Dai Yu sitting opposite her. In fact, Leng Caiwen and Dai Yu had also felt a chill run down their spines just now, but they knew very well that this fake Lüyan did not deserve any sympathy. No matter what her motives were, framing Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide like this involved hundreds of lives. If the two were truly convicted, Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide's subordinates and their families who came with them would all be executed. Princess Shuangxia might be fine, but if even Baili Chen was intentionally framed, the Chen Prince's Mansion would be executed, and even Leng Caiwen, Dai Yu, and Li Rushuang would likely be implicated.
Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide are national heroes, and many soldiers have died defending their country on the border. If they truly died in battle, they deserve respect. However, to be maliciously framed is a terrible injustice. These two battles resulted in over five thousand deaths and injuries—a significant loss for the Great Zhou Dynasty. To devise such a heinous conspiracy, and for this fake Lüyan to be one of its perpetrators, no amount of torture inflicted upon her would be excessive.
"Tell me, who did you collude with to plant fake weapons in the army?"
Fake Green Beauty's scalp throbbed from the pulling, and she also felt an unbearable itch and numbness all over her body. She kept twisting her body, hoping the pain would lessen: "It hurts...it hurts, put some medicine on me, put some medicine on me quickly...ouch!"
Seeing her expression, Ouyang Yue waved her hand, and someone immediately brought over some powder, which was poured directly onto the fake Lüyan. "Pfft!" A smell of roasted meat suddenly wafted out. The fake Lüyan convulsed in pain, her face contorted in agony. The medicine had a slightly corrosive effect; although it relieved the itching, it made the pain even worse. She immediately broke out in a sweat, which she then poured onto the wound, causing her to howl in pain. Ouyang Yue sneered, "Hurry up and talk. You have no right to bargain now. If you don't want to continue suffering, then hurry up and talk. Otherwise, I have a hundred ways to make you wish you were dead. The first thing I'll do is cut off your tongue, so you can't even die if you want to."
Fake Green Beauty's eyes suddenly twitched. Just as she opened her mouth, she realized something had been shoved into it. Her eyes widened in shock, and her whole body convulsed even more violently. However, she discovered that she was not only weak, but also completely powerless compared to before. She didn't even have the strength to bite her tongue: "You... poisoned me!"
"You have ten more chances. If you don't talk, I'll drag you out. I'm only interrogating you to give you this chance. Do you really think we have no other options? Heh, your tactics are quite sophisticated. With Prince Gui backing you up, and Ouyang Rou and Huang Yu making contact with you, do you really think you can do it all without anyone noticing? Let me tell you, from the first day you arrived, I've been suspicious of you. Do you really think you've hidden yourself so well all this time? Back then, you left ahead of me to go to the border, and after my brother returned, you pretended to be unable to forget him." "Using his guilt towards you, he'll let you gradually become familiar with the border region. Then, he'll collude with the person who sent the new weapon, the yellow jade, and, along with bribed people, smuggle the fake weapon into the Xuanyuan army. He'll then use this to frame your brother and father. Whether you tell us or not isn't that important to me. I only have some details I don't know, so whether you cooperate or not is irrelevant to us. It'll just take a little more effort, but we're willing to wear you down. I want to see you suffer a fate worse than death!" Ouyang Yue, like a demon from hell, made the fake Lüyan tremble.
"You actually found out all along...you..." The fake Lüyan was completely incredulous. They had done this so discreetly, yet the people of Prince Chen's mansion had discovered it so early. It was utterly ridiculous; they had been completely fooled. A wave of despair washed over the fake Lüyan. She knew that trying to stall for time was pointless; that would be utterly laughable. She was still terrified by what had just happened. Although the insects were gone, she felt a tingling, biting sensation all over her body, making her wish she were dead. Her lips trembled as she said, "I...I'll talk. You're right. This was indeed instigated by Your Highness. Back when Consort Sun took a liking to the Fenyan and Lüyan sisters, she was also worried they might resist. I was assigned to monitor them. I've lived with them for a long time and know their habits well. So when Your Highness came to me and asked me to impersonate Lüyan..." Although I had my doubts, I did as they said. Only when I became involved did I realize what they were planning, but by then it was too late to back out. However, I knew that the idea wasn't first proposed by the Prince, but by a concubine from the Huang family named Ouyang Rou. She and Huang Yu were in charge, with the Prince providing the resources. If this succeeded, the Princess's Mansion, the General's Mansion, and the Chen Prince's Mansion would all be completely wiped out. And there were no major flaws in the plan. The Prince even found a lot of information for me to study the Chen Princess's temperament and personality, so that Xuan Yuan Chao Hua would be more likely to accept me. The rest… you all know.”
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Where will you meet up?"
“In the western suburbs, at XX Courtyard on East Street, Ouyang Rou and Huang Yu never come out from the main gate; there must be some kind of underground passage.”
Ouyang Yue stood up: "Arrest him! The Prince's words to me in the palace earlier... he probably feels something is wrong and will try to find an opportunity to kill my brother. We must discuss this, and now is the chance!"