Then Ouyang Yue felt two people grab her arms and drag her into one of the back rooms. The people then left, and a moment later the door creaked open, and a slightly anxious footstep walked in. When he saw her on the bed, he let out a chilling laugh: "Good, good, as expected of that bitch Xuanyuan Yue, well done, excellent!"
"The person has been brought. You can confront each other in a moment. I don't care about the hatred between you. I only care about the whereabouts of the jade pendant. Once the jade pendant is found, her life or death is up to you." This person was naturally Jiang Xuan.
So that's how it is. Ouyang Yue has been refusing to enter the Ning residence, so Jiang Xuan's search for the jade pendant has been a one-sided affair, with her meeting with two different people. Naturally, each side has its own version of events, and under normal circumstances, Jiang Xuan couldn't control Ouyang Yue. When the two confront each other, the one who lied will always feel guilty, and a confrontation is more likely to reveal a slip-up. Jiang Xuan deliberately said those things before because she was confident that Ouyang Yue couldn't escape her grasp. She said those things intentionally to make Ouyang Yue panic and want to escape. At this moment, these men in black burst into the inn, giving everyone a blind spot. Jiang Xuan can do whatever she wants now because no one will see it. In the end, if these people die, she can blame it on those who suddenly appeared. But by then, it's unlikely that anyone will be able to find these men.
"Princess Jiang Xuan, rest assured, this humble woman will make that vile woman Xuan Yuan tell the truth. I wonder if the princess is ready?" The voice was full of gloating, even with a hint of gritted teeth.
"Don't worry, it's just a man. If I, the princess, am not going to come out, there are still so many guests outside. I can just find one or two." Jiang Xuan's voice was cold and indifferent.
The voice laughed loudly: "Yes, yes, more men! This slut is the most despicable, just like her dead mother. She can't live without men, always flirting with them with that face, pretending to be innocent. Haha, I suddenly remembered when Ouyang Rou was defiled by a group of men. I bet even if those men go to see the King of Hell afterward, they'll be very happy to have had a moment of pleasure with the most beautiful woman in Langya Continent." The more the person spoke, the more excited he became, as if he could imagine the scene. His face flushed with excitement, his eyes widened, and he was full of excitement.
Ouyang Yue slowly opened her eyes, looked at Ning Shi who was in a frenzy, and chuckled softly: "Ning Shi, if you had lived peacefully, perhaps I, the princess, would have spared your life. But you couldn't wait to die and crawl into my hands."
"Ouyang Yue, you're not unconscious!" Ning Shi was taken aback and shouted at Ouyang Yue sharply.
Jiang Xuan didn't care, as if she had expected this. She just stood aside and watched the show. Ouyang Yue looked at Ning Shi calmly: "Ning Shi, from beginning to end, your fate is entirely your own fault. You have no one to blame but yourself. Yet you have let this resentment grow bigger and bigger and have been used by others. It's ridiculous. Do you think you can still live after doing this?"
"Hahaha! Live? I've long since given up on living, but before that, I want to see you die. No, before you die, I want to see you defiled by men, defiled by many men, turning you into a lowly piece of trash, even worse than the lowest prostitute in a brothel. I want to see how this lowly child of yours dares to be arrogant in front of me, hahaha." Ning Shi laughed wildly, looking at Ouyang Yue with a sinister expression.
There were not only three people in the room, but also more than ten strong and muscular men. Judging from their prominent temples, they were all highly skilled martial artists. Jiang Xuan coldly looked at Ouyang Yue: "I'm giving you one last chance. As long as you say it's about the whereabouts of the jade pendant, I won't make things difficult for you, or for Baili Su and the others. But if you don't know what's good for you, I will grant Ning Shi's wish today and let you enjoy the pleasure of serving men. Baili Su will also be killed as an illegitimate child. Have you thought this through?"
Ouyang Yue looked at Jiang Xuan coldly, even with a hint of pity, which startled Jiang Xuan. Ouyang Yue then said, "Princess Jiang Xuan, we might have been able to become good friends, but unfortunately you won't listen to reason. This Ning family member hates me to the core, so how can you take her words seriously? If you dare to do this, you must bear the consequences."
Jiang Xuan sneered: "Xuanyuan Yue, do you really think you're so clever? I think you should stop pretending and hand over the jade pendant. This princess might let you go."
Ouyang Yue sneered, "Princess Jiang Xuan, do you really think I'm easily frightened? After this is done, I will definitely die, after being humiliated, and then announce to the world that I committed suicide out of guilt, right?"
"You're very smart, but it's too late now," Jiang Xuan said with a nonchalant smile.
Ouyang Yue laughed: "Too late? I don't think so." Ouyang Yue suddenly laughed, "Princess Jiang Xuan, do you want me to think about this? You're so eager to get this jade pendant, it's probably not a family heirloom of the Empress of Da Gan's family. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so concerned. Don't say it's out of filial piety, I don't believe you. From the moment Princess Jiang Xuan came to me, I wondered why she cared so much. Moreover, she's on a mission to Da Zhou with the eldest prince of Da Gan accompanying her. If she values this jade pendant so much, it must be something the Emperor of Da Gan wants. Princess Jiang Xuan has always had high standards. As a royal princess, she's usually willing to sacrifice herself for the royal family's interests. How could someone as selfish as Princess Jiang Xuan agree to this? This jade pendant is so important that it might change your fate. I'm suddenly interested. What would it be like if Princess Jiang Xuan had lived in Da Zhou all her life?"
Jiang Xuan's cold smile suddenly changed: "What do you want to say?"
Suddenly, Ouyang Yue moved with lightning speed, blocking the two burly men protecting Jiang Xuan. Within moments, their eyes widened, and blood spurted from their necks like jets. In the blink of an eye, Jiang Xuan's neck tightened, her breath hitched, and she smelled a strange fragrance. Ouyang Yue chuckled, "Does this fragrance smell good? It's called 'Love Poison,' the lowest-grade aphrodisiac in brothels. It's said to be poison, but there's no antidote. The only antidote is a man."
Jiang Xuan's heart trembled: "Xuanyuan Yue, how dare you! How dare you ruin the reputation of my Daqian Princess! The entire Chenwang Mansion will be doomed!"
Ouyang Yue chuckled, turned around, and suddenly attacked Ning Shi, who was trying to leave when she realized something was wrong. Ning Shi fell backward, not even having time to cry out. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, followed by a chill on her neck, and then a stream of liquid flowed down her body. With a thud, Ning Shi fell to the ground, dead beyond any doubt. Ouyang Yue had one hand around Jiang Xuan's neck to prevent the sweating men from rushing to her aid. When Jiang Xuan saw Ning Shi fall to the ground, her breath caught in her throat. Then she heard Ouyang Yue's chilling voice, as if it came from hell: "Princess Jiang Xuan, this princess consort is certainly not stupid enough to give someone a handle to use against me. Haven't you heard the term 'shifting the blame'?"
Jiang Xuan was startled. Suddenly, she felt hot all over, her breathing became rapid, and her cheeks turned red. She felt incredibly comfortable with the coldness emanating from Ouyang Yue: "Hmm... what... do you mean!"
Ouyang Yue sneered: "I'll leave you in the Great Zhou and play with you slowly!"
☆、259、A heavy price to pay!
Three people were already dead in the room, which was filled with the stench of blood. The smell was so strong that Jiang Xuan felt her breath catch in her throat. She turned around in alarm and saw Ning Shi lying on the ground with her eyes wide open, looking like she had died with her eyes open. Bright red blood was flowing from her neck, slowly forming a pool of blood. When it touched Ning Shi's already emaciated face, the grotesque look before her death was more frightening than seeing a ghost.
However, Jiang Xuan was frightened not by these things, but by Ouyang Yue's words: what was she going to do, and why was she being kept here?
Jiang Xuan felt waves of heat seeping into her limbs, and her breathing became heavier and heavier. Her body instinctively moved closer to Ouyang Yue. Even though she didn't want to, her body couldn't withstand the chill emanating from Ouyang Yue's aloof demeanor. She wanted to pounce on Ouyang Yue and hold her tightly in her arms.
Jiang Xuan gritted her teeth in hatred, forcing herself to calm down, and looked at Ouyang Yue with gritted teeth: "Don't forget my identity as a princess. If you dare to harm me, have you thought about the consequences?"
Ouyang Yue sneered: "In Princess Jiang Xuan's heart, it seems that I, as the Princess Consort of the Great Zhou Chen King, am far inferior to Princess Jiang Xuan. Is this the kind of person you can humiliate or harm at will?"
Jiang Xuan paused, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes, and said, "This whole thing was caused by Ning Shi, who tricked me into giving her the jade pendant. Otherwise, why would I have done such a thing? Princess Consort Chen, you should understand how I feel about not being able to fulfill my mother's request."
"Does understanding mean you can ruin my reputation?" Ouyang Yue was unconcerned, her expression growing even colder as she looked at Jiang Xuan. She and Jiang Xuan hadn't had much contact to begin with, and they'd generally kept to themselves, living peacefully. Unfortunately, Jiang Xuan had initially come for the Xuanyuan family's heirloom, putting them in an adversarial position. Of course, if Jiang Xuan hadn't caused so much trouble, Ouyang Yue wouldn't have bothered with her. Jiang Xuan had tried to deceive her repeatedly, and this time she even intended to ruin Ouyang Yue's reputation, threatening Baili Su's safety. Moreover, Ouyang Yue knew very well that if this succeeded, no one involved would survive. Jiang Xuan had been quite patient, accompanying Ning Shi through her turmoil for almost half a year, waiting patiently even without confirming the jade pendant's true whereabouts. Now, she was merely watching Baili Chen leave the capital, and with a less-than-stellar reputation at that. Now, the powers in the capital were eyeing the Chen Prince's residence for any opportunity to deal with Ouyang Yue.
Jiang Xuan probably also felt that Ouyang Yue, a weak woman, could not do anything. Even if Baili Chen had prepared some people before leaving, she could still transfer them away when the plan was activated. To put it bluntly, she still looked down on Ouyang Yue as a woman. How much trouble could she cause when Baili Chen left? Of course, now she was reaping the consequences of her carelessness.
Jiang Xuan's idea was actually very direct and brutal. Compared to her previous lukewarm dealings with Ning Shi's Ouyang Yue, she was clearly going to take drastic measures.
Jiang Xuan first deliberately brought Ouyang Yue to threaten her, using that opportunity to intentionally take Baili Su and the others away. Jiang Xuan, after all, was a princess of the Great Gan Dynasty, and Ouyang Yue obviously couldn't possibly be oblivious to her threats. Even if she didn't believe Jiang Xuan would actually do such a thing, she was at least intimidated. After being released by Jiang Xuan and discovering Baili Su was missing, she was naturally panicked. At this point, the presence of a vicious, indiscriminate killer would create a direct and intense sense of fear, easily triggering terror. Next, she drugged Ouyang Yue, leaving her completely at their mercy, and then proceeded to repeat all the methods she had previously used to harm Ouyang Yue. This would terrify most people, causing them to cry and scream. At this point, their psychological defenses are most easily breached.
A woman's reputation is more important than her life, and Jiang Xuan wasn't lying. Even if Ouyang Yue really told the truth, she would definitely do something ruthless to ruin Ouyang Yue's body. At this point, Ouyang Yue could only listen and accept it. Unless she wanted the princess's mansion and General Baili Su to die because of her impurity, she had no choice but to compromise.
The plan wasn't actually that intricate or mysterious; it simply involved a strong attack on Ouyang Yue's heart, attempting to destroy that vulnerable point. If that was enough, the plan would succeed. As for the assassin, Jiang Xuan wasn't worried since she was willing to do it. If this led to the discovery of the jade pendant's whereabouts, Ouyang Yue would fall into her hands and be at her mercy—a win-win situation.
If it succeeds, it's a simple, direct, and most effective method. Of course, this only applies after success. If things don't work out, like now, all of this seems much more ridiculous.
"What do you want!" Jiang Xuan was extremely anxious, her eyes darting back and forth between the several burly men in the room, hoping they would quickly come up with a way to rescue her. These men, who were protecting Jiang Xuan, were also very anxious now that she had been captured, but they were helpless. They realized they couldn't find a way to rescue her. Meanwhile, Ouyang Yue was holding Jiang Xuan tightly, a razor blade tucked into her hand, pressing it lightly against Jiang Xuan's neck. If they wanted to attack her arm from the front to force Ouyang Yue to let go, that would be possible, but Ouyang Yue seemed very experienced. She held the razor blade directly to Jiang Xuan's chin. If her arm were knocked off, regardless of whether her arm instinctively moved outward or inward, it would definitely slash Jiang Xuan's neck first. Therefore, striking her arm would only make Jiang Xuan more dangerous. Attacking Ouyang Yue from other angles was possible, but Ouyang Yue was currently leaning against the wall, with Jiang Xuan pressed directly in front of her. Jiang Xuan completely blocked her, making it impossible for anyone to make a move without injuring her. Moreover, all they could do at this moment was a three-way attack. The front was blocked, and although Ning Shi was originally standing on the right, Ouyang Yue had already turned away from Ning Shi for safety. If anyone dared to move forward, they had no doubt that Jiang Xuan would be the one lying in a pool of blood the next moment, and they would all suffer the same fate of being buried with her.
So no matter how Jiang Xuan tried to signal them, making these burly men sweat profusely, they dared not make a move.
"You bunch of useless trash... Waaah..." Jiang Xuan shouted angrily, but the next moment, she felt the heat rising from her body, and her body became even hotter. Jiang Xuan's body began to unconsciously rub against Ouyang Yue behind her.
Ouyang Yue frowned, but sneered: "It seems that the medicine is really effective. Princess Jiang Xuan is already impatient. Tsk tsk, with so many strong and young men in the room, Princess Jiang Xuan should have enough to enjoy."
Jiang Xuan's face turned pale instantly, and she said tremblingly, "No, you can't do this. I am the princess of Da Gan. If you do this, it will bring you endless trouble. You are a smart person. How could you do something that would dig your own grave? You will let me go, right?"
Ouyang Yue looked calmly at Jiang Xuan with his dark eyes: "So, if our roles were reversed, would Princess Jiang Xuan let me go because of what I said?"
Jiang Xuan's face turned even paler, and her voice trembled even more: "No, please let me go. I will pretend that what happened before never happened. I am about to leave the Great Zhou. After that, we will leave each other and not interfere with each other. You will not suffer any loss."
"Hiss!" Jiang Xuan suddenly gasped in pain, but heard Ouyang Yue's voice, icy cold, say, "You thought of threatening me with Su'er before, and even wanted to take the opportunity to kill him, didn't you? Princess Jiang Xuan has never been a mother, you don't understand. Children are the most vulnerable parts of their parents. If you dare to do such a thing, I'm willing to risk my reputation to fight you to the death. You didn't succeed this time, but that doesn't mean you're innocent. If you did it, you have to bear the consequences. There's no going back in this world. Today, I'll let you taste the consequences of daring to harm Su'er. I... have never been a kind person. On the contrary, I'm a devil. I've never thought of any possibility of a peaceful resolution for those who have wronged or harmed me."
Ouyang Yue's words made Jiang Xuan's heart race. Her body trembled, and she almost collapsed. Only Ouyang Yue's grip on her neck kept her upright, her legs shaking. Jiang Xuan cried out, "No... I was wrong, Xuanyuan Yue, I was wrong! Please let me go! This time, I will obediently leave the Great Zhou. I will never dare to have any other thoughts. I beg you to let me go, please!" Fine beads of sweat appeared on Jiang Xuan's forehead, and her whole body began to tremble. She no longer dared to be arrogant. Now she was like a prisoner. As long as Ouyang Yue could let her go, what did kneeling matter? Compared to her, a dignified princess of the Great Gan, losing her virginity before marriage, all this dignity seemed insignificant!
"Unfortunately, I don't want you to leave the Great Zhou right now." Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes and glanced at Ning Shi as if she didn't know what was going on. After hearing Ning Shi's voice just now, she had an idea. If these people couldn't stand her being at peace, then they shouldn't expect to be at peace either.
"You've gone too far! I, the princess, apologize to you, and you still don't appreciate it? Don't you even know who you are? You're nothing but a worthless brat raised by this stupid woman. If Baili Chen hadn't been a sickly old man on his deathbed, do you really think your lowly status would be worthy of the royal family? You're not even half as good as me, yet you try to ruin my reputation. Xuan Yuan Yue, the Chen Prince's Mansion, the Princess's Mansion—all those connected to you will end up dead because of you. You'd better release me immediately, and I won't make things difficult for you today. Otherwise, I'll make you wish you were dead! I'll subject you to the cruelest tortures in the world!" Jiang Xuan, furious that Ouyang Yue wouldn't budge, cursed loudly. Now that she was being persecuted, she didn't care about the princess's demeanor or dignity anymore. If she couldn't get through this today, how could she face anyone else?
Ouyang Yue's expression darkened, and her voice grew even colder: "Princess Jiang Xuan is the eldest princess of the Great Gan Dynasty, and is indeed exceptionally noble. But now, someone as noble as you is in my hands. I can make you live or die as I please. You really are disobedient..." Ouyang Yue's other hand reached out and pinched Jiang Xuan's chin, almost crushing her jade-like jaw with force.
Not only did Ouyang Yue hate being threatened, but she also couldn't accept that this person wanted to harm her family. In that instant, Ouyang Yue had the thought of killing her.
"Bang!" Just then, the door was suddenly kicked open, and several burly men inside instantly straightened their expressions, their eyes flashing with intense light. Jiang Xuan's face lit up with joy, but when she saw who it was, her expression darkened. The newcomers were also a group of men in black. As soon as they rushed in, they engaged in a fierce battle with the people in the room. The fight was intense, and while Jiang Xuan's protectors were no ordinary people, these newcomers were equally formidable, being rare experts. Moreover, they were extremely cunning, frequently launching surprise attacks with hidden weapons during the fight. Before long, Jiang Xuan's body went limp and collapsed to the ground. The newcomers in black immediately carried one of them away, and in an instant, only the lifeless Ning Shi, Jiang Xuan, and Ouyang Yue remained in the room. The men in black came and went quickly, without even saying a word to anyone, disappearing in an instant. Jiang Xuan's heart sank to the bottom; the saviors she had thought she had were gone.
"I...I...Xuanyuan Yue...I'll agree to anything you ask as long as you let me go, please let me go."
Ouyang Yue paused for a moment, then slowly said, "Jiang Xuan, which poses a greater threat to me: letting you stay in the capital or letting you return to Daqian?"
"Xuanyuan Yue, you bitch, I'll fight you to the death!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuan was instantly enraged. She turned around angrily to strike Ouyang Yue, but Ouyang Yue, for some unknown reason, suddenly withdrew her hand, allowing Jiang Xuan to easily break free. She raised her head to strike Ouyang Yue, but unfortunately, the drug in her body had almost completely seeped into her limbs, making her slap weak and powerless. With Ouyang Yue dodging, her hand hit the wall and fell limply to the ground. Jiang Xuan's face was filled with fiery hatred, but her body betrayed her, collapsing to the ground. She stared wide-eyed at Ouyang Yue: "Why? This has come to this point, and it's not good for anyone. Please let me go."
Ouyang Yue lowered her head and suddenly said, "Princess Jiang Xuan, do you really think the Empress sent you to find this jade pendant just because it's a family heirloom? Your behavior of treating people like dirt for your own selfish desires is justified. You are a princess, but that doesn't mean you can disregard human life. However, I can let you go. I can leave now, but it depends on your luck. If you can survive this, the matter will be over. If not, it's your own fault, and you have no one to blame but yourself." After saying this, Ouyang Yue glanced at Jiang Xuan indifferently and turned to leave.
Jiang Xuan was surprised that Ouyang Yue was going to let her go. Her eyes lit up and her face lit up with joy, but this expression only lasted for a moment. The next moment, she looked at the departing Ouyang Yue with a gloomy expression and endless viciousness. This time, she had originally planned to eliminate all future troubles, but she didn't expect that Ouyang Yue not only knew martial arts but had also drugged her. The sudden arrival of the person earlier had disrupted her plans, but Jiang Xuan didn't care. A woman can't be too soft-hearted. Because Ouyang Yue had let her go this time, she would take Ouyang Yue's life later. The destruction of the Chen Prince's Mansion and the Princess's Mansion had never made her suffer such a humiliation. This was infuriating, and she couldn't swallow it.
She felt intense hatred in her heart, yet her body felt stiflingly hot, making her extremely uncomfortable. Jiang Xuan rubbed herself on the ground, feeling the cool air there, and unconsciously pressed her face against it, moaning comfortably.
Perhaps it was true that evil people get their just desserts. Jiang Xuan thought she was alright, but her body felt increasingly uncomfortable, and she couldn't help but groan. Just then, she stumbled and ran to a person at the door. The person saw Jiang Xuan on the ground and noticed that the woman had a very beautiful and slender figure. Because Jiang Xuan felt hot and was struggling and rubbing uncomfortably, her clothes were already a bit loose. And since it was summer, there were already few clothes. At this moment, what the person saw was not only a beautiful young woman, but also that she had half-undressed, clearly with an intention to seduce her.
"Oh, my little beauty, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm here to keep you company."
Jiang Xuan, upon hearing the lewd voice, initially thought it was a hallucination, only managing a soft sob, her voice filled with grievance. The man immediately approached and hugged her. Jiang Xuan instantly felt incredibly clever, for she could smell the man's scent—an unpleasant, even foul odor—that inexplicably quickened her heartbeat. Startled, Jiang Xuan cried out, "You…get out! Put me down and get out!"
Jiang Xuan's angry curses, though uttered in a voice that sounded like a cat's meow, were incredibly alluring. The man chuckled, picked her up, and carried her to the bed. Looking at her beautiful form on the bed, his face was filled with lust: "Don't worry, beauty, I'll make you feel like you're in heaven today!" The man thought to himself that the person who had contacted him was right; she was indeed a rare beauty. However, he was still a little puzzled. Wasn't she supposed to be a married woman? This beauty seemed unmarried based on her attire. But whatever, she was a beauty. He got paid and had a beauty in his arms—why not? He'd done plenty of things like taking money and orchestrating affairs; what was one more time?
Seeing this, Jiang Xuan shouted, "How dare you! I am the princess of the Great Gan Dynasty! How dare you disrespect me? I will tear you to pieces! I will never let you go! Get out of here!" Jiang Xuan's eyes were bloodshot, and she was filled with hatred. Why did this person have to come at this time? Was the heavens trying to kill her?
Indeed, Jiang Xuan knew this man. She had already sent people to find several hooligans in the capital and secretly observed and investigated them. This man had been bribed by several families to ruin the reputations of women and escalate the power struggles within the household. However, he was also quite clever and had excellent escape skills. He had taken money from at least five women, including ladies and concubines, and ruined their reputations. In the end, no one punished him. This gave Jiang Xuan an idea. She wanted him to ruin Ouyang Yue's reputation so that he could act as a witness to restrain Ouyang Yue. Of course, he would definitely not survive the quick operation. However, Jiang Xuan was afraid of any mishaps beforehand, so she sent someone to make contact. Naturally, she would not let this person know her true identity and appearance. Now, by a twist of fate, this happened to her.
"Haha, a princess? Great! I've never touched such a precious flower before. I was thinking of being gentle with you, but I'm going to have my fill of this top-quality stuff today."
"Whoosh!"
"ah!"
As Jiang Xuan screamed, the man suddenly ripped open her clothes and pressed his entire body against hers.
"Damn bitch, what are you yelling about? Do you think no one will see me having sex with you? Shut up." The man tore a tattered cloth from Jiang Xuan's body and stuffed it into her mouth. Jiang Xuan was completely powerless, and even though she opened her eyes wide, she had no power to intimidate him. The man, however, grinned lewdly and approached her.
Jiang Xuan was filled with intense hatred. "Ouyang Yue, it's all your fault! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you! Ahhh!"
The hatred in her heart lessened the pain she felt in her body. At this moment, Jiang Xuan looked like a witch from hell about to take revenge, her eyes bloodshot. The man was stunned for a moment, but then he grinned wickedly. This kind of angry and desperate look gave him the most satisfaction. And this person was really good, better than any woman he had ever slept with. But strangely, she was a virgin. Wasn't she a married woman? The man didn't think about that at the moment and forgot about it as soon as he shook his head.
At this moment, two groups of soldiers suddenly rushed into the Da Gan Post Station. Each soldier was armed and had an icy expression. Soon, a middle-aged man dressed in official robes walked in. He was not particularly handsome, but his face was extremely serious. When he saw the situation in the courtyard, he was stunned for a moment and said angrily, "Surround the post station completely. We must not let the villains leave."
"Yes, sir."
The newcomer was none other than An Huaiyuan, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture. The commotion at the post station had naturally spread. The Da Gan Kingdom was powerful, in no way inferior to the Da Zhou Dynasty. All parties in Da Zhou took Da Gan very seriously and would not easily offend it. Unexpectedly, such a thing happened at the Da Gan post station. An Huaiyuan rushed over as soon as he received the news. However, seeing the several corpses on the ground, their heads separated from their bodies, he couldn't help but feel a chill. The people who did this were truly ruthless. Not only did they leave no survivors, but they were also incredibly audacious to cause trouble at the Da Gan post station on Da Zhou territory. This clearly showed that they did not take Da Zhou seriously. Moreover, it made An Huaiyuan, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, suffer greatly. It was extremely hateful.
Although An Huaiyuan was a tough guy who dared to contradict even the Emperor when he believed something was right, he was still human after all. Many people from various prefectures in the capital had come to the Daqian Post Station today. If something happened to them, not only would he lose his position as the Prefect of Jingzhao, but he might also be implicated. So he was a little nervous. However, after searching the area with his men, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. Apart from a few people who died in front of the courtyard, most people were fine, just some who were unconscious. An Huaiyuan didn't care about anything else and had people bring water and splash it on their faces one by one.
"Ah! Murder! Help!"
"Run!"
After resuscitating several people, they opened their eyes and screamed in terror, showing how much fear the previous events had instilled in them. An Huaiyuan shouted several times but they didn't stop. Finally, he yelled, "Shut up!"
Those people shut their mouths, still looking somewhat crazed, but their gazes turned to An Huaiyuan.
"Please be patient, everyone. You are out of danger now. I will catch those villains." An Huaiyuan was busy reassuring people when someone ran up behind him and said urgently, "Sir, go and see quickly."
An Huaiyuan was startled and rushed over, only to find several unconscious people in the backyard. He was shocked to see that the wife of the late Imperial Censor Liu Hanwen was there, which meant he would likely be impeached tomorrow. What alarmed him even more was that several women from the Prince's residence were together, apparently drugged. An Huaiyuan quickly ordered someone to splash water on them to wake them up. When Ouyang Yue and the others regained consciousness, they were still somewhat dazed. When they thought about what had happened, they were all extremely surprised.
Because Bai Ying was pregnant, and in the early stages, she was afraid something might happen, so she didn't come. Only the Prince Chen's Mansion and the Prince Sheng's Mansion came to show their support. The two princesses of the Prince Sheng's Mansion were also present. As soon as Ning Xishan woke up, she was pale and anxious, saying, "Quickly, quickly go and catch those audacious guys. They actually dared to harm people. If you catch them, execute them all."
An Huaiyuan frowned slightly at Ning Xishan's excited expression. He glanced at Ouyang Yue and saw her sit up. After a moment of confusion, she immediately went to find the young prince, scooped him into her arms, and Ouyang Yue visibly relaxed and quieted down. The difference was truly remarkable. Despite his thoughts, An Huaiyuan still reassured her, "Consort Ning, please rest assured, I have already sent people to search. These villains will not get away with this."
As An Huaiyuan was trying to persuade him, a flustered man ran over. He stumbled and almost fell as he got closer. An Huaiyuan frowned, and the man, his face flushed, said urgently, "Sir... something bad has happened! The backyard... the backyard..." His face was red with anxiety, but he couldn't get the words out.
Ning Xishan was already in a bad mood, and seeing such a terrified and useless person made her even more depressed. Instantly, she thought of the scenes of those vicious villains killing people that she had seen before, and her voice couldn't help but become sharp: "What a coward! It's just seeing a corpse, what's the big deal? You're really useless. Is this the kind of trash that is in the Jingzhao Prefecture?"
Ma Huaiyuan didn't bother arguing with Ning Xishan and straightened up, saying, "What exactly happened? Take me to see it."
At this moment, the man said with a strange expression, "There is a dead body in a side room in the backyard, and... there are men and women... it seems to be having an affair with the princess..." Although the man spoke intermittently, a few key words were clear enough for people to understand.
"A princess and a man? What's going on!" Several people in the backyard who had also fainted asked in surprise upon hearing this, their curiosity piqued.
"What are you standing there for? Lead the way!" Ning Xishan shouted as soon as she heard this.
Many who had just woken up were still somewhat dazed. When they heard that these people were going to find someone, they followed them in a daze. They had been frightened before, so wouldn't it be safer to be with many people? It wasn't until they got there that they heard what the people wanted to see, and they were all extremely surprised and didn't quite believe it.
However, when the group arrived at the guest room, they faintly heard sounds of a man and woman making love. Their expressions changed, and they quickened their pace, practically running forward. The door slammed open, revealing a couple engaged in a highly provocative act. Their cries were quite loud; no wonder they had heard the sounds earlier, and they were clearly engrossed in their activities, their faces showing expressions of pure enjoyment… What shocked them most was the woman with that dazed yet blissful expression—wasn't she the princess, the master who had invited them today? How could this be… how could this be…
What they couldn't understand was that the man, from an upper-class family, was someone they had never seen before. He had a pointed face and looked like a monkey, clearly not a good person. The Princess of Daqian was of noble birth; she shouldn't be lacking in men, right? Why would she choose a man like that, to such a desperate degree? Or was the Princess of Daqian inherently a wanton woman, willing to do anything as long as it was a man? The crowd stared wide-eyed in astonishment. Even An Huaiyuan, the Prefect of Jingzhao, who was adept at handling underhanded tactics, was stunned and momentarily speechless. What… how were they supposed to handle this?
If Princess Da Gan were naturally promiscuous, that wouldn't be their business. But the fact that she was seen in the Da Gan post station by a group of noble families from Da Zhou seeking pleasure was something that needed to be dealt with. If they didn't know, it would be fine, as it could be kept secret. But now, Jiang Xuan's scandal would be spread tomorrow. Jiang Xuan had come all this way, and to lose face in Da Zhou would definitely have some impact. An Huaiyuan's lips twitched as he looked at Jiang Xuan, who was still tilting her head back and enjoying herself. He couldn't help but curse in his heart, "How despicable!"
"Royal sister!"
Just then, screams came from outside. Jiang Qi had already rushed in with his guards. Seeing so many people gathered in the guest room, he hurried over and said angrily, "Make way, make way! What on earth is going on? How can there be villains running rampant in the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty? It's outrageous!" Jiang Qi cursed angrily. Although the black-clad men who broke into the inn and killed people were mostly from the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was still unsettling to see them doing this in the inn. Jiang Qi's outburst was understandable.
But as he pushed people aside, about to say something, he froze when he saw Ouyang Yue standing in front of the crowd. A look of surprise and disbelief flashed in his eyes. Ouyang Yue, naturally observant, felt a chill run down her spine. Jiang Qi had indeed learned of the plan; otherwise, where would those burly men with martial arts skills have come from? Although Jiang Xuan was a princess, few would choose her as an assassination target. There was no need, and their interests weren't that significant. Furthermore, a princess couldn't possibly be worthy of those men. If she wasn't mistaken, those men were likely highly trained assassins, undoubtedly under Jiang Qi's command. This meant that both siblings were involved in this affair; no wonder Jiang Xuan dared to take such a great risk.
Jiang Qi was inwardly turbulent. He had initially disagreed with Jiang Xuan's plan, fearing that failure would bring trouble. However, Jiang Xuan was so confident, and they shouldn't linger; they should finish the job quickly. So he agreed. Naturally, he also sent some bodyguards. However, most of the plan was designed and executed by Jiang Xuan. Jiang Qi didn't want this to become public knowledge and give anyone leverage over it. He was afraid of being implicated by Jiang Xuan if anything happened. Even worse, while Jiang Xuan was hosting a banquet, he used his obsession with ancient literature as an excuse to wander around the shops in the capital. Of course, he also listened to Jiang Xuan's plan. Although it lacked any cunning or smugness, it was very direct and effective, and he thought it was quite feasible.
But Ouyang Yue was alright, and inside that room...