"No need for such formalities, Eunuch Zhang."
The eunuch Zhang cleared his throat and said, "The Crown Prince is feeling unwell, and it is hereby decreed that the Princess Consort of Chen will remain in the palace to attend to him. This is the imperial decree."
"I, the daughter-in-law, will do everything in my power to care for the Empress Dowager until she recovers," Ouyang Yue said, bowing her head.
"I've finished delivering this imperial edict. I still have to go to the residences of the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince to relay messages. I'll be leaving now." With that, Eunuch Zhang smiled and turned to leave.
The Fourth Prince's Consort Bai Ying was in the early stages of her pregnancy, a time when the baby was most likely to be miscarried. She needed rest and could not overexert herself, so the Empress Dowager naturally could not allow her to come and attend to her. However, the Third Prince's Consort Sun Meng, the Ninth Prince's Consort Leng Caidie, and Consort Ning Xishan were definitely not going to be spared.
"In that case, Seventh Prince's wife, you should get ready properly and go to the Empress Dowager's place tomorrow to attend to her illness. You must be careful in everything you do. If anything happens to the Empress Dowager, I'm afraid I won't be able to save you even if I wanted to. Do you understand?" the Empress said coldly.
Ouyang Yue's expression remained calm, without any smile: "Daughter-in-law understands."
"Alright, take Prince Chen away."
"etc!"
"Seventh Prince's wife, do you have anything else to say!" The Empress was clearly running out of patience and spoke with annoyance. Ouyang Yue had a faint smile on her face, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her smile: "I will be going to the Empress Dowager's place to take care of her illness tomorrow. It is not appropriate to trouble you now, Mother. Su'er sometimes sleeps restlessly at night and I am afraid that he will disturb your rest. Tomorrow I will personally take Su'er to the Empress's Anle Palace."
The Empress thought for a moment, then flicked her sleeves and left: "Lanhe, you stay and tell Princess Consort Chen my daily routine, so you don't end up coming to nothing."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Empress left in a grand procession, leaving only Lan He smiling faintly at Ouyang Yue: "Princess Consort Chen, is it convenient for me to speak now?"
As soon as the Empress left, Ouyang Yue slowly stood up. Quite some time had passed since she had been chatting with the Empress. Her knees were still a little stiff when she stood up, as she had been kneeling on the bare ground. Lan He immediately came over and helped Ouyang Yue up, while Dong Xue naturally helped her up on the other side.
Ouyang Yue glanced at Lan He, who was skilled in treating incense, and thought she had good judgment. In this palace, who didn't have good judgment? After sitting down, Ouyang Yue smiled at Lan He and said, "Then I'll trouble you, Lan He."
Lan He hurriedly smiled and said, "Your Highness, you flatter me. This is what I should do. The Empress usually..." She rambled on about some unimportant things, and Ouyang Yue listened very attentively, occasionally asking a few questions. After about half an hour, Lan He left, but her expression was a little strange as she shook her head slightly.
Inside the room, Dongxue finally couldn't help but speak up: "Your Highness, if we really send the Prince to the Empress, wouldn't that be like throwing a lamb to the slaughter? She clearly has ill intentions. What if something happens to the Prince..."
The Crown Prince framed Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue, so they were already enemies. Even without that, the Empress was not a kind elder, not to mention the grudges between them. Baili Su was so young, it would be a piece of cake for the Empress to deal with him. How could people not be worried?
Ouyang Yue said in a deep voice, "You look after Su'er for now. I'm going to the Imperial Study. I'll be right back."
"Your Highness, do you want to plead with the Emperor? Will that be of any use?" Dong Xue was originally a member of the First Killing Alliance and a confidante of Baili Chen. Even if she didn't know Emperor Mingxian's true intentions, she could sense that Emperor Mingxian did not favor Baili Chen as much as he appeared on the surface.
"Give it a try and see."
Ouyang Yue brushed herself off and went out, but she didn't notice that Baili Su's small face showed a thoughtful expression. Then his eyes flickered, revealing a coldness that a child wouldn't show. Then he pursed his lips and his face became tense.
A few days ago, Ouyang Yue cooperated with Emperor Mingxian in putting on an act because she didn't want to marry into Prince Chen's mansion as Jiang Xuan wished. With Emperor Mingxian's tacit approval, it was easy for her to enter the Imperial Study, but once the act was over, it wouldn't be easy for her to go in and disturb Emperor Mingxian's work.
After waiting outside for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Fu Shun came out to deliver a message: "Princess Consort Chen, His Majesty invites you in."
"Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Fushun." As she spoke, she secretly slipped a piece of jade pendant she was carrying into Fushun's hand. If Fushun hadn't given her the message, she wouldn't have been able to get in so easily. Fushun was startled, as the value of this jade pendant was beyond the reach of money. Just as he was about to refuse, Ouyang Yue stepped into the Imperial Study.
Emperor Mingxian had put down his pen and was gently rubbing his right wrist. Ouyang Yue noticed that the palm of Emperor Mingxian's right hand, from his little finger to his wrist, was noticeably smoother and thicker. This was due to years of writing at his desk. It was clear that Emperor Mingxian was not a muddle-headed ruler who was indifferent to politics.
"Hmm, what brings you to see me?"
“Father, starting tomorrow, your daughter-in-law will be attending to the Empress Dowager. Mother just came by, and during my stay, she will take me to stay with her.” Ouyang Yue said bluntly, her words subtly revealing her suspicion and distrust of the Empress.
Emperor Mingxian looked at Ouyang Yue in silence and said, "Although it would be good to send Su'er to be taken care of by the Imperial Aunt, the Empress is, after all, his grandmother. She meant well this time, and you shouldn't have said these things to me."
Ouyang Yue glanced at Emperor Mingxian, then remained silent, neither speaking nor leaving, simply standing there motionless. Emperor Mingxian said somewhat helplessly, "She is, after all, the Empress. You shouldn't have contradicted her. The Empress cares most about matters of seniority. If you're worried, I'll send the wet nurse. She's an elder in the palace and will certainly not let anything happen to Su'er." He paused, then added, "Su'er is my eldest grandson, and I will absolutely not let anything happen to him."
Ouyang Yue pursed her lips, knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Father Emperor. Your daughter-in-law will go to Prince Chen's residence immediately to find a wet nurse and a maid to serve you." However, she did not agree to the wet nurse candidate suggested by the Empress.
Emperor Mingxian's eyes darkened. Ouyang Yue said, "I have nothing else to say, Father. I dare not disturb you. I will take my leave now." After saying that, she took two steps back, turned around, and left without looking back.
Emperor Mingxian was somewhat taken aback, and couldn't help but frown and whisper, "These two are both the same kind of stubborn." He was naturally referring to Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue.
Fu Shun paused for a moment, then hurriedly chased after Ouyang Yue. He discovered that although Princess Chen was a woman, she was surprisingly fast. If it weren't for the years he had spent serving in the palace and walking around the garden every day, he wouldn't have thought of chasing after Ouyang Yue at his age. He ran quite a distance before catching up with her outside the Imperial Study: "Princess Chen, please wait."
Ouyang Yue paused, looking coldly at Fu Shun: "Eunuch Fu Shun has other matters to attend to." Her expression was so calm that Fu Shun was taken aback. Looking into those dark, deep eyes, it was as if some dangerous vortex was gathering, and his heart tightened involuntarily.
"Princess Consort Chen, this servant only wanted to introduce that wet nurse." Ouyang Yue's lips curled up but she didn't speak. Seeing this, Fu Shun could only smile. After all, this wet nurse didn't appear often, and some newcomers in the palace probably didn't even know her, let alone Princess Consort Chen. It was no wonder she misunderstood. Fu Shun explained with a smile, "The wet nurse that His Majesty mentioned is surnamed Yan. She was the wet nurse who raised His Majesty. She never married. Although she was called a wet nurse, there was a mother-son relationship between her and her son. After His Majesty ascended the throne, Aunt Yan was taken care of by His Majesty and lived a life of leisure in her old age. In the past twenty years, Aunt Yan rarely went out of the palace, but those who nursed His Majesty, even the Empress and the Empress Dowager, all respected her because His Majesty respected her."
Ouyang Yue was taken aback, and immediately understood what Eunuch Fushun meant. This person, who was protected by the Emperor and had semi-retired from participating in the harem struggles, was now being summoned by the Emperor. It was clear that the Emperor truly cared about Baili Su. With Aunt Yan taking care of Baili Su, the Empress would have to think twice before doing anything. After all, if anything happened to Baili Su, Aunt Yan would be the first to lose her head. She had nursed the Emperor, and the Emperor treated her like a mother to her. If the Emperor were to be truly angered, even the Empress would not be able to handle it. Naturally, she would have to stop her little tricks.
Seeing that Ouyang Yue's complexion had improved, Fu Shun advised, "Princess Consort Chen, the Emperor is actually somewhat helpless. After all, she is the mistress of the harem and an elder. If he has to ask about her even after she has been taking care of the imperial grandson for a few days, it won't look good for him."
Ouyang Yue looked at Fu Shun and smiled: "Eunuch Fu Shun, I understand and know the Emperor's love. I was just being foolish."
“Princess Consort Chen is a rare and intelligent person, but she just didn’t quite grasp it at first,” Fu Shun said with a smile.
Ouyang Yue glanced at Fu Shun, then looked towards the direction of the Imperial Study: "This princess will go back first to help the young master pack his things. Eunuch Fu Shun, please continue with your work."
"Princess Consort Chen, please take care." Fu Shun bowed and watched Ouyang Yue walk away. Only then did he straighten up and return to the Imperial Study with steady steps.
Emperor Mingxian was writing with his brush, and without even looking up, he said, "Let's go back."
"Your Majesty, Princess Consort Chen has just returned, and her heart has been opened. She still feels grateful for Your Majesty's kindness towards her juniors," Fu Shun said with a smile, trying to please her.
"Hmph!" Emperor Mingxian snorted coldly and said in a muffled voice, "As for whether it's true or false, who knows?" But he still looked up at Fushun and said, "Go and invite the wet nurse yourself, and mention the matter to her as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will take care of it immediately."
Back in Chenyu Palace, Ouyang Yue saw Baili Su frowning and deep in thought, not even noticing Ouyang Yue approaching. Ouyang Yue asked softly, "Su'er, what's wrong?"
Baili Su then raised his head and stared at Ouyang Yue seriously, saying, "Mom, don't worry. When Su grows up, he will protect you. Nothing will happen. Don't forget that I'm not just any little kid. I'm a genius among geniuses. I will definitely make a mess of things there and get revenge for you, Mom."
Seeing Baili Su's indignant expression, Ouyang Yue felt a surge of tenderness. She felt that one of the best things she had ever done in her life was raising Su'er. With such a sensible child, what more could she ask for? Besides, Su'er's little brain was really something that ordinary people couldn't handle. She couldn't help but reach out and pinch Baili Su's cheek, even pulling it with a smile. This instantly turned Baili Su's round face into a mess. Usually, the little boy would glare at her in dissatisfaction at this moment, but he didn't react at all, just staring intently at Ouyang Yue.
Ouyang Yue withdrew her hand and hugged Baili Su tightly. "Su'er, don't worry. Your royal grandmother sent a wet nurse with considerable influence. If you win her favor, you won't have to worry about not having anyone to help you deal with things. Your mother will also send two people from the Prince Chen's residence. You can do whatever you want, just don't go too far, understand? Also, your safety is my biggest concern. You absolutely cannot put yourself in danger." If it were any other child, Ouyang Yue would really be worried, since they are still too young to understand. Baili Su has been a child in two lifetimes, so he is naturally smarter, more mature, and more sensible than other children. Since she couldn't change that, Ouyang Yue naturally had to do the opposite.
The Empress wants to control him, so let her control him to her heart's content, provided she can truly tolerate this little devil, Baili Su.
The mother and son snuggled in bed chatting before falling asleep. Both were unusually energetic. The next day, before Ouyang Yue went to attend to the Empress Dowager, she sent Baili Su to Anle Palace. The Empress looked at Ouyang Yue's radiant face with some doubt, but when she saw Baili Su in his red children's clothes, her smile was strange: "Alright, Su'er is here with me, you can rest assured. Are these the two serving him? I understand, I'll take them away in a bit." One of the two servants was Chuncao, and the other was the wet nurse that Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue had carefully selected, both of whom were very close to Baili Su.
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Su'er is naughty. I feel guilty for troubling you, Mother, these past few days. I will definitely take good care of you and do my best to help you recover faster."
The Empress smiled faintly, naturally understanding Ouyang Yue's eagerness: "Yes, you are so filial. The Empress Dowager praised you all for being so sensible." Ouyang Yue smiled back. Anyway, these were just polite words. The Empress Dowager had already given the order, so who wouldn't come?
At this moment, a middle-aged palace maid walked in from outside. The maid glanced at Ouyang Yue as she walked toward the Empress, and whispered a few words in her ear. Upon hearing this, the Empress's face suddenly darkened, and she looked at Ouyang Yue with extremely unfriendly eyes. But the next moment, she put on a very faint smile: "I know, please come in."
The old woman went out, and soon followed by a person with bowed head and respectful demeanor, dressed in a dark brown robe with chrysanthemums. The Empress smiled and said, "Aunt Yan, how come you have so much free time? You've come to Anle Palace today. Why didn't you have your servants inform you beforehand? I haven't made any preparations here, and I've been negligent in my respects."
Aunt Yan raised her head, and only then did Ouyang Yue see her face. Aunt Yan was not exceptionally beautiful, but her eyebrows and eyes were sharp. Although she was old, her eyes were not cloudy at all, but rather sparkled with wisdom. Her back was straight and her waist was very strong. Even when facing the Empress, she was respectful, but she also had her own pride. When she felt Ouyang Yue looking at her, her eyes flashed, as if she was probing, and then she looked away and replied, "Your Majesty's kindness is too much. This servant is just an old woman who is about to step into the coffin. I cannot bear Your Majesty's kindness."
The Empress, however, did not care, clearly having grown accustomed to Aunt Yan's words and actions, and said in a pretentious tone, "I just don't know what Aunt Yan has come here for today."
"Your Majesty, as I grow older, my health has deteriorated, and I've become increasingly frail. Some time ago, I asked His Majesty for a task to help me relax, but he hasn't given me a direct answer. Just then, I heard that the Princess Consort of Chen is going to attend to the Empress Dowager, and since there's no one to care for the child, it's been tiring for Your Majesty. I felt this was inappropriate, so I took it upon myself to ask His Majesty to take on the responsibility of caring for the young prince." Granny Yan finished speaking in one breath, her face still expressionless and serious. The Empress frowned, about to say something in response, when Granny Yan continued, "Your Majesty, I've dedicated my entire life to the palace, but in my old age, I feel somewhat lonely and desolate. To be honest, Your Majesty, I really want to have a child to keep things lively; otherwise, I don't know when I'll die, without even a memory."
When Granny Yan spoke, her expression remained very serious, as if she were talking about someone else who had been so devoted to the Emperor that she had never married, and who was now an elderly woman looking after her children in her old age. However, her words were somewhat heartbreaking, at least that's how the Empress felt. It wasn't that she felt sorry for her, but rather annoyed.
Granny Yan was the emperor's wet nurse, and she was also very tactful. After the emperor ascended the throne, she resigned and left the capital, not wanting to be attached to the wealth and power of the palace. However, Granny Yan's original background was not good; her family had all died in disasters, and she was kidnapped to the capital by criminals. Granny Yan was also shrewd, capable, and intelligent. Later, she was transferred to a wealthy family and helped the young lady who was selected to enter the palace during the imperial concubine selection. However, the young lady was short-lived and died not long after entering the palace. Later, a aunt in the palace took a liking to Granny Yan and took her in as her assistant.
It's said that gold shines wherever it is. The Empress Dowager had learned about Granny Yan by chance and found her to be steady and sensible. At the time, the Emperor needed a wet nurse, so she sent her to the palace. The Emperor's life in the palace was truly like a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, and Granny Yan had saved his life twice. Naturally, the Emperor was very grateful to her. However, Granny Yan never used these two acts to ask for any benefits, which made the Emperor respect her even more.
When Granny Yan was about to leave the palace, the Emperor thought that her family and husband were all dead. He could give her some money to ensure her livelihood, but where could she go, and how could she be happy? Out of respect, the Emperor opened a quiet and elegant courtyard for Granny Yan in the palace, taking care of her like a second mother. The old people in the palace all knew this history, and they would avoid offending Granny Yan if possible. Besides, Granny Yan rarely interacted with people and had never had any unpleasant encounters. But the more she was like this, the more Emperor Mingxian respected and loved her, and even the Empress dared not be too disrespectful to Granny Yan.
The Empress gritted her teeth slightly. She already knew that this was the Emperor's idea, and since things had come to this point, what could she do even if she was unhappy? She still had to endure it. She smiled slightly and said, "That's wonderful, but Aunt Yan is getting old. I feel uneasy about her working so hard."
Granny Yan said calmly, "Your Majesty, this is my humble wish. Even if it is tiring, I am happy. Please grant my request."
“Since Aunt Yan insists on this, I naturally have no reason to disagree. That one will be the young prince.” As she spoke, she pointed to Baili Su, who was standing quietly beside Ouyang Yue.
Baili Su's tender face still had the innocence of a child. When he saw Granny Yan looking at him, he couldn't help but grin. He looked silly, but he was exceptionally cute. Granny Yan's eyes flickered and the corners of her mouth also curled up slightly. She bowed to Ouyang Yue and said, "Please rest assured, Princess Chen, this servant will definitely serve the young prince wholeheartedly."
"Thank you for your help, Granny Yan."
Ouyang Yue smiled and tugged at her hand. Baili Su's little hand was already placed in Granny Yan's somewhat aged hand. Baili Su immediately raised his head and smiled adorably: "Granny." His words were childish and sweet, making him exceptionally endearing.
"The young master is so good." Even the usually stern-faced Granny Yan couldn't keep a straight face at this moment, her face revealing her affection.
The Empress sat on the throne, but coldly curled her lips and waved her hand at Ouyang Yue: "It's getting late, you should go to the Empress Dowager's place."
"Yes, Mother, your daughter-in-law takes her leave." Ouyang Yue smiled and glanced at Baili Su before leaving. As she left, Ouyang Yue was still clenching her little fists, her big eyes darting around, her gaze sparkling, she was quite mischievous.
Ouyang Yue took only Dongxue to Chengxiang Palace. After waiting outside for a while to be announced, she was led to the reception hall outside. Sun Meng'er, Leng Caidie, and Ning Xishan had already arrived. Seeing that Ouyang Yue was late, Sun Meng'er said somewhat sarcastically, "Princess Consort Chen arrived really quickly. Logically speaking, living in the palace, you should be the one with the shortest walking distance. I didn't expect you to be the last to arrive. If you are so unwilling to take care of the Empress Dowager, you should just say so. The Empress Dowager is the most reasonable person. Would she force you to do something against your will? Such hypocrisy is the most unacceptable."
Ouyang Yue glanced at Sun Meng'er and explained, "Consort Sun, you've misunderstood. It's my honor to serve the Empress Dowager. Who here wouldn't want to? I just sent the young master to my mother's place and was reluctant to part with him, so I said a few more words to him. It's late now, but I didn't expect Consort Sun to misunderstand my filial piety like this. Really..." Ouyang Yue shook her head, and Sun Meng'er scoffed.
At this moment, a nanny dressed in dark blue satin walked out from the hall door. It was none other than Zhan Nanny, who was by the Empress Dowager's side. As soon as Zhan Nanny entered, she bowed and greeted her. She was a favorite of the Empress Dowager, so no one would dare to put on airs. Ouyang Yue quickly told her to stand up. Zhan Nanny stood straight. Ouyang Yue thought to herself that Zhan Nanny's posture was quite similar to that of Yan Nanny.
Granny Zhan said, "This servant reports to the Empress Dowager that the Empress Dowager has been feeling somewhat fatigued and has chest tightness lately, making her unwilling to get out of bed. The Empress Dowager has been prescribed medicine, but she has been in a bad mood these past two days due to her illness. She just punished two careless palace maids, so she has asked several ladies to come and attend to her. Princess Lin is currently pregnant and cannot trouble the Empress Dowager, so the four ladies will have to take on this responsibility. Usually, two people will attend to her each day. One will arrive early for lunch, and another will be arranged when the Empress Dowager gets up to rest after lunch until the end of dinner. Alternatively, we can follow the order of the princes. Today, we will attend to the Prince's concubine, and this afternoon it will be Princess Chen's concubine."
"Everything is at the behest of the Empress Dowager."
Granny Zhan looked at the four of them and said, "Of course, the second time we attend to the sick will be different in the morning and afternoon. Today, we will have to trouble Consort Sun and Princess Chen." Then she looked at Leng Caidie and Ning Xishan and smiled, "We are sorry to have troubled Princess Mao and Consort Ning to make an extra trip. The two of you will arrive tomorrow."
"No need for that, no need for that. Your Majesty is so thoughtful. Now that everything is done according to the schedule, it avoids the chaos of too many people and the hassle of dividing up the work. It's just right." Ning Xishan said with a fawning smile.
Zhan Mama smiled and watched the two leave. As Ouyang Yue stood up, Zhan Mama said, "Princess Consort Chen, please wait. The Empress Dowager has some kind of requirement that all those attending to her should stay in Chengxiang Palace today."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow. Sun Meng'er was the one who was supposed to be attending to the sick, and Ouyang Yue had only come to take over this afternoon. She wasn't even allowed to move around freely and could only sit there. Wasn't that a waste of manpower? Ouyang Yue sneered inwardly, but on the surface she said obediently, "In that case, this princess consort will sit and watch over the Empress Dowager and pray for her. I hope that Heaven will hear my wishes and that the Empress Dowager will recover soon and suffer less from the pain."
Granny Zhan raised the corner of her mouth slightly: "Then please come with me from the Prince Chen's residence. The place to wait for summons in Chengxiang Hall is the side hall at the back."
Ouyang Yue followed Granny Zhan into a small room of about ten square meters. Since it was just a side hall that had been built, it was a bit dark because there were no windows. However, the side hall was very clean. There were tea and snacks on the table, and the chairs had soft cushions, so they were quite comfortable to sit on. However, if you sat for a long time, your back would not be able to take it.
"Then I'll trouble Princess Chen to wait here." After leading the person to the back, Zhan Mama said politely, and Ouyang Yue smiled.
After everyone had gone far away, Dongxue looked around and found that there didn't seem to be any secret room. She walked back and said with some doubt, "Your Highness, what do you think the Empress Dowager means? It would have been the same if you had lunch and then came over. Why make you stay here? Isn't this torture?"
Ouyang Yue smiled indifferently: "While not entirely, it's not far off. It's just a way to give them a warning."
"The Empress Dowager looks kind and gentle, but she's nothing special after all," Dongxue said with a hint of disdain.
Ouyang Yue simply said, "What kind of good people could there be in this palace?" If the Empress Dowager had just been so cold to her, Ouyang Yue wouldn't have thought much of it. Being treated coldly was better than having to serve that old woman. What bothered her most was that the Empress insisted on taking Su'er to take care of her.
Just as Ouyang Yue had guessed, the Empress Dowager's real purpose was to keep her out of the loop. Ouyang Yue sat there from morning till night. Even after Sun Meng'er had gone back, a little palace maid seemingly accidentally bumped into Ouyang Yue still in Chengxiang Palace. Zhan Mama repeatedly apologized, saying she was too busy and had forgotten about Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue didn't care and just smiled faintly: "Then this princess will go back first." When she left, she even made a point of bowing towards the Empress Dowager's palace. The thoroughness of her etiquette made Zhan Mama raise her eyebrows. This Princess Chen was really composed. She had been so cold and indifferent all day without any reaction. She hadn't even sent her lunch.
Ouyang Yue didn't care what Zhan Mama was thinking. She had already set off for Anle Palace, intending to see Baili Su before returning home with peace of mind. However, just as she stepped through the gate, a dark figure rushed out like a cannonball. Ouyang Yue quickly helped him up and saw that Baili Su's face was covered in dirt. As soon as he saw Ouyang Yue, his bright eyes immediately filled with tears, and he hugged Ouyang Yue's leg, wailing, "Mother, waaaah, bad people, the people in the palace are bad! They all bullied Su'er! Mother, please avenge Su'er!"
Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes and coldly asked the group of people rushing towards her from behind, "What's going on?!" She clearly exuded a dangerous aura, as if a storm was brewing.
☆、265、Sinister Intent
No wonder Ouyang Yue was angry. Baili Su's clothes were covered in dirt. His once bright and lovely red color was now a mess of black ash or mud, so dark and red that it was hard to tell what the original color was. His little face was also covered in mud. When he was brought here in the morning, he was a bright, cute, and clean little boy. Now he was a mud child. Anyone who saw him would be furious.
Ouyang Yue's brows furrowed, immediately causing the palace servants who had run up behind her to tense up, their faces flashing with tension: "Is this how you take care of children? Such a huge blunder has occurred, what should your punishment be!"
The palace servants felt a chill run down their spines. In fact, they all wanted to cry even more, because they were clearly in a worse situation than the young prince!
Following Baili Su were two palace maids and two eunuchs. They were all quite young; anyone too old to play with Baili Su would be too old to get along with him. However, these four people didn't look much cleaner than Baili Su. Their eunuch and palace maid uniforms were covered in mud and dirt, even more so than Baili Su's. Their faces were smeared with mud, and their hair was a mess like weeds. Yet, each of their faces conveyed a sense of grief, indignation, dissatisfaction, and helplessness.
Hearing Ouyang Yue's rebuke, the four of them burst into tears. However, they all stared at Baili Su with reproach in their eyes. The maid on the far right was so angry that she was about to say something when Baili Su sobbed, "Mother, those people are so wicked! They abused me and pushed and hit me."
"What!" Ouyang Yue's eyes widened upon hearing this. She looked at the palace maid on her right, walked over, and slapped her across the face. "Who do you think you are? How dare you bully the young master? Are you looking for death?"