Chapter 84 ROTNDOAHRF

FlamingoBees

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Rebirth of the Noble Daughter of a High Ranking Family

Chapter 84:

Add fuel to the flames.

Hongyu's face remained calm, but her fingers trembled incessantly.

Ouyang Nuan observed Cao Rong staring at Xiao Tianye all along, and her expression turned serious as she spoke, "Young Master Cao, why have you been staring at my cousin?"

Cao Rong's face immediately flushed red, he lowered his head and stammered, "Uh... I... cough, cough... I..."

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Though he was accustomed to being slick, facing a noble lady like this made him somewhat timid.

Suppressing a laugh, Ouyang Nuan's expression turned dark as she stood up to leave, saying, "I thought you were from a respectable family. I didn't expect such rudeness!"

With that, she instructed Xiao Tianye to rise with the help of Changpu.

Xiao Tianye's expression was even colder than Ouyang Nuan's, but luckily Cao Rong didn't notice. If he had seen the large hands concealed in the sleeves, he would have been even more astonished. Seeing Ouyang Nuan about to stand up, Cao Rong quickly stood up to apologize, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was too impolite! I won't be so rude again! Please forgive me, Miss Ouyang!"

Ouyang Nuan glanced at him, a hint of disdain in her eyes, but she ultimately stopped in her tracks and sat back down.

Cao Rong was in a quandary. If it were a girl from a lesser family, he would have already embraced her. But these two were related to the Marquis of Zhenguo's household, and he couldn't make up his mind on what to do. Thinking about this, he tentatively asked, "Miss Ouyang, the Marquis of Zhenguo's daughter has been promised to the Crown Prince. I wonder if your cousin is also betrothed?"

"Master Cao, you're joking. The one promised to the Crown Prince is my first uncle's daughter. This lady is the daughter of the Minister of War, my second uncle. How did you get them mixed up? If she were betrothed, how could she easily come out?" Ouyang Nuan replied with a smile, noticing Xiao Tianye's furrowed brows.

Cao Rong was taken aback, but then he became overjoyed. Gathering courage, he asked, "And... I wonder, what kind of family is your household looking for in a prospective son-in-law?"

Ouyang Nuan's expression turned peculiar, and she replied, "Master Cao, how can you casually inquire about a daughter's marriage? But if you insist... Well, firstly, they must come from a noble background, secondly, they should be talented and promising, and thirdly..."

"What's the third?" Cao Rong asked eagerly.

"The third, naturally, is that they must wholeheartedly care for and understand the girl. Ah, why am I discussing this with you? If it gets out, people will start gossiping," Ouyang Nuan said, giving Xiao Tianye a faint glance.

She usually carried herself with grace and composure, rarely being so noisy. Xiao Tianye coldly watched her act, constantly speculating about her intentions in forcing herself to meet Cao Rong under the guise of Lin Yuanrou's identity. Surely, she didn't naively believe that this would tarnish Lin Yuanrou's reputation and disrupt the marriage arrangements of the Prince of Qin's mansion?

Xiao Tianye's eyes were heavy as he watched Ouyang Nuan and Cao Rong exchange a few formalities before he picked up his tea.

This gesture indicated that the guests were to leave. Although Cao Rong was reluctant to part with the beautiful lady beside Ouyang Nuan, he knew that she was not someone he could afford to provoke. He stole glances and eventually took his leave.

"You played quite an odd drama today," Xiao Tianye sneered. "Do you think that if the daughter of the Minister of War happens to meet Young Master Cao, my father will change his mind and not allow her to enter the mansion? If that's your plan, I advise you to give up on it."

Ouyang Nuan took a sip of tea, smiled faintly, and asked, "Does the Young Master like Yuanrou?"

Xiao Tianye paused, furrowing his brows involuntarily. "I've only met her once, so I can't say whether I like her or dislike her. But royal marriages aren't based on personal feelings, so why ask?"

Ouyang Nuan shook her head and looked at Xiao Tianye seriously. "I'm not talking about that kind of liking. I'm asking if the Young Master is satisfied with this marriage alliance."

Xiao Tianye furrowed his brows. "What do you mean by that?"

Ouyang Nuan sighed softly. "This marriage alliance should have been arranged by the Grand Prince and my Second Uncle, right? Can't the Young Master see the reason behind it?"

Xiao Tianye's expression darkened. "I don't see it."

Ouyang Nuan gently shook her head. "Young Master, there's no need to conceal it. If you didn't have suspicions, why would you sneak into the Marquis of Zhengou's mansion? Forgive me for being blunt, but if you wanted to see Yuanrou, there were plenty of opportunities. Why resort to such a risky method? You've been here for half a month; you should have found something useful by now." Xiao Tianye looked at her coldly, and the atmosphere in the room became tense.

After a moment of silence, he let out a long sigh. "You're right. I did find out that Lin Wenyuan gave my father's concubine, Madam Zhang, over two hundred pearls, more than three hundred rice pearls, and three large dragon eye pearls."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Nuan furrowed her brow slightly, as if contemplating the truthfulness of his words. After a moment, she smiled and said, "I'm sure you must have put in a lot of effort to uncover this information."

Xiao Tianye sneered coldly. "To deliver such a heavy gift, Lin Wenyuan must have gone to great lengths. It took numerous twists and turns, and who knows how many people were involved before it reached Madam Zhang's hands. Even my own spies couldn't uncover any clues. That's why I am determined to investigate thoroughly. More importantly, I strongly suspect that there exists some kind of alliance or agreement between my father and Lin Wenyuan, something only they know about. However, I have yet to ascertain the specifics."

These matters he kept concealed deep within himself, never mentioning them to anyone. He never expected Ouyang Nuan to catch on: "How did you find out?"

Ouyang Nuan sighed. "At first, I thought that the Prince valued the Marquis Residence highly. Seeing Xin'er marrying the Crown Prince's son would naturally mean consolidating the power of the second branch and later using it to support Uncle Lin's rise to power. But later on, I realized that this explanation didn't make sense. Although there aren't many noble families in Dali Dynasty that can rival the Marquis of Zhenguo's Residence, they still exist. There's no real need for him to sacrifice a position of the Crown Prince's consort in exchange for Lin Wenyuan's support. Unless—there are other reasons behind it..."

She continued, "However, all of this is just my speculation and there's no concrete evidence. But I believe that you, Your Highness, also share the same thoughts, otherwise, you wouldn't have secretly infiltrated the Marquis Residence to find out the truth." With others, she could have used her spies, but Xiao Tianye was different, always coming up with unconventional methods, which startled Ouyang Nuan. However, his keen interest in this marriage indicated that there was more to it than met the eye.

Xiao Tianye glanced at Ouyang Nuan, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. Little did he know, his cross-dressing, combined with that smirk, his aura was even more intimidating. "Are you trying to persuade me to help you stop this marriage?"

Ouyang Nuan nodded earnestly. "With the Your Highness' cooperation, things will naturally proceed more smoothly."

Xiao Tianye sneered. "Am I insane? How could I possibly help you go against my father?"

Ouyang Nuan gazed at him, her eyes strangely revealing a profound and pitiful tenderness. This look suddenly ignited a surge of rage within him, almost uncontrollable. However, she spoke softly, "If the the Princess Consort were still alive, she would never allow the Prince to marry Lin Yuanrou."

The death of the Princess Consort had long been like a poisonous thorn in Xiao Tianye's heart, incessantly piercing through, a wound that could never heal.

Madam Zhang accepted gifts from Lin Wenyuan and vigorously pushed for this marriage in front of the Grand Prince of Qin, all stemming from her despicable selfishness.

Madam Zhang, mother to the illegitimate eldest son of Grand Prince Qin, had managed to arrange a marriage with Miss Zhu Ningjing, the legitimate daughter of the second wife of the Duke of Xuancheng from the Zhu family.

It was unknown how long Madam Zhang had been plotting for this marriage to succeed. Now, she intended for him to marry Lin Yuanrou, the daughter of the second son of the Marquis of Zhenguo. What good intentions could there possibly be?

Xiao Tianye coldly sneered inwardly. The bloody bitterness settled in his eyes, seemingly sharp, yet on the surface, he calmly jabbed, "Ouyang Nuan, whether mediocre or outstanding, no man would appreciate such an overly shrewd woman like you. I advise you, it's better not to expose yourself too much."

Ouyang Nuan sighed, her fair fingers tracing the patterns on the blue-and-white teacup as if contemplating his words. After a moment, she raised her head, her eyes shining brightly. "I also wish to be a lovable woman, but unfortunately, fate has not granted me such an opportunity. If this marriage proceeds, it would certainly be disastrous for the Marquis of Zhenguo's household, and my brother and I would have no good days ahead. But for you, Your Highness, it may not be a favorable outcome either... I've said what needs to be said, but ultimately, the decision lies in your hands."

Xiao Tianye pondered for a moment, then lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Very well, I'll cooperate with you. However, I don't believe your actions today will influence my father's decision."

Ouyang Nuan nodded. "Exactly, that's why I need Your Highness' help to make the next move." She extended her hand. "It's a deal!"

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Tianye's otherwise stern face. "Agreed. But remember, you'll owe me for forcing me into this cross-dressing scheme today."

Ouyang Nuan nodded faintly. "I'll be waiting, Young Master. Hongyu!" She called softly, and Hongyu immediately produced a bundle. Ouyang Nuan said, "These are men's clothes. Please change into them, Young Master." Xiao Tianye glanced at her. "And the antidote?"

Ouyang Nuan shook her head. "The effects of this fragrance will only last for three days. As for the antidote, if there is one, I'll make sure to send it when the time comes."

Xiao Tianye gritted his teeth. "Ouyang Nuan, you're ruthless."

Ouyang Nuan didn't care, standing up. "In that case, I'll take my leave."

"Wait!" Xiao Tianye suddenly spoke up. Ouyang Nuan turned to look at him, and he said coldly, "Ouyang Nuan, sometimes you really don't seem like a woman."

Ouyang Nuan couldn't help but smile at his words. "Your Highness, right now, you don't seem like a man either." Xiao Tianye was stunned at her response. He looked down at his female attire, then back up, but by then, Ouyang Nuan had already left quietly with Hongyu and Changpu.

Chen Jingrui returned from outside, dusty and weary, just as he stepped into the study, a trusted aide approached him and whispered a few words in his ear. Chen Jingrui was momentarily surprised, but then his expression immediately improved significantly.

"Where is the person?" he asked.

"The person has been arranged in—" the voice gradually faded, "Do you want to summon them over?"

"No, I'll go myself," Chen Jingrui squinted his eyes, coldly smiling.

Walking through the corridors, around the garden, Chen Jingrui finally arrived at an inconspicuous utility room. He instructed someone to guard the door and entered the room alone. Inside the room, there was only a bed and a wooden chair. On the left wall hung a very inconspicuous landscape painting. Chen Jingrui lifted the painting and gently turned the protrusion on the wall, revealing a hidden door. It was a false wall, and behind it was a passage. It was dim inside, but Chen Jingrui bent down and entered the secret passage.

The passage was dark, but after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, it suddenly brightened up. Chen Jingrui found himself facing a separate room, where a person was sitting blankly. Hearing footsteps, the person suddenly stood up in fear.

"Are you Wang Huo? Don't be nervous, I am Chen Jingrui," Chen Jingrui stopped in his tracks, quietly asking.

The man was taken aback, then suddenly realized, and quickly knelt down on the ground. "Thank you, Young Master Chen, for saving my life!" he said, tears welling up in his eyes as he repeatedly kowtowed to him.

This man had served as a lieutenant under Lin Wenyuan, the Minister of War, many years ago. Of course, at that time, Lin Wenyuan was still a mighty general leading expeditions.

Wang Huo, tears streaming down his face, said, "If it weren't for Young Master Chen sending someone to help me this time, I would have died in a foreign land!"

Chen Jingrui nodded, showing a hint of sympathy on his face. However, in the dim light, it appeared somewhat ominous. "No need for such formalities. You mentioned that you have evidence against Lin Wenyuan. What exactly is the situation?"

Wang Huo wiped away his tears and hurriedly said, "Five years ago, I was still a deputy general under Lin Wenyuan's command. He was ordered to suppress the rebel general Wu Lide. After capturing the city, when myself and five other deputy generals were inspecting the spoils of war, we discovered that millions of taels of silver were missing from the treasury. We suspected someone had embezzled the funds, and upon investigation, we found that it was one of Lin Wenyuan's trusted aides who had been in charge of the treasury."

"We were low-ranking officials and didn't want to get involved, but one of the deputy generals, Zhou Cheng, had a longstanding feud with Lin Wenyuan. He took this opportunity for revenge and drafted a memorial to secretly report to the court, forcing the other four of us to sign our names as well. Little did we know that this memorial fell into Lin Wenyuan's hands..."

"What happened to the other four?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Huo couldn't help but shudder involuntarily, a hint of fear showing in his eyes. "Lin Wenyuan imprisoned the five of us in a room and set it on fire to burn us alive... The others were all burned to death, only I managed to snatch a horse and escape by luck. But Lin Wenyuan didn't give up, he kept hunting me down everywhere. I had no choice but to find a corpse... put my clothes and official documents on him, deliberately burn my face to create the illusion of fatal injuries..."

Where did the corpse come from? Perhaps Wang Huo killed an innocent person in order to escape, but Chen Jingrui didn't care about this point. He only stared coldly at Wang Huo's eyes and asked, "Since you managed to escape, why were you still being pursued?"

"Yes. I lived incognito for over four years, but half a year ago, I don't know how Lin Wenyuan got the information, but he found out I was still alive and sent people to my hometown... I had to flee again. If it weren't for Young Master's assistance, I would probably have died at Lin Wenyuan's hands by now!"

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Yes! I have a copy of the original account book in my hands! Every transaction is recorded clearly!"

Chen Jingrui nodded, pondering for a moment before lifting his head to stare at Wang Huo. He said softly, "What do you want to do next?"

"I... I..." Wang Huo's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly raised his head to see Chen Jingrui's piercing gaze fixed on him. Beads of cold sweat involuntarily formed on his forehead as he hesitated and said, "Please, Young Master, guide me onto the right path!"

Chen Jingrui had been secretly investigating the accident that occurred the day the carriage crashed. He eventually discovered that everything was intricately linked to Lin Wenyuan of the Marquis of Zhengguo's residence. Knowing that Lin Wenyuan, as the Minister of War, wielded significant power, Chen Jingrui understood that he wouldn't be easy to deal with.

However, he was unwilling to give up. After searching everywhere for evidence against Lin Wenyuan, he finally stumbled upon this incident from five years ago. Initially, he thought that all the witnesses from that time had been eliminated, but now, by some stroke of luck, Wang Huo had ended up in his hands. Initially, he had considered presenting this witness directly to the emperor, but upon further reflection, he decided to change his mind.

With his father, the Duke of Wu, currently focused on maintaining the balance of power within the court and avoiding involvement in the rivalry between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin, Chen Jingrui knew that publicly revealing Wang Huo would cause a significant upheaval in the court. If he were to expose Wang Huo, it would inevitably force the Duke of Wu's household into opposition with the Grand Prince Qin. Even if the emperor were to punish Lin Wenyuan as a result, the Duke of Wu's household would still be embroiled in enmity with the Marquis of Zhenguo. Chen Jingrui's father, always strategic, would not risk the fate of their entire family by antagonizing Prince Qin.

However, Chen Jingrui was unwilling to abandon this valuable piece he had obtained. For now, the best course of action was to discreetly hand over this pawn to the Crown Prince. Most importantly, the Duke of Wu's household needed to remain uninvolved.

With these thoughts in mind, he helped Wang Huo to his feet, saying, "I will keep this matter in mind. You rest and recuperate here. I have my own plans."

As the evening approached, a heavy rain poured down, casting a dim twilight outside the window. Inside, the atmosphere became unusually gloomy and stifling. The torrential rain, coupled with the heat, transformed into humid air, leaving one's back feeling damp.

Lin Yuanxin looked at the rain outside with some irritation, while a maid vigorously fanned her with a hand-held fan. She shook her head and said, "It's not even summer yet, why is it so hot?"

Watching her, Ouyang Nuan glanced at the gloomy sky outside and slowly remarked, "Perhaps it's because of the rain."

"Hmm. If it rains heavily today, I'll stay here with you. It would be nice for us sisters to chat," Lin Yuanxin said, her face finally showing a hint of happiness.

Before Ouyang Nuan could respond, a maid rushed in, covering her face and crying, her hair disheveled. She hadn't realized that both mistresses were sitting in the small flower hall. Seeing them, she panicked, attempting to retreat, but collided with Hongyu, who was entering with a tea tray. Hongyu immediately scolded her, "Why are you so reckless!"

The maid hurriedly tried to cover her face and retreat, but Ouyang Nuan suddenly said, "Is it Lixiang? Come in."

Hongyu glanced at Lixiang and nodded to her. Lixiang quickly tidied her hair and straightened her dress before daring to step into the flower hall.

Upon seeing Lixiang's face, Lin Yuanxin suddenly froze. "What happened to your face?"

Lixiang's eyes were swollen and bruised, with blood streaks on her cheeks from scratching, and half of her mouth was purple.

Ouyang Nuan stood up and hurried over, taking her chin and examining it closely. "What happened?"

Lixiang immediately knelt down, trembling all over as tears streamed down her face. "Miss! Miss! It's not that I intended to quarrel with anyone! It's that Miss Ruo's maid, Chunlan, spoke ill of Miss, and I couldn't bear it and argued with her. It was just a verbal dispute. But Chunlan went to Miss Ruo and complained. Without saying a word, Miss Ruo let a few old maidservants grab me and beat me mercilessly... I... I've been wronged!"

"What did her maid say about Nuan'er?" Lin Yuanxin's brows furrowed tightly as soon as she heard that Lin Yuanruo had ordered the beating.

Lixiang timidly glanced at Ouyang Nuan, her eyes filled with endless fear. "Miss Ruo, she said... she said..."

The tea cup in Lin Yuanxin's hand suddenly banged on the tea table. "Speak quickly!"

Lixiang seemed extremely afraid, trembling as she spoke, "Chunlan, that maid, cursed our Miss for being shameless, for refusing to leave the Zhenguo Marquis's Mansion, and even said... something about not having a mother to raise her..." Her voice trailed off towards the end, almost inaudible.

"Shut up!" Lin Yuanxin's sharp shout cut off Lixiang's words. The early demise of her aunt was the deepest pain in Ouyang Nuan's heart. For a maid like Chunlan to utter such words showed how audacious Lin Yuanruo had become!

"Miss, I was just speaking up for you! I just wanted her to stop talking nonsense. But she slapped me on the spot and then went to report to Miss Ruo..." Lixiang's tears swirled in her eyes before rolling down her cheeks.

Lin Yuanxin looked at Ouyang Nuan with concern, her expression changing suddenly as she noticed the blood draining from Ouyang Nuan's face, as if she had received a heavy blow!

Lin Yuanxin quickly walked up and held her hand, speaking softly, "Nuan'er! Nuan'er! Don't believe these words. They're deliberately trying to upset you. If you get angry, you'll fall into their trap!" She repeated her reassurances, but Ouyang Nuan's expression became even colder, her eyes almost shooting out flames.

"Cousin Xin, did I really refuse to leave the Marquis's Mansion?" Ouyang Nuan spoke each word slowly, almost squeezing them out from between her teeth. Lin Yuanxin's heart trembled, almost unable to speak.

Ouyang Nuan sneered, "My own mother passed away early, but does that give a maid like her the right to insult me? I will go and ask her. Have I not been patient enough with her all this time? What have I done wrong to deserve such humiliation from her?"

With that, her long, thick lashes flickered slightly. From Lin Yuanxin's perspective, she could see Ouyang Nuan's jaw clenched tightly, a clear sign of her anger. Lin Yuanxin grew even more worried. Soon, she heard Ouyang Nuan's sharp voice commanding Lixiang, "Get up! Come with me!" Lixiang quickly wiped away her tears and got up unsteadily.

Ouyang Nuan didn't even glance at Lin Yuanxin and quickly strode out, followed by Hongyu and Lixiang.

"Nuan'er, it's still raining outside! Nuan'er, don't be hasty, wait for me!" Lin Yuanxin hadn't expected Ouyang Nuan, who had always been so restrained, to lose control like this. She didn't have time to think deeply about it, feeling only that Lin Yuanrou had gone too far by insulting Lin Wanqing, who had passed away many years ago, and had thus thoroughly provoked Ouyang Nuan's anger.

She quickly instructed the maidservant beside her, "Quickly, quickly go report to Grandmother!" With that, she swiftly followed suit. Ouyang Nuan walked quickly, her clothes soon soaked through by the torrential raindrops. Lin Yuanxin chased after her and found Ouyang Nuan in a pavilion in the garden. Coincidentally, Lin Yuanrou was also present.

"Did your maid really say such things?" Ouyang Nuan's icy voice almost froze the air.

"Nuan'er, dear sister, perhaps your maid misheard, my Chunlan is not so rude!" Lin Yuanrou turned her head and looked at Chunlan, asking, "Chunlan, what's the truth of the matter, hurry and explain!"

Chunlan wiped her face, squeezed out two tears, and knelt down, saying, "This servant would never dare! This servant just went home a few days ago and saw the pitiful situation of my uncle's sister. When I returned, I lamented to someone for a moment!" As she spoke, she kowtowed while pretending to cry, "Young Miss, think about it, what is this servant's status? How could I dare to say such things? Originally, I was just telling someone about my poor cousin who lost her mother at the age of three. But then your maid suddenly rushed over and without saying a word, slapped me twice! The other maidservants couldn't bear to see it and only helped me teach her a lesson! If you don't believe me, you can ask Xiangxiu!"

Lin Yuanrou sneered coldly on the side, glanced at Xiangxiu, who was startled and immediately knelt down, saying, "What Chunlan said is true, we were indeed talking about her cousin, but Lixiang, she pointed at Lixiang, suddenly rushed over and started hitting people. I really didn't expect it!"

"Enough of your nonsense! I heard everything with my own ears. Are you colluding together and refusing to admit it?!" Lixiang's face turned pale, and her hands and feet seemed to tremble.

Lin Yuanrou sneered, "Nuan'er, my maid would never act so rudely and impulsively. It must be a misunderstanding on your part!"

As she spoke, there was a sudden clap of thunder overhead, startling all the young ladies and maids in the pavilion. Ouyang Nuan chuckled coldly, "Misunderstanding? Is the injury on Lixiang's face also a misunderstanding? Cousin tolerates her evil servant's harming others, yet still tries to make excuses. Is this the behavior of a noble lady?"

Lin Yuanrou raised her eyebrows, her beautiful eyes tinged with mockery. "Nuan, aren't you usually very tolerant and patient? Why can't you endure it today? She's just a maid. So what if she got slapped? Are you going to hit back?"

Such domineering arrogance was too much even for Lin Yuanxin to bear. She said angrily, "Lin Yuanrou, you've gone too far!"

"Xiner, you've been saying the same thing over and over since we were little. I'm tired of hearing it. I can't believe Uncle arranged for you to marry into the Crown Prince's household. There are so many women around the Crown Prince. If you can't win his favor, that's one thing, but to bring shame upon our family as well, it's just laughable!" Lin Yuanrou's words were sharp and biting.

Lin Yuanxin never expected the other party to utter such shameless words. She was so infuriated that she couldn't speak. Then she heard Ouyang Nuan coldly chuckle and say, "Cousin, you shouldn't worry about others. A woman who condones her maidservant's violence and refuses to admit it afterward will never be liked no matter which household she marries into!"

"What did you say?" A hint of pride emerged from Lin Yuanrou's arched eyebrows. She was used to being in control. Since Ouyang Nuan came to the Marquis's mansion, she had always greeted everyone with a smile and had never used such cold words before. She suddenly felt greatly offended, her face turning cold. "Whether I'm good or not is not for you to say. You, a guest in someone else's home, have no right to meddle in our affairs!"

Ouyang Nuan's voice was cold, her eyes flashing with a hint of resentment. "Sister Rou said it well. Did everyone hear? Sister Rou said I'm just a guest here. Fine, is this not a misunderstanding on the maid's part? We all heard it loud and clear! Let's go ask Grandma whether she wanted me to stay here to recover or if I insisted on staying! Then let's ask her if I'm eating food provided by the mansion or by Sister Rou herself!" With that, she reached out to grab Lin Yuanrou's sleeve, as if she was about to confront her.

Ouyang Nuan had rushed out too quickly earlier, and her hair was soaked. Some strands stuck to her face, which was pale with suppressed anger. Lin Yuanrou was surprised by the other's sudden firmness, and she felt a twinge of fear. She abruptly shook off Ouyang Nuan's hand. "I'm not going!"

Ouyang Nuan's face bore an unprecedented determination. With a sharp sound of tearing fabric, half of Lin Yuanrou's sleeve was ripped off by her. Lin Yuanrou screamed in disbelief, her voice sharp, "Ouyang Nuan, have you gone mad? Are you really going to confront me over a maid?"

The sound of torn fabric felt like a heavy blow to Lin Yuanxin's heart. She looked at Ouyang Nuan, who was almost completely soaked, and felt a sinking sensation in her chest. She rushed forward and grabbed Ouyang Nuan's hand, trembling as she said, "Nuan'er, let's forget about this, okay? Let's go back. Your health is still not good. What if you collapse again?"

Ouyang Nuan held the torn sleeve, her clothes drenched by the rain. Yet, a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and her usual gentleness was replaced by sharpness and coldness as she spoke slowly, "I can endure everything else, but I will never forgive her for insulting my mother."

This sentence was like a thunderbolt, draining the color from Lin Yuanrou's face. She tried to restrain herself, but the fear in her heart overflowed uncontrollably. It suddenly dawned on her that Ouyang Nuan was serious! But how could it be? She had been bullying her relentlessly in the mansion, and it wasn't the first time a maid had spoken such words. She had heard them before, hadn't she? Why was she so angry today?

At this moment, raindrops created countless ripples on the lotus pond next to the pavilion. The willow trees by the pond danced wildly in the wind. The wind grew fiercer, and the rain louder! Lin Yuanrou had never seen Ouyang Nuan so resolute before. She wanted to persuade her further, but she heard Ouyang Nuan's cold voice, "Cousin, you're wearing the embroidered shoes I made for you, yet you insult my mother like this. Are you trampling on my goodwill, or have you forgotten that my mother was also your aunt? By humiliating someone who has passed away, aren't you afraid of divine retribution? Please take off the shoes and return them to me!"

A sudden thunderbolt startled Lin Yuanrou. She quickly turned to leave, but Ouyang Nuan chased after her from behind. Lin Yuanrou, frightened, stumbled and hurried down the steps. "Chunlan! Chunlan!" she shouted for her maid, but in her haste, she didn't notice the ground beneath her feet and tripped, falling face-first into the mud. "Ouyang Nuan, stay away from me!" she exclaimed.

Ouyang Nuan suddenly stopped, standing coldly on the steps of the pavilion, watching her. Lin Yuanrou was terrified by the chilling gaze. She quickly took off the shoes and, gritting her teeth, threw them far away with one swift motion.

"Fine, take them! I don't want them anymore! Is that enough?" Lin Yuanrou said angrily, her clothes soaked by the rain, making her look incredibly disheveled.

As lightning streaked across the sky, the beautiful embroidered shoes flew out. The pearls on the shoes shimmered under the lightning's illumination, floating gracefully on the water's surface amidst the rain's ripples. After a moment, they were swept away by the gentle waves, and the water's surface quickly returned to calm.

Sitting on the ground with disheveled hair, Lin Yuanrou grit her teeth in frustration. When she saw her trembling maidservant nearby, her expression turned fierce, and she shouted harshly, "You wretch! Why aren't you coming to help me up?" Xiangxu and Chunlan exchanged glances and hurried over to assist her. But as Chunlan's hand touched her arm, Lin Yuanrou swung her arm with force, knocking Chunlan to the ground. Chunlan fell silent, trembling on the ground.

"Everything is your fault!" Lin Yuanrou didn't care about what Chunlan was saying; she was solely focused on venting her anger. After hitting Chunlan, she glared fiercely at Xiangxiu, who quickly took off her own shoes and handed them to Lin Yuanrou.

Chunlan hurried to get up and, ignoring the mud covering her body, brought a bamboo umbrella to shelter Lin Yuanrou. With the support of the two maids, Lin Yuanrou cast a hateful glance at Ouyang Nuan and walked away.

Xiangxiu's white socks lay on the ground, covered in mud, presenting a dismal sight.

Lin Yuanxin stared blankly at everything, and what surprised her was that Ouyang Nuan had already calmed down. Lin Yuanrou immediately threw herself into Ouyang Nuan's arms, crying loudly, "Nuan'er! You scared me to death!"

The warmth of a hug enveloped her, leaving Ouyang Nuan at a loss. After a while, she finally hugged Lin Yuanxin back and said, "Xin'er, it's okay! It's all my fault today. I was too impulsive and scared you."

Ouyang Nuan's eyes seemed to burn with flames, emitting a frightening brightness. However, her voice was incredibly gentle. Lin Yuanxin was intimidated by her tone and nodded involuntarily.

Hongyu walked over at this moment, smiling, "Miss Yuanxin, please don't catch a cold. Hurry back!" Seeing Lin Yuanxin's tear-streaked face, she was genuinely shocked. Ouyang Nuan felt a pang of guilt in her heart. She softly said, "Sister, go back and change your clothes."

Lin Yuanxin glanced at the maid beside her, who still wore a fearful expression, and whispered, "Nuan'er, you should go back too!"

Ouyang Nuan nodded and continued to persuade her for a while before watching Lin Yuanxin leave. She kept watching until Lin Yuanxin's figure disappeared from sight before turning her gaze towards the lotus pond.

"Lixiang, I'm sorry for the trouble. Go back and apply some medicine," Ouyang Nuan said calmly to the maid behind her.

Lixiang lowered her head: "I will follow Miss' orders, even if it costs my life."

Ouyang Nuan assigned this task to Lixiang precisely because she didn't fully trust her. Lixiang was well aware of this, so she would work harder than anyone else to prove her usefulness to Ouyang Nuan... Very useful indeed.

Ouyang Nuan gazed at the tranquil lotus pond for a while, then turned and walked towards her mother's old Pavilion. Her footsteps were slow and light, leaving no trace behind.

The rain gradually subsided, and Rongxi Hall was silent, with only the sound of dripping water from the eaves.

Lu Deng lit the candles, while other maids carefully set the table for dinner. After arranging the utensils and serving the porridge, they withdrew. The Old Madam sat at the table, silently listening to the report from Du Mama, not uttering a word for a long time.

"Did you say those maids caused a disturbance?" The Dowager frowned.

"Yes, just now Second Miss sent someone to report that something had happened," Du Mama replied.

The Old Madam immediately stood up. "Come with me to see."

Du Mama hesitated, glancing at the dinner on the table. "Old Madam, perhaps you should finish your meal first."

The Old Madam shook her head, but paused abruptly when she reached the door. By the time Du Mama snapped out of her daze, the Old Madam had sighed and said, "Nuan'er always has her reasons for what she does. I am old now, let the children handle these matters themselves."

Du Mama glanced at the Old Madam, puzzled, but dared not ask anything aloud.

In the Dreaming Rain Pavilion, exquisite dishes were arranged on the table, but Ouyang Nuan hadn't touched any of them. She simply gazed quietly in the direction of the door, as if waiting for something.

In the long wait, the dark clouds outside had completely dispersed. The rain gradually ceased, and mist enveloped the ornate windows, creating an ethereal atmosphere.

"Miss, she will be back soon. You don't need to worry," Hongyu whispered softly.

Ouyang Nuan lowered her delicate eyelashes slightly, pursed her lips, but didn't utter a word. Today's affair had indeed been somewhat risky. Once Lin Yuanrou learned the truth, she would surely seek revenge, but so what?

The feud with the second branch had long been established. In the end, crushing the Lin family had made her a thorn in Lin Wenyuan's side. Now, his silence was merely a matter of concern for her position in the Marquis's residence; if push came to shove, he couldn't disassociate himself.

As she pondered, a strange flame began to burn in her eyes. Instead of waiting for doom, why not add more fuel to the fire? Let it burn bright and fierce!

Just then, Changpu entered with a smile, her eyes sparkling, and her whole body dripping wet as if she had just emerged from a pond.

However, she seemed unconcerned, casually shaking off the water and pulling out something from her bosom. It was a pair of embroidered shoes adorned with night pearls!

Hongyu took the shoes and said, "Quickly dry yourself off to avoid catching a cold!" Changpu happily bowed to Ouyang Nuan, then left.

Hongyu presented the shoes. The intricate patterns on them were exquisite, and the beautiful night pearls felt cool to the touch. Ouyang Nuan slowly ran her fingers over them, a cold smirk playing on her lips.

•••

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