coobybook Chapter 82 082 Gathering Information
Chapter 82 082 Gathering Information
Chapter 82 082 Gathering Information
Ye Pianran led Ling Shu and Ling Yi out of Lanxin Courtyard and calmly arrived at the front hall. However, she did not go in but stood by the door, listening to the sounds inside.
In the main hall, boxes of generous betrothal gifts were laid out. The current head of the Ouyang family, Ouyang Xiang, elders Ouyang Qi and Ouyang Ze, and Ouyang Shaoyu sat on the left side of the main hall, while Old Madam Song, Marquis An Shi, and Ye Bijun sat on the right side. Both sides had smiles on their faces and were exchanging very polite words.
"When the Marquis's mansion sent someone to annul the engagement, the entire Ouyang family was deeply disappointed. They thought the Ouyang family and the Marquis's mansion would never be related by marriage. But ever since the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet in the palace, Shaoyu has been unable to forget your Marquis's daughter, Bijun," Ouyang Xiang glanced at Ye Bijun, whose eyes were full of excitement, a hint of disdain flashing across his mind, but he spoke with great kindness on his face:
"After much consideration, we have decided to fulfill Shaoyu's wish and personally come to propose marriage, so that Miss Bijun can become a member of our Ouyang family. What do you think, Lord Marquis?"
Marquis Anshi first feigned reluctance, saying, "Bijun is my third brother's child, and his lifelong marriage should be decided by him. I'm afraid it's not appropriate for me to make that decision."
"This... I wonder where your younger brother is? Why hasn't he come today?" Ouyang Xiang pressed the throbbing veins on his forehead and asked with a smile.
"Oh, he manages all the businesses under our Marquis's household and is always active in Jinzhou, rarely returning to the capital," said Marquis Anshi. Although Ye Bijun is not his daughter, she is still of the Marquis's bloodline. Properly mentioning her background will provide some security for her future marriage and prevent her from being bullied.
“As the head of the Marquis’s mansion, you are the head of everyone in the mansion. If you can’t decide on this marriage, who can?” Old Madam Song chimed in, “You’ve found a good marriage for Bi Jun. The Third Prince is grateful to you, so how could he blame you?”
"Yes, Uncle! Before I left Jinzhou, my father told me that once I arrived in the capital, I must listen to you. Whatever you say, I will do without complaint!" Ye Bijun said eagerly. She wished she could marry into the Ouyang family right now!
"Now your uncle is asking you, are you willing to marry into the Ouyang family and become their daughter-in-law?" Marquis Anshi asked.
Ye Bijun raised her head and glanced shyly at Ouyang Shaoyu opposite her, her eyes shimmering, and said softly, "I'm willing."
"Very well, I will make this decision for you today and agree to this marriage on your behalf," Marquis Anshi said with a smile, quite pleased. By agreeing to this marriage, their Marquisate and the Ouyang family would be completely bound together. In this way, he would have an ally who did not belong to the Prime Minister Gongsun's lineage. In the future, as he gradually strengthens his power, he will surely be able to completely break free from the Prime Minister's suppression!
"Thank you, Uncle!" Ye Bijun stood up and bowed to Marquis Anshi.
Marquis Anshi chuckled as he helped her up and said to Ouyang Xiang, “My niece has been clever and obedient since she was little, and now she is even more intelligent, virtuous and kind. I’m sure she will be able to serve Shaoyu well and help the Ouyang family to have more descendants.”
Ouyang Xiang glanced at Ye Bijun's face, which was covered by a veil, and forced a smile, saying, "Please rest assured, Lord Marquis, our Ouyang family will certainly not mistreat Miss Bijun."
"Very well, then, should we set a date for the wedding?" asked Marquis Anshi.
Ouyang Xiang nodded and said, "Of course. Shaoyu." After he finished speaking, he winked at Ouyang Shaoyu.
Ouyang Shaoyu reluctantly stood up and said to Ye Bijun, "I haven't been to your Marquis's residence for a long time. How about you take me for a walk around?"
Ye Bijun was naturally delighted and immediately nodded vigorously, "That would be perfect!" After saying that, she realized that she had been too eager, so she quickly cleared her throat, gave a graceful curtsy, and said, "Young Master Shaoyu, please."
Hearing this, Ye Pianran gestured for Ling Shu and Ling Yi to be quiet, then quickly retreated, hiding behind the artificial hill. Two distinct footsteps echoed from outside, followed by Ouyang Shaoyu's extremely impatient voice.
"Alright, don't leave. I'll just stay here and look around."
Ye Bijun said, "Young Master Shaoyu..."
"Ye Bijun, I hope you understand one thing: I have never met you before, nor have we ever had any interaction. My marriage to you is entirely due to circumstances. Don't flatter yourself and think that I proposed to you because I like you. Even if you didn't have the injury on your face, with your former beauty, I would never have been interested in you!"
"Ouyang Shaoyu, you—you still have feelings for Ye Pianran, don't you?!" Ye Bijun was furious and embarrassed.
"What business is it of yours who I think about?" Ouyang Shaoyu sneered. "You haven't even married into our Ouyang family yet, and you're already thinking about disrespecting your husband? Our Ouyang family has been officials for generations, and we value etiquette the most. If you don't have the heart to fulfill your duties as a wife, you might as well go inside and tell them now that you regret marrying me!"
As soon as Ouyang Shaoyu said this, there was immediate silence outside. After a long while, Ye Bijun was heard gritting her teeth and saying, "I will remember my place."
"Hmph." Ouyang Shaoyu snorted coldly and walked away. Only after Ye Bijun left did Ye Pianran emerge from behind the artificial hill.
Ye Pianran glanced at Ling Shu and Ling Yi, who were trying not to laugh, then raised her eyebrows with great pleasure and casually returned to Lanxin Courtyard.
Although her conversation with Ouyang Shaoyu was not very pleasant, Ye Bijun was still extremely excited to learn that she would soon be able to join the Ouyang family. Back in her room, she relaxed and leaned against the couch, her mind filled with daydreams about her life after joining the Ouyang family. Suddenly, she felt an uncontrollable itch on the wound on her face.
Taking a deep breath, Ye Bijun rushed to the basin, scooped up water, and splashed it on her face, trying to suppress the agonizing feeling. After splashing water for a while, she finally felt a little better. However, when she carefully wiped the water from her face with a cloth, she saw her cheeks were swollen high in the mirror and screamed in terror.
"Ah—how could it have turned out like this! Cleverness! Cleverness!"
Qiaoyi rushed to her side: "Miss, what's wrong!"
"Look at my face! What's wrong with my face?!"
"Miss, why is your face so swollen? It looks like you've been punched!"
Ye Bijun was terrified. She was perfectly fine before, how could she have become like this! Her face was already a terrible sight, but now it looked like a demon. If Ouyang Shaoyu saw it—if he saw it—
No! She can't marry into the Ouyang family looking like this! She must make herself better!
"Qiaoyi, please help me, you must help me!" Ye Bijun gripped Qiaoyi's shoulders tightly, her expression almost frantic.
"Miss, please calm down. Just tell me what you want me to do. As long as it's within my power, I will do my best to help you restore your body to its original state!"
"Go find Ronghua Tower for me!" Ye Bijun said through gritted teeth. "I don't believe they just left the capital like that. They must still be here. Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, you have to find them! The injury on my face is too strange. Maybe it's the poison from the previous 'Puppet on Silk' that's causing this. Only by finding the owner of Ronghua Tower can I be saved!"
"Okay, Miss, don't worry, Qiaoyi will definitely find the people from Ronghua Tower for you!" Qiaoyi said decisively.
From that day on, Qiaoyi would spend every day searching the streets and alleys of the capital, from the East Market to the West Market, from the south to the north of the city. She walked around the capital countless times, but still couldn't find any news about Ronghua Tower. Many times she wanted to give up, but when she thought of the injuries on Ye Bijun's face, she gritted her teeth and persevered.
Finally, one day after noon, as she walked out of a teahouse in Qinggu Alley in Nanshi, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure in the crowd—
It was the shopkeeper who had served her at the Red Lotus Pavilion and exchanged secret codes with her!
Qiaoyi's face lit up with joy, and she immediately wanted to chase after the person and grab him. However, when she saw the person cautiously looking around, she suddenly realized something and quickly lowered her head to hide herself.
The man looked around to make sure everything was alright, then continued on his way. Qiaoyi thought for a moment, then quietly followed. The man deliberately chose crowded areas, making it easy for Qiaoyi to follow. Qiaoyi followed him around Qinggu Alley three times. Just when she thought he might have already spotted her and was teasing her, the man slipped into a music hall called "Lingyin Pavilion."
Is this Ronghua Tower's new hideout? Why did they move so quietly? Could something have happened at Honglianfang?
Fearing that her rashly following them in would alert the enemy and cause Ronghua Tower to have to move again, Qiaoyi hesitated for a moment and decided that it would be better to return to the Marquis's residence first and tell Ye Bijun about her discovery today.
When Ye Bijun heard from Qiaoyi about the new news about Ronghua Tower, she was overjoyed and generously rewarded Qiaoyi with several taels of silver.
"Miss, when should we set off for Lingyin Pavilion?" Qiaoyi asked, clutching the silver coins tightly, wishing she could go to Ronghua Tower with her mistress right now.
"No rush, let's get ready and go in a couple of days," Ye Bijun said, squinting her eyes.
On the other side, Ye Cangqiong also told Chunyu Yang everything he had discovered while following Qiaoyi's investigation.
"Lingyin Pavilion," Chunyu Yang murmured the name thoughtfully. "Besides that, have you discovered anything else?"
"All we know for now is that the person entered Lingyin Pavilion, but whether there are other secret passages within Lingyin Pavilion leading elsewhere, I have no idea," Ye Cangqiong said.
“Very good, your mission is complete. Withdraw from the Marquis’s residence and return to the Prince’s residence to protect the young prince,” Chunyu Yang said.
"Shouldn't we conduct a thorough investigation into Ronghua Tower?" Ye Cangqiong asked.
"This time, I will go myself."