Chapter 552: The Consequences Are Foreseeable
“No, you know, you’ve always known.” Ouyang Jing, supported by Ji Shi, looked at him. “You’ve seen how my brother and I have lived in the Ouyang family all these years, and you didn’t even notice Mother’s death. But you chose to ignore both Mother and my brother and me, because you chose the outcome you wanted. Father, I’ll call you Father one last time. In your heart, have you ever felt even a shred of remorse?”
"I have."
"No, you don't. You always put your own interests first, including that wicked woman. Even if you had a little bit of feelings for her, you wouldn't have pretended to be frightened just now."
Ouyang Jing was always a well-behaved and sensible person, and Ouyang Biao had never seen her ask such sharp questions before. He wanted to say more, but suddenly he realized that whatever he said was useless.
Ouyang Jing has said everything he needed to say, hasn't he? He's always been a person who prioritizes profit above all else.
For his own benefit, neither his wife nor his daughter were anything more than stepping stones to his rise to power; anyone who stood in his way would inevitably be despised by him.
Ouyang Jing ignored the selfish man; her gaze remained fixed on the house in front of her. Inside were her husband and her son; they were her true family.
A gust of wind blew by, and the cloudless sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds.
Seeing that a heavy rain was about to fall, Madam Ji hurriedly helped Ouyang Jing into the house. Gu Shuyan also stepped forward and took Yun Yichen's hand, saying gently, "Husband, we should go back now."
"good!"
Yun Yichen nodded, and then the couple bid farewell to Gu Jin and left the Gu residence together.
"Lord Ouyang, please return if there is nothing else."
Gu Jin glanced at Ouyang Biao, who was still standing in the same spot, then turned around and led everyone away from the plum garden.
Summer skies are always unpredictable; just as everyone returned to their homes, a torrential downpour began.
Large raindrops, mixed with the heat, pounded on the ground, instantly polluting the air.
Ouyang Biao didn't know how long he stood in the plum garden, but by the time he came out of the Yi'an Marquis's residence, he was completely soaked by the rain.
When the coachman of the Ouyang family saw his master finally come out, he hurriedly stepped forward, wanting to ask what had happened to the lady and why she had been taken away by the soldiers.
However, upon seeing Ouyang Biao's gloomy expression, she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
For abusing his first wife's children, harming his mistress, and poisoning the young mistress of the Marquis's mansion, Madam Ouyang was sentenced to immediate execution the very next day.
When Ouyang Rong and her mother learned of her mother's fate, they initially found it hard to accept, but that was only when they first learned the truth.
In just one day, the siblings acted as if nothing had happened. In fact, when people around them mentioned Madam Ouyang, they were scolded and forbidden from mentioning that wicked woman again.
"Like father, like son. The Ouyang family has truly taken ruthlessness to the extreme!"
Gu Shuyan received the message from the Ouyang family, smiled contemptuously, and treated it as a joke.
“Ouyang Biao’s ability to reach his current position on his own is inseparable from his ruthlessness,” Yun Yichen said calmly.
"It's a pity that the old lady schemed so much, but she never expected that the man and children she loved so much would be so heartless."
Speaking of Madam Ouyang, who has already been sentenced, Gu Shuyan couldn't help but sigh.
"Judging from what Shushu said, she sympathizes with that Madam Ouyang." Upon hearing this, Yun Yichen raised an eyebrow and looked at Gu Shuyan.
“That Madam Ouyang has done so many bad things, how could I possibly sympathize with her? It’s just that as a woman, I feel sorry for her.”
If all concubines in the world followed Madam Ouyang's example, killing the mistress of the house and harming the child of the original wife, wouldn't the world be in chaos?
Gu Shuyan wouldn't sympathize with someone who is a villain, but as a woman who had also suffered persecution, she truly felt sorrow for the women of this era.
Seeing that Gu Shuyan's expression seemed to have changed, Yun Yichen's eyes flickered, and he couldn't help but look at her: "Shushu, do you want Madam Ouyang to know the truth?"
"What does it matter if she knows the truth or not? Let's leave her something to remember her by knowing the truth."
Having already learned of the other party's fate, Gu Shuyan didn't want to go through any more trouble.
However, they underestimated Madam Ouyang. As the execution day approached, a black figure silently took Madam Ouyang away from the prison.
When the guards in the prison discovered that the prisoner was missing, they reported it immediately. However, even with the vigorous search by the Prefect of the Capital, they could not find any information.
In a mansion in the capital, after Madam Ouyang had finished dressing up, she was led to a man.
"Speak, what do you know that you've gone to such lengths to see me?"
Before Madam Ouyang could make any move, the man spoke with some impatience.
"Naturally, it refers to the matter concerning Consort Yun twenty years ago."
After being convicted, Madam Ouyang handed over all her valuables to a yamen runner, asking him to deliver a message.
Upon receiving the news, the man naturally did as Madam Ouyang had planned and rescued her.
Upon hearing Madam Ouyang mention Consort Yun, the man paused slightly.
As if recalling some unpleasant past, the man fell silent instantly, a faint chill emanating from him.
After a long while, she heard the man ask her, "You are just a vice minister's second wife. How do you know about things that happened more than twenty years ago?"
Faced with the man's questioning, Madam Ouyang remained calm and composed.
"Your Excellency may not know this, but although I am only the second wife of the Vice Minister, I was a palace maid twenty years ago. Unfortunately, I witnessed the incident that happened back then."
Madam Ouyang spoke calmly and composedly, her narration revealing no trace of lying.
"Do you know what the consequences will be if what you say is untrue?" The man subtly twirled the ring on his finger, his tone laced with threat.
"He was torn apart by five horses, and died without a complete body."
Madam Ouyang seemed to have anticipated the man's question and answered it almost without thinking.
Seeing that Madam Ouyang seemed to have a clear understanding of his situation, the man stopped talking and raised his hand to her, signaling her to tell him what he knew.
"Back then, His Majesty had just ascended the throne, and it just so happened that Consort Yun was giving birth. There was a shortage of manpower, so I was sent to Consort Yun's palace to help. But what could a mere teens palace maid like me do? Apart from helping to boil water in the kitchen, I wasn't even allowed to enter the delivery room. At the time, I thought it was just an ordinary concubine giving birth. As long as I dutifully boiled the water, I could go back to where I was before after Consort Yun gave birth."
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