"I heard you were looking for me. What, are you here to confess?" Wu Caiwei appeared before them intentionally, tauntingly.
The Zhou father and son, having traced their way to the Ouyang family, hid in a small alley across the street. They listened to the news their subordinates gathered while constantly glancing at the gates of the Ouyang residence, hoping for an encounter. They hadn't expected her to find them here without any warning.
"Looking at your attire, you don't seem like a servant. Could you be General Ouyang's concubine?" Zhou Jiayang appraised her from head to toe. He hadn't expected this. Her appearance was once merely delicate, but after only three years, she gave off a completely different aura. Her face was the same, yet it evoked a sense of stunning beauty.
"Do you think everyone is like you, keeping a large harem of concubines? Allow me to introduce myself, I am Madam Ouyang." Wu Caiwei, too lazy to exchange pleasantries with them, revealed her identity directly to prevent further baseless speculation.
"I underestimated you. To think you've transformed into a general's wife. If you believe this makes me fearful of you, you are mistaken. Regardless, I am the First驸马, the Emperor's son-in-law. I advise you to put away your petty schemes. Let us mind our own business, like well water not interfering with river water." Zhou Jiayang's gaze was full of threats as he looked at her.
"Oh, I'm so scared. You don't actually think that after what you did to me, I would magnanimously forgive you, do you? If I hadn't been clever, the grass on my grave would be quite tall by now. Our feud is settled for this lifetime. Oh, right, since I am married, shouldn't the property of our Liu family be returned to its rightful owner? Or do you want everyone in the capital to know about your ingratitude?"
The father and son exchanged glances. Seeing her knowing smile, what else could they possibly understand? She had come to declare war.
Although they spoke defiantly, they felt quite hollow inside, as such matters could not be revealed to others. Otherwise, the Zhou family's reputation would be ruined. Furthermore, although they had moved the silver from the Liu family discreetly, they had still been seen by observant individuals. Even if the Zhou family were to go bankrupt, they would not be able to repay that much silver.
Wu Caiwei knew their situation well. The reason she demanded it in person was because she had noticed royal guards, sent by the Emperor, accompanying Zhou Jiayang. She wasn't sure if they were protecting him or monitoring him. Wu Caiwei didn't want to act rashly. Only by provoking them and exposing their true colors could their essence be revealed, allowing the Emperor to see their true nature.
"The Zhou family does indeed possess some of your Liu family's assets. However, when your mother passed away, she entrusted you to us. In gratitude for our care, she gifted us a portion of her wealth. Additionally, some assets were used to cover your expenses during your years with the Zhou family. We have been safeguarding the remainder. Who could have imagined you would suddenly run off? We will send it over tomorrow. What do you say?" Lord Zhou, seeing his son about to argue further, quickly stopped him and proposed a compromise, hoping to reason with Wu Caiwei.
"But my mother told me before you arrived that our Liu family had over a million taels of silver. I still have the ledger my mother gave me before she passed. To my knowledge, my mother did not gift any silver to the Zhou family. If the Zhou family does not wish to return it, you can simply say so, instead of beating around the bush." Wu Caiwei retorted directly, refusing to fall for his act.
In truth, when her mother died, she was young and didn't leave any dying wishes or further instructions. She didn't know anything about that. However, neither of these two men was good. They didn't hesitate to exploit her.
"It seems my niece holds a grudge against us. It was all a misunderstanding; we truly never intended any harm to you." Old Master Zhou knew that struggling was useless, but he remained unwilling to give up. Their Zhou family was the family of the Grand Princess. Yet, the latter showed them no respect and even wished to sever ties, wanting no further complications.
Wu Caiwei shook her head and left with her people. She had always known the Zhou family was shameless, but she hadn't expected them to be so thick-skinned, still refusing to admit their mistakes even at this point. Let them wait for their comeuppance.
Not long after, everyone learned that the celebrated painter they had been searching for was none other than Madam Ouyang. Ouyang Chenxi reappeared in the public eye.
The Grand Princess had always had a fondness for painting. Especially upon hearing that Madam Ouyang's style was consistent with Zhou Jiayang's from years ago, and even more refined, she became intrigued and summoned her to the manor.
"The Grand Princess is still as beautiful as ever, unchanged." Wu Caiwei complimented after performing her courtesies.
"Have we met before? I don't recall," the Grand Princess asked, looking at her with confusion. Logically, she wouldn't forget someone as skilled at painting as her, yet there was no memory of her in her mind.
"As a person of your distinguished status, Your Highness, you naturally wouldn't have met me. But I have seen you. Three years ago, before your birthday, my cousin brought me out, and I secretly observed you from afar. Oh, right, my cousin once had me paint a portrait of you, as a birthday gift. I wonder if you remember." Wu Caiwei gazed at her with wide, innocent eyes, seemingly oblivious to the earth-shattering secret revealed in her words.
"Your cousin is?" the Grand Princess inquired calmly, but her heart was turbulent.
"My cousin is the First驸马. You are my cousin-in-law." Wu Caiwei smiled at her.
At this point, what else could the Grand Princess fail to understand? The person before her was the cousin who had supposedly eloped. If that were true, how could General Ouyang have married her? Clearly, there was a hidden story.
"It seems your intentions today are not simple. You wouldn't be telling me all this for no reason. Tell me, what is it you want?" Although the Grand Princess had acted rather recklessly over the years, who among those raised in the palace was simple? She immediately grasped the crux of the matter.
"I merely wish for the Zhou father and son to suffer misfortune. They usurped the Liu family's assets and kept me confined to the back courtyard, serving as Zhou Jiayang's model. Not only that, but they also intended to kill me. After years of wandering, I have yearned for revenge at every moment." There was no need to conceal things from an intelligent person. If she guessed correctly, the Grand Princess had already surmised her intentions.
Seeing her honesty, the Grand Princess's sharp gaze softened considerably. If she had discovered Zhou Jiayang's deceit years ago, she would have wished for the entire world to be destroyed with her. But now, she had long lost any feelings for him and was even somewhat excited. Finally, she could seize his misdeeds and report him to the Emperor.
"I cannot suspect the驸马 based solely on your word, can I?" the Grand Princess probed, primarily wanting to see if Wu Caiwei possessed any evidence against Zhou Jiayang.