The Zhuangyuan Mansion was not peaceful tonight.
Wave after wave of thieves were trying to climb over the high courtyard walls.
However, Zhang Dian, who was primarily responsible for guarding the courtyard, was not to be trifled with.
Not only was he skilled himself, but he also trained the other household guards regularly.
While they couldn't compare to professional guards and hidden guards, they could take on ten ordinary household guards.
In the past, there were occasional visitors probing for information, but never had they come as frequently as today, and their skills were successively higher.
This made Zhang Dian uneasy.
He summoned Zhang Lei and informed him of the matter.
Zhang Lei immediately reported to Shen Yun.
The couple was about to rest when they heard Zhang Lei's report. Su Xiaoqi immediately thought of that face full of decadence and dissipation.
She felt a surge of nausea.
Seeing her state, Shen Yun quickly hugged her and whispered, "My lady, don't worry. Your husband will ensure they never return."
Su Xiaoqi believed him.
Having been with Shen Yun for so long, she had gradually come to understand his strength.
The wind, rain, thunder, and lightning were merely the visible forces.
In fact, in unseen places, he had an army that no one knew about.
It was just that the time had not yet come to deploy them.
After this incident, the couple was deeply concerned about the events outside. They could not sleep anyway, so they got dressed, sat by the window, and spoke softly to the dark sky outside.
"Marquis Dingbian, Ouyang Defei, seems like a decent person. How did he end up with such a troublesome son?" Su Xiaoqi frowned and complained.
Having lived in the capital for so long, she knew about the famous Marquis Dingbian.
He was different from the so-called Marquis Yong'an and the Liu clan.
The Liu family obtained their noble titles through marriage alliances.
Marquis Dingbian, however, was a genuine military general, as his title suggested.
His ancestors were meritorious officials who served alongside Emperor Taizu to conquer the land.
Their noble titles were hereditary, and it was said they possessed a golden certificate of exemption from capital punishment once for their family.
Over the years, Marquis Dingbian had not disappointed the Emperor of Liang.
Generals emerged from his family generation after generation, each capable of leading troops.
It was Marquis Dingbian who led the troops to reclaim the Southern Yue region during the past years of conflict.
Shen Yun also said, "Marquis Dingbian himself is heroic, but unfortunately, his lineage is not prosperous. He only had one son, Ouyang Baobao, in his late thirties, and has doted on him ever since. I never expected him to be raised so uselessly."
Shen Yun's words contained a hint of disdain but also a touch of regret.
This meant that the lineage of talented generals of the Ouyang family, the Marquis Dingbian family, had come to an end.
Su Xiaoqi said, "I think the wife of the heir of the Duke Zhenguo's mansion has quite the demeanor of her father."
The wife of the heir of the Duke Zhenguo's mansion, Madam Ouyang, was indeed from the Marquis Dingbian's family.
She grew up in the border regions.
Recently, Su Xiaoqi had interacted with her frequently due to the Dragon Boat Festival incident, the relief efforts, and subsequent matters at the Liuyuan Garden.
Her personality was bold and generous, unlike typical sheltered young ladies, and she greatly pleased Du Yiyi.
Thus, Su Xiaoqi also became good friends with her.
However, she never expected that such a valiant and straightforward sister would have a brother as useless as Ouyang Baobao.
It was truly shocking!
But upon further consideration of Ouyang Baobao's mother, Huang Yaru, Su Xiaoqi seemed to understand why Ouyang Baobao had turned out so useless.
Firstly, doting mothers often spoil their sons.
Secondly, Huang Yaru could even confront and trouble someone she didn't know without reason, which indicated problems with her character and a complete lack of virtue.
Moreover, Marquis Dingbian was stationed at the frontier for extended periods, busy with military affairs.
Matters concerning the education of their children were thus left to women like Huang Yaru.
As they chatted, the two kept an eye on the commotion outside.
A quarter of an hour later, Zhang Lei reported, "My lord, the people have been apprehended, but..."
"But what?" Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but press.
"He committed suicide." Zhang Lei stealthily glanced at his master's indifferent expression, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and hesitated to speak.
But the truth was the truth, and it couldn't be concealed.
"How many?"
"Ten in total. Three were captured, and seven escaped."
"Don't worry, they will come again. Maintain vigilance," Shen Yun said calmly.
He no longer had any expectations for this matter.
Su Xiaoqi, however, began to feel a bit nervous.
She had initially thought Ouyang Baobao was of little consequence, merely sending some incompetent household guards to probe them.
They would leave once they were frightened.
Who knew he would bring in trained assassins?
The kind who committed suicide if things didn't go their way.
Now, the situation had escalated.
"Husband, why don't we report it to the authorities?" Su Xiaoqi was somewhat worried.
Shen Yun thought for a moment and then said, "Marquis Dingbian married the second legitimate daughter of Duke Huang, who is a sister to Noble Consort Huang in the palace. Given this, let us report it to the authorities."
After all, it wasn't the first time they had reported something.
It was proper to see things through to the end.
Su Xiaoqi blinked her eyes. Shen Yun's words seemed unrelated to the matter, but she understood him.
He meant that Marquis Dingbian was on the Crown Prince's side.
And his political stance was with Prince Duan.
Therefore, he would definitely want to use this incident to his advantage.
However, Ouyang Baobao was so detestable that Su Xiaoqi didn't think Shen Yun was wrong in doing so.
Even if she were used as a pawn, she wouldn't mind.
So she nodded and said, "Then let's rest first. We can go tomorrow morning."
"No need. My lady, you rest first. I will go to Shuntian Prefecture immediately."
Shen Yun had made up his mind, and Su Xiaoqi did not stop him.
Shen Yun kissed Su Xiaoqi on the forehead, then had her lie down and tucked her in before turning to leave.
At this moment, in the brightly lit warm pavilion of the Yan Yu Tower, a wail was heard: "Young Master, it's not good, it's not good."
"Fu Gui, your sister was violated, and you're cursing me? I'm perfectly fine right now."
Ouyang Baobao was indulging in a second round, enjoying the extra services from Fang Gu.
Just as he was about to exert his manly prowess to conquer Fang Gu, he was interrupted by his own attendant, causing him to lose control and spill his seed prematurely.
Enraged, Ouyang Baobao, still not fully dressed, jumped up and slapped Fu Gui twice across the face.
"Slap, slap, slap..." The blows left him disoriented.
"Ah... Ah..." Fu Gui cried out in pain, but remembering the fate of other disobedient attendants who were beaten to death, he dared not complain. He prostrated himself on the ground, repeatedly banging his head on the carpet.
"I deserve to die, I deserve to die."
Ouyang Baobao glared at him hatefully and cursed, "You damn well deserve to die.
Do you know you almost scared me into impotence!"
If he became impotent, he would be like the heir of Prince Ning, and no amount of killing Fu Gui would be enough.
Finally, after beating him and scolding him, and kicking him more than a dozen times, Ouyang Baobao finally vented his anger. Under Fang Gu's persuasion, he sat down to listen to Fu Gui's report.
"Didn't the young master send him to the Zhuangyuan Mansion earlier? If he's rushing here, the task must be completed. It's better to listen to him, so the young master's mood can improve."
Fang Gu, perhaps lost in the pleasures of the moment, had not heard Fu Gui's mournful cry.
Her words piqued Ouyang Baobao's interest. He hooked Fu Gui's chin with his toe, leaned forward, and asked:
"How did the task go?"
Upon hearing this, Fu Gui went completely rigid, as if dead, prostrate on the ground, not daring to even move his eyeballs.
Ouyang Baobao, impatient, kicked him again.
"Speak, you are so damn slow."
"Master, master, master, those gentlemen were injured, and three died."
"What!" Ouyang Baobao was truly enraged this time.
He swept over a small table beside him, knocking it over.
The blue and white porcelain teacups on it shattered into pieces.