Chapter 12: Memories

Page 1 of 3

It began when a servant came to report that cries and wails could be heard from the room Ouyang Fu frequented. Ouyang Fu’s face changed dramatically.

Chen Hong asked in a low voice, “Chief Steward Ouyang, where exactly is the room this man mentioned?”

At the same time, a thought flickered through Chen Hong’s mind: Could what Afeng said about something dramatic happening at the third quarter of the hour truly be coming to pass? If so, Afeng must be nearby.

Chen Hong cautiously swept the surroundings with the corner of his eye but noticed nothing amiss.

Ouyang Fu was visibly shaken, at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Chen Hong turned to the young servant and said, “Where is this room? Lead us there quickly.”

The servant glanced at Ouyang Fu, but seeing no response, was left uncertain.

At that moment, Ouyang Feng spoke up, “Quit stalling. Lead the way.”

Since it was the young master giving the order, the servant said no more and led the group straight to the room in question.

As they drew near, the sound of crying became clearer. Chen Hong was the first to rush inside.

What met his eyes was a wall with a seam.

A secret chamber!

The cries came from within the wall.

Chen Hong fixed Ouyang Fu with a cold stare. “Chief Steward Ouyang, open the secret chamber immediately.”

Unexpectedly, Ouyang Fu remained unhurried and replied, “No need to rush, Captain Chen. Let me clear out the unnecessary people first.”

He turned to the servants at the door. “You all wait outside.”

The servants left as commanded.

Chen Hong, glancing over, felt as though there was one fewer servant than before, but this was no time to dwell on such things.

Ouyang Fu moved to the wall, pressed a panel, twisted something, and the secret chamber opened completely.

Chen Hong signaled to his two subordinates: one to enter and inspect, the other to stand guard.

Sounds of fists and feet thudding came from inside, followed by wails of pain.

A man came out to report, “Inside, there’s a naked man covered in wounds, and a woman locked in an iron cage.”

Chen Hong nodded and said to Ouyang Fu, “Chief Steward Ouyang, after you.”

Ouyang Feng’s mind was in turmoil; these sudden events were beyond his comprehension.

But Ouyang Fu’s face was calm. From his initial shock, he now seemed utterly unfazed, as if nothing else could trouble him.

Chen Hong scrutinized Ouyang Fu’s expression, suspicious of his calm. Could he have been wrong? Was Ouyang Fu truly not the culprit?

Suppressing his speculations, Chen Hong focused on the urgent matters at hand.

Ouyang Fu entered the secret chamber first. Chen Hong followed closely, and Ouyang Feng, gritting his teeth, stepped in after them.

Inside, Chen Hong saw a naked man lying on the ground, moaning in pain. Not far away, a woman was confined within an iron cage.

The woman looked disheveled, but on closer inspection, seemed familiar.

Who could she be?

Suddenly, a name flashed through his mind: Ouyang Yu.

The missing third young lady of the Ouyang family!

Chen Hong fixed Ouyang Fu with an icy stare. Ouyang Fu remained utterly composed.

Ouyang Feng also sensed something was amiss. Upon recognizing the woman as Ouyang Yu, he rushed forward, calling out her name in anguish.

“Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu, are you all right? Your brother is late.”

Page 2 of 3

Ouyang Yu’s numb eyes lifted at the call. When she saw Ouyang Feng, all the grievances and fears she had endured for days burst forth.

Suddenly, Ouyang Yu fainted.

Ouyang Feng cried out, “Quick, get Xiaoyu out of there!”

Chen Hong’s men closed in on Ouyang Fu, who silently produced a key and handed it over.

Chen Hong ordered the cage unlocked. Ouyang Feng carried Ouyang Yu out and had her taken away to rest.

Looking down at Ouyang Ping, who lay on the ground, Ouyang Feng delivered a flurry of punches and kicks, beating the spoiled scoundrel into unconsciousness.

Turning, Ouyang Feng glared at Ouyang Fu. “Uncle Fu, I’ll call you that one last time—what is going on here? Tell me!”

Chen Hong watched Ouyang Fu closely, wary of any sudden move.

Ouyang Fu glanced at Chen Hong. “Captain Chen, do not fret. Since I chose to come in, I have no intention of going back on my word.”

No longer was Ouyang Fu humble or ingratiating.

Chen Hong said nothing, but did not lower his guard.

A low, mirthless laugh escaped Ouyang Fu’s lips. He turned to Ouyang Feng, his face gentle.

“Young Master Feng, let me tell you two stories.”

Ouyang Feng remained silent, and Ouyang Fu began his tale.

Twenty years ago, Ouyang Fu was still a young man, not yet called Ouyang Fu. He was just a poor boy from a remote mountain village.

But he was happy then, for he had a childhood sweetheart.

The girl’s family was poor as well; after years of closeness, feelings had quietly blossomed between them.

One day, a band of traveling merchants arrived in their village, bringing rare goods and much liveliness.

The girl’s father, a gambler, lost everything in town and borrowed hundreds of taels in high-interest loans.

Desperate, with debt-collectors coming repeatedly, he faced the threat of having his daughter taken away to pay his debts as a prostitute.

Hoping for a stroke of luck, the desperate father decided to sell his daughter to the merchants.

The leader of the merchants, a young man, hadn’t cared at first, but on seeing the girl—despite her rustic clothes—was struck by her purity and loveliness.

He paid the money and took the girl away.

Fate is fickle. When Ouyang Fu returned from foraging in the mountains, he found the girl had been gone for days.

He stood in shock, his soul trembling. Their bond had long transcended friendship, and this sudden calamity was heartbreaking.

Ouyang Fu sat in sorrow for a whole day, then resolved to find her.

He followed the merchant caravan’s trail, and after much hardship, learned they belonged to the Ouyang family of Puzhou City.

Enduring many ordeals, he finally reached Puzhou.

By then, more than two months had passed.

Ouyang Fu sold himself to work for the Ouyang family, and after another month, he caught a glimpse of the girl by chance—she had become Lady Ouyang’s personal maid.

The girl recognized Ouyang Fu, her face full of disbelief.

The two met in secret, pouring out their sorrows.

Through her tears, the girl confided that she was no longer pure, and begged him not to waste his youth waiting for her.

Ouyang Fu, full of love, vowed he would love only her in this life, and that even if he could only stay by her side, that would be enough.

In their closeness, they crossed the boundaries of their relationship, unable to hold back their longing.

Within a few months, the girl noticed something amiss and secretly consulted a physician, who confirmed her pregnancy.

She was struck as if by lightning, and in a daze, told Ouyang Fu the news.

Page 3 of 3

While Ouyang Fu was overjoyed, he saw that the girl was wracked with anxiety. On questioning her, he realized the child would bring great trouble.

He spent sleepless nights pondering, until he discovered that the Lady of the house was childless. An idea formed in his mind.

The master of the Ouyang family was young and vigorous.

One day, the girl took advantage of the master’s drunkenness. In a haze, half-willing, half-resisting, she was favored by the master.

Through his hard work, Ouyang Fu earned the master’s trust and was promoted to steward, and later, chief steward, taking the name Ouyang Fu.

As time went by, the girl’s pregnancy advanced. Because of their different stations, they became increasingly cautious in their meetings.

Ouyang Fu, now the master’s confidant, was not only able but also perceptive of his master’s desires.

As the saying goes, when a man’s belly is full, his thoughts turn to pleasure. Lady Ouyang was childless, while the maids in her quarters were pregnant. No man can remain indifferent in such circumstances.

With Ouyang Fu’s arrangements, the master indulged himself, each time with a different woman.

Ouyang Fu kept an eye on these women, and sure enough, one lucky girl became pregnant. Ouyang Fu hid her away, and the master never found out.

When the girl was about to give birth, disaster struck—she suffered a difficult labor.

Several midwives were summoned; after much hardship, the child was born safely, but the girl died of exhaustion.

Ouyang Fu was overwhelmed with grief but dared not show it. The newborn was registered under Lady Ouyang’s name and raised as her own.

The other woman hidden by Ouyang Fu also gave birth to a child, whom Ouyang Fu secretly took in and raised himself.

A few years later, Lady Ouyang died of illness, and the child lost her protector.

Later, at the old lady’s insistence, Ouyang Xun remarried and had a second wife, who bore twins—a boy and a girl. Life grew even harder for the first child.

Ouyang Fu saw all this.

Over the years, Ouyang Fu rose from steward to chief steward, gaining ever more responsibilities—and more opportunities to see the child.

After the twins were born, the first child lost all favor.

Ouyang Fu stayed by his side.

He taught him how to be a good person, shared stories and experiences, and imparted all his knowledge.

The child often wept, saying his father did not love him, his grandmother did not care, and that he was merely the son of a maid.

At such times, Ouyang Fu would quietly comfort him, urging gratitude and filial piety.

Each time, Ouyang Fu would sigh inwardly, his heart full of pain as he looked at the child.

Thus, nearly twenty years passed, and the child grew into a man of fine character and education.

He was obedient, and though his father showed him no warmth and his grandmother was cold, he remained dutiful, always paying his respects.

He was passionate about learning and studied diligently for over a decade, becoming the man he was today.

Ouyang Fu was delighted. Even if he could never acknowledge their bond, he was content.

All his life, Ouyang Fu had lived for that girl. She died young, leaving behind their only child, who became his whole world, whom he was determined to raise into adulthood.

...

At this point, Ouyang Fu paused, looking at Ouyang Feng with a gentle expression.

Chen Hong asked, “From your story, the master of the Ouyang family treated you well. Why did you kill him?”

Ouyang Fu laughed bitterly. “He did treat me well. For twenty years I managed the Ouyang household, repaying his kindness. But he should not have wanted to discard the eldest for the youngest, nor should he have tried to drive the child away.”

Ouyang Feng shouted, “Impossible! My father treated me well. He would never do that to me. You’re lying! Lying!”

Chen Hong said nothing, listening to Ouyang Feng’s outburst with a touch of irony.

To be continued.